- LAURA BLEIBERG, LOS ANGELES TIMES

HISTORY AND PARTNERSHIPS

Backhausdance is the recipient of 10 Lester Horton Awards from Dance Resource Center of Los Angeles for achievements in choreography, design and performance, quickly establishing the company to the forefront of Southern California contemporary dance. Backhausdance also offers concert pieces with a focus on younger audiences that includes a master class workshop. In 2012, Backhausdance was honored with the Outstanding Arts Organization award from Arts Orange County. 

Backhausdance has performed extensively nationwide as well as internationally on its first European tour in 2017 in venues such as Teatro Verdi in Pisa, Italy; Teatr Collegium Nobilium in Warsaw, Poland;  Schimmel Center at Pace University, New York; Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre, British Columbia; Pinedale Performing Arts Center, Wyoming; and Joyce SoHo, New York.

In Orange County, and throughout Southern California, the company has been part of the Irvine Barclay Theatre's dance@theBarclay series; performed at Musco Center for the Arts at Chapman University, been presented by Old Town Temecula Community Theater, the Carpenter Performing Arts Center, and appeared on the Studio Series at South Coast Repertory, Fall for Dance at Segerstrom Center for the Arts,Laguna Dance Festival, Celebrate Dance at the Alex Theatre, and the Los Angeles Arts Holiday Celebration at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. As artist-in-residence, Backhausdance has worked with Brigham Young University, Chapman University, Moorpark College, and Santa Ana College, and as guest artist for the California Dance Educators Association.

CULTIVATING THE NEXT GENERATION

Integral to the company’s mission is its commitment to providing extensive education and community programs, providing a variety of education programs for K-12 schools, higher education and community organizations, reaching thousands of students, teachers, emerging, advanced and professional dancers, families, and adults and seniors each year. Program formats include assemblies, workshops, residencies, master classes, the annual summer intensive dance program for teens, pre-professional and advanced dancers, lecture-demonstrations, and site-specific work in the community. The company is committed to advancing career pathways through its apprenticeship and ambassador program and providing scholarships to over half of the students in the annual summer dance program, reaching over 150 students each year.