Home & + | Search
Featured Categories: Special Focus | Performance Reviews | Previews | DanceSpots | Arts and Education | Press Releases
Join ExploreDance.com's email list | Mission Statement | Copyright notice | The Store | Calendar | User survey | Advertise
Click here to take the ExploreDance.com user survey.
Your anonymous feedback will help us continue to bring you coverage of more dance.
SPOTLIGHT:
ExploreDance.com (Magazine)
Web
Other Search Options
Robert Abrams
Dance Events
Ballet
Ballroom
Tap
Swing
West Coast Swing
East Coast Swing
Drumming
United States
New York City
New York
New York, NY

MSWC Dance Studio Performance Showcase 2001

by Robert Abrams
February 4, 2001
New York, NY




MSWC Dance Studio Performance Showcase 2001


February 4, 2001


Comments and Photos by Robert Abrams

Miyuki Sakurai has been operating a dance studio for a little under two years. This afternoon, her students, invited guest performers, and Ms. Sakurai herself put on a stunning exhibition of ballet and dance styles from around the world. The audience was mostly parents of the students who performed, but it was worth attending even if you didn't have a daughter on the stage.

Ms. Sakurai's studio, MSWC Dance Studio, appears to cater mostly to Japanese people. Nearly all of the performers, except a few of the invited guests, were Japanese. Most of the narration introducing each number was in Japanese. Even though I don't know any Japanese except the one or two phrases I picked up during the year I studied Aikido, it really didn't matter. The language of dance is universal.

There were many excellent numbers in the show. My favorite, though, was the Taiko drum and tap dance number. Yako Miyamoto, Emi Namimatsu and Hana Ogata managed to seamlessly integrate these two very different artistic traditions. They made it look like Taiko drumming and tap dance are supposed to be performed together.

If you would like more information about the MSWC Dance Studio, please call 212-678-7656.





Little ballerinas




More little ballerinas




A very little ballerina dances with two big ballerinas




Elegant arms




Mayuna Shimizu and Keith Miller of the Long Island Ballet perform Adagio from Swan Lake




More Swan Lake




The Swan goes on




Sensei, under the influence of Dr. Maybe's confusion ray, attacks Little One




Little One foils the attack. The world is once again safe for dance!




The littlest Samba




International Style Samba performed by Christian Perry and Aleksandra Gisher




Arabic Dance from the Nutcracker - Larry Crabtree, Keiko Akiyama, Yuko Kobayashi, Yoko Kimura




African dance - Yuki Tenma, Kayo Higuchi, Kazuho Nozaki, Megumi Nakashouji, Kimi Aoki




Tango - Michael and Yuka Lepore, Christian Perry, Miyuki Sakurai




Taiko drum and Tap dance - Yako Miyamoto, Emi Namimatsu, Hana Ogata (Taiko Drummers Drumming)




Taiko Drummers Tapping




This picture may be a little dim, but the dancers lit up the stage




China - from the Nutcracker - Rio Otsudo, Natsuko Takashima




China - from the Nutcracker - Hikaru Futami, Yukiho Iwase, Yuki Komatsu




Paso Doble - Christian Perry, Aleksandra Gisher




Flamenco - Kumi Kuwahata, accompanied by Arturo Martinez and Atsuko Kino




Flamenco with dramatic lighting




Andrij Cybyk of the Anglo-American Ballet performs a Russian number from the Nutcracker with support from many young dancers




Hip Hop - Noritaka Maeda, Tomomo Arai, Kentaro Takahashi




Hollywood Style Swing (Lindy) - Christian Perry, Miyuki Sakurai




Dancers often carry each other - in this case, literally.




Tap - Yumiko Moriyama, Kayo Higuchi, Emiko Sadakata, Kumiko Arai




The grand finale




Ta Da!




Flowers for everyone!


Search for articles by
Performance Reviews, Places to Dance, Fashion, Photography, Auditions, Politics, Health