Ballet Nebraska’s Gaining Momentum
April 30th, 2015
Omaha, NE — Audiences have a chance to catch an eclectic set of dance numbers this weekend.
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Photograph from Valse-Fantaisie, choreography by George Balanchine, © the George Balanchine Trust. Ballet Nebraska dancers Matthew Carter and Katie van der Mars are accompanied by Erika Overturff, Erin Alarcón, Vivi DiMarco, and Kelsey Schwenker in this performance of the ballet, to be presented as part of Momentum: International Masters. Photo by Tania Ortega Cowan.
Ballet Nebraska wraps up its 5th anniversary season with their annual tradition called Momentum. This year, the theme of the show is International Masters, featuring a diverse set of pieces from some of dance’s most iconic choreographers. Ballet Nebraska’s Artistic Director Erika Overturff says the show exercises the performance troupe’s versatility.
“Momentum is a great chance for us to show the vast range of ballet and dance. There’s different ways that it can be challenging, inspiring, beautiful, [how it can] make you think, be entertaining, be funny. It’s a lot of fun for us because the dancers get to perform in all sorts of styles. For the audience, it’s a nice entertaining look at all the things that dance has to offer.â€
The repertoire of dance pieces span many different centuries and continents starting with ballet master Marius Petipa’s Paquita. Listeners might recognize Petipa’s other works including Giselle and Swan Lake. Next is Valse Fantaisie by legendary 20th century choreographer George Balanchine and well as On My Mother’s Side, a modern dance classic by ground-breaking choreographer (and Nebraska native) Charles Weidman. Also included in the evening will be The Diner, and original piece by Erika Overturff that was one of the first pieces Ballet Nebraska ever performed. Overturff said the show’s diverse offerings make it a great opportunity for both longtime lovers of dance and those just starting to discover the art form.
“A ballet enthusiast will love coming to this show. They’ll get to see a lot of things that will peak their interest. But, it’s also a great introduction if you’ve never been to a ballet before. If you’re not sure if this is for you, come see this because it’s really entertaining even if you don’t know a lot about dance. You’ll definitely connect with something on the program.â€
The show will also feature a series of short filmed introductions by filmmaker and production manager Lance Glenn. They give audiences a look into the history and rehearsal of each piece.
“There’s little interesting things to hear what’s going on in the dancer’s mind, what is really the historical significance of this, or what makes this challenging that I think gives the audience a different insight so that they feel a part of things and know what’s going on. They can appreciate things on another level.â€
Overturff said the show is a chance to celebrate the great accomplishments of Ballet Nebraska’s first five years while looking forward to possibilities of the next five years and beyond.
“We really love what we do. Every year, we get to explore new things, grow our audience, and grow stronger as an organization. We look forward to what the future holds.â€
Ballet Nebraska’s production of Momentum will perform this Friday, May 1st at 7:30pm at the Joslyn Art Museum and Sunday, May 3rd at 2pm at the Iowa Western Community College’s Arts Center. For more information on the show, visit www.BalletNebraska.com.
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