“The dance instructors at Eubie Blake,” said CCDC Artistic Director Helen Hayes, “were kind enough to let us take over their classes for two weeks, so that we could teach the students the basics of modern dance, and, we hope, push them beyond those basics.”

On the morning of March 17th, the company kicked off its residency with an informal concert at the school, and then Helen, Debby Kanter, and company member Donna Iriarte began to teach the almost fifty classes that occurred during those two weeks at Blake.

Donna and Helen worked the day shift, while Debby came to the school for a newly initiated after-school program. “It was for students,” said Debby, “that might not be in the regular classes or simply wanted more instruction.”

In addition to these classes, the company held an open rehearsal at Blake on Saturday, March 25th, from 4:00-6:00 p.m., a chance for Blake students and guests to watch what happens behind the scenes with a modern dance troupe.

“We were very excited to be at Blake again, continuing to develop this important partnership,” added Hayes. “That was the second year of a long-term relationship with this arts-oriented high school.”

“One of CrossCurrents’ goals as an arts organization is to target the teenage population particularly here in Montgomery County,” said Debby. “Blake is a great place to do that work, to give these young people both exposure to and appreciation for modern dance.”

«Cathy Paine demonstrating a phrase

The event had a double purpose – to expand the audience’s understanding of the creative processes that go into the making of CCDC‘s dance repertory, and to raise much-needed funds for the company’s concert production at Dance Place in June.

« Rehearsal in progress

JOM‘s studio space in Bethesda, MD was packed with parents and children, current and former students, friends and supporters of CrossCurrents Dance Company and its Artistic Directors Debra Kanter and Helen Hayes. Guest choreographer Cathy Paine led the company through several sections of her new whimsical work-in-progress, “The Art Versus Nature, Reflective Surfaces, Who Am I Anyway Blues.”

As she worked, Paine shared with the audience many aspects of her process. Kanter and Hayes also took the floor to conduct rehearsals, firstly of Kanter’s new work “Precipice” and then an energetic run of Hayes’s “Heat of the Jungle.” To the special delight of the younger members of the audience, company member Sarah Lowing wrapped up the afternoon with a witty performance of her solo dance.