Ballet & Beer: Collaboration with Larimer Chorale

October 7, 2018 by Canyon Concert Ballet

Singers from Larimer Chorale and pianist Alice Crawford will be performing the “Court of Love” from Carmina Burana at our Second Annual Ballet & Beer production on Thursday, October 11. We are so honored to partner with them! We sat down with Larimer Chorale Artistic Director, Michael Todd Krueger, to learn more about Carmina Burana, why it is a must experience, and some fun tidbits about him!

You have directed the Larimer Chorale in “Carmina Burana” quite a few times over the years. What makes Carmina a regular part of your repertoire?

Audiences love the energized, pulsating rhythms of the piece. Many of the movements slowly build to raucous conclusions and the audience is caught up in that inertia! It’s so exciting!

What does it feel like to stand in front of your 120 person chorus while you are directing Carmina?

It’s an amazing feeling … the power of all of those voices … each unique and wonderful in their own way. It’s one of the best jobs anyone could have!

What is your favorite section of Carmina – if you had to choose?

It’s hard to choose. Probably, No. 10 – Were diu werlt alle min: “If all the world were mine from the sea to the Rhine, I would do without it if the Queen of England would lie in my arms. Hey!” It’s so incredibly joyful and serves as the finale to Part I … I love it.

Aside from Carmina, what is your favorite piece to direct?

I have a real fondness for Brahms so I would answer Brahms Requiem.

What is your favorite restaurant in Fort Collins?

Coopersmith’s. I love their beer and their pub food AND their desserts! For a more traditional restaurant, I really like Blue Agave.

More about Michael Todd Krueger:

After a distinguished career teaching at the college and university levels, Michael Todd Krueger has dedicated himself to the cause of the adult, avocational singer. He currently serves as conductor and artistic director of the Larimer Chorale, music director of Voices West (formerly Littleton Chorale) and as minister of music at King of Glory Lutheran Church in Arvada. Through his work with these choruses, he is known for his healthy, inspiring and unique approach to singing for adults

Dr. Krueger earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in music education from Luther College and the Master of Music degree in trumpet performance and jazz studies from the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley (UNC). He subsequently earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting and vocal studies from the University of Illinois. He has served on the music faculties of Ithaca College, Morningside College, Millikin University, and the University of Wyoming.

Dr. Krueger is a former resident member of the Grammy Award-winning Robert Shaw Festival Singers. He has also performed with the Grammy-nominated UNC Axidentals Vocal Jazz Sextet directed by the legendary jazz educator, Gene Aitken. He has conducted all-state, honor choir, and choral festival performances for singers of all ages throughout North and South America and Europe and has led numerous concert tours to the many cultural centers of Europe.

Ballet & Beer: Guest Artists Feature

October 3, 2018 by Canyon Concert Ballet

CSU Dance Faculty, Madeline and Matthew Harvey, will be performing their piece “Temptation” at our Second Annual Ballet & Beer production on Thursday, October 11. We are so honored to partner with them, read on to learn more about their dance experiences, life in Fort Collins, and fun tidbits about how they prepare for a show!

You are both new to Fort Collins, in your 2nd year teaching and dancing in Fort Collins at CSU. Where did you move from and how has the transition been? How are you enjoying your new dance lives here in NoCo?

We moved to Fort Collins after spending the last nine years in South Carolina. We love the culture here – everyone seems so friendly and sincere. While I (Matthew) appreciate a winter more similar to those of my childhood in Pennsylvania, Madeline is still adjusting to the colder weather. We feel lucky to have found a place where we can teach, choreograph and perform. We have so much respect for local dance companies and are honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with other artists in the NoCo community!

How long have you both been choreographing together? Can you tell us something about your process?

Despite having choreographed more than one hundred works combined, and having performed in each other’s choreography, we have only co-created a handful of pieces. So far, our collaborative processes have been seamless. In fact, it is often difficult to distinguish who is responsible for specific movement vocabulary or ideas. I think having partnered together for over twelve years helped to build this intuitive understanding of one another in the studio.

What’s your favorite thing about working together?

The dedicated time to connect on such deep mental, physical, and emotional levels. The camaraderie is great too! If only we had an outtakes reel… some of the most memorable studio moments are when something totally unpredictable happens that sends us from intense concentration into hysterical laughter.

Aside from one another, who would you most like to have the opportunity to dance with?

Madeline – I would secretly love the opportunity to share the stage with Judy Bejarano, Artistic Director of IMPACT. It is inspiring to watch her create and demonstrate her choreography – I think it would be great fun to perform a duet with her one day. Matthew – I can’t say there is any specific person I would like to perform with, just some repertoire and styles that I would enjoy workshopping.

How do you prepare the day of a performance?

Madeline – Most of my performance days are spent trying to remember to breathe. I find comfort in a set order of events – I like to do my hair first, then make-up, then warm up. For some reason I like to eat a breakfast sandwich on show days, and I can usually be found wearing my sock monkey onesie backstage. Matthew – Whether it’s songs that energize or relax me, I have to listen to music on show days. I don’t get outwardly nervous, but I prefer to stay more meditative while preparing before a performance. I eat, brush my teeth, do my make up, wash my hands, then put on my costume. I come to the theatre packed for the week and then slowly move out over the course of the run.

What’s your favorite restaurant in Fort Collins?

There are so many excellent restaurants in Fort Collins, but Lucille’s (especially for their beignets) is at the top of my (Madeline’s) list. Matthew loves Snooze!

