Three Groups Advance from First Round of DanceMKE

Dance MKE

Large crowds packed the Peck Pavilion on Tuesday night for the first night of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts DanceMKE competition. The multi-week contest is part of Live at Peck summer programming series.

The Young Dance Academy, Ballet Folklorico Nacional of Milwaukee and SueMo Dance Company have advanced to the August 23rd finals. See their performances and learn more about the groups below.

Want to help pick the next group of winners? Join the fun at 7:00 p.m. on August 2nd, 9th and 16th at the Peck Pavilion at the Macus Center (929 N. Water St.). The events are free to attend.

Twenty groups of talented dancers from all backgrounds and disciplines will compete for nine spots in the finals. Come down and be amazed by these talented Milwaukee dancers as they compete for cash prizes and Danceworks scholarships, as well as bragging rights as the first winners of DanceMKE. There will be a little something for everyone with dance styles including: contemporary, Mexican folklore, hip-hop, American Tribal Belly Dance, lyrical, salsa, contemporary fusion, ballroom and tap.

For more information on the DanceMKE schedule and all of the free Live at Peck events visit http://www.marcuscenter.org

Young Dance Academy

With DanceMKE- What are you hoping to get from this experience?

We are hoping to have the chance to perform for our local community on a beautiful stage in downtown Milwaukee and to see our fellow Milwaukee dancers perform their own unique styles of dance!

Why do you love to dance?

We love to dance simply because it’s fun! It’s hard work, but because we love it, it doesn’t feel like work.

What is one unique characteristic about your group?

We are unique because we are not only tap dancers, we are well versed ballet, jazz, contemporary and hip hop dancers too!

Ballet Folklorico Nacional of Milwaukee

With DanceMKE- what are you hoping to get from this experience?

Our goal is to expose our groups talents to all of Milwaukee, we not only incorporate Mexican Folklore but also classical Ballet, also to bring awareness to others that are not familiar with the Mexican Folklore and Art of Trick Roping.

Why do you love to dance?

Having this dance company created for us was a way to provide an avenue for our youth to continue to cultivate their traditions and culture also to provide a safe environment for them to excel and share with the community

What is one unique characteristic about your group?

We perform many types of dances not just folkorico mexican traditonal dances, we also incorporate classical Ballet, lyrical and of course the 2 main key pieces we are known for the Art of Trick roping which no other group have and the Amazing Traditonal Aztec dancers that utilize fire during our performances

SueMo Dance Company

With DanceMKE- what are you hoping to get from this experience?

We’re hoping to gain more awareness to our group and that were seen by the presenters for The Marcus Center.

Why do you love to dance?

Dance is the best way to express yourself. No matter how you feel.

What is one unique characteristic about your group?

We’re diverse group of people and dancers.

Past Coverage

• Milwaukee’s New Dance Competition – July 29th, 2016