Eugene Weekly : Outdoors : 4.26.07

Dance Springs Up
Eugene choreography brightens the landscape
BY RACHAEL CARNES

True, the Eugene Ballet Company’s American Spirit and Ballet Hispanico just blew through the Hult, but do you think you have to wait for big shows to see some meaningful movement? Think again. You can celebrate local talent and support your community’s arts and culture. There are too many great dance events right now not to get your groove on and get going to the theater!

JOINT FORCES. PHOTO: SEAN SULLIVAN

In honor of National Dance Week, check out Celebration, the spring dance concert at LCC, featuring the choreography of Bonnie Simoa, Margo Van Ummersen, Sarah Nemecek and guests from the UO Department of Dance including Walter Kennedy and Christian Cherry, and the Eugene, NYC and international dance scenes. Aaron Draper makes a bold return, and Alito Alessi/Joint Forces burn it up. And you’ll be able to give it up for Eugene’s own composer laureate and unsung hero, Jeff Defty, whose day job includes dazzling the preschool set with his cheesy magic tricks at the library, when he evokes new vistas with a cello composition. Celebration will be presented at 8 pm April 27 and 28 in the Performance Hall at LCC. Call 463-5202 for tix.

Don’t miss Joint Forces‘ premiere, Pillars of Illusion. It’s Alito Alessi’s first Oregon premiere in seven years. This evening-length dance features performers with and without disabilities, with live original music. Through a dynamic mix of solos, quartets and the entire ensemble, Pillars of Illusion challenges traditional perspectives of what enables or disables a person or community. Performances are 2 pm Saturday, May 5, and 7 pm Sunday, May 6, also at LCC’s Performance Hall. Tickets are available at the door or by calling 541-870-6563.   

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dance with Kitty! If you’ve ever wanted to try a ballet class — or be in the Guinness Book of World Records — now’s your time: Check out www.balletrecord.com and join thousands (organizers hope) at Mac Court at noon on Sunday, April 29 for a short, painless celebration of National Dance Week and an attempt to create the largest ballet class the world’s ever seen. Yes, the mayor will be there!