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Spring Dance Infusion

Presented by Uptown Dance Company at Hobby Center - Zilkha Hall

March 7, 2010

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Uptown Dance Company is continuing its second season. Under the artistic direction of Beth Gulledge-Brown, Uptown Dance Company is performing in Spring Dance Infusion, its fifth official professional appearance, on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at 3:00 p.m., at Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, 800 Bagby. Spring Dance Infusion is a contemporary and classical ballet, jazz, and modern infused dance concert with premier works by Gulledge-Brown, Cecilia Marta, Max Stone, and Alex Pandiscio.

Spring Dance Infusion features the premiere of Gulledge-Brown's new work Say What, a quirky, jazz piece set to the music of Sting. Gulledge-Brown also presents a premiere, Rendition, a contemporary ballet. Cecilia Marta, famed Panamanian born choreographer from New York, also introduces a contemporary jazz premier work. Max Stone presents a striking and powerful modern piece. Houston Ballet's Alex Pandiscio is premiering a ballet piece on Uptown Company II to round out the evening.

Even though it is UDC's fifth concert as a professional company in Houston, the works and company members are by no means new to the scene. The pre-professional Company II with professional guest artists has performed nationally and internationally at the World Jazz Dance Congress in Chicago, Costa Rica, and Monterey, Mexico. In 2001, Gulledge-Brown's Company II performed in three cities in China and was broadcast nationally over Chinese television. The Company II also had the opportunity to perform in Austria at the Tanzsommer Festival. They've been dancing professionally for years - Gulledge-Brown just made it official.

Uptown Dance Company was originally founded in 1999 by Gulledge-Brown. Gulledge-Brown understood the need to supplement her students' training with performance skills and founded the company to provide a performing outlet for her advanced students. Gulledge-Brown's studio has grown and her vision has grown right along with it. Following the lead of Houston studios such as Houston Metropolitan Dance Center and Ben Stevenson's Houston Ballet Academy, Uptown Dance Centre will now house two companies: one for advanced students and one for professionals.

Company members include Lindsay Cortner, Adrian Ciobanu, Chasen Greenwood, Jaeda Talavera, Brandon Chase McGee, and Phoebe Waggoner.

Beth Gulledge-Brown began dancing with her mother at the age of three. She continued her training with Joseph Giacobbe (Delta Festival Ballet) in New Orleans, Margo Marshall (City Ballet) of Houston, and Leo Ahonen and Soile Arvala (Texas Ballet). She studied jazz with Delia Stewart and Keith Cross, and was awarded scholarships to study with Broadway Dance Center in New York and Joe Tremaine in Los Angeles. Beth received her dance degree from the University of Capetown in South Africa. While there she performed with U.C.T. Ballet company and the CAPAB Ballet Company. Beth's performance experience also includes Delia Stewart Dance Company, Texas Dance Theatre, and Joan Karff's New Dance Group. Her choreography has been showcased in Houston as well as Austria, Costa Rica, Chicago and China. Besides Uptown Dance Company's performance of Dance Infusion in October, 2009, the company also performed in "Triple Focus" at the Kaplan Theater in January, 2009, completed a tour in Vera Cruz, Mexico in October 2009, performed in "Illuminations Project 2009" at the Hobby Center, and as guest artists for Revolve Dance Company in "Fall Mosaic" in November.

Uptown Dance Company presents Spring Dance Infusion on Sunday, March 7 at 3:00 p.m. at Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, 800 Bagby. Tickets are $50 (includes On-Stage Champagne Reception), $40, $30 and $20 general admission. There is a $5 senior/student discount on all tickets. For tickets and information, call 713-315-2525 or visit the Hobby Center's website at www.thehobbycenter.org.