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Minnesota Dance Theatre's 2010 Spring Season at the Lab celebrates Contemporary Combinations
MDT/DI announces new Managing Director
MDT to bring fresh energy to the classic Loyce Houlton's Nutcracker Fantasy
MDT to present repertoire favorite Carmina Burana...
Minnesota Dance Theatre to Present Contemporary Voices with Special Guests...
New School Director, Jeffrey Hankinson joins MDT/DI School Principal Lirena Branitski
Minnesota Dance Theatre Announces 2009-2010 Season
Minnesota Dance Theatre celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Ballet Russes
Minnesota Dance Theatre to perform ODYSSEY at The Lab on April 17-19 and 24-26, 2009
MINNESOTA DANCE THEATRE'S 2010 SPRING SEASON AT THE LAB CELEBRATES
CONTEMPORARY COMBINATIONS APRIL 16 - 25.
Minneapolis, MN - Friday March 19th, 2009.
Tickets are on sale now.
Visit the website www.thelabtheater.org or call 612 333-7977
Friday, April 16 - 8pm Opening Night Friday, April 23 - 8pm
Saturday, April 17 - 8pm Saturday, April 24 - 8pm
Sunday, April 18 - 2pm w/post-performance Q & A Sunday, April 25 - 2pm w/ post-performance Q & A
Minnesota Dance Theatre is proud to present the world premiere of Justin Leaf's WHITE JACKET ONLY.
"From the sublime to the insane, from the pure to the profane, our Psychedelic Sounds Nightclub is hosting a formal affair, white jacket only. WHITE JACKET ONLY appears to be something about seduction and the play between caution and abandon." (Justin Leaf)
Leaf, Minnesota Dance Theatre company dancer, is known for his artistic sensibility and virtuosic performances. A graduate of the Juilliard School and recipient of a 2009 McKnight fellowship, the 2007 Sage Dance Award for Best Performance, and the Zaraspe Prize for Outstanding Choreography, Leaf is also founder of Junkyard Theater which presents performances bridging music, theater and dance.
WHITE JACKET ONLY features company dancers including himself, with lighting design by Jeff Bartlett.
The world premiere on Friday, April 16 will host a pre-performance celebration at TOAST Wine Bar and Cafe celebrating Justin Leaf and Minnesota Dance Theatre's commitment to continuing the exploration of new artistic voices. WHITE JACKET ONLY is sponsored by Education and Arts Foundation in support of new work.
The six performances will also feature work commissioned in past seasons by Minnesota Dance Theatre. Celebrated choreographers Danny Buraczeski and Wynn Fricke will be represented on the program with Buraczeski's 4 SEASONS and Fricke's UPTURNED JEWEL.
Fricke held the position of Minnesota Dance Theatre's Choreographer in Residence 2005 -2007 with support from the Jerome Foundation and began her journey with the creation of UPTURNED JEWEL to the a capella music of Toby Twining.
"... the best of two traditions can be distilled - the technical range and discipline of ballet and the iconoclasm of modern. These movement vocabularies can be skillfully and stunningly woven, so that neither form is limited; instead the circle of possibilities will be widened." (Wynn Fricke)
Choreographer Danny Buraczeski brought two interpretations of The Four Seasons by composers Antonio Vivaldi and Astor Piazzolla together to make one dance piece. 8 SEASONS premiered in collaboration with JazzDance, Buraczeski's renowned Twin Cities-based jazz company in 2003. A classic jazz stylist, Buraczeski's work has traced an investigation of jazz with attention paid to a rich lineage of individual performers and movement makers. Rhythm drives his choreographic explorations. Minnesota Dance Theatre is proud to bring Buraczeski’s 4 SEASONS to the Lab Theater and will present his 8 SEASONS in the 2010-2011 season.
In addition, Artistic Director Lise Houlton's ALCHEMICAL WEDDING will return to the stage completing a program that represents the breadth of Minnesota Dance Theatre's repertoire from jazz to theatre dance to neoclassical to modern. Influenced by choreographers Glen Tetley, Antony Tudor and Minnesota Dance Theatre founder Loyce Houlton, Lise Houlton found her voice through the artists that have availed themselves of the dance aesthetic of this company. ALCHEMICAL WEDDING was originally choreographed for the James Sewell Ballet in 1995.
