Fall Dance Concert Features 'The Nutcracker, Act II,' Other Works
A popular holiday favorite that features beautiful dance movements
framed by the music of Tchaikovsky returns to the Alma College stage
this fall.
The Alma College Dance Company presents "The Nutcracker, Act II" along
with two complementary dance pieces: "Six Marimbas" and "Water Study."
Performances will take place at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10 and Saturday,
Nov. 11 and 3 p.m. Sunday Nov. 12 in the Remick Heritage Center.
Seating is reserved. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 12 and
under, and free for Alma College students with a ticket. Call (989)
463-7304 for ticket information.
"The Nutcracker" has become a holiday tradition. The ballet, based on the book, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King
by E.T.A. Hoffman, was first performed in 1892 at the Marinsky Theatre
of Russia, home of the Kirov Ballet. "The Nutcracker" eventually came
to America in the 1940s.
The Alma College performance of "The Nutcracker" began in 1997, and
from 1998 to the present the College has performed the production every
other year.
"Alma College holds a position as the only college in Michigan and one
of the few in the Midwest to perform 'The Nutcracker,'" said Thomas
Morris, associate professor of dance. "As was pointed out in the book,
'Nutcracker Nation,' Alma's production reflects the Scottish heritage
of the college and the community.
"This is one of the few productions in the performing arts that draws together so many of the talents of the College and the greater Alma area. In the 10 years since its inception, almost 10,000 people have seen Alma's Nutcracker," he said.
This year's performance features many new dancers experiencing "The Nutcracker" for the first time, said Morris."'The Nutcracker is a huge production, and we have a large number of people who have not participated with us in the past," said Morris. "I'm very excited to work with these talented students."
Complementing the ballet will be "Six Marimbas," choreographed by Carol Fike, associate professor of dance, and "Water Study," originally choreographed by Doris Humphrey.
"Six Marimbas" is a new piece that will be performed with members of the Alma College Percussion Ensemble playing on stage. The piece involves lots of repetition with "hypnotic rhythms throughout," said Fike.
"Water Study" is an historical modern piece choreographed in the 1940s. Alma College received permission to perform the piece from the Dance Notation Bureau. Odette Blum, an artist-in-residence from Ohio State University, set the work for Alma's dancers during a two-week stay on campus.
Posted: Thu, October 26th, 2006 at 11:14AM
