StarDanceSwan Fairy Ball On Paseo

Children dressed as bugs, blossoms, faires, elves and all manner of enchantment

dance at last years Fairy Ball on Paseo. Photo by Skip Largent

How shall we beguile the lazy Summer if not with some delight? StarDanceSwan is offering the tenth annual Fairy Ball on the Paseo for children of all ages.  An event full of musical wonder and dance the ball will be held on  Saturday, August 6 from 7:30 to 9:30 P.M.  Parents, Grandparents, and Friends are welcome, and Everyone enjoys spending this delightful Summer whimsy together with children.
The Fairy Ball is a dress up event engaging children in a favorite pastime, that of making believe. Children are invited to come to the Ball dressed as a character from an enchanted garden.  The fun for families begins at home before the Fairy Ball as children and their parents create costumes to wear to the Ball.  At past Fairy Balls, children have dressed up as bugs, blossoms, elves, gremlins, fairies and magical characters of their imaginations.

"Children fully participate in bringing this Summer evening to life," says, Lorrie Keller director of Theatre Upon a StarDanceSwan who are the designers of this event.  "Young active imaginations are the true ingredient that lights up the Ball.  Right now, as StarDanceSwan is preparing for the Ball , we are creating a time and place where children can capture the magic of color, music and dance. "

Once children arrive at the Fairy Ball they can add finishing touches to their costumes with flowers and things that fly in the wind as they dance.  At dusk shimmering music by Steve McLinn, OJAS, and the Star Dance Swan Fairies invite children to dance in their own creative ways.  McLinn describes his concert as "electrical acoustical fusion magical music.”  He is including songs he has composed for StarDanceSwan from past years and new works created just for this Fairy Ball.  StarDanceSwan fancies a surprise for the ball that encourages everyone to spin in dreamy light and listen to the sounds of summer.
Fairies can also be discovered on Paseo during the First Friday Paseo walk on August 5. Paseo Art Space is hosting an art show that includes fairy photography by Stacy Lopez from 6:00 to 10:00 P.M.  If unable to attend the opening, Art Space will be open from 12:00 to 6 P.M. on August 6 and throughout the month of August.  Stacy will be at the Ball to help with Fairy transformations.

The location of this year’s Fairy Ball is on the Fairy Green at Dewey and 28^th, just west of the Paseo Grill.  The Fairy Ball begins at 7:30 PM with Flower Magic. At 8:30 PM the dance begins with a performance by StarDanceSwan.  Following the performance children, parents and friends join the dancing until 9:30 PM.  Free to the public, this event is supported by the Paseo Arts Association and Theatre Upon a StarDanceSwan. Children must be accompanied by an adult.  For information contact the Paseo Arts Association at 525-2688,  jowise@thepaseo.com.

From the press release 

PERPETUAL MOTION TO HOST 

OKLAHOMA CONTEMPORARY DANCE FESTIVAL AND

MASTER CLASS

            Picture provided       
               Perpetual Motion/ Modern Dance Oklahoma is hosting the 5^th annual

Oklahoma Contemporary Dance Festival August 5th and 6th, at 8:00pm, at at the

Oklahoma City Community College Bruce Owen Theater at 7777 S. May.  The

Festival will include performances by 30 local dancers selected by audition who will

perform choreography by Oklahoma City company directors Michelle Dexter

(Perpetual Motion), Austin Hartel (Hartel Dance Group), Kim Kieffer-Williams

(Perpetual Motion), Robert Mills (Oklahoma City Ballet) and Hui Cha Poos (R.A.C.E. Dance). 

               In addition, there will be two works performed by each Perpetual Motion, 

Hartel Dance Group and R.A.C.E. Dance.  Michelle Dexter, director of Perpetual Motion/

Modern Dance Oklahoma stated, “Hosting the Oklahoma Contemporary Dance Festival helps

fulfill our goal of creating and sustaining a collaborative network of artists by bringing together various community dancers, choreographers, and dance organizations in a supportive environment.” 

