Friday and Saturday, The Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave., Seattle; $12-$23 (206-292-2787 or www.theparamount.
com). On a warm July afternoon, 80 teens dressed in baggy shorts, tees and layered tank tops lounge in the front seats of the Moore Theatre. Moving onto the stage to pose for a group portrait, they look like one big happy family.
Most of them, however, didn't know each other a week before. They have come from all over the Seattle-Tacoma area and many different cultural backgrounds to perform at the Moore Theatre in the annual "Dance This" youth dance showcase. What they share is the language of dance and, in many cases, a goal: to make their living as professional dancers.
Today's teens only have to turn on the TV to see that there are dance careers to be had. Alex Jackson, 18, said, "One of my dreams is to be on 'So You Think You Can Dance' " the popular dance show in which young dancers from across the country compete, in the same way "American Idol" auditions singers. "I'm moving to New York or California," said Jackson, currently a resident of the University District.
"In New York, they are always looking for male dancers for Broadway shows. But in L.A.
there are also opportunities, much of it is in TV. You get more publicity." "Dance This" guest artists Tabitha D'umo, 33, and her husband, Napoleon, 38, have seen an explosion in opportunities for young dance talent in the past decade.
"Because of television recognition, a young kid who loves to dance realizes, 'I could have a career doing this,' " said Tabitha. She and Napoleon were invited from Los Angeles by Seattle Theatre Group to set a hip-hop piece on some of the "Dance This" performers. The D'umos' joint credits include directing the Christina Aguilera and Ricky Martin tours.
They have worked with Beyonc and Destiny's Child, Monica and Missy Elliott, and choreographed shows in Las Vegas and MTV videos. All this because they fell into hip-hop dancing as kids in L.A.
"Napoleon and I never anticipated being professionals, we are blessed that it has blossomed into a living," continued Tabitha. "In the '90s every pop star had five or six background dancers. For the dance community it was amazing and lots of work.
Dance hit its peak with Madonna, Janet Jackson, 'N Sync and Britney. "It's been six years since 9/11 and dance is making a big comeback. 'American Idol' has been huge for the dance community.
Choreographers are hired for singers to have movement while they are singing. Dance is background fill in a lot of these jobs," said Tabitha. Movie musicals such as "Dreamgirls" and the upcoming "Hairspray," in which John Travolta returns to his movie musical roots, are making a comeback.
And TV shows like "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing with the Stars" have developed a broad audience for dance. "Television helps the common person appreciate dance," said Vicky Lee, education director for Seattle Theatre Group, which has presented "Dance This" every summer for nearly a decade. The showcase teaches student dancers the value of versatility and hard work.
"Our style of hip-hop includes lots of different styles: jazz funk combined with lock and pop and cranking," said Tabitha. Friday and Saturday, The Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave., Seattle; $12-$23 (206-292-2787 or www.
theparamount.com).
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