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Wild Space Dance Company wants you to get “Caught up in the Moment”

Sound, music and movement intersect to create a moving work of art in Milwaukee-based Wild Space Dance Company’s performance of “Caught Up in the Moment” Friday, March 31 at Lawrence University’s Stansbury Theatre.

Tickets for the 8 p.m. show, at $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, $8 for students, are available online or through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.Four members of the Wild Space Dance Company performing a dance from the program Caught Up in the Moment.

The performance unfolds in interconnecting vignettes of shifting solos, duets, trios and quartets as audience members share the stage with the eight dancers as they invent impromptu movement set to eclectic, improvised live music by percussionist/composer Tim Russell and saxophonist/composer Nick Zoulek.

Choreographed by Artistic Director Debra Loewen and intern Nicole Spence, dancers sing, hum and create sounds with costumes and props to create textured layers of sound and music while Russell and Zoulek respond to interlocking dances.

“Each element — sound, music and movement — inspire and respond to each other during the creative process,” said Loewen. “This performance captures those moments of invention and connection as they happen. Having the audience on the stage puts them in the center of this artistic interplay and offers opportunities for dancers to create something unique to their interaction with the audience.”

Wild Space has been as an artist-in-residence at Lawrence since 2000, teaching dance classes, theatre movement workshops and choreographing for selected productions.

Founded by Loewen, Wild Space Dance Company is celebrating its 30th season of inventive performances and innovative outreach programs. Known for site-specific works and artistic collaborations, Wild Space takes audiences on adventures through built and natural landscapes, visual art, history and the human condition through wry humor, clever choreography and emotionally-charged dance.

It has toured performance work to Chicago, Minneapolis, New York, South Korea and Japan.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.”  Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence interdisciplinary project examines gun-related issues through micro-operas

A photo of Lawrence University micro-opera production "Straight from the hip" poster.Guns, one of America’s most polarizing topics, gets examined through a unique lens — improvised micro-operas — in Lawrence University’s presentation of “Straight from the Hip.”

Through a series of nine mini-vignettes, each approximately three minutes in length, the issue of gun presence and gun awareness in the community will be explored Monday, Oct. 24 at The Draw, 800 S. Lawe St., Appleton. The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.

Designed to challenge the audience to think about issues that are complex and often highly partisan, “Straight from the Hip” is based on 135 responses to a local, month-long social media survey conducted by three Lawrence faculty members.

Featuring 30 student performers, the program is an interdisciplinary endeavor created by the collective brain trust of Copeland Woodruff, Lawrence’s director of opera studies, Margaret Paek, director of Lawrence’s dance program and Matt Turner, director of the ensemble Improvisation Group of Lawrence University (IGLU).

“Each of these arts has the power to connect, transform and uplift,” said Paek. “Combined, the three art forms have exponential power. The full use of all the capacities of the performers helps them embody the art in a deeply personal way and can help reach the audience more profoundly.”

Turner, an unabashed fan of interdisciplinary projects, says it is “crucial our students see how important collaboration is to us as faculty. This really is the future. Students will find themselves in situations in which they will have to use movement, music and improvise and compose.”

A Head shot of Lawrence University director of dance program Margaret Paek.
Margaret Paek

The survey solicited answers to questions about personal relationships with guns, whether a person had ever used a gun in self defense and if there were specific local areas or locations in which a person felt unsafe and why, among others.

Choosing a single survey answer, the performers will craft an emotional landscape for that response which may be spoken, sung, whispered, turned into a dance or a sonic play, producing a short, improvised theatrical performance. The various vignettes may feature a soloist, a trio, a quartet or a quintet performing.

John Adams, curator at The Draw, a modern art gallery near the Lawrence campus that fosters artistic creative collaborations, loved the concept behind “Straight from the Hip” and generously offered the gallery’s various spaces for the production. The audience will be divided into small groups and guided through The Draw’s three floors for each short performance.

Each of six complete “shows” will last approximately 30 minutes and start on the half hour beginning at 7 p.m. The last performance starts at 9:30 p.m.

A Head shot of Lawrence University director of opera studies Copeland Woodruff.
Copeland Woodruff

Because of its interdisciplinary structure, “the students foster a sense as ‘artists,’ not ’singer,’ ‘guitarist,’ ‘cellist,’ ‘dancer,’” said Woodruff. “The divisions blur, so that they are contributing with their full range of capabilities and testing those that may not be their primary mode of expression. Their sense of ensemble dynamics is extremely sophisticated.

“I am so in awe of our students’ ability and willingness to approach this challenging topic with curiosity, generosity and artistic rigor and examination,” he added.

By its very nature, Paek believes different parts of the production will affect different people.

“Some will be more moved by the words, some will be more impacted by the music and some will be more touched through the movements of the performers,” she said.

Turner underscored that point by citing one of the vignettes that focuses on a father and son reminiscing about fond memories of hunting together, a confluence of gun hunting and family.

“I personally do not like guns, but that said, I have learned to see other perspectives through this project,” said Turner.

