News
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Choreographers from all over Colorado audition each fall for the annual Aspen Dance Connection's Colorado Choreographers Showcase.
This year's Jan. 13-14 Grand Junction performance will feature the works of three local choreographers, plus Emma Kimball, originally from Fruita, who studies dance at Colorado State University. The other local choreographers chosen for this year's showcase include Colorado Mesa University faculty Matt Lindstrom and Melonie Buchanan Murray, and CMU student AJ Labrum.
“Most have performed all over the United States, and the world. It's pretty impressive,” said Aspen Dance Connection artistic director Fran Page, who grew up in Grand Junction and went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in dance from the New York City School of the Arts.
Choosing the artists to feature in the annual showcase is always a challenge because “there's a lot of good talent in the state,” Page said.
“Colorado is really rich in contemporary dance world, so there is a lot to choose from.”
The performance will start off with a “happy” tap dance piece, followed by mostly modern dances.
“It's all original work. We concentrate on cutting edge and original works,” Page said.
Laura Bradley, a member of the Beyond Boundaries dance collective and Push Don't Pull dance company, will perform a piece choreographed by Lindstrom for a Beyond Boundaries concert last summer.
Poet and CMU instructor Carol Christ has written a poem inspired by the piece and will recite the poem on stage while Bradley is dancing.
This year's showcase will include works created for the Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema. The showcase performance include live dances, films of dances performed in unusual locations, and combinations of live dancers with a backdrop of film.
“So it's an usual showcase. It's very inspiring artistically,” Page said.
Master dance classes will be offered Saturday, Jan. 14, for ages 10 to adult — modern dance with Kim Olson of Sweet Edge Dance Co. from 10-11:30 a.m., and hip-hop with Kristin Colonna from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. People may attend both classes and the concert for $25.
This year's Jan. 13-14 Grand Junction performance will feature the works of three local choreographers, plus Emma Kimball, originally from Fruita, who studies dance at Colorado State University. The other local choreographers chosen for this year's showcase include Colorado Mesa University faculty Matt Lindstrom and Melonie Buchanan Murray, and CMU student AJ Labrum.
“Most have performed all over the United States, and the world. It's pretty impressive,” said Aspen Dance Connection artistic director Fran Page, who grew up in Grand Junction and went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in dance from the New York City School of the Arts.
Choosing the artists to feature in the annual showcase is always a challenge because “there's a lot of good talent in the state,” Page said.
“Colorado is really rich in contemporary dance world, so there is a lot to choose from.”
The performance will start off with a “happy” tap dance piece, followed by mostly modern dances.
“It's all original work. We concentrate on cutting edge and original works,” Page said.
Laura Bradley, a member of the Beyond Boundaries dance collective and Push Don't Pull dance company, will perform a piece choreographed by Lindstrom for a Beyond Boundaries concert last summer.
Poet and CMU instructor Carol Christ has written a poem inspired by the piece and will recite the poem on stage while Bradley is dancing.
This year's showcase will include works created for the Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema. The showcase performance include live dances, films of dances performed in unusual locations, and combinations of live dancers with a backdrop of film.
“So it's an usual showcase. It's very inspiring artistically,” Page said.
Master dance classes will be offered Saturday, Jan. 14, for ages 10 to adult — modern dance with Kim Olson of Sweet Edge Dance Co. from 10-11:30 a.m., and hip-hop with Kristin Colonna from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. People may attend both classes and the concert for $25.
GO&DO
WHAT: Aspen Dance Connection's 34th annual juried Colorado Choreographers Showcase
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Jan. 13-14 WHERE: Colorado Mesa University, Robinson Theatre COST: $20 adult; $10 student; tickets available at GJ Symphony office in the Alpine Bank building, 243-6787; and online at www.WesternColorado.com, 877-434-8497. INFO: 970-927-0641 or aspendance@sopris.net |
