Mar 27th, 2009. 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. 
Over twenty years of providing the Florida community with one of its most unique institutions of learning, New World School of the Arts (NWSA) will step up to the occasion with "Rising Stars," an all-out display of talent on Friday, March 27th, 2009. The evening begins with a free visual arts exhibition at the New World Gallery, followed by the performing arts showcase at the Gusman Theater. A Benefit Reception culminates the evening at the Bank of America Tower – Sky Lobby Terrace in downtown Miami.
This year the Rising Stars exhibition has taken a new and innovative approach. High school and college faculty members will recommend students that have demonstrated great talent and innovation to create artwork for the exhibition. Each student selected will be provided with a 10”x10” blank canvass to create their work. Sure to be as diverse as the student population at NWSA, these exhibited pieces will be sold that same night at the Rising Stars Benefit Reception to guests. All the proceeds from the sales of these works will benefit the high school and college visual arts programs.
Showcasing four works in this season’s repertoire, the Dance division will present excerpts from the high school and from the college divisions. “The Hunt” by Robert Battle, bears his trademark musicality and is an aggressive study of a primal hunting ritual. Originally commissioned by the Parsons Dance Company in 2001, this sextet of dancers in flowing black and red skirts leads the audience through a nonlinear and abstract trajectory showing preparatory rites of passage, tracking the prey, the chase and finally the kill. Meanwhile, the high school senior class will present Forced Entry an excerpt by Josée Garant, former director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Modern Dance Division. A dynamic and challenging piece, it is sure to exhilarate guests.
Robert Battle, a 1990 alum of NWSA high school founded Battleworks Dance Company in 2001, which premiered in August 2002 at the World Dance Alliance’s Global Assembly in Düsseldorf, Germany. Selected as the American representatives to the festival, the company was chosen for its unique outlook on the future of modern dance. Battleworks has performed extensively in New York City and across the country at such venues as The Joyce Theater, Dance Theater Workshop, American Dance Festival, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival.
The music division will be presenting its award winning performing ensembles including singers from the Opera Theater Ensemble performing the Act II Sextet from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, the Jazz Ensemble performing Indian Lady by Don Ellis, and additional performances by the department’s talented singers and instrumentalists.
Directed by the NWSA Dean of Theatre, Patrice Bailey, the theater division will showcase their main stage productions with excerpt presentations from “The Women” by Clare Boothe Luce, “Thoroughly Modern Millie” book by Richard Morris and dick Scanlan with new music by Jeanine Tesori and new lyrics by Dick Scanlan and “Titanic” book by Peter Stone, music and lyrics by Maury Ueston. “Mind, Body and Susan” a monologue written and performed by NWSA college senior Betsy Graver will also be staged.
A tradition at the Rising Stars performance, NWSA will present the “Alumnus of the Year” award to a successful alum that is working actively in his or her career. Representing the Theater division, Jencarlos Canela, a 2006 music theater, high school graduate from New World School of the Arts will receive the honors. A true example of what signifies talent and professionalism is the ascending artistic career of this young singer and actor, who at 20 years of age, has carried out more than 80 successful international concerts in countries such as Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic and The United States. Widely renowned nationally as the face and song author of car maker Ford’s “Ride it like a Ford” advertising campaign, Jencarlos has become one of the best known teen idols from South Florida. Canela, who will represent the Hispanic community while participating in charitable activities with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, will work alongside other renowned entertainment figures such as Robin Williams, Meryl Streep and Ben Stiler. His most recent work includes the dance extravaganza Miami Libre, where he gave the South Florida community yet another taste of his extraordinary talent as singer, dancer and actor.
New World School of the Arts
305.237.3559
www.mdc.edu/nwsa
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