Big Range Dance Festival, a three-week extravaganza, is a highly anticipated contemporary dance festival now in its 5th year in Houston. Held at Barnevelder Movement/Arts Complex (an edgy warehouse theater near Minute Maid Park), this festival promises to entertain and intrigue audiences with fresh new works.

If you enjoy watching technically precise, quick movements, you must see Prelude to Three Temperaments. This funny and amazing work is being performed by three very talented Houston dancers: Teresa Chapman, Julie Fox, and Karen Stokes. On the other hand, Shift, performed by a trio of male dancers from University of Houston, is guaranteed to leave you in awe over what could be achieved, artistically, if you devote three years of your life to tireless practice.

There's something for everyone every night of the festival. A comprehensive and detailed list of the performances is on the website, so be sure to schedule a night (or two, or three) at Big Range this year.

Phillip Chbeeb (stage name: PacMan) appeared this week on Fox's hit summer series "So You Think You Can Dance". He's an 18-year-old dancer from Houston who has performed in Dance Houston 2006 on behalf of Marvelous Motion. Impressing the judges with his eye popping pop-locking, Phillip earned a ticket to Las Vegas to continue on the show next week.

Choreographer Shane Sparks (You Got Served, 2004) was truly blown away by the performance. He offered this raving review of Phillip's audition, "That's the epitome of what I'm talkin' about. I'm not impressed by nothin' too much. That was probably the sickest hip hop, poppin style free style that I've seen in a long, long, long, long time. You're gonna win America over all day long - all day long."

Needless to say, we are proud. Tune into Fox on Wednesday and Thursday nights at 8pm to watch Phillip and other amazing dancers.

Second Generation Dance Company presents a Salon Dance Performance featuring the work of Nadia Dosal this Saturday at 3001 Cleburne. A native Houstonian, Dosal has choreographed and performed in Houston for five years. Also included on the bill is new choreography on the life of Frida Kahlo. Led by Artistic Director Lori Amare, Second Generation is a contemporary dance company that explores the culture and experiences of the African Diaspora through Dance Theater. For the Salon, they are also offering visual art by Lizbeth Ortiz and complementary refreshments.

House of Dreams, a movie by Shawn Welling, recently debuted to an enthusiastic audience at World Fest International Festival, where it was awarded with Gold Remi (the festival's most prestigious award).

An inspirational movie, House of Dreams tells the story of one Houston-based dance company's struggle to keep the doors of their studio open while preparing for a concert. It is a true story about people coming together with dreams, spirit, dedication and love. While the fight to stay alive is being narrated, the audience is introduced to some of the best dancers in Houston who treat them to beautifully performed dance moves and techniques. At parts, the dancing is a story in itself.

The dancers hail from Shawn Welling's Planet Funk, and their personal lives of the play a powerful part in the story. One dancer confides that dancing saved her from a career in sales (illicit drug sales, that is.) Another dancer claims that Planet Funk is his haven because it is the only place where he can truly be himself; and without Planet Funk, he would be left to fight on the streets of inner-city Houston.

House of Dreams is a movie of hope, struggle, and imposed injustice; with a happy ending!

CITY DANCE, a local modern jazz dance company, ventures into new territory with Nursery Rhymes for Grown Folk, a delightfully humorous yet thought- provoking two-act musical theater piece. It tells the story of real life struggles, and deals with some edgy subject matter. Written, Directed and Choreographed by Sherese Campbell. Must be 17 and older to attend this performance.

Presented by Dance Houston, Young & Intense offers training and performance opportunities in modern, jazz, hip hop, social, and cultural dance to dancers ages twelve to sixteen. A two-week intensive workshop and performance, Young & Intense plants the seeds for discipline and growth in Houston's young dancers. It will be July 9 - 20 at Mitsi Dancing School. A few spots are left--register today!

This program is funded in part by grants from Harris County and the Texas Commission on the Arts through the Houston Arts Alliance.