Submitted by B. J. Coleman.
Dance Theatre Northwest will present a “Summer Dance Showcase” on Saturday, August 10, 2024, at 7:00 PM. An “Arts Are Education” Performance at the University Place Library Atrium, 3609 Market Street, University Place, WA 98466, the show is free, handicapped accessible and open to the public.
Richard Philion, guest artist, who returned from New York to co-teach in a recent Adult Summer Intensive workshop will be performing both in excerpts from DTNW’s Encore 2024 as well as in new works choreographed and staged by Dance Theatre Northwest’s Artistic Director, Melanie Kirk-Stauffer. In addition, Philion’s musical theatre choreography featuring workshop attendees from both the intensive and some additional theatre workshops this past week will also be shown. Choreography by Katherine Rose Neumann will also be presented.
Saturday’s show will also feature dancers from DTNW’s Encore as well as student participants in a variety of dance style pieces from classical ballet, jazz, tap and musical theater. Variations from “Sylvia” featuring Joanna Mesler, and “Sleeping Beauty” featuring Lilie Nausid and Isabel Powell are classics that will be interwoven with tap, Broadway style and contemporary dance pieces. Upbeat and fun, the performance is ideal for family audiences.
The City of University Place is pleased to be among the sponsors of the event along with University Place Refuse, Showcase Magazine, Annemarie and Jim Baldes, Sarah Bliesath, Anne Carpenter, June Davies, Diane Malone, Bridget & Robert Smith, Sarah Witherup, The May Bell Hansen Memorial Fund,
Ellida K. Lathrop Scholarship Fund, Lawrence Allen Stauffer Scholarship Fund, Lasting Beauty, Melanie Kirk-Stauffer, and other major Anonymous Contributors.
Originally from British Columbia, Canada, Richard Philion trained at Canada’s National Ballet School and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. He has performed with the National Ballet of Canada numerous times including the world premiere of John Alleyne’s Tristan and Isolde and was one of the first male dancers to achieve his advanced certification in the Cecchetti method of ballet in Western Canada. Other career highlights have included productions of: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Promises, Promises, Singin’ in the Rain, Sweet Charity, Guys and Dolls, Beauty and the Beast, Jean Ann Ryan Productions, Royal Caribbean Productions (including Dancing with the Stars’ Louis Van Amstel’s production of Invitation to Dance), Albany Berkshire Ballet, Sarah Berges Contemporary Dance, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Galan Entertainment’s Tango Buenos Aires and the APEC Summit in Vladivostok, Russia. Richard has made several guest appearances with Dance Theatre Northwest. He has danced leading roles in DTNW’s Nutcracker.
According to Melanie Kirk-Stauffer, DTNW’s artistic director, “It is always a pleasure to be able to serve our community with Dance Theatre Northwest performances that are free and open to the public. Everyone at DTNW is very excited and loves performances at the Atrium. The DTNW Adult Summer Intensive was very successful, and I know all of the performers are looking forwarded to being able to share their skills.” Kirk-Stauffer has a history of having staged numerous successful—some award winning—shows, has danced professionally and helped to further an amazing number of careers and learning opportunities.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Columbia Pacific University. She is a former adjunct faculty member of Western Washington University, a current contractor through Pierce College and former part-time faculty member of Tacoma Community College. Melanie visits New York City regularly to attend dance and or observe classes that include ballet, pointe, variations, partnering, jazz, musical theatre, floor barre and tap. Her students have gone on to receive scholarships in dance from Joffrey Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet, Wayne State University, Brigham Young University, Park Pointe University, Montana State University, Barat Conservatory, Texas Christian University, as well as Southern Methodist, Chapman, and Arizona State Universities; to dance professionally (most recently at Pacific Northwest Ballet), in musicals and Touring Companies, work in college dance programs, and to teach professionally.
Kirk-Stauffer and Philion have been ongoing teachers in DTNW’s recent Adult Summer Intensive Program. They will also be teaching a series of professional ballet, partnering and musical theatre classes and workshops along with Katherine Rose Neumann, Deb Main, Oceana Thunder, Gitte Necessary, and Paula Young of Dance Theatre Northwest’s as part of DTNW’s ongoing classes and workshops being offered this fall.
Dance Theatre Northwest is a 501-c-3 non-profit organization committed to making dance as an important art form accessible to individuals and groups and to assisting future dancers and artists. Dance Theatre Northwest is currently offering Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Musical Theatre, Yoga, Stretch, Conditioning & Dance Exercise Classes & Performance Opportunities for Adults, Teens & Children at
2811 BRIDGEPORT WAY WEST #24, UNIVERSITY PLACE/TACOMA, WA 98466
For more information visit our website www.DTNW.org.
Photos courtesy of Dance Theatre Northwest by Ken Hassman and Philander Eargle Photography
This is going to be GREAT. And FREE? Don’t know how they do it. Hope the University Place community turns out by the droves. They are so lucky to have such quality dance training and performances right in their own back yard!