Dance Wisconsin          December 2014
 
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This week we will be celebrating Thanksgiving.  I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to the many people who make Dance Wisconsin such a quality arts organization. 
  1. To the Dance Wisconsin Board of Directors, each of you possess special talents that you share with Dance Wisconsin.  Thank you for the hundreds of hours you spend dancing, promoting, sewing, teaching, attending meetings, and advocating for dance education and performance opportunities.
  2. To Robin Fonfara, your leadership, professionalism, vast experience, and dedication to arts in Wisconsin has greatly impacted thousands!  Thank you for all that you and Tom do for the organization.
  3. To the Dance Wisconsin rehearsal assistants and resident choreographers/instructors, your passion for and commitment to excellence provides the organization with unmatched dancer training, opportunities, and outreach programming.  Your in-kind services are invaluable and greatly appreciated.
  4. To the Friends of Dance Wisconsin, thank you for all of the organizing, planning, and in-kind and financial support you provide each year.  The endless hours you spend serving DW allows the organization to serve five thousand community members each year.
  5. To the talented people who provide Dance Wisconsin with their expertise-Michael Roberts, Tim Duppler, Corey Helsor, Stephanie Wild, Brooks McGrath, Kathy Violante, Paul Schaefer, and Katy Batterman--you go above and beyond!

December will bring great excitement and many opportunities for dancers to present Dance Wisconsin's revival of the classic "Nutcracker Ballet."   

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

JoJean Retrum   

The Classic Nutcracker Ballet Returns to Dance Wisconsin

Dance Wisconsin is thrilled to have the opportunity to revive the original choreography and roles of the traditional Nutcracker December 20 and 21.  Clara and her nutcracker take the journey of a lifetime on a magical Christmas Eve night.  Dancers from throughout southern Wisconsin perform the roles ranging from mice, party guests, soldiers, snowflakes, and Waltz.  Guest Artists Aurora Dickie and Anthony Krutzkamp will star as Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier.  Monona Grove High School Singers and the Dance Wisconsin Orchestra will enhance the production with their beautiful voices and arrangements.

Costume Mistress Kathy McCaughey and assistants have been working throughout the summer and fall reinventing costumes (some as old as 37 years) and designing new costumes too.  Dance Wisconsin is excited to have original cast members perform cameo roles.   Alumni are encouraged to share favorite memories with year via email: dancewisconsin@gmail.com. 
We will post on our facebook page.  Like us on Facebook

Aurora Dickienull
Aurora Dickie is in her sixth season with The Washington Ballet. Originally from Recife, Brazil she started dancing at age five with her mother and teacher, Jane Dickie. At 11, she joined the Bolshoi School in Brazil where she continued her training for five years. After winning a bronze medal at The Youth America Grand Prix finals in New York City, Dickie was invited to join The Washington Ballet in 2007. Dickie's most recent featured roles with TWB include both Giselle and Myrtha in Giselle, Wendy in Septime Webre's Peter Pan, Je N'aime te me Pas in Christopher Wheeldon's There Where She Loved and Sugar Plum Fairy in Septime Webre's The Nutcracker.

