Mt. SAC Repertory Dance Company Earns Acclaim at Palm Desert Choreography Festival
Palm Desert, Calif. – The Mt. San Antonio College Repertory Dance Company captivated attendees at the prestigious Palm Desert Choreography Festival, held at the McCallum Theatre on Sunday, November 10. Among 100 submissions, Dance Department Chair Michelle Shear’s piece, It Never Happened, was selected as one of only nine performances showcased in the festival’s pre-professional concert.
The two-day festival highlights innovation in dance. Saturday’s program featured choreographers collaborating with seasoned dance artists, while Sunday focused on those working with pre-professional performers—technically skilled individuals who are emerging as artists at the start of their careers.
Shear’s piece, performed to Ludovico Einaudi’s Run, featured Caitlin Larsen, Roberto Morales, Dylan Tillman, Bri Tomas, Ashlyn Yoshikawa and Maddie Youmans. Key collaborators included Nolan Catingub (lighting design), Ethan Shear (set design), and Michelle Shear herself (costume design).
The Mt. San Antonio College Repertory Dance Company received the esteemed “Ensemble Award,” which includes a $1,250 prize. The funds will support future competitions, festivals, and travel for the Dance Department.
About the Palm Desert Choreography Festival
Founded in 1998 by choreographer Shea New, the Palm Desert Choreography Festival is a choreography competition that celebrates dance innovation while fostering professional development for emerging talent. The festival features master classes, dynamic performances, and networking opportunities, connecting dancers, choreographers, donors and community leaders. Over its 27-year history, it has become a cornerstone event, championing creativity and access to dance education.
The festival also emphasizes community outreach, offering workshops for students and creating professional opportunities for local youth pursuing careers in dance.
Reflections from Mt. San Antonio College Repertory Dance Company Performers:
Caitlin Larsen – “The Palm Desert Choreography Festival has been a great experience. As a young artist, the master class allowed me to learn from experienced dancers and develop new skills. The professional showcase on Saturday has inspired me to create works of choreography that are unique to my own style and experiences. Having the opportunity to perform and share the stage with other young, upcoming artists has allowed me to connect with my community and reignite my passion to create art through dance.”
Roberto Morales – “This festival has introduced me to a world of professional dance that I never knew could be possible for me. With this experience, in addition to my Mt. SAC education, I’ve realized how prepared I am to continue my education and to enter the professional world of dance.”
Bri Thomas – “Attending the Palm Desert Choreography Festival was truly an experience I will never forget. The dance community is so inspiring, and this festival is a testament of the dedication, love and passion dancers, choreographers, teachers and audience members share. I am so thankful Professor Shear gave me the opportunity to be a part of it and for providing us the motivation and space to express ourselves through her beautiful piece.”
Dylan Tillman – “Participating in this year’s Palm Desert Choreography Festival has shown me so many different opportunities and provided invaluable resources. Being given the chance to dance alongside current industry performers and choreographers has been an amazing experience. I am immensely thankful and honored to be part of such an incredible event.”
Ashlyn Yoshikawa – “It’s such a blessing to experience dance amongst professionals and alongside my peers! It is inspiring to see how far dance reaches and to step onto the same stage as so many amazing performers. The chance to travel with my classmates and perform with them brought our training into the limelight, giving us a taste of the future that our classes are preparing us for.”
Maddie Youmans – “I’m so thankful I was able to participate in the Palm Desert Choreography Festival and represent Mt. SAC. This was my second time representing the Mt. San Antonio College Repertory Dance Company at this festival and having the chance to come back as an alumnus was a wonderful experience. Being able to attend events like this gives us the opportunity to connect with other artists professionally and personally. This is something that makes Mt. SAC so special!”
About Michelle Shear:
Michelle Shear serves as the Dance Department Chair at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California. She received her B.A. in Dance from California State University, Fullerton and an MFA in Dance from Mills College in Oakland, California. Michelle has been a professor for over 20 years. In addition to teaching, she enjoys working on special projects and collaborations, and is currently writing a children’s book on dance. This is her first year presenting work at the Palm Desert Choreography Festival, and she thanks the organization for providing a platform to showcase dance artists.
