Washington Tour

     Last week Idaho Dance Theatre had the pleasure of going on tour to Kennewick, Washington! It was quite the experience with coming right out of our Fall show in Boise. We had a great run in Boise so it was easy to ride our performance momentum all the way to Kennewick. We had one day of rest and then back in the studio to make sure all of our dances were in tiptop shape.

     The next day was a whirlwind of activity. We left Boise early in the morning with a brief stop for lunch in Pendleton, OR. A few hours later we arrived in Kennewick, went to our lovely hotel right on the river, and then headed to the theatre. We all worked very hard to make sure that the floor, lights, curtain, costumes, music and choreography was set for the big show.

     The show began at 7:30pm and we were ready! We had a great show with a fantastic audience. The 1,200 seat theatre was nearly full and created such a wonderful energy for us to utilize on stage. After the show we had the chance to mingle with audience members and hear responses to our work. Lastly the board members of the Tri-Cities Community Concerts hosted a dinner for us. We couldn’t have found a more delicious dinner or lovely group of hosts. Great conversation, food, and wine was the perfect end to our busy day! Thank you again to the Tri-Cities Community Concerts board. We would love to come back and perform again!

~Mary Kate

Tri-Cities Here We Come!

     What a great season opener we had with our Fall Performance. We hope you had as much fun watching it as we did performing it.

     We are very excited to be taking this show on the road. This week we will be performing in Kennewick, Washington! We will be at the Art Fuller Auditiorium Wednesday November 10th. It is a one night only performance so if you have friends or family in the Tri-Cities area let them know. Show starts at 7:30pm.

     Thank You to all who came and supported the start of our 22nd season and Washington we look forward to performing for you!

~Gonzalo


 

Meet Eric!

     Hi my name is Eric Glenn and I am a new member of Idaho Dance Theatre. I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. I attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated in May 2010 with my Bachelor of Fine Arts.
    
     I am excited to have the chance and opportunity to perform with IDT. I think this experience with help me further my career as a professional dancer. I am a classically trained dancer that has been slowly moving towards modern movement and is why I’m thrilled to dance with IDT. This will help me become a universal dancer and prepare me for any challenge to come.
    
     I cannot wait to share the stage with IDT and perform for the Boise audience.

~Eric

A week to go!

The Boise performance of our Fall show is one week away! That means the hard work we have invested over the past two months is about to go on display. With just a week away it is time to make sure that not only the choreography is solid, but all the minute details as well.

Do I have my makeup, bobby pins, and costume accessories all set? I like to take this week as the time to organize everything. Once show week arrives it is go go go. So now I have the time to step back and go through everything at my leisure. A clean house, empty laundry basket, and full fridge are easy things that I can take care of this week to eliminate extra errands next week when time is short.

Being from out of town (originally Wisconsin!) I have the added pleasure of usually receiving guests during the show week. My family and friends have made the trek a few times and that adds a whole different dimension to preparation week! Not only do my visitors get to enjoy an awesome show but I have the chance to show them around Boise. And what an awesome place it is.

I know I have my ducks in a row and I think the rest of the company is there too. We hope to see you at the show. Maybe you are preparing too? It is going to be a good one!

Mary Kate

Stop by.....

     Today Melynda, Eric and I spent the afternoon at the BSU Student Union Building meeting new people and spreading the word about our Fall Performance. So if you happen to be on the BSU campus tomorrow (10/26) or Thursday (10/28) stop by, say hello and meet the dancers. We will be there 1 to 4pm tomorrow and 10am to 2pm on Thursday. BSU student tickets are only $10! With that price there is no reason not to go. On Thursday you can actually purchase a student ticket at our booth. We are located just across the Info Desk at the SUB. See you there!

    If your wondering who Eric is..... he is our brand spanking new dancer. Stay tune for more info about him.

Where's IDT?

     If you happened to miss it this morning, the IDT studio was the host to Larry Gebert and the Channel 7 Morning News. We got up super early to help promote our upcoming show. After a cup (or two) of coffee we were able to get our bodies moving and showcase some of the amazing choreography that will be part of our Fall Performance. We became the backdrop to our dear friend Larry, who also MC's our annual Gala. Many thanks to Larry and Channel 7 for stopping by our studio.