"I have been drawn to the music of Sir Michael Tippett. The Fantasia on a Theme of Corelli for String Orchestra is an intricate, intense concertante that evokes the lyrical and aesthetic movement that intrigued and influenced me as a dancer. The luminous fantasia form carries the energy of alchemy, the magical process said to extract gold from crude ore – in this piece, the symbolic chemistry of relationships.” (Lise Houlton)
Minnesota Dance Theatre will host a post-performance Q & A on Sunday, April 18 and 25.
Artistic Director Lise Houlton, Associate Artistic Director Abdo Sayegh and company members will participate in this open forum. We hope you will join us.
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MINNESOTA DANCE THEATRE & THE DANCE INSTITUTE
ANNOUNCES NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR
Minneapolis, MN - Monday, December 28th, 2009.
Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute (MDT/DI) announced today the appointment of Frank McGovern as its Managing Director, effective February 1st, 2010.
A Minneapolis native, Frank McGovern was the Director of Production for the Children's Theatre Company for four years in the 1980's. He also acted as the Executive Director of the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company in Salt Lake City, and the Managing Director of the Gloucester Dance Company in Gloucester, MA. Mr. McGovern is himself an avid student of dance, and takes dance classes across the country during his travels. He has lately served as the Vice President for External Affairs at Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin.
MDT/DI Board Chair Greg Foley (Artspace Projects, Inc.) states, "The Board and I are delighted that Frank will join MDT/DI as our Managing Director. Frank has proven leadership, management and development skills and a deep passion for the arts. He has long been an advocate for the arts and non-profit organizations both in the Twin Cities and nationwide, and with his experience will be a terrific fit with MDT/DI. I know that I speak for the entire board when I say how excited we are at the prospect of working with Frank."
MDT/DI Artistic Director Lise Houlton also commented, "I am very excited and look forward to the privilege of working alongside Frank McGovern at MDT/DI. With the company and school's rich history and resilience Mr. McGovern will bring significant energy and innovative leadership to our organization as we near our 50th year in this community."
With an insightful outlook on the long history of MDT/DI and its potential for continued success as a leading artistic and education institution for dance, Mr. McGovern stated, "It's a chance make a significant difference in creation of new work, fresh presentations of the repertoire, and the nurturing of artistic visions and dreams."
Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute
Minnesota Dance Theatre was founded in 1962 by Loyce Houlton, and it is one of the state's most well-known arts organizations, perhaps most recognized for its annual presentation of the holiday classic, "Loyce Houlton's Nutcracker Fantasy." MDT/DI consists of the performing arm, The Minnesota Dance Theatre, and the school, The Dance Institute. (The Dance Institute is the successor to the former Ballet Arts Minnesota and the School of the Minnesota Dance Theatre, which merged in 2006.) Combining a respect for classical ballet traditions with cultivation of contemporary dance, MDT/DI is headquartered in the Hennepin Center for the Arts in downtown Minneapolis. Minnesota Dance Theatre's 2008-2009 performance season runs October 2008 through April 2009. Artistic Director Lise Houlton is the daughter of founder Loyce Houlton.
For more information, visit www.mndance.org or call the Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute at (612) 338-0627.
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MINNESOTA DANCE THEATRE TO BRING FRESH ENERGY TO THE CLASSIC
LOYCE HOULTON’S NUTCRACKER FANTASY
“…A marvel of balletic story telling.” (Mike Steele, Star Tribune)
December 18th-20th, 2009 at the Historic State Theatre
Minneapolis, MN – Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
Even after 44 consecutive years of Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy delighting Minnesota audiences, Minnesota Dance Theatre (MDT) has a few surprise moves to make in the anticipated holiday production for its 45th anniversary. Most Twin Cities balletomanes have come to know and love Loyce Houlton's beautifully crafted choreographic storytelling, set to Tchaikovsky's music. We all love our holiday traditions. Going to see this favorite ballet has become one such tradition, and to some extent, the familiarity of the characters, lush costumes and sets, and key moments that bring down the house, lend a warmth and comfort to Minnesota hearts as they witness something that remains beautiful even after nearly half a century. Yet, what keep the audiences coming are the subtle and exciting year-to-year changes. Re-interpretations of the dynamic characters by an ever-evolving cast bring renewed vigor to this vintage performance. This year promises an exceptionally fresh revival.
