Cheers to Vera Ellen

December 30, 2010Eclectic Edge Ensemble

Over this holiday season I was fortunate enough to really sit down and watch "White Christmas." I have now discovered my new favorite dancer Vera Ellen. I could not take my eyes off of her during the movie, and was so impressed by her technique and incredible performance skills. There were many parts I needed to rewind and pick my jaw off of the ground. Nothing like diving down a staircase head first, hoping that your partners are there to catch you...Wow!

I will now be adding her other musicals to my Netflix list. Here is her filmography list:

Wonder Man (1945)
The Kid from Brooklyn (1946)
Three Little Girls in Blue (1946)
Carnival in Costa Rica (1947)
Words and Music (1948)
Love Happy (1949)
On the Town (1949)
Three Little Words (1950)
Happy Go Lovely (1951)
The Belle of New York (1952)
Call Me Madam (1953)
Big Leaguer (1953)
White Christmas (1954)
Let's Be Happy (1957)

Now enjoy this fun clip from "White Christmas."

Happy New Year!

~ Karis

DANCE TO THE MUSIC!

December 14, 2010Eclectic Edge Ensemble

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way"! Oh yes, it’s that time of year again; the time of year when all you will catch me listening to is Christmas music. Can I just say that 107.9 is the best radio station ever… non-stop Christmas music from November 26^th-December 25^th. I just love how reminiscent music can be. Whenever I hear Mannheim Steamroller on the radio I think about my mom on Christmas day. A few little cocktails and you will find my mom dancing away in the living room to any Mannheim Steamroller song. As the years have gone by, I have started to partake in this fun tradition. Nothing beats dancing away with one of your best friends on a wonderful day. I would say that I am lucky because I also get to experience that joy every Wednesday and Sunday with EEE! As EEE gets revved up for our February show, Snowbound: A Journey from Winter to Spring, I encourage you to find the time to throw on the Christmas music, and let yourself dance. Oh, and come check out what we have been “revving up” for in February! I leave you now with the awesome sounds of Mannheim Steamroller. Oh, and this video is AWESOME!

-Megan

A Peek Into 'Snowbound' Rehearsal

December 07, 2010Eclectic Edge Ensemble

Here we are again on another early Sunday morning. While many a Minneapolitian may still be sleeping, or perhaps enjoying a good cup of joe and the morning Strib, we EEE'ers are back in the studio, fixing to spend another several hours preparing a dynamite show for our audiences this February. If you haven't heard yet, EEE has a very exciting project coming up that month called Snowbound: A Journey from Winter to Spring. The show is a collaboration between us, puppet company Mad Munchkin Productions, and three local musicians: Richard Sloss, Warren Park and Brian Erickson. Featuring blustery scenarios we long-time Minnesota dwellers can picture all too well, the show is a chance to stop in our hurried tracks and come together to consider what makes winter so frustrating and amazing.

Recently, several Sunday mornings have been dedicated to a piece called 'Melting;' the title makes the subject matter pretty easy to figure out :) We dancers start on the floor, simulating cracking ice. Let's just say that when a dancer is asked to lay on the studio floor early on a Sunday morning, it's pretty easy to get comfortable! Yet, we cannot get too comfortable; pretty soon, the ice starts cracking and melting away into abundant Spring, which puts a certain 'bounce' in our steps. We hope to put that bounce in your step too, so mark off your calendar; Snowbound, running at the Ritz February 17-20, 2011!

-Erinn

I am thankful for...

November 30, 2010Eclectic Edge Ensemble

In this thanksgiving season, I am thankful for my wonderful family and friends. One friend that I am especially thankful for is Desiree Dantona- a fellow EEE member.

Our friendship began as young dancers at the Waconia Performing Arts Center- I thought she was cool because she was in jazz and I was only taking ballet; she thought I was cool because I was in ballet and she only taking jazz (got that?). Soon we were in jazz, ballet, and modern together 6 days a week. Although I loved to dance, I believe that dancing alongside my best friend kept the love alive and my body in dance class. Thankfully, we both ended up at the U of M in the dance program. Now we dance with each other in Eclectic Edge and both teach at Prairie School of Dance.

Over the years our friendship has become the deepest that I know. With a look, she knows what I am thinking and if that look is a smile, we immediately burst into laughter. We’ve been at each other’s side through many important life occurrences and I pray we will continue to be for years and years to come.

Des is incredibly loyal, thoughtful, kind-hearted and a blessing to all who come in contact with her. I am honored to call her my bff . Thanks Des. xo

-mallory

Let It Snow!

November 13, 2010Eclectic Edge Ensemble

The snow is here just in time for EEE and Mad Munchkin's upcoming show, Snow Bound! A Journey from Autumn to Spring, to kick into full fledge rehearsing. Eclectic Edge is getting excited to share our hard work for the February performance and what better than to have a little snow to help get the creative juices flowing! So, grab your hot chocolate, a cozy blanket, a little Frank Sinatra, and make the best of this snowy occasion. Enjoy!

-Heather A.

Thank you MRAC!

