2008

Summer Intensive Program
Every year, we put together a summer intensive program to expose our dancers to all different forms of dance.  We bring in teachers from all over the country so that our dancers are well-rounded and can experience the best that the dance world has to offer right here in town.  This year guest teachers included: Robyn Delaney, TJ Delgado, Antonio Giovanni, Rebecca Anne Hart, Brooke Hoffman, Pauline Locsin-Kanter, Tiffany Maaske, Jessica Metter, Kristin Needham, Tisha Nesbaum and Kaelyn Slader.
 
Gilroy Leadership – Midsummer’s Night Dream Fashion Show Fundraiser
The Gilroy Leadership pulled out all the stops for another spectacular show on August 9, 2008 at Gilroy Gardens to raise money for many different sponsored activities in Gilroy.  Guests were treated to a wonderful dinner and fabulous night of fashion and fun.  Two of our dancers, Amber Bearden and Chloe Townsend, performed in the show and dazzled the audience with their talents.  We were very honored to have been asked back to perform and were happy to have been a part of such a positive activity for the community.

29th Annual Production “Step Up and Dance”
We just finished our 29th year!!!  And what a way to get ready for next year’s huge celebration!  On June 29, 2008, we held our 29th Annual Production “Step Up and Dance” and the San Jose Center for Performing Arts.  The new venue proved to be a hit from all who attended.  Besides the new venue, we’ve been told this was our best show yet!  We are so very proud of each and every one of our performers, from our itty-bitty babies to our fabulous adults!  Thanks for such a wonderful show!

Mushroom Mardi Gras
We thought we might be rained out, but nothing could stop us from performing at one of Morgan Hill’s most popular events!  Several of our team soloists and trios performed on Sunday, May 25, 2008 at the Mushroom Mardi Gras at the Cultural Center.  Once again, the girls were a huge hit with the crowd and they all felt so honored to have been invited back again.  Performers included: Amber Bearden, Kristy Charron, Danielle Gnibus, Alicia Maldonado, Karinne Osumi, Ashley Robertson and Chloe Townsend.

3rd Annual Guglielmo Winery Fundraiser Event
This fun-filled afternoon has become quite the tradition at the studio and each year seems to surpass the last.  This year the Lana Wright Dancers held their very popular fundraiser on April 27, 2008.  With many exciting live auction, silent auction and raffle prizes, the dancers were able to raise money for their trip to  StarPower Nationals in Las Vegas in July.  We had many new faces, as well as our old favorites attend this afternoon in support of the Lana Wright Dancers.  In the end, we raised over $20,000 for the team.  Thank you to everyone for their continuous support!

Tap The Map Visits Lana’s Dance
On March 8, Lana’s Dance was fortunate enough to have “Tap The Map” visit our studio for a master tap workshop.  Tap The Map is a group of three teachers from New York, Christ Erk, Anthony Russo and Danny Wallace, who are traveling around the United States bringing tap classes to students all around the country.  It was a wonderful opportunity to expose many of our dancers to these fabulous tap dancers.  One of our students, Erin Schulz, received a scholarship to further her dancing career with them in New York. 

Father Daughter Dance
This year we held our Annual Father Daughter Dance earlier and decided to celebrate with a Valentine’s Day theme!  Once again, we had a great turn out and a great time was had by all attendees.  “It is one of my most favorite times of year,” exclaimed Grace Aochi, a long-time student of Lana’s Dance Studio.  “I wouldn’t miss it for the world!”  Fathers and daughters danced the night away until the clock struck nine and all the dancers floated their way home, dancing their way out the door!  Thanks to all who attended – we look forward to seeing you again next year!

 

2007

Lana Wright Dancers Featured on the KSBW/Salvation Army Food & Toy Drive
On Friday, December 7, 2007, six of the Lana Wright Dancers were featured at the KSBW/Salvation Army Toy & Food Drive at Nob Hill in Gilroy, CA.  The girls, Amber Bearden, Kristy Charron, Danielle Gnibus, Alicia Maldonado, Karinne Osumi and Chloe Townsend, performed on the noon news as part of an effort to get the community to donate for the less fortunate during the holiday season.  Some of our parents donated food directly from Nob Hill for the cause.  The telethon went on all day Friday and we were so honored to have been a part of it!

