Wooden Floor alumna leads rehearsals for new performance at Irvine Barclay Theatre
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Jocelyn Magaña Murillo first performed on the Irvine Barclay stage as a young dance student in the Wooden Floor’s annual concert.
“It made me feel bigger than I was,” said Murillo, in a statement.
The confidence she gained dancing in the blackbox theater as a young girl is part of the Wooden Floor’s mission.
The Santa Ana-based nonprofit, founded in 1983, is more than a dance studio. The privately-funded creative youth development organization gives students the chance to dance their way to higher education by empowering underserved students through its year-round, holistic model. Designed to serve families with financial need at no charge, the Wooden Floor puts dance education and performance at the core of its program because the creative expression can transform the way students see themselves, just as it did for Murillo.
Performance opportunities play a large role in that confidence building and the Irvine Barclay Theatre has been a longtime ally of the Wooden Floor, providing performance space for dance students.
“The Wooden Floor has been a steadfast and inspirational partner since our opening in 1990,” said Michelle Brouwer, director of programming for Irvine Barclay Theatre in a statement. “Thousands of the Wooden Floor students have built their confidence, shared their passion, and shone in the spotlight as a part of their annual concert at Irvine Barclay Theatre.”
The Irvine Barclay will celebrate its 35th anniversary on Jan. 23 with a new performance titled “Ignite Dance” that will include the Wooden Floor’s current students.
“Having the Barclay as our performance home for over three decades lends special meaning to being included as a part of the ‘Ignite Dance’ event,” said Dawn S. Reese, the Wooden Floor chief executive officer, in a statement. “The Barclay is one of the premiere stages for dance in Southern California, and it upholds our guiding principle for our students that when we give them the best, they rise to their best.”
Murillo is participating too, this time as rehearsal director.
Murillo graduated from the Wooden Floor in 2017 and went on to earn her bachelor of fine arts in dance at Cal State Long Beach. After graduating from college, she spent a year in New York City training in the Limón professional studies program. In a full circle moment, she returned to the Wooden Floor to join the organization’s dance education faculty. Now, she is helping young dancers find their own confidence, both on and off the stage.
“The Wooden Floor taught me how to pick myself back up, find where I am right now, and keep a positive mindset,” Murillo said.
Murillo is assisting artistic director Jennifer Bassage Bonfil with the restaging of “Pieces of Wood,” which she first performed as a student.
“Jocelyn’s role in restaging the very piece she performed herself on the Barclay stage is emblematic of our tagline: ‘From here you can step anywhere,’ which encapsulates the lasting power that our artistic partners and supporters have in our students lives,” Reese said.
Going over archival footage and revisiting the choreography has been a moving experience for Murillo.
“It feels like it never left me,” she said. “This piece is the one that made me fall in love with dance.”
In the days leading up to special performance, Murillo has been conducting rehearsals with the Wooden Floors current cohort and getting a special reminder of where she came from.
“It’s so special and such an honor to be part of this,” Murillo said. “Sharing the joy of this piece with students who are where I once stood reminds me why I love what I do.”
“Ignite Dance: A Celebration of 35 Years of Dance in Orange County” will take place on Jan. 23 at 8 p.m. at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. For tickets, visit thebarclay.org
