Dance

With the music pulsating, two dozen dazzlingly dressed women shimmied across the brightly lit floor. Gold and silver coins, dangling from brightly colored wraps fashioned around hips, chimed with each movement. It was a scene that plays out each night in fashionable clubs and restaurants throughout the Arab world. But this group of performers was composed of Glendale College Community students who were mastering the basics of raqs sharqi, or belly dancing. "I wanted to do something active, and belly dancing looked interesting to me," said dance student Jennifer Gaillard, 31, of Los Angeles.

This past weekend, little girls throughout Crescenta Valley put on their prettiest dresses and had their hair done just right. Even the youngest were allowed to put on a tiny amount of makeup. Their dates waited for them, some with flowers, all with proud smiles as these lovely young ladies took their escort’s arm for a magical evening. Lincoln Elementary School and Holy Redeemer Catholic School held their daddy-daughter dances Feb. 22 and 23. For one little girl, the evening was made even more magical when her dad, who had been serving in Iraq, was able to catch an earlier flight to arrive home just in time to escort his daughter to the dance.

Kindergarteners promenaded, shuffled and waved their arms in a folk dance performance Tuesday that had proud parents snapping photos and zooming in with their camcorders. The show marked the end of three months of rehearsals for the Fremont Elementary School kindergarteners. But it also marked one of the school district's last Artists in Residence programs, which the Glendale Educational Foundation funded this school year. Most of the schools that participated in the program have held their final performances.

Hoover High School students let their true colors shine Friday morning during two multicultural assemblies in the school's auditorium. Members of Hoover's Associated Student Body hosted to the event, which included costumed performances by members of the school's Armenian, black, Filipino, Korean and Mexican student clubs. Three Armenian students performed an Armenian folk dance, and members of Hoover's Black Student Union performed a step routine, during which students stomped their feet and clapped their hands to a syncopated rhythm.

Karen S. Kim NORTHWEST GLENDALE -- About 15 children bounced, wiggled, shook and kicked their heels to the beat Thursday afternoon, as the Gypsy Folk Ensemble dancers taught them a West African number. "I liked the swimming thing where you come forward," said Glendale resident Robert Kourieh, 10, about one of the dance moves that required flailing one's arms. Five members of the 16-member Gypsy Folk Ensemble taught the dance after demonstrating various foreign folk routines to a group of 30 parents and children at the Glendale Public Library's Grandview branch.

Darleene Barrientos Costumes and dance shoes stayed home Saturday, as dancers instead picked up frying pans, serving spoons and paintbrushes for the first-ever United Spirit Assn. regional competition at Glendale High School. More than 900 dancers and their parents, friends and coaches from 30 high schools from all over California and as far away as Arizona and Nevada descended upon Glendale High School in the first event at the school since its team began competing in the association's dance and drill competitions 10 years ago. "It's a really well-regarded competition, so hosting is a major honor," said Kelly Palmer, Glendale High School's dance coach.

Kpanlogo dances can last up to eight hours when performed in Ghanaian villages. But La Crescenta Elementary School third-graders exhibited the rhythmic music in two 20-minute shows Tuesday for an audience of students, parents and teachers. Andrew Grueschow, a visiting artist from the Los Angeles Music Center, beat a tall atsimevu drum and struck a pair of rusty gankogui bells to keep the tempo for the 80 children. Wearing black shirts bearing Ghana's flag, the group performed four pieces that involved syncopated drumming, dancing and call-and-response chants.

"All God's Creatures, Great and Small", an original ballet by Caroline Broes, will be presented on Saturday, May 12, at 3 p.m. on the lawn at St. George's Episcopal Church. The church is located at 4467 Commonwealth Ave. in La Cañada Flintridge. Proceeds will benefit "Ahead With Horses," a therapy program for disabled and disadvantaged children in the Los Angeles area. The audience is welcome to bring blankets and lawn chairs to sit on the greens while enjoying the performance of many enthusiastic, young dancers.

The Glendale News-Press visited Columbus Elementary School and asked kindergarten students: "What kind of songs do you enjoy singing for fun?" "I like to sing the Columbus song because it's about our school and we do good stuff at our school." Talin Aivazian, 6 Glendale "My favorite song ? it's called the sense song. It helps you learn what senses you have." Brandon Mata, 6 Glendale "I like the freeze dance and animal action because we get to move our bodies."