MDT company member Kevin Iverson will make his Nutcracker debut as the eccentrically charismatic Drosselmayer, godfather to the young and dreamy Marie, and sly purveyor of this tale’s enchantment. Iverson, a 2008 graduate of St. Paul Conservatory for the Performing Arts high school, will be the youngest Drosselmayer in production history. Mr. Iverson’s demonstrated proficiency and charm onstage marks him as a particularly exciting pick for this year’s prime storytelling role, whose veterans include such local dance luminaries as James Sewell of James Sewell Ballet and Matthew Janczewski of Arena Dances, and Christopher Martin, formerly of American Ballet Theatre (ABT).
This year’s production is one to watch as the choreography comes alive through a delightful cast composed of MDT resident company dancers, local artists, guest artists of ABT, and students of the Minnesota Dance Theatre’s Dance Institute (MDT/DI). Melanie Verna and Sam Feipel take on the virtuoso roles of the Sugarplum fairy and her cavalier, joined in the roles for alternating performances by ABT dancers Yuriko Kajiya and Jared Matthews. Justin Leaf returns as the dashing Nutcracker prince, and Matt Jenson will bring outlandish charm back to the role of Madame Bonbonniere. Lise Houlton directs the production, which holds the distinction of being the longest running arts event in Minnesota history and has been named the “Best Nutcracker” by Mpls.St.Paul Magazine (2008 Best of the Twin Cities).
Nutcracker Fantasy tickets are available now. Ticket prices range from $24.00-$48.00 for adults and $12.00-$24.00 for children 17 and under; seniors receive $5 off and student tickets are $20.00-$39.00. Tickets are available now at the State Theatre box office, www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-982-2787.
Minnesota Dance Theatre brings this holiday classic to life December 18-20 at The State Theatre:
Friday, December 18th, 7pm
Saturday, December 19th, 2pm & 7pm
Sunday, December 20th, 2pm & 7pm
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Minnesota Dance Theatre to present repertoire favorite Carmina Burana with Dominique Serrand, featuring the Minnesota Chorale and special guest artists
Minneapolis, MN – October 12, 2009 – Minnesota Dance Theatre (MDT) will bring back its repertoire classic Carmina Burana, running November 5-8, 2009 at The Lab Theater. This season’s revival of a choreographic masterpiece by MDT founder Loyce Houlton, presents a convergence of Twin Cities artistry through collaboration between MDT dancers under the direction of Lise Houlton with Dominique Serrand, and the Minnesota Chorale with vocalists Bradley Greenwald, Justin Madel, and Jennifer Baldwin-Peden.
Back by popular demand, Carmina Burana brings vibrant energy to a timeless theme. Houlton’s masterpiece follows a long line of sensuous inspiration, from the silent songs of 13th century vagrant monks’ poetic homage to passion, to Carl Orff setting the poems to an orchestral eruption of the ancient words. This dynamic performance brings the earthly rumblings of love and lust, mixed with the human pangs of fortune and fate, to a fully expressive celebration in a hedonistic romp of bodies, music, and movement. MDT’s cast of sinuously prolific dancers, joined in energetic merrymaking by a powerful corps of musicians, and adorned by the vocal exuberance of guest artists, makes for an uplifting production.
“Thrills and trills spill from spicy ‘Carmina’.” – Rohan Preston, Star Tribune
Featuring a dynamic mix of MDT dancers, vocalists Bradley Greenwald, Jennifer Baldwin Peden and Justin Madel, the Minnesota Chorale, and musicians Tom Linker, Barbara Brooks, Heather Barringer and Bob Adney.
