The Lehigh Valley Dance Exchange (LVDE), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the development of a professional dance scene in the Lehigh Valley, is partnering with The Monarch Dance Company to sponsor the first SpringUP Dance Festival March 22-23, 2013 at Northampton Community College (NCC).

SpringUP will nurture the physical and artistic potential of established and emerging professional dancers in and around the Lehigh Valley through a supportive, inspiring festival environment within the spacious performing arts facilities of NCC.  Brainstormed and developed by seasoned dance professionals, SpringUP seeks to foster the creative potential of professional dancers in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas in a more accessible and affordable format than similar experiences offered in the surrounding urban dance hubs of New York City and Philadelphia.

The two-day festival will welcome guest artists from New York City, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh for a weekend of master classes and performances.  Registration is free and open to professional-level dancers age 18+.  Faculty on the festival roster include:

Alfred Guzman, break dancer & instructor

Chris Hale, Broadway Dance Center instructor

Nicholas Leichter, NYC-based choreographer & dancer

Jessica Marino, Lehigh Valley native & LVDE co-director

Annmaria Mazzini, choreographer/performer & former Paul Taylor dancer

Sarah Parker, Artistic Director of Continuum Dance Theater

Shelley Oliver, Artistic Director of Shelley Oliver Tap Dancers

Maree ReMalia, Gaga-certified instructor

Tabatha Robinson-Scott, Artistic Director of The Monarch Dance Company

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:

Following registration and a panel discussion on Friday evening, March 22, a guest artist concert in NCC's Lipkin Theatre will feature works by the festival faculty, headlined by New York-based choreographer and performer Nicholas Leichter.  Saturday, March 23, will consist of a full day of workshops and master classes in a variety of genres from ballet and modern to jazz and break dance.  In the festival's culminating event on Saturday evening, festival participants may submit works for an emerging artist showcase, where up-and-coming choreographers and dance companies have the opportunity to present their work on the Lipkin stage. 

REGISTRATION & TICKETS:

Professional and pre-professional dancers age 18+ may complete their free registration for SpringUP and find out more by visiting the LVDE website at www.lvdanceexchange.org.  Online registration opens January 30.  Participants and the general public may purchase tickets for both performances in advance at www.lvdanceexchange.org.

About the Sponsors:

The mission of the Lehigh Valley Dance Exchange (LVDE) is to create a strong professional dance presence/scene in the Lehigh Valley by utilizing the dance talent of various Lehigh Valley arts programs, organizations and facilities and engaging the community in the creation and performance of new works that speak directly to the people, culture and issues of the Lehigh Valley.  LVDE gathers professional level dancers, choreographers and companies in order to facilitate dance collaborations and performances using Lehigh Valley arts venues.  LVDE serves as a liaison for individuals and groups to share performance costs, locate dancers, show work, host master classes, network and explore professional dance in the Lehigh Valley.  For more information, visit www.lvdanceexchange.org. 

The mission of The Monarch Dance Company is to produce contemporary, culturally poignant work versed in the community and the artists it supports.  Through educational residencies and performances, Monarch strives to reach new audiences, introducing them to the realm of Afro-Contemporary dance.  For more information, visit http://monarchdance.weebly.com.

The SpringUP Dance Festival is supported in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state funded agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, through its regional arts funding partnership, Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA).  PPA is administered in this region by the Lehigh Valley Arts Council (http://www.lvartscouncil.org).