Choreography Workshop (see bios and more below)

Why Works-in-Progress Showings Matter

Dance is about connection—between artists, ideas, and audiences. Works-in-progress showings offer a unique and meaningful way to be part of that process.

These showings are more than just sneak peeks; they’re moments of shared discovery. They give dancers and choreographers a chance to test out new material, take creative risks, and gather insights that help shape the final piece. For audiences, it’s a rare opportunity to see behind the scenes, witness the evolution of a work, and offer feedback that truly matters.

By showing up, you’re not just watching—you’re contributing to the creative journey. Your presence, your reactions, and your reflections all help bring the work to life.

Thank you for being part of this space where art is made, not just performed. Read about the upcoming program in the Johnstonian News. 

Deborah Hooker, Choreographer

Aside from a year of tap when she was four, Deborah’s dance training began 20 years later, in 1974, with an open ballet class for adults at Duke University.  Over the next 12 years, she took classes in ballet and modern with teachers throughout the triangle.  In 1981, she began studying with Ann Vorus, formerly of the Atlanta Ballet and founder of the Raleigh School of Ballet (RSB).   Before leaving for  graduate school in 1986, Deborah performed with and choreographed three ballets for the Raleigh Dance Theater, the performing arm of the RSB.

From 1978 until 1985, when she began performing with Antonia Beh’s  The Dance Project, Deborah reviewed dance for publications  throughout the Triangle.  From 1982 – 1985, she was the dance reviewer for Raleigh’s Spectator Magazine. (Fun Fact: She once met Peter Martins backstage before a performance at Duke.  She stuttered.  They talked about the weather. He is a very imposing Swede.)

In 2015, Deborah retired from NCSU where she taught 20th century American Literature and Women’s Literature for 24 years in both the English and Interdisciplinary Studies Departments. From 2000-2015,  she directed the university’s Women’s and Gender Studies Program.   In 2014, she became the first recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council on the Status of Women for her work on equity for women and for untenured faculty at NC State.

rylee blossey, dancer

Rylee began ballet at the age of two in a small school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. At 13, she began pre-professional training. She spent multiple summers dancing at The Boston Ballet School. At the age of 16, Rylee moved to train fulltime under the direction of former Pacific Northwest Ballet professionals, Phillip Otto and Rachel Butler. At Huntsville Ballet, she trained six days a week to focus on the next step in my ballet career. She  had an unfortunate injury and the dream of dancing professionally came to an end.

Rylee attends classes at SpiritJoy Dance and is the instructor for the popular Dance Conditioning Class Poise and Power. Rylee holds a BFA in Interior Architecture and this fall will become a candidate for a Masters of Architecture at the University of Michigan.

Ksenia Dobbs, Dancer

Ksenia has been dancing since she was three years old. She trained at GJ’s Dance Studio in Waldorf, MD doing tap, jazz, ballet, broadway, contemporary, and hip hop. While at Stevenson University, she performed on the dance teams as well. She then took a break until finding Spirit/Joy Dance classes with Lori DuPeron, which has rekindled her love of dance. When she is not dancing, she works for the US Composting Council and volunteers as a Master Gardener.

Lauren Slaber, Dancer

Lauren began dancing at 4 years old at the Dance and Music Academy in Chicago, IL. She trained in jazz, tap, ballet, hip hop, as well as a primary focus in contemporary. Throughout high school she performed with Trifecta Dance Collective as part of their high school intern dance program. Lauren was very active in performances and competitions, performing multiple times in Dance Chicago, Peridance in New York, and was a protege for CRU dance competition’s nationals. In college, she pursued a minor in dance. She choreographed and performed for her sorority in JMU’s GreekSing Dance competition, and helped lead ADPi to victory. She moved to Clayton in May 2024 and has renewed her love of ballet at SpiritJoy Dance. Her 9-5 is as an Analytical Chemist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Research Triangle Park. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
SpiritJoy Dance Clayton – 919-289-9112
Email: info@spiritjoydance.org
Website: www.spiritjoydance.org

Downtown Clayton to Host First Showcase of New Choreography and Proposed Community Hall and Black Box Theater Concept

Clayton, NC — May 1, 2025 — SpiritJoy Dance Clayton invites the community to a compelling afternoon of movement and creative vision at Downtown Clayton’s newest performance space. On Sunday, May 18th 4:00 PM, audiences are welcomed to an Informal Dance Showcase spotlighting the first work from SpiritJoy’s mini Choreographic Workshop. After the showing, interior architect Rylee Lohr Blossey will present a 3D video concept for a proposed Community Hall and Black Box Theater for Downtown Clayton.

This free event marks a milestone for local dance and community arts development in Clayton. The showcase features the premiere of Cam(e)o, an evocative new work by choreographer Deborah Hooker, performed by local adult dancers Rylee Blossey, Ksenia Dobbs, and Lauren Slaber, set to the hauntingly beautiful “Journey Through the Rain” by hammered dulcimer virtuoso Ted Yoder.

“When I first heard Ted Yoder’s ritualistic piece, the image that came to me was of a group of women warriors standing in a row, like something you’d find carved into an ancient temple wall,” says Hooker. “And I went from there.”

Set in a welcoming, intimate space, the showcase offers more than a performance—it’s an invitation to experience the power of shared inspiration through dance, music, and emotion. The event also introduces Clayton audiences to a proposed venue concept: a flexible-use community hall with a fully sprung floor that can also serve as an affordable black box theater designed to support local artists, small-scale performances, workshops, media events, lectures and collaborative art-making.

The featured choreography is the product of SpiritJoy’s recent choreographic workshop—an initiative designed to give local dancers the opportunity to create and explore movement on fellow dancers in a low-pressure, supportive environment. SpiritJoy hopes this pilot will grow into a regular offering for community members interested in developing their creative voice.

Deborah Hooker, the choreographer behind Cam(e)o, brings decades of experience in both dance and education. From choreographing original ballets for the Raleigh Dance Theater to reviewing performances for Spectator Magazine, and also directing the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at NC State University, Hooker’s rich background shapes her uniquely thoughtful artistic perspective.

“Yes, we have adult choreographers and dancers in Clayton,” says Lori Duperon, the founder of SpiritJoy Dance. “This just the beginning of what we hope will be a flourishing and creative dance community.”

EVENT DETAILS:
What: SpiritJoy Dance Clayton – Informal Dance Showcase
When: Sunday, May 18th, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Where: Downtown Clayton, Purna Yoga East, Upstairs Studio entrance on Back Patio, 
Admission: Free
More Info: www.spiritjoydance.org

Join us for a special debut performance and be among the first to experience this exciting new direction in Clayton’s arts landscape.