Denver School of the Arts Department of Dance and Movement
Denver School of the Arts Department of Dance and Movement
Denver School of the Arts

  • Jan10

    Summer Dance Training

    Posted in: DFO, News, Parents, Students

    DSA Dancers are planning their summer dance study, as are many students across the country (and around the globe). The Department of Dance and Movement encourages young dancers to further their training in the summer, and recognizes there are many opportunities and the choices available can seem overwhelming.

    Fortunately, Dance Magazine has published Summer Study Guide 2012 in their January issue, with articles that offer advice as well as answer many questions about summer dance training: Beyond Technique by Amy Brandt, On the Verge of Professional by Kina Poon, Learning from the Masters by Elena Hecht, and The Real Deal by Lauren Kay. They’ve also published an extensive list of summer dance programs (the link was available intermittently at the time of this posting).

    Another listing of summer dance programs is available from the BalletScoop blog.

    The Department of Dance and Movement provides scholarships to help their students with summer dance training. The Annual Silent Auction directly benefits this fund, and you can support the program by donating items, volunteering, and especially shopping this year’s auction which takes place April 27 and 28 in conjunction with the spring concert SPECTRUM. Visit auction.dsadance.org for more information.

  • Jan8

    National High School Dance Festival

    Posted in: Announcements, Performances, Students, Video, Visiting Artists

    March 8 thru 11, 2012, 23 Advanced Dance Majors will be traveling to Philadelphia to attend the National High School Dance Festival. Hosted by the University of the Arts, NHSDF is the only festival of its kind, where high school dance students from public art schools gather to take classes from distinguished high school and university instructors. DSA dance faculty, Ms. Karczewski and Mr. O’Banion will be teaching at the festival.

    In addition to classes there are evening Gala performances by festival participants at the historic Merriam Theater in downtown Philadelphia. Gala dance works are selected by adjudication and represent an honor for outstanding choreography and performance. Over 150 works from 57 schools were submitted for adjudication and DSA’s senior dancers were selected to perform Shift, choreographed by guest artist Scott Putman in the Gala. This is the first time DSA has submitted work for festival adjudication and it is very exciting that the seventeen dancers of the Class of 2012 will have the opportunity to represent DSA on the national stage. The seniors will also be preforming Shift in their senior concert, February 15-18, and again in the department’s spring concert, SPECTRUM, April 26-28. Congratulations!

  • Nov19

    DESTINATIONS | show added Sunday

    Posted in: Announcements, DFO, News, Parents, Performances, Students

    Due to Thursday’s fire at DSA, and the subsequent cancellation of that evening’s DESTINATIONS concert, an additional performance has been scheduled for Sunday, November 20 at 7:00 p.m. Please join us for this show.

    From the DSA administration:
    “Performances on Friday, Nov. 18 and Saturday, Nov. 19 will happen as planned. An additional show has been added on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets from the cancelled Thursday performance will be honored for seats at the Sunday performance. Additionally, tickets from the Thursday performance may be exchanged for any available seats at the Friday or Saturday performance. Exchanges will be handled at the box office beginning at 6:00 p.m. before the Friday and Saturday performance. General sales for available seats will begin at 6:30 p.m. If you purchased a ticket for Thursday and are unable to use the ticket, you may request a refund from DSA Treasurer, Jaymie Montoya at jaymie_montoya@dpsk12.org.”

    Volunteers Needed

    Due to the addition of the Sunday concert, we need your help! Please Sign up to volunteer on Sunday, November 20, 2011 – THANK YOU!

  • Oct27

    DESTINATIONS | Rehearsal Schedule

    Posted in: Parents, Students

    The DESTINATIONS rehearsal schedule for all DSA Dancers is posted on the student information page and calendar.

    All rehearsals and performances are mandatory. In order for students to participate in school activities they must be present in class for at least one half of the school day.

  • Oct27

    2011 Fall Concert | DESTINATIONS

    Posted in: Uncategorized

    Please join us November 17, 18, & 19 for our 2011 Fall Concert, DESTINATIONS. Tickets are available online, $14/18-adults or $10/12 students & seniors.

    DSA “Play” Dates Babysitting Service is offered during the performance on the 18th, for more information, visit dsaplaydates.com.