A Head shot of Lawrence University director of the ensemble Improvisation Group of Lawrence University (IGLU) Matt Turner.
Matt Turner

Acknowledging the wide, and often divisive, range of opinions related to gun control and gun violence, the program’s aim is to stimulate careful thought and meaningful dialogue rather than advocate a specific viewpoint.

“It is a complicated subject tied up with personal freedom and how far that personal is freedom allowed to go when considering someone else’s personal freedom and sense of freedom,” said Woodruff, who grew up in a home in Alabama that had guns, although he personally never shot one.

Paek hopes “Straight from the Hip” provides a process for audience members and performers alike get to see this topic through someone else’s eyes, heart or personal experience.

“The conversations that we have already had have helped me think in broader terms and be more compassionate towards perspectives that are different than mine. It has reminded me how complex this issue truly is.”

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.”  Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

 

Wild Space Dance Company gets “Carried Away” at Lawrence University

Milwaukee-based Wild Space Dance Company presents an evening of organized chaos in “Carried Away,” a combination of new dance work and live music, Friday, April 1 at 8 p.m. in Lawrence University’s Stansbury Theatre.

Tickets, at $15 for adults, $8 for senior citizens and students, are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.

Monica Rodero and Dan Schuchart perform in Wild Space's "Carried Away." Rodero and Schuchart are two of Wild Space's artist-in-residence teachers at Lawrence. Photo by Paul Mitchell.
Monica Rodero and Dan Schuchart perform in Wild Space’s “Carried Away.” Rodero and Schuchart are two of Wild Space’s artist-in-residence teachers at Lawrence. Photo by Paul Mitchell.

“Carried Away,” features Wild Space artistic associates Mauriah Kraker, Monica Rodero and Dan Schuchart along with improvisational musician/saxophonist Nick Zoulek of Duo d’Entre-Deux.

Inspired by the creative daring that artists and performers bring to their craft, “Carried Away” reflects Wild Space’s commitment to fostering the work of emerging choreographers and cross-discipline collaborations.

“Using both improvisation and set material, Nick and the performers will navigate the space in an intricate exchange of ideas,” said Wild Space artistic director Debra Loewen, who was named 2011 Artist of the Year by the Milwaukee Arts Board. “We are thrilled to bring this kind of creativity to Lawrence.”

Wild Space Dance Company has served as a company-in-residence at Lawrence since 2000, bringing professional dance to the Lawrence community and providing students principles of dance art in performance through classes and workshops taught by Lowen and members of her company, including Rodero and Schuchart.

Known for its site-specific dance events and artistic collaborations, Wild Space merges dance with visual art, architecture and music to create inventive choreography and emotionally-charged performances. It has toured performance work to Chicago, Minneapolis, New York, South Korea and Japan.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

All the world’s a stage: International Cabaret celebrates world culture

Cabaret-Japanese-Dancers_newsblogNearly 100 Lawrence University students representing more than 20 countries will provide a cross-cultural trip around the world in a pair of weekend shows for the college’s 39th annual International Cabaret.

With the theme “All the World’s a Stage,” students will showcase their native culture in performances Saturday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 12 at 3 p.m. in Stansbury Theatre of the Music-Drama Center. A free reception in the Warch Campus Center will follow Sunday’s performance.

Tickets, at $10 for adults, $5 for students/children (under age four are free), are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749 or online at www.lawrence.edu/conservatory/box_office/tickets. The box office will be open one hour prior to Sunday’s performance.

This year’s Cabaret features singing and dancing performances as well as two fashion shows with students modeling traditional clothing from their native countries. For the first time, Cabaret will include Duo Acro Balance, a performance that incorporates circus arts to illustrate the complex relationship with oneself.  It features stylistic movements that showcase the blending of the artists’ training in traditional Mongolian contortion with modern Western theatrical movement.

Cabaret-Dancer_newsblog2This year’s  scheduled entertainment includes:

• a Vietnamese dance originating from the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The dance’s name translates to “Calling for the Rain,” and was used to communicate with God during a drought.

•  an Indian classical song from Northern India. Hindustani music dates back nearly 3,000 years.

• Viva Santa Cruz Dance, a dance from East Bolivia. Called Taquirari, this dance is typically performed for Carnival.

• a Korean history dance, an example of the dancing history of popular Korean culture, dating back to the 14th century.

• a traditional Hawaiian song and dance.

• a Japanese dance

• a Russian song

•  a Chinese dance

• A traditional Bengali song from Bangladesh.

•  a Ghanian Denkyem dance.

• fashion shows featuring clothing from Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2015 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

 

 

It’s “All About Life” When Wild Space Dance Company Performs April 12 in Stansbury Theatre

The elements of life become an exhilarating tangle when members of Milwaukee-based Wild Space Dance Company present “All About Life” Saturday, April 5 at 8 p.m. in Lawrence University’s Stansbury Theatre.

Tickets, at $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and students, are available through the Lawrence University Box Office, 920-832-6749.

WildSpace_AllAboutLife_newsblogThe performance features Wild Space affiliate artists Mauriah Kraker, Monica Rodero and Daniel Schuchart in the evening-length collaborative work.

