Rachel Mehaffey

Rachel Mehaffey earned her BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Elon University in 2015. During her time as a student, she performed repertory by Keigwin + Company, Hedwig Dances, Summation Dance Company, Helen Simoneou Danse, TERRANOVA Dance Theatre, and Michelle Amara Micca. Rachel also performed and trained with the Florence Dance Company in Florence, Italy. While at Elon, Rachel received significant university funding in support of a two-year dance research project that she presented at several conferences, including the 2014 Congress on Research in Dance/Society of Dance History Scholars Conference. Since graduating, Rachel has worked with Renay Aumiller Dances, the Kearns Dance Project, Natalie Marrone and the Dance Cure, Code f.a.d., and the original cast of Raleigh Room Escapes. Rachel also teaches FlyBarre classes at Flywheel Sports in Raleigh.

RAD I Renay Aumiller Dances

Founded in 2012, RAD | Renay Aumiller Dances has quickly gained momentum in North Carolina through thought-provoking performances displaying keen wit and fluid physicality. The company is based in Durham, NC and is comprised of professional dancers from the area known for their technical and creative capacities. RAD seeks to highlight the effects of locality, collaboration, and association within a highly formalized and crafted structure in an effort to offer a point of entry into the poignant yet hidden qualities of human frailty. They have performed at the American Dance Festival, the North Carolina Dance Festival, Boston Contemporary Dance Festival, Austin Dance Festival, WAXworks in New York, several regional festivals, and four self-produced performances in traditional and alternative venues. To stay up to date on the company’s performance schedule or to inquire about booking, please visit: http:radances.com

Renay Aumiller (Founder/Artistic Director)

Renay Aumiller has presented her dance works across the United States as the Founder/Artistic Director of RAD | Renay Aumiller Dances. She has performed professionally with numerous choreographers/companies including Gerri Houlihan, Renée Wadleigh, Christian Von Howard, Thread Meddle Outfit, VECTOR, The Bipeds, and The Kearns Dance Project. Additionally, Aumiller toured Taiwan, Cambodia, and Italy with internationally acclaimed improvisation master, Kirstie Simson. Aumiller's education includes earning a BA in Dance Studies from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and an MFA in Choreography from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Ms. Aumiller has enjoyed guest residencies at NC State University, Washington and Lee University, Meredith College, Appalachian State University, Iowa State University, Salem College, NC Governor's School West, Austin Dance Festival Workshop series, Enloe High School, the NC Dance Project, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and several studios across the southeast. She is an Assistant Professor of Dance at Elon University and is a Level 1 Franklin Method® Educator. 

Theatre of Movement

Theatre of Movement brings socially relevant art to you! We are a performing and visual arts collective that works with artists to generate meaningful multidisciplinary events, performances, and workshops. Theatre of Movement is committed to accessing and engaging audiences with a message that art is a vital part of our world. Theatre of Movement is a visionary model for producing original and relevant artworks by informed, empowered, and capable artists.

Our mission is to offer performances, community engagement, workshops, and cultural events in a range of artistic disciplines including dance, theatre, music, photography, and film. All the artists involved in Theatre of Movement practice professional development, and entrepreneurship skills-building in addition to in-depth study and delivery of their chosen art form. Theatre of Movement members also cultivate their strengths as mentors and teachers to pass the legacy of American culture on to the next generation.

Our vision is to deliver performing and visual art on an international level that helps to create a world where success is not equated with relinquishing your cultural background. To build a strong appreciation and value for diversity in the arts and American culture.

www.theatreofmovement.org

Duane Cyrus: Director/Choreographer––Theatre of Movement (Greensboro, NC) 

Duane Cyrus is an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he teaches dance technique, career management, and other courses focused on the development of well-rounded dance artists. Duane holds a BFA from the Juilliard School and an MFA from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In between, he danced with the Martha Graham Company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, in musical theater (including the original London production of Disney’s The Lion King), on television, and in a variety of other venues. He has worked as an independent artist throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia as a teacher, performer, and choreographer, and was also a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Illinois.

Gaspard & Dancers

Gaspard&Dancers (G&D), formed in 2009, by former Pilobolus dancer Gaspard Louis. It is based in Durham North Carolina.  In a city with a rich, diverse community of artists, performers and creative energies, opportunities for collaboration abound.  G&D has worked with local musicians and composers such as, Mallarme Chamber Players, Randall Love and Joshua Starmer. In addition, the company worked with photographer Robin Gallant, dance and film festivals. 

