A few weeks after Evolving Doors Dance Company began rehearsals for their latest performance, the entire world shut down. Company choreographer/director, Angie Simmons briefly shut down, as well. There was a lot to process. How does a dance company make work when they can’t be together in space? After a while, Simmons and the company decided that a dancer has to do what a dancer has to do, and that is to dance. By June, they began working on a dance-for-camera film. 

Company dancer Gretchen LaBorwit, who studied dance-for-camera work for her MFA at the University of Colorado, collaborated with EDD and co-director/sound designer Amy Shelley’s band, High Fiction on the short film, Coil & Web.

Rising to the challenge to find new ways to rehearse safely within the new constrictions, via zoom calls and outdoor park rehearsals, Simmons found the confidence to move forward with the live performance that was already planned. New questions arose, and new challenges presented themselves regarding exactly how to present dance to an audience safely. Describing this process, Simmons recalls, “just from an artistic director and choreographer’s standpoint, there were so many things that I had to reevaluate, and some things I had to let go of, that I would never have done under other circumstances. It’s been mind-boggling. It’s good for me. I normally can overthink everything. There was no time for any of that. I had to go with gut and hope that gut was right.”

Functioning within restrictions as a way of creating work is a modern dance format that began with the collaborations of composer John Cage and choreographer Merce Cunningham in the 60’s. Creating highly structured work by means of chance and obstacle was a way of shaking dance out of its expected forms of presentation. Usually, undertaking this method of creating work is a choice. For Simmons, the structure was imposed by Covid-19. 

Stepping out of her comfort zone has meant stepping out of the stage and into space that had to be re-structured and newly devised. The result, Moving Through: Bodies, Music, Images, Experience, has enfolded the question of “how do we work now” into the performance itself.

Rather than sitting in a theater and watching a stationary performance, the audience will move through the entire building, viewing multiple installations, including the Coil & Web film as a backdrop to live performance. Four musicians will move through the space in a sound collaboration that becomes necessarily ambient as the music travels and intermingles between spaces. A meeting room filled with clear balloons, a curtain that separates the dancers in a duet, and furniture that a soloist has not actually danced with are some of the obstacles the dancers will encounter during the performance. Simmons says the pieces are abstract, but the through-line is how people, both performer and audience, are connecting or not connecting with obstacles.

Coil & Web promo image, courtesy of Evolving Doors Dance

There are three ways you can enjoy Moving Through: In person (socially distanced, masked, and staggered entry) live-streamed, or pre-recorded. These options allow viewers to participate at their comfort level, and even at their leisure.

Live and in person is always the best way to view performance art. The energy exchange between audience and performer always adds a deeper dimension of experience. Beginning Thursday, October 1 through Saturday, October 3, tickets can be purchased in 15 minute increments. Small groups will enter together, and individual audience members will be allowed to walk through the performance space at their own pace, spending up to 15 minutes with each performance installation. Audience and performers will be masked. The show is approximately one hour in length, or shorter if audience members choose to move quickly.

Performances are held at The People’s Building in Aurora. Ticket times are 7:00 7:15, 7:30, 7:45, 8:00. All tickets must be purchased in advance. No tickets will be sold at the door. Purchase tickets here.

For many, entering the public for entertainment is not optional or preferable at this time. One live-streamed performance is available on Thursday, October 1 at 7:30 pm. This tickets are donation based. After you purchase this ticket, you will receive an email with a private live-stream link. Purchase live-stream tickets here.

If the Thursday live-stream has passed, or you wish to view the performance from home on your own timing, you can purchase tickets for pre-recorded performances for Friday and Saturday. You will be emailed a link that you can access until October 9. Purchase pre-recorded tickets here. 

The post Evolving Doors Dance Moving Through: Bodies, Music, Images, Experience appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

SUPPORT LOCAL MEDIA!

I love the esthetic of spas. They are tranquil environments, dedicated to the senses. The best spas create space that supports us turning inward where our inner peace resides. They are an immersive sensory art experience and our nervous system is the canvas. Spa directors know which colors, textures, smells, and sounds will bring calmness to our being. Spa therapists are trained to personalize their tones of voice, their touch, and the products they use to help you, specifically, let go of stress and tension.

We could all use a little spa time. Do you know who would appreciate spa time a lot? Moms give us so much of their time, focus, and energy, often placing their own needs on the back burner. It’s no wonder that the gift of spa is such a popular Mother’s Day way to say that we see our mothers and appreciate the effort they put into helping us grow in ways we both know, and perhaps might never know.

In recent times, as we have all been confined to our homes, and our external places of sanctuary have been temporarily shuttered, spas have been taking their expertise to social media to offer us tips on how to create our own worlds of calm in our very own homes. We reached out to a few of our favorite local spas, Jalan Facial Spa, and The Dragontree, to delve into their treasure trove of tutorials and tools to bring you this list of gift ideas that you can share with the mother figure in your life. And they are great ideas for any of us needing a little piece of peace. As Colorado begins to eae lockdown restrictions, those of us that can, should, stay home a little longer, per medical advice. Ease that suffering with this goodness. Note: all links open in a new tab. 

Happy Mother’s Day!

Jalan Facial Spa

Jalan Facial Spa is a lush oasis hiding in Uptown Denver. Upon arrival, you are blessed with easy parking in their parking lot. You are already relaxing. When you open the door the city fades into the distance and you are greeted by a Zen rock garden, and a wall with uplifting words written in moss, as if the very forest itself is here to boost your vibe. A spa shop chills out in the corner, letting you know that the finds within might come home with you later.

