Suzie Harrison The objective is to bring...

Suzie Harrison

The objective is to bring new audiences to dance and enchant them

by the art form through original choreography.

Since its inception in 1998, California Choreographers Dance

Festival has been working hard to fulfill that goal. Suzi Chauvel is

president of the group and has seen it grow during the years.

Every California Choreographers Dance Festival dance performance

is commissioned just for an event. The performance is original,

specific for the site it’s performed.

“Most people don’t know a lot about dance. It’s a very mysterious

thing to people,” said Chauvel. “The response was really

enthusiastic; it really caught on.”

California Choreographers Dance Festival captured an audience

coming to look at artwork flat on a wall -- instead they saw a

three-dimensional moving piece of art.

In the third year there was an event gala at [seven-degrees] that

brought more growth and success.

“It was another step in the evolution,” Chauvel said.

Now in its fourth year, expectations are high for a break out year

for the dance festival.

“We’re reinforcing the whole happening or wonderful kinetic feel

to the art form by scheduling the dance events in very unusual

settings,” Chauvel said.

The upcoming Labor Day performance at Music in the Park

exemplifies what it’s all about.

“The whole idea that we have chosen a dancer and dance group,

which collaborates with the music presented is our goal -- to

collaborate with other entities to expand the whole experience,”

Chauvel said.

Throughout the whole summer the group is working with the Festival

of Arts where it will present dance on alternate Mondays on the

festival grounds.

Chauvel explained that the group has been successful in its

mission to perform for new audiences and spread the passion of dance.

“Realizing strength in numbers makes an event in town more

compelling. It’s all about multimedia and or multi-tiered events,”

she said.

The dance group is one of the younger groups in town and because

of its age Chauvel feels it has a fresh look at its mission. Because

it has a history of fun and innovative performances, she feels it is

able to progress quickly.

“Dance is all about energy and passion,” she said.

California Choreographers Dance Festival is pleased to be able to

bring it to the public and integrate with other arts.

“To my knowledge I don’t think any other dance company is doing

this -- so we’re really leading the way,” said Chauvel.

California Choreographers Dance Festival will hold auditions for

the year on Aug. 17. Information, please (949) 497-0722 or go online

to www.cadancefest.com.