Local dancers to strut their stuff

Suzie Harrison

The Laguna Beach High School award-winning Dance Company will put its

talent and connections in the choreography biz to work in its spring

dance performance, “DancExpo.”

Set to well-known pop music, as well as classical pieces, the

dance company will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. on May 2, 3, 9 and 10

at the high school’s Artists’ Theatre.

“The concept ‘DancExpo’ is based off of art, the merging of visual

art and dance,” director Tod A. Kubo said. “A lot of the pieces are

choreographed through the inspiration of works of art -- think of an

exhibition of a gallery show.””This steel frame we built, with the

audience viewing it ... the idea is seeing a live artwork centered in

a picture frame,” Kubo said.

There are 14 dance numbers and more than 100 students involved in

the dance company, ages 14 to 21, with three guest artists who came

through the company as alumni, and three professional guest artists.

“What the audience likes best about our company is they have come

to expect that we always have a versatile show,” Kubo said. “And this

delivers a lot of versatile styles in dance and ideas in dance.”

The group has four student choreographers that are debuting their

choreography. Julia Abel, 18, choreographed the “Slow Down,” and is

in seven numbers in the show.

“I’ve been choreographing for two years, this year and last year,”

Abel said. “I love it -- it’s fun to do all the new auditions, sets

and see people’s abilities.”

It is usually the music that motivates her most. She puts the

movement to the music she comes up with, so it’s the song that comes

first.

Kubo said that all of the leadership and choreography training

they can learn with the dance company is a great training ground.

There are some real success stories, of former students who have gone

on in either dance or choreography in New York City, or other

well-known stages across the country and Europe.

The show has two acts, with Act I featuring a lot of student

choreography, and Act II featuring some esteemed guest

choreographers.

“Slam, one of Madonna’s former dancers, who is doing ‘Aida’ on

Broadway, flew out for a week to choreograph a 15 minute piece that

opens the second act, ‘Journey of Incoming Souls,’” Kubo said. “It’s

modern, left for varying interpretation.”

“It was very amazing to watch the opening scene with the masks and

how the masks, by hiding the dancers faces, makes you focus upon the

characters,” dancer Patrick Sauls, 17, said.

Collin Rand who is on the national tour of “Cats” is another guest

artist. He choreographed two pieces in the second act and also

performs, as does another “Cats” dancer.

Sauls is one of the few male dancers and thanks Kubo for giving

him the inspiration and freedom to express himself through dance, as

a male and to be accepted for it.

“It’s a hot ticket.” Kubo said. “It’s the audience’s support that

makes this possible to fund the dance company and keep it alive.”

Tickets are available by phone at 497-7743 or at the Artists’

Theatre Box office at 625 Park Ave.