Morgan Hill Christmas Parade
It’s that time of year again – the Morgan Hill Annual Downtown Christmas Parade.  This has been a tradition of Morgan Hill and the Lana Wright Competition Dancers.  Since 1992, the Lana Wright Dancers have been a favorite part of the Christmas parade with their “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” dance and they were a huge hit again on December 1, 2007.  In addition to the competition dancers, we were so pleased to have many of our dancers from Lana’s Dance in both Morgan Hill and Gilroy join us for the parade.  They led the parade with the Lana Wright Dancers dancing behind.  A great time was had by all and we hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday season and a fantastic 2008!

Let’s Make This Christmas a Great One!
Lana’s Dance Studio has once again teamed up with the South Santa Clara County Fire District in their Make A Wish Come True Christmas gift drive.  A tree has been set up at the Morgan Hill studio with ornaments on them for various requested gifts.  The ages range from 6 months to 18 years old.  If you would like to participate, please take an ornament and bring back the corresponding gift wrapped to the studio.  The gifts will be picked up on December 21 and delivered to many people throughout the area for Christmas.  Let’s help others and make this one a great Christmas for all!

Downtown Halloween Trick or Treat
It was another busy Halloween for the city of Morgan Hill and Lana’s Dance.  Over 3,500 trick or treaters visited our table at the city’s annual downtown celebration.  We were so excited that so many of our dancers stopped by to say hello and take a picture with us!  The costumes were even better this year and we all had such a great time.  Click on the link above to see all of our wonderful dancers!

Uesugi Farms Pumpkin Patch Performance
We were invited back this year to Uesugi Farms to perform at their popular pumpkin patch on October 21, 2007.  We brought four of our competition teams and they performed dances from their very successful 2007 season.  The girls were a hit and it was so great to be able to share our dancers with the community.

Luigi Aprea Walk for Education
On October 20, 2007 members of our Sparklers and Dazzlers competing teams performed at Luigi Aprea’s annual Walk for Education event.  The girls performed some of their small group, trios and solos for all of the children and parents at the conclusion of the run.  Several dancers from both of our studios attend Luigi Aprea and we were glad to be able to perform at their school.

Taste of Morgan Hill
The Lana Wright Dancers and Hip Hop Craze both performed at The Taste of Morgan Hill this year on September 29 & 30, 2007.  The half hour performances on both days drew huge crowds.  This was the first performance that we were able to introduce the newest addition to the competition teams – our new Rookie team, who are our youngest performance team dancers yet.  They range in ages 5 – 8.

Lana Wright Competition Dancers Travel Down Under to Australia
Seventeen of the competition dancers just returned from the trip of a lifetime to Sydney, Australia.  Fifty people in all attended the August 1 – 13, 2007 trip to the land down under.  We stayed at the fabulous Sydney Marriott, with the greatest staff in the world!!  The girls participated in a dance exchange program with Brent Street Studios, one of the most renowned in Sydney.  Our girls took class from members of their faculty, including their nephew Christian, who just finished touring with Cirque de Soleil.  At the same time, the students of Brent Street were thrilled and honored to take class from both Lana and Leila Wright.  The styles are quite different from each other and they were able to expose the young Australians to what is going on here in America.  Their favorite part of all the classes was learning to “turn like the Americans do!”  We even participated in an Australia vs. USA bowling tournament.  Trip highlights included visits to the world famous Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour, Bondi Beach, The Taronga Zoo, The Blue Mountains, Sydney Olympic Park and the Harbour Bridge.  Many daring members of the group actually climbed The Harbour Bridge, which is over 450 feet above Sydney Bay.  The bridge climb has become the biggest tourist attraction in Australia.  Everyone made memories of a lifetime and everyone wants to know where in the world will we go next?

Summer Intensive Program
Our Summer Program was even better this year!  We brought in many great teachers to give our kids a wide variety of dance classes.  This year we welcomed the following guest teachers: Marci Dixon, Antonio Giovanni, Rebecca Anne Hart, Brooke Hoffman, Pauline Locsin-Kanter, Tiffany Maaske, Tisha Nesbaum and Jill Weaver.

