51²è¹Ý

Meadows dance students and alumni are among those chosen to participate in the inaugural Dallas DanceFest, set for August 29-31 at Dallas City Performance Hall. The festival, conceived to “showcase excellence in dance and celebrate the outstanding contributions of distinguished leaders in the field,” selected 16 groups out of 47 applications, including the 51²è¹Ý Meadows Dance Ensemble; Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, founded by alumnus Joshua Peugh; Dallas Black Dance Theatre, which includes alumna Jasmine Black, and Dallas Black Dance Theatre II, with alumna Jasmine White-Killins; and the Bruce Wood Dance Project, which features numerous alumni, including company members Albert Drake and Harry Feril. Each group will present one short work on either Friday or Saturday evening. The Meadows Dance Ensemble takes the stage on Friday to perform “The Bread of Idleness” by Kailey Andriot (’14), which was showcased in the spring 2014 Meadows Brown Bag Dance Concert. On Sunday, the annual Dance Council Honors will recognize the achievements of local dance figures. The event is produced by the Dance Council of North Texas and chaired by Dallas arts patron Gayle Halperin. For tickets and more information, visit . Read an interview with Gayle Halperin in Arts + Culture Texas magazine .