Before a sold-out Zellerbach Theatre, the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago opened Dance Affiliates 2001-2002 season last weekend.
Dance Affiliates, a nonprofit organization aimed at bringing dance to Penn and the Philadelphia community, is run by 1967 College graduate Randy Swartz. In his nineteenth year as the Dance Affiliates director, he said he feels strongly that this season will be top notch.
"We're trying to bring as much world class dance to Philadelphia and try and get people to come and give dance a try," said Swartz. "Most people have a preconceived notion of dance and usually those perceptions are absolutely shattered during the show."
With 12 to 14 productions and over fifty performances a season, the group brings the greatest number of performances to the Philadelphia area.
"I don't know that a lot of people at Penn know that," Swartz said. "New York gets much more publicity for that."
Swartz, who is embarking on his thirtieth season in the dance community, said he enjoys his position as an advocate for the arts. He earned a "Best of Philadelphia" award for dance presentation in 1999.
Students present at Hubbard Street's opening raved about the dance production. This was the company's second annual appearance in Dance Affiliates.
"It was funky," College freshman Jame Corrar said. "It looked like a lot of fun."
Dance Affiliates, though a separate entity from Annenberg itself, works closely with the Center, presenting all shows at the location.
"Dance companies love to come to Annenberg, especially Zellerbach," said Swartz. "It has very dedicated and enthusiastic audiences."
Hubbard Street, sponsored by Dance Affiliates, offered a master dance class to Penn students last Saturday morning.
"People just need to be helped along with the arts," Swartz said.
While last weekend's audiences hailed the show, many students on campus were not even aware of Dance Affiliates.
"I don't really attend performing arts shows with the exception of Mask and Wig," College junior Mitchell Clayton said. "Dance doesn't interest me very much."
And even theater fans did not know of the dance group either.
"I really like a capella and all other sorts of performing arts, but I've never heard of Dance Affiliates," College freshman Emily Roumm said.
