Canyon Concert Ballet

Dance with the Best

Meet Your Teacher: Ms Haley

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Get to know teacher Ms Haley better!

Haley Westmoreland discovered her passion for dance at the age of 12 when she began training on competitive teams at Airborne Dance and later at Dance Dimensions in her hometown of Longmont, Colorado. She has a strong foundation in tap, ballet, jazz and hip hop. Haley is a current undergrad student at Colorado State University majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies and minoring in Anthropology and Entrepreneurship/Innovation. Haley recently completing a RYT-200 yoga training in Chiang Mai, Thailand which transformed her practice and ultimately brought her back home to dance. Through her dance training and yoga practice, Haley now crafts her movement through intentionality and mindfulness.

Ms Haley teaches Tap on Tuesdays at 6:00pm, Jazz 1 on Wednesdays at 4:30pm, and Jazz 2 on Wednesdays at 5:45pm.

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

What is your proudest accomplishment?

My proudest accomplishment has been co-founding an international herbal nutrition company called Metta Herbs within this past year. It is an ongoing process but I am so proud of our team and the company that we have been able to create so far.

What is your favorite book? How about movie?

My favorite movie is Mr. Nobody. My favorite book is Dastgah: Diary of a Headtrip by Mark Mordue.

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

“I am not aiming to increase my own net worth but instead to increase the net worth of the earth. I don’t see worth in dollar signs like I did in the past though. I see worth in natural beauty. I see worth in the quality of human life, which greatly revolves around health, happiness, and liberty in my mind. I see worth in abundance and diversity of animal and plant life. I see worth in clean air. I see worth in pure water. I see worth in wholesome food that is available to everyone. I see worth in infrastructure and systems that provide justice and equality for all.” -Rob Greenfield

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

 I would rather vacation in Alaska because there is so much natural beauty and untouched land. I would also love to see the northern lights.

What are your hobbies?

My favorite thing to do it be in the studio dancing and creating with my friends. Otherwise I love holistic health, yoga, traveling, hiking and writing.

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

 If I were a superhero my power would be to teleport anywhere in the world. That way I could travel between countries and cultures instantly!

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

 If I was deserted on an island I would take my journal, my backpack and my best friend.

What is your favorite part about teaching at CCB?

 My favorite part about CCB is my students! We get to learn so much from each other and grow together as dancers and people.

Meet Your Teacher: Ms Tiana

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Get to know teacher Ms Tiana better!

Tiana Farnsworth grew up in Colorado Springs, CO. She performed and studied ballet at Colorado Ballet Society and was introduced to modern in her adult years. She started her dance education at Pikes Peak Community College (PPCC) where she danced under Stephanie Kobes-Newcomb.  She performed with the student company, High Altitude Dance Ensemble (HADE), for four seasons.  She completed her Associates in Dance in spring of 2015 and is now attending Colorado State University (CSU) for her B.A. in Dance and B.S. in Health and Exercise Science: Health Promotion.

Tiana learned the complexity of choreography, modern technique, ballet technique, and teaching modern and ballet. She also enjoyed dancing in the Ballet Reparatory Ensemble for two semesters. She was a featured dancer of the Ballet Reparatory Ensemble in the Le Corsaire Suite adapted by Madeline Harvey in the “Pas De Trois Des Odalisque” as the first soloist. Tiana currently teaches at Canyon Concert Ballet as a children’s ballet instructor and is excited to spread her joy and knowledge of dance to her students by including history, technique, and fun within her classroom.

Ms Tiana teaches Ballet 1 on Wednesdays at 5:30pm, Ballet 2 on Wednesdays at 4:30pm, and Ballet 3 on Wednesdays at 6:30pm.

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

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Graduating in May from CSU with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Dance and a Bachelor’s of Science in Health and Exercise Science. I have learned and progressed as a dance and exercise teacher which I am happy to share with my students.

What is your favorite book? How about movie?

It is so hard to pick a favorite book! It rotates between many different books but I always love thread fantasy books. Right now, my favorite is from the Inheritance series called Eragon by Christopher Paolini. My favorite movie would be How to Train Your Dragon and all of them in its series.  You could say that dragons are some of my favorite creatures.

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

“No one has failed who keeps trying and praying” by Jeffery R Holland
“Just keep dancing!” by me/unknown

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

I would prefer to go to Hawaii in the winter because then it will not be too hot or too cold and less people. I could enjoy all of the beautiful scenery by hiking, walking, and doing fun outdoor activities.

What are your hobbies?

I love to play board games with my husband and friends. We try to get a group together often just to have fun and take our minds off of school or work.

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

I would have the power to teleport so that I would not have to drive anywhere.

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

I would take a survival book, my scriptures, and a fire starter kit.

What is your favorite part about teaching at CCB?

My favorite part about teaching at CCB is my students. I love to see when they learn and grow throughout the semester in dance and as people.

Ballet & Beer: Collaboration with Larimer Chorale

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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

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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

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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

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