East Valley Dance Project (2025-2026, 2024-2025, 2020-2021, 2016-2017, 2015-2016)
An important outreach project of Palm Desert Choreography Festival, East Valley Dance Project has served students in Thermal for the past 18 years. Originally a partnership with Desert Mirage High and Toro Canyon Middle Schools, the Project now also includes students from Coachella Valley High School. East Valley Dance Project engages youth in dance-making under the artistic direction of multiple Festival award-winner Jennifer Backhaus. It includes residencies by professional dancers in high school dance classes, an audition workshop, and eight intense project rehearsals. The culmination is a performance of an original piece of choreography to close the Sunday performance of Palm Desert Choreography Festival at McCallum Theatre. While participating in the process of crafting a dance, students develop an understanding of its potential as a form of expression, develop life skills, and gain access to the McCallum Theatre.
Contact: Onnissia Harries, Manager – Development Communications
Email: oharries@mccallum-theatre.org
Contact: Thomas Head, Interim Vice President – Development
Email: thead@mccallum-theatre.org
