Pantuso Dance’s fourth annual showcase of dance and musical theatre, Groove 2011, is scheduled to burst onto the Sid Williams Theatre stage for three performances from Tuesday, May 3 to Thursday, May 5 at 7 p.m. each night.
Tickets are selling fast at the Sid Williams box office, priced at a reasonable $16 for adults and $14 for students.
Why the excitement? Pantuso Dance’s program is designed for the whole family, with more than 200 children, teens and adults presenting a jam-packed program of ballet, musical theatre, hip hop, jazz, modern and tap numbers.
Artistic director Lindsay Sterk emphasizes that, “The show is designed to be entertaining! There is no downtime and the variety of material that is on display has something for everyone. There are paints for every palette. If you like to be entertained by dance and musical theatre, then you are sure to find something for you. Feedback from past performances is consistent in that people are always amazed how ‘fast’ the evening goes due to the variety and fun atmosphere.”
Sterk has built upon the success of the dance school’s founder, Pat Pantuso, by adding new styles of dance gradually to the original tap and jazz repertoire. A professional actor and dancer in his own right, he has been able to attract some of the Comox Valley’s best teachers to work with Pantuso Dance’s students, including Danette Bell (ballet) and Jessica Nygren (jazz, hip hop, modern). Next season, Chrissie Main Lepine (ballet) and Christy Kooman (with a brand new preschool/homeschool program) will join the faculty.
Tap and musical theatre students are thrilled to study under Sterk, who starred in Theatre Under the Stars’ Singin’ in the Rain last summer and also was a featured dancer in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Olympics. Several of his tap classes have travelled to Vancouver to dance in events, such as the 2011 West Coast Tap Dance Collective’s Annual Celebration of Tap, which featured Pantuso Dance’s Boys Tap group.
An enthusiastic group of parents of current and past students have organized the Pantuso Dance Auxiliary in order to fundraise and organize events for the Pantuso Dance community. Money raised is used to recognize students who excel in dance skill and/or outstanding spirit and dedication through providing student scholarships as well as grants to students who want to further their dance education outside of the Comox Valley. Funds are also used to bring in guest instructors from all over the world. This year, Heather Cornell of Manhattan Tap, Brock Jellison (soloist in the OC 2010 Olympics), Matt Shields (Tapestry Dance, Austin), and Julie Tomaino (Radio City Rockette) all visited and provided master classes to Pantuso Dance students.
Registration is already underway for Pantuso Dance’s 2011/12 season, which starts in September. More information is available at the Groove 2011 performances, at the studio at 2659 Moray Pl., Courtenay, by phone at 250-702-0432 or online at www.pantusodance.com.
Tickets for Groove 2011, May 3 to 5 at 7 p.m., can be purchased in person at the Sid Williams Theatre, by phone at 250-338-2420, extension 1 or online at www.sidwilliamstheatre.com. A $2 per order theatre surcharge applies.
For more information, contact Val Macdonald at evmacdonald@shaw.ca or 250-339-0280.
— Pantuso Dance