     If you have yet to purchase tickets for our upcoming show, please visit our website for info and ticket sales @ http://www.idahodancetheatre.org/ . It's fast approaching and the best seats are selling fast.

See you at the show!

~Gonzalo 

The Magic Lamp

     What happens when an unhappy Dish Washer stumbles across a magic lamp? Well in this case he gets 7 wishes from a very unusual genie. This genie happens to be a choreographer who grants wishes through dance. “The Magic Lamp” is this year’s outreach program, performed by the IDT dancers, which teaches elementary students the art of dance in a 45 minute scripted school show.
    

     I play the dish washer who is very unhappy with his job and finds a magic lamp in his load of dishes. Upon rubbing it he meets the genie, played by Yurek, and the genies assistants. Wish after wish the dish washer discovers how fun African, Ballet, Contemporary, Tap, Hip Hop and Jazz are. His final wish is to have a job that doesn’t have a dish within a mile, but it turns out it’s not up the genies dancing alley. So he is advised that it’s in his own power to find that job. He is told to go back to school and he will never have to wash a dish again.

     Every year the school show has a strong message and this year students are encouraged to stay in school and find a career that they will love to do. Just like the genie, this outreach program is also very unique and unusual. Apart from demonstrating the different types of dance, it offers lots and lots of interaction. Throughout the show the students are taught partnering, rhythm, coordination and isolations. Each element involves the students to participate either individually or as a group. Crazy costumes and beautiful backdrops help the show become very effective, entertaining and visually engaging. If you are interested in seeing or bringing “The Magic Lamp” to your child’s elementary school please contact our managing director Becky @ (208) 331-9592. Poof!

~Gonzalo

IDT: Tough Enough To Wear Pink

On Saturday morning Mary Kate, Lia, Melynda, Gonzalo, and I exercised our bodies and supported the Susan G. Komen Foundation when we participated in "Get Moving for the Cure." We did an intense 30 minute work out with Brett Denton and all of his helpers at Knockout Body Bootcamps. Team "I Dig Ta-tas" for Idaho Dance (after an intense work out mind you) competed in the final two competitions and we proudly won the "plank-off". In the plank-off as a team we had to relay-style hold a plank position longer than any other team. But to throw in a twist, as the competition wound down to us and a final couple of teams, Brett kept making it harder and harder by making us take one hand and one foot off the ground. We excitedly cheered each other along as we watched our opponents drop from the competition. The other contestants who were watching also joined in on the cheers and it came down to myself and another man. I felt strength from my team and persevered to take home the big W!

 

We came together as a company to support our community and join in in the efforts of eradicating breast cancer. We had an absolute blast and it was great to be out exercising with our community. As we were told in the inspirational speech that we received in the beginning: we became strong like the mighty redwoods because we were grouped together to show our support as a community. It was a wonderful experience that I will cherish always.

 ~ Caitlin

New Season

          As summer comes to an end and the city of trees begins to change color, we return to the studio to begin yet another exciting season of dance. We are busy in the studio getting back in shape and creating our fall show scheduled for November. We are super excited to have most of last season's dancers return and also the addition of a new dancer, Elizabeth Henscheid.
         This season marks the 22nd year of Idaho Dance Theatre and it promises to be full of exciting new works and old favorites by both of our artistic directors and guest choreographers. A month into rehearsal we have lots of great choreography set and we will be having an open rehearsal this Friday, October 8th. If you are interested in attending to see a preview of the work being created please contact our managing director Becky @ 208-331-9592.  

Summer

Summer time means healing time, well almost. As the season comes to an end and every muscle and joint in our bodies ache from a very successful year, we look forward to summer. For the most part we use this time to rest and heal all those bruises and injuries we might have acquired throughout the season. Funny enough, most of our audience doesn't realize that almost every single one of us dancers is dealing with an injury, but as artists and performers we never let those things come in the way of show time!

