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press releases January 17, 2008
Alaska Dance Theatre presents innovative choreography in winter repertory- MOBIUS concert ANCHORAGE, AK – Alaska Dance Theatre (ADT) will present their Winter Repertory-Mobius concert on February 22 & 23, 2008 in the Discovery Theater, Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. The concert will feature all new choreography by Guest Choreographer, Annie Arnoult Beserra, ADT Artistic Director, Alice Bassler Sullivan and ADT Resident Choreographers; Andrea Andresakis, Gabriel Otevrel and Leslie Kimiko Ward. ADT Artistic Director, Alice Bassler Sullivan has again crafted a concert that highlights the strengths of the ADT Company. The Company is ballet based with most work choreographed in a contemporary style. No tutus and tiaras just finely honed bodies telling stories through dance. The Company consists of 22 dancers; 9 adult dancers, 10 advanced high school dancers and 3 apprentices. Guest Choreographer, Annie Arnoult Beserra holds an MFA in Dance from The Ohio State University and a BA in Dance and Comparative Literary Studies from Northwestern University. She was the founding Artistic Director of Striding Lion InterArts Workshop in Chicago, IL. Her work earned critical acclaim from The Chicago Reader, Time Out Chicago, and The Village Voice. Her piece, Midland is choreographed for 8 dancers and created by trying to physically echo the complex emotional life of an independent schizophrenic living on an isolated farm. Alaska Dance Theatre Artistic Director, Alice Bassler Sullivan was hired by ADT in 1983 to run the School of Alaska Dance Theatre and founded the Performing company in 1985. Sullivan has been a member of the adjunct faculty of the UAA Department of Theatre and Dance and Alaska Pacific University and is a member of Alaska Artists in Education; American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; the National Dance Association; and Dance Alliance Alaska. Sullivan’s piece is a classical ballet for 10 women, en pointe in sections; including trios, solos and quartets set to music excerpts composed by Robert Schumann. Andrea Andresakis, a native New Yorker, began her career performing at Lincoln Center with the New York City Ballet as a student of the School of American Ballet. She graduated from the high school of Performing Arts and appeared in both the film and television series Fame. Her work is titled Someone is Speaking, a rock/ballet set to music by the Beatles. Gabriel Otevrel was born in Augsburg, Germany, where he started his training under the direction of his parents, Libuse Illeova Otevrel and Bretislav Otevrel. He danced professionally with The Basler Ballet, The Bejart Ballet Lausanne, The Boston Ballet and The Ballet Theatre Augsburg where he had the pleasure to work with world-renowned choreographers such as Nacho Duato, Maurice Bejart, Hans van Manen, William Forsythe, Elliot Feld, Lyla York, Heinz Spoerli and Twyla Tharp. Otevrel’s work is familiar to Anchorage audiences through White Dreams presented at ADT’s 2004 Winter Repertory-Mobius concert and Mad World presented at the 2007 ADT Dancers & Musicians Live concert. Otevrel’s work explores a wide range of movement possibilities with a distinct universal appeal. He teaches ballet and modern dance at the School of Alaska Dance Theatre. Otevrel has choreographed two pieces for the Winter Repertory-Mobius concert. HOsPicE, a group piece set to music by Einstuerzende Neubauten, Jake and Alex Parker and Laurie Anderson. Sueño was choreographed in memory of Maurice Bejart, a beloved mentor, teacher set to music by Maria del Mar Bonet, Inca Son and Inti-Illimani. Leslie Kimiko Ward has been teaching, dancing and choreographing for ADT since 2003. Drawing inspiration from the tattoo art of "Sailor Jerry" Collins, early forensic photography, and the heyday of the traveling circus, Ward examines life near the edge of a very colorful underworld. Set to the music of post-punk bluegrass band Devil Makes Three, Ward spins a yarn both grisly and hilarious, full of murder, vaudeville, gospel and whiskey. TICKETS Alaska Dance Theatre is the recipient of the Mayor's 2004 Youth Arts Award and the 2005 Governor's Award for the Arts in recognition of a commitment to teaching art to young People and the impact ADT has had on the community. For more information about Alaska Dance Theatre and their Winter Repertory -Mobius Concerts visit www.alaskadancetheatre.org or contact ADT Executive Director, Ruth Glenn at 907-277-9591. Who: Out North & Alaska Dance Theatre “Is it live, or is it taped?” The dancers, Art Bridgman and Myrna Packer will be joined by Robert Een, cellist and vocal percussionist and Glen Velez, percussionist for four evenings of an astonishing experience of visual and auditory treats. The Friday & Saturday shows will be followed by a special 9pm music performance by Bridgman/Packer’s cellist & vocal percussionist Robert Een, and Glen Velez, percussionist. Tickets may be purchased for both events with a limited number of just dance performance and just music tickets available. The dancers and musicians will be involved in community outreach activities during the week prior to the performances. There will be public dance classes, school visits and a music workshop. Mike Huelsman, Executive Director of Out North and Ruth Glenn, Executive Director of Alaska Dance Theatre are glad to have this opportunity to work together again, especially on such a captivating project. Glenn says “When Mike brought this artist to our attention it immediately made sense to work together to get these folks up here. Sometimes collaborations just fall into place!” Having the performance in the Alice Bassler Sullivan Theatre will give the audience a chance to see the work up close and very personally. The artists will be available after all the shows to talk to the audience. And, during the Friday and Saturday music gigs we’ll allow people to dance if they wish. For more information on the dancers visit: www.bridgmanpacker.org, on the musicians visit: www.Roberteen.com, www.glenvelez.com. And to read about the videographers visit: www.peterbobrow.com, or www.actonedigital.com. For more information on the concerts or outreach activities please contact Ruth Glenn at 277-9591.
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