Jalan is a Malay word that means “the journey”. At Jalan Facial Spa, the journey you are taking is inward. Every corner is a cozy nook that invites you to sit quietly. They welcome you with nourishing teas and tiny treats. You are offered noise cancelling headphones to listen to guided meditations in the Meditation Garden while a video wall of natural environments takes your mind off of whatever your mind was on. You are invited to take deep breaths as you inhale lemongrass and lavender steam from herbal aromatherapy stations. You are given an aromatic footbath and somehow, instead of being boring, the stone wall you are staring at comes alive and shows you tiny faces in the rocks.

You are in here with other people (just like your mom might be quarantined in a full house) yet somehow you are couched in your own bubble of quiet. There is a camaraderie of solitude.

We hope that by the time Mother’s Day rolls around, you will be able to send your mother off to this wonderland. They tentatively plan to start new bookings beginning on May 11, the day after Mother’s Day. If Mom misses your sweet face, you can join her in a shared retreat.

Just before the world came to a standstill, we were able to experience their wonderfully personalized Hydrating Rose Facial for myself (including an otherworldly gemstone face massage), and a Men’s Urban Facial (dudes….a smoked Bourbon Enzyme Mask?!?!?!) for our editor. We each loved our treatments by highly skilled therapists, and felt deeply replenished well beyond our table time. Gift certificates for these facials and other dreamy treatments can be purchased on Jalan Facial Spa’s website.

However, if the world stays closed for a little while longer, or if your mom has decided she just really likes staying home, Jalan Facial Spa has an array of tools and tutorials that can bring the tranquility of Spa into her home. The spa’s online shop offers a curated selection of tools and products which are used in spa services. From the organic and biodynamic Jurlique skin care line, to beautiful gemstone tools for self-massage (which will be in the online store very soon), these gifts can be paired with video tutorials on Jalan Facial Spa’s Instagram page. You and your mom can learn how to treat yourselves to a daily facial massage that will bring the benefits of spa luxury into your own self-care routines.

Jurlique’s Rare Rose Gel Cream is better than a similarly priced bouquet of roses, and puts the power of what seems like thousand rose petals on your skin. Pair with rose quartz facial rollers and a tutorial on how they work to relax the facial muscles, remove puffiness from the eyes, and more.

Another tutorial highlights the benefits of Gua Sha massage. A Gua Sha tool is a carved, flat gemstone which can be used to sculpt facial muscles, drain lymphatic tissue, and promote circulation. Jalan offers a Gua Sha Facial service at the spa. Gua Sha tools will soon be available on the online shop. Paired with Jurlique’s Nourishing Cleansing Oil, you will soon be reaping the benefits of this sculpting facial massage at home.

These are just a few of Jalan’s tutorials that are free and available to everyone. With so many options available in spa, in the online shop, or on Instagram, Jalan Facial Spa can help you treat your mother to an uplifting, peaceful experience.

The Dragontree

The Dragontree, located on Pearl Street in Boulder, is another gorgeous haven that makes the outside world disappear. The Dragontree’s unique menu offerings of Eastern healing practices of Ayurveda and acupuncture make them a Boulder standout. Founded by Dr. Peter Borten, a doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and Briana Borten, a wellness entrepreneur, the spa and apothecary carry their formulations of highly sophisticated herbs.

We did not have the opportunity to enter the dragon and experience their Mother’s Day offerings for this article before the world closed down. I did, however, receive a Mother’s Day gift certificate from a generous friend last year. I can attest that the experience helped me feel relieved of the daily pressure of caring for others. A few hours made me feel as though I had been on a long vacation. Ensconced in the spa’s tranquil environment, putting all decision making into the hands of others, I was escorted from the sauna, to the relaxation room, to a fabulously CBD enhanced Ayurvedic treatment, to one of the best facials I’ve ever experienced, and finally to the not-to-be-missed Sangha Room.

The Sangha Room elevates the art of a footbath into a sublime experience. Seated upon a plush chair in the comfy communal space, my feet were soaked in a beautiful bowl of milk and salt and essential oils. I floated around the room with the aromas as I sipped my tea. Looking at the empty chairs next to me, I thought about how lovely it would be to be in this room with my mom or a friend, taking in this pampering experience together. An afternoon can be made of the Sangha Room retreat, when lunch and a sauna are added. What a sweet way to spend an afternoon with mom.

When the world is open again, a gift certificate for mom to The Dragontree will be a well appreciated gift. But until that time, they have offered us this list of treats and techniques from their apothecary that can be gifted and applied to our home self-care arsenal.

The Dragontree’s 9 Steps for a Fabulous Day at Home – all info can be found on Dragontree’s website, www.thedragontree.com/spas/boulder

Guided Meditation: an MP3 download of 13 meditations to settle your nerves and raise your vibration.

Peace Tea: a soothing herbal sip including rose petals, lavender, and lemon balm.

Muscle Melt Herbal Bath: formulated by Dr. Peter Borten to increase blood flow, move stagnant lymph, decrease muscle and joint soreness.

Dry Skin Brush: natural body brush used for exfoliation, lymphatic flow, and improved circulation.

Relax Massage and Body Oil with CBD: a blend of pure essential oils and CBD oil formulated by Briana Borten. Self-massage can help you lovingly connect to your body.

Dragontree Massage Ball: a self-massage tool to help you hit those hard to reach spots.

CBD Neat: 500 mg of CBD extract in a base of MCT oil, legal in all 50 states.

Muscle Melt Balm with CBD: delivers 300 grams of CBD directly to sore muscles and joints.

