Austin Dance Week

The dance scene is on fire this week. (Not literally in flames, just -- ya know -- doing well.) Performances from national allstars and local improvisers, plus more insider gossip then you can shake a stick at (or, indeed, a tail-feather).

American Repertory Ensemble, a new Austin-based dance and music co with some big time names attached to it, opens Dialogues this Friday at the McCullough Theatre.

(ARE company dancers in rehearsal)

Jonathon has been interviewing David Justin (Artistic Director of Dance, pictured right), Rob Deemer (Artistic Director of Music, pictured right with laptop) and a few company dancers for a post on Austinist -- look out for that later this week. Best insider gossip award goes to KC at ARE, who gave us this rehearsal tidbit:

(From KC) ...the group was working on a piece with five guys and one girl. At one point in the choreography, the girl stands on a lit up square on the floor and the five guys surround her in a box shape (note: this female dancer happens to be absolutely gorgeous). The guys start moving in closer and closer and David yells, "Hey now, don't dance in her box! I don't want you to dance in her box. You can dance around...just not in." We're not surprised that the dancers have been having a field day with that one.

Improvisational Movement Project -- the only Austin dance company (to our knowledge) dedicated entirely to improvised dance -- opens their new show this Friday at the Blue Theater. Collaborating with a variety of musicians across the 8 performances, the movement of Lance Harris, Karen Morris, Julie Nathanielsz, Kate Robinson and Lauren Tietz is sure to be different every night, so check it out more then once for the full effect. (More info at Refraction Arts' website)

Getalong Gang is holding auditions for the company's November dance/theatre show, Dolly Would. This new piece is choreographed by Zenobia Taylor and features crazy antics, trashy makeup, and the music of Dolly Parton (Yellow Tape note: a.maz.ing!) . Auditions will be held Saturday July 29 at 2pm. Location TBA. Please call (512) 626-0205 or email zenobiagtaylor@yahoo.com for more information.

Ballet Austin's Artistic Director, Stephen Mills, is in Japan, setting work on the prestigious Hong Kong Ballet. (Yellow Tape note: whoa.) The piece, Hush, is set to Tirol Concerto for Piano and Orchestra by Philip Glass, and will premiere this October. So, if you're not doing anything this fall, flights from NYC to Hong Kong are running about $1,000. See you there?

Yellow Tape is going to town on We Are Normal, Cha Cha Chaaa, (also premiering in October...but in Austin, not Hong Kong). Amanda is creating new movement like a madwoman, and this week will see a new direction for the music from Lisa Schneider (fiddle), Eric Vormelker (bass), Blair Bovbjerg (theremin), and Aaron Combs (DJ). Plus, in mere hours from the time of this post, we'll be finished with the promo photos, taken by the amazing talented Dennis Fagan (check back soon for previews).

In quick newsbits, Michael Barnes reviewed Noche Flamenca's visit to the One World Theatre on his Arts/Entertainment blog, Out and About. XLent also reviewed Kathy Dunn Hamrick's recent And Then There Were Twelve.

As always, send your dance scene news, photos, reviews and gossip to us at contact@yellowtape.org