‘Configuration 2026’: A Dazzling and Heartfelt Program with a Purpose

I was absolutely blown away by the artistry, professionalism, technical prowess, and sophistication of the young dancers of Santa Barbara Dance Arts! Such precision, profound emotion, and stellar ensemble work are rarely seen in dancers so young. And there was so much enthusiasm from the audience! They cheered for every virtuosic move, every trick, and every solo, sometimes drowning out the music with their vocal support! But even through all the hooting and hollering, the young dancers kept their stage presence, never once losing their focus or their composure. 

Alana Tillim, director of Santa Barbara Dance Arts (SBDA) and mentor for all the SBDA performing companies and competition teams, wrote in the program notes: “We hope you will be moved by the movement.” I certainly was! From the clever and witty choreography to Billy Joel’s Movin’ Out, by Cameron Withers to the deeply sad portrayal of loss and longing in Joyce Heath’s I Wouldn’t Dream of It, choreographed by Hannah Hayward, to the exuberant finale We Go Together from Grease, choreographed by Tillim, the students of SBDA had me emotionally involved in every piece. 

I wondered how dancers so young could portray such sophisticated themes, unafraid to lock horns with issues such as depression, toxic relationships, and teenage suicide. How do they do it? I asked Tillim.

Through the many interleaved dance-and-social-awareness programs, SBDA not only trains students to be professional dancers and choreographers, but also educates them in leadership and community activism through its affiliated nonprofit, Move with Purpose (MWP). Sponsored by the Santa Barbara Foundation, MWP’s mission is to teach leadership and social awareness through the arts. Many of the dancers who performed in Configuration have also been part of MWP’s Leadership Academy and Inclusion Coalition for several years. The Coalition’s annual project is MOVEment in Focus, a partnership between SBDA dancers, local agencies, composers, choreographers, and videographers that creates a short film to raise awareness about a particular issue. This year’s film, Even Alone, We Move Together: Ending the Stigma Around Depression, closed the first half of the show. I doubt there was a dry eye in the audience.

The musical soundscape for the whole program was eclectic and sophisticated. I asked Tillim who chose the music, and she explained, “I develop a thoughtful repertory by assigning genres and emotions to choreographers who submit song ideas and concepts for approval. This gives us a balanced show. It also gives the dancers a clear intention for performance. We ask them to find something authentic in their lives to connect them to the tone and emotion of the piece.” 

And connect they did. I was moved to tears by their performance in pieces such as Somebody That I Used to Know, choreographed by Alexander Pasker of Los Angeles, and performed by the Axis Team, and Buckle, a piece about a tragically dysfunctional relationship, choreographed by a trio of SBDA Alumnae, and performed by a team of alumnae who returned for the show. 

To fully appreciate the Configuration program, one must understand something of the complex, interwoven nature of the various training programs under the umbrella of SBDA. 

The performing company is divided into seven smaller companies, or teams: Axis, Impulse, Vibe, Impact, Emerge, and the senior company Apex, plus the TDA (Team Dance Arts) Senior Team. Tillim explained that the dancers audition in August and are placed in the teams by a panel of more than a dozen professional dancers, many brought in from Los Angeles and New York. The companies are cast by technique, artistry, and performance.

Tillim said of her company dancers, “They need to be a ‘Jill of all trades.’ They have required training during the year, and summer pre-requisites to audition. They sign a contract and act as a (pre)professional company.”

The MWP Leadership Academy offers training programs for teachers, choreographers, and producers. The participating choreographers showcase their pieces at the annual Configuration concert, where a winner and runner-up are announced. This year’s runner-up was Cameron Withers for her choreography to Lake, by Roland Faunte. The winner, who also received a $250 cash prize from American Riviera Bank, was Lyla Beck for her choreography to United in Grief, by Kendrick Lamar. Withers, a graduating senior, is headed for the Boston Conservatory for Dance in the fall; Beck, who will be a senior in the fall, is headed to Hubbard Street in Chicago for their summer program.

Without a doubt, these young women are bound for glory!

Founding director Steven LeRoy Lovelace, who founded SBDA in 1997, came up from Joshua Tree specially for this performance, and had high praise for both Tillim and the dancers, for their “artistry of dance and choreography, and the commitment of performance.” He added, “These dancers know and trust each other, and it comes through in the choreography. They had great energy together, and their performance spoke to that.”

Tillim and Lovelace served as co-directors of SBDA from 1998 through 2013, when he sold the business to her. Lovelace continued to teach dance and coach the performance companies for three years to ensure a smooth transition. Then Tillim took over and developed the wide range of programs available under SBDA today. Lovelace came back to run the programs 12 years ago, when Tillim’s son was born, but is now retired. He comes back every year to see the Configuration concert and is still recognized and admired by all the kids, whether or not they studied with him. 

Their next performance will be on Sunday, April 26, at 6:30 pm, at the Marjorie Luke Theatre. This show is a fundraiser for the MWP scholarship fund, featuring dancers from the SBDA companies, the Zermeño Dance Academy, the State Street Ballet Young Dancers, Selah Dance Collective, and more! Tickets will be available at the door.

Be sure to check out the SBDA website for the class schedule and auditions. Donations for the scholarship programs are always welcome through the Move with Purpose nonprofit website.