Since its inception, G&D has successfully produced an annual performance season at Duke University. It has also been presented at the Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts in New York City, Cape Fear Stage in Wilmington, NC Museum of Art in Raleigh, and Bermuda as well as across North Carolina as part of the NC Dance Festival. Most recently, G&D has been invited to perform the Earthquake Trilogy created by Gaspard Louis, at the 18thannual International Festival of Contemporary Dance “Isadora” located in the city of Krasnoyark, Siberia, Russia

Gaspard Louis (Founder/Artistic Director)

Haitian-born Gaspard founded Gaspard&Dancers (G&D) in 2009. He received his BFA from Montclair State University and his MFA from Hollins University/American Dance Festival (ADF) program. Prior to forming his own company, Gaspard performed and taught worldwide with Pilobolus and has been a guest teacher at Duke University, Elon University and NC Central University. Currently, he directs the American Dance Festival’s year-round creative movement outreach program, ADF Project Dance, providing free dance classes to children throughout the Triangle, including Central Park School for Children where he shares his love for the arts with K-4th graders. His goal and passion is to expose as many children as possible to the dance art form.

Mayerlin Muñoz

Mayerlin Muñoz began dancing at the age of eight at the school Incolballet (Cali, Colombia). During her training, her studies included extensive work in ballet, modern, folklore, and contemporary dance. Her professional career started with Colombian Ballet Company in 2007, where she performed several classical ballets. In 2009 she was invited to go on tour to Germany and US with Colegio del Cuerpo Company. In 2011, she won a scholarship for the Ballet Hispanico Summer Intensive in New York City, and was asked to perform with the company. Following the summer, she was offered a position with the newly created Ballet
Hispanico 2 as a founding member. Ms. Muñoz expanded her contemporary and modern experience on stage as a member of JKing Dance Company, and performing in Alvin Ailey's workshops. Additionaly, she has been teaching ballet to little kids for several years. This is Ms. Muñoz’s second appearance as a guest artist with the Wake Forest Dance Festival along with her husband and dancer Manuel Barriga. Currently, she teaches ballet and specializes with kids aged 18 month-8 years old, and is the main teacher and studio manager at Tutu School Raleigh and Tutu School Cary.

DeVontee Jamaal Tanner

DeVontee’ Jamaal Tanner: Dancer (Henderson, NC) currently holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Dance and a minor in Spanish from North Carolina A&T State University. After eleven years (2006-2017) of dancing for Dr. Eleanor Gwynn and her company, he embraces his deep passion for the arts, particularly dance. He has performed at many locations ranging from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Kingston, Jamaica. Using dance as an outlet, he has grown into the performer who many have grown to admire. Humble and talented he remains. Tanner will forever be driven to utilize his gifts for the better of everyone surrounding him.

Josephus Thompson III

Josephus Thompson III: (Greensboro, NC) Poet, Entrepreneur, Brother, Mentor, Son, Josephus III is constantly transcending boundaries with the art of words and voice. As host of The Poetry Café, his voice can be heard weekly of the airwaves of WNAA 90.1FM, as the Director of The Poetry Project he can be found in front of a group of young people showing them the power and necessity of their voices in classrooms across the country and as a man on a daily basis he just wants to continue to grow. 

Masha Dashkina Maddux

Masha Dashkina Maddux (Founder/Director of the Wake Forest Dance Festival)  is a professional concert dance performer and a dance educator. A native of Kiev, Ukraine she was first introduced to dance through the classical Vaganova ballet technique. After moving to United States she studied under the direction of Ruth Weisen at the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet of Miami, FL and ultimately graduated summa cum laude with her BFA from New World School of the Arts under the directorship of Daniel Lewis. Ms. Dashkina Maddux joined the Martha Graham Dance Company in 2007 and rose to the rank of the principal dancer, performing major roles in classical Graham repertoire along with works created by some of the most influential contemporary choreographers. Ms. Dashkina Maddux was featured in Dance Magazine's "Dancer's Choice", and also appeared in projects including newly released Martha Graham Dance Technique DVD, directed by Miki Orihara and Susan Kikuchi, and in a feature film Fall to Rise, written and directed by Jayce Bartok. In addition to performing, Ms. Dashkina Maddux has collaborated with photographers to capture the art of dance. Most recently her image was selected for the cover of the Dior Magazine issue #26 and The Art of Movement, a highly anticipated book conceived and created by the founders of NYC Dance Project, Ken Browar and Deborah Ory. Ms. Dashkina Maddux is an ambassador for the Dancing Angels Foundation, a nonprofit foundation that provides scholarships and other assistance to help passionate and committed young dancers fulfill their dreams. In the summer of 2018, she received Alto Jonio Best Dancer Award in Calabria, Italy.  

