Uptown Dance Company Presents Dance Infusion 2015

Uptown Dance Company opens the 2015-2016 season with Dance Infusion 2015, a two-night event at the brand new Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (MATCH), on Friday, October 2, 2015 and Saturday, October 3, 2015.  Dance Infusion 2015 will be the inaugurating event that marks the grand opening of MATCH, featuring contemporary and classical works by Artistic Director Beth Gulledge-Brown, co-director Adrian Ciobanu, guest choreographers Alex Pandiscio and Krissy Richmond, and Uptown Dance Company dancers Lindsay Cortner, Eric Glenn and Emily Roy.

First hour of Dance Infusion 2015 showcases works created for and performed by the talented young dancers of Uptown Dance Company pre-professional division.  “Dripped” is an original work by Artistic Director Beth Gulledge-Brown, set to folksy bluegrass music and features Uptown Dance Company II.  Co-director Adrian Ciobanu restages excerpts of classical ballet “Napoli”, a tale of a young Italian girl who falls in love with a fisherman.  He also restages a pas de deux from Shostakovich’s “The Golden Age”.  UDC dancer and choreographer Emily Roy premiers an emotional piece, “In Life and In Death”, delicately based on and dedicated to Kobi Pickett, the 15 year old exuberant daughter, friend, and Houston student ushered away to heaven seemingly too soon.  Lindsay Cortner, who danced as a member of UDC II and now dances professionally with UDC, presents an original modern work on Senior Company.  Another UDC member, Eric Glenn, creates a jubilant waltz for the youngest of the pre-professional division, Junior Company.

Uptown Dance Company takes the stage in the second hour of Dance Infusion 2015, debuting three original works created for the company.  “A Brandenburg Suite” is a stunning contemporary ballet by former Houston Ballet principal dancer Krissy Richmond.  Set to The Brandenburg Concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach, and inspired by Ms. Richmond’s experience working with Ben Stevenson, Christopher Bruce, and Jerome Robbins, “A Brandenburg Suite” portrays the beauty of ballet with the mastery of music’s rise and fall.  Alex Pandiscio, also formerly of Houston Ballet, creates a dance of intrigue that plays with the mixture of ballet line and quirky fun subtleties. His piece, endearingly called “Playground”, entices the audience to discover our development of individualism that bleeds in with age; the playground being the springboard for choosing sides, teams, friends, and independence.  Artistic Director Gulledge-Brown premieres “Unbroken“, a dance that embodies her ideals of modern movement and partnering, and the powerful connections between the dancers and their partners.

Uptown Dance Company presents Dance Infusion 2015 on Friday, October 2, 2015 and Saturday, October 3, 2015 at 7:00 p.m., at Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston, 3400 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002.  Tickets are $30 General Admission / $25 Senior/ $15 Student with College I.D.  For tickets and information, call 713-686-0334 or visit the website at http://www.uptowndance.org

Uptown Dance Company was originally founded in 1999 by Gulledge-Brown.  Gulledge-Brown understood the need to supplement her students’ training with performance skills and founded the company to provide a performing outlet for her advanced students.  Gulledge-Brown’s studio has grown and her vision has grown right along with it, Uptown Dance Centre now houses two companies: one for advanced students and one for professionals.  Her students continue to perform in the pre-professional company, now Uptown Dance Company II, as Uptown Dance Company continues forward as a professional company. Uptown Dance Company members include Erica Blumenthal, Adrian Ciobanu (formerly of Sarasota Ballet), Lindsay Cortner, Eric Glenn, Marlon Grigsby, Amy Phillips, Emily Roy, Donald Sayre, Ruben Trevino, and Katie Trevino.

###

Fact Sheet

CONTACT:
Beth Gulledge-Brown
713-686-0334
info@uptowndance.org

WHAT:  Uptown Dance Company presents Dance Infusion 2015

WHEN:  Friday, October 2, 2015 and Saturday, October 3, 2015 7:00 p.m

WHERE:
Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (MATCH)
3400 Main Street,
Houston, TX 77002

TICKETS:  Ticket Prices: $30 General admission / $25 Senior/ $15 Student with College I.D.

FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION:
713-686-0334 or http://www.uptowndance.org