ARC School of Ballet
Marie Chong
(206) 352-0798
www.arcschoolofballet.org

The Dolls from Nutcracker Sweets
Performers:
Ballerina Doll - Amanda Loh
Harlequin Dolls - Audrey Warn and Vini Standridge
Soldier Doll - Kiri Kungl

Arc School of Ballet (ASB) opened its doors at the Crown Hill Center in July 2004. The school was founded to be an intimate educational training facility for classical ballet and the professional field of dance. It is also the associated school of the resident professional company, ARC Dance.

Since 2004 Arc School of Ballet has educated over 1500+ dancers that are currently dance ambassadors working with or supporting professional performing arts companies around the world.www.arcschoolofballet.org

Flamenco Gitana and Students
Maria Gitana
(206) 706-7396, gitanamaria@aol.com
www.flamencogitana.com

Flamenco Gitana has been part of the Crown Hill Center since 2004. Maestra Maria Gitana teaches Flamenco-Spanish dance and directs the professional performance company specializing in educational programs. Maestra Gitana has been awarded the Youth Arts Program grant for the second time from the Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural affairs to present free dance workshops and programming for youth. Openings for participants are still available.

Performing at the Crown Hill Arts Festival are Flamenco Gitana company members: John Bussoletti, guitarra, Seema Bahl, cante, Natalie Strazzera, bailora, and Maria Gitana, director/baile, with student performers: Zina Sangirova and Maria Michurina.

Melinda Shiraz
Shahrazad Dance Ensemble is one of Seattle’s leading troupes presenting folkloric dances from North Africa, the Levant and the Persian Gulf States. The six-member troupe rehearses at the Crown Hill Center. Melinda Shiraz has been performing folkloric Middle Eastern dances for many years and performs a dance style called khalegee. In Kuwait, where women’s parties are often held separately from men’s parties, women sometimes wear a beautiful party dress thob al nashaal which is based on traditional dresses that were worn for weddings and celebrations. The song is performed by Abdul Majeed Abdullah.

Morgan & Graves
The folk duo Morgan and Graves features their own engaging original songs as well as selections from a wide range of musical traditions. Bob Morgan is a Seattle songwriter and guitarist who has been performing and composing songs since he first heard the Beatles. Lynn will find a route to your heart with her fiddle playing and harmony vocals. Bob and Lynn are also members of the Irish group Carolan’s Corner. Their music can be heard at Northwest art and folk festivals as well as Puget Sound coffeehouses.

Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society
(206) 682-0796
www.pattersong.org

The Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society, whose rehearsal hall and scene shop are in the Crown Hill Center, performs the works of Gilbert & Sullivan (G&S) each summer at the Bagley Wright Theatre, Seattle Center.
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For the festival, a troupe of principals and chorus will present a variety of songs: love songs, patter songs, and funny songs from The Mikado, Iolanthe, HMS Pinafore & Gondoliers. Principal singers include: Rachel Brinn, John Brookes, Hayley Gaarde, Alyce Rogers, Dave Ross (who is also the evening’s M.C.), and James Walters. Glenda Williams is the accompanist.

Theresa Elliott
(206) 782-9642
www.tajyoga.com

Theresa Elliott is director of Taj Yoga (www.tajyoga.com) and co-director of Pacific Yoga Teacher Training (www.pacificyoga.com). She has taught yoga in Seattle for 25 years, teaches nationally, and focuses on the needs of regional instructors.

Theresa began dancing in college while working on her music degree. She enjoys almost any form of dance, and her favorites include Argentine Tango, Hula Hooping and Platform work. She will be performing two solo platform pieces: "Fishermen's Lore" and companion piece, "The Undertaker and His Charge". Rich Williams will be turning the large Portcullis Gears in "The Undertaker and His Charge", courtesy of Gilbert & Sullivan.