Young Dancer Workshop and Showcase Performances Oct. 27-28, 2023 in the Fine Arts Hall
September 21, 2023
September 21, 2023 – Over 300 middle and high school students and their instructors from across Florida will gather on Santa Fe College's (SF's) Northwest Campus and on the University of Florida (UF) campus for the annual Young Dancer Workshop and Showcase performances on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27-28, 2023. High school students will perform in the Friday Showcase on Oct. 27. Middle school students will perform in the Saturday Showcase on Oct. 28. SF and UF dancers will perform in both Showcases, which begin at 8 p.m. on both nights in the Jackson N. Sasser Fine Arts Hall at SF's Northwest Campus, 3000 NW 83 Street, Gainesville.
Tickets for the Showcase performances are $10 and are available from the SF Fine Arts Hall Box Office at 352-395-4181 or online at:
With a full schedule of workshops on both days, the young dancers aged 11-18 will learn from members of the Limón Dance Company, Master Artists in residence for the event, and from SF and UF dance professors. Workshop session topics include dances in musical theatre and Broadway, hip-hop, contemporary, jazz, ballet, West African, dance in medicine and dance composition. Artist talks will give young dancers the opportunity to hear from seasoned professionals.
"We love this event because it connects everyone, from middle school students to professional dancers and dance instructors from throughout Florida-and this networking is vital to dance artists," explained SF Assistant Professor of Dance and Young Dancer Workshop Coordinator Melissa Brenner. "We're thrilled that this year, the students will be able to learn from dancers with Limón, one of the foremost modern dance companies. Our main goal with the Workshop is to encourage these young people to experience dance through the lens of academia. What does dance look like in higher education? What can a college degree do for you? What kinds of careers can you have?"
The Limón Dance Company will kick off the Workshop with a performance in the Fine Arts Hall at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26. Dante Puleio, Limón's artistic director, will be on the SF campus prior to the Showcases to teach "There Is a Time," a 1956 Limón classic, to the Dance Theatre of Santa Fe (DTSF) for DTSF's performance at the Friday Showcase. Daniela Martin, a current SF Dance major, will perform at the Saturday Showcase.
The events are organized and sponsored by the Young Dancer Workshop of North Central Florida, a cooperative effort of Santa Fe College and the University of Florida, and the SF Fine and Performing Arts and Entertainment Technology Department. The Workshop is a primary recruiting event for the Dance programs at both SF and UF.
For more information about the Young Dancer Workshop, visit youngdancerworkshop.com or call Melissa Brenner at 352-395-4194.
For information about tickets, call the SF Box Office at 352-395-4181.
