DanceMotion Performing Company Presents Two-Act Spring Showcase at Historic Orpheum Theatre

DanceMotion Performing Company Presents Two-Act Spring Showcase at Historic Orpheum Theatre

Bender Performing Arts’ spring production pairs a musical theater celebration with a Queen-inspired exploration of identity and self-acceptance — May 15-16 at the Orpheum Theatre

PHOENIX, May 1, 2025 — DanceMotion Performing Company, the youth performance wing of Bender Performing Arts, will present its spring showcase — Let’s Go to the Movies / The Show Must Go On — on May 15 at 7 p.m. and May 16 at 2 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix.

The two-act production, originally conceived and directed by DanceMotion founders Kevin Bender, Meri Bender, and Jenni White, was reimagined for this season by Artistic and Faculty Director Shayna Petruccelli. The show features DanceMotion’s full youth company. In Act 1, Let’s Go to the Movies, younger performers take the stage with high-energy dance numbers set to beloved movie musical soundtracks, including Wicked, The Lion King and more.

Act 2, The Show Must Go On, showcases the company’s older dancers in a more mature, conceptual work exploring identity, loss, and self-acceptance through the music of Queen, Annie Lennox, Christina Aguilera and others. The act takes its thematic cues from Queen’s iconic anthem, examining how individuals can live authentically in a world of prescribed expectations.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

What: DanceMotion Performing Company presents Let’s Go to the Movies / The Show Must Go On

Where: Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix, AZ 85003

When: Friday, May 15 — 7 p.m.

Saturday, May 16 — 2 p.m.

Tickets: $35.55 ($25 plus fees); available at benderperformingarts.com and exit.com

About Bender Performing Arts
Bender Performing Arts, located in North Phoenix, has served the community since 1974. The studio offers instruction in ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop and musical theater, along with preschool classes, tumbling, silks and pom. Private voice, guitar and piano lessons are also available for students ages 2½ through adult. Bender follows a performance-based education model focused on building confidence and a lifelong connection to the arts. The studio partners with MORIAH Cooperative to support students with special needs and their families. More information is available at www.benderperformingarts.com.

About DanceMotion Performing Company
DanceMotion Performing Company is a North Phoenix-based nonprofit youth dance organization and one of the Valley’s premier troupes. Founded in 1987 by Kevin and Meri Bender and now led by Artistic Director Shayna Petruccelli, DanceMotion serves dancers ages 7 to 18 from across North Phoenix, Paradise Valley and North Scottsdale. Housed at Bender Performing Arts, the company blends advanced technical training with a strong focus on community service through performance.

DanceMotion produces three professional level shows each year and has raised more than $400,000 for local charities through benefit performances. As a 501(c)(3), the organization also provides scholarships, free after-school arts programs in underserved schools, and complimentary performances for children and families in need.