November 13, 2010Eclectic Edge Ensemble

In October Eclectic Edge Ensemble received the great news that they had received a MRAC Arts Activities Grant to support our July Production Send in the Jazz. Eclectic Edge Ensemble will be returning to the Ritz Theatre in NE Minneapolis July 21st – 24th, 2011 with our new production Send in the Jazz , where we will be collaborating with 3 composers: Michael Rossetto, Warren Park and Richard Sloss, and 3 jazz choreographers: Zoe Sealy, Molly Breen, Judith James Reis and choreography by Artistic Director Karis Sloss It will be quite a treat for audience members to see pieces from so many different artists at one show!

Thank you MRAC!!!

Support Eclectic Edge Ensemble

November 07, 2010Eclectic Edge Ensemble

Have a THRILLING Halloween!

October 31, 2010Eclectic Edge Ensemble

Michael Jackson's "Thriller"

A piece of history, a work of art, a wee bit creepy, and a must-have music video for the repertory of any dance or music enthusiast...

enjoy, and.. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Food + Art = Fun

October 27, 2010Eclectic Edge Ensemble

I've been spending a lot of time lately chewing over ideas for a new dance piece. The plan is to submit a proposal by the end of this week for a local arts event that is well worth knowing about: FEAST (Funding Emerging Art with Sustainable Tactics).

The idea is, a bunch of folks get together to eat food by local chefs and check out various local artists' proposals for their new work. Everyone makes a cash donation to attend. At the end of dinner, the attendees each vote for the proposal they think is best. The winner gets the cash to use for making their new artwork, and then comes back to the next FEAST event three months later to show what they made. So beautifully simple, and such a great way to get people in the community directly communicating with artists.

The next dinner event is on Saturday, November 6th in N.E. Minneapolis. Check out their website!

-Katrina

Jazz hands across the world

October 17, 2010Eclectic Edge Ensemble

Sawat- dee-ka!

I had the amazingly fortunate opportunity to live, teach and choreograph dance in Chiang Mai, Thailand this past year. In a land where I didn't speak the language, stood out like a sore thumb with my fair skin and hair, and was constantly making social blunders, being in a dance studio was a welcomed relief. It turns out, dance really is universal. While many students understood my English, many others did not, and so it would go that we would use our bodies to communicate. What an awesome way to come together with those who are so different from ourselves.

I was blessed with the opportunity to choreograph for Chiang Mai Ballet's production of Sleeping Beauty. May I just say that when tech week came and I went to the theater for the first time for rehearsal, I was almost overcome with emotion. Turns out, theaters on the other side of the world smell and look exactly like they do here. It was in that moment that I finally felt I had a place in beautiful SE Asia.

Chok dee,

Allison

Enjoy some pictures from the production!

Click here to view these pictures larger

A fun puppetry movement video

October 11, 2010Eclectic Edge Ensemble

The Japanese do amazing things with puppetry and movement, and in light of our upcoming show, here is a fun video that combines puppetry and movement performance. Enjoy!

Snow Bound! A journey from Autumn to Spring

October 02, 2010Eclectic Edge Ensemble

The Ritz Theatre

345 13th Avenue NE Minneapolis, MN 55413

February 17th-20th, 2011:

Thursday, February 17th @ 8:00 pm
Friday, February 18th @ 8:00 pm
Saturday, February 19th @ 3:00 pm & 8:00 pm
Sunday, February 20th @ 3:00 pm

Snow Bound! teams Mad Munchkin Productions and Eclectic Edge Ensemble in a magical infusion of puppetry and jazz dance against a backdrop of original music. Journey through the human experience of winter: from its playful wonder to depressing darkness and everything in between. Join hibernating animals and night stars as puppeteers and dancers explore the wintry natural world.

To reserve tickets:

visit www.ritzdolls.org

or call Ritz Theatre Box Office at 612-436-1129.

This performance is made possible, in part, by MRAC and the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4th, 2008

The Newest Addition to EEE!

October 02, 2010Eclectic Edge Ensemble

There is a new crisp in the air, leaves are changing colors and students have been back at school now for a few weeks; it must be that time of year...Eclectic Edge Ensemble is back in rehearsals! We will be back in the studio working on our next production "Snowbound: a journey from Autumn to Spring," a collaboration with Mad Munchkin Productions which performs February 17th-20th, 2011 at the Ritz Theatre. This season is bringing lots of new and exciting collaborations, projects and additions to EEE!

For those of you who attended our last production "For Sport's Sake," will remember the lovely and talented Mallory Dykema who played our pregnant and very hilarious soccer Mom. Well, that was back in mid-July and on August 21st, 2010 she gave birth to beautiful Harlow Emery. We all send huge congratulations to the Dykema Family!

It is really amazing to think about how incredible life is and the treasures around every corner. I met Mallory a few years ago in a production we both performed in at Saint Paul City Ballet. The following year I was thrilled to have her join Eclectic Edge Ensemble. She is a true gift in the company and is just an amazing performer that lights up the stage. During her pregnancy I was amazed at how well she did, how much she took on and the energy she brought to every rehearsal. Now we are returning to rehearsals, with Mallory jumping right back in, and we will be able to glance over to the corner of the studio to see Eclectic Edge Ensemble's first offspring and watch her grow with the company.

Photo by Summer Street Photography