Underground Arts Connection

UAC is proud to announce that founder and artistic director, Terry Fox, has been selected to participate in a Debbie Allen tribute program, May 23, 2009 at Aaron Davis Hall in Harlem.

Terry is one of only three choreographers selected to premier original choreography for this event. In addition, members of UTC's pre-professional company may be invited to dance in the program. More details, including performance and ticket information, will be coming soon. Congratulations, Terry, for this exceptional opportunity!

All eyes were on Beijing earlier this year, as the world finally got a long-awaited peak into the historically closed-off country of China during the 2008 Olympics. Now, top officials at the Beijing Dance Academy are setting their eyes across the world - to Underground Arts Connection, a private performing arts studio and training center in St. Charles, IL.

On November 2 Terry Fox, UAC's founder and artistic director, returned from Beijing - a little beary-eyed and jet-lagged, but victorious after his studio made a solid impression among the world's top dance academies at the 2008 Beijing Ballet Invitational. Fox was invited to participate in the exclusive, invitation-only event, and chose one of his students, Amanda Faas, to represent his studio. This week long invitational took place Oct. 25-Nov 1, and included about 100 of the top amateur dancers in the world, representing about 30 countries.

The Beijing Academy was so impressed with the caliber of Fox's choreography and teaching methods that he was one of only a few teachers invited to teach master classes at the Academy. In addition, he has been invited to return to the Academy - as well as several other countries, including Iceland, Great Britain, Italy, Canada, and Australia - to lead seminars and master classes in 2009 and beyond.

Amanda Faas was one of only three American dancers to participate in the Beijing Ballet Invitational, and finished as a semi-finalist. Fox prepared Amanda with four classical variations and one contemporary piece. Her classical variations were: Don Quixote, Esmerelda, La Bayadere, La Grand Pas Classique. Her contemporary number was original Fox choreography, titled, "Faas."

Earlier this year, Amanda, who recently turned 18, took first place in the Youth America Grand Prix's Midwest Regional competition, and went on to win a place as a top 20 finalist at the YAGP Finals in New York City.

In February, Fox will be taking an ensemble of dancers from his pre-professional company to Berlin, Germany, to compete in the 2009 TANZOLYMP Dance Festival.

This summer, Fox will be taking his pre-professional company to Ischia, Italy, where he is holding his 2009 International Step to the Stage Seminar. Many of the performers and teachers from the Beijing Invitational will be participating in Fox's seminar.

Terry Fox (center) and Charlene Campell (left) of the Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre, pose with a men's advanced ballet classes during the 2008 Beijing Ballet Invitational.