A breathtaking amalgam of music, movement and imagery – Dominic Papatola, Pioneer Press
Carmina Burana runs November 5-8, 2009 at 8:00pm. Tickets are $33 for adults, $28 for seniors, and $24 for students. Tickets are available through The Lab Theater box office at www.thelabtheater.org or by calling 612-333-7977. The Lab Theater is located at 700 North First Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401. For more information, visit www.mndance.org or call the Minnesota Dance Theatre at 612-338-0627.
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Minnesota Dance Theatre to present Contemporary Voices with Special Guests
Charles Askegard and Kaitlyn Gilliland of New York City Ballet
Minneapolis, MN – September 2, 2009 – Minnesota Dance Theatre (MDT) will open its 2009-2010 season with Contemporary Voices running September 18-20, 2009 at The Lab Theater featuring two world premieres, MDT alumni, and two 2009 McKnight Artist Fellowship recipients. Guest artists Charles Askegard and Kaitlyn Gilliland from New York City Ballet will join the company to help celebrate the journey to MDT’s 50th anniversary.
Inspired by the iconic music of Elvis Presley, choreographer Mariusz Olszewski will premiere Duets…with Love, Elvis! Olszewski’s piece, his first MDT commission, will feature a wide range of dance styles from jazzy “Fever” to contemporary “Always on my Mind” displaying his unique experience in theatre, modern, jazz and ballroom. “Timeless feelings, timeless styles of dance and timeless music will all shine from the stage,” stated Olszewski. A native of Poland, he moved to Minneapolis in 1996 and has since performed with Jazzdance! by Danny Buraczeski, founded Beyond Ballroom Dance Company and was a recipient of the McKnight Artist Fellowship for Dancers.
Making her MDT choreographic debut is New York's School of American Ballet Choreographic Workshop participant and Fort Worth native Caroline Beach with her world premiere piece Under the Sun. Set to the music of American composer John Adams, the work according to Beach, “draws upon the ideas of the repetitive nature of life but the joy that can still be found, and also the possibility of newness.”
These ideas are also expressed in the music “which is based on rhythmic loops of string instruments that express emotion and show contrasts and counterpoint.”
Contemporary Voices will also feature MDT alumni and New York City Ballet dancers Charles Askegard and Kaitlyn Gilliland in Who Cares? and Tchaikovsky Pas De Deux by George Balanchine. Askegard, a principal dancer at NYCB, and Gilliland, a corps de ballet member, both began their training at MDT as young children and had the unique opportunities to dance the exclusive role of the littlest mouse in Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy.
Lastly, returning to the stage is MDT favorite A Stair Dance by Eliot Feld with the music of Steve Reich. Created in memory of the tap dancer, Gregory Hines, it ranges from the subtly sexy to the athletically ambitious.
MDT is proud to feature company members Sam Feipel and Justin Leaf as two of the three recipients of the 2009 McKnight Artist Fellowship for Dancers. The McKnight Artist Fellowship provides recognition and financial support for mid-career dancers whose work is of exceptional artist merit, who have created a substantial body of work over a period of time, and are at a career stage that is beyond emerging. MDT Associate Artistic Director and company member, Abdo Sayegh was a recipient of the McKnight Artist Fellowship for Dancers in 2007.
Contemporary Voices runs September 18-19, 2009 at 8:00pm and September 20, 2009 at 2:00pm. Tickets are $29 for adults, $24 for seniors, $22 for students, and $14.50 for children. Tickets are available through The Lab Theater box office at www.thelabtheater.org or by calling 612-333-7977. The Lab Theater is located at 700 North First Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401. For more information, visit www.mndance.org or call the Minnesota Dance Theatre at 612-338-0627.
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Minnesota Dance Theatre Alumni performing in Contemporary Voices:
- Charles Askegard
- Kaitlyn Gilliland
- Melanie Verna
- Raina Gilliland
Tchaikovsky Pas De Deux and Who Cares? are presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Technique® Service standards established and provided by the Trust.
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New School Director, JEFFREY HANKINSON joins MDT/DI
School Principal, LIRENA BRANITSKI
August 25, 2009, Minneapolis, MN – Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute (MDT/DI) announced today the hiring of Jeffrey Hankinson as School Director and Lirena Branitski as School Principal effective August 31, 2009.
