Kairos Dance Theatre Company Begins New Season

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Monday 2/27/12 marked this season’s first rehearsal for Kairos Dance Theatre Company. Squirrels just waking from hibernation dozed on the sunny window sills at the Loring Rec Center while dancers stretched and remembered how good it feels to move together on the sunlit wood floor surrounded by the beauty of Loring Park. Artistic Director Maria choreographed a new dance based on waltzing couples. Kirsten and her babe-in-arms-in-sling, Torunn, start the piece with a deep cradle rocking sway. Joe and Diann join in with a sweet waltzy promenade. Sally and Leonardo and Irena and Peter join in with big floor-covering patterns. All converging in what feels like a village coming together. Not bad for first rehearsal. Already a new piece blocked out and ready to be polished for performances for:

Celebration for Joan at Patrick’s- 7pm March 22

The Vital Aging Network -7pm April 3

V.A. Day Program -2pm May 5

Loring Park – June 18

Minnehaha Falls Park – June 28

PBS Crew Comes to Kairos Rehearsal

PBS Crew a Kairos Rehearsal

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Kairos Dance Theatre – both the dance company and The Dancing Heart program will be featured in a PBS documentary “Arts & The Mind.” Monday night they filmed our rehearsal at Loring Park.

Be part of our audience this Friday, May 13, 3-5 pm at The Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant, 1010 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis. There is no cover charge. Invite your friends.

See you Friday.

Two Beautiful Shows

Freezing rain turning to eight inches of snow…no problem.
Piano breakdown with replacement making it two minutes before show time on Sunday…no problem.
Kairos played before two very heartful audiences this weekend.
The challenges of production gave way to a transcendent beauty and energy.

Today is the calm after the storm as we rest for ‘Light Up Loring’ this Thursday 7pm at Loring Rec Center in Loring Park.

It was a joy to see Ida and Irv rise again in their encore-legacy phase of life.

WADE IN THE WATER…BUT DON’T MISS THE SHOW!

I just returned from dress rehearsal for this weekend’s Kairos Dance Theatre Take Me Back to Hip Harlem show at Intermedia Arts, featuring Ida Arbeit and Irv Williams. Maria Genné, Kairos’ Artistic Director, has done it again with a fabulous show that will delight young and old alike. If you haven’t already purchased your tickets, you should do so ASAP. It was a sellout last year and you won’t want to miss this year’s new choreography, new dancers, singers and musicians. We’re celebrating choreographer Ida’s 101st birthday (December 7) with performances on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

Now that I’ve had a chance to preview the show, I can speak from experience. This performance is inspiring, heart-warming and great fun. The Kairos dancers are from 4 to 101 years old and it is amazing to watch how beautifully everyone interacts.

There is live music – great jazz from seasoned TC musicians and glorious gospel singing from Fred Steele, a member of The Steeles, a world-famous gospel group. Every dance is a special treat but there is one that really stands out for me.

MVI_2127

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Wade in the Water is a beautiful song made even more heavenly by Fred’s voice and the marvelous dancers who glide across the stage in rhythmic motion reminiscent of the ocean’s waves.

A tap-dancing routine with Nancy Nair and Danessa Snustad, choreographed by Danessa, Nancy’s student, is a lively toe-tapper. Jesse Neumann-Peterson, a Minneapolis performing artist, solos to an original composition by Irv Williams, jazz saxophonist who recently celebrated his 91st birthday. Jesse and Nancy are delightful to watch as they duo to Goodbye Blues. Down by the Riverside brings the entire Kairos intergenerational dance company on stage for a rousing finale!

This show will warm your heart, inspire your soul, make you tap your toes and clap your hands. It’s sure to please everyone – young and old and in-between.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Dance to the Music

When we were rehearsing for our show “Take Me Back to Hip Harlem” (this Saturday, 12/4 at 7 PM and Sunday, 12/5 at Intermedia Arts in Minneapolis) this morning I had several moments of ecstasy that many performers hope for while dancing. As we began “Wade in the Water” with vocalist Fred Steele, Peter Schimke on keyboards, Kevin Washington on drums and Douglas White on bass, giving us this amazing music, I felt a joy that sometimes shows up when it all comes together.

We had a group of excellent dancers, with honed choreography, added lots of rehearsals and hard work and we were fortunate to bring in this group of outstanding musicians AND YOU’VE GOT THE MAGIC OF ARTISTRY all woven into one moment.

It’s all about “kairos” once again.

-Maria

Beautiful Rehearsal

Yesterday, just two weeks before opening night of the ‘Take Me Back to Hip Harlem’ show, Kairos Dance Theatre had a beautiful 4 hour long rehearsal
which included generous and patient coaching and critiquing from Candace Barrett, lead teaching artist from the Guthrie.

Her keen eye and heartful responses put a heightened coherence and sparkle in our work.

This will be a very interesting show. 7pm December 4th & 3pm December 5th at Intermedia Arts.

Peter

Ida’s 101st Birthday Party & Give to the MAX!

As you know, last week we had our weekly rehearsal with Ida!
We danced, discussed life in NY, and talked about our upcoming performances of “Take Me Back to Hip Harlem”!
We talked with Ida about her 101st birthday party we will be celebrating on December 4th after the performance. She was very excited!

Discussing Ida’s 101st Birthday celebration!

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If you would like to support moments like this and performances like our upcoming ones in December…Today is the PERFECT DAY to do so!!
It is GIVE to the MAX Day! GiveMN.org is hosting an event that raised over $14,000,000 for MN Charities & NonProfits!

If you’d like to contribute to our upcoming performance and Ida’s 101st Birthday click here!

If you’d like to give to The Dancing Heart program in which each week we are surprised and delighted by the vital engagement of each participant through dance, music and story… click here

Thank you for your ongoing support and contributions to Kairos Dance Theatre.

We can’t express how grateful we are for your encouragement.

Warmly,

Kairos Dance Theatre

Take Me Back to Hip Harlem rehearsal

We are just three weeks away from our concert series at Intermedia Arts in Minneapolis on December 4 and 5 featuring centenarian, Ida Arbeit and Mr. Smooth, Irv Williams on sax with his Quartet.

Rehearsals are in full swing. On Friday we were at Ida’s Assisted Living site, rehearsing in our dance space, the TV room.

Ida, who is watching a run-through of the piece, “Body and Soul,” says, “you look like you are in a Munch painting, about to scream.” A bit blunt, but totally right on. We listened to her critique, softened the arm reaches, which gave the movement a more lush quality. Who says you can’t make valuable contributions when you are more than 100 years?
Maria

Swing Low Sweet Chariot

Last night at Loring Park– Kairos Dance Theatre had a dance rehearsal. What a glorious, gorgeous group of dancers. Our youngest dancer was 4 and our oldest dancer was 80! We began working on a new dance–Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. Each adult paired up with a child or another adult. The assignment–find three movements that express the idea of swinging, holding and supporting each other. I looked around the circle and watched the movement journeys unfold. Moses rocked 5-year-old Jack in his arms, then Maria gently took Jack over her shoulders. I leaned into 9 year Senoa and then swung her around. Jesse lifted 4-year-old Clare, so she could sit on his shoulders. And Peter and Diane rocked each other back and forth. It was heavenly. It was sacred dance. This intergenerational dance community is helping me remember that we can be held and supported in community. I feel blessed.
Carla