Some of Lebanon’s most promising dancers and musicians will descend on AUB this summer, as a leading US-based stage academy struts its stuff in Beirut.
Houston-based NGO, the Youth Excellence on Stage (YES) Academy, will supervise a series of dance and performance workshops, enabling Lebanon’s best movers to profit from the experience of 10 US dance teachers.
Among the US theaters and universities represented in YES’s star-studded AUB program will be the St Louis Symphony Orchestra, HaviKoro Breakdancers, Houston’s Theater under the Stars, City College of New York and Baylor University Texas.
Professional training will be provided in music – including classical piano, voice and strings – theater and dance, with a strong emphasis on Jazz, Broadway and Hip Hop styles.
Participants can look forward to preparing for a series of gala concerts, produced by YES, to run from July 27 to August 7.
The group will offer an expanded program at AUB this summer, with more teachers than ever before.
Broadway programs now have three age categories: seven – 10, 11 – 14 and 15 and above. In addition, YES’s Jazz program will feature the first performance by the YES Lebanon All Star Big Band.
YES has specialized in dance education programs for 17 years and aims to reach out to youth in nations emerging from conflict or isolation. It has worked in countries such as Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq, Venezuela, Burma, Syria, Egypt, Pakistan, Thailand and Myanmar.
