EMCC & Ballet AZ present Dancing Across the Valley

Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) will host Ballet Arizona company member Colleen Buckley in a week-long residency with the Dance Program, who will choreograph an original dance for Estrella dance students. This will be performed as part of Dancing Across the Valley, a performance series featuring Ballet Arizona professional company dancers, studio company dancers, and the Estrella dance students.

This collaboration between Estrella Mountain Community College and Ballet Arizona has been in development since 2017. Dancing Across the Valley was designed to be a cross-community initiative that achieves several goals which support the mission of both organizations and bridges the geography of the Valley of the Sun. With the PAC now established as a performance venue for both Estrella Mountain Community College and the region, the opportunity to have Ballet Arizona perform on the mainstage at a cost that makes attendance accessible for students and the West Valley community at large was one priority shared by all organizations. Samantha Turner, Ballet Arizona Executive Director, says, “We are proud to partner with EMCC with such a wonderful program.  It really fulfills part of Ballet Arizona’s mission to make dance accessible for all.  EMCC is helping us extend our reach in the Valley beyond our Phoenix-based performances and classroom offerings.”

The educational vision of Janaea Lyn McAlee, Residential Faculty, was to provide students in the dance program, majors and non-majors alike, with the opportunity to participate in an inclusive residency with a guest artist from Ballet Arizona resulting in the creation and performance of an original dance. The participation of the professional and studio companies and the educational facilitation provides an informative and educational overview which connects the residency experience and the professional performance.

Dancing Across the Valley performances will take place at 1 pm and 4 pm on Saturday, March 23, at the EMCC Performing Arts Center (PAC). Tickets are $10 general admission and free to Maricopa students with ID. Seating is limited and tickets are available at the door. Ballet Arizona professional and studio company dancers will perform current repertoire and Education with Community Engagement Manager, Alexandra Papazian, will offer a special insights about the lifestyle and career of ballet dancers. Estrella dance students will perform the dance choreographed by Collen Buckley as a culmination of the residency. Audience members will also have the opportunity to participate in a brief Question and Answer discussion with dancers and event organizers at the end of the show.

Colleen Buckley joined Ballet Arizona 2017. With Ballet Arizona, she has performed in Artistic Director Ib Andersen’s Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and Eroica, as well as Balanchine’s Square Dance, Western Symphony, La Sonnambula, and Symphony in Three Movements.  Colleen began her professional ballet training at the Draper Center for Dance Education under Jamey Leverett, Beth Bartholomew, and Fidel Orillo Puga. She attended Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music on scholarship, where she had the privilege of studying under Violette Verdy, Christian Claessens, Shawn Stevens, and Michael Vernon. During her time at IU, she performed in Balanchine’s Swan Lake, Rubies, Concerto Barocco, Serenade, and Divertimento No. 15, as well as Michael Vernon’s The Nutcracker and Sasha Janes’ Saudade. Colleen graduated from IU in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet and an Outside Field in Political Science. After college, she joined the Rochester City Ballet under the direction of David Palmer before joining Ballet Arizona

Tickets available at the door: $10 General Admission, free for Maricopa students with ID. Box office info: 623-935-8141 or 623-935-8444

EMCC/BAZ Residency and Dance Program Information: Janaea Lyn McAlee, Residential Dance Faculty | ude.niatnuomallertsenull@eelacm.aeanaJ

Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) Performing Arts Center Mainstage (PAC), 3000 North Dysart Road, Avondale AZ