Fright Fest 2010

[GAcoaster]

Nothing new as far as I saw, but we didn't spend a lot of time there...just Awakening and the first DMP and Zambora.

[GAcoaster]

From the Asbury Park Press:

 

Ashle Dawson heads home to choreograph 'Dead Man's Party'

 

Choreographing "Dead Man's Party" at Six Flags Great Adventure's "Fright Fest" is a pretty cool gig for someone who's been around just a little longer than a quarter century.

 

Not bad for a local girl from Long Beach Island, although choreographer Ashle Dawson isn't exactly local anymore.

 

Dawson, 26, went national eight years ago. She left for Los Angeles just after graduating from Southern Regional High School in LBI.

 

The energetic Dawson hit the big time by placing in the final four of the Fox hit series "So You Think You Can Dance" in 2005.

 

Dawson also has scored face time as a dancer on "American Idol" and "America's Got Talent."

 

"Being on all of those shows has been an amazing experience," Dawson said. "I learned a lot of things and met a lot of people. I had such great times in Los Angeles."

 

Dawson moved to New York earlier in the year to join Breaking Conformity Productions, a musical production company.

 

"It's great to be back in this part of the country again," Dawson said. "But I'm all right wherever I am as long as I can work."

 

Dawson is busy in Manhattan, but she's just a short trek away from her Jersey roots.

 

"I love to go back," Dawson said. "Right now, I can come home and work, too."

 

Dawson is back choreographing "Fright Fest," which runs through Oct. 31 at Six Flags, for the seventh straight year.

 

"I always come back for it because I love it," Dawson said. "But this year is easier since my home base isn't far. This year is a super different show. All of the choreography is super wild. There are new songs and new dance (routines). It's challenging this year for the dancers because we have sped things up to Broadway levels. We have different styles — we have contemporary. We have a Lady Gaga (number). We have old school hip-hop. We changed up the choreography to keep the dancers on their toes and to keep it unpredictable for the audience because we do have people come out every year and watch our show. You can't do the same old thing. It's a lot of work, but you can't beat how the audience reacts. They love it every year, and so do we. I come back here every year because I love my director, Angel (Ariston), and the whole group here is like family."

 

As it turns out, someone very tight with Dawson who actually is family — her mother, Sarah Dawson — is the costume designer for "Dead Man's Party."

 

"That's a huge bonus for me," Dawson said. "We're really close. Each of us is busy, but we do see each other often, and it's just great for us. My mother working with me is a good reason to come back. But then again, I have so many other reasons to come back. I'm back to put on a great show, and I have such a great time."