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News &
Nuggets:
Happenings in the Dance Community
Costume Gallery Announces New Senior VP
Costume
Gallery president Ellen Ferreira has announced that Mike
Robertson has joined the organization as senior vice president
of business development and marketing.
Robertson,
a former senior vice president of Curtain Call Costumes, has
more than nine years of experience in the costume/dance
recital and spirit industry and more than 20 years of
experience in the apparel industry. He has served as director
of marketing and advertising for a division of Nike and as a
senior member of the management team at Lee Apparel, a
division of the VF Corporation. He is also a past president of
United Dance Merchants of America and a member of UNITY,
United States Gymnastics Suppliers Association, and World
Trade Center of Central Pennsylvania.
Costume
Gallery, a 50-year-old company, designs, manufactures, and
sells dance costumes worldwide. Says Ferreira, “Mike is a
wonderful addition to the Costume Gallery family. He will be
responsible for improving the integration of current branding,
advertising, and sales.”
New
Dance Group’s New Studios
New Dance
Group, a 74-year-old performing-arts organization, has opened
the doors to its new, state-of- the-art studio space at 305
West 38th Street at 8th Avenue. Hundreds of performing artists
celebrated the grand opening in mid-September 2006. At 21,000
square feet, NDG’s new home is nearly double the size of its
previous studios at 254 West 47th Street, where the company
operated for 55 years.
In what was
previously office space, architect Howard Spivak has designed
two floors of 11 studios with sprung wood or Marley flooring,
new pianos, and floor-to-ceiling mirrors; a recording studio
and vocal room; high-tech sound systems; large dressing rooms;
a teachers’ lounge; a stretch area; a private entrance; an art
gallery; a boutique; and two performance spaces with raked
seating for more than 100 people.
“This move
to a new building symbolizes the NDG’s movement for change. In
addition to doubling our studio space, we’re expanding our
class curriculum, staff, hours, performance opportunities, and
overall vision,” says artistic director Rick Schussel. “In
1932, the founding members of NDG wanted to provide a venue to
those who wanted to pursue new forms of expression through the
arts. In that pursuit, it’s imperative for us to continue
evolving and meeting the needs of the organization and its
community.”
NDG offers
affordable, multidisciplinary arts workshops and classes seven
days a week, including modern dance, hip-hop, ballet, yoga,
Pilates, voice, theater, and multigenerational programs (from
prenatal body conditioning to mature 60+ fitness programs). A
monthly Young Choreographer’s Showcase will maintain NDG’s
tradition of producing new choreography (more than 350 new
dance pieces to date). Studios for rehearsals and auditions
will be available for rent to the arts community.
New Dance
Group is a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to creating
and presenting work that awakens public awareness and inspires
constructive social and political change. Founded in 1932, NDG
produces educational outreach programs such as Times Square
Kidz, scholarship showcases, teacher showcases, and play
readings. For more information, visit
www.ndg.org.
Broadway Dance Center to Relocate
Broadway
Dance Center, a New York City dance studio that has served
professional and recreational students since 1984, has signed
a lease for a new midtown location. The studio plans to open
the doors to the newly renovated space at 322 West 45th Street
at 8th Avenue, in the theater district, on May 1, 2007. Until
its new permanent home is ready, the studio is offering an
interim schedule of classes taught by BDC faculty at three
midtown Manhattan locations. Studio director Diane King says,
“BDC remained committed to this relocation until our goal was
realized, fueled by the dedication and support of our students
and faculty.”
For more
information and a schedule of interim classes, visit
www.BroadwayDanceCenter.com.
Liturgical Dance and Creative Arts Ministry Conference
The 7th
Annual Liturgical Dance and Creative Arts Ministry Conference,
hosted by the Midwest Committee for National Dance Week,
National Liturgical Dance Network, and The Institute of
Liturgical Dance & Creative Arts, will take place April 26–29,
2007, in Indianapolis, IN.
The two-day
conference offers biblical and technical instruction in dance,
drama, music, and ministry administration. It is geared toward
ministers, leaders, choreographers, and administrators of the
arts ministry, as well as dancers, musicians, choir members,
praise teams, bandleaders, and others who are called to the
arts ministry. Workshop topics include praise garments, dance
techniques, biblical history in dance, drama, music, vocal
training, mime, sign language, playwriting, leadership
training, and choreography.
On April 26
a pre-conference seminar for current and potential
arts-ministry leaders and assistant leaders will be held,
along with a one-day leadership seminar for pastors,
ministers, church leaders, seminary students, and spouses.
For more
information, contact the Institute of Liturgical Dance &
Creative Arts Ministry at P.O. Box 44459, Indianapolis, IN
46244; email ndwdance@yahoo.com ; or call Minister J. Smith at
270-300- 8406 or Minister Tracy Woods at 219-805-7775.
National Dance Week’s Kickline Across America
Throughout
the United States, dancers are joining hands, arms, and legs
in a virtual kickline performance as a sign of unified support
for National Dance Week (now in its 25th year) and its
mission. Dancers’ presence on the Internet can educate the
American public on the contributions of dance to society and
raise public awareness about the benefits of dance.
Participate
in the kickline by making a contribution to NDW and you could
win the Gift Pack of the Day in daily drawings. During the
10-day period of this year’s National Dance Week (April
20–29), one winner per day will be selected from the kickline
participants to receive a gift package worth more than $100.
For more
information and contest rules, visit
www.nationaldanceweek.org/n_kick.htm.
Dance
Films Association's New Susan Braun Award
Dance
Films Association (DFA) has announced a new initiative, the
Susan Braun Award, the purpose of which is to encourage young
choreographers to create for the screen. DFA, a nonprofit
service organization, produces the 35-year-old Dance on Camera
Festival, which is co-produced by the Film Society of Lincoln
Center.
The
competition is designed to encourage young choreographers
between the ages of 16 to 25, living in New York City, to
create a short (5 minutes or less) video dance. Entrants can
either adapt an existing dance or choreograph an original work
for the camera. The winner will collaborate with a young
filmmaker and be involved in the entire creative process, from
planning to shooting to post-production and distribution. The
deadline to apply is April 30: Call 212-727-0764 or visit www.dancefilms.org
for more information.
The
2008 Dance on Camera Festival will return to the Walter Reade
Theatre at Lincoln Center Plaza starting January 3. The
deadline for entries is September 15,
2007.
For
the current touring schedule of Dance on Camera, visit www.dancefilms.org/Touringmain.html;
for the network of dance film festivals around the world, go
to www.dancefilms.org/Linksmain.html.
Russian Pointe Opens Flagship Store
On March 24 Russian Pointe Dance Boutique
celebrated its anniversary and opening of its new flagship
store, located at 333 N. Michigan Avenue in Chicago. For the
event, the boutique’s large picture windows showcased
handmade tutus from Russia. After Russian Pointe president
Aleksandra Efimova welcomed the guests, the celebration
continued with a performance of ballet, tap, and tango,
followed by social dancing for the guests. For information
about Russian Pointe products, visit www.russianpointe.com.
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