Dance Alive's Fused Tutu

On Saturday night, the Phillips Center was treated to a diverse, beautiful and fun ballet in three parts—Dance Alive National Ballet’s last performance of the season, “Fused Tutu.”

For the purists, the show opened with selections from two classic ballets, “Giselle” and “Swan Lake.” Featuring those romantic and ethereal compositions, two duets floated around the stage, the female leads in filmy tutus. This is the kind of dance you grow up watching, and if the two little girls perched on the edges of their seats in front of me were any indicator, the numbers completely enraptured even the smallest of audience members.

Also part of the first act was a Ukrainian character dance called a “Gopak,” performed by Rostislav Dzabraev. Basketball players, take note: male dancers get serious air. Dzabraev leaped and launched himself so high in the air I was getting a nosebleed just watching. And it was awesome.

With the roar of a motorcycle and a few awed gasps from the audience, Act II moved in with a modern twist on classical ballet. “Fused Tutu,” a dance in nine parts, featured movements inspired by rock ‘n’ roll, disco, hip hop and West African dance. Even the UF Dazzlers paid a visit, showing off their refined brand of hip hop. The drama and theatrics of Fused Tutu contrasted to the classic beauty of Act I, but in a good way. To me, it looked like ballet dancers having a ton of fun on stage, and that feeling is infectious.

To close out the night, Act III, entitled “SOAR,” was inspired by painting and sculptures by Olympic athletes. The artworks that the four dances were based around were displayed behind the dancers. What sounds like a very conceptual piece became all the more clear as the cast captured the essence and beauty of the paintings and sculptures in physical movement. It was the marriage of two art forms, an interesting and inspiring pairing.

Saturday’s performance also marked the final show for the respected and wildly talented Dance Alive principal dancer Tak Kwan Chu. At age 62, and after 23 years performing with Dance Alive National Ballet, Chu took his last bow with the company amid cheers and standing ovations. His strength and beauty as a dancer will surely be missed.

It’s such a pleasure to watch the Dance Alive National Ballet, and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for next season. If it’s anything like Fused Tutu, I (and you) won’t be disappointed.

--Amelia Marty

Dance Tutu Your Own Beat

Follow principal dancer Andre Valladon in discovering why dancers dance in the Dance Alive National Ballet spring performance of Fused Tutu at the Phillips Center on March 27.

The eclectic show, choreographed by Kim Tuttle and Judy Skinner, will include the classic ballets Giselle and Swan Lake but also hip-hop, African dance, an appearance by the Florida Dazzlers, motorcycles and artwork created by Olympic athletes.

“It’s really about dancers, why they love to dance and how they like to work with other artists,” Kim says.
The performance starts at 7:30pm. Tickets start at $15 and are available through Ticketmaster and the Phillips Center Box Office. Call 352-371-2986 for more information.

Follow is on Twitter for your chance to win tickets!

--Bridget Higginbotham

Check out Bridget's video of Dance Alive's Fused Tutu rehearsal:

Dance Alive National Ballet: The Nutcracker

Last night, we were lucky enough to finally catch a performance of Dance Alive’s Nutcracker at the Phillips Center. It was at times romantic, exciting, mysterious—even funny. The elaborate sets, beautiful costumes and extensive cast (you won’t believe the number of toy soldiers) made for a refreshingly entertaining holiday performance.

For those unfamiliar with the classic story, it’s (loosely described as) the 19^th Century tale of Clara, whose family Christmas Eve party is followed by dreams of mice, soldiers, the eponymous Nutcracker and a fairy tale land of snowflake fairies and sweets. It’s set to famous music by Tchaikovsky (you’ve surely been hearing it in commercials and book stores these days) and this version is choreographed by Dance Alive Artistic Director Kim Tuttle. Last night, Rachel Ridley played Clara, who received a nutcracker doll from her Uncle Drosselmeyer (Tim Heflin). After her younger brother Franz (Elijah Eyerly) jealously breaks her doll, she falls asleep with it in her arms near the Christmas tree. At the stroke of midnight, she wakes to find her brother’s toy soldiers fighting a pack of mice. After saving her nutcracker, he comes to life as a handsome prince (Brian Hunter).

