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2 days ago

Danceworks, Inc.
DPMKE opens their season with BOUNDLESS October 27-29! Join them for this jazz dance inspired concert, where you will witness the diverse branches of the form come to life through visionary choreography of company members Christal Wagner, Gina Laurenzi and Gabi Sustache. Each of these talented choreographers draws inspiration from their roots in swing dance styling, Chicago jazz dance, or hip-hop, resulting in a concert experience that promises to captivate and entertain! 4 shows only!DPMKE presents: BoundlessFriday, October 27th: 8pmSaturday, October 28th: 4pm & 7pmSunday, October 29th: 2:30pmDanceworks Studio Theatre, 1661 N Water St. MilwaukeeTicket link: danceworksmke.org/purchase-tickets/ ... See MoreSee Less
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2 days ago

Danceworks, Inc.
See DPMKE on tour in a couple weeks with dances from our upcoming show, “Boundless” happening October 27-29, 2023!Catch a sneak peak at Peter Stathas Dance’s The Barn Project 3, happening October 14th, 2023 at 5pm! ... See MoreSee Less
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3 days ago

Danceworks, Inc.
Lions and Tigers, and Bears, OH MY! We are less then a week away from our first School Day off Workshop of the school year!Explore and learn all about the wonders of the animal kingdom, and make a day off of school a creative experience! Dance, theater, visual art, and much more will be part of each school day off workshop experience. Workshops begin in September and run through March. Reserve your child’s spot in our popular workshops today!Grades K5-5th | 9am-4pm | $50 per WorkshopLearn more or register for one of these fun workshops today, at the link in our bio!🦁🐯🐻 ... See MoreSee Less
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Danceworks Blog

The Dedicated Kids of DYPC

Posted on by Deborah Wenzler Farris

Faith Halaska, Director of Danceworks Youth Performance Company

Faith Halaska, Director of Danceworks Youth Performance Company

Two years ago, it became apparent to me that Danceworks needed a youth performance company. With more than 2,000 Milwaukee city students completing Danceworks Mad Hot Ballroom and Tap (MHBT) each year, we had an abundance of talented kids. Amy Brinkman-Sustache had long wanted a youth company to support the development of the students in our studio youth classes. We found the perfect company director in our faculty, Faith Halaska, and we were off and running.

The audition for Danceworks Youth Performance Company (DYPC) is coming up on July 27, so I sat down with Faith to offer a little more information about the company:

Deb: Why were you interested in directing DYPC?

Faith: Because my greatest joy in life is helping to build up the next generation of artists. I find great reward in training dancers and giving them the experience of performing and being a part of something bigger than themselves.

Deb: What do you see happening to these kids as they get more involved?

Faith: There’s a transformation—not only in their technical ability, but in their self-confidence and self-discipline. I feel like I have the privilege of watching them become who they’re meant to be—not just as dancers but as individuals.

DYPC performing at Bastilles Days

DYPC performing at Bastille Days

Deb: Where do the students who audition come from?

Faith: They come from all over the Milwaukee area and beyond. Some of the kids’ experience comes from dance teams, cheerleading, Hip Hop crews, Milwaukee Ballet, gymnastics and, of course, Danceworks studio classes and programs . The first year we held auditions, about 40% of the students came from MHBT; the second year was about 60%. These are kids who come together with one common goal: they are interested in pursuing the art of dance in a more intense training environment.

Deb: And how did all the different backgrounds work together?

Faith: They did great! It’s surprising to see how much they improve in one year. We also offer apprenticeships for the students who show great potential at the audition but need a little more experience. Apprentices attend the same classes as company members, but until they are moved up to the full company they do fewer performances and understudy.

Deb: What does the DYPC performance season look like?

Faith: DYPC typically takes on 25 performances a year. These include performances from Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival to Brew City Bruisers halftime shows; Lakefront Festival of the Arts to UPAF events. They also do a full-length production annually called Gingerbread Express, which is our holiday show.

Deb: Can you give us an idea of what their training includes?

Faith: This season we will be offering opportunities to a broader range of ages and experience levels by expanding to two companies — junior and senior. Junior company dancers have approximately two hours of weekly rehearsals and a minimum of two technique classes of differing genres from our studio offerings. Average weekly involvement is approximately five hours, excluding performances. Senior company members have the same requirements with an additional hour of weekly rehearsal.

DYPC 2012-13

DYPC 2012-13

Deb: How is a dancer’s performance in the company evaluated?

Faith: Company dancers sign a contract; if it is broken in any way they must have an individual meeting with me and their parent/guardian(s). Their reviews are based on their contract as well as on academic requirements. They have to submit their report cards to me twice a year. Attendance, promptness, being prepared, clear communication, work ethic in rehearsals and classes, and being a positive representative of Danceworks and DYPC are all evaluated. I also get reviews on their development from their Danceworks instructors. The apprentices also have defined review dates which enable them to move up when they are ready.

Deb: If a student wants to audition on July 27, what does he or she need to do?

Faith: Complete the registration form by Monday, July 22. The form is on our website, (link to DYPC here) as well as all the essential information. All who register will get a follow-up email from me next week.

For all of you interested in auditioning for Danceworks Youth Performance Company, I’m sending my very best wishes for a fun and enriching experience. Danceworks is here to help you become the dancer you dream to be! –Deb Farris



About Our Blog

Welcome to the Danceworks blog, where we're hoping to share a little bit more about the heart and soul behind Danceworks… what made us join the dance and keeps us dancing, what keeps us inspired, and where we can share some of the stories worth telling.