Aimee Moynihan

Aimee Moynihan started dancing from a very young age. After 12 years of competitive dancing Aimee went on to UNC Greensboro where she graduated with her BFA in Choreography and Performance in 2005. For several years Aimee danced professionally in jazz and modern companies around North Carolina. She has trained and worked with choreographers such as Gerard Heintz, Dres Reid, Jan Van Dyke, and Sheila Barker to name a few. Aimee moved to Las Vegas, Nevada to explore another side of the dance and entertainment field. While in Vegas she performed at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and Caesars Palace. Since her return to NC Aimee continues to train and perform locally and recently performed in a music video for rising pop artist Ricky Jarman; as well as teaching master classes all over the state. In 2012 Aimee started the dance program at Franklin Academy Charter high school and middle school as well as coached their dance teams. The program is still in existence today and hugely successful. Aimee co-owns the Wake Forest Academy of Fine Arts where she now teaches as well as choreographs, jazz, contemporary and hip-hop for dancers of all ages, beginner to pre-professional. As a teacher she is able to inspire other dancers, as well as continue to develop her own unique style of choreography. Aimee believes her true calling in the dance community is sharing her passion for dance with her students.

Manuel Barriga

Born in Holland and raised in Madrid (Spain), Manuel Barriga studied ballet with Victor Ullate Ballet Academy and Carmina Ocaña School of Ballet. He started his professional career with Ballet San Jose (San Jose, California) then moved to New York City to dance with New York Theatre Ballet while occasionally performing with Barcelona Ballet (known formerly as Corella Ballet) in Natalya Makarova’s La Bayadere and the Paris Opera Ballet in Maurice Bejart’s Bolero for the Lincoln Center Festival. In August 2012 Mr. Barriga joined Carolina Ballet for their 15th
season and continued to perform with them for five more seasons. In May 2017, Mr. Barriga retired from the stage to continue teaching ballet, he became a Certified Gyrotonic® Trainer, and recently graduated as a Massage Therapist from Wake Tech Community College. This is Mr. Barriga’s second appearance as a guest artist for the Wake Forest Dance Festival. In his first appearance in 2017, he performed “Yo te quiero siempre”, a song by composer Ernesto Lecuona, with his wife and dancer Mayerlin Muñoz. Mr. Barriga is currently a faculty member at
Destiny Dance Institute in Wake Forest.

Amanda Beaty

Amanda Beaty is a founding member of Gaspard&Dancers, performing with the main company from 2009-2014, during which she contributed to the creation of five new works and served as the company’s rehearsal director.  In recent years, she has also performed with Renay Aumiller Dances (RAD), The Kearns Dance Project, and The Bipeds, and taught movement classes at Raleigh’s venerable multi-arts non-profit, Arts Together.  She became a full-time student once again in 2015, and will graduate from Duke University with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in May 2018. She finds joy and fulfillment in helping others move to their fullest potential.

Anthony Amatucci

Anthony Amatucci began working with Gaspard & Dancers in the Fall of 2013 when he performed “Magical Cusp” in the Elon University Fall Dance Concert.  He subsequently performed “Annatations” with G&D in the American Dance Festival’s Then and Now concert in the summer of 2014.  Anthony graduated from Elon University in May 2016 with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance & Choreography as well as a B.S. in Dance Science.  Following graduation he worked with Clancyworks Dance Company for the 2016-2017 season.  He is excited to be continuing his relationship with G&D.  It is Anthony’s goal as a performer to capture the audience within the world being created onstage and make them feel as though they are part of the story.

E.E. Balcos

E.E. Balcos, originally from Minneapolis, is an Associate Professor of Dance at UNC Charlotte and has been a professional dancer and choreographer for over 30 years. At the age of 18, he began studying dance with modern dance pioneer Hanya Holm at the Colorado College in Colorado Springs. His research and teaching interests include somatic movement education and experiential anatomy, choreography, dance technique and performance, improvisation and contact improvisation. For the stage, he has choreographed over 50 professional works and 30 works for dance students. From 2006 - 2013, his dance company, E.E.MOTION, was featured at The Knight Theatre in Charlotte, North Carolina Dance Festival, Charlotte Dance Festival, ADF’s Acts to Follow Series, Piccolo Spoleto’s Dance at Noon Series in Charleston, SC, and the Minnesota Fringe Festival in Minneapolis. His choreographic works have been presented in such well-known venues as Walker Art Center and Intermedia Arts in Minneapolis, Joyce/Soho and St. Mark’s Church in New York City, Folly Theatre in Kansas City, Lawrence Art Center, and at numerous dance festivals, and universities nationally.

