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The Drawback's Youth Tap Ensemble celebrated Buster Cooper's 87th birthday with a surprise party after their Sunday choreography rehearsal.
Happy Birthday Buster!
Texas Ballet Theater will be moving to their new location at 1600 Green Oaks Rd. Fort Worth, Texas 76116 August 27.
Congratulations to Lindsay Yoes Gillings, newest member of DBDT II!
Read all about DBDT's exciting new season by clicking here.
Laine Habony in Serenade, choreography by George Balanchine performed by LakeCities Ballet Theatre with permission of the George Balanchine Trust.
Photo by Nancy Loch
Laine Habony, Ballet Conservatory student and LakeCities Ballet Theatre member, attended SAB this summer on a full merit scholarship. Upon completion of the summer term, Laine received an invitation to study at SAB full time on scholarship. She will begin the winter session in September and will continue her academic education at the Children's Professional School in New York City. Laine, 14, is a 2010 Dance Council Scholarship recipient and was awarded first place in the Junior Classical Division in the Youth America Grand Prix Competition.
The very first years of the DCC were well represented! Carrie (1972),
Vicki Woodlee (1973) Beverly Gallagher (1973) and Carla Byrum (1974)
ESPN
is honoring the top 50 icons of football in honor of the NFL 90 year
anniversary and group leaders of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders from 1972 to present were
asked to be part of the celebration. The DCC were the first NFL cheerleading squad in the country. Read the story here:
www.neighborsgo.com
 
Claire Boren and Courtlyn Hanson photos by Cathy Vanover
DCNT student member Claire Boren and 2010 DCNT scholarship recipient Courtlyn Hanson took part in the Guiness Book of Records record-breaking "ballerinas on pointe without coming down for 1 minute" in NYC. Courtlyn is on the 3rd row towards the left hand side in aqua. Watch it here: www.youtube.com
Abby Lett, a student
at the Ballet Academy of
Texas
and BTWHSPVA has received the honor
of becoming one of the "Elite
Proteges" for 2010/11 of the PULSE organization, which
regularly holds weekend conventions
in training and performing with such
noted teachers and choreographers as
Mia Michaels,
Tyce Diorio,
Wade
Robson, and
Brian Friedman. "Elite Protégé" is the
highest form of scholarship offered
at the PULSE. Abby will travel to 13
cities as an assistant for their
faculty and attend all PULSE
events for FREE for an entire year with PULSE handling all
travel arrangements and
accommodations. Congratulations Abby!
Tauna Hunter, who danced professionally with Ballet West, Colorado Ballet and Dallas Ballet, will receive Chautauqua Dance Artist Teacher's Award at Chautauqua Institute on July 26. Tauna was President of Dallas Dance Council Board of Directors during the early 1990s. With Tauna's leadership Dance Council rented office space for the first time. Tauna Hunter is head of the Dance Department at Mercyhurst in Pennsylvania. www.mercyhurst.edu
 
Congratulations to past DCNT scholarship recipient Diana Herrera– one of the newest members of Dallas Black Dance Theatre!
Lisa
Slagle, Director of Ballet Academy of Texas (home of Ballet Ensemble of
Texas), is proud to announce the addition of a Professional Ballet
Dancer Preparatory Program! Intensive Training, 3-mornings per week for
the DFW area, home schooled student or high school graduate, aspiring
toward a career in Ballet. The pro...gram
will meet on Tuesday-Thursday mornings from 10am – 1pm. A two-hour
technique class will be followed by an hour of Pointe, Pas de Deux, or
Men’s Ballet. Classes will be taught by Mr. Clarence McDorman, an
affiliated teacher of American Ballet Theatre’s National Training
Curriculum and new full-time staff member of the Ballet Academy of
Texas and Ms. Lisa Slagle, director of Ballet Academy of Texas and
Advisory Board Member of American Ballet Theatre’s National Training
Curriculum.
Park Cities Dance is moving into their new studios August 23, 2010.
"It's a Little Bit of New York in Dallas!" New location: 7979 Inwood,
Suite 201, Dallas, TX (NW corner of Lovers & Inwood above
Blockbuster).
 
Ida Saki (modern dance) and Austin Goodwin
(choreography) travel to Washington DC, to receive their honors and
perform for the president of the US, on behalf of the NFAA Young Arts
Competition where they both were awarded the Presidential Scholar in
the Arts Award! 20 US Presidential Scholars in the Arts are being
honored in Washington D.C. during National Recognition Week in this
highly anticipated White House-sponsored ceremony this coming week,
alongside 121 academic scholars. US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
said that the 141 outstanding high school seniors as 2010 U.S.