Anthony Krutzkamp as Prince Charming 
Anthony Krutzkamp as Prince Charming
 
 
Anthony Krutzkamp
Anthony Krutzkamp was born in Alexandria, Kentucky where he trained with Janet Schultz at Children's Dance Theater. After Mr. Krutzkamp attended the Cincinnati Ballet School, he began his formal training with Petrus Bosman and David Keener. His first professionalcompany was Kansas City Ballet where he was cast as the Cat in Todd Bolender's reconstruction of Balanchine's Renard. After the completion of that season he moved on to Cincinnati Ballet where he was promoted every season until he reached the rank of principal dancer at age 23. He has performed such classical roles as Prince Desire in Sleeping Beauty, Prince Charming in Cinderella, Siegfried in Swan Lake, Shakrier in 1001 Nights, and Romeo in Romeo & Juliet. He has also danced the lead in works by George Balanchine including Emeralds in Jewels, Theme and Variations, Concerto Barocco, Tchaikovsky pas de deux and Chaconne. His contemporary works include ballets by Twyla Tharp, Jorma Elo, Adam Houghland, and Darrell Grand Maultrie. As an international guest artist, Mr. Krutzkamp has performed Flames of Paris, Don Jose in Carmen, Solar in La Bayadere, Cavalier in The Nutcracker, Siegfried in Swan Lake, Franz in Coppelia, and Don Q Suite in Fukuoka and Okinawa, Japan.Mr. Krutzkamp is the co-artistic director of the annual summer performance event, Kansas City Dance Festival. As a director, he has presented repertoire by Marco Goecke, Salvatore Aiello, Yuri Possokhov, Marina Kessler, Chris Stuart, Todd Bolender and Ma Cong. Mr. Krutzkamp holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from Northeastern University in Boston, MA and was recognized by the University with a diploma of high honors.

Ever wonder about the artist behind Dance Wisconsin's promotional posters? Mr. Michael Roberts has gifted Dance Wisconsin with his amazing work for numerous years.  Thank you Michael!
Tickets are on sale now!  You may purchase tickets by:
  1. Clicking Union Theater's Box Office link here:  UW Madison Ticket Box Office 
  2. Ordering tickets over the phone:   608-265-ARTS
  3. Purchasing them directly at the Wisconsin Union Theater: 

Community Outreach Programming

Dance Wisconsin strives to engage community members of all ages with educational and entertaining programs.  Our company members and Nutcracker cast have been out and about throughout November teaching others about ballet technique, the history of Nutcracker Ballet, and the types of equipment dancers use on a daily basis.

Recently, dancers spent an evening at Goodman South Library.  Audience members learned about some of the Nutcracker characters, its storyline, and historical context.  They also enjoyed having the opportunity to watch excerpts from the ballet, ask questions, and meet the dancers.

Dancers also performed at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art's Holiday Fair, Mendota Elementary School, and the Heritage Monona Senior Living Community.

Upcoming Events:
Friday, November 28Barnes and Noble West 11:00 am and 1:00 pm 
Saturday, December 6Madison Children's Museum  11:00 am  and 12:0pm 
 Sunday, December 14 Waisman Children's Theater  1:00 pm 
 
Alumni "Dancing Down Memory Lane"
December 6, 5:00 pm
Monona Academy of Dance Studio, 6332 Monona Drive, Monona WI 53716
 
All alumni are welcome to come to the studio to attend a Waltz of the Flowers rehearsal, dance the Waltz, and share memories and photos of past Nutcracker Ballets.  Feel free to bring photos.  We will serve beverages and appetizers/desserts.  This event is hosted by one of our original flowers, Renee Arnold Topp.  For more information please visit our event page on Facebook: The Nutcracker Suite Alumni Get Together  
 
Dance in the Schools 
Dance Wisconsin had the pleasure to spend the past three and a half weeks at Mendota Elementary SchoolStudents learned a variety of dance genres and sequences.  Some students even learned sequences from the Soldiers dance in Nutcracker.  Their residency wrapped up November 25, with a school wide presentation of each class's dance.  Several Dance Wisconsin company performed too. 

Big Brothers and Big Sisters
Thanks to generous funding from the American Girl Fund for Children, Dance Wisconsin will provide the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Dane County more than 150 tickets to the Nutcracker Ballet.  These special guests also have the opportunity to take a backstage tour and meet some of the dancers prior to the show. 
Alumni Updates

Michael Hartung
Peter Pan Live Promo featuring Christopher Walken
Peter Pan Live Promo featuring Christopher Walken

Michael will be performing
in NBC's Peter Pan, Thursday, December 4 at 7:00pm.  Michael will play the roll of Sniffler. You can view Michael in Peter Pan's promotional video--Michael has the tie around his head at :34.  He will perform with other cast members during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  