As a performer, Balcos toured nationally and internationally with Shapiro & Smith Dance (NYC), Demetrius Klein Dance Company (FL), Zenon Dance Company, (MPLS) and worked with renowned choreographers including Danny Buraczeski, Ping Chong, Sam Costa, Sean Curran, David Dorfman, Joe Goode, Daniel Gwirtzman, Dwight Rhoden, David Rousseve, Stephanie Skura, Jan Van Dyke, and Bill Young. He performed and presented work throughout the U.S. and in Italy, Uzbekistan, and the Philippines.

Kim Jones

Kim Jones is Associate Professor of Dance at UNC Charlotte and a régisseur for the Martha Graham Resource Center. She danced with the Martha Graham Dance Company (2001-2006) and the metropolitan Opera Ballet (1998-2003) and served as a principal dancer in the US National Tour of The King and I (2005).

Most recently, choreographer Paul Taylor offered Tracer (1962), a collaboration with the artist Robert Rauschenberg (set and costumes), as the subject of a scholarly reconstruction by Jones.  Jones set the work on Taylor 2 Dance Company members, who re-premiered Tracer at UNC Charlotte in September 2016, and performed it again in New York City.  This project was supported by NEA Arts Work grant, ASC, UNCC Faculty Research grants, and by Wells Fargo. Michael J. Solender’s article on the project appeared in The New York Times. link: http://nyti.ms/2bN0KFF

In 2012-2013, Jones reconstructed Martha Graham’s Imperial Gesture (1935), which is now on tour with the Martha Graham Dance Company. The costume reconstruction of Imperial Gesture was displayed at the museum at Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. Her “American modernism: Reimagining Martha Graham’s Lost Imperial Gesture (1935)” was the cover article of the December 2015 issue of Dance Research Journal. In May 2016, Jones performed Imperial Gesture at the 92nd Street Y in New York. Jones has also restaged Graham’s Primitive Mysteries (1931), Panorama (1935), and Steps in the Street (1936) for UNC Charlotte.

Miki Orihara

Miki Orihara is best known for her work as a principal dancer in the Martha Graham Dance Company, which she joined in 1987. In addition to performing the Graham repertory, she has worked closely with the renowned Japanese-American dancer, choreographer and director, Yuriko, preserving her unique approach to Graham Technique.

Orihara has performed in the Broadway production of The King and I, with the Elisa Monte Dance Troupe, PierGroupDance, Lotuslotus, Twyla Tharp, Martha Clarke, Anne Bogart (SITI Company), Theatre of Yugen (SF,CA) and Robert Wilson. She has presented her own choreography in New York and in Tokyo as a guest artist for Japan’s New National Theater.

Her teaching credentials include numerous workshops in Japan, Art International in Moscow, Peridance, the Ailey School, New York University, Florida State University, Henny Jurriëns Stichting ( Netherlands), Les Etés de la Danse in Paris and New National Theater Ballet School.  She is on a faculty at the Graham School, The Hartt School (University of Hartford) and Barnard College (Columbia University). As a Regissuer on Martha Graham’s work, she has been setting works worldwide, including Diana Vashineva’s “Dialogue” and for Wendy Whelan of New York City Ballet.

mishmash＊Miki Orihara launched in 2013. As a Casting Producer / Dance Director, she created two music videos which released in June, 2014. Orihara served as a Movement designer for Jen Silverman’s “Crane Story” directed by Katherine Kovner.  Orihara is in process of making Martha Graham technique DVD, collaboration with Dance Spotlight and Martha Graham Center. Orihara was featured in the Inaugural performance of “Peace is…” at the United Nations as a part of the Permanent Mission of Japan in April, 2017.  She produced a benefit concert " Dancing for JAPAN 2014" and “Dancing for JAPAN 2017”. Orihara premiered her first solo concert "Resonance" at the La MaMa theater in New York in May, 2014, dancing works of Martha Graham, Jose Limon, Martha Clarke, Adam Barruch and Orihara. The second “Resonance II” premiered in NY in April 2017, featuring works by Marhta Graham, Merce Cunningham, Lar Lubovitch, Tanroh Ishida/ Orihara and Charlotte Griffin.

