Segerstrom Center Celebrates Opening of Argyros Plaza and Center for Dance and Innovation

Segerstrom Center for the Arts opened its new Julianne and George Argyros Plaza and Center for Dance and Innovation on Saturday, October 28 with music, dancing, performances, family activities, bands and more from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. More than 10,000 people and families from around the neighborhood and throughout Orange County explored the 56,100-square-foot plaza designed by Michael Maltzan, with its spectacular fountain entry, the grand spiral staircase that wraps around the new Center 360 outdoor café, leading from the Segerstrom Hall terrace to the plaza, shaded seating and dining areas, groves of trees for picnicking and permanent stages for year-round entertainment. The new plaza is named for Julianne and George Argyros, who provided funding for the transformation to the Center's campus.

The Center for Dance and Innovation and Judy Morr Theater are now reached through a garden-like entrance at street level or from the Segerstrom Hall terrace by a sweeping circular ramp that encircles a fully grown jacaranda tree and leads to a muraled outdoor terrace. The Center for Dance and Innovation is also home to the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School and the Center's School of Dance and Music for Children with Disabilities.

Center President Terrence W. Dwyer said, "We planned the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza to fill a longstanding need: a welcoming public gathering place where people from throughout the county can socialize and enjoy free year-round performances and community events. The plaza and the many programs supported by our Center for Dance and Innovation and Center Without Boundaries are enabling us to respond to the changing needs of our county. We are pushing the boundaries of what an arts center like the Center can do for every member of our dynamic and diverse communities."

Julianne Argyros remarked, "George and I believe so deeply in the plaza's ability to bring people together, to be a place where families feel welcome, where people can socialize, make new friends, and enjoy free performances......one where all of us can enjoy our community at its very best."

Photo Credit: Doug Gifford

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