Masters Pro Dance Workshop
Our 12th Year!
a no-frills hybrid dance workshop for dancers over 30 years old (or close to 30)
October 19-20, 2024
Welcome to Masters Pro Dance Workshop hosted by the world-famous Department of Dance at California State University, Long Beach and your “Head Instructor” Andy Vaca. As we move into our 12th year, we are excited to welcome dancers for two exciting days of dancing, with the choice to participate the entire weekend or either of the two days.
MPDW is a two-day dance workshop largely structured like the dance camps that many dancers attended in their youth. MPDW material includes routines in pro dance team-style, hip hop, jazz, contemporary, and includes a Camp Dance and drill down experience. For educators, material taught is suitable and/or adaptable for your students. The same as in 2023, routines and routine showcases will take place on Saturday (Day 1) and Master Classes plus the completion of Camp Dance and Drill Down and °ϲ student performances will be Sunday (Day 2)—Check out the sample schedule. The best part about MPDW is that you get to decide how far you want to push yourself— we have a strict “no judgement” policy! Don’t want to do floorwork? Then stay on your feet! Afraid that you’ll pull a hamstring? Then keep that leg low! Just smile, try your best, and have a great time.
The Change to Make a Difference
MPDW is the largest scholarship fundraiser in the history of °ϲ Dance. Each year, the money we raise goes directly to much-needed scholarships for dance majors, allowing a new generation of dance artists to finish their college degrees with less debt easing their entry into this tough profession that we love. Help us out by supporting MPDW through your registration or by giving a donation through the registration tab (below).
Not Yet 30 Years Old? Though we are never super strict about the “over 30 years old” rule, we do ask that you come in the spirit of dancing with a community of dancers who largely do not dance on a daily basis and will be here for kicks (low ones) and giggles!
Registration is only a few clicks:
- Tap the dropdown below for the link to MPDW registration
- Tap the dropdown
- Tap the Cashnet link
- Tap “Registration” on the Cashnet page
Cannot attend but want to donate?
Just tap the dropdown, tap the Cashnet link, then choose “To Donate” on the Cashnet page.
Please help us out by spreading the word and inviting your friends and fellow dancers to register and/or donate. This is honestly my favorite weekend of the fall semester, and I hope to see you dancing with me in the studio! Thank you so much,
Andy Vaca, Head Instructor and MPDW Director
Professor, Department of Dance
California State University, Long Beach
All participants will have the opportunity to learn two dances and a “camp dance” from our all-star staff from the commercial, concert, and pro dance team world. There will be routines in different levels and different styles, with an emphasis on engaging choreography as opposed to technical “tricks.” All routines will be 50-60 seconds long, and often feature special “Flashback Material” utilizing steps and moves from the past! For those of you who are still dancing and teaching, you will take away some great material to share with your students, and experience teaching techniques and energy that will certainly add to your personal teaching methodologies. And, of course, there is Drill Down, which is taught in two levels, and the always-popular “Camp Dance”. All routines will be taught on Day 1, and Day 2 will feature one to two master classes with special guest choreographers, in addition to the completion of the Camp Dance and final Drill Downs. For those only attending Day 2, a video will be sent so you can learn the part of the Camp Dance taught on Day 1 ahead of time.
You will also get an opportunity to learn in one of the largest dance departments in higher education in the United States: the °ϲ Department of Dance. Each studio has ceiling fans, natural lighting (good for “mature” faces), raised floors (good for creaking bones), and lots of space. No dancing in parking lots, tennis courts, or gym floors for these bodies! MPDW will allow you to experience dancing in one of the most beautiful training grounds in the United States.
Saturday, Oct. 19
8:00 Registration
9:00 Intros/Warm-up
10:00 Routine A
11:30 Routine A Showcase
12:00 Lunch
1:30 Camp Dance, Part 1
1:50 Routine B
3:20 Break
3:30 Routine B Showcase
4:00 Day 1 Awards/Photos and dinner plans
Sunday, Oct. 20
9:00 Warm-up and Camp Dance, Part 2
9:45 Drill Down
10:15 Featured Classes with special guests (1 hour)
11:15 Break
11:30 Special Performance by °ϲ Dancers
12:00 Drill Down Final; Guest classes and Camp Dance recording
12:45 Awards/Photos
Your staff include luminaries of the pro dance team and concert dance worlds! Though the staff is subject to change, look forward to working with professionals such as:
- Diane Bonds—former USA Program Director and choreographer for the world-famous Los Angeles Laker Girls, collegiate dance instructor, and a double alum of °ϲ Dance (undergrad and grad)
- Nate Hodges—Artistic Director of RhetOracle Dance Company and an Associate Teaching Professor of Dance at the University of Nevada, Reno where he teaches jazz and musical theater courses; an MFA grad of °ϲ Dance. Nate will be teaching a routine on Saturday and the master class on Sunday!
- Mina Ortega—Director of the USC Trojan Dance Force and Co-Artistic Director of Pro Action Dance
- John Peters—He’s back, first time since 2018! John is not only the choreographer for the Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders, but he is one of the most award-winning choreographers in the dance spirit world who has been in the business for 40 years!
- Lauryn Ujkic—Former Captain for the Charger Girls and Pro Bowl Cheerleader, instructor for Pro Action Dance
- Andy Vaca—choreographer with over 35 years of dance team experience, instructor for Pro Action Dance, and the former President of the American College Dance Association
- NEW! MJ Wolff—an award-winning studio choreographer, and a jazz dance instructor and 2nd Year MFA Candidate at °ϲ.
Registration for MPDW must be done ahead of the event and will close at noon on Oct. 18 or when the event reaches capacity (100 in-person dancers). After registering, do not forget to pay and/or donate to our Scholarship Fund (the PAYMENT/DONATION tab).
Please click the link below in order to submit payment for MPDW, $130 payment (two days), $85 (Day 1 only), or $55 (Day 2 only). You can also donate directly to the °ϲ Department of Dance Scholarship fund via this link. If you are unable to donate at any of these levels at this time but would still like to participate, please donate what you can and contact Andy Vaca at Andrew.vaca@csulb.edu. We greatly appreciate any amount that you are able to give!
For tax purposes, the Fair Market Value of MPDW is the following:
- Both days--$60
- Day 1 only--$40
- Day 2 only--$25
Hotel CURRENT / Long Beach
Address: 5325 East. Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90804
Telephone: 562-597-1341 Fax: 562-597-5171
website:
The Hotel Current is the closest hotel to the °ϲ campus. When you open the link, you can edit the dates to those which you wish to reserve.
Dates available: October 18-20, 2024 at a rate of $139/night (before taxes)
Golden Sails Hotel
Address: 6285 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, 90803
Website:
The Golden Sails Hotel is a low-cost option that is close to campus. It is not fancy, but it is close to a grocery store, many restaurants, and the closest hotel to the Marina and Belmont Shore areas.
When I checked (9/18), they had $105 rooms for the weekend of MPDW.
Airport Holiday Inn
Address: 2640 N. Lakewood Blvd., Long Beach, 90815
As of Sept. 18, there were rooms available for $183/night.
Other Hotels that are close:
