Harper, Gillette, and Champion Join Dancers Over 40 Benefit, 4/12

On Monday, April 12th DO40 will present its first-ever song and dance concert to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Project Achieve and the NYC HIV Vaccine Trials Unit. Former gypsy and perennial television star Valerie Harper (right), on the heels of her new Broadway show, LOOPED, will make a special appearance along with guests Anita Gillette (photo, bottom right) and Marge Champion. DO40 members will be heavily represented, and guests from the ballet and modern world will also appear and donate their performances for these important causes.

Choreographer and DO40 member Larry Fuller (right) will choreograph the opening andclosing numbers, and there will also be choreography by Luigi, Margo Sappington, Peter Gennaro, Donlin Foreman, Sasha Spielvogel, Marcus Galante and Alan Onickel. Members performing include Harvey Evans, Karin Baker, Penny Worth, Cherylyn Jones, Ken Urmston, George Marcy and Ron Young and many more!. Our encore/finale, will be staged by Karin Baker. Other performers include Claire Porter, Ramon Flowers, and dancers courtesy of the New York Theatre Ballet, performing "The Sophisticates" by Peter Gennaro, recreated by his daughter, DO40 member Liza Gennaro. The event coordinators are DO40 members Cherylyn Jones and Joy Serio Dunbar, in association with DO40. Performers subject to availability.

DO40 intends this to be a yearly event, and hope to reach out to all the dance communities to develop this event and involve even more members - and friends of DO40! Tickets are very affordable: There will be 18 cushions at the front of the stage for $15.00 each; DO40 member seats are $25.00; non-members, $40.00. Premiere seating is also available, with a limited number of seats priced at $50.00 and $100.00.

Tickets may be purchased via Smart-Tix at 212-868-4444 or on their website at www.smarttix.com.

For more information, visit the Dancers Over 40 website at www.dancersover40.org.