North County Dance Arts – Elevate 2016 San Diego Theatre Review

North County Dance Arts, founded almost four decades ago, and continually directed by Tanya and Louis McKay, presented their annual recital performances, this year’s titled Elevate, at the Mandeville Center Auditorium on Saturday, July 30, 2016. Only minutes from Downtown San Diego, with plenty of free parking, this venue has one of the largest stages in San Diego needed to accommodate this cast of hundreds.

A recital means every student taking classes at this studio gets a chance to be on stage during the performance. Which usually means the quality of the entertainment is diluted to the point that only parents and blood related family members can attend and last through the endless numbers necessary to get every child on and off the stage.

Tonight’s presentation of Elevate was so good from opening bell to closing finale, that it will be nominated for Rob Appel’s Bravo San Diego Award for the Best Dance Concert in the greater San Diego area for the 2016 Season.

That puts this event on par, entertainment wise, with the best Dance companies touring the world, some from San Diego, featuring the best dancers, with the biggest budgets.

Unfortunately, for individual performers and certain above standout performances, that means I cannot single out all worthy for mention. There were close to 40 separate numbers that each made their special contribution. On my notes I put an * by each selection I wish to give special attention to in the review. I count over twenty numbers that qualify. If given their due this review would be the length of a novel.

Every style of dance, executed at every level is represented. Tap, Ballet, Hip Hop, Belly Dance, Musical Comedy, acrobatics, Modern, Jazz…you name it… It is studied, encouraged, and perfected here. You only get to stay in training, for this performance, until you graduate from high school, and every graduating senior in this program for the last four years we have been attending this event, has already been accepted to some prestigious University…So…Where do you want your child spending your money and their time training for dance, theatre and life in general? When everyone associated with this performance is standing on stage supported by everyone in the audience, I can see that I would choose this group to be the ones saved for the future of humanity unlike those inanely chosen on the TV series “Wayward Pines”. No one wants to tear you apart and eat you, when they are standing on their feet applauding your performance.

The stage craft tonight was impeccable. Only one tap number really suffered from too loud music. Those waiting in the wings for entrances were almost invisible. One number followed the next with almost perfect timing. When delays rarely occur, the audience gets to scream for Louis to fill up the time with his own expert dance. The audience, with many young children, were given instructions as to how to behave (and they did). Numbers that had less trained performers were shortened to the perfect length so the show didn’t drag. Left and right turns were balanced intentionally so the choreography was over-all brilliant…And though the performance lasted around three hours, Joan and I and everyone were enthralled throughout.

Tapping, and North County Dance Arts is the undisputed tap capital of Southern California, is like dancing on ice. In one selection a solo tap dancer fell executing a triple turn. Louis, our host, at the end came on stage, wrapped his arms around her in consolation, and had her do the entire number over so she could conclude the evening in success. I thought she was great in the first and even better in the second. Tears were running down my cheeks in gratitude for being there in that moment. They probably planned out the whole sequence…I hate it when, in joy, I cry in public, which tonight I did again and again.

If you love to dance, or enjoy watching dance or theatre, this annual event is one to schedule. If you wish to study as an adult or are under the age of eighteen (training at NCDA starts at around 3 years of age)…or have a child or friend who has some talent and/or the discipline to train, practice and rehearse, then this is one studio you really must consider when choosing your course of theatre training options.

The final numbers featured the teachers and staff. These dancers/performers were world class. Why not include them more in the overall presentation? Actually, since I don’t have to do anything but write a review, when will you present a concert (or two) featuring all who study, teach, or who have passed under your umbrella. What is billed as one of the best recitals in the world…Which it is… could be expanded into what might be one of the best dance concerts in the world…Which it could become!!!

It is certainly on our schedule as among the annual must see presentations in our fabulously talented dance community.

For information on class schedules, seminars, competitions, performances and volunteer possibilities that will put you among one of the premier dance theatre operations of our times…visit www.NorthCountyDanceArts.com   email ncdancearts@aol.com  or  CALL 1-858-792-9303.
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Louis McKay is President of North County DanceArts, Inc. located in Carmel Valley and currently trains 400 students from ages 3 to 93 years of age.  Louis has performed and taught Master dance and musical theater classes in 42 of our 50 states and Europe and South Africa. In 1980, Louis McKay opened Louis McKay Dance Studio, later to become North County DanceArts, Inc., which is a teaching facility that is best known for its professional teaching staff and quality dance training. Dancers from beginning level to professional are taught technique, terminology, and discipline in a nurturing and fun environment. Louis currently lives in Carmel Valley San Diego with his wife Tanya and is the proud father of four grown children and two grandchildren. Louis and Tanya McKay also own DanceHearts, a 501 (c) (3) Public Charity called Bells of Freedom Program, serves military men, women and their families by providing emergency care and support, back to school backpack program, vehicle donations and the annual “The Big Thank You” Military Holiday Event.