Music & Motion Dance leads its audience on a world journey and multi-textured celebration of rhythm that is both subtle and complex, yet primal as a heartbeat. The performance, held in Hall of Flags at Houston Hall, is offered as part of the 2008 Philadelphia Live Arts and Philly Fringe Festivals.
Andrea Piovane & Stacey Folks are interviewed on Kutztown Radio 88.3
Hear the podcast at
Montgomery Newspapers Inc.
As theater season begins anew over the next two weeks, finding fresh, fun performances that will help you get back into the theater-going groove are far from scarce. The second and final look at some of the Montgomery County contributors to this year’s Philadelphia Fringe Festival presents a perfect cross-section of the varied flavors to be found over the next two weeks. From uplifting to voyeuristic, the three performers below prove more than ever that an open mind is all you need to enjoy the many eclectic performances Fringe has to offer.
“Continents: A Global Voyage” Music & Motion Dance
Playing at Hall of Flags, Houston Hall, University of Pennsylvania, 3417 Spruce St.
Sept. 6 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Wheelchair Accessible. Cost: $10.
This youth dance company is prepared to make your $10 ticket go far. Across the world, actually. The ethnocentric beats and traditional dance-inspired moves will make brief tours of each continent. “It’s the kind of music and experience that will make you want to get up and move yourself. So often you might attend a modern dance performance where you feel lost, there’s all these hidden messages; and with us, our dancers are just putting themselves out there and having fun. We hope the audience will have fun with us,” said Steven Weisz, artistic director.
The dance company, which practices in Harleysville and has several Montgomery County girls in its cast of nine, is comprised of 15- to 20-year-olds. Unlike some dance companies, Music & Motion Dance prides itself on choreographing performances themselves.
“What we did was examine all the common beats and we choreographed it from there. In our case, all the young dancers came together and created the choreography as a group. We’d listen [to the music] and then each dancer would do their own interpretation and we’d take snippets of those, put them together,” said Weisz.
Whether you’re a fan of world music, want a performance to take your family to or just want to be visually dazzled, “Continents” might be the show for you.
Because the company is comprised of youth, Fringe marks the end of its season as school gets underway. Music & Motion goes on hiatus soon, but may have some shows coming up in October and November. For more dates or if you’re interested in auditioning for the 2009 season on Sept. 21, visit www.music-and-motion.com.
Director and founder Steve Weisz and dancer Jen Durham speak about their involvement in the local non-profit dance company, Music and Motion. They share information about their experiences with the organization as well as their upcoming performance of Continent, which will take place September 6th at the University of Penn. For more information, log onto music-and-motion.com
PODCAST: http://www.rowan.edu/today/data/cast/CA20080825.mp3
Music and Motion Dance Productions – DanceHere
Written by Jen: DanceHere Blog Editor on August 25, 2008 – 8:56 am –
“A sense of heart and spirit…not seen for some time in professional productions…This youthful group reminded me of what dance is about.” –Dee Schmidt, Dance Critic.
“They call what they’ll be doing ‘a world fusion experiment.’ I call it fun!” –Virginia A. Smith, Philadelphia Inquirer (on CONTINENTS: A Global Voyage)“
A must see for this year’s Philly Fringe!” –John Cantalina, World Beat Music
Founded in 2000 under the artistic direction of Steven Weisz, Music & Motion is a fresh, innovative, performance-oriented, youth dance company. The pre-professional young-adult dancers of Music & Motion both own and operate the company, receiving mentoring from outside corporations and individuals.
In its short, yet diverse, history, Music & Motion has performed for a range of audiences throughout the tri-state area, and even internationally. The company has won critical acclaim and has attracted many fans for its deep commitment to group collaboration and for its ability to expose new audiences to dance and performing arts.
As a company, Music & Motion brings dancer and audience together by performing in both traditional and non-traditional venues, conducting meaningful dialogues about their dance works, and offering free or subsidized programs.
Music & Motion has created several commissioned dances, including Primal for the Philadelphia Zoo and Futura for the Franklin Institute. In 2008 alone, Music & Motion has performed in one of Pennsylvania’s most beautiful pleasure gardens, in museums, and in a sculpture garden. The company has also performed at numerous benefits, regularly donating performances to charity organizations.
The wide appeal of Music & Motion’s eclectic styles lets this company reach diverse social groups.
This company’s dedication to community service helps increase public appreciation for dance in the Philadelphia region. Music & Motion’s service initiatives, such as Dance for Hurricane Relief in 2005, Dance for Social Change in 2006 (to fight child hunger) and RED in 2007 (in support of the The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria) create lasting partnerships between the dance world and the greater public.