Muscle Melt Patches: herb and essential oil patches for muscle relief.

With so many beautiful possibilities, we can give mom a gift of calm, and return to her some of the care that she pumps out to us throughout the year. And you know who else deserves a little self-care? You. Your mom would approve.   

While you’re here: [direct-stripe value=”ds1585187109306″]

The post If Your Ma Can’t Go To The Spa, Bring the Spa to Your Ma: Mother’s Day Gifts to Create Peace and Sanctuary at Home appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

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Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

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The day before the Colorado Ballet premieres a new ballet, school children are offered the opportunity to attend a full-dress matinee at a heavily discounted price. These special performances are essentially dress rehearsals complete with costumes, makeup, lighting, and orchestra. The crowd is young, loud, and rowdy, which is perfect for young kids who may otherwise have difficulty maintaining the formal decorum generally required of ballet attendees. On Thursday, February 27, my bouncing 8-year-old daughter and I, along with Yellow Scene editor, De La Vaca,  were treated to a delightful afternoon of Peter Pan in a theater full of elementary students.     

Almost everyone is familiar with the story of Peter Pan, the boy who never grows up, who takes Wendy and her brothers on a magical adventure to Neverland, a land of pirates, fairies, lost boys, and a Native tribe. The enchanting ballet is action packed, with high flying adventure, fighting, mild romance, and plenty of stage magic. Peter Pan is an excellent ballet to introduce the world of dance to children of all ages, and maybe reintroduce it to the child in all of us.

Peter Pan is originally choreographed by Michael Pink, who also choreographed Colorado Ballet’s Dracula. Colorado Ballet debuted the production in 2012, though it was first performed in 2010 at Milwaukee Ballet, of which Pink is the Artistic Director. It is loved by audiences, selling out quickly – possibly because of a shortened run; while The Nutcracker run had 26 performance dates, Peter Pan only has 9. Music was created especially for this ballet by Phillip Feeney and is performed by the Colorado Ballet Orchestra, with accompaniment by the Colorado Children’s Chorale.

Kevin Gael Thomas and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

One of the special challenges of performing this ballet is the trick of flying. The characters of Wendy, Michael, John, and Peter Pan each log some flight time, with the most extensive feats performed by Peter’s character. Our group’s afternoon experience was enhanced by a backstage tour, where we saw the rope and pulley systems that lift the dancers high above the stage; the flying effects in Peter Pan are provided by ZFX, Inc. A video on the Colorado Ballet website shows dancer Kevin Gael Thomas discussing how he and Francisco Esteves pull off that magic.

The dancers alternate performing the role of Peter with being backstage to call cues to the technicians lifting the onstage Peter. The flying that looks easy and natural onstage requires the precise coordination of at least four people. The dancers must learn to use their bodies in unique ways to create this wonderful fantasy of flight. Some of the more fantastical flight moments include Peter and the Darling children flying over London as they pass Big Ben and the Tower of London, and some of Pan’s antics, such as standing on Hook’s blade.

Also seen backstage was the gorgeous and intricate set piece of Captain Hook’s pirate ship. This large piece is cleverly designed by Rick Graham (Peter Pan Scenic Design) to be climbed by the dancers, glide across the stage, and be turned about to show both the outside of the ship and the rooms below deck. All of this shifting scenery is beautifully choreographed into the story. I appreciated a glimpse into the inner workings of the stage artistry which, we are told, is often done by other dancers helping out.

Leah McFadden by Mike Watson

Each of the beloved characters are brought wonderfully to life by the cast. The Tic Toc croc makes a wonderful, if brief appearance. The family dog, Nana is endearingly portrayed. Fernanda Oliveira’s Tiger Lily (alternatively danced by Asuka Sasaki) has powerful presence. Nicolas Pelletier (alternatively danced by Christophor Moulton) plays a dual role of Mr. Darling and Captain Hook, a clever contrivance, as Mr. Darling is a little bit of a bad guy in act one. 

My daughter was particularly charmed by the mischievous and feisty Tinkerbell. Her twinkling, light-up costume offered a new, non-Disney image to the familiar fairy. Kicking Peter in the shins, sticking her tongue out at the audience, and laughing after shooting Wendy from the sky, she’s quite impish, and played adorably by Mackenzie Dessens (alternatively danced by Leah McFadden). The children of the audience get a chance to interact with Tink by waving magic wands to bring her back to life. 

We caught a glimpse of the dancer backstage during our intermission tour as she scampered fae-ishly across the stage. I commented to our tour guide that she was staying in character, to which she replied that Mackenzie is just that fae in real life. Later that night, taken by the fairy’s naughty charms, our generally agreeable child perplexed her father by sticking her tongue out at him at bedtime.

Though I was captivated by most of the performance, a few issues grabbed my attention. Before going into the theater, I wondered how the story and appearance of Tiger Lily would be addressed in these current times, when we should all be aware of the issues facing Native people – and particularly Native women – who are missing and murdered at an alarming rate. Peter Pan was written in 1911 and is riddled with racism regarding Native representation. Some of today’s theater companies grapple with how to present the story while also honoring Native people. 

In Colorado Ballet’s production, I appreciated that Tiger Lily and her tribe of all women were depicted as brave and independent, fighting off the pirates on their own. Their costumes seemed skimpy and exotified in relation to traditional regalia and clothing, and compared to the costumes for the rest of the cast. A Native American woman who accompanied De La Vaca later in the evening for the final dress rehearsal found them skimpy but also well made and not plastic and cheap looking, as is wont in festivals and party representation all over, though we’d love if the costumes were made by actual Native people in appropriate fashion. 