Presidential Scholars have demonstrated outstanding academic
achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship, service, and
contribution to school and community. U.S. Presidential Scholars will
be honored for their accomplishments in Washington DC, from June 19-22.
"These student leaders and scholars show that setting high expectations
and striving for excellence pays off," Duncan said. "Their academic and
artistic achievements reflect a sense of purpose that we should seek to
instill in all students to prepare them for college, careers, civic
responsibilities, and the challenges of today's job market." The
artists will exhibit their artwork at the Smithsonian American Art
Museum on Sunday, June 20, and performances will take place at the John
F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, June 21.
Now that the new season of SYTYCD has started, check out their page: Listed as the The Best of Best:
Ida Saki: Ida's audition showed off the perfect mix of palpable
emotion and flawless technique. Her Schindler's List inspired
(seriously) audition deserves a permanent space in your DVR for those
moments when you think nothing beautiful comes out of pain and that
perfection doesn't exist.
The Friends of BTWHSPVA Dance (a.k.a., the Dance Guild) presented
scholarships for Summer Enrichment in Dance Studies to the following
students: Ida
Saki, Lauren Kravitz, Evelyn Roberts, Caitlyn Johansen, Samantha Noell,
Niesha Smith, Melissa Nesmith, Hailey Turek, Sergio Tapia-Fikes, Meagan
Ward, Avery Andrews, Heather Dods, Erica Messonnier, Rebekah Adkins,
Emily McDaniel, Chaslen Osler, Madison Magnall, Heather Smith, Ani
Mayo, Diarra Payne, Haley Webb, Victoria Caffey, Omar Humphrey, Cassidy
Pinkston, Kia Hensley, Kylie Cantu, Shahla Walker, Sage Watson. Congratulations to all of these students!
Newsy tidbits from Texas Ballet Theatre: Company members Heather Crosby and Alexander Kotelenets will be getting married on Saturday, May 22 in Flower Mound. Erin Witt will be tying the knot on July 10 in Illinois. Leticia Oliveira and Carl Coomer are engaged! We congratulate them and wish them a world of happiness on their upcoming nuptials.
First place recipient Brittney Dito
The results of the first Dallas dance-Off are in! First Place: 2008/09
DCNT scholarship recipient and Ballet Academy of Texas dancer, Brittney Dito ($750 prize); second place: Montana Michniak
of Booker T Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts
($500 prize); third place: 2008 DCNT scholarship recipient and Next
Step Dance Performing Arts Center tapper Tyler Spearman ($250 prize). Congrats to all!
Congratulations to Collin County Ballet Theatre dancers who received
the following 2010 Regional Dance America/Southwest Festival
Scholarships: Monica Hernandez - Jane Combs Full Dancer RDA, SW
Scholarship to the Craft of Choreography Conference, Columbia City
Ballet Summer Intensive; Jessi Gorman - Interlochen Summer Program;
Ashton Leonard - Full Scholarship, International Ballet Competition
Summer Intensive; Sarah Pearce - Merit/Talent Scholarship Joffrey,
San Antonio; Anna Westby - Merit/Talent Scholarship Joffrey, San
Antonio.
DCNT congratulations to 2009/10 Scholarship recipient Ida Saki (Modern) and Austin Goodwin
(Choreography) of Booker T Washington High School for the Performing
& Visual Arts! Both are 2010 Presidential Scholars— a major
accomplishment as out of 8,000 applicants, only 20 are chosen. Read all
about them by clicking here.
Tracy Jordan is now Facility Manager at the historic Majestic Theatre, downtown Dallas. Congrats!
The Chaplin Cotillions under the direction of Joe Cutaia and Ann Briggs-Cutaia
are holding their end of the year dances. The Rockwall party gave the
students, 4th and 5th graders, an opportunity to show what they have
learned. Boys were in suits, or sport coats and slacks, complete with
white shirt and tie. Even the dads in attendance were wearing ties. The
girls were dressed in their spring frocks and new shoes with their hair
shining almost as much as their eyes. The boys demonstrated the correct
way to ask a lady to dance, to escort a partner on the floor and dance
etiquette. The girls twirled and looked at ease. The students danced
the Texas Two Step, the Fox Trot and even the Waltz and the Twist. Most
heartwarming was when the young students formally asked one of their
parents, sibling or other family member to dance. The pride in the
faces of the moms shone like the Texas summer sun. Dads were cool. Once
in awhile the realization that their little kid is growing up crossed
their faces. Great fun.