“I am excited to introduce to our community new leadership for the Dance Institute. Jeffrey Hankinson is a man of many talents, on the stage, in the studio and in business administration. Mr. Hankinson thrilled Twin Cities audiences with his extraordinary interpretation of Drosselmayer in our 2004 Nutcracker while simultaneously inspiring and training students in the classrooms.
Mr. Hankinson brings to us a commitment to the standard of excellence that serves the art of dance. With his wealth of experience from the best training grounds in NYC to the Broadway stage he is passionate about "making dance relevant" and participating fully in the evolving art form.
Mr. Hankinson brings to us the commitment to serve each student in their pursuit of excellence, whatever their life choices may be.
Mr. Hankinson brings to us his experience in management, which will facilitate our staffing and infrastructure needs, providing greater resources to our DI community.
I hope you will join us in welcoming Jeffrey Hankinson at our Open House on Saturday, September 12th.”
-Lise Houlton, Artistic Director of Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute
A South Carolina native, Mr. Hankinson is a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He continued his studies at the School of American Ballet, the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and the Koln Dance Academy in Germany.
Mr. Hankinson was a principal dancer with the Des Moines Ballet and Ballet D’Angelo performing a wide variety of classical roles. He then moved to New York City and joined the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble directed by Sylvia Waters. While in New York he danced with Elisa Monte Dance Company and was a frequent guest artist with the Joyce Trisler Dance Company before joining the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company. During this period he taught ballet and modern dance throughout the United States, Europe and Asia while touring, and was ballet master at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center under the director of Denise Jefferson.
Mr. Hankinson’s Broadway credits include, “The King and I,” “Little Me,” “Ragtime,” “Jerome Robbins Broadway,” “Damn Yankees,” “Follies,” and Susan Stroman’s “A Christmas Carol.” He has also appeared in film and television. In September 2002 his first short film “Obedience” premiered at The New York International Independent Film Festival and has since been screened at six major festivals around the world.
In June of 2003 Mr. Hankinson moved to the Twin Cities and established a relationship with MDT/DI teaching for the school and made his final stage appearance in the 2004 production of “Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy” as Drossylmeyer.
“I am honored and thrilled to once again be a member of the Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute family and am eager to assist in the continuation of the level of excellence established over 45 years ago by founder Loyce Houlton and nurtured so passionately by her daughter Lise Houlton.”
-Jeffrey Hankinson,
For more information on Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute visit www.mndance.org or call 612-338-0627.
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New Director of Development Joins
Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute
July 22, 2009, Minneapolis, MN – Lise Houlton, Artistic Director of Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute welcomes Connie Fullmer to advance the financial growth of the school and the company in preparation for its 50 year anniversary.
“It is exciting to be working side-by-side with Connie, who not only has a breadth of understanding of our organization and its history, but also a deep connection to this community. We are very fortunate to have her insight and talent here at Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute,” stated Lise.
A native of Minnesota, Fullmer is a second generation arts administrator, who is following in the footsteps of her father, Chuck Fullmer. Additionally, both of Fullmer’s children studied ballet at Ballet Arts Minnesota, which merged with Minnesota Dance Theatre in 2006 to become the preeminent dance school in the state.
She is passionate about formal dance training for all young people as a vital life skill, having seen the impact on her own children’s lives in careers outside of ballet. She has supported numerous organizations in the capacity of development officer, and embraces the challenging times with a keen eye to ethical and committed focus on the mission of serving Minnesota’s people as the means to pass through these difficult times. She is well known by funders in the Twin Cities for her ethical and moral commitment to the truth of the mission in serving the people of Minnesota.
Fullmer is the co-founder of Mentoring Peace Through Art, an international leadership development through the arts program. She currently serves on the board of VSA arts of Minnesota (which ensures accessibility to the arts for all people), and the Rotary Club of Saint Paul. She volunteers for AFS Intercultural Programs, and for the Guthrie Theatre where she works with people with visual impairments. She is married to community muralist Jimmy Longoria, a Virginia McKnight Binger Award in Human Services winner and arts activist.
Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute
In 1962 Loyce Houlton embarked on an artistic journey that would change the artistic landscape and have a lasting impact on the world of dance. Recognized as one of Minnesota's cultural treasures
MDT continues with its courageous vision to present dance with an eclectic international voice.
