West Side Dance Company Presents "Emotions" #207Now #dance #orchesis @mainewestfab @mwactivities

 

Congratulations to all of the dancers in West Side Dance Company on a phenomenal opening night of the 2024 show, "Emotions!" This remarkable showcase brought to life the profound connection between dance and the emotions that fuel our human experience. It was a breathtaking evening where each performance took us on a unique journey through the diverse landscape of human feelings.

A highlight of the concert was the stunning array and truly impressive student-choreographed dances. Our talented students poured their hearts and creativity into each piece, using movement as a language to express various emotions. 

We extend our heartfelt congratulations all of the students and to coach Tuesdai Perry, who made her debut season with the West Side Dance Company a memorable one. 

West Side Dance Company will present one more performance of "Emotions" on Saturday, March 9th at 7:00 p.m. in the Maine West Auditorium. Get your tickets in advance at bit.ly/MWBoxOffice!

The program for "Emotions" can be found HERE.

More pictures from tonight's show can be found HERE.

A video of the Emotions show can be viewed HERE.

A huge thank you to all of the caregivers who volunteered with the Maine West Fine Arts Boosters tonight (and who will at tomorrow night's show, too)!

Spotlight Art Exhibit Showcases Incredible Talents of Maine West Artists #207Now #art @mainewestfab @mwactivities

 

Tonight, we had the pleasure of showcasing the incredible talents of our Maine West High School student artists in the Spotlight Art Exhibit, a one-night pop-up art show that features all students in visual art courses. The work on display truly left our community in awe! You could hear patrons commenting on how impressed they were, several of saying, "I'd buy that if I could!" This event featured an array of stunning works from our Ceramics & Design, Digital Art, Drawing & Painting, and Photography classes, highlighting the diverse range of skills fostered through the visual arts programs in the Maine West Fine Arts Department.

This exhibit was not only a celebration of artistic achievement but also a reflection of our commitment to nurturing creativity and excellence in the arts. We're incredibly proud of our students for their hard work, dedication, and the remarkable art they've produced. Their talent and passion are a constant source of inspiration, and we look forward to seeing how their artistic journeys continue to unfold!

To our students, thank you for sharing your creativity with us and the world. Your art has truly made an impact, and we can't wait to see what you create next.

Thank you to Maine West's incredible art teachers - Rick Cammarata, Natalya Kljajic, Felicia Lahart and Melissa Lloyd - for your mentorship of our student artists, and for all of your organization and efforts that made tonight's exhibit possible.

Many more pictures from tonight's exhibit can be viewed HERE.

Opening Night of Mean Girls The Musical High School Version #207Now #musicals #theatre @mainewestdrama @mainewestfab @mwactivities

The Maine West Fine Arts Department's production of the Tina Fey's musical, Mean Girls - High School Version, premiered tonight, performing for a wonderfully appreciative audience! The cast, crew and pit orchestra all performed with incredible energy, and the audience was engaged and entertained throughout!

Congratulations to the over 100 students involved in Mean Girls! Congratulations, as well, to director, David Harmon, pit orchestra director, Bernie Gerstmayr, vocal director, James Schiffer, choreographer, Tuesdai Perry, technical director, Peter Mc Manus, costume designer, Mya Figueroa, and producer, Daniella Valdez for all of your work on this production!  

You do not want to miss this production! There are three more shows left:

Friday, February 23rd at 7 p.m.
Saturday, February 24th at 7 p.m.
Sunday, February 25th at 2 p.m.

Get your tickets in advance at bit.ly/MWBoxOffice (case-sensitive). This show is rated PG-13. 

More pictures from tonight's show can be found HERE.

The program for this production can be found HERE.

Thank you to the many people who volunteered their time with the Maine West Fine Arts Boosters tonight - and who will volunteer throughout this weekend - to help make this show happen! 

Thank you to Rebecca Fisher and the students in WMTH for capturing footage of tonight's show!

Chamber Music Night 2024 #207Now #chambermusic #strings @mworchestras @mainewestfab @mwactivities

Tonight, Maine West Orchestra students and their director, Ms. Daniella Valdez, presented an evening of chamber music to families and community members. Chamber music is small ensemble music, intended to be performed in a smaller space, or chamber, and not in a large auditorium. The concert, which was held in the Learning Resource Center, featured students performing music from a variety of time periods and in a variety of styles. 

Congratulations to all of the musicians who performed at tonight's concert!

HERE is a link to a folder full of pictures from tonight's concert.

HERE is a link to tonight's program.

Maine West Speech Team Advances to Sectionals! #207Now #speech #forensics @mwspeechteam @mainewestfab @mwactivities @ihsa_il

Congratulations to Tristan Okurowski on placing at the IHSA Speech Regionals! Tristan will be advancing the the IHSA Speech Sectional Tournament on Downers Grove South High School! We are so proud of you, Tristan! Congratulations to the entire Maine West Speech Team and their dedicated coaches, Ms. Gizelle Alverio and Ms. Kristin Imberger on a successful season!

