YOUR AD HERE »

CSU dancers perform for local schools

Kay VasilakisPost Independent StaffGlenwood Springs, CO Colorado

You never know when inspiration and opportunity can put a twinkle in your toes.Aspen Dance Connection (ADC) of Basalt has invited dance director Chung-Fu Chang and nine young professional dancers from the CSU Tour Dance Company to perform a new program for 4,000 students and teachers from Rifle to Aspen Nov. 5-7. ADC has brought the director and the CSU Tour Company into area schools for three years. The program, “See Dance through Fabric,” brings culturally-diverse dance to the stage which express human emotion and celebrates differences and similarities. The 50-minute dance lecture demonstration features unique dances including a Chinese ribbon dance from ancient times; a modern dance using beautiful fabric to intertwine dancers and fabric into beautiful formations; a male solo dance which showcases the intensity of a karate and kung-fu martial artist; a dance in which the dancers make origami shapes and transform the choreography into flying movements; a lyrical Hawaiian dance inspired by the royal photos of Queen Lili’uokalani; a mask dance; a high energy tap dance; and a stylized jazz dance. At the end of the program, students will be invited to dance and ask questions.The performances will be held at 8:45 a.m. Nov. 5 at Roy Moore Elementary in Silt; 10:15 a.m. Nov. 5 at Wamsley Elementary in Rifle; 2 p.m. Nov. 5 at Highland Elementary in Rifle; 8:15 a.m. Nov. 6 at Crystal River Elementary in Carbondale; 10 a.m. Nov. 6 at Carbondale Middle School; 1:20 p.m. Nov. 6 at Roaring Fork High School for Ross Montessori, Carbondale Community School, Marble Charter and Yampah Mountain High School; 9:15 a.m. Nov. 7 at Basalt Middle School for Basalt Elementary students; and 2 p.m. Nov. 7 at Aspen Community School.A master class and show for the Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts dance companies will be held from 4-5 p.m. Nov. 5 at the CMC Glenwood Springs location on Blake Avenue, and a question-and-answer session will follow from 5-5:45 p.m. All are welcome to watch and stay for the question-and-answer session, which will address what it is like to be a dance major at CSU, and what the next step is to becoming a professional dancer.”I love the idea; the kids will enjoy seeing the dances,” said Maurine Taufer, Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts dance teacher. “They will get class, discussion and performance. Wow, that’s great. We are looking forward to the event.” These performances are sponsored by Alpine Banks and Western Rockies Federal Credit Union, town of Basalt, Midland Shoes, Heirlooms of Basalt, Aspen Club & Spa, Glenwood Springs Hot Springs, Woody Creek Tavern, the Pour House, and the parent/teacher organizations of the schools.”ADC has been presenting dance for 30 years, and It is part of our mission to educate youth to the beauty of all styles of dance,” said Fran Page, artistic/executive director of the Aspen Dance Connection. “We feel this is a great introduction for children who may not get this opportunity otherwise. We have also seen how a shy young girl came out of her shell after getting up to dance with the performers, which they do at the end of each assembly. It lasted the rest of the year and has changed her life forever.”For more information, please call Aspen Dance Connection at 927-0641.


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.