  • Oct11

    Fall 2011 | Artist Residency

    Posted in: Performances, Students, Visiting Artists

    Denver School of the Arts Department of Dance and Movement annually offers an intensive Guest Artist Residency where Advanced Class dancers work closely with one or more professional companies and their director(s). The program culminates with two evening concerts, featuring newly created collaborative works.

    The Fall 2011 Artist Residency Concert, COLLECTIONS, features the choreographic work of Scott Putman of the Amaranth Contemporary Dance Company and Professor of Dance at Virginia Commonwealth University, Meg Madorin, independent dancer and choreographer from New York City and Cleo Parker Robinson, Executive Artistic Director of the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble. Advanced dance students of the DSA dance program will perform the works of the 3 guest artists with additional performances by the artist or their company.


    Photographer Diane Lather Belfour captured some images during the Fall 2011 Artist Residency.
























































  • Oct5

    Audition | in the studio…

    Posted in: Auditions, Students, Visiting Artists

    On Monday October 3rd, Professor of Dance, Christopher Dolder from the Southern Methodist University Meadows School of the Arts, www.smu.edu/Meadows/AreasOfStudy/Dance.aspx, gave an audition class for the senior dance majors and the advanced dance class. This was Mr.Dolder’s second visit to DSA for recruitment and is impressed with the DSA students for their “individual perspective and artistic voice” that sets them apart from other high school students that he auditions around the country. Mr Dolder is a former soloist with the Martha Graham Dance Company and has spent the last 15 years choreographing and performing with his wife in their company, Westwick/Dolder Dance Theater. His cross-disciplinary journey has taken him to projects in theater, dance, music, videography, kinesiology, “green” architecture, and agrarian land rehabilitation. Mr. Dodler holds a B.A. from the University of California at Berkely and a M.F.A. from Mills College.


    Photographer Diane Lather Belfour captured some images of Mr. Dolder’s visit.

    Any college dance department or summer dance program that is interested in visiting DSA to recruit or audition prospective students is encouraged to contact Michael O’Banion, Director of Dance.














  • Oct5

    COLLECTIONS | Rehearsal Schedule

    Posted in: Parents, Students

    The COLLECTIONS rehearsal schedule for DSA Advanced Dancers is posted on the student information page and calendar.

  • Oct1

    Master Class | in the studio…

    Posted in: Students, Visiting Artists

    On Saturday, October 1st, DSA dance majors were treated to a master class by Ballet Hispanico, www.ballethispanico.org, company member, Donald Borror. Ballet Hispanico was in town to perform at the Newman Center on the University of Denver campus. Mr. Borror, a native of Columbus, Ohio, began his ballet training at Ballet Met before attending Walnut Hill School. He has since trained with The Martha Graham School, The Joffrey Ballet School, Arts Umbrella Dance Company, and was awarded a DAAD grant to study at the Palucca Schule in Dresden, Germany. He graduated from Juilliard with the Martha Hill prize in 2010. This is his second season with Ballet Hispanico. A big “THANK YOU” to Steven Seifert, Executive Director of the Newman Center for helping facilitate this event.


    Photographer Diane Lather Belfour captured some images of Mr. Borror’s visit.

    Any professional dance company or instructor interested in visiting DSA as a guest artist or to teach a master class is encouraged to contact Michael O’Banion, Director of Dance.


  • Sep26

    Audition | in the studio…

    Posted in: Auditions, Students, Visiting Artists

    On Monday, September 26th, Iyun Harrison, Professor of Dance for Cornish College gave an audition masterclass to the DSA advanced dance class. Auditions were for admission to both the college and the summer dance program. Mr. Harrison is also the artistic director of ASHANI DANCES, a Seattle-based dance company. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Juilliard School and Masters of Fine Arts degree from Hollins University/American Dance Festival. Over the 13 years of his performing career in New York City he danced with Arthur Mitchell’s Dance Theatre of Harlem, Ballet Hispanico of New York, National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica and Ailey II. Additional information about Mr. Harrison can be found at iyunharrison.com.


    Photographer Diane Lather Belfour captured some images of Mr. Harrison’s visit.

    Any college dance department or summer dance program that is interested in visiting DSA to recruit or audition prospective students is encouraged to contact Michael O’Banion, Director of Dance.


















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