Ballet & Beer Inspirations: French Ballet

October 2, 2018 by Canyon Concert Ballet

The history of the development of ballet as a French court dance form is well known. What may be a lesser known is the fact that this history is completely inter-meshed with the history of the expected behavior of the king’s courtiers, whose everyday lives where regulated in the most extreme ways. The grip of these imposed rituals was unyielding — from clothing, to language, to food, to where one should sit or stand. One courtier once quipped, “The austerities of a convent are nothing compared the the austerities of etiquette to which the King’s courtiers are subjected.” It is during this time period – the 17th century particularly – that we see the use of two French words come into popularity: comportement and étiquette. Together they paint a picture of the historical beginnings of ballet as prescribed personal bearing, carriage, and behavior. During the reign of King Louis XIV, behaving wrongly was at the peril of one’s life!

It is precisely because of this imposed etiquette that classical ballet is the graceful, pristine, and codified art form it is today. However, this aspect of its development is only part of the story. As soon as ballet moved away from the strictures of the court and into the theaters of Paris, dance masters and choreographers saw the potential of ballet to do more than entertain audiences with its scrolling, court dance floor patterns and light footwork. They knew they could use the form to tell stories. By the mid-1700s French ballet master Jean Georges Noverre, for example, sought to make ballets that used expressive, dramatic movement that would reveal the relationships between characters and convey a narrative. So while classical ballet narratives are largely dominated by sylphs, princesses, sorcerers, and the nobility, they are also about peasants and the working class, and express the full range of human emotion, including struggle, loss, joy, failure, success, family, uncertainty, and laughter.

In Canyon Concert Ballet’s 2nd Annual Ballet & Beer, artistic director Alicia Laumann, is using the program to showcase some of these more human, less lofty, and hopefully funny scenarios often found in ballet. Don Quixote (the Tavern Scene) for instance, tells the story of Basilio, the town barber, and his working class girlfriend, Kitri, who must join forces with their friends to trick Kitri’s dad into letting them get married. Also in the program, the danced poetic excerpts from Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana (sung by members of the Larimer Chorale), depict the earthy pleasures of nature, love, and lust. The Lyric will host this surprising and curated event. With only 2 shows, you won’t want to miss this night out on the town! Tickets are available on the Lyric’s website.

Article by Alicia Laumann

Meet Your Teacher: Ms Sarah

September 25, 2018 by Canyon Concert Ballet

Get to know teacher Ms Sarah better!

Sarah grew up dancing at the school of the Washington Ballet and continued with ballet and other genres at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Following college, she performed with 4M Dance in San Francisco and Oakland, California. She returned to school to earn a M.Ed. degree in Early Childhood Education and later trained in Anne Green-Gilbert’s methodology of dance instruction at the Creative Dance Center in Seattle. She joined the CCB staff in 2015, focusing on dance with toddlers & parents together and the Young Dancer’s Program. Sarah was honored to attend the CSU Carl S. Bimson Dance/Movement Education Seminar for Colorado K-12 Educators during the summers of 2016-17. Sarah works as a teacher at First United Methodist Cooperative Preschool in addition to being a dance educator.

Ms Sarah teaches Move with Me on Tuesdays at 10am and Saturdays at 9:30am, as well as Creative Movement on Saturdays at 10:30am and Pre-Ballet 1 on Saturdays at 11:15am.

Here are some fun questions we asked Ms Sarah to get to know her a little better:

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Educating young people to be compassionate and empathetic through being a teacher and parent.

What is your favorite book? How about movie?

My favorite book is Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen.
My favorite movie is Singin’ In The Rain.

Is there a quote or saying that you live your life by?

Gotta dance! (Gene Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain)

Would you rather vacation in Alaska or Hawaii, and why?

Alaska…small population, vast wintery wilderness, amazing wildlife and natural beauty.

What are your hobbies?

As a former zoo keeper, I love animals and have 2 dogs, a tortoise, lizards, a snake and an 80 gallon fish tank! Also reading, hiking and knitting.

If you were a superhero, what would your powers be?

Turn things into chocolate.

What three items would you take with you on a deserted island?

Radio for music & NPR, books and my dogs.

What is your favorite part about teaching at CCB?

Sharing my love of dance with kids, parents, and coworkers!

Class Spotlight: Find Your Style

September 18, 2018 by Canyon Concert Ballet

Canyon Concert Ballet currently has a Find Your Style dance class, taught by Ms Alta. Learn more about this fun dance class!

Class Description: This class is divided into sections to explore all genres of dance and learn the basics each technique has to offer. The genres included are Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Contemporary, Modern, Hip Hop, and Musical Theatre. This is a great class for young children ages 5-7 that wish to explore all styles of dance. Equivalent to Ballet 1 & Pre-Ballet 3.

What is your favorite part about this class?

Ms Alta: Introducing new genres that kids may never have thought they would love.

Which song is your favorite to dance to in this class?

Ms Alta: Go to songs that we dance to are any Disney classics and some more popular Disney songs from more recent movies like Moana and Zootopia.

How long have you been teaching dance?

Ms Alta: I have been teaching dance for 2 and half years now.

Anything else you’d like people to know about this class?

Ms Alta: This class is a great way to explore all types of dancing available. You can try it ALL!

Find Your Style happens Wednesdays at 4:30pm at the Conifer Studio with Ms Alta. Register for Find Your Style class today!