A showcase concert open to all community members and master classes for students will be among the highlights of the Michigan Dance Festival of the Michigan Dance Council being held at Hope College on Saturday, Oct. 12.

The annual event, which travels around the state and is co-hosted by Hope this year, celebrates the great diversity of dance forms and cultures in Michigan.

The showcase concert will take place at 3:30 p.m. at the Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland.  The concert will feature choreographers from around the state, including Emily Durand, Maddy Rager/Nola Smith, Jodie Randolph and Patricia Solorzano, one of whom will be the recipient of the 2013 Maggie Allesee New Choreography Award. Special guests include Bellydance Grand Rapids, Take Root, and H2 Dance Co.

Admission to the concert is $12, payable at the door.

The dance classes, which will run in three blocks from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. in the college’s Dow Center, are for students from age 14 through college age.  Classes include Modern, Contemporary, Tap, Hip-Hop, Ballet, Jazz, Pointe, Afro-Fusion and Partnering, and will be taught by renowned Michigan teachers including Shawn Bible, Matt Farmer, Julie Powell Crystal Frazier and more.  There will also be a College Expo, and teacher workshops.

On-site registration for the classes for those who aren’t members of Michigan Dance Council is $20 per class.

The festival will also include Summer Intensive Scholarship Auditions, new this year, from 5:50 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Dow Center for students from age 14 through college age.  The scholarships are for Blue Lake Dance Department, Complexions, MPulse and Great Lakes Dance Festival.

Michigan Dance Council a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization is the voice for dance throughout the state. MDC’s goal is to make dance an integral part of each person’s life by supporting performance and educational opportunities, promoting audience development and preserving the rich legacy of Michigan Dance. MDC’s services include sponsoring events such as the Statewide Dance Day, the dance component of the Michigan Youth Arts Festival and youth dance scholarships. The MDC newsletter and statewide dance calendar, web page and listserve provide an important communications network for artists and the general public.

The Dow Center is located at 168 E. 13th St., on the corner of 13th Street and Columbia Avenue.  The Knickerbocker Theatre is located at 86 E. Eighth St.

Additional information about the festival and about MDC is available online at michigandance.org.