Educational elegance: Bainbridge Dance Center’s 35th annual student showcase returns to BPA

The student showcase performance will run from Tuesday, June 21 through Saturday, June 25 with shows Tuesday through Saturday at 7 p.m., plus Saturday at 2 p.m. at Bainbridge Performing Arts.

Six shows for the price of one.

The Bainbridge Dance Center’s 35th annual student performance will showcase more than 130 dancers, ages 4 to 18, in six performances of ballet, modern, jazz and tap routines.

The youngest students will demonstrate pre-technique movements to get things started, the beginning and advanced students will perform choreography in various techniques and styles in routines created by BDC’s faculty and the members of the Advanced Ballet Repertory will present “The Firebird,” a reinterpreted version based on the original choreography of Michel Fokine, with the original music of Igor Stravinsky.

“The Firebird,” written in 1910, is based on a Russian fairy tale about a magical glowing bird which can be either a blessing or a curse to its owner. The work was reportedly an instant success upon its debut in Paris and Stravinsky himself regarded as one of the most important composers of the 20th Century. “Firebird” was the first of three ballets which brought Stravinsky international fame, followed by “Petrushka” (1911) and “The Rite of Spring” (1913), which consisted of such avant-garde choreography that it caused quite a sensation in the audience at its debut.

BDC has developed an extensive outreach program of classes, lectures and performances for the public and private schools on Bainbridge and has been in continuous operation since its opening season in 1981. It has blossomed into a multifaceted program offering dancers a high level of technical training and a life-long love for the art of dance.

The faculty includes director BryAnn Bingham, Gary Reed, Laura Peterson, Taylor Augustine, Kim Holloway, Cait Wyler, Kaitlyn “KJ” Dye and Lucie Baker.

The student showcase performance will run from Tuesday, June 21 through Saturday, June 25 with shows Tuesday through Saturday at 7 p.m., plus Saturday at 2 p.m. at Bainbridge Performing Arts (200 Madison Ave. North, Bainbridge Island). Tickets, $17 for adults and $13 for children, seniors, teachers and military, may be purchased beginning online at www.bainbridgeperformingarts.org and in person through the BPA box office from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and one hour prior to each performance. Free and reduced-cost tickets are available for most programs to community members in need through a partnership with Helpline House and thanks to grants from the Mabee Family and Bainbridge Community Foundations as part of an “Open Door” program.

Please contact the BPA Box Office at or Helpline House to reserve tickets. For more information about BDC classes and programs, visit www.bainbridgedancecenter.com.

Preregistration for the 2016-17 dance season is now open, and summer workshop information is online, including “Dance With ME!,” “Young Dancer Summer Workshops,” “Beginning/Intermediate Dancer Summer Workshops” and “Advanced Dancer Summer Workshops.”

Email mail@bainbridgedancecenter.com or call 206-842-1497. Full registration begins Aug. 10.