Miami City Ballet School increasing talent pool worldwide. Read about
how Carter Alexander has transformed the school: www.miamiherald.com <http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/03/1560226/troupe-of-tomorrow-miami-city.html#ixzz0kMK0yHCt>
Laine Habony
Great news from Ballet Conservatory at YAGP Finals in New York: DCNT
members Sally Scweitzer received a scholarship to Juilliard's summer
program and 2010 Sally Williams Memorial Scholarship recipient Laine
Habony received scholarship offers for summer & full year from
Nat'l Ballet of Canada, Stuttgart Ballet & Monte Carlo.
The international American Ballet Competition for students ages 9 - 19,
held their annual competition in Austin March 27 - 28. Close to 100
young dancers attended from as far away as Singapore and Brazil. The
competition was hosted by Ballet Austin at their state-of-the-art
studios and theatre in downtown Austin and the dancers were judged by
directors of the top ballet schools in the United States, such as the
Washington School of Ballet.
Coppell-based Ballet Academy of Texas received many top awards,
including “School Recognition Award”; Classical Ballet division:
Rayleigh Vendt (age 14) – 2nd plac, and Courtlyn Hanson (age 13) – 3rd
place; Contemporary division: Brittney Dito (age 16) – 1st place and
Julia Nicholson (age 13) - 2nd place; Outstanding Ensemble Performance
Award for their entry, “La Vivandiere Pas de Six”. In addition, the
following BAT students were awarded scholarships to various prestigious
schools throughout the nation for summer intensive study: Claire Boren
(age 13), Courtlyn Hanson, (age 13), Julia Nicholson (age 13), Rayleigh
Vendt (age 14), Abbie Feller (age 15), and Brittney Dito (age 16).
Film documentaries of two Booker T. Washington High School for the
Performing and Visual Arts dance seniors' choreography premiered April
10, 2010 at the Angelika Theatre as part of the Dallas International
Film Festival. Rebecca Blackwell's Sleep Dis-Order and Shonjia
Hairston's Seven Deadly Sins were the subject of two BTWHSPVA's Film
Club entries in the short documentaries category.
Ida Saki, a dance senior at Booker T. Washington High School for the
Performing and Visual Arts, was presented the Outstanding Student
Choreography Award at the 2010 National High School Dance Festival. Her
choreography was selected and showcased in the Gala Concert at the
Gussman Theatre in Miami, Florida March 20, 2010.
Beckles Dancing Company has been accepted into the Community Arts
Program (CAP) for the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs. The
goal of CAP is to provide support and opportunities for ethnic artists
cultural organizations to teach, perform, and exhibit at host
facilities in Dallas Neighborhoods. This helps promote cultural
awareness, heightens citizens' understanding of art forms and
celebrates the various traditions that contribute to the composition of
this city.
The Texas Commission on the Arts and the Texas Cultural Trust recently
announced its 2010 class of Young Masters, a grant program that
provides exemplary art students with financial aid to pursue advance
study. Each receives up to $2,500 per year, up to three years, to
pursue his/her chosen discipline.
Nine of the 22 students are from North Texas: Alysia Johnson, Kyle
Morrow and McKinley Willis from Dallas; Skylar Boykin and Ida Saki from
Plano; Maddie Bueter from Frisco; Eun "Jinny" Seo from Euless;
Alexandra Switala from Grapevine; and Michael Taylor from Arlington.
Way to go!
Recently in the The New Yorker: "The dancers looked marvelous....
Domingo Estrada, Jr., the company's newest member, quick and happy,
like an animal.... In New York today, there are several companies so
good that you gasp when you look at them: the Morris, Alvin Ailey, and
Paul Taylor companies, plus American Ballet Theatre. I do not expect
ever to see a dance troupe more accomplished than these. But none is
more of a piece -- one instrument -- than the Morris company."
-- Joan Acocella, The New Yorker, March 15, 2010
Domingo Estrada, Jr. is the 2002 recipient of DCNT’s Jerry Bywaters Cochran Scholarship.
Congratulations to DCNT board members Troy and Delilah on the birth of their son, Lennon Wolfgang Gardner, born March 11
Buster Cooper recently ran into Griff Braun, DCNT's 2003 Natalie
Skelton Scholarship recipient. Griff is in Dallas because his wife is
in the cast of "Phantom of the Opera" at the Music Hall through March
12.
