Dancing with the stars

A world-class event, CaDance Festival, will take center stage in

Laguna Beach from Oct. 1 to Oct. 9, offering a full menu of top dance

performances, master workshops and classes, an Oscar-nominated dance

documentary with two of its stars in a attendance, and a gala event

with Patrick Swayze.

An esteemed dance professional for more than 20 years, Jodie

Gates, the festival’s artistic director, is bringing internationally

recognized dancers and premier dance companies for the nine-day

event.

“It’s the first on the West Coast of its kind,” Gates said.

Gates recently retired to Laguna Beach. She has received critical

acclaim nationally and internationally with the Joffrey Ballet in New

York City, Ballet Frankfurt in Germany and the Pennsylvania Ballet,

to mention a few.

“Throughout my career I’ve worked with the top choreographers,

dancers and directors of our time,” Gates said. “With that said, I

have a network of resources that I can call upon to make this event

happen. I don’t think there are many people who have the opportunity

I have to bring a dance festival of this caliber here.”

The list of elite performers is impressive: Meg Paul and

Christopher Body from the hit Broadway show “Movin’ Out,” principal

dancers Miranda Weese and Joaquin de Luz of the New York City Ballet,

Complexions Contemporary Ballet, the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, the

Corbindances of New York City, Lula Washington, the Saint Joseph

Ballet, Na Lei Hula I Ka Wekiu from San Francisco and Desmond

Richardson.

“Desmond Richardson is an American icon in dance, truly the

finest,” Gates said.

“It’s a joy for me to call friends, colleagues, directors and ask,

can you come here and help us,” she said. “A lot who are stars in the

dance world are donating their services to teach [the festival’s

workshops and classes], or they’re dancing for much less money. They

also believe in it, want dance to evolve and to help to fill the void

in Orange County.”

Gates said she has incorporated as much of the local arts

community as possible with collaborative works.

Two dance installations will take place -- one at Contemporary

Chinese Art Gallery and the other at Richard MacDonald Gallery.

“We’re also collaborating with Laguna College,” Gates said. “We

asked students to submit artwork in a competition.

The winner will create the artwork to represent the next dance

festival.”

Throughout the nine-day festival, workshops and master classes

will be offered.

“You can take a three-hour intensive workshop over the weekend or

an hour-and-a-half specialized class on a weekday,” Gates said. “The

teachers have received international acclaim.”

Twyla Tharp, William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, Glenn Edgerton, Shawn

Stevens, Miranda Weese and Gates will teach in different areas of

dance.

“It’s only possible because it’s Laguna Beach,” Gates said. “What

other community on the West Coast has this extraordinary physical

beauty and extraordinary arts community?”

Gates said the festival brings visual arts and dance together.

Arts commissioner and CaDance board member Pat Kollenda said the

festival is a big opportunity for Laguna Beach.

“Since Jodie Gates has become involved, we were able to bring in

prestigious dance groups from other parts of the country; it’s

totally phenomenal,” Kollenda said. “It’s just an incredible addition

to the amazing arts we have in Laguna Beach.”

For a schedule of events or tickets, call (949) 499-5060 or visit

o7www.cadancefestival.com.

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