DALA Advanced Hip Hop Students perform “Add Me In”, choreographed by Tina Anderson. Courtesy photo

DALA News:

Dance Arts Los Alamos (DALA) will present its 23rd Spring Recital this weekend, May 15-16, at Duane Smith Auditorium.

The evening performances are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16. These performances will showcase the diversity of the DALA faculty as students perform in classical ballet, modern, jazz, tap, swing, musical theater and hip hop.

It is truly a mixed repertory experience and the audience will enjoy ballets with themes involving a murder mystery, a masquerade ball and a fun-filled nautical inspired piece entitled “Anchors Aweigh”. Classical enthusiasts will appreciate the pas de deux from Flower Festival at Genzano, performed in the style of Danish choreographer August Bournonville.

DALA faculty members Tina Anderson (jazz and hip hop) and Patrick MacDonald (tap and musical theater) have created new works especially for this performance. In addition to his ballet choreography, school director Jonathan Guise also has choreographed new modern, jazz and swing pieces for the spring recitals.

Graduating seniors Nicole Stafford, Sally Grindstaff and Jenna Erickson will each be featured in a solo as they bid farewell to their DALA family.

A separate matinee performance featuring DALA’s youngest dancers will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 16. Using a Nursery Rhyme theme, the dancers will perform in Creative Movement, Modern, Tap, Hip Hop and Jazz. The audience also will enjoy a special performance by the members of the adult ballet class performing alongside their children.

Admission to the May 15-16 evening performances is $5 and tickets may be purchased at the door. Admission to the May 16 matinee is free. The matinee will be followed by a reception to honor the dancers.

Dance Arts Los Alamos is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. www.danceartslosalamos.org, 505-672-9462.