“All About Life” unfolds like a memoir in chapters that present the deep and disconnected aspects of daily life. The show weaves together a number of smaller stories to present a larger picture of life with all its expectations, reality, endings, beginnings and secrets.

Wild Space Dance Company has served as a company-in-residence at Lawrence since 2000, bringing professional dance to the Lawrence community and providing students principles of dance art in performance through classes and workshops taught by company artistic director Debra Loewen and members of her company.

Named 2011 Artist of the Year by the Milwaukee Arts Board, Loewen has led Wild Space Dance Company for more than 25 years. Known for its site-specific dance events and artistic collaborations, the company merges dance with visual art, architecture and music to create inventive choreography and emotionally-charged performances. It has toured performance work to Chicago, Minneapolis, New York, South Korea and Japan.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Multimedia “Bird Lady” Performance Examines Relationship Between Art and Artist

Inspired by the life and photographs of Chicago nanny Vivian Maier, who used her off-duty time to wander the streets taking snapshots of unsuspecting strangers, the Rebecca Salzer Dance Theatre presents the world premiere of “Bird Lady” April 3 and 4 at 8 p.m. in Lawrence University’s Warch Campus Center. Both performances are free and open to the public.

Rebecca-Salzer_Bird-Lady_newsblog
Rebecca Salzer pays tribute to amateur photographer Vivian Maier in the multimedia performance “Bird Lady” April 3-4 in the Warch Campus Center.

Maier’s immense collection of photos, hidden in storage lockers and first discovered after her death in 2009, has brought Maier posthumous fame. Through dance, theatre, music and video, Salzer’s “Bird Lady” explores questions Maier’s work has raised about the private self in an increasingly public world. Can one’s art be as private as one’s self? Can something be called “art” that is created for one’s own satisfaction and not meant to be shared?

“Each of the performers chose the portrait of a woman who is looking back and acknowledging Maier,” said Salzer, visiting professor of dance at Lawrence. “We wrote and choreographed in the voices we imagined the subjects to have. We crafted material based on our own lives as contemporary women artists and because we felt a personal affinity with the women in the portraits, our own stories and the imagined stories of the portrait subjects began to blend. The characters, movement, sound and text in ‘Bird Lady’ are our multilayered personal responses to Maier’s images.”

Joining Salzer on “Bird Lady” are dance artists Liz Burritt and Kristina Fluty, opera director Kristine McIntyre, composer AlexTemple, videographer Anna Ryndova and designers Alina Bokovikova and Aaron Sherkow.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Wild Space Dance Company Bringing “Luscious Layers” to Lawrence University

Weaving together nature, music, prose and a generous helping of humor, members of Milwaukee-based Wild Space Dance Company present “Luscious Layers/Fevered Sleep” Friday, Jan. 11 at 8 p.m. in Lawrence University’s Stansbury Theatre.

 Tickets, at $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and students, are available through the Lawrence University Box Office, 420 E. College Ave., Appleton, 920-832-6749.

The performance features Wild Space affiliate artists Monica Rodero and Daniel Schuchart, and vocalist/performer Amanda Schoofs in an evening of original work and premieres.

“Luscious Layers” fuses the sweet and forbidden, dreamy desires and tempting realities into full-bodied dances, including “In This Condition,” a solo piece about objects, actions and places that flows from spoken word to Mozart through movement, and “Here,” a duet blending dance and vocals.

Wild Space Dance Company has served as a company-in-residence at Lawrence since 2000, bringing professional dance to the Lawrence community and providing students principles of dance art in performance through classes and workshops taught by artistic director Debra Loewen and members of her company.

Named 2011 Artist of the Year by the Milwaukee Arts Board, Loewen has led Wild Space Dance Company for 25 years. Known for its site-specific dance events and artistic collaborations, the company merges dance with visual art, architecture and music to create inventive choreography and emotionally-charged performances. It has toured performance work to Chicago, Minneapolis, New York, South Korea and Japan.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

“Trip Around the World” Goal of Lawrence International’s 34th Annual Cabaret

With a theme of “Around the World in 90 Minutes,” more than 80 Lawrence University students promise a whirlwind global tour in two performances of Lawrence International’s 34th annual Cabaret Saturday, April 10 at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday April 11 at 3 p.m. in Stansbury Theatre of the Music-Drama Center, 420 E. College Ave. A buffet dinner featuring international dishes will be served in the Warch Campus Center following the Sunday performance.

Tickets, at $8 for the show and $15 for the show and dinner, are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749. Children four and under are free.

“Cabaret is a unique and entertaining way to experience the music, dance, food and fashion of cultures from around the world,” said Tim Schmidt, Lawrence International advisor. “The students put so much of themselves into this every year and are so proud to share part of their culture. I encourage the Lawrence and Fox Valley community to join us and see first-hand all that Cabaret has to offer.”

Students will showcase traditional fashion from their native countries as well as perform a wide range of entertainment, including native dances from China, Japan, Latin America, the Subcontinent, Africa and Vietnam, music from Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Korea and Brazil and a group didjeridu performance .