Lauren Hafner Addison

Dance Wisconsin would like to congratulate Lauren on Boink's upcoming 2015 season!  Lauren was gracious enough to share information about what she has been up to since graduating from high school and Dance Wisconsin.
Question:  Will you give readers an update on your dance company Boink?
Response:
  Boink was founded by myself (Lauren) and my partner in crime Cassandra Motta (also a Wisconsin native). We went to college together at UW-Milwaukee and have been dancing ever since. We always knew we were going to live in NYC and start our own company, so the rest just feel into place. 
Photo shoot with Boink~Lauren Hafner Addison
We are currently in the middle of preparing our 2015 season. The most exciting event will be our first full length show in NYC next fall (specific date TBD). The show will be an all immersive experience that will incorporate various art forms along with dance and film.  Our goal is to make live theater a new experience that is engaging in unexpected/exciting ways.  We are very active in the Dance on Camera world and love creating videos to submit to various dance festivals around the country. Our video "Boink!" was accepted to the Lincoln Center Dance Festival in 2013 and the company has been taking off ever since.
Question:  What are some of your favorite memories of being a Dance Wisconsin company member?
Response:  There are so many good memories of Dance Wisconsin!  If I had to name one, the thing I get most nostalgic for is being in The Nutcracker. Everything about that show was meaningful, from the music, the choreography, the friends... I miss it dearly. To this day I can't watch The Nutcracker with out getting teary eyed.  Please visit Boink's website: www.boinkdance.com

Mary Kate Hartung 
Mary Kate Hartung - has recently joined the Christina Noel and the Creature dance company in NYC,  that focuses on creating a hybrid performance medium utilizing the dancers' bodies and voices.   The resulting medium envelopes viewers visually and aurally in multi-textured environments derived from human connections and encounters. Click here to visit Christina Noel & the Creature Dance Company

Alex Schaller
Jo Jean Retrum, Danielle Furhmann, Alex Schaller, Jennifer Fillbach~Fireside Theater
Alex recently graduated from the Illinois Institute of Art.  She is working at the Fireside Theater as a costume designer and dancer.  Congratulations Alex!
 
Anthony Canarella 
Anthony most recently performed in Sacramento Ballet's Great Gatsby.  He will be performing in their Nutcracker Ballet in December. 

Jorene Leonard-Grabowski 
Jorene continues to perform with the Donnie and Marie Show.  She will travel with them on their Christmas Show tour to Washington D.C., Toronto, and Manshantucket, Conneticut.           

Justin Genna  
Justin will be performing in Oakland Ballet's Nutcracker.  Check him out at Oakland Ballet.  

T
hank you to the alumni
Aly Dahmen, Suzanne and Emily Jamieson, Natalya Weise
that attended New Works in October!
It was great to see you and have a chance to find out what you've been up to! Aly Dahmen is a senior at the University of Minnesota.  She will be graduating this spring with a degree in Nursing.    Suzanne Jamieson is a senior at Stevens Point majoring in Elementary Education and Dance, Emily is a freshmen at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  Natalya Weise is a freshmen at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dance Wisconsin thanks its generous sponsors, volunteers, and grant donors.  We are able to achieve our mission because of your support!

Nutcracker Ballet Sponsors
American Girl Fund for Children
Badger Utility
Wisconsin Arts Board and National Endowment for the Arts
Dance Wisconsin is always looking for ways to help fund its programming.  Here are some ways you may want to consider aiding our organization that may be easier than you might think:
  • Forward this newsletter to others that are interested in the arts.
  • Attend one of our productions.
  • Like and share our Facebook posts and Tweets with your friends.
  • Use Dance Wisconsin's ID information when purchasing items from Barnes & Noble. Either mention Dance Wisconsin's name at the check out counter November 28, or type in #11488426 at the check out prompt when you order from Barnes & Noble online November 28 - December 2. 
  • Write to state legislators and Governor Walker urging them to continue funding arts organizations like Dance Wisconsin.
  • Purchase items from Yankee Candle using Dance Wisconsin's ID information. Visit their webpage:   Yankee Candle Fundraising and enter #990059332 in the space that states Group Number within the "Start Shopping" section.

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