Fall Dance Workshop to start November 20

So you think you can dance?

The Fresno City College Dance Department hosts the biannual City Dance Fall Workshop on Nov. 20, 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. which will be held in the FCC Main Stage Theater. The price will be $14 general admission, $12 for students with current student ID; seniors 55 and older will be $8 and $8 for groups of 10 or more.

The event doesn’t restrict to one style of dance.

“We have multiple styles because they are different choreographers and they have different ideas and every choreographer has a specialty. We allow them really to explode and to express their own idea and styles,” said Jimmy Hao, dance instructor and artistic director of the event.

“All the dance works are contemporary dance pieces,” Hao said.

The production will include different styles of dance such as modern, jazz, hip-hop, modern ballet and post-modern.

“Every semester we produce the performing arts workshop class in the fall and performing arts spring concert, this gives the opportunity to the students to create a dance work and the faculty as well to perform together,” Hao said.

“I’ve been the Artistic Director for the City Dance Workshop 18 times,” Hao said.

“Every semester the faculty create one piece for this concert,” Hao added. “About five faculties are involved in the show, we normally select four students and they have to audition.”

“Every night for about 12 weeks they practice from 6 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. but sometimes we go a little longer than 9 o’clock.”

The City Dance provides students to create their own pieces and show off their talent.

As for dance majors, city dance gives us a lot of time to practice and experience being on stage said Sisombath Mony Souvannasack, an FCC dance major and dancer in the city dance.

“What I look forward to is not freaking out and showing what I have practiced so hard for and enjoying the show and being able to express that to the audience,” Souvannasack said.

Justine Johnson, an FCC student and choreographer, looks forward to hitting the stage and dancing.

“That’s what I been doing all my life, that’s what I love to do,” Johnson said.