Sharron Miller's Academy for the Performing Arts (SMAPA) presents “Imagine“a dance benefit concert honoring Sam Huber

Sharron
Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts (SMAPA) presents

The
Performance Workshop Ensemble with Guests of SMAPA in

“Imagine”

And

Honors
Samuel Huber

Sharron Miller’s Academy
for the Performing Arts (SMAPA) will present the talented dancers of The
Performance Workshop Ensemble, along with other scholarship students from
SMAPA on Sunday, June 10^th at 3:00 at Hillside School, 54 Orange
Road, Montclair.  SMAPA is celebrating 16 years as a non-profit arts
education organization serving Montclair and neighboring communities.  All
proceeds from this concert will benefit Scholarship Funds which serve hundreds
of children each year.  This year SMAPA has chosen to honor Samuel Huber
for his consistent commitment and support of SMAPA and the Performance Workshop
Ensemble over the past 16 years.  SMAPA
is proud to graduate 3 senior members, Marisa Illingworth, Lauren Bomberg and
Shannon Toomey all of whom will attend colleges or universities in the
fall.  This year’s theme is IMAGINE. 

About
The Performance Workshop Ensemble

The
Performance Workshop Ensemble (PWE) is made up of gifted and talented young
dancers trained at SMAPA.  PWE members
present arts in education concert programs in various sites in Northern New Jersey, where they gain performance
experience while giving back to the community. 
The members range in age from 13-18 and come, not only from the
Montclair community, but from West Caldwell, East Orange and Newark.  This
year’s troupe of 9, all of whom benefit from the scholarship fund, will perform
works created specifically for them by artistic director Sharron Miller, guest
choreographer, Christopher Huggins, SMAPA faculty members,  Adrienne Armstrong, Lauren MacAllister and PWE
member Shannon Toomey. PWE members include: Vivian Belosky, Lauren Bomberg,
Marisa Illingworth, Olivia Lowe, Kyle Martin, Briana Marshall, Natalie
Marshall, Zaki Marshall and Shannon Toomey.  For the past three years, The
Stone Foundation has generously supported PWE. 

 About
The Works

The
list of works to be presented this season is packed with premieres and audience
favorites.  First up is the premiere of former
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater member Christopher Huggins’ Chaos , former Ailey principal dancer and SMAPA
faculty member Adrienne Armstrong’s Le Joie de Danse, Montclair State
University graduating senior, Lauren MacAllister’s 5013 and
Miller’s Praise.   This year SMAPA
proudly introduces members of the Junior Performance Workshop Ensemble in the
premiere of Miller’s Imagine. 

About
Our Honoree

For this season, Sharron Miller and SMAPA are pleased to honor a
longtime friend and supporter, Samuel Huber.  
Miller offers, SMAPA is
pleased to honor Samuel Huber for his commitment to our community, education,
the arts and especially for his support of SMAPA and the PWE over the past 16
years.  Samuel Huber has been involved with education for over 25 years.
 He is currently on faculty at Newark Academy in Livingston, NJ, has
taught at the university level, and was Head of School at the Montclair
Cooperative School.  With his wife, Cathy Weiss and daughters, and as
Montclair residents he discovered SMAPA and all that the school offers.  As a trustee of the Stone Foundation of New
Jersey, he has encouraged support for SMAPA, and is proud to have contributed
to its growth.  

About SMAPA

The mission of SMAPA is to provide
inclusive, comprehensive developmental training in dance and related theatre
arts to children, teens, and adults without regard to racial or cultural
ethnicity or economic background. SMAPA's philosophy of teaching focuses on
exploring and nurturing the creative possibilities within every student and is
designed to develop the whole person by building skills, stimulating
creativity, and fostering self-discipline and self-esteem.

SMAPA was founded in 1996 by Sharron Miller -
Juilliard-trained, former soloist with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and
Broadway veteran. Year-round training at SMAPA's facility is offered to more
than 1,000 students in four divisions: Preschool (2-5), Junior (6-11), Prep (12
-18), and the Adult division which includes a seniors exercise program in
addition to all other adult offerings. The most advanced students from the Prep
and Junior Divisions are invited to join PWE. Nine students on full merit-based
scholarship currently comprise the PWE, receiving the opportunity to work with
directors and choreographers on presentational material to be performed within
the community.  PWE, and the PWE Apprentice/Junior Program are supported
in part by a generous grant from The Stone Foundation. Beyond classes held at
the Montclair facility, SMAPA is committed to
developing and implementing meaningful customized in-school arts education
experiences with hundreds of young people in collaboration with area public
schools. 

Hillside School is located at 54 Orange Road
in Montclair.  Tickets are $20 General
Admission; $10 children (3-17) and senior citizens for Performance and
Reception.   Tickets can be purchased (charge, check or cash) at
SMAPA, online or at the door.  For
additional information call 973-655-9819 or visit www.smapa.org. 
This is a family-oriented performance.