 “The Festival provides opportunities for these student dancers to gain experience in a professional environment and allows the professional dancers and choreographers to become mentors while discovering new talent.  The Festival hopes to inspire the young dancers to embrace their abilities, create their own works and eventually become a part of Oklahoma City’s professional dance community,” Dexter said.

Tickets for the Oklahoma Contemporary Dance Festival are available at www.perpetualmotiondance.org or at the Bruce Owen Theater box office one hour prior to show time.  Ticket prices are $18 for adults ($15 in advance) and $10 for students and children.

A master class on Friday, July 30, is open to people 14 and up at Oklahoma City

Ballet, 7421 N. Classen Blvd.

           Charges are $40 for the full day, or $12 per class.

Master Class Schedule
9:00-10:15               Ballet with Jacob Sparso (Ballet Master of Oklahoma City Ballet)10:30-11:45             Modern Technique with Austin Hartel (Director of Hartel DanceGroup)11:45-12:30             BREAK12:30-1:45               Jazz with Brandi Gable (Dancer in R.A.C.E., Dance teacher at Bishop McGuiness)2:00-3:15                 Partnering with Michelle Dexter (Director of Perpetual Motion)3:30                         Preview of all Festival works

               Perpetual Motion/Modern Dance Oklahoma is a locally-based dance company dedicated to bringing 

nnovative dance performance and education to Oklahoma City and the state.  For more information about Perpetual Motion/Modern Dance Oklahoma, Inc., its performances and work with area schools, please call 405-206-2843 or e-mail info@perpetualmotiondance.org .  Learn more about Perpetual Motion/Modern Dance Oklahoma at www.perpetualmotiondance.org.  For information regarding the Oklahoma Arts Council, contact OAC’s Public Information Director, at 405-521-2931, e-mail: okarts.state.ok.us.

           Please take a minute to visit this site and help make the 2011 Festival to help pay for the Festival.   Amounts starting at $10 are helpful.

FACEBOOK MIXUP

If you received a "friend" request last Friday, and would like to stay friended, welcome to my social Facebook page.  I accidentally wandered onto a new page put up by Facebook that lists a number of people, including professional friends, that I might possible know.
However, the Facebook page is a social one, and if you feel that a social page is inappropriate, please feel free to "undo" that friend request.
The blog danceartandokc.blogspot.com is a professional site.
Sorry for the mixup.

NEW EXHIBIT AT [ARTSPACE] UNTITLED,

PHOTOS MADE ON PHONES:

ARTISTS' RECEPTION AND OPENING,

JULY 29, 5-8 P.M.

     

Can You See Me Now: Photos Made on Phones, will feature work by 34 artists across the U.S.  It runs through October 1.                                                                        

NAULT GALLERY OPENING
6 P.M. TONIGHT, FRIDAY

Nault Gallery, 1114 N. Walker, is having a gallery opening of paintings by Kristen Vails. 

Visit their gallery of African Art too. 



FACEBOOK MIXUP

If you received a "friend" request last Friday, and would like to stay friended, welcome to my social Facebook page.  I accidentally wandered onto a new page put up by Facebook that lists a number of people, including professional friends, that I might possible know.
However, the Facebook page is a social one, and if you feel that a social page is inappropriate, please feel free to "undo" that friend request.
The blog danceartandokc.blogspot.com is a professional site.
Sorry for the mixup.

R.A.C.E. DANCE COMPANY

PRESENTS ENJOYABLE, PULSING EVENING

Photo provided

By Nancy Condit

            R.A.C.E. Dance Company’s annual performance and fundraiser was a pulsing, enjoyable evening of jazz, hip-hip and popular dances with aimed at commercial dance at the Lyric Theater June 24^th.  Led by Hui Cha Poos, head of R.A.C.E., the only professional jazz company in Oklahoma continues to present exciting dancers in programs that live up to its mission statement bringing “about social awareness and change through dance performances and education.”

            This year’s performance was a spoof of and comment on TV’s reality shows – “The Amazing R.A.C.E….When Reality Meets Dance.”  It showed a physically and emotionally strong company that danced well under the artistic direction of Poos, and co-directors Emily South and Jennifer Stevenson.   

