Dance stars visit GVSU

Principal dancers from the American Ballet Theatre and Broadway's The Lion King are a few of the dance luminaries Grand Valley will welcome to its stage for a gala dance night on October 26.

'Dance Stars of the New Millennium' begins at 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 26 in Grand Valley's Louis Armstrong Theatre, Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $20 for the general public, $10 for all students. Reserve seats by calling the box office at (616) 895-2300.

Jefferson Baum, director of Grand Valley's dance program, describes the evening performances as a 'very eclectic collection of dances, from modern to very classical ballet.' Jazz and neo-classical ballet are also part of the program. The dancers are breathtaking performers, said Baum, and give the West Michigan audience an opportunity to see some of the nation's premier dancers.

The 'Dance Stars' of the title are principal dancers from some of the leading ballet companies in the United States:

- Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner, American Ballet Theatre
- Lisa Catrett-Belrose, Peter Sparling Dance Company
- Christine Winkler and John Welker, Atlanta Ballet
- Ramon Flowers, Broadway's award-winning The Lion King.

The GVSU Dance Ensemble will also take the stage. The evening's performances will last about 90 minutes, with a reception following.

Grand Valley's dance program was formally begun less than two years ago by Baum, a Spring Lake native who left West Michigan at the age of 16 to become an internationally recognized dancer and choreographer. Before retiring from professional dance, Baum toured Europe, Russia and China as a featured dancer with premier ballet companies, and was a principal artist with the New York City and Metropolitan Opera ballets.

Baum now leads the activities of Grand Valley's growing dance program, housed in a new state-of-the-art dance facility in the Performing Arts Center. Baum is also credited with directing the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp dance program for 14 years.