Summer is also used to train and take classes throughout the country. At this very moment we have company members taking dance classes from Oregon to New York. We use this time to expand our knowledge of movement and experience new techniques and styles. A great dancer is a versatile dancer and one who is able to conquer any style. IDT is a great company for that same reason. We have numerous choreographers that range in style and movement. That is what makes every show amazing.

Another summer activity for a dancer is to teach. As professionals we get hired to teach at various dance intensives and workshops. Idaho Dance Theatre along with Boise State University have a workshop of their very own, Summer DanceFest.

Since 1990, Summer DanceFest has become one of the most distinguished and unique dance workshops in the Pacific Northwest. Summer DanceFest offers the highest quality training for today's dancer during two weeks of intensive training in ballet, pointe, men's class, pas de duex, jazz, and modern dance. It is the place to gain technique, core strength, versatility of style and performing experience. Summer DanceFest 2010 will run from June 14ht - 26th. At the end of the workshop a dance concert is presented open to the public. For more info visit https://sites.google.com/a/boisestate.edu/dancefest/ . Some of the SDF faculty include current IDT company members Mary Kate Sickel, Alia Kelley and Gonzalo Valdez

Check out the following pictures from last years workshop.

End of Chapter 21

There is no greater feeling than finishing our 21st season with a great performance run. “Motion Pictures” was the title of our final dance concert, which was very well received by our amazing audience. The show consisted of two of Marla Hansen’s past favorites, “Face The Wind” and “Amazing Grace”. “Amazing Grace” was originally performed by Marla and her husband Fred, who is now our technical director and lighting designer extraordinaire!

The show also had two new works from Carl Rowe and Yurek Hansen, both of which brought a different element to the show. “One Oh One”, Carl’s new piece, closed the show and left the audience wanting to get up and dance. After the show the energy in the lobby was sky rocketing. This was Carl’s number one hundred and one piece choreographed on IDT, thus the name. Talk about an incredible accomplishment!

This year brought a great sense of accomplishment and fulfillment for all of us dancers. We worked with numerous amazing choreographers and were part of extraordinary pieces of work. We couldn’t be more appreciative and thankful to all of those that made this season extra special, which includes everyone from our audience to our artistic directors to our board members and of course all of our wonderful volunteers that helped in every way possible.

We work hard in the studio and in rehearsal everyday to produce a concert that will hopefully be enjoyable and inspirational. On behalf of all of the Idaho Dance Theatre dancers, THANK YOU!

Treasure Hunt

Idaho Dance Theatre’s Educational Outreach Program is a large part of what makes our company unique. Each season our directors either create a new show or pull one from the vast library of completed scripts. Our themed show is engaging, interactive, and helps to educate children in our schools on the diversity of dance and movement in general. Our scripts are typically written for an average of six dancers who find themselves on a journey of sorts.

We travel to many schools in our community and perform our 45 minute show either once or twice depending on the size of the school. In an average season we perform anywhere between 20 to 40 shows. We have a set that we bring in that includes a curtain with backdrops to help indicate scene changes, and a complete sound system. We also have several costume changes, and we like to use several different props for dramatic intent.

As dancers we memorize the script, practice speaking outward to an audience, and spend time developing our characters. Collaboratively we create dances or put together bits of learned choreography to fit our journey. Our intent is to put in as many different dance elements or forms possible. Therefore, we create a tap dance, a jazz or hip hop dance, cultural dances, and of course ballet. In addition we involve the students in learning movement sequences, rhythms, partnering, and more. The show always ends with a large freestyle group dance between the dancers, students, and even the teachers.

This season our show is titled The Treasure Hunt. Our goal is to find clues with help from the students in order to reach the final prize at the end. It turns out not to be a pot of gold, but rather the fun and joyous memories that we shared along the way. As Gonzalo says in the show “… the fun was the treasure!”

So far we have done quite a few shows and they have been wonderful. We get such great feedback from the teachers. Many of them continually tell us that our assembly is their favorite and it is the perfect blend of interaction, education, and just plain fun. If you would like to come and see a show, contact Becky our managing director and she will get you all of the information.

