Showcase will celebrate young dancer's life

Kathryn Bender's siblings will be celebrating her life tonight rather than mourning her death.

The fifth annual Kathryn Bender Dance Showcase will feature an uplifting number from Elizabeth and Nick Bender set to "Everybody" by Ingrid Michaelson. The playful piece will make it seem like all three siblings are represented on stage.

"We just wanted to change the audience's viewpoint of 'it's such a sad memorial' to 'let's make this more of a happy event and just try to change it up a little bit,'" said Elizabeth, who organizes the show.

The event begins with raffles and live jazz music at 6 p.m. today, and dance performances at 7:30 p.m. The showcase is at the College of DuPage's McAninch Arts Center, Fawell and Park boulevards, Glen Ellyn.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors. Proceeds go to the Midwest Heart Foundation's Young Hearts for Life program that provides cardiac screenings to high school students. Two of the raffle baskets tonight also will include screening packages.

Kathryn, a lifelong dancer, died unexpectedly in 2005 while backstage at a dance show. She was a Naperville North senior at the time.

Fourteen groups will take the stage tonight in her honor representing a variety of dance styles including ballet, contemporary, tap, hip-hop and jazz.

Performers include the DuPage Dance Team, Steps Dance Center, Extensions Dance Company, Inside Out Dance Company, the Naperville Park District, School of Performing Arts, Sole Dance Academy, Soul Unique and Design Dance Company. Orchesis groups from Metea Valley, Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley, Naperville North and Naperville Central high schools also will perform.

The community's willingness to get involved has kept Elizabeth motivated to continue to have the event.

"After it's all over and done with, all the people coming together and the different groups that participate make it all worthwhile," she said.

In addition to helping the Midwest Heart Foundation, the Kathryn Bender Memorial Foundation grants college scholarships to area students.