Lori DeBord

ALBANY - Lori DeBord can't wait for her 136 dancers to hit the stage next week at the LeSells Stewart Center.

DeBord is the dance director and owner of the Albany Dance Academy, which will present a dance rendition of "Alice and Wonderland" June 20 and 21.
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The year-end production is an annual tradition for the 10-year-old academy, and DeBord encourages anyone who has never seen one of the academy's shows to catch it.

"They would be amazed at what these kids do," she said.
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Director Lori DeBord discusses a scene with her dancers.
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DeBord, who is the narrator, choreographed the production, which is presented in two acts.
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"There's a lot of energy and things to see," DeBord said.

Past Albany Dance Academy

productions have included "Cinderella," "The Lion King," "Aladdin" and "The Wizard of Oz."Next year, DeBord plans to present "Little Mermaid."

DeBord herself started dancing at age 2 in 1969.She was a member of the original Blazer Dancers in 1989.That group had a reunion performance April 1 before a Portland Trail Blazers game.

She also has been an assistant coach and choreographer during the years for four high school dance and drills teams, including West Albany and Sweet Home.

DeBord opened her academy in 1993 in the Crossroads Shopping Center on Pacific Boulevard.In 2000, she moved the studio to a more spacious 3,700-square-foot downtown building at 305 First Ave. S.W. that previously housed the Kid Shoppe.

"It's triple the space," she said, noting that there is now room for lockers, changing space and storage areas for props and sets.