It is hard to imagine that Michigan’s only professional ballet company is celebrating is 46th season, and part of this success is their ability to reinvent and refresh our opinions of this very physical art form.
This weekend, fans of dance will flock from all over the state to join others at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre for the Grand Rapids Ballet’s seventh edition of MOVEMEDIA. This innovative dance series is stunning for its expansive definition of what makes dance so vital and contemporary, and it is brought to this region through the leadership of Grand Rapids Ballet Artistic Director Patricia Barkerand Executive Director Glenn Del Vecchio.
MOVEMEDIA is a chance for our local ballet troop to invite other artists to the stage for a night of dance that continuously challenges those long held stereotypes about the artform..
Acting as a dance incubator, MOVEMEDIA showcases fresh and visually arresting new works by some of the world’s most significant and celebrated contemporary choreographers.
Aptly titled “MOVEMEDIA: World Premieres,” this weekend’s debuts will feature never-before-seen works from three world-renowned choreographers. Joining our local troop on stage this weekend will be special guests Robyn Mineko Williams (Hubbard Street), Robert Dekkers (Post:ballet), and Penny Saunders (Hubbard Street).
What makes MOVEMEDIA stand out is this dance showcase’s ability to seamlessly blend all the visual elements of a performance, from set pieces to props to lighting, in a modern space that is illuminated creatively through the use of technology and digital media to enhance the body in motion.
Needless to say, this is not your grandparent’s ballet, as MOVEMEDIA employs the talents and tools of our modern age to create something truly breathtaking in the heart of our city.
For tickets, please purchase them here or at the box office.
Photo by Eric Bouwens