Refresh your browser to ensure you're seeing the latest!
All photos by David Grist unless otherwise indicated
HAPPENDANCE AT MICHIGAN YOUTH ARTS FESTIVAL
Here are the awesome advanced contemporary dancers from Happendance School, including many involved in our student company, Happendance 2! They are pictured in the lobby of Shaw Theater at the 51st annual Michigan Youth Arts Festival, held at Western Michigan University each May. This three-day event features the best high school-aged artists in music, theater, dance, visual arts, and media from throughout Michigan.
Selected through an intense audition process last January for the honor of dancing in the May 11th dance concert, our ten dancers are performing "Frozen", choreographed by Happendance Professional Company artist and teacher Danielle Selby. Besides the concert, the dancers participate in master classes and tech rehearsals, and attend the Gala Performances on Thursday and Friday nights, featuring the 'best of the best' in all the arts. As shown in this photo, all are having a blast! And of special note, the dancer pictured on the MYAF poster is recent Happendance School graduate, Maddie Brogan, who is now majoring in dance at Butler University. Congratulations to all these fine representatives of Happendance at this prestigious event!
Pictured -- Left of poster, L-R: Deanne Rivera (chaperone), Lena Shuptar, Aiden Foster-Fishman, Emily Scott, Liam Shaffer. On poster: Maddie Brogan. Right of poster, L-R back row: Marie Adrian, Katrina Granger; front row: Anna Evanson (partially hidden), Mason Villanueva, Jennifer Ruth, Michaela Ford. (Photo by Danielle Selby)
Apprecntice Dancer Auditions
Wed., June 5
7:15-8:45 pm
Happendance School
3448 Hagadorn, Okemos
Perform in the annual "This is Happendance" winter concert, and participate in a variety of other performance opportunities. Take class every week, taught by company staff. Learn about the life of a professional dancer before stepping out to be one!
We are looking for high school juniors and seniors with strong technique, grounded in ballet, proficient in modern, and with excellent performance skills.
Come early to fill out an audition form. Be prepared to take a high level modern class. (Those auditioning will not be charged for the class.)
For more information, e-mail Patricia Villanueva at info@happendance.org.
Happendance School
3448 Hagadorn, Okemos
Spring Term 4/8-6/8
Summer Term 6/17-7/26
Spring Term continues through June 8.
SUMMER SCHOOL. The 6-week term is June 17-July 26 (no class July 4) and offers classes for ages 3 to adult: Creative movement and dance fundamentals for young children -- Beginning level classes in modern dance, ballet, tap and jazz -- Intermediate/advanced classes in ballet, modern and jazz -- Special offerings: Class for the Ageless Dancer, and a new class for those 18 and up in Beginning Social Dance (basics of Tango, Cha Cha, and Swing).
Creative Dance Camps in June and July: Three-day camps for 6-9 year olds -- Fairy Camp and Mermaid Camp
Youth Ballet Camp (pre-pointe, ages 10-14) August 6-9 -- Power Pointe Intensive (high level, ages 12 and up), Aug. 13-17
Class grid is a one-page table showing the full schedule, including class teachers, which you may download and print for reference. You may also call the office at 517/333-3528 to discuss class placement and obtain other assistance.
View class and camp details and register now!.
This year's team members -- Sarah Dobson, Lindsey Fedewa, Deanne Rivera, Danielle Selby, Scott Stafford and Patty Villanueva -- have a great program designed to entertain kids while reinforcing academic and life lessons. During the 50-minute show, six pieces explore a day at school, including the study of various subjects, and social time. "Windscapes" illustrates the fluid canonic motion of the wind. "Sneetches" examines issues of discrimination and tolerance. "We're Havin' a Ball" shows the fun things you can do with them. "Molecules in Motion" features three quirky molecules in solid, liquid and gaseous states. Language arts have their turn when "Swinging on a Star" explores metaphor. And the dance titled "Recess" -- pure energy and fun!
If you know of a school or youth setting that has open danceable space and would welcome a performance by the Happendance To Go Team, put them in touch with the Happendance office for information on bookings. Movement classes are also available to selected classrooms. Grant funds have been secured to underwrite a large share of the costs of shows and teaching, but schools need to book soon while funds last.
This year's Happendance 2 members are Jillian Abuan, Marie Adrian, Meredith Bolton, Claire Donahue, Anna Evanson, Lindsay Fedewa, Michaela Ford, Aiden Foster-Fishman, Callie Harrison, Katie Heise, Melanie Matchette, Roja Mullins, Averie Nim, Briana Renfrew, Jennifer Ruth, Liam Shaffer, Emily Scott, Lena Shuptar and Mason Villanueva. They hail from Lansing, East Lansing, Laingsburg, Mason, Grand Ledge, Okemos, Haslett and Eaton Rapids. Read more about Happendance 2.
Accepted for the Happendance Professional Company apprentice program are three high school seniors: Chloe Gonzales of Springport, Alison Rhodes of Okemos, and Mason Villanueva of Eaton Rapids.
Happendance 2 is directed by Missy Lilje and Lisa Whiting Dobson.
Use GoodSearch & GoodShop
Happendance is listed on www.goodsearch.com. Simply use GoodSearch (powered by Yahoo) for all of your internet searches. Click here to add GoodSearch to your browser. The more often you use GoodSearch, the more money Happendance earns, costing you nothing.
You can also earn additional rewards, both in savings for you as a purchaser, and the donations that flow through to Happendance, from your use of GoodShop.com. To get started, go to (and bookmark) GoodShop.com. Or, if in Goodsearch.com, on the home page, under the search window, click on 'Shop Online, Support Your Cause'. Once there, enter Happendance as your charity and click Verify. If Happendance is already your default charity, just start shopping! A percentage of what you buy at the available stores will automatically be donated to Happendance, at no cost to you!
The Happendance mission: To stimulate support for the art of dance through performances and educational programs. To broaden the accessibility of dance to a diverse community and promote dance for lifelong physical and mental fitness.