The Attitude of Doing, photo by Whitney Brown
(MAPLEWOOD, NJ) -- An evening benefiting the arts education and community impact of Carolyn Dorfman Dance will be held on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 at the Maplewood Country Club. The event, billed as REACH "an evening of fundraising and recognition," will feature performances by the CDD dancers and “Spotlight Friendz” plus will honor longtime education partners Tenaya Bascomb, Supervisor of Performing Arts at Passaic County Technical Institute, Kelly Douglas-Jackson, Principal of the Union County Academy for Performing Arts, and Tracy Monteiro, Supervisor of Visual and Performing Arts in the Elizabeth Public Schools.
This annual benefit is one of the major highlights of the year for the company and their patrons. It features incredible food, open bar, entertaining performances by their dancers and especially their bold and brave Spotlight Friendz with awards to their long-term partners. The Emcee for the evening is versatile actor and arts administrator, Deonte Griffin-Quick. Great dance music will be provided again by DJ Prince Hakim. The company with our Spotlight Friendz will perform excerpts from repertory favorites “Keystone,” “Klezmer Sketch,” “The Attitude of Doing,” and “WAVES.”
“We are thrilled to present the second year of Dance Friendzy! which was so much fun last year. We will be reaching to connect and build community as everyone supports Carolyn Dorfman Dance,” said artistic director, Carolyn Dorfman. “Our company has been bringing dance to K-12 schools, colleges/universities, community organizations, senior citizens and organizations supporting people with disables and audiences in and outside of New Jersey for more than 40 years. This is a special evening where you can support yours and our friends, dedicated arts educators, and our company.”
Sponsorships and Tickets, including donations to your favorite Spotlight Friendz, can be purchased online at https://cddc.ejoinme.org/reach2025.
This fun-filled evening begins at 6:30pm at the Maplewood Country Club, 28 Baker Street in Maplewood. Attire is festive or business. The evening begins with cocktails and a buffet dinner, followed by a stirring dance performance featuring our Spotlight Friendz and awards to three incredible arts educators.
Come and support their Spotlight Friendz as they join the dancers of Carolyn Dorfman Dance to help raise funds to maintain and grow the company's arts education programing.
* Board member and Montclair resident Alissa Alter
* New York City Resident Adam Caper
* Montclair resident Marylou Cabrera
* Montclair resident Glenn Cabrera
* Avenel resident Deonte Griffin-Quick
* Summit resident Dr. Rebecca Yang
Carolyn Dorfman Dance moves people to connect to our common humanness to build understanding and face barriers together through powerfully expressive contemporary dance. Through the powerful choreography of founding Artistic Director Carolyn Dorfman and diverse artistic collaborators, CDD celebrates the trials and triumphs of the human story.
The company's long history is a journey of growth, change, and innovation through storytelling and employment of multiethnic dancers skilled in reflecting their common social connections. Their one-of-a-kind dance experiences open dialogue, and create bridges between artist, audience, and each other. The highly acclaimed ensemble is known for emotional resonance and artistic excellence in both performance and its interaction with audiences, students and community. Carolyn Dorfman Dance appears at major theaters, dance festivals, universities, schools, museums and galleries regionally, nationally and internationally.
