Dance Canvas To Celebrate 10 Years With Returning Choreographers

    ATLANTA, GA, March 09, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Dance Canvas' 10th Anniversary Season continues with their acclaimed performance series on March 23rd & 24th at the Ferst Center for the Arts. This season's performances will be showcasing new choreography by a returning choreographer from each of the past seasons.

Dance Canvas performances are part of the 2017-18 Arts @ Tech season. Continuing to grow the partnership between Dance Canvas and Georgia Tech's Office of the Arts, this new production will commission 10 new works, and feature 50 professional dancers. The pieces created will also continue to find "bridges between movement and life."

The 2017-18 Choreographers are:
- A collaborative piece by Angela Harris and Vanessa Chisolm, infusing Ballet with Tap
Angela is the Executive Artistic Director of Dance Canvas. Former dancer with The Georgia Ballet, Columbia City Ballet, Urban Ballet Theater. Vanessa is a tap choreographer and co-founded a professional tap company, Atlanta Tap Project.

- A solo by Juel D. Lane based on the artwork of acclaimed artist, Ernie Barnes
Juel Lane's work has been presented by nationally acclaimed companies, including Dallas Black Dance Theater and most recently, Ailey II, during their Atlanta engagement. Juel is a former dancer with Ron K. Brown/Evidence.

- 'Vectors' by Dana Woodruff, a high energy, high flying new work
Dana Woodruff is a professor of Dance at Kennesaw State University. She is a former dancer with Joyce Trisler Danscompany in NYC.

- An all male quintet by Annalee Traylor, featuring new music by slowdanger
Annalee Traylor is a New York City based choreographer whose work has been performed across the country. She was a founding member of the August Wilson Dance Ensemble in Pittsburgh, and one of Dance Magazine's 25 to Watch.

- A heart-felt lyrical pas de duex by Marci Lefkoff that challenges perceptions
Marci Lefkoff is an Atlanta based choreographer and teacher. She was the resident choreographer for the Atlanta Hawks dance team.

- Powerful movement and powerful women in Lonnie Davis' newest work
Lonnie Davis is an Atlanta based choreographer and teacher. He is a former dancer with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and Royal Caribbean Entertainment

- 'Rebirth', a trio from the repertoire of City Gate Dance Theater, by Jennifer Davis
Jennifer Davis is the co-founder and Artistic Director of City Gate Dance Theater. She is a former dancer with Ballethnic Dance Company.

- Britt Fishel's conceptual work featuring film
Britt Fishel is a choreographer, Screendance artist, and the co-director of Atlanta Dance Collective, a new Atlanta-based Dance Company. Britt was the Artistic Director of BNW:dance, and has presented work in Washington, DC, Michigan, and New York City.

Two additional works by Lindsay Fritz (2017 Dance Canvas choreographer) and Lara Davis (DC NEXT Alumni) will round out the 2018 program.

In addition to the public performances, Dance Canvas brings over 500 students from Atlanta area schools to be the first audience for the production. On Thursday, March 22nd, Dance Canvas opens their dress rehearsal to school field trips and offers the opportunity for students to give constructive criticism of the production. Anna Dunn, Dance Canvas' Arts Education and Outreach Manager, works with teachers to provide post-show projects for the students to write reviews of the show.

For more information on the 2018 Performances at the Ferst Center or for tickets, please visit: arts.gatech.edu For more information on the 2017-18 Season, please visit http://www.dancecanvas.com

Dance Canvas' 10th Anniversary season had an exciting start on July 15th, when Dance Canvas was invited to perform at the Fox Theater to help kick-off the Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival. Artistic Director, Angela Harris, who has been working on musical productions both locally and nationally, choreographed a tribute performance to the Fox Theater's Grand Opening in 1929. Featuring 12 dancers as a nod to the original 'Sunkist Beauties', the performance was accompanied by Mighty Mo, the organ, and opened the show.

Also, earlier this season, Dance Canvas hosted internationally acclaimed choreographer, Darrell Grand Moultrie, whose choreography has also been commissioned by John McFall for Atlanta Ballet. Moultrie recently choreographed for Beyonce's Mrs. Carter Tour, as well as for the American Repertory Theater in NYC. A former Princess Grace Award Recipient, Moultrie worked with the young dancers of DC NEXT, and set a new piece of choreography on the students. Dance Canvas also opened the studio to the community for a free class as part of the new summer Artist-to-Artist Series.

Additionally, Dance Canvas welcomed our new Artist-in-Residence, Dr. Julie Johnson, a professor in Spelman's new and growing Dance Department.

Dance Canvas' 2017-18 Season is funded in part by:
Fulton County Arts Council
The City of Atlanta's Office of Cultural Affairs Arthur M. Blank Foundation - Audience Building Roundtable
JW & Ethel I Woodruff Foundation
X-Factor Solutions, LLC
Company Information:
Dance Canvas' 2017-18 Partnerships:
Georgia Tech/Office of the Arts
Atlanta Ballet
Kennesaw State University
City of Atlanta Department of Recreation Academy of Ballet Norcross

Dance Canvas' mission is to provide opportunities and venues to increase the awareness of professional dance in Atlanta. Our vision is to become the premier ground for the "next generation" of dance makers, while finding interactive ways of making dance more relatable to the general public. Dance Canvas successfully accomplishes our mission through three major programs of service: Career Development, Youth Outreach, and Audience Development.
Since 2008, Dance Canvas has presented eight acclaimed choreographers' showcases at The Woodruff Arts Center and Rialto Center for the Arts. Since its inception, Dance Canvas has premiered 92 new works by 78 emerging professional choreographers, presented 200 professional dancers, performed for over 10,000 Atlanta audiences, and worked hands-on with 5,000+ Atlanta area students through our outreach efforts and youth programs. Dance Canvas' youth programs DC NEXT and DC INTERNS serve as a springboard for students to learn, develop, and polish their skills in the business, production, and creative aspects of the dance profession. The DC NEXT curriculum has been implemented by both the City of Atlanta's Office of Cultural Affairs & Department of Recreation, as well as recording artist Usher's New Look Foundation. DC INTERNS works in partnership with Kennesaw State University. In addition, each season is full with free public performances, community festivals, youth summits, and collaborations to give back to the Atlanta community.

Dance Canvas is a 501 (c) 3, non-profit organization.

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