Sign of the Times 30 Year Retrospective
“Making 30 years as a studio is worth celebrating! Many times during Covid I thought we might be done. We are here and ready to entertain with amazing dance pieces coming back from 30 years of this beautiful community. I’ve been emotional seeing dancers come back for this show, either on stage, choreographing or purchasing tickets. I’m in 7 pieces which is crazy but I’m so looking forward to dancing along side people that have kept me going all these years. We will laugh, we will be moved, we will celebrate and we shall DANCE!” - Sheri Lewis
1. Welkommen Choreography - Kirsten Cooper, 2000
Dancers: MC: Kit Sprudzs Kit, Kat Dancers: Kristina Banh, Jenna Batchelder, Bella Davis, Rachel Good, Tori Hansing, Cindy Heidelberg, Emily Kidd, April Kimmel, Hannah Mooney, Helen Nowik, Cassadey Porter, Chelsea Yabut
Description:
It was difficult to pick one piece I wanted to do for this special show, but through the years I’ve become very Fosse inspired and maybe say obsessed, so this seemed like a fitting piece to draw you in. WDC has been a place where I have grown as a teacher, choreographer and human . A canvas to create and experiment with support. So very incredibly grateful for all the students/people that have come into my life through this space. Enjoy!
2. Love on Top Choreography - Daniel Cruz, 2012
Dancers: Daniel Cruz, Amy Bodnar, Liliana Manuel, Mindy Lu, Nicole Devine Deveaux, Sashka Kurilova, Stephanie Cheng, Tessa Wright, Kenneth Yontwises, Christina Fraij, RJ Carrier, Annalisa Brinchmann
Description: Did someone say key change? Originally performed in 2017.
3. Do you wanna dance? Choreography - Tony Anton and Sheri Lewis, 2009
Dancers: Sheri Lewis, UJ Mangune
Description: Tony Anton and I came up with this piece in 2009 at 4 am when we had stayed up laughing and making up ridiculous dances. We called this Duet-“you sit down and it do it.” Sadly Tony has passed and greatly missed in this celebration but his generous playful essence lives on. I miss you dear friend.
4. Drum Solo Choreography - Chloe Rudinoff, 2023
Dancers: Chloe Rudinoff
Description: I’m honored and excited to bring back Egyptian dance to the Retrospective show. Drum solos are an exciting and classic genre of Egyptian music and dance. They represent core rhythms from different regions throughout Egypt and The Middle East.
5. The Show Will Go On Choreography - Megan Adams, 2021
Dancers: Gabriella Dumpit, Gemilla Sealey, Hannah Hoose, Kate Kingery, Lacee Tompkins, Laura Haugk, Megan Adams, Nicole Woodruff, Pam Loprinzi Doerschel, Sara Jones, Stephanie Cheng, Sue Romero, Trina Nguyen
Description: Westlake Dance Center has always been my home away from home. During our Covid closure, our WDC Family stay connected with online and outdoor classes, as well as Isolation Cabarets; where this dance was created. Thank you WDC and cheers to 30 great years!
6. Steamroller Blues Choreography - Sheri Lewis, 1995
Dancers: Anne Green, Sheri Lewis
Description: Anne Green started out as one of my dance student and became one of my best friends. We treasure every time we get to dance together. This was a trio I created in 1995 when knees were young and the floor did not feel so far away.
7. Till It Happens to You Choreography - Natalya Zrazhevskaya, 2020
Dancers: Aliona Vakulchik, Amara Gordon, Ali Jackson, Anna Hicks, Ana Jelacic, Analisa Murray, April Kimmel, Callan Moore, Christina Fraij, Hannah Mooney, Jade Duke, Kitty Gregerson, Mackenzy Isaacson, Miranda Deguzman, Nicole Devine Deveaux, RJ Carrier, Tess Wright, Vivian Yu Natalie Sampson,
Description: This piece felt important to bring back because it is (unfortunately) a story that never ends. The battle for femme reclamation is on-going, with the silver-lining being that it brings those fighting for it together along the way. I feel so grateful to share a safe space where those processing assault can collectively heal, & support one another through it. A huge thank you to the courageous humans who made this piece possible. May we continue to create a space to speak up - in movement & in life.
8. Connection Choreography - Mark Hains, 1996
Dancers: Kristina Bahn, Jenna Batchelder, Cindy Heidelberg, Natalie bell, Rachel Good, Amy Sennet Starner OG
Description: I’ll never forget when Mark asked me to be in this piece. I’m pretty sure it was 1996 or 97 I was so proud to be in not only a work of his but with the cast of dancers I was with. Total rock stars! to this day, this is one of the hardest pieces and one of the shortest that I’ve ever performed in. Restaging this for Mark was absolutely thrilling. Just the music brought me back and the energy and the excitement…
And of course, the bruises. Enjoy!
9. I Wuv a Wabbit Choreography - WDC Staff, 2003
Dancers: Helen Nowik, Kevin Caraco, Kim Gockel, Melissa Brown, Annie St.Marie, Anne Green, Sheri Lewis, Megan Adams, Kristen Grace, Mindy Lu
Description: The wonderful Helen Nowik suggested this concept in 2003. Wdc staff has always been up for silly and absurd. If you’ve been to a recital with small children, you’ve probably seen each of these characters on the stage.