In 2010 she was awarded the prestigious Bessie Award for Sustained Achievement in Dance

Another fantastic day in the Park

Wake Forest Dance Festival held another amazing photoshoot filled with creativity and fun in the beautiful outdoor setting of E. Carroll Joyner Park. With over twenty dancers involved, along with photographers George Randy Bass and Maksym Kolotun, videographers Dylan Powers and Will Roberts, and fourteen gorgeous dresses generously shared for a day of the shoot by local Wake Forest based Arrow Tree and Mary & Mak boutiques, the day was promising to be quite a busy one. With a warm breeze and great weather on our side, everyone went straight to work. The dancers from Destiny Dance Institute, Wake Forest Academy of Fine Arts, Dance Attic, Franklin Academy and Get in 5th Productions posed and soared for photographs taken by our exceptional photographers Randy and Maksym. They danced for the video being captured by Dylan and Will, and spoke eloquently about what inspired them to become dancers. With all the artists using various areas of the park, one could only wish for a faster means of transportation, a bicycle perhaps, to get around and see everyone in action and not to skip a beat of this inspiring creative process. 

Dancers of Dance Attic having fun between shots while being photographed by George Randy Bass.

Dancers of Franklin Academy, with Festival Director Masha Maddux, photographed by George Randy Bass.

Dancers of Wake Forest Academy of the Arts posing for by Maksym Kolotun.

Waiting to be interviewed for the Festival reel, dancers of Destiny Dance Institute and Franklin Academy are having a chat Kaitlin Clow about what inspired them to become dancers and what dance means in their lives.

That's a wrap! Another creative and productive day of capturing dance on film and video.

On September 30, 2017 these dancers take the stage at Joyner Park for the inaugural Wake Forest Dance Festival. They will dance alongside regional and national dance professionals. This is an exciting and unique experience which, we hope, will inspire and drive this next generation of artists to continue striving for their goals and dreams. We hope that you will join all of us to celebrate the art of dance at this stunning outdoor venue. Mark your calendars for the Fall, this event is not to be missed!  

Until then, click HERE to view behind the scenes footage of this day!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates and to catch a glimpse of all the photos that were taken on this beautiful day. 

Our Press Release

Check out Wake Forest Dance Festival press release that was just shared with the local media!

Thank you Communicopia Marketing Services INC for all your work, help and guidance. 

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For Immediate Release

For more information, contact:
Mariya “Masha” Dashkina Maddux, Wake Forest Dance Festival director
info@wakeforestdancefestival.org

Calendar Item: Wake Forest Dance Festival, the Triangle’s first outdoor dance festival is planned for Sept. 30, 2017, from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road in Wake Forest. Free and family-friendly, the inaugural event will feature national and regional professional dancers, as well as local rising advanced performers. The festival will begin with an educational technical rehearsal in the morning and conclude with a staged performance lasting through the early evening. During the day, dancers will perform in different areas of Joyner Park and facilitate education stations. The event is presented by Wake Forest Arts in partnership with the Town of Wake Forest and the festival’s director is Wake Forest resident Mariya “Masha” Dashkina Maddux, a former principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company in New York City. Event details can be found at www.WakeForestDanceFestival.org.

The Triangle’s First and Only Free Outdoor Dance Festival Planned for Sept. 30 in Wake Forest
(Wake Forest, N.C., July 6, 2017) – An outdoor dance festival debuting on Sept. 30, 2017, in Wake Forest is the first of its kind in the greater Triangle area. The Wake Forest Dance Festival is a free, family-friendly, daylong event from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. featuring professional dancers at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road, Wake Forest.
The inaugural event is presented by Wake Forest Arts in partnership with the Town of Wake Forest and will bring a day of dance to the Triangle in an outdoor setting. The event will feature national and regional professional dancers, as well as local rising advanced dance performers.
“For 25 years, Wake Forest Arts has supported and enhanced a strong, vibrant community through arts and cultural activities,” said Mary Petretich, president of Wake Forest Arts. “We’re happy to be involved with the Wake Forest Dance Festival from its inception and have plans to establish it as a mainstay arts event.”
The festival’s director Mariya “Masha” Dashkina Maddux is a former principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company in New York City. Currently, she is a professional concert dance performer and a dance educator living in Wake Forest.
“After many years of performing in various outdoor festivals both nationally and internationally, Joyner Park presented an opportunity and an inspiration to start a professional dance festival and bring attention to the art of dance in the community in a beautiful setting,” said Maddux. “It's our goal to inspire dancers, entertain the public and expose the audience to the art of movement.”
The festival will begin with an educational technical rehearsal in the morning and conclude with a staged performance lasting through the early evening. During the day, mini dance performances showcasing various dance styles will take place in select areas of Joyner Park culminating with a staged performance.

