Since the Division of Dance is honoring me on the eve of my retirement with a mini retrospective of my choreography for the spring MainStage concert, I thought I would look back at other events spanning time in both New York and Minneapolis.
Before moving to the Twin Cities and becoming co-artistic director of Zenon/JAZZDANCE with Linda Andrews, I produced a retrospective performed at the Theater of the Riverside Church. It was in April of 1989. Former dancers Tee Scatuorchio, Bob Rabin and Gina Kraut came back to perform. Trevor Lewis, board Chair was the master of ceremonies. It was a very long program.
After having separated from Zenon, establishing a reborn JAZZDANCE in 1991, the company regularly performed at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at the College of St. Catherine. Susan Federbusch was the presenter and a big fan. We had a spring season March 19-22, 1998. I had my 50th birthday on March 17. The dancers blindfolded me after the concert and took me to a restaurant for a surprise birthday bash. Becky Bowden, Abby Levine Saxon and Shelley Rice came and I had a few video tributes. It was a raucous evening and I got quite blotto.
Having accepted a position as Visiting Artist at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, JAZZDANCE presented a two week retrospective of my work called A Life in Dance. It was presented at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis April 14-17 and April 21-23, 2005. Again many former company members including Cathy Young, Dana Kassel, Joanne Horn Spencer, Judith E. James Ries and Jennifer Wolverton came back to perform. Les Johnson, retired former jazz dancer also performed. There was a huge benefit reception and Dennis Diamond of Video D made a documentary with multiple interviews. Jefferson James, who first presented the company in Cincinnati was there and Lisa Booth and Deirdre Valente, our artistic and booking representatives came from New York. It was glorious. I didn’t imagine the A Life in Dance would continue at SMU for another thirteen years!