Members of the Glendale High School dance team Friday celebrated winning its 12th national title in 13 years by doing what they do best - dancing. The mid-morning performances gave their classmates a peek at the routine that won the co-ed squad yet another title at the 2012 USA Dance/Drill Nationals on March 31 at the Anaheim Convention Center. In addition to winning the national title, the team also earned a sweepstakes victory for the highest overall competition score.

The following are updates on local athletes at the collegiate level. DeAndre Daniels (Renaissance Academy) freshman, Connecticut men's basketball: Daniels logged two minutes of court time in his NCAA Tournament debut, which saw the defending-champion Huskies suffer a 77-64 loss in the second round to Iowa State on Thursday. The former Wildcat, who transferred to Taft as a junior, didn't register any statistics in the loss, but did manage to make an impact on the team this season.

It is pitch black. Slowly a dark reddish glow lights the stage. A slim woman dressed in tight black shorts and a loose tank top walks out and, chest forward, dives to the floor, landing on her hands. She lies on her side, knees bent, and slowly rolls onto her back. She raises an arm, her fist clenched, and curls into a fetal pose on her knees. As she quickly rises, looks up and reaches out … it is as if she were being born. Or perhaps it is the memory of her birth. That is what dancer Lydia Zimmer says is the basis of “Memoriae,” a structured improvisation that played at Live Arts Los Angeles in November as part of the “Transient Truths, a collaborative dance show” - memory within the human body.

The Glendale Educational Foundation did more than “Dancing with Diamonds” Friday evening. It gave them away, honored them and collected them to the tune of $50,000 in expected proceeds. On Friday (Feb. 17), the Glendale Hilton Hotel staff pushed out the dividers into their largest ballroom to accommodate more than 350 supporters in sipping, supping and socializing, all in the name of educating our Glendale youngsters. This 5th Anniversary Gala Dinner & Dance, chaired by Vrejh Hovsepian, saluted three Diamond Award Honorees.

A Boston-based dance company that tells the story of Armenia's past will stop in Glendale on Jan. 15 as part of its national tour. The Sayat Nova dance company will perform, “Journey Through Time,' which is a new production for the company, which is entering its 25th year. With over 20 dancers, the performance begins by paying homage to St. Krikor Lousavorich and Armenia's conversion to Christianity. Followed by a meditation on the Battle of Avarayr, the dance also tells the story of the 1915 Armenian genocide and how it particularly affected Armenian composer Gomidas Vartabed.

J.R. Martinez, the Iraq war veteran who was badly disfigured in a land mine explosion, danced away with the championship trophy on "Dancing With the Stars" on Tuesday. Martinez will be the grand marshal for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade on Jan. 2. The name "J.R. Martinez" was unknown to most Americans and stuck out when ABC announced the roster of celebrities competing in this season of the hit show. But that didn't last long. Continue reading > > ALSO : Iraq war vet and 'Dancing with the Stars' contestant named Roses grand marshal Glendale takes over Rose Parade float process -- Rene Lynch, Los Angeles Times Photo: Dancing With the Stars winner and Iraq war veteran, J.R. Martinez, was named the grand marshal for Pasadena Tournament of Roses on Tuesday, November 1, 2011.

J.R. Martinez - a former soldier, actor and current contestant on “Dancing With the Stars” - was named the grand marshal today for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade on Jan. 2. Martinez, the current cover story for “People” magazine, underwent 33 surgeries after his Humvee triggered a land mine in Iraq in 2003 and he suffered burns over much of his body. Tournament of Roses Assn. President Rick Jackson announced Martinez on the front lawn of the Tournament House today, setting off a pop of red, white and blue confetti stars.

Glendale's cultures collided on Sunday for the city's 10th annual Unity Fest hosted by TV star Mario Lopez. Hundreds of people packed Brand Boulevard as organizers put the many cultures of Glendale up for display through dance, art, music and, of course, food. Mayor Laura Friedman called the annual event “the most colorful, the most vibrant and maybe one of the loudest street fairs that we have.” Mario Lopez served as Unity Fest's celebrity host for the second consecutive year.