Young Dancemakers Company Kicks Off Free Performances Today

Young Dancemakers Company will present an ensemble of 17 talented, ethnically diverse high school dancer/choreographers, who will appear in their original choreography, in 7 free-to-the-public performances in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens, today, July 23 through August 1.

The teen's original dances, which range from solos to group works, are created under the experienced eye of veteran director Alice Teirstein, who founded YDC 20 years ago, and music director William Catanzaro. They will also perform an excerpt from "Hero" by newly appointed associate director Jessica Gaynor. All events end with the lively "Dance With Us," in which audience members with dancing feet are invited onto the stage to improvise with the dancers, accompanied by percussionist Catanzaro.

This year YDC announces an additional special event:
An ALUMNI 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION CONCERT
Friday July 17th at 7:30 PM
Fieldston School Auditorium, 3901 Fieldston Rd., Bronx
Free Admission, Call 718.329.7300 ext. 3358 for reservations
A rousing 20-year celebration with original choreography by YDC alumni from 1998 to 2013.

The teens have something to say through dance, and the performances feature a refreshing variety of themes, dance styles, and music choices. Every year the ensemble also learns a dance by a noted choreographer, and this year they will appear in an excerpt from a dance by choreographer Jessica Gaynor, who has joined the staff of YDC this year as Associate Director. Past years have featured dances by Mark Morris, Jose Limon, Merce Cunningham, Robert Battle, Paul Taylor and others.

The public performances are preceded by four weeks of the ensemble working together, collaborating, and creating the original choreography, mentored by director Alice Teirstein, and William Catanzaro, who helps the participants with their choices and use of music.

Performance Schedule:

Thursday July 23 at 2 PM - Fieldston School, 3901 Fieldston Rd., Bronx
Friday July 24 at 7:30 PM - 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Avenue (at 92nd Street), NYC
Sunday July 26 - *Queens Museum, NYC Bldg, Flushing Meadows, Corona Park
3 PM Performance and starting at
2 PM Dancing the Arts in the Museum, inspired by the art
Tuesday July 28 at 1 PM - Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts at LIU, Brooklyn, 1 University Plaza (Flatbush Ave. between DeKalb & Willoughby St.) for reservations for the Kumble e-mail info@kumbletheater.org
Wednesday July 29 at 2 PM- Peter Norton Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway (at 95th Street)
Thursday July 30 at 2 PM - United Palace, 4140 Broadway (175th Street), NYC
Sat. August 1 at 7:30 PM - Gala Finale Concert/Reception, Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 W 55 St, NYC (Advance reservations required for the Finale Concert)

* A special feature of the Queens Museum concert will be the innovative and challenging "Dancing the Art," which finds the Young Dancemakers Company travelling throughout the museum, creating spontaneous dances inspired by the works of art on display. "Dancing the Art" will start at 2 PM, with the concert following at 3 PM.

The 2015 Young Dancemakers roster features:

Dancer/Choreographer/School
Tyshawn Blount The Cinema School, Manhattan
Nia Bradley Talent Unlimited, Manhattan
Solomon Cort Beacon School, Manhattan
Anakeiry Cruz Repertory Company High School, Manhattan
Reyna Guerra Repertory Company High School, Manhattan
Jael Harriott Cultural Academy for the Arts and Sciences, Brooklyn
Fahrod Jacelon Cultural Academy for the Arts and Sciences, Brooklyn
Madeleine Lee Bronx High School of Science, Bronx
Jaidah Mcintosh Brooklyn High School of the Arts, Brooklyn
Leah Moses Medgar Evers College Preparatory School, Brooklyn
Genesis Perdomo Theatre Arts Production Company, Bronx
Jada Pope Brooklyn High School of the Arts, Brooklyn
Idania Quezada Theatre Arts Production Company, Bronx
Venus Scantlebury Brooklyn High School of the Arts, Brooklyn
Tiyana Smith Gramercy Arts, Manhattan
Dana Tillyard Harvest Collegiate, Manhattan
Thea Zalabak Beacon School, Manhattan

Young Dancemakers Company is a free summer program made possible by the support of the Richenthal Foundation, the Arnhold Foundation, the Emily Davie and Joseph S. Komfeld Foundation, the Harkness Foundation for Dance, the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, individual contributors, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

For more information, visit www.youngdancemakerscompany.org.