Enjoy this excerpt from the second half of Ms. Luxenberg’s Fall 2015 Dance & Jazz Concert, “Take 2,” held on Saturday, November 21st, 2015 at 7:30pm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjFEsN2ndIw
Blue Pepper
Music: Duke Ellington
Choreography: Yvette Luxenberg
Dancers: Tiana Barkley, Marley Carroll, Anisha Mittal, Oluwadamilola Oshewa, Summer Peace, Stephanie Roser, Jada Smith,Valery Tarco
Mambo Inn
Music: Tito Puente
Choreography: Yvette Luxenberg and dancers
Dancers: Zoe Ades, Aryana Aziz, Emily Buchalter, Stephanie Do, Lauren Dougherty, Sophie Gilbert, Nia Grundy, Elizabeth Hawk, Kayla MacKay, Alexa Madsen, Sammi Powell, Alessandra Quigley
Flying Home
Music: Lionel Hampton
Choreography: Yvette Luxenberg and dancers
Dancers: Trisha Bala, Serin Hwang, Tess Kesler, Nikhil Kumra, Griffin Murphy (am show only), Logan Pak, Katie Powers, Michael Pyo, Jackson Shurman, Vittoria Socolof, Asha Toolsidas, Albert Zhou
Director’s Note: Two years ago, Mr. Tolentino and I embarked on our first attempt to have an entire dance concert played by Chameleon, Newark Academy’s award winning jazz band. We found it so rewarding professionally to challenge each other and collaborate artistically, and the students benefited from working together and learning about how to dance to live music and play live for dancers. We decided after that show that every two years we would venture this great undertaking, so that all students coming through the dance program and all members of Chameleon would have the opportunity to participate in this unique experience at least once. What we love about this collaboration is that is challenges us all in the best way. It’s everything we tell the students we want them to do in their lives: take healthy risks, be generous with their time and talent, work well with others, and pursue their passions. I am ever grateful to be at NA where the arts are celebrated, and to have colleagues like Mr. Tolentino who are so passionate and talented, and who relish the chance to try difficult and rewarding projects. As I have told my students: most professional dancers today do not get the luxury of live music, and most students who perform with live musicians do not get the honor of having music played by students as serious, talented, and generous as NA’s Chameleon. This year, we are also featuring Chameleon’s very own jazz singer, Sammi Powell, on several tunes. Sammi is a full-fledged member of Chameleon, training in vocal jazz, and rehearsing with the band each week. We are so grateful for her beautiful voice, her infectious energy, and her dancing. Thank YOU for supporting the arts at NA, and please come back for our spring dance concert on Thursday, May 26th 2016 for a whole new dance experience. ~ Yvette Luxenberg
Dancers Directed by: Yvette Luxenberg
Musicians Directed by: Julius Tolentino
Master Electrician: Joey Yow
Light Design: Yvette Luxenberg
Stage Manager: Sam Okinow
Light Board Operator: Durga Srivatsan
Sound Board Operator: Nick Wecal
Backstage and other Technical Help: Madison Jones, Peter Lu, Sam Okinow, Alessandra Quigley, Caroline Tarnow, Nick Wecal, Zahra Zaidi
Program: Debbie Dixler
Videography: Aidan Fox, Jared Gillman
Chameleon: The Newark Academy Big Band “Chameleon” is one of a dozen instrumental groups offered at the Academy. The band has been involved in state and national competitions, placing first in New Jersey’s State Jazz Band Competition the last six years. In 2015 the big band was a finalist in the prestigious Essentially Ellington Festival and Competition and has won the Mingus Competition the last two years. Members of the big band are also involved in other auditioned groups such as Jazz House Kids, Jazz for Teens, Jazz Regions, Jazz All States and the Grammy Band.
Chameleon Musicians: Paul Brown, Reid Chrismann, Cosimo Fabrizio, Dillan Gajarawala, AJ Hyans, Thomas Ito, Reshma Kopparapu, Tyler Kung, Daniel Laks, Jamie Laks, Eva Lebovitz, Michelle Lee, Aaron Levy, Matthew Lim, Alan Lin, Scott McGraw, Charles Pan, Shaan Pandiri, Samuel Pensiero, Sammi Powell, Alec Rubman, Dean Tan, Sid Tumu, Sheila Vazir, Maxwell Yu, Allen Zhu
Special thanks to arts department chair Elaine Brodie, our technical director, Joey Yow, the fantastic tech crew, “Arts Booster Parents,” especially Lori Dougherty, to Scott Johnson and Blackie Parlin for beautiful photographs, Julius Tolentino and Chameleon, Debby Dixler for her amazing collaboration with the digital photography class and program layout, to Elizabeth Hawk, Susan Dinan, Andrea Burggraf and Park Avenue Bridals for the sewing help, and to my husband Jeff and my son Jasper for their endless support and love.