Dance students echo love for Kansas City B-B-Que
Nicole English
Issue date: 4/27/09 Section: Culture
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The Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company will present their annual Spring Concert 2009, at White Recital Hall on May 14, 15 and 16, featuring another successful collaboration with Kansas City Jazz icon, Bobby Watson.
This year's concert will culminate with the "Gates B-B-Que Suite," choreographed by Conservatory Assistant Dean, Mary Pat Henry.
This will be a full company work to an original composition by Bobby Watson.
A jazz artist of international fame, Watson has collaborated with Henry in the past, creating some of the most memorable works in the company's repertoire.
For this concert, this new collaboration will feature Watson's Big Band Jazz Orchestra performing his composition for the dancers.
The piece is described as a "loving and playful look" at the tradition of Kansas City barbeque. Set in a barbeque restaurant, the choreography is intended to capture the "microcosm of society" in dance as people socialize and eat this favorite Kansas City cuisine.
The concert will also feature works both by local and internationally acclaimed choreographers.
Other works on the concert's program are Red (choreographed by Paula Weber to the energetic music of Beethoven), Concrete Abstract (choreographed by Sean Curran to the music of Tigger Benford), We Dance (choreographed by Kevin Iaga Jeff to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach) and Give Your Hand to Struggle (a solo work choreographed by to the music of Sweet Honey In The Rock).
Co-founded by Henry and the late dancer and choreographer, Leni Wylliams almost 18 years ago, the Wylliams/Henry?Contemporary Dance Company are Artists-in-Residence at UMKC's Conservatory of Music and Dance.
Often hailed by fans and critics alike as one of the most interesting professional dance companies in the Midwest, the group recently received a matching grant of $50,000 from the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation to expand special programming for young people within the metro area.
The Spring Concert is intended to be a celebration of the group's success, as well as the history and art of local Kansas City.
The Wylliams/Henry Spring Dance Concert 2009, will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 14 at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16, at 8:00 p.m., at White Hall, 4949 Cherry, Kansas City, Mo., located in the Performing Arts Center on the UMKC campus.
Tickets prices are $24 for Adults, $18 for Students, and $15 for Seniors. Tickets can be obtained by calling the Central Ticket Office (816) 235-6222.
nenglish@unews.com
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