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Christophor Moulton and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

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In Act 3, the Native women are captured by the pirates. They interact with their captors who seem to be celebrating, by alternately entertaining them with dances, and pushing them away. Some are then carried off into the rooms under the ship by the drinking pirates, leaving me to question what happens to them next, and whether this depiction bumps the rating of this children’s production to PG-13. When I checked in with my daughter, the nuances of this scene had gone, fortunately, over her head. 

As a parent, I believe it is my responsibility to balance fantastical depictions of culture with real cultural experiences and education. Our family has attended several local PowWow gatherings, where we can witness Native people in traditional regalia that they have made, participating in traditional dances and music. We will be sure to attend more of these gatherings and discuss differences between what we see there and what was depicted on stage.

Asked about these cultural concerns, Colorado Ballet provided a statement, not dissimilar to the one Disney+ added to their recently released collection: “Colorado Ballet respects and embraces all cultures. This story is an adaptation of the Peter Pan novel originally published in 1902 by J.M. Barrie and may contain cultural depictions that were common during that era.” 

Peter Pan captivates, with all the daring your childhood self remembers, brought to life brilliantly yet again, with explosions sure to startle, leaps into imagination guaranteed to make you crane your neck, and emotion enough to make you weepy. Make sure to see Peter Pan by the Colorado Ballet. Bring your sense of wonder with you. 

You can catch a performance of Peter Pan at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House from now until February 9. The Colorado Ballet is also hosting A Night in Neverland: A Colorado Ballet Gala on Thursday, February 6, 2020 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Check it out online and make sure to attend this very exclusive trip to Neverland. PowWow gatherings in Colorado can be attended throughout the year. 

Leah McFadden and Artists of the Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Kevin Gael Thomas, Morgan Buchanan,and Chandra Kuykendall by Mike Watson

Kevin Gael Thomas, Christophor Moulton, and Artists of the Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Kevin Gael Thomas by Mike Watson

Kevin Gael Thomas and Simon Zinabu Costello by Mike Watson

Kevin Gael Thomas and Morgan Buchanan by Mike Watson

Kevin Gael Thomas and Leah McFadden by Mike Watson

Kevin Gael Thomas and Leah McFadden by Mike Watson

Kevin Gael Thomas and Leah McFadden by Mike Watson

Kevin Gael Thomas and Christophor Moulton by Mike Watson

Christophor Moulton and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Christophor Moulton and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Arianna Ciccarelli and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

The post Peter Pan Flies High with Colorado Ballet | Review appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

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Francisco Estevez by Allen Birnbach for Colorado Ballet

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The time of Fall feasting has passed and December is upon us. You may now celebrate your chosen winter holiday with full enthusiasm. What more classical way to herald the magic of Santa season than by attending a live performance of The Nutcracker? Full of everyone’s favorite holiday traditions: partying, toasting, dancing, that one weird relative, gifting, fighting, candy, and a fantastic dream sequence (or was it real?), the ballet is set to Tchaikovsky’s beloved suite, by far the best holiday music. Over a century later, we’re still not tired of it.  

The Colorado Ballet opened their 59th annual Nutcracker production on November 30, running through December 29 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. The production has been a staple of the Colorado Ballet since its beginning, and has evolved over the years as the company has grown from small theaters into the company’s current home in the gorgeous Ellie Caulkins Opera House.

I attended the evening showing on December 1 with my 8-year-old daughter. She joyfully joined the ranks of the many who can say that The Nutcracker was their very first ballet. As the curtain rose, along with the musical score, played by the Colorado Ballet Orchestra, conducted by Adam Flatt, my young companion and I slipped into the magical realm of sweets. As we both became absorbed in the story, it slowly dawned on me that, though I have watched numerous Nutcracker productions on television, sometimes badly dancing along, this was my first live viewing. As always with live performance, the depth and quality of the experience is enhanced by being submerged in the same space as the performers, breathing the same air, exchanging our appreciation for their offering.

Chandra Kuykendall, Christophor Moulton and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Everyone has their favorite Nutcracker dance sequence. Invariably, I get excited about the Arabian Coffee dance. I’m always hoping to see it performed with a slinky sensuality that matches the music. And maybe sometimes when I’m arabesque-ing around my living room, I try to emulate that sinuous style. Chandra Kuykendall and Christopher Moulton performed the Arabian dance with perky precision, like a perfect morning cup, hitting each lift and spin with clean efficiency. My daughter loved all of the internationally flavored dances of Act II, but was most tickled by the antics of Mother Ginger. The large puppet contraption, manned by Alejandro Perez, comically cavorted through a series of moves which all elementary aged kids will recognize, such as Orange Justice, the Dab, and the Sprinkler.

I tried to keep the bouncing enthusiasm of my child in check, but when the entire audience became rowdy, whistling and yowling for Sugarplum Fairy, Dana Benton, and Cavalier, Yosvani Ramos, she gleefully let loose. I’d previously attempted to lecture her on how one behaves at the ballet, but, apparently, woo-hoo-ing is acceptable Nutcracker decorum. They were marvelous and absolutely deserved the positive feedback. Yellow Scene editor, De La Vaca, attended a student performance a few days later and personally attests to the glorious irreverence of children engaging this fantastic production, an overwhelmingly gleeful enthusiasm often lost in adult only audiences.

What fun it was to be cheering as one among the more than 50,000 audience members who attend a Colorado Ballet Nutcracker performance annually. As well as offering public Nutcracker performances, the Colorado Ballet serves the community through their Education and Community Department, which company director, Gil Boggs calls one of Colorado’s hidden gems. This branch of the company offers free Nutcracker performances by Colorado Ballet Academy students to Title 1 schools, and steeply discounted $2 ticketed performances to DPS schools.  