            Two of the best dances for timing were “Chopped,” choreographed by Hui Cha-Poos, as dancers Brandi Gable, Rachel Parks, and Hui Cha-Poos chopped knives, pans, lids, smiled for the camera, and one cut another’s throat with a spatula, and the highly imaginative  “Tap Chef,” choreographed by James Grigsby, as dancers Amanda Beard, Ilivia Graeff, and Rachel Parks took the sounds of the great clog type tap dance and incorporated clapping hands and leg slaps into the rousing dance.

            Another standout was the urban African bush dance performed to choreographer Emily South’s “Survivor.”  Dancers from the RACE and Junior RACE troupes combined in this thrilling dance full of the joy of dance and the juice of life.  The dancers were Hayden Bingaman, Rachael Dickson, Olivia Graeff, Allison High, Alli Paige Hill, Reid Lunnon, Jenni Rader, Haley Southard and Kaitlin Speer.

            “Toddlers and Tiaras,” choreographed by Jennifer Martinez Stevenson, was well danced, appropriately disturbing, and funny as the dancers from Junior Race dance group showed that toddlers can try to walk the runway, but end up pushing and shoving each other for the tiara as it was carried back and forth across the set on a pillow.

            “America’s Got Talent Frankie Morgan,” choreographed by Kristin McQuaid, solo by Frankie Morgan, was an energetic, imaginative dance performed by a strong dancer.      

            “Oklahoma’s Best Dance Crew #2 TABS, choreographed by John Ariete, with pushing and shoving over a guy, was a performed by a good dance group and showed the strength of the company’s talent.

            Emoly West, a former Miss Oklahoma, performed a good lyrical dance in “America’s Got Talent Emoly West” choreographed by Mia Davis.

            “Oklahoma’s Best Dance Crew #4 JROCK” was a hip-hop number choreographed by Poos.  The dancers led with their heads and the rest of their bodies followed.  Adding more fun was the one supposedly out of synch dancer, in dress as well as dance, who finally fit in with the dance, and they with him, leading to part of RACE’s mission statement by Poos, “I also feel a need to use dance as an outlet for the message of inclusion.”

            Also of note were the well danced “The Bachelor,” choreographed by Christina Woodard and danced by the company, the funny “Dancing with the Local Stars with Count Gregor,” choreographed by Shelly Rothell Jafar, and danced by Jafar and John Ferguson, the sexy music video “Search for the Next Pussy Cat Doll,” choreographed by  Poos, the pleasing modern  “Oklahoma’s Got Talent Kelli Clark,” choreographed and danced by Clark, and the eye-catching “Scare Tactics,” choreographed by Kim Loveridge, with metallic masked dancers moving in angular geometric patterns.

            Company dancers were Poos, South, Stevenson, Amanda Beard, Carmen Downey, Brandi Gable, Olivia Graeff, Allison High, Tasha Hinex Rachel Park and Kattelyn Wren.  Guest performers included Amanda Herd, Sami Kropp, Frankie Morgan and Stephanie Foraker-Pitts.  Junior RACE dancers included Hayden Bingaman, Rachael Dickson, Alli Paige Hill, Reid Lunnon, Jenni Rader, Hayley Southard and Kaitlin Speer.

            Watch for the Oklahoma Contemporary Dance Festival, at 8 p.m., August 5 and 6 in the evening at Oklahoma City Community College.  Choreographers are Michelle Dexter (Perpetual Motion), Austin Hartel (Hartel Dance Group), Kim Kieffer-Williams (Perpetual Motion), Robert Mills (Oklahoma City Ballet) and Hui Cha Poos (RACE Dance).  Two works each will be performed by Perpetual Motion, Hartel Dance Group and RACE Dance. The directors are choreographing one work.  Master classes are also available by checking http://www.perpetualmotion.org/. .

            RACE will be holding auditions for RACE and Jr. RACE on August 13 and 14.  More information is coming on the website at http://www.racedance.com/.