In February Colleen Kelly Beaman, recognized with the 2010 DCNT Natalie
Skelton Award, socialized and entertained at the 65th Anniversary of
Iwo Jima Veterans Reunion in Wichita Falls, Texas. She then spent a few
days in Dallas and taught master classes for the dance department at
SMU, at Stacia's School of Dance (Cedar Hill), Sway Dance Center
(Richardson), Dana's Dance Academy (Irving) and Stage Door Dance
(Mesquite) among others.
McKenna Karnes (left) never imagined going away to New York City for
five weeks to attend SAB’s summer program. (Photo courtesy McKenna
Karnes) Check out Life at Lincoln Center by DCNT member McKenna Karnes
(Chamberlain School of Performing Arts) in February's edition of Dance
Studiolife Magazine: www.dancestudiolife.com
<http://www.dancestudiolife.com/2010/02/ballet-scene-ballet-in-the-big-city/>
Vicki Woodlee, whose son Zach Woodlee is the Co-producer and
Choreographer for the Fox Series GLEE, has started a Facebook page
(Dance Studios in the 1950s and 1960s <http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=324640751925&v=info>
) dedicated to the North Texas Dance Studios of the 1950s and 1960s, so
all those classic places of dance will not be forgotten. The studio she
once owned is closed, but it is where Zach received his training. The
goal is to get all the old students to reconnect and the response has
been amazing—over 200 members. www.facebook.com/vickiwoodlee <http://www.facebook.com/vickiwoodlee>
She has a page totally dedicated to Texie Waterman School of Dance
since that is her alma mater and is pleasingly surprised at the
response she has received from members who will post old photos!
Tom Keerikoolparn, tap dancer and member of the Hoofin Crew will work
as a Walt Disney World® Resort intern in Orlando, Florida from May 2010
until early January 2011. We'll miss seeing you, Tom!
Congratulations to local winners of the YAGP 2010 Dallas, TX Semi-Finals
SENIOR AGE DIVISION
CLASSICAL DANCE CATEGORY - MEN & WOMEN
3rd Place (tie) Tiffany Byrd, 15 (Texas Ballet Theater School)
3rd Place (tie) Kaya Aman, 17 (Ballet West Academy)
TOP 12 - MEN & WOMEN
Kaya Aman, 17 (Ballet West Academy)
Tiffany Byrd, 15 (Texas Ballet Theater School)
Brittney Dito, 16 Ballet Academy of Texas
Tessa Moore, 16 (Ballet Center of Forth Worth)
Sally Schweitzer, 16 (Ballet Conservatory)
Jarred Tennison, 18 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
Nathan Vendt, 16 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
CONTEMPORARY DANCE CATEGORY
3rd Place (tie) Brittney Dito, 16 Ballet Academy of Texas
TOP 12 - MEN & WOMEN
Kaya Aman, 17 (Ballet West Academy)
Brittney Dito, 16 Ballet Academy of Texas
Tessa Moore, 16 (Ballet Center of Forth Worth)
JUNIOR AGE DIVISION
YOUTH GRAND PRIX
Katia Almayeva, 13 (Marina Almayeva School of Dance)
CLASSICAL DANCE CATEGORY - MEN & WOMEN
1st Place Laine Habony, 13 (Ballet Conservatory)
2nd Place Courtlyn Hanson, 13 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
3rd Place Rayleigh Vendt, 14 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
TOP 12 - MEN & WOMEN
Katia Almayeva, 13 (Marina Almayeva School of Dance)
Katie Cheng, 13 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
Laine Habony, 13 (Ballet Conservatory)
Courtlyn Hanson, 13 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
Audrey Lawrence, 12 (Dallas Ballet Center)
Julia Nicholson, 13 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
Hannah Schoendorf, 14 (Denton Ballet Academy)
Hannah Snowden, 14 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
Natalie Tsay, 14 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
Rayleigh Vendt, 14 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
CONTEMPORARY DANCE CATEGORY
1st Place Katie Cheng, 13 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
2nd Place Rayleigh Vendt, 14 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
TOP 12 - MEN & WOMEN
Katia Almayeva, 13 (Marina Almayeva School of Dance)
Katie Cheng, 13 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
Laine Habony, 13 (Ballet Conservatory)
Courtlyn Hanson, 13 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
Rachel Kivlighan, 14 (Texas Ballet Theater)
Rayleigh Vendt, 14 (Ballet Academy of Texas)
PRE-COMPETITIVE AGE DIVISION
HOPE AWARD
Gillian Fitz, 11 (Marina Almayeva School of Dance)
1st Place Anastasia Tillman, 10 (Independent)
TOP 12 - MEN & WOMEN
