American Midwest Ballet to kick off holiday season at USAO

The 23^rd season of the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma’s acclaimed Davis-Waldorf Performing Arts Series continues with “Momentum,” a presentation of four short contemporary dances choreographed and performed by the American Midwest Ballet.

The production will be on Nov. 30, at 7:30 p.m., in the Te Ata Memorial Auditorium on the USAO campus. Tickets cost $20 for the public and are available at usao.edu/dwpas. Tickets for K-12 students are available free of charge, thanks to continued support of the educational outreach mission of this series from the Chickasha Public Schools Foundation.

“One of the goals of this series is to provide access for everyone in our community to professional performances,” said Katie Davis, professor of theatre and executive director of the DWPAS. “Access doesn’t just mean the ease of physical attendance, but also making the choice to join the audience simple and comfortable. Many people think of ballet as a long evening of watching classical forms and listening to classical music; some fear that it won’t be their thing, or that they won’t fit in with the crowd. This performance by American Midwest Ballet is a collection of short contemporary works, with a range of music, tone, costume and playfulness that makes it easy for a first-time audience member to get excited about dance.”

“Momentum” combines a variation of visuals and emotions as well as thought-provoking choreography. Artistic director and CEO Erika Overturff described the production as “a mixed-repertory program – a collection of individual works chosen to showcase the expressive range of dance.” 

The four “Momentum” works include:

• The Enchanted Garden – Created by Overturff for her all-original production of The Nutcracker, “The Enchanted Garden” blends the elegance and grandeur of 19th-century classical ballet with warmth and touches of whimsy. Set to one of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s most beloved Nutcracker compositions, ‘The Waltz of the Flowers,’ the ballet introduces the viewer to the blooms and creatures typical of an ornamental garden.
• Fragile Creatures – “I like to say “Fragile Creatures” is about ‘the things we don’t talk about,’” says choreographer Erin Alarcón of this ballet, newly created for us this season. “Human complexities are both beautiful and alluring to me, and in this piece we examine the shadow parts of ourselves we often hide from others. I believe that in sharing our most guarded memories, we can create stronger bonds with one another.”
• Love Games – Created for AMB in 2012, Monique Haley’s jazz-flavored contemporary ballet depicts, as the choreographer puts it, “the flirty tug-of-war we play when we are falling for someone.”
• Go West! – Overturff created this audience favorite in 2015 in collaboration with Joslyn Art Museum’s featured exhibition Go West! Art of the American Frontier. “The ballet is inspired by the spirit and stories of the American West,” Overturff said. “You can expect cowboys, tumbleweeds, and yodels galore!”

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit usao.edu/dwpas or call (405) 574-1213.