There are no dull moments, and both dance-lovers and willing novices would be wise to catch it while they can. The performance lasted about two hours with a 15-minute intermission—a perfect chance to get a glass of wine. There are performances ($15-$35) tonight (Dec. 18) at 7:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm; Sugar Plum Teas (when you can taste treats and meet the cast for $15) Sat. and Sun. at 4pm; and a Chocolate and Champagne Gala ($75) Sat. at 8pm. Call the Philips Center box office at 352-392-2787 or here for more info.

—Tim Carswell

Sip Champagne with Sugar Plum Fairies

Explore the set of The Nutcracker while sipping champagne and devouring decadent chocolates at Dance Alive National Ballet’s Chocolate and Champagne Gala this holiday season.

“Last year was the first year we did it onstage, and people seemed to really enjoy that,” says DANB Director Judy Skinner.

Well, it’s back by popular demand along with a silent auction of holiday gifts, music by Gosia and Ali, Blue Water Bay catering and a scavenger hunt that takes you throughout the Phillips Center.
Each participant in the scavenger hunt will receive a passport, and once their passport is all stamped, it will be entered into a grand prize drawing, Judy says.

The gala coincides with The Nutcracker Festival, which features performances of the popular ballet, as well as the family-friendly Sugar Plum Tea. The tea follows each performance and provides the opportunity to meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and her court and have holiday photos taken by Johnston Photography.

“We’ve been doing it for a number of years now, and it’s really, really successful,” Judy says.

The Chocolate and Champagne Gala will be held this Saturday, Dec. 19, at 8pm at the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $75 per person or $600 for a table. For more information, visit dancealive.org.

—Kate Ashby

GIVEAWAY: Nutcracker Tickets!

We're giving away a pair of tickets to the holiday ballet classic The Nutcracker presented by Dance Alive National Ballet. Get a chance to see INsite cover stars Andre and Carla, plus the rest of Dance Alive's dancers, light up the Phillips Center Stage. The performances are Dec. 17 to 20, and you could get in for free!

To win, e-mail editor@insitegainesville.com (with Subject: Nutcracker) or RT this message on Twitter!

Dance Alive National Ballet presents Dracula

Dance Alive National Ballet has been bringing beautiful performances to North Central Florida for years. The company’s 44th season opened last Friday (Oct. 30) with Dracula.

Dracula, with all its lore, drama and—dare I say it? sex—is a whole new realm of dance. It’s beautiful, yes, but it’s also gripping and a little frightening in the best possible way. The company of internationally recognized dancers gave a moving performance, all while making their complicated steps look easy.

As the curtains opened to show us the imposingly large set of Count Dracula’s estate, the narrator, Dr. Van Helsing (Ric Rose) gave us the backstory: lawyer Jonathan Harker (Rostislav Dzabraev) travels to Transylvania to meet the rich, mysterious (and bloodsucking) Count Dracula (Andre Valladon.) Harker is met by the count and his three vampire brides (Carla Amancio, Reka Gyulai, Beth Ann Maslinoff).

Dracula comes spinning on stage, whirling around so quickly it makes my head spin. But it’s awesome. He is definitely a powerful dancer. When he’s on stage it’s hard to take your eyes off of him. And the music matches perfectly—the sounds are vibrant at times, ominous at others.
I’d like to live in this world—where people don’t speak; they dance to show their passion, sadness, happiness, fear. Dracula and his mortal victim Lucy’s (Michele Incollingo) duet after their first encounter is particularly compelling. You can hear every word their dancing is saying.
The production takes a turn in a different direction when the graveyard vampires come on stage. They are all dressed in ethereal white skirts, and the group of about 15 dancers move beautifully in unison, as one graceful, undead mass. I am amazed at how everyone seems light as air.
After the performance, the stage became a dance floor of another kind. The Dance Alive Halloween costume gala began about half an hour after the ballet. A small crowd gathered on the stage to eat food catered by Buddha Belly, mingle with the company and dance to Halloween classics. The same set from Count Dracula’s castle was even more beautiful up close.

