PATRICIA DUFF
Whidbey Life Magazine
Feb. 21, 2013
Remember when you were a kid and you had something you really liked to do and wanted to do it no matter what?
Maybe it was a sport or an instrument or theater, or maybe it was just riding your bike.
With just one look at some recent rehearsal photos of the Island Dance Competition Team in their new space at the old Langley Middle School, a flood of everything familiar about childhood comes rushing back and it’s easy to imagine again what it means to have a place to shine; to show the world what you can do on a dance stage if you practice, practice, practice!
The team is busy rehearsing for its annual dance concert “Other Moves,” which includes two performances at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 9 at South Whidbey High School Auditorium. It’s a fundraiser for the competition team dancers and the proceeds from the event will go a long way to making the dreams of these dancers continue to come true; to giving them the chance to shine, no matter what. The show will feature not only the Island Dance team, but also welcomes special guests of the Whidbey Island Dance Theatre Company.
The team’s artistic director and one of its choreographers, Jamee Pitts, is proud of her team for their recent stellar performance at the Nexstar National Talent Competition on Feb. 8 in Burien, and is pleased that friends and neighbors will be able to see the pieces that the children worked hard to present in that competition.
“I think what I’m most excited about for this show is that it’s the first time the island community will be able to see the competition team’s pieces performed locally,” Pitts said.
“I have given the opportunity to a couple of students and alumni dancers to choreograph their own work for exposure and experience,” Pitts said.
In addition to Pitts’ dances, choreographers include Danielle Wilkins, Daniel Wilkins, Christine Monagham, Andrea Burr, Zane Vanderwood, Graham Vanderwood and Melyssa Smith.
“This show is much more than a fundraiser, and is anything but ordinary. It showcases the upbeat, raw, edgy side of dance,” Pitts said.
A concert, Pitts added, that is designed to entertain everybody, so bring the family.
Tickets are $12 and available at Island Dance by calling the ticket office at 341-1282 or $15 at the door.
All proceeds will go to benefit the Island Dance Competition Team.
Patricia Duff is an award-winning journalist and an editor, publicity writer and theater artist.
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