Last October the BYU Ballroom Dance Company went on a mid-semester tour to California and Nevada. Over the course of six days the company visited Las Vegas before traveling to Irvine, Santa Barbara, Redondo Beach, and Escondido. In total, the group put on five performances and two workshops, interacting with and serving not only audiences but also community and church members along the way.
In addition to their workshops at the Performing Arts Center at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, the biggest highlights for the company were the VIP receptions organized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and BYU Alumni chapters in Southern California. Students interacted with city officials, opinion leaders, interfaith leaders, and consuls general from over a dozen countries, including Qatar, Romania, and Azerbaijan. All were thrilled to meet Princess Diana Sisowath of Cambodia, who also came to see their performance.
For 10 days this summer, the Ballroom Dance Company will have the opportunity to travel to England and compete at the famed Blackpool Dance Festival. Throughout their time there, the group will take in the sights of England, connect with Latter-day Saints, participate in rehearsals, and compete in the British Latin Formation and British Ballroom Formation Dancing Championships. Following the competition in England, the Ballroom Dance Company will travel to Brussels, Belgium, where they will put on a performance for ambassadors and dignitaries of the European Union and continue to represent BYU through first-rate performing arts.
