An Dóchas and the Haran Irish Dancers

The Dancer Biography Blog: Lauren Smith

“Plie is your friend,” jokes Lauren.  And it certainly is Lauren’s friend, too!  Beginning this fall, Lauren Smith will create lifelong friendships between Festival Dance students and the plie when she is the head instructor for the Young Dancer’s Program.  Lauren would like to let her future students know that, “Each and every dancer has something special, and I can't wait to discover what makes each of you shine. Never let an opportunity to dance pass you by.”

Lauren began dancing in 2^nd grade at a studio in Newman Lake, Washington, mostly focusing on jazz, musical theatre, and lyrical.  Lyrical was her favorite because it was “strong” and “powerful” and she could make it her own.  However, in 6^th grade Lauren started taking classes in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, too, and fell in love with ballet.  She’s been doing rond de jambe en l’air and circular port de bras ever since then.  Lauren has won numerous dance awards, including the Idaho Distinguished Young Woman Talent Scholarship, and performed in numerous shows, such as “Don Quixote” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.  She is most proud of her dance experience training with the Long Beach Ballet and then touring around China for three weeks.  The tour company of 25 to 30 dancers even performed in Beijing.

Lauren is currently finishing her first year at the University of Idaho.  Her favorite classes have been Diedre Sakota’s jazz class and Mia Seshiki’s ballet class.  When Lauren is not busy working towards her degrees in Dance and Exercise Science and Health, she likes to spend her time running, cooking, and traveling.   After Lauren graduates from UI, she plans to continue her education and eventually become a physical therapist for a dance company on the West Coast.  She will of course keep dancing!  Lauren would love the opportunity to do the aerial work in Cirque Du Soleil.  

Don’t miss Lauren’s upcoming performance as the lead principal in the Ballet School of Coeur D’Alene’s performance of “Giselle” this spring at the North Idaho College Auditorium.  For more information, please visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ballet-School-of-Coeur-dAlene/163421170388886.   

We look forward to seeing you all there!

The Eugene Ballet's "Swan Lake"

 

Save the Date ~ 3/3/13
3:00pm ~ Beasley Coliseum

 

Your spirits will soar with the stunning dance, magnificent music, magical story, and breathtaking sets and costumes of this, the world's most popular ballet. Danced to one of Tchaikovsky's most brilliant scores, "Swan Lake," tells the romantic and magical tale of a princess transformed into a swan. From the dazzling ballroom to the enchanted lakeside, you will be spellbound as powerful and passionate dancing exposes the sorcery of Von Rothbart, the evil mastermind behind the mystery.

~ Visit festivaldance.org for tickets and to watch video ~
Tickets $14-$30
208-883-DANS

The Dancer Biography Blog: Amanda

Dance or hockey…why choose?  Amanda loves both!  In fact, this next Festival Dance student featured in our Dancer Biography Blog spends every day of the week doing some sort of activity.  Amanda says her favorite activities are dancing, drawing, swimming at the pool, and playing sports. 

Amanda spends most of her time dancing and playing hockey.  Amanda has taken ballet from Festival Dance for many years and just recently started taking Beginning Jazz/Hip Hop.  She really enjoys her Ballet 2/3 class because she has learned battements and the instructor, Karissa Jacobs, is “a nice teacher”.  Amanda’s other favorite instructor is her dad, Derek, her hockey coach.  Her mom, Brenda, and younger brother, Chase, can be found skating around the ice rink, too!  Playing hockey as a family is fun because they can all spend time together.  

Amanda is currently a 2^nd grader at West Park Elementary School.  Her favorite subjects are math and science because it is “fun to figure things out” and she’s “good at it”.  She is also a talented reader and writer, and even tries to help Chase spell difficult words.  Amanda often writes thank you notes and thinking of you notes to her friends.  If you see Amanda at dance class or hockey practice, ask her if she will write you a note that rhymes.  After all, her favorite animal is a panda because it rhymes with her name!   

Congratulations

to the Cast and Crew of

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"

Missoula Children's Theatre

Snow White- Aidan Barnhart 

Queen- Elli Fender

Mirror- Talia Mullin 

Phineas- Joshua Young

Fernando - Mason Burke 

Foxy- Catherine Allen

King Backwards- Wesley W. Kirkland 

Henchman 1- Jorge Barbosa

Henchman 2- Ashton Martin

Forest Animals- Megan Cornish, Madeline Schab, Ashlyn Walker, Angel Fulfer, Elias Wappett, Geneva Gregory, Drew Underwood, Ava Hicke, Emma Cary, Flora Binninger, Hannah Fender, Dolora Wetzel, Frankie Gage, Malia Jensen, Kylin Chavez, Abby Duke, Alyssa Dyer, Ashelin Vicente 

Dwarfs-Bob- Isabelle Wappett

             Dr. Specs- Lindsay Todd

             Grouch- Kailee Evans

             Humpty- Rebecca Kirkland

             Dumpty- Jed Wallen

             Tambourine- Emmet Brooks

Bats- Joey Williams, Mariah Chadron, Soraya Wetzel, Gracie Fizzill, Jacque Williams, Imogene Troutwein, Charlie Owen, Rohanna White, Benjamin Schab, Emily Samford, Kiera Smith

Assistant Directors- Andrea St. Pierre, Elaina Loveless, Ashley Green, Jillian Hohnholz 

The Dancer Biograhy Blog: Karen Lawrence

“Stop that bouncing!” is what you will hear friends say to our next student featured in the Dancer Biography Blog, Karen Lawrence.  Karen loves to move, especially when dancing in her Celtic Novice Performance class.  She says that Celtic is her favorite type of dance because “it’s fast, it’s fun”.  And don’t forget that the shoes “look cool”.  Karen started taking Celtic from Festival Dance when she was just a second grader.  She found that dance was perfect for her because it was more individualized than other sports and she loved to perform on stage.  Now that Karen is one of those “big girl” dancers she used to admire, she has opportunities to perform with great dancers, such as with An Dóchas and the Haran Irish Dancers.  She will likely join them again at their Great Performances Series show on April 7^th.  Karen’s message to young dancers is to keep dancing because Celtic is “awesome”.     

Karen also loves to move around the globe.  She has been to countries all over the world, including New Zealand, Spain, and Antarctica! Her favorite thing about her travels is the animals she encounters along the way.  It is no surprise then that Karen’s favorite subject in school is science and that her dream is to work in rescue and rehabilitation of animals, maybe even in Antarctica.  She plans to attend college anywhere with a coast that is known for its Marine Biology department.  Karen is currently a ninth grader at Moscow High School, so she still has a few years before college to enjoy her hometown of Moscow, especially the annual Renaissance Fair.  She usually attends the event dressed up with friends and sometimes performs a dance piece.  Watch for Karen’s performances at the Renaissance Fair and on stage!

Missoula Children's Theatre - "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"