Press Releases
PORTS of CALL - Ethnic Dance Theatre's Spring Concert Series 2010
For immediate release:
Download a PDF of this release by clicking here!
The Ethnic Dance Theatre presents Ports of Call
Ports of Call can be seen:
April 9-11, 2010
F-Sat at 8:00 PM; Sun at 2 PM
Ritz Theater
345 13th Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
Phone: 612-436-1129
$20 adults; $15 seniors; $15 students; $12 children under 12
For downloadable press photos, please visit the Ethnic Dance Theatre website at: http://www.ethnicdancetheatre.com/press_photos.html
EDT Public Relations and Press Contact: Donald La Course
For more information, contact the Ethnic Dance Theatre office at 763-545-1333 or e-mail us at info@ethnicdancetheatre.com
On April 9-11, 2010, EDT presents Ports of Call, a full-length dance concert featuring the vibrant music, haunting songs and breath-taking dances of the lands of Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Egypt, Greece, India, Latvia, Lebanon, Norway and Turkey at the Ritz Theater in NE Minneapolis.
Audiences will board the SS Ritz, greeted by deck hands and perhaps the Captain himself, as they are transported to the port cities of Bergen, Limon, Port Said, Beirut, Chania, Varna, Trabzon, Riga and Mumbai through the beautiful staging, dazzling costumes, and spectacular music that are the hallmarks of EDT, shows.
Choreography for Ports of Call will be created by guest artist Ahmet Luleci, EDT Artistic Director Donald La Course, as well as EDT Resident choreographers Meredith Holt and Anne von Bibra Wharton. Seven new works will be premiered, and two works from the EDT repertoire will be revived for this concert.
A native of Turkey, Mr. Luleci is an accomplished choreographer, dance teacher and performer as well as a researcher of Anatolian culture. The Assembly of Turkish American Associations presented Ahmet with the 2002 Award for “Outstanding Achievement in the Arts & Humanities”. His choreography was awarded the gold medal at the Hong Kong Open dance competition in 2004 (performed by Budlet Dance Company) as well as the first prize at the ethnic dance competition in Germany in 2005 (performed by Elvan Dance Company). Luleci’s Black Sea Dances will be the show finale.
The driving force behind EDT since 1974, Donald La Course serves as Artistic Director, lead dancer, choreographer, cultural researcher, and costume designer. Mr. LaCourse has completed a dozen international research trips in order to learn dance techniques, research costumes, and to better understand the cultural context of his work. Nationally recognized for his choreography, Mr. La Course was commissioned to create work for the Chimera Theatre, the Radost Folk Ensemble of Seattle, and Avaz International Dance Theatre in Los Angeles. He has also appeared as a guest artist with the Minnesota Opera, the North Star Opera Company, Katha Dance Theatre and Dolina Polish Folk Dancers. La Course has created new works from Bulgaria and Greece, as well as re-creating works from Latvia and Lebanon. Revivals will be Katha Dance Theatre’s Rita Mustaphi’s dances from Gujarat, India and Rogelio Lopez’s dances from Costa Rica.
New to the program will be works by EDT resident choreographers, Meredith Holt’s suite of dances from Egypt and Anne von Bibra Wharton’s Norwegian Vestlandspringar.
“Musically, Ports of Call will be a spectacular show”, La Course said. In addition to the always-excellent EDT Folk Orchestra, performing musical sets from Iran and Brazil, Ports of Call will feature the multi-faceted vocal talents of singer Natalie Nowytski. "Having musicians and singers with this level of talent is a remarkable gift to our community", La Course said. Through the performance, the audience will be exposed to music and dance forms that traverse the myriad ethnographic regions of the globe. Audience members are encouraged to wear cruise wear or their own ethnic costumes from the regions on the itinerary.
Presentation of Ports of Call is made possible in part by the McKnight Foundation, Target and the German American Heritage Foundation. The official media sponsor for Ports of Call is KFAI Radio.
Download a PDF of this release by clicking here!
Ethnic Dance Theatre's Winter Dance Party 2009 Karneval!
Join EDT for Karneval!, our annual European Dance Party on February 21, 2009, at the historic CSPS Hall in St. Paul. "This is the time of year when we invite the public to join our village and learn the dances that are so much fun for people of all ages," said LaCourse. "We'll teach you how-no partners necessary. It's a perfect family event!" The evening will feature live music by the fabulous Orkestra Bez Ime and the Ukrainian Village Band. A European Cafe and Silent Auction round out the evening.
The Kaiser's Jubilee - Ethnic Dance Theatre's Spring 2009 Concert
On March 20-22, 2009, EDT presents "The Kaiser's Jubilee," a full-length dance concert featuring the vibrant music, haunting songs and breath-taking dances of the lands of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the historic Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul.
Inspired by the 1913 celebrations of Kaiser Franz Josef's 65th anniversary as monarch, "The Kaiser's Jubilee" recalls village life in Austria, Bohemia, Bosnia, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine through beautiful staging, dazzling costumes, and spectacular music.
Audience members are encouraged to wear period 1913 dress or their own ethnic costumes from the regions of the former Empire to the show!
Presentation of The Kaiser's Jubilee is made possible in part by a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, with funds appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature, the McKnight Foundation, Target Foundation, Recycle Technologies, the German American Heritage Foundation and individual donors.
For downloadable press photos: http://www.ethnicdancetheatre.com/press_photos.html
For more information, please contact:
Donald LaCourse,
763-545-1333
