TOWSON, MD – Baltimore County Public Schools dance students and teachers are participating in the annual Take A Leap Baltimore County Dance Celebration.

This year’s celebration, taking place through February 29, features national and regional professional performers, master classes with guest artists, and showcases of local student dance and choreography.

Featured performances at the Gordon Center include contemporary dance from NYC-based Ballet Hispánico Company, America’s leading Latinx dance organization.

More than 500 BCPS students will attend a student-only performance by the Ballet Hispánico Company. The students will come from Shady Spring Elementary School; Deep Creek, Franklin, Loch Raven Technical, Pikesville, Stemmers Run, and Sudbrook Magnet middle schools; and Lansdowne, Milford Mill, New Town, Overlea, Owings Mills, and Pikesville high schools.

In addition, the company will visit the following BCPS schools to offer master classes:

Wednesday, Feb. 19
Franklin High 8:30 – 9:55 a.m.
Franklin Middle 8:50 – 9:40 a.m.
Milford Mill Academy 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Pikesville Middle 10:59 a.m. – 1:04 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 20
Owings Mills High 9 – 10:26 a.m.
Pikesville High 9:15 – 10:40 a.m.
Southwest Academy 11:08 a.m. – 12:43 p.m.
Sudbrook Magnet Middle 11:40 a.m. – 12:55 p.m.

“As a former dancer, I’m thrilled to be a part of this celebration of the diversity of the dance community on the global, national and local stage,” said Sara Shalva, chief arts officer at the Gordon Center, “For me, dance is a unique and meaningful expression of marriage between movement and music that is both powerful and vulnerable, and there’s nothing quite like the visceral experience of the live performance! It’s a pleasure to work with colleagues from Towson University, Goucher College, Community College of Baltimore County, Baltimore County Public Schools, and the Baltimore County Commission on Arts and Culture.”

“Take A Leap is a celebration of dance in Baltimore,” said Sonia Synkowski, who serves as president of the Maryland Dance Education Association, and executive director for The Collective Dance Company, as well as a dance resource teacher for BCPS. “We are thrilled to bring both professional dancers and community dancers to the Gordon Center stage for this Baltimore dance highlight.”

The Take a Leap Baltimore County Dance Celebration also includes showcases of local up and coming student dancers and choreographers. BCPS students will perform at the following upcoming events:

Baltimore County Public Schools Student Choreography Showcase
Thursday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m.
Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts, 8100 Wise Ave., 21222
Tickets: $5 adults, $3/student and seniors. Tickets available at the door, cash or check only.
Participating schools for this year’s showcase are Deep Creek Middle, Deer Park Middle Magnet, Dundalk High, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology, Lansdowne High, Milford Mill Academy, Owings Mills High, Parkville High, Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts, Stemmers Run Middle, and Sudbrook Magnet Middle. As part of the showcase day, students will take master classes facilitated by ClancyWorks Dance Company and receive feedback on their work. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Patapsco Dance Boosters.

3rd Annual Dance Your Heart Out Charity Concert (hosted by The Moving Company Dance Center)
Saturday, Feb. 8, at 7 p.m.
Hereford High School, 17301 York Rd., 21120
Tickets: $10 adults, $5 children under 8, free children under 3. Tickets available at the door.
Dancers from The Moving Company Ensembles, Hereford High School Dance Company, Dulaney High School Dance Company, and Sudbrook Middle Magnet Dancers will perform to benefit the One Love Foundation.

Baltimore Dances!
Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 7:30 p.m.
Gordon Center for Performing Arts, 3506 Gwynnbrook Ave., 21117
Tickets: $22 in advance, $27 at the door.
From West African to contemporary ballet, the artists and dance companies selected to perform in this professional dance showcase representing the best and brightest of the local dance community. Dancers from New Town and Owings Mills high schools will perform as a pre-show for this showcase.

Maryland Dance Alliance
Friday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. (Snow date: March 3)
Gordon Center for Performing Arts, 3506 Gwynnbrook Ave., 21117
Tickets: $10 general admission, tickets available at the door.
The Maryland Dance Education Association presents an engaging program of high school student and community dancers from throughout the state.

The full Take a Leap calendar and ticket information are available online. The full calendar includes performances of Ballet Hispánico and The Snow Queen at Gordon Center; the Baltimore Dance Project at UMBC; and Goucher Repertory Dance at Goucher College.

The Take a Leap Baltimore County Dance Celebration is presented by the Baltimore County Commission on Arts & Sciences in partnership with the Gordon Center for Performing Arts and the Baltimore region’s dance community.