Gillian Fitz, 11 (Marina Almayeva School of Dance)
Anastasia Tillman, 10 (Marina Almayeva School of Dance)
ENSEMBLES
1st Place (tie) Excerpts from La Viviandere (Ballet Academy of Texas)
1st Place (tie) Capriccios (Ballet Academy of Texas)
SPECIAL AWARDS
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHER AWARD Trinette Singleton
OUTSTANDING TEACHER AWARD Kelly Lannin
OUTSTANDING SCHOOL AWARD Ballet Academy of Texas
PAUL TAYLOR DANCE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES RESTRUCTURE
NEW YORK – February 1, 2010 – The Paul Taylor Dance Foundation, which manages the world- renowned Paul Taylor Dance Company and Taylor 2 modern dance companies, announces an administrative restructuring in order to streamline management and carefully control expenses in the current economic climate. Paul Taylor and the Foundation’s Board of Directors have appointed John
Tomlinson Managing Director, charged with leading the staff of the
Foundation and overseeing the organizational realignment. Mr. Tomlinson
joined Paul Taylor Dance Company as Company Manager in 1992, became
Director of Operations in 1995, and has been General Manager since
2000.As the Paul Taylor Dance Foundation concludes a multi-year acquisition
and renovation of its new home on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and
focuses on the last year of the accompanying capital campaign, special
attention is being paid to ensuring the strong fiscal health that the
Foundation has sustained for many years.
Congratulations to Tracy Jordan: 2010 Column Award Nominee for Best
Choreography – Equity (Lyric Stage’s production of Funny Girl)
Gwen as a TV Topper
Gwen with current cast members Claire Brownell, Eric Hisson (left) and Scott Parkinson
Copyright Christian Waits Photographer www.prophotography.com <http://www.prophotography.com/dsm>
who knew??? Gwen Owens, Owner/Director of London School of Dance in
Garland recently emailed: The 39 Steps is opening at the Majestic this
week. It's a hilarious spoof on the Hitchcock Film, I saw it in London
about 3 yrs ago. A handful of Actors play all the roles, with a couple
of chairs and a few boxes. However, I was actually in the 1957/8
version of the movie with Kenneth Moore. The action is in a Vaudeville
theatre and when the actor is shot - the line is "Bring out the Dancing
girls!". I was in the chorus line that dances out (and I have the video
to prove it) I was dancing with the TV TOPPERS, a company of dancers
under contract to the BBC. Black and white, live TV in those days. In
this stage show they bring out a string of high-kicking puppets for a
big laugh when they say "bring out the dancing girls" I'm definitely
going to the performance, I was thinking I might try to get a note to
the Actors - they might get a 'kick' out of that.
A note was sent to Patrick Barlow, Adapter of "39 Steps." His reply:
Thank you for this delightful message. The 1957/8 Kenneth More version
of 39 Steps was one of the first movies I ever saw. It made an
indelible impression and can still see Mr Memory's face (James Hayter)
as he's shot by the villain. I'm sure it fed into my own adaptation so
many years later. And of course I remember the TV Toppers! My dad's
favourite thing on the telly. If you are in touch Gwen Owens, I'd be
delighted for you to send her this. Also to say she absolutely must get
a note to the actors! Best, Patrick
Amanda Stone arranged for Gwen to meet the actors during a media
interview session Wednesday morning where she was videotaped with Eric
Hissom (Man #1) and Scott Parkinson (Man #2). Gwen also had an
opportunity to chat with Claire Brownell of the cast.
Coppell Dance Centre Announces Ballet Director Evgeny Lushkin &
Cutting Edge Ballet Program for 2010 - Coppell Dance Centre is pleased
Evgeny Lushkin (as Ballet Director) and Kayla Giard (as Ballet
Instructor) will train dancers at every level. They look forward to
working together to impact the growth and excellence of the program.
Congratulations to Booker T Washington High School for the Performing
and Visual Arts YoungArts semi-finalists who have made it to the next
round and have been nominated as candidates for Presidential Scholars:
Austin Goodwin, Choreography
Ida Saki, Modern Dance
Victoria Caffey, Jazz Dance
more here <https://dancecouncil.clubexpress.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=752324&module_id=72756>
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