Backhausdance in Residence
at the Maple Conservatory of Dance

Artistic Director Jennifer Backhaus Also Joins Conservatory Faculty

June 25, 2010

The Maple Conservatory of Dance is proud to announce that Backhausdance, Orange County’s award-winning contemporary dance company, will officially be in residence at our Irvine location beginning this fall! We are also honored to welcome Backhausdance Artistic Director, Jennifer Backhaus to our Conservatory faculty as well as Backhausdance Rehearsal Assistant & Ballet Mistress, Kim Olmos..

Backhausdance is one of the most sought-after and distinguished modern dance companies in North America. Ms. Backhaus founded Backhausdance in 2003 with the mission to create art excellence and further educate the community about the relevance and vitality of concert dance.

Recently recognized by Joyce SoHo in New York as one of seven emerging dance companies in North America to watch, Backhausdance has performed extensively at venues and festivals throughout the U.S. including the INBOUND Festival at the Joyce SoHo in New York, Fall for Dance at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, the Laguna Dance Festival, the Los Angeles Arts Holiday Celebration at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and the Celebrate Dance Festival at the Alex Theatre in Glendale.

Ms. Backhaus’ works have been commissioned and produced by the Los Angeles Ballet, the McCallum Theatre, Orange County Performing Arts Center, Utah Regional Ballet, Chapman University, Impact Dance Theater, TDC of the Bay Area, Brigham Young University, among others. For Backhausdance she has created twelve pieces, three of which (Sitting on January, Love and Other Impossibilities and Shift) have received multiple Lester Horton Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography. Ms. Backhaus was recently honored by Chapman University, where she is a faculty member of the dance department.

Backhausdance offers a diverse repertory featuring powerful and athletic dances, emotionally-charged dramatic pieces as well as whimsical, humorous glimpses at the human experience. Its repertory also offers concert pieces that focus on younger audiences, including master class workshops.

As part of Backhausdance in residence at the Maple Conservatory of Dance, the company will offer open company classes, create and rehearse new works, perform its repertory and interface with our Conservatory students through workshops and choreography.

"This residency gives Backhausdance a permanent home in Orange County while providing our Conservatory students a close and continuous exposure to a professional dance company as part of their training," states Maple Conservatory Director Charles Maple. "This residency will be unique in the Southern California dance community and its arrangement provides a perfect artistic synergy that will benefit both Backhausdance and the Maple Conservatory of Dance."

"I am excited and energized by the opportunity to work with Charles and the Maple Conservatory of Dance. This relationship will enable Backhausdance to continue its growth artistically and organizationally, while maintaining a solid connection with local student dancers and the Orange County community," said Ms. Backhaus.

The Maple Conservatory staff & faculty believe that having Backhausdance in residence will further enhance and enrich the artistic and cultural fabric in Southern California and provide opportunities for dance students and audiences everywhere.

Visit Backhausdance.org »