If you happened to be at Semer’s Beach during the week of July 14-18, you may have witnessed dancers sweating and moving as they participated in a dance workshop led by Amanda Sachs and Elena Hollenhorst.
The dancers in the morning session created movement phrases that ultimately became a series of duets, while dancers in the evening session learned an 8 minute piece entitled Ebbing in III: Calm, Ripple, Wave which will be featured in the upcoming Reflections Dance Company summer show. The week culminated with a showcase at Tofte Lake Center on Friday, July 18 giving family, friends, and interested patrons a chance to get a preview of the piece as well as see the youth dancers improvisational work.
The company has been working on the pieces for Water 2.0 since last October. Musicians started rehearsing in June to accompany the dancers for selected pieces throughout the performance. This production is inspired by the role water plays in our lives, as well as how we can affect water through our human experience. Director Molly Olson choreographed most of the pieces, while Assistant Director Megan Wind contributed two tap pieces, instructor Crystal Poppler taught two tap pieces, and guest choreographer Cora Olson created a short dance film in addition to a contemporary dance piece performed by the company. Water pollution through microplastics, behavior of water, the healing power of water, and water as a destructive force are all topics that informed the choreographers’ work.
The full-length evening of dance will include various styles such as acro, ballet, contemporary, jazz, and tap. Audience members will experience water in a new light through the movement, sounds, and lights of the production. Performances are at Minnesota North College’s Vermilion Fine Arts Theater on Aug. 8-9 at 7 p.m., and Aug. 10 at 2 p.m., with tickets for sale at www.northernlakesarts. org. There will be flowers for sale in the lobby, as well as light refreshments during the intermission.
This activity is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, thanks to appropriations from Minnesota state legislature’s general fund.