The dancers mingled with each other and bounced from table to table, greeting friends and strangers. The DJ, dressed in his own Dracula garb, played Halloween favorites like “Monster Mash” and the theme to “Ghostbusters.” A rousing version of “Mambo Italiano” brought the stars of the show onto the dance floor. It was great to see them dance to just cut loose. Dance should be fun, and, for these people, it truly is.

—Amelia Marty; Photos by Sarah Hsu

Dance Alive presents Dracula, tonight!

Last night, we were lucky enough to be invited to catch a preview performance of Dance Alive National Ballet’s Dracula at the Phillips Center. As choreographer Kim Tuttle called queues from stage right, the lights went down, the curtain went up and we entered the diabolical world of Count Dracula, performed by the versatile Andre Valladon.

With vampires captivating pop culture recently, Dracula is an appropriate title this Halloween; however, Dance Alive’s ahead of the curve—they’ve been performing the eerie Victorian tale for 18 years. In it, it’s amazing to watch as about 30 company dancers (who only moments before joked about their white fang teeth or acrylic talons) become at turns gypsies, Brides of Dracula, pious English men and women, and more.

The set and lighting change often, and the intricate costumes and dramatic music contribute to every scene as we follow Jonathon Harker (played by Rostislav Dzabraev) from Transylvania to England in the nearly two-hour performance. Although we knew it was only make-believe, we were captivated in this ultimate tale of good versus evil—a definite Halloween treat.

Catch Dracula tonight (10/30) at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts at 7pm. It is preceded by a Dracuween Kids’s Party at 6pm, in which children can enjoy a safe trick-or-treat ($15), and is followed by Dracula’s Halloween Costume Ball ($35). Call the box office at 352-392-2787 for tickets.

Photos by Sean Kelly

Take a Trip To Transylvania + Win Tix!

** Win free tickets! See below.**

Grab some garlic and a crucifix, and hope this stage performance of Dracula doesn’t give you nightmares. This one-night-only ballet by Dance Alive National Ballet will be at the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, Oct. 30, at 7pm.

“It’s an intense, scary, frightening piece with a broken neck or two,” says Dance Alive resident choreographer Judy Skinner. The ballet features several University of Florida dancers and well-known set artist Margaret Tolbert.

Judy says the performance will coincide with two other events: Dracuween Kid’s Party and the Dracula Halloween Costume Ball. The kid’s party will be at 6pm and awards the child with the best costume and features a tour of the Dracula set. The Costume Ball will be onstage immediately following the ballet and provides a DJ, Bloody Mary’s and Buddha Belly catering. And with all things Halloween-related, Judy says LifeSouth will be accepting blood donations.

“If you’re going to throw a Halloween party, you might as well do it with one crazy setup,” she says. For tickets, visit dancealive.org.

—Kate Ashby
PHOTO: Johnston Photography

We’re giving away a set of tickets to Dracula. Follow us on Twitter to win!

Dance Alive Costume Garage Sale

Dance Alive National Ballet held their 10th Annual costume garage sale on Saturday (Sept. 26). The dance company is in the process of consolidating their costume warehouse space from four buildings to one and there is much to be sold.

People from all over Gainesville gathered hours before the event’s official 9am start time to snatch up their picks from this year’s top productions.

Dancers, moms, theater teachers and thrifty fashion gurus stomped the yard in front of Pofahl Dance Studio with hands full of tutus, leotards, flapper dresses, leopard leggings, chiffon gowns, fabrics, ballet shoes—you name it—from previous Dance Alive productions and community contributions. Judy Skinner, who is the resident choreographer and Director of Grants and Arts Education Programming said some of the more popular pieces were the Nutcracker costumes and authentic Hawaiian outfits, all of which were sold at a mere fraction of the regular price.
With most items going for $1 a pop, it’s clear to see the value of this event. I managed to score a Carrie Bradshaw-inspired tulle skirt for only $2, which can be easily worn over leggings, tights or a fitted dress, as well as underneath a skirt to add volume and flare to any outfit.

The money earned from the garage sale will go toward funding educational arts programs that have been cut by both the county and the state. “But I’m a happy camper,” Judy said. “Sales have been great.”

Dance Alive’s next fundraising event will be a performance on Oct. 3 at Eastside High School.

—Brooke Johnson