• 10 a.m. – noon: Technical Rehearsal – Attendees who want a behind the scenes look can attend the Technical Rehearsal, which is a run-through of the Festival Concert that will take place later in the day. Some of the performers and the stage manager will be available to answer questions.
• 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Tour in Motion – A guided tour will begin at the top of every hour and give attendees the opportunity to experience dance in intimate outdoor settings throughout Joyner Park.
• 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.: Festival Concert – The main concert of the festival will feature professional dancers and rising advanced dancers from local dance institutions. 

The event will pay tribute to long-time Wake Forest dance instructor Elizabeth “Betty” Hunt Holding and her dance legacy. Having studied ballet under famed Russian choreographer George Balanchine and performed with the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, Holding arrived in Wake Forest in the 1940s. She opened Wake Forest’s most historic dance studio, the Holding School of Dance, in her home where she taught dance to students for more than 30 years until her death in 2007.

Visit the event’s website www.WakeForestDanceFestival.org and Facebook page www.facebook.com/WakeForestDance for more information on the event and for sponsor and volunteer opportunities.

ON THE RISE WITH CROWDRISE

In case you haven't heard yet, we have launched a new fundraising campaign with Crowdrise. Getting a brand new Dance Festival off the ground is both exciting and challenging and paving the way to a new event has been no walk in the park, some pun intended =). We are hopeful just as we are relentless in getting the support and funding to bring Wake Forest Dance Festival to an exciting new start in the Town of Wake Forest. We have already had a good start with fundraising via word of mouth, our High $5 Fridays campaign, and from partnering with organizations, however we are now launching a Crowdrise campaign to accelerate our fundraising to reach our ultimate goal.

Please check out https://www.crowdrise.com/wake-forest-dance-festival! Support, share, tell your friends and family. Together we can get this goal reached and surpassed and bring a day of dance for so many to experience and share.

Dance with us! 
 

Give Wake Forest Dance Festival a Virtual High $5!

Its High $5 Friday everyone! Wake Forest Dance Festival is kicking off a brand new fundraising campaign to raise community awareness about the event and to raise the necessary funds for the Festival. If you are passionate about dance and wish to share your passion with others we encourage you to support this project by giving it a virtual High $5! It’s easy, quick and makes a world of a difference in getting this exciting project off the ground.

HIGH FIVE!

First Festival Photo Shoot A Great Success

The weather forecast for this past Saturday was initially daunting. With rain and thunderstorms in the mix, a scheduled outdoor photo shoot with the dancers of Destiny Dance Institute had every chance of being canceled. But we were lucky, with a warm breeze and the beautiful sunlight, the day could not have been more perfect for capturing images of these beautiful movers in an outdoor setting. The dancers posed and soared in the air as George Randy Bass and Maksym Kolotun captured this talent in motion. It was an inspiring day for everyone involved. The dancers got creative, pushed their abilities and cheered each other on to capture some amazing photographs.

Olivia, Lauren and Rose soaring in the wind.

Chloe being partnered by Bailey.

Olivia and Bailey seeing their toes from a different angle. 

The photo shoot had an end result in mind, to get more images of the local rising advanced dancers to enhance the content of the festival website and social media accounts. This is the first photo shoot, hopefully of many, as we spread the word about this exciting event and get more artists involved in the Wake Forest Dance Festival. You too can be a part of this event by joining in the effort to get this unique event off the ground. Become a participant, donate your time, be a sponsor. Spread the word!

Patty Ogden, the owner of Destiny Dance Institute and Randy Bass getting a sneak peak of a captured photo. 

Maksym Kolotun getting a shot of Laurel. 

Sandra and Anna-Noel in a candid shot. 

Wake Forest Dance Festival is hoping to bring the community together through dance but it seems that a new goal is emerging. The goal to inspire young artists to create through dance, to develop new friendships, make unforgettable memories and maybe one day to emerge as dance leaders in their own communities, including the Town of Wake Forest.

Dancers of Destiny Dance Institute!