Fine Arts Scholarship Opportunities! #207Now #scholarships @mainewestfab @mwactivities

There are a number of scholarship opportunities available to graduating seniors who have been involved in Fine Arts programs at Maine West. Please see the below scholarship opportunities. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask your Fine Arts teacher or Ms. Mullen, Fine Arts Department Chair. You are encouraged to submit application materials for consideration in advance of the due dates.

The MW Fine Arts Boosters scholarships will be awarded at the Senior Awards Night on May 14, 2024.

MAINE WEST FINE ARTS BOOSTERS SCHOLARSHIPS - Due March 22, 2024

Up to 5 scholarships of $400 each are awarded to college-bound seniors who have been active participants in one or more of the Maine West High School fine arts programs: Band, Choir, Orchestra, Visual Arts, Dance, Drama, Speech and Broadcasting.

SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

All applicants for scholarships awarded by the Fine Arts Boosters must:

1) Have a cumulative weighted grade point average of 3.0 or higher through the end of the fall semester senior year.

2) Be active in the Maine West Fine Arts programs for a minimum of 2 years.

3) Complete the FAB scholarship online application in its entirety including the transcript copy by submission deadline.  

4) Provide intention of enrollment to a college or university.  Since this is before the commitment date for most universities, the specific school is not required.

Applications must be submitted by midnight on Friday, March 22, 2024.  Only electronic submissions will be accepted.  Late submissions will not be accepted.

HERE is a link to the scholarship application. (Please note, you must use a non-district email address to complete this form.)

If you have any questions, please email them to: MaineWestFineArts@gmail.com

 

Award decisions are made at the sole discretion of the Fine Arts Boosters Scholarship Committee.

SAMANTHA SCHOLARSHIP - Due April 1, 2024

The Samantha Scholarship is a scholarship for high school seniors that honors Samantha Spano, a young woman who lost her life to suicide. Samantha was very artistic and loved painting, drawing and music. This scholarship seeks students who exemplify outstanding character and asks for a submission in some art form (drawing, painting, a collage, poetry, song, photography, etc.) to answer the question: choose your favorite song and explain why it has a special meaning to you. 

For the full application and requirements, go to https://www.forsamantha.org/scholarship-information.

ICONIC LEGACY DANCE SCHOLARSHIP - Due March 31, 2024

The ICONIC Legacy Scholarship was established in 2022 by the Wastyn Family. To honor the senior dancers in the class of 2020, the ICONIC Legacy Scholarship is committed to helping the next dancer in line. The Scholarship supports a 4th year graduating West Side Dance Company member who will be going to a 2- or 4-year college or trade program, and who embodies the spirit that life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It is about learning to dance in the rain!

The second annual Scholarship will be awarded this year to a 2024 West Side Dance Company 4th year member. The application will be open until 3/31/24. Fourth year West Side Dance Company members are invited to apply by clicking on the link below. https://apply.mykaleidoscope.com/scholarships/2024IconicLegacy

Questions? Please contact IconicLegacyScholarship@gmail.com 

INTERNATIONAL THESPIAN SCHOLARSHIPS - Open February 1, 2024

The Educational Theatre Foundation, an organization related to the International Thespian Organization, of which many Maine West Drama students are members, sponsors a number of drama-related scholarships each year. For information about the scholarships offered by this organization this year, please go to: https://foundation.schooltheatre.org/scholarships/ 

Maine West Students and Director Honored at the Illinois Theatre Festival! #207Now #excellence @mainewestdrama @illinoistheatreassociation

At this year's Illinois Theatre Festival, Maine West students Penny Wurster and Avery Rizzi and spring play director Ms. Judy Klingner received recognition for their outstanding work.

Penny Wurster participated in the Tech Olympics competition, which asks students to complete a variety of tasks related to technical theatre accurately and in as little time as possible. Penny was able to complete a quick costume change by herself in record time - 18 seconds - placing second in the costume change category! Well done, Penny!

Avery Rizzi was selected by competitive audition into the All-State Improv Team, performing with an elite high school improv team for an audience of over 200 people! Avery said of her experience, "It was cool, especially being the only person in the district represented on the team. It was fun to meet so many people from all over the state!" Well done, Avery, on earning a spot on the state Improv Team! We are so proud of you!

Ms. Judy Klingner was awarded the Legacy Award for her tremendous contributions to theatre education in the state of Illinois. Ms. Klingner taught drama for 34 years, retiring from Fremd High School in 2019. She has held a number of leadership positions with the Illinois Theatre Association, and is currently the President-Elect. Maine West Fine Arts is thrilled to have Ms. Klingner on its artistic staff as the spring play director, and we are so proud that she has been honored by the ITA for her tremendous contributions! Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Ms. Klingner!