Join the Fort Wayne Dance Collective at South Side High School Thursday, April 26 and Friday, April 27 at 7pm in the auditorium for the SSHS Dance Program’s annual Spring Concert! This performance is always a treat! Help keep this amazing dance program going by attending the performance and supporting this outreach program of the FWDC. We would appreciate any donations you can make to the Fort Wayne Dance Collective Outreach/Scholarship campaign to allow these talented students to continue dancing. This performance will feature four different dance classes showcasing multiple pieces, a collaborative dance between North Side High School and South Side High School dance students, the first ever classical ballet piece and more! Don’t miss your chance to support these talented and passionate students, and the many outreach programs of the FWDC! Admission is just $7 for adults and $5 for students. We hope to see you all at South Side!
The Fort Wayne Dance Collective (FWDC) is pleased to present Fort Wayne Taiko’s fourth annual Knock on Wood performance on Saturday, November 20, 2010 at 7 p.m. The performance will be held at the Allen County Pubic Library’s theatre, located at the main library at 900 Library Plaza in downtown Fort Wayne.
Knock on Wood will feature a playful collage of sound and images performed by a diverse group of local talent. The collection of songs will include traditional and contemporary taiko drumming pieces as well as original compositions featuring chants, body percussion, language and dance.
Pre-sale tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students 12 and under. At the door, adult tickets are $15 and children tickets are $12. Call the Fort Wayne Dance Collective at 424-6574 for tickets or information.
Taiko, which means “big drum,” is a drumming and movement form based on Japanese tradition. Taiko is played on big drums, skinned both ends and placed in vertical, horizontal and diagonal positions. In taiko, the movement is as important as the rhythm–drummers play rhythms with sticks using choreographed arm movements and/or while ”dancing” from drum to drum.
Fort Wayne Taiko, the only performing taiko group in Indiana, has provided Northeast/Central Indiana with taiko performances and instruction since 2000. Fort Wayne Taiko members have studied with Japanese taiko masters in California and have brought guest taiko drummers to Fort Wayne to teach skills and repertory to local drummers. A program of the Fort Wayne Dance Collective, Fort Wayne Taiko honors the tradition of taiko as it equally strives to integrate taiko with other art forms to create experimental performance art. Weekly taiko classes are offered at the Fort Wayne Dance Collective. Children’s classes, outreach programs and performances are available upon request. For more info, go to their website, FWTaiko.org. To see several photos from recent FW Taiko shows, including Knock on Wood 2008, see below.
Fort Wayne Taiko is a program of the Fort Wayne Dance Collective, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. FWDC receives funding from Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne, the Indiana Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Partial funding for this event provided by the Downtown Improvement District.
One of our goals at the Dance Collective is to foster burgeoning local dance and movement initiatives. A new called, called [undefined]movers, is a comptemporary dance company formed by Kristin Benner, Chelsea Harkelroad and Janae Stewart, who met at Hope College.
They’ll be performing in our space in the Elliot Studio next Saturday, July 17 at 7:00 pm. From their press release:
The performance will consist of five diverse contemporary dance pieces. Ms. Benner choreographed two pieces, one of which entitled “Kicks and Gigs” was originally created and performed for the student choreographed and student led dance performance at Hope College. The second piece she choreographed is called “Amidst”, which is a solo performed to live acoustic guitar played by Adam Nelson. Ms. Harkelroad choreographed a duet that Ms. Stewart has reset entitled “Aviemore” exploring the journey of a relationship through movement as well as the finale, “Scarce”. A collaboration jazz piece called “After Hours” is a piece coming to life before the audience eyes as the dances improvise to the original jazz score by a jazz band. The musicians, Mike Bass, Kin Fong, Mike Reynolds, and James Sa recorded music specifically for this performance called “After Hours”. Harkelroad will also present a work-in-progress called “You Say”.
Tickets are a steal at $2, and are only available at the door. We hope you can make it!
The King’s Curse
An original story-dance concert by
the Fort Wayne Dance Collective
WHEN: Friday, June 18, 7:00 pm
WHERE: Arts United Center, 303 E. Main St.
COST: $12 adults, $10 children 12 and under
Fort Wayne Dance Collective is proud to present “The King’s Curse,” an original story-dance concert, performed by local students, ranging in age from 3 years old to adult. The concert is happening Friday, June 18, 2010 at 7:00 pm at the Arts United Center, 303 E. Main St. Tickets are $12 for adults, and $10 for children 12 and under. For tickets, call (260) 424-6574 or email info@fwdc.org.
In the story, the King and the Queen hold a grand ball, and send out invitation by carrier pigeons. The pigeon heading to deliver one to Madam Thorndye, the local pharmacist and sorceress gets lost. The invitation is never delivered. Angry and vengeful, she puts a curse on the King.
The curse plagues the King with four demons: Guilt, Fear, Blame and Grudge. Over the hour-long concert, the King must learn to deal with these demons, and win back the friends and family he alienates.
“The King’s Curse” features local theatre stalwarts Reuben Albaugh and Gloria Minnich as the King and Queen, and local artist Cheryl Spieth-Gardiner as Madame Thorndye. A whole host of other dancers play parts in the story as well, including local belly dancers led by Jordana bint Zweena, and students in FWDC’s adult modern and ballet classes. The biggest hit of the concert is always the 3-year old Creative Movement students, who play the Teardrops. There will be a unique dance adapted from the ancient Chinese movement form T’ai Chi, created and choreographed by FWDC Artistic Director Liz Monnier, as well as a special appearance by the FWDC adult creative movement class at Bi-County Services, as they play the Council of the Wicked.
For photograph and video opportunities, FWDC will be holding dress rehearsals Saturday, June 5 from 8:45-11:30 AM at the FWDC studios, Saturday, June 12 from 8:30-11 AM at the FWDC studios, Wednesday, June 16 from 6-8:30 PM at the Arts United Center, and Thursday, June 17 from 6-8:30 PM at the Arts United Center. Please contact Andy Welfle to schedule a time to capture video and photos.
