The tango, fox trot, waltz, rumba, and cha-cha are all elements of the BYU Ballroom Dance Company. More than just another dance team, they have been able to breach the barrier between the stage and the audience by forming an atmosphere that captivates and immerses their audiences into the world they’ve created. During their recent Northern California tour in October, they performed their show Capture the Magic to crowded auditoriums in the cities of Folsom, Oakland, Paradise, Modesto, Santa Clara, Napa, and Fresno. Presenting in venues such as the Great America’s Showtime Theater in Santa Clara and the historic Warnors Center for the Performing Arts in Fresno, the show become an instant success with audience members. Captivating audiences across the world, BYU’s Ballroom Dance Company continues to showcase dances that are versatile, entertaining, and moving. The team’s artistic directors, Lee and Linda Wakefield, combine athletic and aesthetic qualities for each of the dances they choreograph, knowing that ballroom is an ever-changing art form. “Ballroom is very competitive, athletic, artistic, and, like any other sport, has its challenges,” said Linda Wakefield. “While the categories of dances have remained the same, the ways these dances are performaed constantly change. The innovations and creativity behind the technique, style, and costuming of each dance is what makes ballroom so addicting. It never stays the same.” This fast-paced world of ballroom is reflected on the stage as the Wakefields continuously enhance their numbers to reflect current trends and world events. Every number has a story, and every story has an element of energy, surprise, and intrigue that makes audience members want to stand up and dance along. For two weeks in June the Ballroom Dance Company will hold nightly performances in Nauvoo, Illinois. In preparation the Wakefields are using a mixture of visualization, theme, and emotion to create unforgettable numbers for their new show, Imagine. “It always starts with an idea,” said Linda. “The music will define the movement and what the dance should look like while the costuming creates a specific feeling for the piece. When these elements are combined, the storyline or idea becomes very clear to the audience, and artistically you just know it works.” Several examples from their current show display this successful process, including a rumba titled “Come Home Soon,” which is patterned as a tribute to those serving in the armed forces. This American number is contrasted by “Sands of Time,” an epic piece that was inspired from a movie score and resulted in an ethnic Persian-styled dance. The special gaming number “MicTendo” brings video game characters to the center of the ballroom floor. The variety of dances goes on to include a West Coast swing, a samba, a theatre arts piece, and the most contemporary waltz the company has ever performed. The order of the dances is essential to the show’s success. The Wakefields contrast the style of dances so the mood is constantly shifting. A show mixed with slower ballads and fast beats allows the audience enough time to absorb and fully appreciate what they’ve just experienced. “We put together a show for all ages,” said Linda. “There is something for everyone in this show, which is unusual for the performing arts. The music, movements, pace, emotion, look, and spirit of the show create a very full experience. We don’t dance to impress; we dance to captivate the audience and their imaginations.” Source: Performing Arts Management

As the Wind Symphony said goodbye to Germany, their first concert in Holland was a wonderful success. The group shared the stage with another wind band named Orkest Orventus that is from Holland and consists of professional musicians. The joint performance called 'Hands Across The Sea,' was an event held as part of the Liberation Celebration in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. It was an honor to be a part of this highly revered celebration in Holland.

The Brigham Young University Singers recently completed their Spring tour of England and Wales. Their final concert, performed at St John’s, Smith Square in London received rave reviews. Writing for The Arts Desk, Alexandra Coghlan said of the group, “There’s a warmth and a joy here that starts with the smiles that embrace you from the stage and only grows through the singing.” The BYU Singers were founded in 1984 by their current director, Ronald Staheli. In the 28 years of their existence, the group has become renowned as one of the foremost collegiate choirs in the world, a fact noted by Coghlan. Coghlan went on to praise the group’s blend, as well as their “rhythmic, contrapuntal skills.” Discussing the specific repertoire, Coghlan wrote, “while sopranos set the tone for the sensitively-phrased unisons of Mack Wilberg’s My Shepherd Will Supply My Need, . . . it was the mezzos who came close to stealing the show with a strikingly mature, rounded sound so much in the contrast to the straight (too often gripped tone) of many English groups.” Read the full review here.

Literally performing their final concert in the heart of London, the BYU Singers brought their United Kingdom tour to a conclusion with an impressive performance in St. John's Smith Square concert hall to an audience of approximately 500. The final of 15 concerts given in the past three weeks was received with an audience's call for three encores and an audible buzz in the hall following the conclusion.

The ensemble was warmly greeted to Midland, TX by a temperature that had risen to 98 degrees. Their show in the new Wagner Noel Theater had an audience of more than 700 that rose to their feet after the concert concluded with the signature Hopak number.

On Thursday, May 3 the Young Ambassadors started with an outreach workshop with the students at the University of Johannesburg. They performed a few numbers and then had the University of Johannesburg students learn one of the dances. Everyone left making new friends and feeling uplifted. The Young Ambassadors then made their way to the Children of Fire for another outreach. This non-profit organization brings children in from all over Africa who have been burned by fire. They not only help them with their outer scarring, but their inner scarring too. The group was touched by the courage of the children and the dedication of their staff. The group then went to the African Market for a little shopping before leaving for their concert in Soweto. The South African Broadcasting Company's choir (SABC) was presenting a pre-show for the concert and then joined the Young Ambassadors at end of the show. The concert was amazing and the audience was very excited and energetic.

The Brigham Young University Motion Picture Archive Film Series will show “Dive Bomber” on Friday, May 25, at 7 p.m. in the Harold B. Lee Library auditorium on level one.

BYU's critically-acclaimed International Folk Dance Ensemble will be taking their show, The Gathering to Texas next week during their Southern states tour. Audiences will be treated to dances from more than a dozen different cultures, including Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America.

Brigham Young University will host the Utah premiere of a new adaptation of 'The Thousand and One Nights' by presenting selections from Mary Zimmerman’s “Arabian Nights” Thursday, May 24, through Saturday, June 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the Pardoe Theatre.Matinee performances will occur on May 26 and 31 and June 2, 8 and 9 starting at 2 p.m. There will be no performances Sundays or Mondays.

The International Folk Dance Ensemble arrived in Farmington, NM on April 28. The team had the opportunity to visit the 'Aztec Ruins' of the Anasazi people and to walk where ceremonies would have taken place.

This past week the BYU Singers have given enthusiastically received concerts in two historic cathedrals, three major university settings, recorded a major national radio taping, and raised funds for five important charities providing care and comfort in western England and south Wales.

Many great memories and friendships have been made this week during the Young Ambassadors' tour. On Saturday they received a call from the Church Public Affairs Office and were asked to quickly make their way to the Ithute Caring Institute in Soweto (a care facility for the elderly). The group arrived not really knowing what to expect, but made their way into the lunch room and immediately started making friends. They talked for a few minutes with the residents before singing a few songs together. As they prepared to leave the facility, the director requested they come back soon, telling them that she had known many of these patients for more than 10 years and never knew they could speak English.