Los Altos Hills, CA-Dancing Mozart to Madonna in the Year of the Dragon where Grease is the Word, the award winning resident dance company of Foothill College directed by Bubba Gong will present its 26th annual Spring Concert Soul and Inspiration on June 1 and 2, 7:30 p.m. at Smithwick Theatre. The two hour dance extravaganza will reflect the philosophy of dance at Foothill: "dancing in one world, one beat" with a diversity of dance techniques from Burlesque to Ballet, World dance to Hip hop, Tap to Jazz, Contemporary to Modern. The popular annual fundraising concert for the Dance Program will showcase original student works, favorite repertory choreographies, and world premieres. This is a particularly special concert as Dr. Judy Miner, President of Foothill College, will be introducing and welcoming the new Dean of Kinesiology, Athletics and Dance Program Dr. Susan Gutkind on the grand opening night. The production design team include Bubba Gong, artistic Director and founder; John Celona, Technical Director; Assistant Director Tami Burton and Terin Kandarian; Polish Captains Jennifer Loomis and Angela Herrera; Women's Captains Cassandra Murray, Taylor White, Anna Sullivan, Erika Mueller; Men's Captains Matt Randall and Trey Miller; Theatre Manager, Christina Moore; Lighting designer Andrea Schwartz;; and featured costume designer Katherine Andrews.

The Repertory Dance Company of Foothill College was founded by Bubba Gong to broaden and to expand the classroom experience. A Bay Area Critics' Circle winner, Dean Goodman and Drama logue recipient, Gong was the first full time tenured instructor hired in dance where he led the Dance Company to 4 consecutive Olympiad of the Arts First Place Honors and coached the Champion Foothill Pom Squad. At Foothill College, he has brought guest master artists from Pilobilus and MOMIX, San Francisco Ballet and the Bolshoi, to Gregory Hines and the National Tap Dance convention to Foothill. Serving on Boards of the Peninsula Community Foundation and Silicon Valley Arts Council Panels, he is an advocate for the dance and his work has been commissioned by the Chinese Cultural Historical Project, National Endowment and Stanford University where he received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Dance. This concert will mark Gong's 26th season of Dance at Foothill College where he will bring back many of his repertory favorites and is preparing to launch a new DANCE CERTIFICATE offered at Foothill College in the near future!

Smithwick Theatre will be transformed for "GREASE is the Word" where audience members are invited to wear 50s costume and jam with the Company dancers "at the Hop" beginning at pre-show 7 p.m. " Showtime kicks off with CURTAIN at 7:30 p.m. with a medley of dances from GREASE choreographed by Bubba Gong including favorites Born to Hand Jive, Grease Lightnin', Love is a Many Splendored Things, and Hound Dog. Dancing in One World, One Beat will showcase Bollywood's Jai Ho featuring Matt Randall; Ballet Folklorico duet by Lizeth Cuevas and Juan Hernandez; Tap trio Ashleigh, Odom Joce Satterberg, and Michelle Green; Irish Dancer Tara Harte-Rodriguez in full regalia will showcase clogging; and Gong will premiere a Peking Opera "Dragon Emperor" to the score by Cong Su from "The Last Emperor" and traditional Chinese flute and bamboo drum score featuring martial artist Lucas Randall.

Dancing Mozart to Madonna will feature a favorite repertory choreography tribute for Dr. Judy Miner with a modern take on the technique of ballet from "Marriage of Figaro" and move to a tribute to pop icon Madonna's blonde ambition favorites "Holiday" and "into the Groove," to her latest recording "Girls Gone Wild." Other contemporary pieces include original Hip Hop solos by Eri Nakamura, Trey Miller, Adrian Johnson, Kyd Song and Nick Poole.

Resident Student Choreographies for the 26th season chosen by audition are Tami Burton with a jazz dance to Bruno Mar's "runaway baby," Erika Mueller's classical jazz choreography to "the dark," Emilie Dunworth's lyrical piece partnering men and women in "you make me feel," and Bailey Donnelly's hip hop RACK CITY. David Eastman contributes two choreographies with a lyrical ballet number UNTITLED and Grease Favorite, "we go together."

Also spotlighted will be the Foothill College Pom Squad in "cat daddy," contemporary soloists Joce Satterberg, Megan McAlister and Elise Dubuisson, vocalist Daniel Grimsby, and community outreach guest artist Melany Montano.

Gong, Foothill's Director of Dance who celebrated his landmark quarter century mark at Foothill last season, has choreographed an ambitious, fast paced, sparkling and entertaining 2 hour production which highlights hits from multi-grammy winning artists ADELE featuring "rolling in the deep," and "someone like you," and a special tribute to Whitney Houston incorporating American sign language, a number inspired by his work with Disney Productions as a "Kid of the Kingdom." Keeping up with the trends of the day, he also tackles a medley of dances from the popular film Burlesque starring CHER spotlighting Fosse Technique and his unique fusion on Hip Hop/Street Dance and Musical Theatre Technique.

Tickets are available on the evening of the show one hour before the performance at 6 p.m. or by calling (650) 949-7354. Ticket prices are Adult $25/Students and Seniors 20/Children$15. Patron Angel RESERVED SECTION seats are $100.
Bring $3 dollars for Parking.

For More Information or contact:
Bubba Gong, Director of Dance
gongiiibubba@fhda.edu
650.949.7354
Office: 2719
Foothill College
12345 El Monte Road
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

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