-
1 of 10
-
2 of 10
-
3 of 10
-
4 of 10
-
5 of 10
-
6 of 10
-
7 of 10
-
8 of 10
-
9 of 10
-
10 of 10
IDT heats up winter with ‘Hot Blooded’
Archive
Comments
Story
Idaho Dance Theatre never fails to bring innovative ideas to dance and this season’s performance, Hot Blooded, is no exception.
The performance will consist of pieces from guest choreographer Leah Stephens Clark, IDT company member Yurek Hansen and IDT Artistic Directors Marla Hansen and Carl Rowe.
Clark’s dance, performed to the music of Badly Drawn Boy and Mark Mothersbaugh, will highlight athletic dance movements through the incorporation of skateboards and ballet.
Employing original text and music by Tool, Yurek Hansen will debut his first major choreographed project, titled “Mota,” which creates a mixture of mystery and intriguing movement in this abstract piece.
He will also be combining new styles of hip-hop and contemporary ballet to depict the connections and relationships between humans.
“It’s very exciting to watch him work, choreograph and create,” Marla Hansen, Yurek’s mother, said.
Marla Hansen’s piece is titled, “Garden of Souls.” It combines the elegance of ballet with exotic belly dancing.
“Garden of Souls” will be performed by the entire IDT company and feature two female dancers, Jennifer Freeman and Stephanie Mullen. The piece will be performed to the music of VAS and vocalist Azam Ali for a Middle Eastern sound.
Hansen said she is integrating a lot of pelvis movement and sensual use of the spine along with snake-like arm movements to create a beautiful melding of the techniques of ballet and belly dancing.
“Learning choreography is relatively easy, but creating it is more challenging because I have to help the dancers fuel stuff out of their souls, and I have to let go of control and just let it flow,” Hansen said.
Rowe calls his piece “Migration” because it has an episodic feel much like going on a journey. It will be set to the music of Mike
Oldfield and presented by a trio of men (Yurek Hansen, Leif Hansen and Thax von Reither) with lots of energy and power in one long, continuous 18-minute performance.
Rowe said there are lots of changes in the energy from light to powerful, much like the journey of life. The dance was originally performed by a trio of women, but Rowe wanted to see it done by men to showcase this strength and power.
“It’s quite amazing to watch men dance,” he said.
He said it’s not that women cannot do it well, but men simply dance it differently.
In addition, Rowe will be premiering a new work titled “Three Dances” in three sections, including “Fast Tracks and Courage Jumps,” “Entanglement” and “Rapid Transit.”
It will be set to the live music of Boise musician David Alan Earnest, who is premiering his own written music for the first time with IDT. The performance will combine tenor saxophone, piano and several percussion instruments for a very powerful end result.
Genny Wynn is the guest lighting designer and will provide creative lighting for the show.
Guest costume designer Ann Hoste will demonstrate her amazing ability and talent to create breathable costumes for dancers in which they can move freely and comfortably.
Sponsors for the show include First American Title, Home Federal and Maysco Dance Supply.
IDT will present Hot Blooded on Friday, Jan. 17 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 18 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the Special Events Center.
For more information call 331-9592.
Tammy Sands, The Arbiter
