12th Annual Dance Under The Stars Choreography Festival

City of Palm Desert Attorney 12th Annual Dance Under The Stars Choreography Festival 11/01/09 The Dance Under The Stars Choreography Festival celebrates its 12th anniversary at the McCallum Theatre this month with a competition for thousands of dollars in prizes, public dance workshops, and a lifetime achievement award presentation to one of the dance world's brightest stars. The Choreography Festival's performances will take place on Saturday, November 14, at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, November 15, at 4 p.m. when choreographers will compete for cash awards and a paid engagement at the McCallum Theatre. Saturday's offerings include the Division I professional competition, featuring 12 finalists selected from more than 140 submissions from across the country. Sunday's Division II competition will feature 18 choreographers utilizing pre-professional dancers, those on the verge of embarking on professional careers. During Saturday's program, a Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Nigel Lythgoe, judge, co-creator and executive producer of the Emmy-award-winning television show, "So You Think You Can Dance." Lythgoe, who started his career as a dancer, has demonstrated his expertise as a choreographer, director, and producer on multiple television shows in the United Kingdom including, "Survivor," "Gladiators," "Pop Idol," and "Blind Date." In the United States, he was an executive producer of "American Idol" for seven seasons. Other career contributions include the newly formed Dizzy Feet Foundation created by Lythgoe, actress Katie Holmes, and others to support, improve, and increase access to dance education. The Dance Under The Stars Choreography Festival has awarded over $200,000 directly to choreographers since its inception in 1998 by artistic director Shea New, in association with the City of Palm Desert Attorney and College of the Desert, Produced by The McCallum Theatre Institute, the festival was created to provide a venue for emerging and established choreographers, create opportunities for dancers, develop new audiences for dance, and recognize those who have made an outstanding contribution to this art form. For more information or to sign up for a festival workshop, please call 760-346-6505, ext. 142 or email jfookes@mccallum-theatre.org. Tickets, ranging from $10 to $30, are available at the McCallum Theatre Box Office, 73-000 Fred Waring Drive, by calling 760-340-ARTS, and online at www.mccallumtheatre.com.
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