28th Annual Production “The Dance”
Lana’s Dance just celebrated its 28th Annual Production on June 24, 2007 at the San Jose Civic Auditorium.  We put on two fabulous shows and the accolades are still coming in!  All of the performers did such a wonderful job and we are so proud to have all of them at the studio.  Congratulations to all!  Click above and you can view all of the recital class photos!

Mushroom Mardi Gras
A Morgan Hill tradition and we were once again a part of it.  Several of our team solos and one trio performed on Saturday, May 26, 2007 at the Mushroom Mardi Gras at the Cultural Center.  They were a huge hit with the crowd and we were so happy to have been able to share our girls with all of Morgan Hill.  Performers included: Amber Bearden, Kristy Charron, Danielle Gnibus, Alicia Maldonado, Karinne Osumi, Erin Schulz and Chloe Townsend.

Father Daughter Dance
One of the best events of the year is the Father Daughter Dance.  This year we moved locations to Barrett Elementary School and once again it was a huge success.  It is so great to see all of the dads and daughters dress up and have such a fun night together.  Every year our following grows and we had over 125 couples in attendance.  Mark your calendars for next year’s event – it will be here sooner than you know it! 

2nd Annual Guglielmo Winery Fundraiser Event
This fundraiser was such a hit last year that we had to do it again!  On April 29, 2007 the Lana Wright Dancers held its annual event at Guglielmo Winery.  This fundraiser is for the Tap and Jazz teams and helps raise money for all of their competitions, costumes and trips.  This year we are traveling to Australia for a cultural exchange with a studio in Sydney.  Once again, guests were treated to an amazing tri-tip dinner and afternoon of entertainment provided by the Lana Wright Dancers.  Bill Christopher returned as the auctioneer and the team raised over $20,000.  Thanks to all for a successful afternoon!

 Mark Meismer and Cindy Ricalde Visit Lana’s Dance
The Lana Wright Competition Dancers were fortunate enough to have two of the most esteemed teachers in the business visit the studio for a private weekend of classes.  Mark Meismer and Cindy Ricalde taught at the studio in March and the girls were treated to a weekend of ballet and lyrical classes.  The Glitz team also visited Mark and Cindy in L.A. last November and took another weekend of classes from them.  They all learned so much and were very grateful to the dynamic duo for all of their expertise!

 

2006

Morgan Hill Christmas Parade
Over 3,000 people were in attendance for this year’s Morgan Hill Christmas Parade on December 2, 2006.  Many of our young dancers led the studio in the parade that featured our 63 competition team dancers.  After the parade, we were invited over to the Community Cultural Center to kick off the holiday season with a performance in the outdoor amphitheater.  It was a great time for all those who participated and we look forward to performing again next year. 

Downtown Morgan Hill Trick or Treat
To make a fun and safe night, the city of Morgan Hill has held a downtown trick or treat for all of the children of the community.  For the second year now, we have participated and the celebration continues to grow.  All of the local merchants passed our candy for over two hours to over 3,000 children on Halloween.  The costumes were great and all of the kids really enjoyed the night!

Morgan Hill YMCA Centennial Recreation Center Performance
The Lana Wright Dancers helped open the brand new Morgan Hill YMCA Centennial Recreation Center with a dazzling performance on October 28, 2006. We felt very honored to have been asked by the city to perform and help join in the festivities that all of the community enjoyed!

Uesugi Farms Pumpkin Patch Performance
On October 21, 2006 our competition teams performed two shows at the Uesugi Farms Pumpkin Patch in Morgan Hill. They performed some of their dances from last season and even got the crowd involved! Participants of all ages from the audience learned how to do a kick line and were the highlight of the show!

Movie Night
On September 2, 2006, two of the Lana Wright Dancers – Erin Schulz and Chloe Townsend – performed at the Annual Morgan Hill Movie Night. The girls entertained the crowd before many of the locals enjoyed a movie under the stars.

Summer Intensive Program
During the summer, we offer a four week intensive program with many different teachers to expose our kids to all different types of dance. This year we were fortunate enough to have many guest teachers come in and teach. The kids were able to learn from some of the best teachers around. Guest teachers included: Kendra Alvarez, Esther Androide, Marci Dixon, Melissa Dobson, Sammy Donado, Jane Eubanks, Aia Evans, Rebecca Anne Hart, Pauline Locsin-Kanter, Jerilyn Rose Kennedy and Tiffany Maaske.

