DA alumna and professional dancer Hillary Bodin is the special guest performer for Douglas Anderson’s 31st annual Extravaganza.
saturday, feb 11
Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, the Duval County high school for students with a passion for the performing and visual arts, hosts its 31st annual showcase, Extravaganza, at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, February 11. The showcase features some of the area’s most accomplished high school performers in dance, theater, vocals, instrumental music, film, visual arts and the spoken word.
“Extravaganza is an evening of artistry and entertainment that highlights the very best of student achievement at Douglas Anderson,” says Principal Jackie Cornelius. “The performances range from musical theater to dance to instrumental music – adding up to an entertaining and exhilarating celebration of the arts.
“The performers at previous Extravaganza showcases have matriculated to the top universities and conservatories in the world, as well as to Hollywood and Broadway,” she adds. “So this is a wonderful opportunity to see our students on their way to stardom.”
The showcase includes Broadway-style musical and dance numbers; the DA Chamber Orchestra will perform one of the most famous pieces in the classical music repertoire, the first movement of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony; the dance theatre troupe will present “Benign Collisions,” a striking modern piece with a captivating finale; and the DA vocal group will perform a timeless uptempo a cappella jazz stew called “Pass Me the Jazz!” The night also includes a colorful film documentary about Sweet Pete’s candy store in Jacksonville.
This year’s special guest performer – designated Extravaganza’s Shining Star – is dancer Hillary Bodin, an alumna of the DA class of 2011. After graduating from SUNY Purchase with an MFA in Dance, Ms. Bodin currently performs as a company artist with New York City’s Company XIV, directed and founded by Austin McCormick. During her college career, Hillary danced for international choreographer Ismael Ivo, in Vienna, Austria, and São Paulo, Brazil. She also studied with The Forsythe Company in Frankfurt, Germany.
Extravaganza gets underway at 6:30 p.m. with a visual arts gallery exhibit in the Times-Union Center lobby. The performance in the Moran Theater begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the Times-Union Box Office, by phoning Ticketmaster (904) 353-3309), or at www.ticketmaster.com.
