Get Ready to Travel Out of This World and Experience a Super-Galactic Journey Through Dance
Over 400 dancers, ages 3-adult, from the Des Plaines School of Dance, will perform original pieces in the culminating event of their year-long study, “Out of This World, a Super-Galactic Journey Through Dance,” June 8 and 9, in the Prairie Lakes Theater. Each recital showcases an eclectic blend of jazz, tap, hip hop, ballet, lyrical, and modern numbers, with three unique programs presented each day. “Out of This World” features rock, pop, alternative, and classical music, as well as music from TV shows and the movies with a space theme, such as “Meet the Jetsons,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” “Reach for the Stars,” and “Rocket-man.”
The shows opens with “Welcome to Croix,” a hip hop number choreographed by Mary Williams, for the Des Plaines Park District's in-house dance company, Artistry in Motion. A Star Wars inspired rolling scroll tells the story of seven Earth agents who find themselves unwelcome on the fictional dance planet, Croix. The agents' attempts to forge a friendship with this new cosmic neighbor have surprising results.
The traditional Pointe Production, choreographed this year by Anne Gnoth and Andrea Deline, is entitled “Star Wars: Return of the Dancers.” It features a medley of music from the Star Wars movies and twenty dancers from Pre-pointe, Pointe I, and Pointe II in neon yellow, lime, and blue costumes giving the piece a futuristic, ethereal feel.
Other innovative dances include: “You are Now Entering…The Twilight Zone,” performed by the Junior Modern III class and choreographed by Deline; Rich Ashworth's Junior Tap I piece to the song “Galaxy” by War; the Pre Ballet/Tap II dancers' performance of “You've got a Friend in Me,” choreographed by Laura Chiuve; and “Lights”, also choreographed by Chiuve, performed by the School of Dance Helping Hands, dancers who volunteer their time in beginning level classes.
Back this year are the popular Dads' Dance and Senior's Dance. Fathers of Des Plaines School of Dance dancers will perform “Men are from Mars,” choreographed by Stacy Pareti Scala to music from the movies “Ghostbusters,” “Men in Black,” and “Space Jam.” Two graduating seniors, Tami Boyce and Amanda Modloff, in their final performance as students of the School of Dance, will perform “Afraid,” choreographed by Williams. The shows closes with an upbeat, jazzy, martian mambo, choreographed for Artistry in Motion, by Gnoth, entitled “Return from Mars, to music from the movie “Mars Needs Moms.”
“The School of Dance prides itself in offering a dance program that embodies inspiration, artistry, technique, and performance. We are very fortunate to have to the best professional teaching staff in Des Plaines,” said Nancy Suwalski, Cultural Arts Supervisor.
“Out of This World” will be performed at the Prairie Lakes Theater, 515 East Thacker Street, June 8 and 9 at 11:00am, 2:30pm, and 6:00pm. Tickets are available now at the Leisure Center, 2222 Birch Street. General admission is $8. For more information about the show, summer dance classes, and dance camps, call 847-391-5711 or visit www.DPParks.org.