Ailey II Striking

The experience that I live last night with Ailey ll was stunning! Using a very pleasing choreography, the dancers were shown to good effect both as a group and as individuals. The dancers were so remarkable. I was amused at their synchronize movements as well as their physical stamina.

In addition to the pop influenced pieces, there were sections that were very balletic and jazzy. The dancers transmitted to you a desire to move and energize your bodies, with their endless vigor.  Some of the dances, through the use of light, hand movements and costumes, transmitted a calm, peaceful and gracious environment. On the other hand, the colorful costumes and bright lights of Revelations with traditional spiritual songs of the American South reached out and touched the hearts of the audience. The dancers truly brought the music to life and transported you back in time, leaving the audience standing in complete ovation.

Ailey II is a wonderful vehicle for dance bringing a whole new language to life. I took my 10 year old daughter with me and she was captivated and inspired by the talents of such hard working dancers.

 We left the theater thrilled!

Rankin File: ***** AILEY II

Thursday November 4^th 2010 was a very special evening at the Fox Cities P.A.C.  Modern Dance performed as well as AILEY II doesn’t make its way to the Fox Valley often enough.  The audience was excited to have the chance to experience the dance and by the end of the evening they were literally rocking out of their seats and souls.

The extreme physicality of the dance was apparent by the substitutions made to the program due to injury in the company.  Football players are not the only ones sidelined with injuries.  The dances entitled Takademe and Doscongio were the dances substituted and were very well received.  I particularly enjoyed Takademe with it’s staccatos/music by Sheila Chandra.

The choreography by Thang Dao in the dance Echoes was by far my favorite. The dance was perfectly matched with the lighting and the body poetry evoked a consciousness of experience that cannot be defined.  The other dances were all excellent but Echoes was for me the most spectacular.  I believe however by the audience’s reaction the favorite might well have been the final dance of Revelations which was accompanied by traditional vocal spirituals and beautiful costumes with lighting to match.  Several curtain calls were demanded and the troupe was kind enough to give an encore even though they must have been exhausted.

Of all the forms of art human beings endeavor to create dance is the most fleeting and the most difficult to perfect.  This makes dance so very precious.  You experience dance only for the moment it is performed, and then it is gone.  You can only have a taste and then a memory. 

Ailey II Athletes Make Dance Look Effortless

Ailey II dancers have a reputation for physicality, but what does it really take to be onstage for two hours every night? A mixture of talent, stamina, dedication and grace for sure, and also years of training and practice.

For many Ailey II dancers, training begins at a young age. Even as high school students in The Ailey School, schedules were intensive, with students attending academic classes from 7:45 a.m. to 1:20 p.m. and classes in ballet, modern dance, West African, jazz and other techniques from 1:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Not only is that longer than a typical 40-hour work week, but that school schedule is supplemented by workshops and lectures on dance history, nutrition, anatomy, injury prevention, body conditioning, music for dancers, improvisation, career transition, college preparation and audition practice. CLICK HERE to see just one little exercise demonstrated by Ailey II dancers for DanceSpirit Magazine.

Think you could do that? I know better than to attempt a parallel arabesque, but I won’t miss the chance to see Ailey II Thursday, November 4. Visit foxcitiespac.com for details!

Want to learn more? Come early for a FREE Appleton Papers Inc. Community Engagement Activity. Associate artistic director, Troy Powell will lead a preshow discussion starting at 6:45 p.m. in the Kimberly-Clark Theater.

Broadway Buzz

There are few things that I love more than Broadway shows, and I think the fall season might be one of them. Everything from crunching leaves beneath my feet to pumpkin pies to the fresh, crisp air. I keep imagining how wonderful a trip to New York would be this time of year to see a few Broadway shows and take a stroll through Central Park. Hopefully a vacation is in my future, but until then, here’s the latest from Broadway.

• Football fans unite! Lombardi opened October 21 in New York to adorning Green Bay Packer fans and theater-goers. Check out some great video from the show and catch the review in “The Wall Street Journal.”
  
• “Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color?” Our beloved holiday classic, “Elf,” is now a Broadway musical. The show opens November 14 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Looks like Christmas came early this year.
  
• Pee-wee Herman, welcome to Broadway! The Pee-wee Herman Show opens on Broadway November 11 and has been extended an additional four weeks due to overwhelming demand. I had no idea Pee-wee’s story would be so captivating!
  
• Our favorite Marvel comics’ hero Spider-Man has made his way to the stage. With music and lyrics by U2’s Bono and The Edge, it is going to be a rockin’ show. Read more at the Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark official website.
  
• “Jersey Boys – the film!” Graham King’s GK Films acquired the rights to the Broadway blockbusterJersey Boys. After the musical steals our hearts in June at the Fox Cities P.A.C. we can relive the moments forever on film.
  
• Lea Michele as Elphaba?! There’s more talk about WICKED possibly becoming a film. One of my favorite “Glee” stars is standing out as a possible Elphaba. Move over “The Wizard of Oz,” make room for “Wicked” on my DVD shelf!
  
• Check out the latest and greatest from one of my favorite leading ladies, Kristin Chenoweth. She is still headlining in Promises, Promises on Broadway but has a lot to say in her interview about her other projects. WICKED’s original Glinda sure is “Pop-u-lar!”
   

I keep reading about how successful Promises, Promises is on Broadway, and I can’t wait to someday see Kristin Chenoweth onstage. Which Broadway performer do you wish you could see live?

Don’t forget to keep current with your Broadway Buzz. Share any interesting news you come across until the next post!

On Sale Today - Cirque Dreams Illumination!

What exactly is Cirque Dreams illuminating at the Fox Cities P.A.C. December 18-19?

Cirque Dreams Illumination blends world-renowned imagination, critically acclaimed theatrical innovation and breathtaking presentation into a story that illuminates a city of everyday people, workers and pedestrians into feats of disbelief. It’s not specifically a holiday show, but it will leave you with a sense of awe!

Cirque Dreams Illumination features 27 world-class artists who use their unique talents to illuminate objects, balance on wires, leap structures and redefine flight with entertaining variety and a sense of comedy that reinvents everyday life. Urban acrobatics, dazzling choreography and brilliant illusions are performed to an original score of jazz, salsa, ballroom, pop and trendy beats from the streets.

Tickets for Cirque Dreams Illumination go on sale to the public today at 10:00 a.m. for four performances only. Visit foxcitiespac.com for details!