Children at the Lula Washington Dance Theatre (LWDT) school can now take martial arts as well as ballet, modern dance, hip hop, African dance, jazz, tap, and voice.

The martial arts class is open to boys and girls, ages 5 to 10. It meets Thursdays from 5 pm to 6 pm; and Saturdays from 1pm to 2pm at the LWDT school, 3773 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90016. The class fee is $50 a month for two classes a week. Prospective students can watch the class before signing up.

Hapkido is a Korean martial arts form that focuses on self defense. It also teaches students to be more self confident, focused and disciplined, said Raymond Granados, who is teaching the class. Granados is a black belt who teaches under the guidance of Songs International Hapkido studio.

We have just put up a photo gallery of the 2010 30th Anniversary Youth Recital at El Camino College’s Marsee Auditorium on June 27, 2010. Photos by Osofu Washington and Horasce Medley.

All of the students performed wonderfully! Congratulations to all the recital participants for another great year of dance!

123►

Click on thumbnail images to view photos at a larger size.

Join us this Sunday at 2 p.m. for Lula Washington Dance Theatre’s 30th Anniversary Youth Dance Recital!

Sunday, June 27, 2010
2:00 p.m. at El Camino College, Marsee Auditorium
16007 Crenshaw Blvd. Torrance, CA 90506
El Camino College Center for the Arts

Tickets:
Until June 26th: Adults $25 / Children $15
At the Door: Adults $30 / Children $20
Order Tickets Online Here
Box Office: (310) 329–5345 or toll–free 1–800–832–ARTS (2787)

Our Summer Dance Programs this year will run for 6 weeks, starting on July 12th and ending on August 22nd.

Summer Dance Camp
Ages 7-13
Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

This program is designed for youth who love to dance, perform, and want to improve their abilities! The Dance Camp is an intensive 6 weeks of dance training, cultural enrichment, mentorship, dance education with performance opportunities, and special workshops all geared towards the development of a strong technical foundation, creative expression and a lot of fun!

While the camp and classes are fun and kids make life-long friends, the classes are focused and require discipline.

This program has 3 levels: Beginning, Beginning Intermediate, and Intermediate. Students within this age group who feel they are beyond this may audition for the teen classes but must be at least 10 years old. Classes are grouped by age, skill, ability and focus. We encourage all levels of students to participate, even those with little to no experience or formal training.

Teen Dance Intensive
Ages 13-18
Monday-Friday 1 pm.-8 p.m.

The Teen Dance Intensive is geared towards young men and women who love to dance and who want to learn more and improve their skills as a dancer, including those who have been studying dance seriously for years and maybe interested in dance as a career, or those who are just beginning and have very little or no formal dance training (those who dance at school, dance at church, cheerleaders, drill team members, etc.)

This program has two levels: Beginning and Intermediate. Advanced students in this age group will be placed in our Professional Development Program which meets at the same time but offers more advanced, professional track students.

This program also includes two one-week workshops with guest choreographers, dance instructors, and performing artists who will share their expertise, knowledge, stories and craft with our participants!

Other Courses
We also offer evening and Saturday classes for 3-6 year olds, teens, and adults that are not a part of the program!

Classes
Classes include: Ballet, Caribbean, Choreography/Repertoire, Drumming, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Martial Arts, Modern, Pointe, Tap, Tumbling, West African, and more!

Program Fees
$35 – Registration fee (for new students only)
$650 – For all 6 weeks
$150 – Per week
$525 – Saturday’s only
$135 – Single day (8 hours)
$50/wk – Early drop off, late pick-up (7:30 a.m. & 6:30 p.m.)
$12 – Single class for registered students
$15 – Single class for non-registered students

Important Dates
Placement Class & Orientation: Friday, July 9th – 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
Certificate Ceremony: Friday, August 20th
Culminating Performances: August 21 & 22

Lula Washington with students from LWDT's African Dance Class.

Lula Washington Dance Theatre (LWDT) students are currently rehearsing for the annual June Youth Recital, which will be held at El Camino College, Marsee Auditorium, on Sunday, June 27th.

The recital will feature student dancers ages 3 to adult, performing ballet, modern, hip hop, African and tap dancing. Students from Dorsey High School’s workshop with Tamica Washington-Miller are also scheduled to perform.

This year’s recital will include a special 30th Anniversary retrospective performance. Alumni dancers from the past 30 years are also invited to perform. This year’s recital is set for 2 p.m. — with one big performance instead of the two that LWDT held in 2009.

LWDT is looking for volunteers to help create and coordinate a 30th Anniversary reception for students and parents at the end of the recital. We are looking for people to donate refreshments for the event. Check with Roshada or Lula at the front desk of the studio or email school.lwdt@gmail.com if you would like to help.

Save the date! — June 2010 Recital
June 27, 2010 – 2 pm
El Camino College, Marsee Auditorium
16007 Crenshaw Blvd. Torrance, CA 90506

Master Class with Ailey II’s Associate Artistic Director, Troy Powell

Wednesday, March 10, 2010
6:30-8:30PM @ LWDT studio
$15 for Intermediate/Advanced/Professional dancers, ages 14-adult.

LWDT is located at 3773 S. Crenshaw Blvd., LA, CA 90016. For more information, call 323-292-LULA (5852).

Troy Powell, a native New Yorker, began his dance training at the age of nine at The Ailey School. Following his graduation from The High School of Performing Arts, he became a member of Ailey II. Mr. Powell joined Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1991. He toured throughout the United States, South America, Europe and South Africa for ten years before becoming a master teacher at The Ailey School and resident choreographer of Ailey II.

Mr. Powell has choreographed ballets for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Dallas Black Dance Theater, National Dance Company of the Bahamas and Alaska Dance Theater. His guest artist credits include performing with companies such as Batsheva, Dallas Black Dance Theater and Complexions. Featured in an American Express commercial with AAADT, Mr. Powell has also appeared on television in George C. Wolfe’s The Colored Museum and the PBS Great Performances: Dance In America, A Hymn for Alvin Ailey, choreographed by Judith Jamison. Mr. Powell teaches master classes and workshops throughout the country.