10. Speak Choreography - Brittany Parker, 2024
Dancers: Brittany Parker, Sierra Burnham, Natalie Bell, Natalie Sampson, Callan Moore, Kayla Rose, Rachel Good, Cara Nielson, Michelle Hansler, Jenna Batchelder, Stephanie Bonney, Gabriella Dumpit, Phuong Van, Serena Emalyne, Cara Condon, Jamie Wu, Gina Bravo
Description: It feels rare as a choreographer to explore the gift of bringing a piece of work back to life. Having the opportunity to bring “Speak” to the stage again has felt like both an honor and an adventure. While “Speak” begs the same question to every observer, my hope is that it affects each individual with a unique response.
11. Sync Choreography - Sheri Lewis, 1996
Dancers: Jill McClure, Wendy Polidori, Melissa Brown, Annie St.Marie, Melissa Brown, Stephanie Lingwood, Hannah Mooney, Marianne Robertson, Kim Gockel
Description: Inspired by the Olympics. We are going for the bronze tonight
12. Favorite Son Choreography - Anne Green, 2002
Dancers: Jill McClure, Annie St.Marie, Melissa Travis, Melissa Brown, Cindy Heidelberg, Rachel Good, Steven Green, Anne Green, Kim Gockel, Sheri Lewis, Angie Beals, Wendy Polidori, Kate Kingery, Understudies: Kayla Rose, Kit Sprudzs
Description: Through the years, Westlake Dance Center has been a place for me to come move to the music and spend time with people who are real and really talented. This musical theater number is visually pleasing and seemingly simple but in reality, is incredibly challenging as we attempt to make our crisp, precise movements seem effortless when on the inside, we feel as though we are running with our hair on fire! Please enjoy.
13. Missy Choreography - Kari Lee, Compilation
Dancers: Jackson Linde, Analisa Murray, Jennifer Cepeda, Kevin Caraco, Vivian Ke’ala, Chelsea Judd, Lauren Chavez, Kari-Lee
Description: Choreographing to Missy Elliott has always resonated with me. Her music allows me to be my raw authentic self as a choreographer. This 30th Retrospective piece has a lot of past choreography from different tracks with a little bit of new and it takes me back to a really happy place
14. I could, but I don’t Choreography - Eoghan Dillion
Dancers: Tori Hansing, Chelsea Yabut
15. Big Spender Choreography - WDC STaff, 1997
Dancers: Megan Adams, Anne Green, Daniel Cruz, Kevin Caraco, Nick Golla, Sheri Lewis, Melissa Brown, Kim Gockel, Annie St.Marie, Helen Nowik, Kari Lee
Description: When the staff doesn’t take themselves serious, it inspires dancers also let go and have fun
16. Shake the Dust Choreography - UJ Mangune, 2016
Dancers: UJ Mangune
Description: I created this freestyle piece 12 years ago as I first began committing myself to dance. It served as a consistent reminder for what movement has done for me and what I wanted it to do for others. Now, after a year and half of not having dance in my life, I am hoping to remember there is never too much dust to shake.
17. Stay Young, Go Dancing Choreography - Kim gockel, Compilation
Dancers: Bobcat Renz, Stephanie Marin, Yhuong Van, Gina Bravo, Chelsea Judd, Sadie Rudiger, Cara Condon, Lauren Chavez, Marianne Robertson, Jill McClures, Kate Kingery, Torri Heasley, Wendy Polidori, Melissa Brown, Stephanie Lingwood, Hannah Hoose, Jenna Batchelder, Rachel Mills, Stephanie Buetow Nelson, Kim Gockel, Sheri Lewis, Angie Beals
Description: With Stay Young, Go Dancing as the theme, I chose 3 of my favorite dances from the past 30 years. I love these pieces because they allow all of the dancers to dance the choreography with their own flair and personality to create a dance that is fun to dance and entertaining to watch.
18. The Healer Choreography - Daniel Cruz, 2009
Dancers: Anna Golla, Nick Golla, Nicole Devine Deveaux, Liliana Manuel, Kristen Grace, Bella Davis, Tessa Wright, Mindy Lu, Stephanie Cheng, Christina Fraij, Sashka Kurilova
Description: Originally performed by Cruz Control in 2009, Healer is the most performed piece Cruz has choreographed - from Seattle to Alaska, California and Europe. It was initially a piece of a whole show and is revamped as a stand-alone for SOT’s 30th Anniversary. The movement quality is preserved while the story has changed with the times.
19. Totes Eclipsed Choreography - Daniel Cruz and Sheri Lewis, 2002
Dancers: Daniel Cruz, Sheri Lewis
Description: Daniel and I hope to take this to dance competitions and enter in adult open division.
20. History Repeating Choreography - Sheri Lewis, 1999
Dancers: Anne Green, Cindy Heidelberg, Melissa Brown, Melissa Travis, Wendy Polidori, Jill Mclure, Rachel Mills, Gina Bravo, Stephanie Lingwood, Stephanie Buetow, Alex Chevrier,
Annie St.Marie
Description: One of my favorite pieces I’ve choreographed. I love setting on different generations but this show I get both. Dancers who were in the original alongside dancers new to Westlake dance center. It’s all just a little bit of history repeating
