Gay dancer and choreographer C. Anthony Cole is back in town and he’s pouring his heart and artistic soul into La Diego Dance Theatre, currently headquartered in City Heights. Their motto is simple but expansive: passion, power and beauty.

Executive Director Cole has teamed up with gay artistic director Daniel Marshall. Both are passionate about dance, have the power to create electrifying choreography, and are confident that their joint efforts in dance will result in a thing of beauty for the San Diego community, both gay and straight.

Cole and Marshall went to the San Diego High School for the Performing Arts. After graduation they went their separate ways, but kept in touch through the years. Coming back to San Diego was a reunion of their friendship and art – sparking their future collaboration with La Diego Dance Theatre.

Both are practiced dancers and choreographers and bring back experiences learned “on the road.” They want San Diego, especially San Diego youth, to benefit from their professional experiences. Marshall will do most of the legwork, so to speak, for the dance troupe. He has mentored under Cleo Parker Robinson in Denver, Colo., as well as Donald Robinson in San Diego and the Dayton (Ohio) Contemporary Dance Company. Cole attended Boston Conservatory and has been working solo in his company, called C. Anthony Repertory Company.

Cole’s and Marshall’s joint vision is to establish a new dance company with an eye on contemporary dance, al la the “Marshall” technique. What that means simply is that dance will be the major focus, not cultural or political thematic material which may draw too much attention away from the dance itself. Marshall says: “I want to bring dance back to dance.”

La Diego Dance Theatre is working with Elevate on their latest production called “Young and Gifted.” Elevate is an arts program specifically designed for City Heights teens who have an interest in dance and peer education. Professional dance instruction offered by La Diego Dance Theatre is a fundamental part of the members’ education and development.

It doesn’t matter if you are gay or straight, black or white; the audition process is open to all. Marshall works his youthful troupe from a studio inside the Youth Education Town complex at 4089 Fairmont Ave. The productions are offered throughout San Diego. Check out their website for dates and places (La Diego Dance Theatre).

This is just another example to the community at large where gays are making a difference in the educational development of children. Both Cole and Marshall are excellent role models and the respect shown them by their students was quite apparent on the day I visited the studio.

Marshall still moonlights with Jean Isaacs’ San Diego Dance Theatre and practices with the Academy of Performing Arts as well. Although Cole may have loosened his ballet slippers a bit as executive director, where his efforts will focus on promotion, he still plans to participate as a choreographer.

The company is starting off with their ballet slippers held high, recently placing in a competition held at the McCullum Theatre in Palm Springs that brought them a cash award as well.

Although it’s obvious that the diva in this dance company is Cole, both executive and artistic director seem to balance one another well and that bodes for a long collaborative effort.

As I watched an afternoon practice session it was clear that Marshall was in control of his hard-working troupe of dancers. I watched eager, intense faces of joy, frustration, anticipation and wonderment. I witnessed lunges, Arabesques and grab-grabs. I also observed a unity of purpose that may even make a fundamental change in their lives and the San Diego community at large.

Cole and Marshall will make a difference in many lives and the differences can only be positive. They are committed to helping kids get off the street and into a positive environment where ethnic diversity sings out in a positive rap enjoyed by all.

With little rest between numbers that were well executed, Marshall’s “and a 5-6-7-8” brought his teenage chorus line full circle; only this time it was in City Heights, San Diego, where a very long run is anticipated.

For more information scall (619) 269-5792.