The production is so loved that audiences voted it Best Nutcracker in the Nation for Gold Star’s 2016 award. Charmed by the lively sets and sparkly costumes, and the classical choreography after Marius Petipah, the original Nutcracker choreographer, we could quickly see why this production is so esteemed.

What we could not see clearly from the audience, we learned later in a press event held by company director Gil Boggs, is how the beautiful sets and costumes are falling apart. Clara’s nightgown is shredded and torn. The great Mother Ginger puppet is taped together. The Rats must wear goggles to keep costume debris from blinding them inside of the costume helmets. The Nutcracker doll’s head is glued on. Once, during a performance, the Nutcracker’s head popped off, and its arm broke off, sliding into the orchestra pit. And the smell of the Prince’s tunic, we are told, could probably lift the Sugarplum Fairy all on its own.

Emily Speed and Sean Omandam by Mike Watson

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The costumes were created thirty years ago for the San Francisco Ballet, and purchased second-hand by the Colorado Ballet fifteen years ago. They have been worn since then for 28 performances per year. That’s quite a lot of wear, tear, and sweat buildup. The costumes and sets require more and more repair work after every performance, and after each year, and are ready to be retired. This will be the final season for the current set and costumes.

The company has launched #GOFUNDTHEMAGIC, a crowdsourcing campaign to help fund new sets and costumes, so Colorado Ballet’s The Nutcracker may continue to delight audiences for years to come. Managing Director of Advancement, Adam Sexton, says that $1 million of the $2.5 million price tag has already been covered by company reserves and early donor gifts. The steep price includes costumes that will be handmade in the USA, and a warehouse to store the costumes and sets. One of the five costume companies they will be employing is here in Denver. Boggs says that he has already found two designers, and that he plans to keep the look and feel of the production traditional. He says this will be your grandmother’s Nutcracker. 

The crowdfunding campaign offers the community a chance to invest in a Colorado holiday tradition. Sexton reminds us, “This is Colorado’s Nutcracker. This is Denver’s Nutcracker. We wanted everyone to have a stake in this. The $100,000 [GoFundMe] goal is only 1/25th of our overall campaign goal, but we feel it’s really important to get buy-in from our entire community in building this.” 

Indeed, the Colorado Ballet’s Nutcracker is a holiday institution for the whole community. Those who donate to the campaign can consider themselves part of the magic.

 All images courtest of the Colorado Ballet.

Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Asuka Sasaki, Francisco Estevez and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Emily Speed, Gregory K. Gonzales and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Gregory K. Gonzales and Simon Zinabu Costello by Mike Watson

Gregory K. Gonzales by Mike Watson

Sean Omandam and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Tyler Rhoads and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

The post #GoFundTheMagic – Colorado Ballet to Buy New Nutcracker Costumes, Sets with Community Investment appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

.When Lucy Wallace taught her first Dance To Be Free class in 2015 at a women’s correctional facility in Denver, she was not yet aware of just how profound the effects of dancing would be on the imprisoned women. “I was nervous, intimidated. I didn’t know what to expect. But, I’m willing. I walked into the gym with the eight women waiting for us. I had two friends with me. I put on my music. I played a song that was maybe not the best choice of lyrics. “I want to kill it with you.” As soon as they started moving, this woman behind me who I knew was serving a life sentence said, “oh this is spiritual.” Right away. I thought, she understands that this is not exercise.This is a vehicle in. Dance is an avenue to go deeper.”

Wallace wanted to be of service, she wanted to share dance. How much it can help the women she serves has been revealed over time. “I don’t want to go in there and say “hey ladies, let’s heal your trauma.” I just go in there and say “let’s dance together.” But in that, so many revelations come to these women that are beyond my expectations. One woman in Pueblo’s prison began to cry and shared, ‘I realized for the first time that I love myself.’ That’s a huge revelation. That’s just from moving. I don’t know what happened. It’s such a mystery to me. I love that it’s bigger than me.”

Wallace has been steeped in the power of dance since she was 8 years old. She started with ballet, and then moved on to a modern dance major in Ohio. She made her way to Boulder to get her Master’s degree in Naropa’s psychology program. At Naropa, the emphasis is on Somatics, a modality which addresses the relationship between the mind and body. She explains, “it’s more along the lines of, in order to access trauma that is frozen in the body, frozen in time, you have to get at it through the breath, through movement.”

A Pathway Out of Trauma

By bringing the healing potential of dance into the prison environment, Wallace is offering women an opportunity to move through trauma and into empowerment. The women who attend Dance To Be Free have often experienced a lifetime of violence and trauma. They may never have experienced their own body as a safe place to be. Dance offers an experience of their body that they can own, forging a new pathway to freedom within themselves.

“I just heard a really disturbing statistic from Van Jones that 82% of women in prison arrive having suffered abuse. They arrive into a traumatizing environment where they can’t physically move. With trauma you need movement. They go into a sedentary environment with PTSD symptoms. Lights on all of the time, sleeping barracks style. In some prisons, the conditions are worse than others. My sense is that they come out more traumatized.”

“There are women who messed up, who did armed robbery and got forty years. There are people serving life sentences because they’ve committed three crimes. It’s not good. What happened to that person? I always try to rewind it back to asking why are they making bad decisions? What happened to them that they have poor impulse control? How is the trauma affecting their brain? Was she abused, was she raped? I can’t believe what these women have been through.”

