DANCE This 10th Anniversary
July 18, 1:00 pm (youth matinee)
July 19, 7:30 pm (public performance)
DANCE This brings together teen performers from diverse communities for collaboration and to share cultures through the art of dance. Young dancers take you on a world tour of diverse dance styles in a retrospective of global proportions. Artists include:

Etienne Cakpo (guest performer), a professional dancer and choreographer from Benin, is the director, lead choreographer and dancer of Gansango Music and Dance. Etienne has been building his repertoire of traditional and modern dance for nearly 20 years. In addition to conducting personal research to learn regional dances and musical traditions in his country, he has worked in remote areas of Benin with international ethnomusicologists, musicians and filmmakers. Etienne has performed with artists from many countries, including Haiti, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Senegal, France, Mali and the United States. He currently lives and works in Seattle. Etienne has been a teacher for DT since 2004 and a guest choreographer and performer at DT in 2002 and 2006. www.gansango.com

Lora Lue Chiorah (African/Sukutai Music and Dance Ensemble choreographer) has taught for the Washington State Arts Commission for over 20 years, sharing her knowledge of music, song, dance, story-telling and children’s games. She has performed for the past 27 years either with Lora and Sukutai Music and Dance Ensemble or with Dumi and Minanzi Marimba Ensemble. Lora was born and raised in Zimbabwe. She now lives in Seattle, where she has worked as a recreation specialist for the Seattle Parks Department for 25 years, primarily at Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center. Her group, Sukutai Music and Dance Ensemble performs traditional and contemporary music from Africa with vibrant music, colorful costumes and dances with high-energy footwork and quick, lively drumming. Lora instructed for the 2006 and 2007 DT Intensive and choreographed and performed in the 1999 and 2006 performances. STG and Spectrum Dance presented Sukutai last December at Kane Hall. www.myspace.com/sukutai

Daniel Cruz (hip hop choreographer) has choreographed for Seahawks half-time shows, musicals at the 5th Avenue and Village Theater, and performances for Microsoft, Nordstrom and EMP. As a dancer, he has worked with Prince, Ashanti, Nsync and Michael Jackson and choreographers such as Wade Robson, Brian Friedman, Marguerite Derricks, Tabitha and Napoleon on stage, television, commercials and videos. Cruz Control has been entertaining audiences since 2000 with hip hop dance merged with jazz, modern and African. Daniel choreographed for DT from 2005-2008 and instructed in the Intensive since 2006.

Chris and Edna Daigre (Ewajo choreographers) are the directors of Ewajo Dance Workshop. Ewajo, an organization founded in 1975 by Edna Daigre, has been able to provide low cost dance classes and scholarships for youth. Edna studied the Katherine Dunham Technique and later developed health and dance programs for public schools, colleges, University of Washington Dance Department, community-based projects, special population (adults and youth) and senior programs.In 1989, she developed a training program for teachers combining Pilates based technique with 30 years of accumulated knowledge indance and health research. Artistic Director, Chris Daigre studied Afro-Latin Jazz andmodern under the teaching and guidance of Edna Daigre. His performing credits include Ewajo Dance Workshop, Allegro Dance Series, Urban Rhythms Choir, Civic Light Opera and The Annual Black Film Festival. He has choreographed work for The Village Theatre, 5th Avenue Theatre and Broadway Bound. He currently teaches dance at the Northwest School and T.T. Minor Elementary. Daigre developed programs and workshops with Rotary Boys and Girls Club of Greater Seattle, DANCE This and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Chris has been a choreographer for DT from 1999-2004 and an instructor from 2005-2008. www.ewajocentre.com

Sonia Dawkins (contemporary choreographer), founder and artistic director of SD Prism Dance Theater, holds a BFA from the University of the Arts in Pennsylvania and an MA from SUNY College at Brockport. Sonia has studied at the Edna Manley Performing Arts and Visual Arts College and Jamaica School of Dance, developing her expertise in folk dances. Sonia is presently on the faculty of Pacific Northwest Ballet School and is a visiting artist at the North Carolina School of Arts and the Montana Dance Association. She has instructed for the DT Intensive from 2004-2008 and choreographed for the performances in 2002 and 2004-2008. www.soniadawkins.org

Jamel Gaines and Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn (contemporary guest artists) present dance as the main ingredient fused with theater, voice, poetry, film and live music. Much more than entertainment, their repertory draws attention to social and cultural issues. Jamel is the Founder and Artistic Director of the company. He was raised in Queens, NY and began his career as a choreographer at SUNY/Purchase, where he graduated with a BFA and received scholarships from Harry Belafonte and Alvin AileyAmerican Dance Center. Under the direction of Kevin Iega Jeff and Jubilation! Dance Company, Mr. Gaines developed his unique sense of staging and performance quality. Over the past fourteen years, Mr. Gaines has choreographed and staged over 50 concert and repertory productions. His work includes choreography for the Alvin Ailey Dance Center, the Martha Graham School of Dance and the American Black Film Festival/Film Life Awards Ceremony among numerous others. Jamel choreographed and instructed for the DT Performance and Intensive in 2003, 2004 and 2008. www.creativeoutlet.org

