Bay Area Dancers Get a Chance to Dance

Bay Area Dancers Get a Chance to Dance

Audition Registration for DanceQuake Now Open - 10 Days to Register

SAN FRANCISCO, July 11 /PRNewswire/ -- In a Bay Area first, local dancers will have the opportunity to audition before a who's who of dancer/choreographer-judges in hopes of being chosen as a member of a new dance troupe, DanceQuake. Choreography for DanceQuake will feature an urban style of dance, which reflects and celebrates the different cultural influences and dances of the Bay Area -- melding hip hop with salsa, Afro-Cuban, jazz, swing and others. Dancers chosen for the troupe's paid positions will have the opportunity to perform at events, theatres and community programs throughout the Bay Area, while engaging and inspiring kids in the joy of dance.

The open call auditions for DanceQuake will be held Sunday, July 22 in San Francisco. In order to audition, dancers must be 18 years or older (as of July 22) and must first register online at the official Web site: http://www.getupanddancebayarea.org/. Auditions are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Upon registration, dancers will receive a number and a time for their audition. Dancers selected from the July 22 audition will enter the finals August 4, where they will perform for a larger audience.

"We've put together the strongest players in urban and accessible dance in the Bay Area," said Laura DuDell-Foley, president of DuDell & Associates and creator of the program. "We have on board Dancers' Group, a non-profit serving the Bay Area's dance community, with choreography by Micaya, artistic director of the San Francisco Hip Hop Dance Fest, as well as dance greats Allan Frias, Darnell Carroll and Clint Calimlim, who will assist in the judging process. DanceQuake (a part of Get Up and Dance! Bay Area) wouldn't be possible without the generous support of local McDonald's(R) owner operators and a grant from Ronald McDonald House Charities(R) of the Bay Area to Dancers' Group."

"The last few years have seen a stunning resurgence of dance within popular culture, and subsequently more and more people -- especially children -- are being exposed to the power and beauty of dance, which is exciting for our community," said Wayne Hazzard, executive director of Dancers' Group. "That's why this program is so timely. Through their presentations, the DanceQuake troupe will bring to life some of the on-screen images that will inspire and engage our young people and have them literally want to get up and dance!"

"Dance is universal," added DuDell. "It crosses all age, socioeconomic, ethnic and cultural boundaries, while honoring individual cultural heritages and traditions. The DanceQuake dancers will bring dance to a wider audience and reach out to families and kids in our community while showcasing the Bay Area's vibrant dance community."

How to Audition

In order to audition, dancers must register online at the official Web site and must be 18 years or older (as of July 22). To register and for more information, visit http://www.getupanddancebayarea.org/. Audition spaces are filling up, so act fast.

About DanceQuake and Get Up and Dance! Bay Area

Dance Quake, a new program of Get Up and Dance! Bay Area, has been made possible through a grant from Ronald McDonald House Charities(R) of the Bay Area,

Get Up and Dance! Bay Area is also made possible through the generous support of the Northern California McDonald's(R) Owner Operators and Dasani(R).

About Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bay Area

Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bay Area (RMHCBA) is dedicated to helping children right here in our own backyards. To date, RMHCBA has contributed more than $5 million locally to enrich the lives of thousands of Bay Area children, and it builds a brighter, more promising future for local kids by supporting the Ronald McDonald Houses of San Francisco and Palo Alto, Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles serving children in Contra Costa and Santa Clara Counties, granting high school scholarships, and support to other nonprofit children's programs.

About Dancers' Group

Dancers' Group assists and supports the San Francisco Bay Area dance community by creating a nexus of resources, expertise and knowledge. Dancers' Group's presenting and co-presenting programs increase visibility for dance artists that engage a diverse community in an effort to bring new audiences to dance. On the Net: http://www.dancersgroup.org/

(C) 2007 Ronald McDonald House Charities
(C) 2007 McDonald's
(C) 2007 DASANI is a registered trademark of The Coca Cola Company

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Dancers' Group

CONTACT: Jesse Waters, jwaters@dudell.com, or Trish Doherty,
tdoherty@dudell.com, both for Dancers' Group, +1-510-338-0560

Web site:

http://www.dancersgroup.org/

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