Another show dedicated to Gary!

If you knew Gary Kendall, you knew that he was loved by many people. Check out this show produced by the people he worked with in Santa Cruz.
Love and Respect
Micaya




GARYFEST: A CELEBRATION OF A HIP HOP SUPERSTAR


GaryFest, a celebration of the life of Gary Kendell and fundraiser for the Santa Cruz AIDS Project (SCAP), will take place on Saturday, September 13th at the Henry J. Mello Center for the Performing Arts (250 East Beach Street, Watsonville). The pre-show festivities, involving free-style dancing on stage, will begin at 6:30 p.m. with performances starting at 7:00 p.m. An admission donation of $10 or more is requested.


Gary Ray Kendell was a local hip hop teacher, choreographer and performer who served for almost two decades as an ambassador of Hip Hop culture to the Santa Cruz area. Born and raised in Seaside, Gary took his dancing from the streets into the studio as an instructor at All The Right Moves in Santa Cruz in 1990. He later went on to teach regularly at Motion Pacific and Scotts Valley Dance Center, led workshops at Dancenter and DanceSynergy, and taught at local public schools and in various after-school recreation programs between 1992 and 2007. Gary also taught at studios and performed at events all over the United States and the world. Most recently, he taught hip hop dance to hundreds of students in the country of Estonia in November 2007. During his career, he was a member/director of numerous professional dance groups including Jughead, Jedi, MindTricks and the reigning champions of MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew, the Jabbawockeez. Gary also spent much of the last ten years producing, directing and traveling around the United States with Monster Shop Bumpin’ and BreakShop, dance productions designed for County and State Fairs. These productions also toured China. Locally, Gary founded the Boom Squad, Boom Boys, City Heat, and the Flava Unit. As a performer, Gary participated in dozens of benefit performances and teaching activities in the Santa Cruz community such as various County Parks & Recreation after-school programs, First Night in Santa Cruz, A Gay Evening in May, Moving Mountains Benefit for Women with Breast Cancer, National Dance Week, AIDS Walk Kick-Off Event, Free Mumia rallies at UCSC, Kwanzaa celebrations, and the Monte Foundation Fireworks Show. In 2001, Gary was a recipient of the esteemed Calabash Award for Excellent in the Ethnic Arts from SCEAN and the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County for his outstanding contributions to the community through hip hop dance. Gary lost his fight to pneumonia and meningitis on December 14, 2007 in Denver, Colorado but he lived an expressive life as a dancer, teacher, director, producer, and entertainer.


Dancers from his local troupes and others who have been touched by Gary’s teachings are reuniting to present a tribute show in his honor with proceeds benefiting the Santa Cruz AIDS Project. Performances include hip hop by Boom Squad and Flava Unit; street jazz by Santa Cruz Dance Company; bellydance-hip hop fusion with Holi Choli; lyrical by Makayna Charter; aerial dance by The Gravity Girls; Capoeira by Roots of Brazil; breakdancing by Total Chaos; bellydance by Sahar; hip hop by Motion Pacific; and more! The evening kicks off with pre-show onstage free-style dance at 6:30 p.m. followed by performances beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Admission donation of $10 and up is requested. Soon, tickets will be selling in advance, by cash or check, at Dance Odyssey (831-462-4590) and Santa Cruz Dance Company (831-479-4700). For more information about the show, please visit www.dance-odyssey.com (keep checking back if you don't yet see the link to GaryFest, it's coming soon!) or contact GaryMemorial@gmail.com. Checks for tickets/donations can be made payable to Carmela Woll and mailed to: GaryFest, c/o Dance Odyssey Studio, P.O. Box 1462, Soquel, CA 95073.



“To the lives you touched, to the rhythms you followed, to the footsteps you left behind, and to the talent that will never be forgotten. Here’s to a beautiful life lived. We love you, Gee. We will miss you. Dance for us in Heaven.”