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vol . 5 , no. 4 4 : july 1- 7, 2026 : losgatan.com
my 311 app q&a p6 : lg coffee roast co. delays p8 : 7 mountain curiosities p12 : police blotter p14 Faizi Samadani / Los Gatan
THE FUTURE IS LOOKING BRIGHT FOR WILL STOUT
INDEPENDENCE DAY 2026: AMERICA TURNS 250!
Dancer and moviemaker got his start at Los Gatos Ballet
Town’s Oak Meadow Symphony in the Park event is a free, familyfriendly celebration
Faizi Samadani, Contributor
Dinah Cotton, Contributor
William McClure Stout attended three separate high schools to pursue a future in the arts. After completing two years at Los Gatos High School, his Los Gatos Ballet instructors, Peter Doll and Kristin D’Addario, suggested he consider transferring to a program at San Francisco Ballet School. He ultimately landed at Columbia University. In his junior year at Convent & Stuart Hall in San Francisco, Stout he interviewed upwards of 25 people in the dance community around the world, as part of the Design to Action Scholar Program. He couldn’t help but notice a recurring issue—stigma faced by male dancers. Stout recalls how, at a 16-year-old, even he could feel that many people didn't take him seriously. This inspired Stout to make a film about his experience. He reached out to filmmaker Quinn Wharton (who has now worked with names such as NBC, BOSE, Airbnb and Rolex) to help him pursue this. Stout decided to zero-in on his love of dance, chasing his dreams by finishing his senior year of high school in New York City. He wanted to learn the more detailed American approach, instead of just classic European forms. Though Stout’s home base
Back 250 years ago, after 11 years of war with Great Britain, the United States Declaration of Independence was signed by the revolutionists. The American Revolutionary War lasted from 1775 to 1783. Thirteen original colonies broke free from the British Crown. The Kingdom of Great Britain would no longer rule the colonies. T he Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, ending the war and allowing the United States of America its freedom. Today in America, we celebrate the Fourth of July as our independence day across this great land, and in Alaska and Hawaii. In Los Gatos, we do it at Oak Meadow Park. So, make sure to bring your lawn chairs and picnic blankets (there will be food trucks).
➝ Stout, 20
➝ 4th of July, 4
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LOOKING UP Will Stout considers a studio light, in between discussing the documentary short he’s been working on for the past several years. He’s also a talented ballet dancer.
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