27th Annual Production "Dance To the Music"
Lana’s Dance recently held its 27th Annual Production on July 8, 2006 at the San Jose Civic Auditorium. There were two shows showcasing the talent of all of our wonderful kids. Once again, the shows were a huge success that everyone will be talking about until next years show! Click above and you can view all of the recital class photos!

4th of July Parade
The Morgan Hill 4th of July Parade is always an anticipated event in the community and we are always happy to be a part of it. Our competition team dancers danced throughout the parade and became another great crowd pleaser in the parade! Our competition dancers placed first place in the Centennial Independence Day Celebration!

Morgan Hill Cultural Show
On May 20, 2006 five of the Lana Wright Dancers were guest performers in the Morgan Hill Cultural Show at the Community Playhouse. Marisa Struzik performed her solo Body Language and Darby Millard, Cassidy Paskett, Chelsea Richards and Chloe Townsend performed Aye Caramba. They were a huge success and we feel completely honored to have been a part of such a great show!

Father Daughter Dance
Our 4th Annual Father Daughter Dance proved once again to be one of the most anticipated events of the year! It’s the chance for the dads to get out their dancing shoes and the girls to dress up in their very best! We had over 100 couples in attendance and everyone stayed to the very end! Mark your calendars for next year, as it will be back again very soon!

Live Oak Talent Show
Live Oak High School hosts an annual talent show every May and we have taken part in it for the past two years. Last year our Glitz team placed 2nd Overall with "My Discarded Men" and this year our Glitz team took 1st Overall with "Hotel California."

Guglielmo Winery Fundraiser Event
This past April 30, 2006 marked an event that will soon become tradition at Lana’s Dance. Next year, our tap and jazz competition teams will be traveling on a goodwill tour of Australia. In order to fund the trips for nearly 70 dancers, we held an auction fundraiser at Guglielmo Winery in Morgan Hill. The guests were treated to an amazing tri-tip dinner and afternoon of entertainment provided by the Lana Wright Dancers. The auction was under the direction of Bill Christopher, of Christopher Ranch, and quickly turned into a success! The girls raised over $20,000 to help fund their trips to Australia next summer.

A Star is Born!
One of our very own competition dancers was recently featured in a national McDonald’s commercial. Sami Sadoff, 9, was chosen out of hundreds of children to star in the commercial surrounding the opening of the Disney movie The Wild. Keep your eyes out – we will be seeing more of her! Congratulations Sami! We are all so proud of you!

 

2005

Morgan Hill Christmas Parade
Every year, we participate in Morgan Hills Annual Christmas Parade. Our competition team dancers are always a hit with their performance and we welcome all of our students to march along side us in the parade.

Gilroy Leadership Fashion Show
Last November, some of our dancers were invited to participate and perform in the Gilroy Leadership Fashion Show at the San Juan Oaks Country Club in Hollister. Some of our students and parents were featured models in the fashion show and some of our younger dancers were invited to perform to enhance a spectacular show. Featured studio performers (and parents) included: Tonya Bonesio, Kristy Charron, Tori Evans, Carson Gilroy, Greysen Gilroy, Ariel Mantelli, Phylis Mantelli, Darby Millard, Cassidy Paskett, Chelsea Richards, Ashley Robertson, Chloe Townsend and Leila Wright.

Jr. GoldRush
The San Francisco 49ers GoldRush held its annual Jr. GoldRush Camp this past October. The girls participated in two of the GoldRush practices and performed at the October 30, 2005 game. One of our dancers, Blair Latos, was chosen as the Jr. GoldRush Cheerleader of the Game and was invited back to cheer with the GoldRush at another game.

Team Rave
At each Dance Rave Competition, dancers are selected to participate in Team Rave and perform throughout the bay area. Team Rave participants included Kristy Charron, Darby Millard, Cassidy Paskett, Chelsea Richards, Chloe Townsend, Jordenne Burns, Meghan Carvalho, Alyx Martinez, Kaylyn Ordaz, Kelly Rudolph, Erin Schulz, Marisa Struzik and Lauren Venosta.

Showbiz Nationals
Last summer, our oldest competition teams participated in the Showbiz Nationals and were featured in the August 2005 issue of Dance Spirit Magazine. Congratulations girls!