Lattes and Pirouettes

I am excited to announce that the Tully's coffee shops at BODO and Capitol will be supporting our winter show Figuratively Speaking. On Thursday the 28th and Friday the 29th, baristas at both shops will be sporting our sleek IDT shirts and distributing information about the show. So when picking up your daily “cup of joe” on Thursday and Friday, swing by Tullys and check out our local supporters.

See you at the show!

Caitlin

Show Week!

For the last three months we have been busy at work in the dance studio creating new choreography and setting a past favorite. The studio essentially becomes a lab of sorts where we get to explore, experiment and discover new ways of creating movement. With the performances in the horizon we polish and look forward with excitement to share and present our hard work.

With that said, I have also been hard at work creating a new piece for this upcoming show. There is no greater satisfaction than seeing ones own work on stage performed by an amazing and talented group of dancers. This will be the third piece I set on the company, and I can’t express how excited and thrilled I am. I am using music from a guitar duo, Rodrigo y Gabriela, their fast and rhythmic music inspired me to create “Por Tu Amor”. It is a piece based on the classic forbidden love story, only with a very fun and Latin flare. It is set in four sections and it is full of intensity, athleticism and of course romance. The costumes for this piece are absolutely amazing. I designed the concept and they were created and made by Lito-John Demetita, who is an IDT alumnus and very talented designer.

I have been fortunate enough to have the support of both Marla and Carl in venturing into this new facet of my dance career. As a young choreographer it is hard to find people and places in the dance world that will allow you to set and showcase your own work. It is very similar to a freshly graduated college student wondering in the “real world”. Not everyone will welcome that student and it’s in great part to youth and inexperience. I am very grateful to have their support and allow me to represent them and their company with my work.

Here is a little preview of the dancers rehearsing the opening combination. The pictures were taken by Carl during one of my rehearsals. To see the rest of the piece with costumes, lighting and sabor (flavor) you will have to come to the show.

Great Beginning

It sure has been a great beginning to this season. Out first show in November was a great success and our pay what you can night was a hit as well. We completely understand how the economy has affected the way we spend our extra cash and coming to a performance can now seem like a luxury. That is why IDT has offered this pay what you can night, so that all of our loyal and our new audience members can continue to enjoy what we love to do, perform. Now there is absolutely no excuse to spend a night away from “experiencing the unexpected” at one of our shows. We will continue to provide this opportunity once during every performance week for the remainder of the season.

Along with the great deal you also get to hear the choreographer express the feelings and ideas that went into creating his/her piece before it is performed. It is a great way to get to know the artist directors/guest choreographers and how they went about getting the inspiration to create such wonderful and exciting work. It makes the experience of the performance that much more personal.

Our upcoming show Figuratively Speaking is scheduled for January 29th – 31st with the preview/pay what you can night on January 28th at 7:00pm. This show is full of new work by our co-artistic director Carl Rowe, guest choreographer and IDT alumnus Lauren Edson and yours truly! Marla Hansen, our other co-artistic director, will be bringing back an old favorite, Why Wait.

Each piece is completely different from one another and showcases the talent of each choreographer and also the talent of all the amazing dancers I get to work with everyday. The show is only two weeks away, so mark your calendars and get your tickets in advance. It promises to be a great night of dance at its greatest. See you at the show!

Hard @ Work

Hello everyone. My name is Caitlin Stanley and this is my third year with the company. I started dancing at the age of four at a local studio in Southern Idaho. I danced throughout high school and pursued the art form when I moved to the Treasure Valley to attend Boise State University. My three years with IDT have been full of many amazing moments that have challenged me to grow, improve, and ultimately become who I am today. I love the company and its dedication to creating innovative contemporary dance for its dancers and audience members alike.

Right now we are busy in rehearsals preparing for our next show. Rehearsals have been challenging, fun, and most of all rewarding. I cannot wait to get on stage and share the blood, sweat, and tears that have gone into making the four unique pieces of Figuratively Speaking.