Steffi Nossen Community Concerts and Benefit

White Plains, NY- The Steffi Nossen School of Dance (SNSD) is celebrating its 79th Annual Benefit Week, March 31 – April 2nd. The three day dance concert series includes two nights of Community Concerts culminating in Saturday evening’s Benefit Concert and accompanying Silent Auction, a gala fundraiser featuring the school’s top pre-professional ensembles. Attendance at the Community Concerts is free for clients of local rehabilitation, social service and community organizations.

The Concerts will take place at the SUNY Purchase Performing Arts Center. Curtain time for the Thursday and Friday Community Concerts is 6:00 PM. The Saturday Gala curtain is 8:00 PM, preceded by cocktails and a Silent Auction viewing which begins at 6:00 PM.

The Gala will honor Kathleen Fitzgerald, until recently the School Director of the Steffi Nossen School of Dance. Ms. Fitzgerald will receive the award in recognition of her Outstanding Contributions to the Steffi Nossen Community. A Steffi Nossen faculty member since 2000, she served as School Director from 2004 to 2015 and continues to lead the school’s Ballet program. Prior to joining the Steffi Nossen family, Ms. Fitzgerald was a principal dancer and Company Ballet Mistress with the Frankfurt Ballet. She was also a soloist with Netherlands Dance Theater I and Assistant Director of Netherlands Dance Theater II, touring internationally with both companies and creating and performing works by many distinguished choreographers including Jiří Kylián, William Forsythe, Hans Van Manen, Nacho Duato, Matts Ek, Bruce Marks, Jennifer Muller, Louis Falco, Christopher Bruce, and more. Ms. Fitzgerald, who holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from the North Carolina School of the Arts, has taught for major European dance companies. She continues to be an active member of the Westchester artistic community: teaching, choreographing, and serving as the Production Manager for the Copland House concerts at Merestead.

Ms. Fitzgerald has said of her time here, “I feel that I’ve found a home at Steffi Nossen, an organization whose mission includes dancers of all abilities and stresses the importance of family, community and mentoring. I believe in the synchronicity of finding employment and creative opportunities at Steffi Nossen and that Steffi Nossen was right. “Jeder kan und soll tanzen”, “Everyone can and should dance”.”

Executive Director Kaylen Giannini says, “Kathy arrived at Steffi Nossen in 2000 and forever changed our school for the better. She cares deeply about every student and imparts the joy of dance to all. Kathy danced for three decades in Europe for the celebrated boundary pushing and avant-garde choreographers, William Forsythe and Jiří Kylián. Although I don’t think our students ever fully appreciated her experience, our faculty were instantly drawn to Kathy and entrusted her completely as a mentor and friend. Kathy’s passion for ballet and the values of the Steffi Nossen method will be her lasting legacy. This recognition is deeply deserved and we will honor her in a style reflective of her impact on our school.”

The Steffi Nossen Dance Foundation has long fostered its relationships with the community. Committed to the idea of “give, give, get”, the non-profit SNDF expresses their community spirit through annual Benefit Week Community Concerts. Before turning their attention to the gala Benefit Concert performance and their own fundraising efforts, Steffi Nossen School of Dance Master Class and Company dancers share the joy of dance with clients of many of Westchester’s most active social service organizations. The audience at the March 31st and April 1st Community Concerts will include clients of Westchester ARC, The Osborn, Westchester Jewish Community Services, Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester, The Village of Rye Brook Community Center and Port Chester’s Young Adult Institute among others.

Presented will be premieres of new work by New York City-based professional guest choreographers Caterina Rago (Martha Graham Dance Company), Beatrice Capote (Camille A. Brown and Dancers), and
Cameron McKinney (Kizuna 絆 Dance

Ms. Capote is known for work that is infused with African, ballet, modern, and jazz. She is currently on faculty at the Ailey School, Joffrey Ballet, and Montclair State University and works with Camille A. Brown and Dancers. McKinney, the Artistic Director of Kizuna 絆 Dance, is the creator of Loft Technique – a unique blend of house dance, street dance styles, and contemporary floor work. Catarina Rago, a former member of the Martha Graham Company has performed work by Robert Battle, Pearl Lang, and Virginie Mecene and was the Principal Dancer of the Off-Broadway Show “Spider Dance.” Her own work was selected for the White Wave Rising Series Festival 2011, Kat Wildish’s NYC Showcase at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, NYC Dance Week 2012 at Dixon Place and recently danced and choreographed at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

They will join Steffi Nossen School of Dance faculty choreographer/teachers Annie Doss and Fatima Logan who are creating new work on the school’s Master Classes.

A highlight of the evening will be a new work by Steffi Nossen Dance Foundation Artistic Director Jessica DiMauro, created as a tribute to honoree and fellow Mt. Kisco resident Kathleen Fitzgerald, and performed by the nine graduating seniors of the Steffi Nossen Dance Company.

Tickets to the Community Concerts and Benefit Concert are available to the general public. Prices for the Community Concerts are $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors; groups of 10 or more receive a 20% discount. Benefit Concert tickets range from $50 – $175. Tickets can be purchased online at www.steffinossen.org or by calling 914-328-1900.

About Steffi Nossen Dance Foundation:
The Steffi Nossen Dance Foundation, formerly the Dance in Education Fund, is a not-for-profit dance advocacy and community outreach organization, which seeks to foster the arts in Westchester County. The Foundation supports and promotes arts, allowing for dance education and performances to be available to broad and diverse populations. Through significant artist support, outreach classes and free performances, the Foundation introduces dance to traditionally underserved children and adults. Through the support of the Foundation, the Steffi Nossen School of Dance enables all students, including those with special needs, the opportunity to participate in their extensive programs and classes in a non-competitive environment. A generous financial aid and scholarship program supports those with significant economic challenges. With a sterling reputation in the industry and a rich 79-year history, Steffi Nossen is a leader among dance schools, focusing on the growth of students’ mind, body, spirit, and character.

Shown is Steffi Nossen Dance Company member Gwendolyn Elkin in ‘Labir Into”.
Photo Credit: Ellen Crane

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