Dance students at Dean College in Franklin, Massachusetts, will have an opportunity to have their choreography critiqued by four nationally known choreographers during the college’s annual Choreographer’s Showcase on February 4.

The adjudicating choreographers will also offer master classes to dancers from around the region on February 5. Participating choreographers are:

• Sonya Tayeh, a choreographer for the last four seasons of So You Think You Can Dance. Tayeh has taught at Edge Performing Arts Center, the Millennium Dance Complex, and the Tayeh Dance Company in Los Angeles, specializing in contemporary funk and progressive contact.
• JaQuel Knight, the award-winning choreographer behind Beyoncé’s hit Single Ladies. He has worked on Britney Spears’ “Circus” tour, Hannah Montana: The Movie; and Beyoncé’s “I Am” tour.
• Joey Dowling, associate choreographer for the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit In the Heights, and So You Think You Can Dance choreographer. She has danced on Mariah Carey’s “Butterfly” world tour and has appeared on Broadway as Elaine in Sweet Charity, along with other television, movie, and Broadway productions.
• Maria Torres starred in the Broadway musical Swing! She trained Patrick Dempsey and Amy Adams for the film Enchanted, as well as Raven Simone in College Road Trip. She appeared in and choreographed Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony in El Cantante, and has been a guest choreographer on So You Think You Can Dance.

The Dean College student choreographers work with their classmates to develop a performance that will be judged by the panel. The showcase performance on February 4 begins at 7:30 pm in the Multi Purpose Room in the Campus Center. Tickets are $15 for general admission.

Dean dancers and other dancers from the region can also take master classes with the four adjudicators on February 5. Registration is required. Information can be found at http://www.dean.edu/Academics/MasterClasses.cfm. Sign-in begins at 8:00 am, with classes beginning at 9:00 am. Registration for participants is $60 and includes lunch. Tickets for observers are $20 (lunch included). For more information, call 508.541.1606

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