About Us

Jimmie DeFore Dance Center was founded in 1978. When Mr. DeFore succumbed to cancer in 1987, Mrs. Gloria DeFore formed the non-profit DeFore Foundation for the Arts to continue to serve the ideals and purposes of the DeFores.

Jimmie DeFore Dance Center has trained dancers for ballet companies, Broadway shows, cruise ships, stage, screen and TV and has been recommended by agents, coaches and other dance schools, both public and private. With over 25 professional instructors, all levels, disciplines and requirements are easily met. The word is out: "You can always get a good class at DeFore's!"

We are also the home of the jazz dance company Jazz Spectrum, Tim Stevenson's Mo'At Music, and Mike Esperanza's Bare Dance Company.

The following are some of the things we've done and continue to do:

* We have hosted ballet company auditions for Boston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Kirov Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Nevada Dance Theatre, Idyllwild School of Arts and Ballet Met.

* We award 16 to 24 full scholarships each year. Each scholarship dancer takes 15 to 20 hours of dance per week.

* We produce Master Classes and workshops with world class instructors like Irina Kolpakova, Luigi, Sean Lavery, Gus Giordano, Allegra Kent, Hinton Battle, Darci Kistler, Stanley Holden and others.

* We have trained dancers who are now in Broadway shows (Both national and international tours), ballet companies, cruise ships, videos, film, industrials and some have opened their own studios.

* For several years we produced Works-In-Progress, the only Orange County venue where choreographers could bring dancers to try out new works, and visual artists, dancers of all kinds, poets, writers, ceramicists and painters could bring art to share with the public - all free to participants or audience.

* We donate free rehearsal space to professional non-profit dance companies in Orange County like Jazz Spectrum and Bare Dance Company, and in the past to Rhapsody in Taps and His Grace Ministry.

* We taught Ballroom and Swing dance to teens and adults 4 times a week and hosted United States Amateur Ballroom Dance Association for a substantial time.

* We bring in doctors, nutritionists and other health experts from time to time to give seminars and lecture demonstrations. We do not charge for these.

* We have choreographed, performed and produced entertainment packages for groups such as American Diabetes Association, Pediatric Cancer Research, ATSC, Guilds for OCPAC, OC Fair, night club acts & fundraisers.

* DeFore Dance Center has been a site, host and educational entertainer for Imagination Celebration since 1994. This too is free.

* We have hosted special High School Dance Days for both local schools and for schools in other counties.

* Anniversary Celebrations were held each year with an entire day of free classes of all levels.

* We donate classes to schools, churches, theatre groups and other non-profit entities (such as Cystic Fibrosis) to help raise funds for their mission.

* We produce a yearly showcase for scholarship dancers, past and present, at a local theatre. This is a semi-professional production with excellent revues.

* We present an annual all-studio show for students interested in the performing aspects of dance education. This event is held at the Robert B. Moore Theatre with full stage lighting, costumes and technical accoutrements.

* We present an in-house Winter Showcase of young talent for friends and relatives which is open to the public, as are all of our events.