Forum Theatre instructor earns national choreography award

Forum Dance Theatre's Ballet Master, Brent Caburnay, won the Regional Dance America National Choreography Recognition Award during the RDA Mid-States Ballet Association Festival, held recently at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie.

The award recognized Caburnay's choreography for a work titled "Coda," which was performed during the third night, considered the gala performance, wrapping up the Mid-States Ballet Association Festival.

Caburnay's "Coda" is a 12-minute, five-movement piece that celebrates the strength of women, and emulates how the struggle of losing someone is never easy, but how we must find the courage to move forward.

This beautiful tribute is dedicated to Caburnay's mother and depicts her strength through the loss of his father in 2014.

The piece was performed at RDA by Libertyville-based Forum Dance Theatre, a pre-professional contemporary dance company led by Artistic Director Kimberly Fletcher-Stibel.

Additionally, 21 local high school students who are members of Forum Dance Theatre will take "Coda" and several other pieces from Forum's 2015 repertoire to Europe this June, as they have been invited to participate in the Austrian dance festival Young!Tanzsommer.

"'Coda' is truly a work of art. It's magnificent to watch all of our dancers on stage working together to tell this story," Caburnay said. "I am proud to be able to work with such a talented group of young artists who are able to bring my visions to life while perfecting their craft.

"Kim (Fletcher Stibel) and Catie Deitz Griffith, director of Forum Dance Theatre II, worked diligently to prepare our dancers for their 'Coda' performances during Forum's 2015 season, with a major focus on both RDA and Young!Tanzsommer," Caburnay said.

Forum Dance Theatre is a not-for-profit youth dance organization based out of Talent Forum in Libertyville. Tax-deductible donations can be made to help support these local dancers at Talent Forum, 450 Peterson Road, Libertyville, IL 60048.

Forum Dance Theatre serves as a catalyst for young, aspiring artists to envision, expand, and collaborate on dance works that challenge the artistic depth and creativity involved in contemporary dance.

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