Culture
Dance, Poetry, Music on Tap for Weekend Show
By: Bryan Gibson
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Those wishing to sample the best of the Athens arts scene could do worse than attending this weekend’s Community Dance Performance at ARTS/West.
Consider it a one-stop shopping excursion for local dance, music and spoken word, performed by some of the best artists in the region.
Saturday’s show, which gets underway at 7 p.m., is a production of The Athens Dance Collective (ADC), a group of local dancers, choreographers, teachers and students who strive to shed light on social, political, economic and environmental aspects of our lives through performance.
“The ADC is indeed a collective, so we all have pretty much the same roles,” said Ellie Andrews, who is producing the concert. “We put our ideas out there, collaborate, help each other achieve our goals, provide excellent feedback and celebrate each other as artists making intentional, honest, personal work.”
Andrews, an Athens native who majored in Dance Performance and Choreography at Ohio University, will be pulling double duty this weekend as a producer and performer.
“My role for this performance is mainly being the producer, as it was my idea to have this concert, though I also choreographed a few works and am performing in it as well,” she said.
Saturday’s show will feature works by Tiny Spaces Dance Company, Another Language Altogether and nobrow.music.collective, as well as contributions from Chelsea Goettge, Missy Whaley, Trisha Lachman and Logan Cull.
Started by Factory Street Studio’s Darcy Shaffner, Tiny Space Dance Company is a group of performers whose works are sometimes improvised, sometimes choreographed, but often somewhere in-between.
Another Language Altogether is a collaboration between poet Wendy McVicker and musician Emily Prince, who infuse their performances with a touch of humor.
Spearheaded by percussionist Aaron Butler, the nobrow.music.collective features a rotating cast of musicians dedicated to the performance of exciting music, be it old, new, highbrow or low.
“I’m utterly delighted by the collaborations that have unfolded for this weekend’s show,” said Andrews. “It’s truly a diverse lineup of acts–some improvised, some choreographed–all of which involve rich layers of sound and movement. Expect an experience that fills the senses and mind with a dynamic spectrum of aesthetics that fills the heart…it’s a celebration of this wonderful community.”
Admission is $5. Visit The Athens Dance Collective’s Facebook page for more information.