YOUNG CHOREOGRAPHERS WILL GET OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE TALENTS

Choreography isn’t kid stuff--or is it?

This summer, a handful of aspiring dance makers have been holed in up the studio, getting on-the-job training in choreography during intensive workshop sessions sponsored by the California Ballet Company.

With young malleable bodies, culled primarily from the company school to serve as instruments for their kinetic visions, these fledgling choreographers have been practicing the art of composition and design and creating dance works of their own.

A few are veterans of choreography workshops, but others, including Kimberly Brown, 12, Cassandra Frankel, 13, and Kara Scott, 15, are finding their choreographic voices for the first time.

The fruits of their labor will be shown, and judged by a panel of experts, during the company’s annual choreographers’ concerts at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at San Diego City College Theater.

Cal Ballet’s Kathy Auten, an accomplished choreographer herself, is coordinating the summer program for the third consecutive year, and showcasing one of her own dances as well.

“I like taking a piece of music and trying to make the dancing I see in my head come alive. It’s really exciting. And many of these younger kids are here because of Maya’s success.” Maya Culbertson, a 13-year-old Cal Ballet student, has almost three years of choreographing for company recitals to her credit.

“She’s really doing well, and that has inspired many other youngsters to try choreographing,” said Auten during a rehearsal break at the studio.

Cassandra is creating the only solo work on the program--a modern ballet that had its genesis in a ballet configuration danced by the American Ballet Theatre. A champion ballroom dancer as well as an eight-year veteran of ballet training, Cassandra will dance her own design to the music of Leonard Bernstein.

Kimberly Brown, this year’s youngest participant, is trying to harness the energy and excitement of jazz jargon in the service of her high-velocity work, “We Got the Beat.” When the dance has its debut, the novice choreographer will be among the gyrating torsos and flailing limbs of the ensemble.

Auten has packed 12 pieces onto the weekend program, designed by 11 different choreographers (Brenda Bjornson, a third-year senior, is contributing two). The potpourri will feature ballet, modern dance and jazz.

“We try to do that because it’s more interesting to have a lot of variety,” said Auten.

Clarissa Mahon, 17, whose whimsical jazz works have made a hit with audiences in past choreographers’ concerts, is trying out some Pilobolus-like work for “Legs,” a zany piece that camouflages all but the dancers’ lower limbs to achieve its comic effect.

Director Maxine Mahon began these summer workshops in choreography because “training new choreographers and giving them performance opportunities are rare occurrences. They don’t even do it in other cities except for mature dancers. Where can these young kids get a chance to learn?”

As Mahon pointed out, the Cal Ballet training program is gaining momentum, and interest is spreading to students outside the San Diego area.

“Last year, we gave cash awards for the first time, and as the cash awards get bigger, we’ll attract more experienced choreographers. We want to reach people who have never worked on stage before. They’re the ones that really need this opportunity.”