... And We're Back!

Welcome to the new Eclectic Edge Ensemble website and our brand new blog. We have bold goals in writing weekly updates on events, productions, research and our process. Please stop by often to read about what’s current and coming up for EEE!

I have been very fortunate to direct and manage Eclectic Edge Ensemble. Since I was young, I have always wanted to have my own dance company that produced work in both concert dance form and theatrical movement based productions. I started producing my choreography while I was working on my undergrad at the University of MN. The summer after my freshman year I produced my first show at the Saint Paul Student Center and I was hooked. Since then I have been creating and producing work consistently every year.

We are coming off of an amazing season that culminated in partnering with Karla Grotting on “Lost Voices in Jazz Dance.” What an incredible production that challenged, broadened, exposed and enriched all of our lives as we studied and reconstructed the amazing works of Clarence Teeters, David Voss, Jeffrey Mildenstein and William Harren.

Recently, Eclectic Edge Ensemble was honored as the 2015 SAGE honoree for Outstanding Performance for Lost Voices in Jazz Dance! We are tickled! 

This week we returned back to rehearsals. EEE typically takes August and September off to rest, recoup and start planning for the following season. This year is going to be jam packed with the return of Snowbound at The Lab Theater in March and culminates at the Southern Theatre July 21st-24th, 2016 as a Guest Resident in the Southern Theater’s ArtShare Program! 

We have FOUR new wonderful additions to our group. Pedro, Michelle, Haley and Emily have joined EEE’s Apprenticeship Program and were thrown in to a full day of rehearsal and did a fabulous job.

The two pieces we started this week are from Snowbound!  Celebrating the 5th Anniversary since its creation EEE and Mad Munchkin Productions are bringing back Snowbound! A Journey from Autumn to Spring at The Lab Theater March 18th-20th, 2016.  Snowbound! is an infusion of puppetry and dance. Our human experience of winter is interpreted through forms from the natural world as the performance journeys from fall to spring.

We started reconstructing Blacklight Ballet and Melting this week (now I am sure you are really curious to check out more!) It felt great getting these two pieces back in the studio! As the choreographer, I'm making the decisions on what to keep and what to completely change. What can this new group of dancers bring and enhance to this already set work? I love having the opportunities to bring pieces back and witness how they come alive in a new way!

So we ARE back! Check in often as eee dancers, guest writers, and I will be creating blogs about our experiences throughout the season! 

Karis Sloss, EEE's Artistic Director