School at Steps to Host Ballet and Theater Showcases, 6/11-12

The School at Steps, an educational and artistic training center for aspiring professional ballet, contemporary, and theater performers, will culminate the 2016 academic year with their annual Ballet and Theater Showcases, June 11-12 at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater. Presenting 120 students, the showcases demonstrate the school's commitment to cultivating the versatile dancer.

On the first evening, ballet students will perform excerpts from Petipa's The Sleeping Beauty, including Garland Waltz, Jewels, and Polonaise, staged by Leslie Browne and Ashley Tuttle, formerly of New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theater, and Karin Averty, formerly of Paris Opera Ballet. Character students will present Yuri Grigorovich's Spanish dance section from Swan Lake, and dancers will premiere Picnic, by Kate Thomas, the School's director, based on the play by William Inge and set to music by Aaron Copeland.

During the second evening's Theater Showcase, technical demonstrations in both Horton-based modern and Jazz will be presented with repertory inspired by many of Broadway's biggest shows. Hip-hop students will also present original choreography to offer audiences the school's full spectrum of dance disciplines and class offerings.

"Our Pre-Professional Program is unique-, the diversity of disciplines is built into its curriculum and complemented by the high professional caliber of the dedicated faculty who train our students in each dance style", explains director, Kate Thomas. "With ballet as its base, each year we integrate Horton- based modern, theater dance, and jazz into students' weekly schedules, offering them a comprehensive dance education. Our annual performances, Holiday and Spring Showcases, celebrate the student's accomplishments, enhancing their training experience. These performances include technique demonstrations and repertory selected from classical ballet as well as original choreography created by our gifted faculty. "

The School at Steps will say goodbye to eight 2016 graduates. Upon leaving their SAS home, these dancers will continue to dance at nationally ranked education institutions such as Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Kenyon College, while other graduates will continue their dance training with the goal of securing professional performance opportunities.

SHOWCASE SCHEDULE

Ballet Showcase, Saturday, June 11, 2016, at 7:00 p.m.

Theater Showcase, Sunday, June 12, 2016, at 4:00 p.m.

VENUE INFORMATION

The Gerald W. Lynch Theater is located at 524 W 59th Street, at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and is accessible by subway lines 1, 9, A, B, C, D to 59th Street & Columbus Circle.