Dance that Dares
The mission of Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute is to create masterful and provocative dance performances which entertain and inspire audiences, and to foster talent by providing a comprehensive classical and contemporary training curriculum focused on the technical and artistic demands of a professional career.
For more information, visit www.mndance.org or call the Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute at (612) 338-0627.
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Minnesota Dance Theatre Announces 2009-2010 Season
New Commissions, Reunited Collaborations, Time-honored Classics
July 14, 2009, Minneapolis, MN – Minnesota Dance Theatre (MDT) announces its 2009-2010 Season, featuring newly commissioned work by local choreographers Mariusz Olszewski, ballroom champion and founder of Beyond Ballroom Dance Company, and Justin Leaf, MDT company member and 2009 McKnight Fellowship recipient. Also being commissioned is Fort Worth native and New York's School of American Ballet Choreographic Workshop participant Caroline Beach.
MDT opens its season with Contemporary Voices featuring world premieres by Ms. Beach and Mr. Olszewski, as well as MDT favorites “A Stair Dance” by Eliot Feld with music by Steve Reich and “Upturned Jewel” by Wynn Fricke with music by Toby Twining. Contemporary Voices runs September 18-20, 2009 at The Lab located at 700 North First Street, Minneapolis.
Carmina Burana returns by popular demand, reuniting MDT, the Minnesota Chorale, and Dominique Serrand in this critically acclaimed collaboration at The Lab, November 5-8, 2009. Inspired by the stirring and powerful music of composer Carl Orff, MDT dancers, acclaimed vocalists Bradley Greenwald and Jennifer Baldwin Peden, along with the Minnesota Chorale and musicians come together in the portrayal of love and lust, desire and longing, with raucous and bawdy good fun.
Voted “Best Nutcracker” in the Twin Cities by Mpls. St. Paul Magazine, Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy will return to the State Theatre December 18-20, 2009. Directed by Lise Houlton, this locally produced, full-length, classical Nutcracker features lavish costumes and sets, and a 44-piece symphony orchestra conducted by Philip Brunelle. Holding the distinction as being the longest running arts event in Minnesota history, Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy will be celebrating its 45th year.
MDT will conclude its season at The Lab with a dynamic assortment of choreography in Contemporary Combinations running April 16-18 and 23-25, 2010. Company member Justin Leaf will premiere “White Jacket Only” in his first commission by MDT. The company will also perform Loyce Houlton’s “Ancient Air” and Danny Buraczeski’s “Eight Seasons.”
For more information on Minnesota Dance Theatre’s 2009-2010 Season visit www.mndance.org or call 612-338-0627.
Minnesota Dance Theatre - Ambitious. Classical. Contemporary. Extreme.
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Minnesota Dance Theatre celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Ballet Russes
March 24, 2009, Minneapolis, MN – Minnesota Dance Theatre’s ODYSSEY will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of Ballet Russes with Stravinsky’s SACRE DU PRINTEMPS, choreographed by MDT founder Loyce Houlton running April 17-19 and 24-26 at The Lab Theatre.
In a world of a “civilized” aesthetic Stravinsky, Nijinsky, and Ballet Russes shocked and enraged Paris with SACRE DU PRINTEMPS in 1913. This electric shock caused the audience to break out into a massive riot. The complex rhythms and angled movements of this production radically exceeded the boundaries of theatrical tradition.
Founded in 1909 by Serge Diaghilev, the Ballet Russes became one of the most influential and groundbreaking dance companies of the 20th Century. Known for its innovation and collaboration, the Ballet Russes brought together artists of all realms, including such choreographers, dancers, composers, and visual artists as Michael Fokine, Vaslav Nijinsky, George Balachine, Peter Tchaikovsky, Igor Stravinsky, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Alexandre Benois.
Joining the MDT company to lead us back in time to Paris 1913 is Daniel E. Freeman, Ph.D. A pianist and lecturer in music history at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Freeman will set the stage for the artistic revolution that occurred on May 29, 1913. Dr. Freeman appears regularly at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and at arts events throughout the Twin Cities. He is also an author and essayist, publishing widely on topics related to European classical music over the centuries.
