Artistry in Motion dances the night away

On July 14, Artistry in Motion, the in-house dance company of the Des Plaines Park District, performed 20 pieces from their repertoire at the Lake Park Memorial Pavilion. The performance was part of the Live at the Lake entertainment series, that offers free family entertainment on Wednesday and select Thursday evenings throughout the summer.

Fresh from their impressive stand at the 2011 Dance America Nationals competition, the dancers performed choreography by Artistic Director Laura Chiuve, as well as Cecilia Ferguson-Bell, Anne Gollenberg, Mary Williams, and Jenny Ostrowski.

The show opened with "Nightlife," performed most recently at the 2011 School of Dance Concerts in June, and included an eclectic mix of solo, duet, small group, and full company pieces that showcased the diverse style of the choreographers, and the emerging talent and drive of the dancers.

Artistry was founded in 2004 and focuses on performance and advanced technique. Original choreography includes jazz, tap, lyrical, ballet, and hip hop styles. The company performs twice a year at the Prairie Lakes Theater: The Winter Spectacular in December and the Spring Showcase in March, as well as at local venues in the Chicagoland area.

For young dancers in grades two through twelve, who have dreamed of performing in a company, auditions for the 2011-2012 Artistry in Motion season will be held on Sept. 10 from 3 to 6 p.m., for dancers in second to ninth grade, and on Sept. 15 from 4 to 9:30 p.m., for dancers in eighth to 12th grade.

Dancers must have a minimum of three consecutive years of ballet training to audition. Auditions are held at the Prairie Lakes Community Center in the Dance Studio.

Also, on Sept. 10, the Des Plaines School of Dance will hold their annual open house from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Veteran and new dancers are invited to a day of free classes, where they can sample a variety of the dance genre taught and meet the staff.

For more information about auditions and dance classes at the Des Plaines School of Dance, call (847) 391-5711 or visit www.DPParks.org. Prairie Lakes is located at 515 E. Thacker St., one block west of Wolf Road in Des Plaines.