Wallace describes how trauma gets frozen in the body, in the part of the brain responsible for fight, flight or freeze. She explains, “you can do all of the talking up in the frontal lobe about making better decisions, but the trauma is frozen in the background. Repetitious, rhythmic movement gets at the part of the brain that’s holding that. To me dance is getting at the wound without retraumatization. The movement with the empowering music is such a safe, clean way to get toward healing.”

“The movement and dance bring back control and joy. There is a feeling of “I am in control of my body. Someone else is not violating me. I am the one lifting my chin up, arching my back, kicking my leg. There is a sense of owning my body, owning the experience. And that leads to tears falling in total joy. It’s very powerful.”

A Pathway to Belonging

The recidivism rate in Colorado is an unfortunate 50 percent. The Director of Colorado’s Department of Corrections, Dean Williams, attributes some of this to the dehumanizing culture within the prisons. He cites a lack of social belonging among the biggest reasons for people to be driven back into the prison system. Wallace describes the community building aspects of dance; “There has been research by a woman named Bronwyn Tarr that dancing in rhythm with a group of people increases trust and pain tolerance. So then they are having this sense of community and they are healing in community. It’s such a connection of the body, mind and heart. I heard this quote, “I learned to belong by dancing.” 

The women who participate in Dance To Be Free are learning how to belong. Wallace says, “Something I didn’t see on the horizon when I started this is the sense of community is so huge. One woman said “I have my tribe now.” They would be dancing next to someone that they never talked to, or who was an enemy. They are a Dance to Be Free tribe now.”

A Self-Sustaining Model

The Dance to Be Free program has evolved in ways that Wallace had not expected when she began four years ago. In the beginning she was teaching weekly classes to prisoners in Denver. After six months, she decided to teach the women how to teach the classes to each other, so she offered a teacher training. The women then had the means to sustain the program for themselves. This allowed Wallace to expand to another prison in Pueblo. When she expanded again to Nebraska, she began to see that the teacher training program was a very successful, self-sustaining model that could be replicated all over the country. Dance To Be Free has thus far been implemented in thirteen prisons in eight states.

Wallace offers continued support to the women holding Dance to Be Free programs in their prison communities by sending videos of new choreography from the weekly classes she teaches in Boulder at Block 1750. The teacher programs empower the women to create their own choreography, as well. Wallace shares their choreography with the women in all of the other prisons that hold the program. In this way, the women are able to reach beyond the walls of their own prison to build community with other women. “It’s a cool web. They see other people dancing their movement.” 

Dance To Be Free recently took yet another evolutionary step when, after her eighth trip to Nebraska, Wallace held a facilitator training that will teach the women to hold the teacher trainings themselves. This development has grown the program into a completely self-sustaining model. “It’s a full three-day, twelve-hour experiential growth workshop. We journal, write poetry, have circles, watch inspirational videos, do breathing exercises. The women can decide they want to do this, they want to teach, or they can just participate for their own well being.” About 5 percent of the women decide to go on to teach within the facility. “Leading dance can be challenging. It takes a certain personality. The women who go through the training just for themselves benefit just from learning how to teach.”

A Pathway to Success

Wallace plans to offer a certification program for facilitators who can aid in her effort to implement Dance To Be Free programs in more prisons. Though people all over the world reach out to her for training, she says it takes a very special person to be able to do the work.  “The real goal is that I want the women who are in and have been in prison to hold the torch.”

Wallace says, “The most common theme written about in the class journals is an urge to help other women.” Both lifers and women who have completed their sentences are learning a means to lift other women out of their isolation and trauma by sharing Dance To Be Free. They can be a source of inspiration and healing. “If we can get to the core of what’s fueling the bad decision making problem, which to me is unaddressed trauma, we can prepare someone with job skills, or resume building, or entrepreneurial skills. The dance does it, they have this awakening. It’s one answer. It’s a choice.”

How Our Community Can Support Dance To Be Free

“Prisons don’t pay. We do all of the fundraising on our own, so it’s quite the challenge. Even when they tell us they love the program, it’s changing culture, the women are responsive, it’s enhancing the work they are doing, they still won’t pay for it. Prison reform is desperately needed. All of the funding that supports Dance To Be Free comes from donors in the Boulder and Denver community.” 

To help Lucy Wallace change the lives of more women in more prisons, you can donate to Dance To Be Free at https://www.classy.org/give/243137/#!/donation/checwkout

To participate in community dance classes with Wallace, and dance the movement that is sometimes filmed and shared in the prisons, you can join her at Block 1750 on most Wednesdays at 9:30 and Saturdays at 11:15. block1750.com/

Recently, CNN featured a story on Dance To Be Free. You can view it here https://www.facebook.com/cnn/videos/365914294338440?sfns=xmwa

See more videos of the Dance To Be Free program in action, in the prisons Dance To Be Free: Home

The post Dance To Be Free: Empowerment through Movement appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Asuka Sasaki by Allen Birnbach for Colorado Ballet 

Don Quixote. An age-old story of madness, visions, and love. To see this ballet – a 150 year-old ballet first performed in 1869 – brought to life here in Denver by the Colorado Ballet, is simply magnificent. The Colorado Ballet, performing out of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, were resplendent in the always excellent costuming, stage work that is excellent bar none, and an orchestra that continues to prove its worth to local audiences. Indeed, some of the major applause was for Adam Flatt and his orchestra. 