MDT founder Loyce Houlton’s choreography of SACRE DU PRINTEMPS was first performed by the MDT Company in 1985. “We are doing Loyce's version of Sacre and it is fantastic. It really is simply daring. The strong sweeping movement style with difficult partnering, and the amazing music make this piece something truly special,” said Melanie Verna, featured dancer.
ODYSSEY will also feature the world premiere of THE FERMENTATION OF SUZIE AND THE SAILOR by choreographer Christine Maginnis in her first commission by MDT. According to Maginnis, “My hope is that it stirs up some sort of internal riot, because I think that's what a work of art should do. I am exploring the unification of body and soul in the context of a romantic relationship using an air-bed, a box, combat boots, a film, and two awesome dancers, Justin Leaf and Melanie Verna, as well as a haunting score by Matthew Smith.”
Come witness Dance that Dares – Ambitious. Classical. Contemporary. Extreme.
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ODYSSEY, the final production of MDT’s 2008-2009 season, opens April 17 and runs through April 26. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8:00pm, while Sunday matinees begin at 2:00pm. Tickets are $29 for adults, $27 for seniors, and $26 for students. Group rate (groups of 6 or more people) are $20 per ticket. Student rush tickets will be available 15 minutes before the performance for $10 if tickets still remain. Tickets are on sale and available through The Lab Theater box office at www.thelabtheater.org or by calling 612-333-7977. The Lab Theater is located at 700 North First Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401. For more information, visit www.mndance.org or call the Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute at (612) 338-0627.
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Minnesota Dance Theatre to perform ODYSSEY at The Lab on April 17-19 and 24-26, 2009
February 15, 2009, Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Dance Theatre will present SACRE DU PRINTEMPS (Rite of Spring) and a world premiere by Twin Cities Choreographer Christine Maginnis in ODYSSEY running April 17-19 and 24-26, 2009 at The Lab Theater.
Celebrating the choreography of founder Loyce Houlton, SACRE DU PRINTEMPS (Rite of Spring) was first performed by the MDT company in 1985. Stravinsky shocked and enraged Paris in 1913 with the provocative and exciting rhythmic invention of SACRE DU PRINTEMPS. Come experience the wild and daring combination of Stravinsky and Houlton, and feel the combustion of energy between the two.
In a new work commissioned by MDT, Christine Maginnis will display her unique talent as a choreographer and dancer. Enjoying both realms of performer and choreographer, Maginnis is taking control and sharing her talent with the MDT company.
“I left my ballerina on the floor of the dance studio when I fell off my pointe shoes in my teens, but she's always stayed with me to complement the modern "ragdoll" dancer in me. It's such an honor to work with these highly trained technical artists with such gorgeous lines that I'm hoping we can learn from each other's styles to make something that brings out the best in both of us,” stated Maginnis.
Come witness Dance that Dares – Ambitious. Classical. Contemporary. Extreme.
ODYSSEY opens April 17 and runs through April 26. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8:00pm, while Sunday matinees begin at 2:00pm. Tickets are $29 for adults, $27 for seniors, and $26 for students. Student rush tickets will be available 15 minutes before the performance for $10 if tickets still remain. Tickets are on sale and available through The Lab Theater box office at www.thelabtheater.org or by calling 612-333-7977. The Lab Theater is located at 700 North First Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401. For more information, visit www.mndance.org or call the Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute at (612) 338-0627.
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Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute
MDT was founded in 1962 by Loyce Houlton, and it is one of the state’s most well-known arts organizations. MDT/DI consists of the performing arm, The Minnesota Dance Theatre, and the school, The Dance Institute. (The Dance Institute is the successor to the former Ballet Arts Minnesota and the School of the Minnesota Dance Theatre, which merged in 2006.) Combining a respect for classical ballet traditions with cultivation of contemporary dance, MDT/DI is headquartered in the Hennepin Center for the Arts in downtown Minneapolis. Minnesota Dance Theatre’s 2008-2009 performance season runs October 2008 through April 2009. Artistic Director Lise Houlton is the daughter of founder Loyce Houlton.
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