S.D. Dancers Getting Ready to Hit the Road

When summertime comes to San Diego, many of the movers and shakers in the local dance community hit the road. Some trek halfway around the world to play musical chairs with other dancers or to take part in summer-only activities.

This year, the annual summer exodus will take Jean Isaacs of Three’s Company and Patricia Rincon of Jazz Unlimited off to Europe, ex-Twyla Tharp dancer John Malashock to a festival in Colorado, and Patricia Sandback and Cate Bell to Humboldt State University for its annual summer workshops among the California redwoods.

Isaacs is a newcomer on the European circuit. Some visiting dancers who developed a taste for modern movement on the Continent were instrumental in getting Isaacs’ appointment, after they took classes with her in San Diego.

“The Europeans love modern dance,” said Isaacs, “and they’re hungry for instruction. I’ll be going to Zurich, Lugano and Bern, Switzerland, to teach and choreograph. I’m also taking two of our dancers (Terri Shipman and Faith Jensen) along to give some informal performances in low-tech settings.

Malashock’s Tharp connection opened doors for him at the Colorado Dance Festival in Boulder, where the dancer/choreographer will teach classes and workshops alongside the likes of Sara Rudner (another Tharp alumnus) and distinguished dance critic and author Deborah Jowitt.

Sandback, a San Diego State University dance professor, designed and coordinated CSU Summer Arts ’88. The intensive summer program gives dance students from around the country a chance to study with top-notch dance names, such as Laura Dean and Jennifer Muller.

Meanwhile, dancemakers from other parts of the country will be making brief pilgrimages to San Diego, to teach workshops and perform on local stages.

Three’s Company’s Lo-Tec series will bring a parade of visiting artists to San Diego all summer long, beginning with the weekend performances by Gary Palmer Dance Company. The five-member, Bay Area-based modern dance troupe will perform at 8:30 p.m. on June 18 and 19 at Three’s Company’s Hillcrest studio.

If you’d rather get into the act, brush up on your ballroom dancing because the Del Mar Fair is ready to give you a spot in the limelight.

On Thursday, June 23, the fair will feature a dance competition to single out the best local dancers of tango, waltz, fox trot, polka and swing. The five winning couples will then go on to compete in a dance-off with a live big band orchestra.

The dancing is due to begin in front of the Community Stage at 4 p.m. KPBS “Pacific Ballroom” host, Al Deahl will emcee the contest.