Dance Listings
All That! Dance Company Ballet, contemporary jazz, tap, hip hop, ballroom allthatdancecompany.com 688-1523 Continue reading
Dance: Page 15
Esther the Lionhearted and Twinkle-Toed
Ballet Fantastique’s rock gospel ballet goes biblical
A local mother-daughter team is pushing the limits of ballet by finding inspiration in the most unlikely of places. For The Book of Esther, Ballet Fantastique’s Donna Bontrager and her daughter Hannah Bontrager go way, way back — to approximately 486 BC — for the finale of their 2013-2014 season. What better way to end the company’s “New Legends” series than with a story from one of the oldest existing works of literature: The Old Testament? Continue reading
Behind Zoot Suit Riot
Sarah Ebert may be a newcomer to choreographing for the Eugene Ballet Company, but she hasn’t shied away from the pace. “In modern dance, we take months to let things marinate — we explore, we play. But in ballet, the time limit is interesting. It’s fast, and it works, because the EBC dancers are willing to experiment,” Ebert says. Continue reading
Hear Them Roar
Hot off a successful 2013, Work Dance Company gives back with Animal Instinct
Dark of night, light of day. These are the times we come out to play. No cars, no trains, no first-class flights, no neon signs or big bright lights. We creep and crawl from the highs of the treetops to the jungle floor … We are ferocious and in many ways distinct. Now come with us on our journey, make sure you bring your … ANIMAL INSTINCT! Continue reading
The Daddies Do Ballet
Eugene Ballet Company brings out the softer side of the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies with Zoot Suit Riot
The Eugene Ballet Company is perhaps best known for its professional approach to traditional ballets, perfecting performances like The Nutcracker for the past 32 years. Yet occasionally, artistic director Toni Pimble likes to shake things up by exploring a new artistic vision or collaboration. Following collaborations with bands The Freudian Slips, Pink Martini and The Jazz Kings, the EBC will team up with local boys the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies for Zoot Suit Riot, a visual storytelling told through dance and set to the tune of the band’s extensive musical cache. Continue reading
The Ever-Evolving Nutcracker
Orchestra NEXT joins Eugene Ballet Company for a holiday tradition
Like fragrant pines, candy canes and twinkle lights, The Nutcracker is a perennial symbol of the holiday season. Toni Pimble, artistic director for the Eugene Ballet Company, agrees. Most people tell her that without the ballet company’s annual performance, Christmas just wouldn’t be complete. Continue reading
Spin the Windmill!
Autumn is the perfect time to step into square dancing
“Spin the windmill,” yells out Tim Matteson, the caller for Eugene’s Spin City Square. He adds, “Flip the hourglass,” “Horseshoe turn” followed by “Split the outside couple.” As he calls out steps, eight dancers move about the floor, switching partners and sharing laughs. Continue reading
Movers & Shakers
Meet the people who shape Eugene’s dance community
Eugene may not have Moscow’s Bolshoi or New York’s Martha Graham Dance Company; however, just below the city’s surface is a vibrant world of dance, of clacking heels and pointed toes, of “pop, lock and drops” and ball changes. From classical performances at the Eugene Ballet Company and sensual Middle Eastern folk dance at Celebration Belly Dance and Yoga to pioneering modern dance at the University of Oregon and glitzy hip-hop productions at Work Dance Company, there’s a groove for everyone’s mood. Continue reading
Men in Tights
After eight years, Oregon Ballet Academy’s tuition-free boys program helps alter the industry
Every Wednesday Anthony Carter, 15, suits up for practice. He throws on a T-shirt and joins the other boys as they sweat through 90 minutes of complex combinations, draining jumps and — on a hard day — upward of 200 push-ups. Afterwards, they head to the barre to decompress and leave feeling focused, energized and confident. Continue reading
Burlesque Boom
Eugene’s burlesque and variety troupes give the tradition a modern and silly spin
Burlesque is just stripping for hipsters, right? Or the kind of show to which Don Draper from Mad Men would take clients (performed at places with names like “The Boom Boom Room”)? Wrong. The truth of the matter is burlesque has a long and storied history, and while dance is vital to burlesque, the popular variety shows also feature comedy, live music and social commentary. Continue reading