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Pepperdine’s Dance in Flight Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Dance in Flight will once again soar into Smothers Theatre for its 20th anniversary performances taking place Thursday to Saturday, Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, at 8 p.m., with a matinee on Feb. 2 at 2 p.m. 

The annual performance will showcase student dancers from various backgrounds, interests, and fields of study.

"For our 20th anniversary, we celebrate 'The Journey,'" says director Bill Szobody. "This year, we have personally invited Dance in Flight alumni and past directors to attend our final performance on Saturday. I'm very excited to see the whole DIF family together, old and new, celebrating the creation and continuation of this wonderful organization."

Szobody continues, "We express our gratefulness for the experiences we've had, the memories we've collected, and the friends we've met along the way. On this journey, we discover something about ourselves as we learn to embrace and accept the uniqueness within each of us."

Dance in Flight exists to provide a safe environment in which emerging dancer/choreographers can cultivate creativity, physical expression, and teamwork in a professional performing atmosphere. These talented students are brought together by their passion and desire to dance.

Through creating choreography, casting and rehearsing dances, and collaborating with lighting and costume designers, students develop significant leadership skills, which become useful in all aspects of adult life. Mentored and directed by Szobody, the students rehearse and train every weekend, instilling a sense of discipline. Finally, the dancers discover the pride of accomplishment when they demonstrate what they have learned in their annual performance in the Smothers Theatre.

Dance in Flight began in 1993 with 10 students performing in front of a modest crowd in the small Lindhurst Theatre. Every year since, the grassroots, student-run production has grown in size and scope. With sold-out performances every year, Dance in Flight has become a campus favorite.

At the beginning of the year, several professional guest teachers come to Pepperdine to assist Dancein Flight dancers though master classes, choreography workshops, and general consultations.

All performances are in Smothers Theatre on the Malibu campus. Tickets are $20 for the public and Pepperdine faculty and staff; $10 for Pepperdine students. For more information visit the Center for the Arts Web site, or to get involved in Dance In Flight, contact Bill Szobody. To order tickets, call (310) 506-4522 or visit the Smothers Theatre Box Office.