Awaiting the start of a performance at the Mid-States Regional Dance America Festival are (in background, from left) Patty Squire Lorenz, artistic director of Tay-lor Ballet Americana, and Joy Squire, director. In the foreground are Alexandra Zaharias (left) of the Alex-andra Ballet, St. Louis; Lou Ann Young of the Ander-son Young Ballet, Anderson, Ind.; and Barbara Smith of the Greater Lansing Ballet, artistic directors, and Leon Smith. The festival performances took place April 29 through May 1 in the new Heinz Prechter Educational and Performing Arts Center at Wayne County Community College.
More than 400 dancers, instructors, creative artists, technicians and accompanists gathered in Taylor April 29 through May 1 for the 2010 Mid-States Regional Dance America Festival, “We Dance for Joy,” at the new Heinz Prechter Educational and Performing Arts Center on the Wayne County Community College campus.
The annual festival, which showcases the re-gion’s most talented dancers and ballet companies, was hosted by Ballet American of Taylor and organ-ized by Joy Squire.
During their stay in Taylor, the dancers studied with some of the country’s top instructors during the day before performing in the evening and later gath-ering for parties.
Taylor Ballet Americana, whose artistic directors are Patty Squire Lorenz and her husband, Leif, ap-peared in concerts, alternating with performances by other ballet companies.
The Mid-States region is one of five Regional Dance America associations that include Northeast, Pacific, Southeast and Southwest, whose mission is to foster the growth and education of dancers, chore-ographers, directors and dance companies in every community across the United States and Canada.
Etiquette tea set by guild
The Detroit Historical Guild will offer a fun way to teach children about etiquette from noon to 3 p.m. next Sunday at a tea for boys and girls 6 to 14 years old in the Detroit Historical Museum.
The children will be served tea or lemonade, tea sandwiches and dessert and receive a free etiquette booklet and an opportunity to win door prizes. The participants must be accompanied by an adult.
Tickets, $15, include admission to the museum. Parking will be available in the museum lot off Kirby for $4. For tickets (they will not be sold at the door) or more information, call (586) 777-5898 by Wednesday. The museum is at 5401 Woodward.
DYPAC seeking youths for choir
The Downriver Youth Performing Arts Center is seeking singers aged 14 through 19 for membership in its Select Performing Show Choir.
Auditions will be conducted from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. May 20 at the Trenton Village Theatre, 2447 W. Jefferson. Prospective choir members must be 14 years old by May 20.
Additional information is available by calling (734) 671-2202 or e-mailing Dave Martin, choir director, at [email protected].
Mexican cooking class scheduled
Chefs at the Ritz-Carlton will invite students into the hotel kitchen from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. May 17 for a class titled “Ole! Ole! Ole! Mexican Fiesta Time.”
The class will be followed by dinner and comple-mentary wines. In addition, Leslie Jacobs of Leslie Jacobs Associates will offer tips on table décor.
The cost is $120 (guests of the students can join the group for dinner for $75. For reservations or addi-tional information, call Jacobs at (248) 646-4517 ([email protected]) or Colin Berens at (313) 253-43357 ([email protected]).
Save the date …
May 14-15 — Black-tie kick-off for the Southern Wayne County Regional Chamber’s annual Business & Lifestyles Exposition, 6 to 9 p.m. at Yack Arena, 3131 Third, Wyandotte; tickets are $65, members; $75, nonmembers; events including workshops, a woman’s exposition and a Saturday family fashion show; for tickets or more information, call (734) 284-6000.