Dream On! Anything is Possible at “Dance a Little Dream 2011”
Over 400 dancers, ages 3-adult, of the Des Plaines School of Dance, will perform seventy-seven original pieces in the culminating event of their year long study: “Dance a Little Dream,” on June 12, 18, and 19, at the Prairie Lakes Theatre. Each concert will showcase an eclectic blend of jazz, tap, hip hop, ballet, lyrical, and modern numbers, with four unique programs presented across the three days. The choreographers have chosen much of the theme music based on the Constanze quote, “Dancing is like dreaming with your feet!” including such recognizable hits as “California Dreamin',” “A Dream is a Wish,” and “Sweet Dreams.”
The shows open with “Nightlife,” choreographed by Cecilia Ferguson-Bell, for the Des Plaines Park District in-house dance company, Artistry in Motion. “This piece explores movement that begins in a peaceful dream and dissolves into a nightmare. The four sections in the dance each tell a different part of the story, beginning with a party in a mansion and traveling to an unfinished basement full of ghosts. The dancers have to step out of their comfort zone and push themselves to execute this performance,” said Ferguson-Bell.
One of the most exciting pieces for Dance a Little Dream is the Coppelia Ballet suite, choreographed by Anne Gollenberg, for pre-pointe and pointe. Coppélia is a comic ballet with original choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon, a libretto by Saint-Léon and Charles Nuitter, and music by Léo Delibes. It tells the story of the fanatical dollmaker, Doctor Coppelius, who secretly dreams of discovering a way to bring Coppelia, his doll-companion, to life. “This piece brings together our pointe and pre-pointe dancers for a classical production, featuring soloist, Amy Dunn, in the role of Coppelia. The dancers have been challenged this year with the choreography, staging, and acting that is involved in making the story come alive on stage,” Gollenberg said.
Other innovative dances this year include Laura Chiuve's, “Fix You,” a hybrid tap piece that combines tap dancing with lyrical and modern movement, a first for the School of Dance; Karlo Familara's “A Little Love,” that blends lyrical and hip hop movements to create a conversation about love and dreaming between three friends; Mary Williams' “The Outsiders,” a modern piece that reinforces the idea that it is “okay to be different from everyone else;” and “Turning Tables”, choreographed by Ferguson-Bell, performed by the School of Dance Helping Hands, dancers who volunteer their time in beginning classes to help give more individualized attention to younger dancers.
Back for the second year in a row, are the Dads' Dance and Alumni Piece. Fathers of Des Plaines School of Dance dancers will perform “The Boys are Back in Town,” choreographed by Stacy Pareti and thirteen alumni of the School of Dance, ages 18-23, will perform “The Winner Is” choreographed by Gollenberg.
The shows close with a new piece choreographed for Artistry in Motion by Jenny Ostrowski. “Fireflies” paints a fanciful look into a “world where fireflies glow and disco balls reign.” The dance features all thirty company dancers.
This is the first year the School of Dance will have the opportunity to perform in the Prairie Lakes Theatre. “We are thrilled to give our audience this intimate experience and our dancers a professional theater space, in which to perform,” said Nancy Suwalski, Cultural Arts Supervisor. “The School of Dance prides itself in offering a quality dance program that embodies inspiration, artistry, technique, and performance. We are very fortunate to have to the best professional teaching staff in Des Plaines.”
Dance a Little Dream will be performed at the Prairie Lakes Theater, 515 East Thacker Street, June 12 at noon and 5:00pm, June 18 at noon, 2:30pm, 5:00pm, and 7:30pm, and June 19 at noon and 5:00pm. Tickets are available now at the Administrative and Leisure Center, 2222 Birch Street, for $7, or at the door on the day of the shows, for $8. For more information about the show, summer dance classes and camps, call 847-391-5711 or visit www.DPParks.org.