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In a dance business the place occasions come and go on the competitors and conference circuit, Hollywood Connection stands out as a result of dancers hold coming again. Based on basic supervisor and college member Jacquelyn Sutkowi, the key to the corporate’s success lies within the familial environment that makes the college and employees approachable. “We acknowledge faces and other people; you actually are greater than a quantity,” explains Sutkowi. “Lots of our college and employees have been round for a very long time, and, in consequence, it looks like everybody could be very snug, welcoming and right here for a similar cause: to study and develop collectively.” Because the group prepares to kick off its Twentieth-anniversary season, Hollywood Connection is unveiling thrilling new plans to proceed constructing connections.
Ignite a Ardour
Each conference weekend, Hollywood Connection hosts Broadway Infants—a stepping-stone program for 5- and 6-year-olds that introduces them to the conference expertise. “We placed on a mini musical centered round a Broadway present,” says Sutkowi. Dancers study three routines, dress up in costumes, and carry out their musical originally of the competitors on Saturday. “That manner, they’ve a full reside viewers and video and images of their efficiency,” she says. “This 12 months, we’re bringing Broadway Infants to Nationals for the primary time, so these younger dancers may have the possibility to expertise the larger stage and lights, and see some particular company.”
No Ego, Simply Dance
Based on Sutkowi, Hollywood Connection is all in regards to the love of dance, not the celebs and fame. Consequently, it’s kicking off its Twentieth season by including Hollywood Connection Bootcamp to its listing of occasions. “Bootcamp might be just like a conference weekend occasion, however with out the competitors,” says Sutkowi. “It will likely be a transformative weekend for dancers to immerse themselves and deal with coaching.” At Bootcamp, Hollywood Connection hopes to assist dancers construct endurance, increase creativity and dive just a little deeper than a conference weekend typically permits. The primary-ever HC Bootcamp will happen in Anaheim, California, September 22–24, 2023. And, waiting for 2024, the group might be including a second occasion in Las Vegas, giving studios extra flexibility in scheduling and dancers one other alternative to develop and carry out.
Competitors Targets
This 12 months, Hollywood Connection is including a brand new award to its arsenal: a perfect-score medal. “We had a soloist hit that mark final 12 months,” says Sutkowi. “That doesn’t occur usually, so we determined we wanted one thing particular to mark the event.” The brand new award might be known as the Black Onyx, and Hollywood Connection will reserve it for competitors numbers that obtain an ideal rating from the judges.
An Eye Towards the Future
A singular facet of Hollywood Connection is that its government director, Invoice Bohl, can be the co-owner of two expertise businesses: DDO Artists Company and The Motion Expertise Company. Each weekend, Bohl runs the conference auditions. For the oldest group of dancers, he supplies age-appropriate content material and context and difficult love to assist them perceive the ins and outs of dance auditions. “College students at Regionals are chosen for a pre-qualifying award that permits them to audition for company representatives at Nationals,” Sutkowi says. “At Nationals, a choose few are chosen for illustration.”
Whereas signing with an company is a big leap for pre-professional dancers and their guardians, Sutkowi emphasizes that the college and employees at Hollywood Connection can reply questions on what it actually means to have illustration. “Everybody at our occasion is an educator,” she states, including that all the pieces they do is about giving dancers instruments to assist them on their journey.
Supportive Connections
A few of Sutkowi’s favourite moments from her 18 seasons with Hollywood Connection come from watching dancers make recollections and create a dance household past their particular person studios. “I’ve seen youngsters meet on the dance flooring when they’re little and, years later, go off to school to bounce collectively and turn into roommates,” she says. “We additionally see commercials choreographed by a Hollywood Connection college member with three dancers who met that choreographer via years of attending the conference—it’s all about constructing these connections.”
In the end, Sutkowi says that everybody at Hollywood Connection is in it to construct optimistic futures for the dancers in attendance. “Dance brings a lot pleasure,” she says. “We would like youngsters to return, fill their hearts with dance and keep in mind why they adore it.” For extra data on upcoming places and dates of Hollywood Connection occasions, click on right here.
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