Petur Iliev (Europe choreographer) is a Bulgarian-born dancer and choreographer whose career is deeply steeped in the rich folk dance traditions of his family. He started dancing at the age of five at the dance ensemble of his father. Later he graduated from the National Choreography Academy and the Bulgarian National Institute of Choreography in Sofia, Bulgaria. He began his professional career as a Principal Dancer of Kutev National Dance and Music Ensemble where he worked for five years, before continuing his training at the National Dance Institute in New York where he studied under the supervision of one of the gurus of American dance – Jacques d’Amboise. Subsequently, Petur’s dance teaching and training career took him to Austin, TX, then to the California educational system. Petur teaches master classes in character dance and Bulgarian folk dances at many colleges and universities. He is currently on the faculty of Ballet Chicago and teaches dance in Chicago area schools. Petur was a DT choreographer with Radost Folk Ensemble in 2005.

Amy O’Neal (Asia Remix choreographer) is a performer, choreographer, teacher and the co-director (along with Zeke Keeble) of locust (music/dance/video company) based in Seattle and touring nationally. Amy teaches contemporary dance technique and funk regularly at Velocity Dance Center in Seattle and has taught and/or conducted residencies at the University of Washington, University of Idaho, Idaho State University and Cornish College of the Arts. Her work has been commissioned by Spectrum Dance Theater, Cornish Dance Theater, Moving Current in Tampa, FL, and STG. As a performer, she worked with the Pat Graney Co. for three years and was a six-year member of Scott/Powell Performance. Amy will be in residence at Headlands Center for the Arts in 2008. She was also selected to do a residency in Japan, New York and Massachusetts through Dance Theater Amy holds a BFA in dance from Cornish College of the Arts. Amy has been an instructor for DT since 2006 and was a choreographer for DT in 2005. www.locustsucka.com or myspace.com/locustsucka

Luis Sandoval (Afro-Peruvian dance guest artist), from Lima, Peru, received formal instruction in theatre at the Escuela Nacional de Arte Dramatico of Lima, and attended several theatre workshops between the years 1984 and 1989. He later complemented his artistic career with Afro-Peruvian and modern dance lessons. Since 1985, Sandoval has been a prolific actor, theater director and instructor. He is director of Asociacion Cultural Teatro del Milenio, dedicated to the exploration of Peru’s African roots. Sandoval has toured around Latin America, the United States and Europe. Luis Sandoval was a guest artist in DT in 2007. www.teatrodelmilenio.com

Roberto Arguedas (guest artist, guitarist) from Lima, Peru, has worked and studied with renowned Peruvian guitarists Felix Casaverde and Carlos Hayre. In the 1980s he joined Susana Baca’s band and traveled to Brazil and Europe. In the 1990s he directed several musical groups until he joined Teatro del Milenio in 1997, for which he became the musical director. Most recently Arguedas composed all pieces for the album “Viento y Ausencia” with the sponsorship of a French recording company and UNESCO. Roberto was a guest artist in DT 2007.

Shri Deepayan (Finale live mix) hails from Bengal and is a tabla player, percussionist, electronic music producer, and DJ. He studied tabla in traditional style and throughout his study of the tabla his guru always insisted on keeping the feel or groove or a specific taal (rhythm/meter). A focus on keeping the groove would serve Deepayan well in his musical life. He eventually left India to work and play music in the United States. Deepayan began DJing and playing original live electronic music on laptop, while playing live tabla. Together with James Whetzel he founded funketabla productions. Deepayan is one of the founding members of Mean Deep, a group which mixes traditional African, Asian, and European music with electronica. www.funketabla.com

Zeke Keeble (Asia Remix music director) has had evolving music interest playing the violin at age six, conga at eight and later drumset and classical music. He performed in youth symphony then in high school competed in classical competitions and played in rock clubs. He studied jazz at Cornish College of the Arts. Zeke has performed and recorded with many pop, electronica, rock and jazz artists including Phil Sparks, Julian Priester, Michael White, Tim Young, Eyvind Kang, Cake, Jeru the Damaja, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and Blind Melon. Zeke has co-directed locust (music/dance/video) with Amy O’Neal since 2000. Zeke composed and performed in DT 2005. www.locustsucka.com or myspace.com/locustsucka

Angel Nazlamov (Europe composer) is a notable composer and accordion player of Bulgarian folk music. He comes from an area of Bulgaria with rich musical traditions. Angel currently performers with Slaviyani Orchestra all over Bulgaria, participates in festivals around the world, composes original scores and conducts accordion workshops. Angel composed and performed in DT 05 with Radost Dance Ensemble.

