WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Westchester Arts Council April 11, 2006: There is more to dance than just movement and music.  That’s the message the Tappan Zee Dance Group will convey during their cutting edge performance Tappan Zee DANCES on Saturday April 29 at 7pm. The Grand Banking Room at the Westchester Arts Council’s Arts Exchange, 31 Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains, will be the setting for this performance featuring two unique dance companies, WABI and Rhymutation. Tickets are only $10 and may be purchased by calling (914) 428-4220 x223, or by mailing in an order form which can be downloaded at www.westarts.com.

WABI and Rhymutation share in common a penchant for stretching the boundaries of dance. WABI is a dance theater company devoted to storytelling through movement, known for combining various styles of dance with the art of telling a tale.  Rhymutation explores rhythm and tap, combining them with other performing art forms.  Tappan Zee Dance Group faculty member Stephanie Larriere is a founding member of this new and exciting group of dancers. The two-hour long performance on the evening of April 29 will give each group the opportunity to showcase their signature interpretations of the art of dance.

Tappan Zee Dance Group (TZDG) is a non-profit organization offering dance training, studio space, and production services for dancers. The teaching faculty consists of 13 instructor/choreographers, and classes are offered to children, teens, and adults in ballet, jazz, modern dance, rhythm tap, theatre jazz and pre-ballet for children beginning at age three.

Students at the Tappan Zee Dance Group have many opportunities to perform—including the annual Spring Student Dance Performance. Tappan Zee Dance Group community outreach programs include dance residencies at community centers, collaborations with local public schools, and a scholarship program supporting both children and adult dance students. Tappan Zee Dance Group also provides working space for a number of independent choreographers and dancers.     

 Tappan Zee DANCES is part of the Arts Council’s LIVE @ the Arts Exchange series, an exciting and eclectic line-up of performances running from January through June of 2006.  The LIVE series is generously funded by a grant from State Senator Nicholas Spano, and is additionally supported by media sponsors The Journal News, Westchester Magazine, El Aguila, WFAS and the White Plains Times.

Throughout LIVE the Westchester Arts Council is collaborating with and showcasing the extraordinary work of some of our best local performers and cultural organizations in the spectacularly renovated Grand Banking Room space. Tickets for the majority of events are $10, ensuring that LIVE @ the Arts Exchange is accessible to all. A complete schedule of events is available on the Westchester Arts Council’s website www.westarts.com or by calling 914-428-4220.