If you missed the opening night of Don Quixote, fear not. With performances through October 13th, the Colorado Ballet dancers will be on hand and on-stage to delight local audiences with Spanish inspired classical choreography by Marius Petipa, paired with music by Ludwig Minkus, performed live by the Colorado Ballet orchestra. Importantly, this is the first time in ten years that Don Quixote has been performed by the Colorado Ballet, according to artistic director Gil Boggs. “Our dancers are really looking forward to performing this work. The choreography showcases deserve incredible technique and athleticism throughout the performance. The story this story of Don Quixote takes audiences on an adventure with humor and romance – and we can’t wait to share it with Colorado audiences…”, Boggs said in a press release. 

The ballet, which is based on the classic novel, The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha, first premiered in Moscow, Russia in 1869 and remains one of today’s most frequently performed works. Indeed, while we often think of ballet, like opera, as a very highbrow affair, set in the likes of New York, Paris, or Moscow, this ballet is set to classic Spanish songs, in the Spanish countryside – in Gypsy camps, and with a broad spectrum of beauty and age and class represented, telling stories with age-old motifs – which makes it sure to reach across time and age and across social location to touch you. 

On a personal note, as a writer, I consider myself a serious reader as well. I may have fallen in love with Russian and Portuguese classical literature, rendering some books – like Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes and a Hundred Years of Solitude from the famed Colombian surrealist author Gabriel Garcia Marquez – less than readable. It’s the variability of interpretation combined with the delicate if stamina heavy and artistically marvelous presentation in art forms like ballet that bring these to life for those of us who haven’t, or have refused to, read such dense, antiquated fictions. I’m immensely glad for the ability to witness dance bringing to life history at such high levels, technical wonders performed by such skilled dancers as the opening nights principal male lead, Francisco Estevez, who dances the part of Basilio, love interest to Kitri, Asuka Sasaki, whose father has promised her to a very well played, bumbling nobleman..

Francisco Estevez and Asuka Sasaki and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

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Our primary dance writer, Jennifer Arnone, had a chance to speak with Estevez who, to our surprise given his stellar performance, has never before played the role of Basilio or been in a Don Quixote ballet though, he tells us, he “grew up seeing it…”. Excited to be back at their home theater, after pre-season performances at the Vial Dance Festival and the Arvada Center, this being his first performance as a principal dancer on home turf, Estevez says, “this is my first time being involved with Don Quixote and it’s a ballet that I grew up watching. This is my first opportunity as a professional, or just as a ballet dancer, to be involved.” 

Whenever a performance takes place, the performance is imbued with the history of the character, the history of the story, but it’s also brought to life by what the performers bring to the table. These are the ways in which a dancer, an artist, brings characteristics from their own lives and their own histories, their own passions and proclivities, to the role. Estevez tells us, “it’s a very fun role, very technically demanding as well, but for the most part you have a lot of artistry that you can bring to the role. It’s very much a storytelling role… there’s also a lot of comedy involved in the ballet and in the role as well, so there’s a lot of fun little avenues that you can take down [sic] artistically that have been fun to explore.”

Classifying it as a romantic comedy ballet, the term being his own, he says that, “it’s still in the classical realm of ballet, of what you expect, but there’s definitely a lot more freedom… [Don Quixote] has a lot more light heartedness to it, energy, comedy, drama, romance. There just a lot more action.” 

The history of the ballet itself, similarly, can’t be understated. 150 years of the ballet being performed, with another 264 years prior to that of the novel growing in importance since it was first published, makes performing it being part of a massive, growing, and long respected tradition in ballet. This version, Esteves tells us, was “loosely based on the American Ballet Theater version”, because the Colorado Ballet director and others had early careers there. “That company has a rich history of very famous dancers, Baryshnikov being one of them, that have done this roll and had his own version of it as well, when he was director of it, so there’s definitely big shoes to fill. But with that comes a lot of excitement to be able to add to that history a little bit, even here in Denver. The Denver audiences will definitely get a taste of that rich history.” 

The history is important, in both the history that’s passed and in the history being made today. If young dancers like Estevez and Sasaki leading the way in Colorado, bringing traditions from around the world to our humble locale, the future is bright – both for these young dancers and for the arts in our area. We highly recommend heading on over to the Colorado Ballet website to pick up your tickets for the last of the performances before they’re all sold out. There are only five performances left, from October 10-13, two of which are matinees. I would also highly recommend reviewing the upcoming dance schedule for future performances, which includes family favorites The Nutcracker, Peter Pan, and others. 

Beyond the art, beyond the culture, and beyond the opportunity to be downtown in one of the most gorgeous buildings Colorado has, participating in the creation of our local own artistic history is what makes going to the ballet, the opera, and the theater so important. To that end, a brief story: as I was leaving the Ellie Caulkins opera house with my friend Namiq, I was stopped by a group of young black men. Three of them, out in the cold listening to Brothers of Bass Brass Band performing on the steps leading down to 14th street, and they asked why we were so dressed up. When we told them we were at the ballet, they howled in surprise and said that they had always wanted to check out something like a ballet. I told him they should, that it wasn’t just for the rich or for a certain race, that people of color had invented ballet performances and have been dancing on their own stages for centuries, that the most famous ballerina in the world right now is a Black woman, Misty Copeland, who wasn’t even the first woman of color to dance ballet. They were struck by my words and ask for information. I handed over my Don Quixote program, encouraging them to check it out. They hugged me goodbye, a strange moment of connection and impact that I don’t recall experiencing at any other performance in Denver. 

We should all take the time to do our part to encourage the next generation to participate in the arts, whether by becoming artists or art consumers. It’s a benefit to all to have a vibrant arts scene. Kudos to the Colorado Ballet for their work in these areas. 