James Whetzel (Finale music director/live mix) is an acoustic musician, an electronic music producer and a DJ. He plays sarod, a 25 stringed fretless lute, and is also a West African palm-wine style guitarist. James’ darbouka playing is featured in the forth coming film “ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction.” He was also recently commissioned to record his Tuvan throat singing for a CD created to promote the new novel “Anathem” by best-selling author Neal Stephenson. He performs with Indian tabla playerand electronic music producer Deepayan Acharjya in the group Mean Deep. www.funketabla.com

Ethnic Dance Theatre, of Minneapolis, was founded in 1974 as a small ensemble of dancers and singers presenting Balkan traditions. In the past 30 years they have represented cultures from five of the seven continents and have performed for audiences in nearly a dozen countries. www.ethnicdancetheatre.com

Filipino Youth Activities (FYA) Drill Team is the nation’s only Filipino American drill team. This team connects Filipino Americans with their ethnic identity and increases public awareness of their rich culture. There are approximately 70 team members, ranging in age from 6-19 years, living in the King and Snohomish county areas. Since 1959, the team has performed and competed in over 135 cities throughout the US and Canada. FYA Drill Team performed in DT 2004.

Kalalaya School for the Performing Arts is directed by Shobha Raman who hails from Chennai in South India where she received her Bharatha Natyam training. Shobha has performed in India, the Middle East and the US and currently conducts workshops for projects to promote international awareness among East Indian students. Students from Kalalaya School performed in DT 2007. www.kalalaya-arts.com/Shobha and www.varanam.com

Leela Kathak is a group of young dancers from Seattle who dance Kathak - a classical dance of North India that combines beautiful movement, spectacular cross rhythms, story-telling and expression. Dancers study with Guru Urmila Nagar, the leading dancer of Jaipur style Kathak, and the senior most professor of dance at India’s national institution for Kathak: the Kathak Kendra, New Delhi. For the past 13 years, Urmila has come to Seattle for a two-month summer residency sponsored by the Prabha Rustagi Memorial Trust. Leela Kathak dancers appeared in DT 2001. kathak.weebly.com

Morning Star Korean Cultural Center was founded in 1985 under the direction of Jiyeon Cheh with the purpose of teaching Korean dance, music and heritage. With the combination of its art pre-school, library, dance and music classes, Morning Star serves over 1,000 members of all ages. Morning Star has been featured at events throughout the world. They performed in DT 2001. www.morningstarkcc.org

Northwest Tap Connection is an urban dance studio specializing in rhythm tap that preserves and promotes Rhythm Tap Dance through education and performances. NW Tap performers have danced with tap legends such as the Nicholas Brothers, Buster Brown, Savion Glover, Gregory Hines and Jeni LeGon. NW Tap Connection, formerly TTAAPP Central, performed in DT 2003 and students from the program have appeared in DT 2005 and 2007. www.nwtapconnection.com

Radost Folk Ensemble has performed the music and dance folklore of Eastern Europe since 1976. Radost has a deep commitment to authentic presentation and preservation of these traditional dances, performing for audiences at schools and festivals throughout the Northwest. The Ensemble works with choreographers from Eastern Europe including Bulgaria, Croatia and Macedonia. Radost Folk Ensemble performed with Petur Iliev in DT 2005. www.radost.org

Rainier Vista Cambodian Youth Dance Program was founded in 1994 by a group of refugee parents in the Rainier Vista Housing Community with a mission to provide youth a link to Cambodian culture through dances. Sisters Navy and Rina Kheav performed in the DT 1999 and 2003 DANCE This performances.

The Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team has served girls in the community since 1952, providing opportunities to develop friendships, self-confidence, teamwork and leadership skills. This award-winning unit has performed in major parades in the US and internationally, representing the Pacific Northwest, as a crowd-pleasing and precision-marching unit. Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team performed in DT 2004.

Slieveloughane Irish Dance Company, directed by Robert Haley, is the largest and most renowned Irish Dance Troupe in the Pacific Northwest. The company has performed traditional and contemporary Irish Dances with bands like Eileen Ivers, Slainte, and the An Dochas, bringing the grace, energy and excitement of Ireland to audiences. Slieveloughane performed in DT 2003. www.srsirishdance.com

The Vela Luka Croatian Dance Ensemble, artistically directed by Maria Plancich Kesovija, was founded in 1975. They perform music and dance of Croatia and the US. Performers represent four generations of Croatian Americans who have introduced their culture’s choreography, music and instruments internationally. Forming a cross-cultural link between the Puget Sound region and Croatia, the company strives to preserve Croatian culture. Vela Luka performed in DT 2004. www.velaluka.org

To read our Dancer Diaries, click here.

DT08 Video Designer

Ian Lucero (video designer) graduated from Cornish College of The Arts where he majored in classical and jazz saxophone. He later attended the Art Institute of Seattle and studied multi-media with a focus on video and the web. His goal is to help artists organize and put together web portfolios, to document and present theater to new audiences and create packaging and promotional materials for shows. Ian has worked as a videographer for STG’s DANCE This and More Music @ The Moore since 2006. www.ianlucero.com