In focus: Dancers dazzle at Dance Festival Northwest in Centralia

The Southwest Washington Dance Center hosted the 31st annual Dance Festival Northwest Saturday, March 22, at the Corbet Theatre on the Centralia College campus. 

Dance Festival Northwest brings dance companies from around the Pacific Northwest to the Centralia and Chehalis area.

This year, the featured performers and guest master teachers  were Arcadian Broad and Taylor Sambola. The married couple comes from their base in New York City. Broad has many film and television credits, including “America’s Got Talent” and “The Ellen Show,” along with principal and soloist roles with professional ballet companies internationally. Sambola trained at many prestigious ballet schools nationally and danced professionally with the Miami City Ballet, The Ellison Ballet in New York City and the Orlando Ballet.

The host company, under the direction of Artistic Director Brianna Jones, was the Southwest Washington Dance Ensemble. The Dance Ensemble has performed for over 42 years for audiences at the Lewis County Community Concerts, the Miss Lewis County Pageant, The Nutcracker Ballet, the Northwest Wind Symphony and the Merce Cunningham Tribute.

They have also danced at Dancepalooza in Seattle, the Dance to Make a Difference Charity Gala and the Olympia Dance Festival.

The ensemble also tours every spring, with a production for elementary schools in greater Lewis County and South Thurston County.

Learn more about the Southwest Washington Dance Center at  www.swwdance.org.