FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 14, 2018

Joy of Motion Dance Center Announces May 2018 Concerts, Showcasing 170+ Youth From 11 Programs

Washington, DC: Joy of Motion Dance Center’s American Dance Conservatory, Youth Dance Ensemble, and Youth Performance Companies will celebrate the conclusion of their program years on Saturday, May 5th and May 12th at American University’s Greenberg Theatre.

With a longstanding commitment to “strong minds and strong bodies,” Joy of Motion fosters youth development, leadership, and creative thinking through both our conservatory-style and performance-based youth programs, encouraging young people to develop as individuals and as dancers in tandem. Students in these programs are dedicated to dance, attending classes and rehearsals up to five days a week and oftentimes growing up at Joy of Motion.

Now celebrating its 18th year, the Youth Dance Ensemble (YDE) enrolls youth from Grade 1-12 in five preparatory levels and a company and centers on modern and ballet. Upper-level dancers also study Release and Horton technique, jazz, improvisation and repertory with commissioned choreographers. YDE will perform on Saturday, May 12th.

Newly-launched in 2017, the American Dance Conservatory (ADC) provides structured training in jazz and tap, aimed at preparing local students for collegiate dance programs and for musical theater pursuits. Students also engage in ballet and repertory, as well as supplemental studies in acting and choreography. ADC will perform on Saturday, May 5th.

Our Youth Performance Company (YPC) program features three hip hop companies, three jazz companies, and one tap company, as well as a new multi-disciplinary company, for students in Grades 3-12. YPCs perform around the region, mostly recently at the Atlantic 10 Conference half-time show, NBC4 Health & Fitness Expo, and Feel the Heritage Festival. They will perform at the Greenberg on Saturday, May 5th.

“The opportunity for Joy of Motion’s YDE and ADC students to work with luminaries in the field of dance, such as Christopher K. Morgan, Mat Elder, Sarah Beth Oppenheim, and Robert Maynard, amongst others, creates an unequalled artistic experience for the students and audiences alike,” says Helen Hayes, Director of the Dance Institute and the Interim Programs Director at Joy of Motion.

ABOUT JOY OF MOTION:

A non-profit charitable organization founded in 1976, Joy of Motion Dance Center has since developed into “the area’s most comprehensive dance institution” (Washington Post), engaging 60 faculty members and teaching artists, providing more than 300 weekly classes, and drawing nearly 9,000 unique students and artists annually to three studio locations (in two Wards of DC and in Bethesda, MD). With more than 40 years of history in the District, Joy of Motion has become the hub of a vast artistic community, committed to excellence both in high-level training and community-based arts experiences.

Our Mission: to unite dance professionals, students, and audiences by providing exceptional education and performances that stimulate a universal love of dance.

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