In the Twin Cities, June 10 – June 19 to set Points on a Curve on the Eclectic Edge Ensemble. Karis Sloss is the Artistic Director. It is their fifteenth anniversary. Husband Les came with me for the first three days. It is his first visit back to Minneapolis since we moved to Dallas in 2005. He has had a great time and everyone loved seeing him.
I was fortunate to have Mariusz Olszewski, once again, help with the restaging. He did an amazing job at SMU. I am getting better about knowing the dance as a whole but the ballroom influenced duet is beyond me. Although I must say, watching Mariusz so closely, I am getting better about knowing what that is al about. Judith E. James Ries also came in and was so helpful.
We rehearsed at Ballare Teatro, Ann Williams’ studio on Minnehaha Avenue – great studio, but like SMU’s bowling alley, long but not very deep. There is an identical studio one floor below, but with a low ceiling. I was down there with the trio while Mariusz was upstairs working on the duet. We set the entire dance in four days. They did it at SMU in six days. Karis did the casting before I got there and that was a great idea. The duet is danced by Mallory Dykema and Timothy Herian. They are great together.
Erin Thompson came by to watch rehearsals on Friday. We were at TU Dance in Saint Paul, a large space. Timothy was a student of hers at the U of M. She said he can do anything and she is right – a natural – great questions. The trio is Allison Doughty Marquesen, Heather Annis (she came to the first Teaching Jazz Dance Symposium at SMU) and Sarah Beck-Esmay. The two understudies were Sarah Pieper and Joe Svihel. They all worked well together – very supportive – great work ethic.
The EEE 15th Anniversary concert opens tonight!!! July 19, 2018.
Finally got the program from Karis. The signatures of the last and the understudies is on the back.
Twin Cities Jazz Dancers were there. From left to right, Joanne Horn Spencer, Judith E. James Ries, Mariusz Olszewski and Dana Kassel at the very right. The best faces, the best people.
Here is a review.
We were able to have dinner on Wednesday night at Judith’s home I Saint Paul. She has a beautiful home and two great children – Everett and Wil. She also has a new door named Walter. I want that dog.
Dana and Eric came. Dana made risotto. Their beautiful daughter is Frances. Joanne Horn Spencer and Joe Spencer also came. Joe grilled salmon and vegetables. We had lots of Rose. It was a most lovely evening.
Les and I stayed with Margaret and Dan Shulman. They are the most amazing people, wonderful friends and longtime supporters of JAZZDANCE. They lived on Lake of the Isles, the house where I found the music for Swing Concerto. They then moved to the 121 Franklin Avenue. They rented the carriage house to Les and me. It was the last place we lived before moving to Dallas. We loved living there.
They then bought a house on the corner of 24th and Pillsbury, a beautiful mansion that originally belonged to the Dayton family (Dayton Hudson Department Stores).
They have been renovating it for years. There is an apartment in the basement where Margaret’s parents lived until they passed away. There is an apartment on the top floor where Dan’s son Davis and family live and then there are many, many bedrooms, a music room and a spectacular kitchen. Margaret loves to cook. We share recipes all the time. Dan bakes pies and makes his own mustard. He is an attorney at a large law firm downtown. Margaret was a civil rights attorney but is now retired.
When you are a guest in their house, you come and go as you please. I usually have coffee with Margaret in the morning and we catch up gradually. It is warm and supportive. I routinely send them sweet jalapeño pickles. They are very addictive. I have three jars in the cupboard right now. I just sent Margaret a cookbook called The Flavor Matrix. I hope to pick out a recipe and have us try it at the same time and then compare notes. The best.