Dance Accomplishments
*Special Events
-Host Dance For Life’s Next Generation benefit dance concert with other youth companies for AIDS service organizations since 1995. To date the event has raised over $142,000 for AIDS related charities.
-Since 1994 WHS Dance and Orchesis students have served as production assistants for Chicago’s annual Dance for Life concert at Navy Pier and the Harris Theatre. Summer of 2008, '09, and '10 WHS Dance/Orchesis alumni were hired as production assistants for the event.
-Have been featured in the Winter 1997, December 2007, and March 2008 issue of national publication Dance Spirit. They have also appeared in Dance Magazine (November 1998), Dance Teacher (February 1999, November 2003, November 2007, September 2009), The Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald, and the Pioneer Press. Two alumni have had feature articles in Dance Spirit magazine: Amanda Hamilton (December 1999) and Ben Burke (August/September 2005)
-Dancers work with at least 6 guest artists/choreographers each year. Past choreographers and guest artists have included *David Acevedo, Valerie Alpert, Christine Baltes (CA) Bril Barrett, Nijier Barrett, Masahnko Banda, Scott Bartell (WA) Monterez Buckley, *Katie Calandra-Kritek, Frank Chavez, Margie Cole, *DJ Corchin, *Dawn Corrado, Asiminas Chremos, Agnotti Cowie, Alicia Curtea, Brandon DiCriscio, Crystal Ellis- Abdullah, Pepe Fernandez, Tiffany Flame, Jennifer Foss, Heather Fraelick, Jay Franke, *Carolyn Gaffke, Elijah Gibson, Maria Gitana, Mark Gomez, Laurie Goux, Tim Heck, Darryl Howard, Mari Jo Irbe, Calvin Jarell, Leo Keegan (CA), Maureen Krause, Yael Leviton Saban, Heidi Malnar, Marc Marcaranes, Harrison McEldowney, Beth McNeil, Elizabeth Medana (CA), Lizzie Mackenzie, Karen McShane-Hellenbrand (WI), Julee Mertz, *Angela Mollison – Strickland, Corey Nagel, Eddy Ocampo, Amy Osgood, Amaniyea Payne, *Casey Pennell, Miguel Perez, Sarah Petronio, Jeremey Plummer, Phil Porter (CA), Dionna PridGeon, Nick Pupillo, Kirby Reed, Wilfredo Rivera,* Anna Sapozhnikov, Tony Savino, Jane Siarny, Johnnie Smith (CA), Richard Smith, Sarita Smith-Childs, Amanda Tanguay, Melissa Thodos, Chris Walker (WI/Jamaica), Cynthia Winton-Henry (CA), Anne Zivolich. (*denotes WHS Orchesis alumni)
Performance and Training Accomplishments:
-Performed at the 1998 Marshall Field’s Day Parade
-Attended 1999 Manhattan Dance Project Workshop and 2001 Urban Jamm Dance Convention.
-Performed with Wing It Performance Ensemble of California at the 2000 RCC Congress for over 1000 people, guest speaker Jesse Jackson.
-Participated in and performed in the National InterPlay conference May of 2003. Alumni traveled to Nashville to perform and participate in the 1st International Interplay conference in 2004. Six Wheeling stuents/alumni received scholarships and performed at an InterPlay event in Minneapolis, MN June of 2007.
-13 students took a dance study trip to New York City August of 2003. June 13-16 of 2006, 18 students participated in a 2nd New York City dance study trip.
-Participate yearly in the Illinois State High School Dance Festival.
-Conducted InterPlay and Yoga workshops at the State P.E. Convention and The Illinois State Theatre Festival
-Performances at Cuneo Museum and Garden Children’s Art Fair and National Conference of Aids Care Providers.
-Performed on Dance Chicago 2002, '03,'04, '05, and '06 New Dances "NEW MOVES" program. They were selected as the only youth company for the 2005 "Best of New Dances" concert and performed in 2006 ValenTEEN and Dances for my Valentine Concert. November of 2007 they performed in Dance for Kids Too! and Best of New Moves, November 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 New Moves concert and hosted and performed in November 2009 Dance Slam West. Founding school for Dance Chicago’s Dance Links program.
-Pilot School for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Diamond Program 2002-2006. Partnership was funded by Hubbard Street and included master classes, performance tickets, staff developments, and in school performance of Hubbard Street 2. Wheeling was the only school selected for the program all four years of its existence.
-Selected performers at the AAHPERD (American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) National Dance Gala in April of 2005
-Received 4 district 214 minigrants and 2 Illinois Arts Council grants along with the Hubbard Partnership.
-Two Wheeling students received full scholarships to attend UW-Madison summer intensive June 2008.
-March of 2008, Wheeling Orchesis was selected to perform (out of 165 entries from the US, Canada, and Australia) at the closing night GALA concert for the National High School Dance Festival in Philadelphia at the University of the Arts. March of 2010 dancers perfored at the 10th National High School Dance Festival Student Choreography Showcase and Showcase Concert at the Gusman Theatre In Miami. March 2012 WHS Orchesis was again selected for the closing night GALA concert in Philadelphia
- Received a $5,000 Pepsi Refresh Challenge Grant November 2012 to Attend the National HS Dance Festival
-Performed Cultural Dances at The Children's Place Association Gala at Union Station April '09
-Performed with LelaVision of Seattle Washington at Northwestern University as part of the Chicago's Humanities Festival May '10
- Performed at Kiss 103.5 "Stuff the Bus" fundraiser in December of 2011
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