All images courtesy of Mike Watson for the Colorado Ballet.

Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson2

Asuka Sasaki and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Asuka Sasaki and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson2

Asuka Sasaki, Francisco Estevez and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Fernanda Oliveira and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Francesca Martoccio and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Francisco Estevez and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Francisco Estevez and Asuka Sasaki by Mike Watson1

Francisco Estevez, Asuka Sasaki and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Leah McFadden by Mike Watson

Morgan Buchanan, Nicolas Pelletier and Artists of Colorado Ballet by Mike Watson

Nicolas Pelletier and Morgan Buchanan by Mike Watson

The post Don Quixote Rides into Denver | Colorado Ballet Review appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

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Life/Art Dance Ensemble will be presenting a retrospective show to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Ten Years Later…will be performed May 18-19 at the DL Parsons Theater in Northglenn. In addition to the performances, they are also offering free community dance classes on Saturday, May 18 from 5:30-6:30 pm, and on Sunday, May 19 from 1-2 pm. You can sign up for the class when you purchase tickets online at Life/Art Dance Ensemble.

If you haven’t been following Life/Art Dance Ensemble’s biannual performances over the past ten years, no worries. This retrospective is a perfect opportunity to get a taste of their lighthearted, thoughtful fare. The show is a highlight reel of the company’s favorite pieces and excerpts from a decade of dance, impressively built with 15 pieces, including a new work in collaboration with Park Hill Dance Collective. A newbie to the company myself, I attended a final studio run, and found myself wishing I had been onto them all this time.

The pieces are loosely tied together via theme, and showcase the ballet-informed contemporary style of choreographers Jessica Riggs, Michelle Bernier, Karleen Quackenbush, and Megan Roney. The choreography is highlighted by the dancers’ long, balletic extensions, peppered with modern drops and releases, plenty of inversion, floorwork, and original gesture. There is considerable variety, from solos and duets, to small group pieces and full company pieces. Props are employed meaningfully. Music covers a wide spread, from classical to Aphex Twin, to Imogen Heap, live cello by Adam Riggs, recitation of the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe, and original music by their many musical collaborators, including Austen composer Russell Podgorsek. Thirteen pieces into the viewing, my 7-year-old viewing companion was excitedly bouncing in her seat, inspired by the large lifts and full-out big-stage movement. We missed seeing a dance film, and the final collaborative new work, which were not part of the rehearsal. There is much to keep your attention riveted throughout the evening.

The program guide offers insight into the inspiration and meaning within each piece. As each dance is an excerpt of a larger body of work, I appreciated getting a deeper look into the genesis of these pieces. Some pieces are thoughtful, and others playful. Everything is served with a light, cool air that invites the viewer in. The overall attitude of the collection feels upbeat, with quiet depth below the surface.  

I asked Jessica Riggs, the company’s founder and artistic director, what is her intention for the audience when viewing Ten Years Later…. She responded, “In a world climate that is so very serious and heavy, dance and other performing arts can help us cope and provide a reprieve. In this show, we hope our audience finds comfort, reassurance, and enjoyment. Interlaced within the program are bits of wisdom that we believe are important tenets of being human. It is our hope that the audience finds value in this as well.”

Making art more accessible, and collaborating with other artists are foundations upon which Riggs’ company is built. After Riggs graduated from CSU with a double major in Dance and Dietetics, she saw a need for high-quality entertainment for the elderly population she was serving as a dietitian for the Volunteers of America Healthy Aging Program. She also saw a need for dancers like herself, with professions outside of dance, to have class and rehearsal time that didn’t interfere with a full-time work schedule. To meet these dual needs, Riggs founded Life/Art Dance Ensemble, which received 501(c)3 status in 2009. The company brings professional dance with live accompaniment and education to seniors in subsidized housing with their Cultural Experiences for Seniors program. The program has reached over 2,000 seniors along the Front Range since its inception.

In addition to performing for their elderly audiences, the company  produces two annual contemporary performances for public audiences. They enjoy collaborating with an array of artists, composers, videographers, and choreographers for these showings. More recently, the company has taken their work into non-traditional settings. These Out of Context presentations build dance audiences by bringing dance to those who may not venture into a theater. Wineries, breweries, pubs, and botanical gardens are a few of the offstage venues where you might catch a performance.

The company shares the abundance of their success by organizing Convergence, a dance showcase in which local dance companies share the cost of showing work. Theater space, lighting, advertising and organizing shows are costly endeavors, as Riggs and her board of directors know. Convergence builds community within the world of dance, and gives a hand to smaller companies, who might not have the finances to show work on their own.

Yet another yearly offering is Life in Motion: A Dance Film Festival featuring Colorado-connected filmmakers, dancers, choreographers, and producers. The screening also gives dance/film aficionados a chance to support the Cultural Experiences for Seniors outreach program.

I asked Riggs’ “why should people see more dance?” Her answer: “Dance is the only art form in which the body is the instrument. It is therefore most accessible, most instinctive, most connected to other humans. It can also be so many things: thought provoking, beautiful, entertaining. Dance can inspire, uplift, improve mood, turn a person’s day around. Dance, like all performing arts, needs support in the form of viewership, or it will go away. And then where would we be? Likely in a world without butterflies and blue skies.”

Life/Art Dance Ensemble is offering quite a lot along the Front Range to build community within the arts, build audiences, and bring dance to those who cannot access professional performances on their own. We can give back to them with our viewership. In return, we’ll receive those blue skies and butterflies that come from watching good dance.       

The post Preview: Life/Art Dance Ensemble Ten Years Later… | May 18-19 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.