Along with supporting community-based organizations, Music & Motion also works to build the Philadelphia
area’s dance and performing arts community.
In 2006, Music & Motion launched a virtual portal at PhiladelphiaDANCE.org. Today, this web site contains a comprehensive resource guide for the greater Philadelphia region’s professional dance community. Music & Motion has contributed on other web-based projects, such as a monthly e-newsletter of area dance performances and a virtual dance box office. Over 8,000 dancers and supporters now participate in this online community. In addition to these efforts, Music & Motion subsidized and created Philly Dance Fest in 2007, a one-day showcase of unique regional dance companies and artists.
Since 2004, Music & Motion has participated in the Philly Fringe and Live Arts Festival. As one of the first youth-based companies to be incorporated, Music & Motion presented Illuminescence in 2004, Elements in 2005, To A Different Beat in 2006, and RED in 2007. The company will premiere its new work CONTINENTS: A Global Voyage for the 2008 Philly Fringe and Live Arts Festival.
Music & Motion will premiere their new work CONTINENTS: A Global Voyage on Saturday, September 6, 2008 during the Philly Fringe and Live Arts Festival.
The company will perform in the Hall of Flags, Houston Hall, at the University of Pennsylvania. Performances will be at 2:00pm and 7:30pm. General admission is $10. Student admission is $5.
You can buy tickets to this performance directly through Music & Motion’s online store at this link. Or, you can buy tickets through the Fringe Box Office.
Click here for more information on Music & Motion’s upcoming performance in the Philly Fringe and Live Arts Festival.
And, if you sign up for Music & Motion’s mailing list at this link, you’ll receive announcements about future performances.
Music & Motion will hold open auditions for the 2009 season after September 10th, 2008. Audition will be held on Sundays at 1:30pm, and you must register for an audition slot. Follow this link to find
information on audition requirements and to register.
The 2009 Season will run from November 2008 through November 2009.
Music & Motion gives teens professional performance experience without charging any fees.
As an individual or a corporate donor, you can support this company and promote their innovative dance-centered art and service initiatives. Music & Motion Dance Productions is a Pennsylvania registered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation.
Book Music & Motion for a variety of venues and events. Follow this link to find Music & Motion’s booking and touring information.
08/28/2008
Here are some of the Delaware County artists who will be part of the 2008 Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe.
Presenting at show called “Continents: A Global Voyage,” this dance company with members from throughout the region and roots in Drexel Hill, leads its audience on a world journey and multi-textured celebration of rhythm that is both subtle and complex, yet primal as a heartbeat. This world fusion experiment acts as a catalyst for the exploration of movement and ideas that reflect our ever-changing global presence.
They will perform on Sept. 6 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Hall of Flags, Houston Hall, University of Pennsylvania, 3417 Spruce St., Philadelphia. Tickets are $10 for the 60-minute show.
Tickets On Sale Now
$10 General Admission
$5 for Students w. ID
Philadelphia Fringe Festival 2008 and Music & Motion Dance Productions present the premiere of Continents – A Global Voyage
Music & Motion Dance Productions will premiere their new dance work – Continents – A Global Voyage at the 2008 Philadelphia Live Arts and Philly Fringe on September 6th at 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm on the University of Pennsylvania Campus at the Hall of Flags in Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce Street, Philadelphia.
Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) August 25, 2008 — Music & Motion Dance Productions will premiere their new dance work – Continents – A Global Voyage at the 2008 Philly Fringe on September 6th at 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm on the University of Pennsylvania Campus at the Hall of Flags in Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce Street, Philadelphia.
Continents is a multi-textured celebration of rhythm, that is both subtle and complex, yet primal as a heartbeat. Music & Motion literally takes its audiences on a journey of exotic lands around the world, with an exploration of movement from the sun-drenched African mesa; blends of eastern and western traditions in Turkey; the tabala beats of India; modern twists on the original Japanese Jomon culture; Euro-Mediterranean, ethno-techno blends; and rhythmic fusions of Tokelau, Tuvalu and Samoan cultures.
This world fusion experiment acts as a catalyst for the exploration of movement and ideas that reflect our ever-changing global presence, from the historical to contemporary and the traditional to the eclectic. Continents communicates to its audiences on multiple dimensions, leading us on self-consciously inward journey in the seeking of a universal ideal.
Founded in 2000, under the artistic direction of Steven Weisz, Music & Motion is a fresh, innovative, performance-oriented, youth dance company. Rather than relying on a single dance style or technique, Music & Motion has developed its own unique movement for each new dance work created. The variety of eclectic styles incorporated into its programs include ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, modern, funk, hip hop and acrobatic styles. Music & Motion Dance has performed throughout the tri-state area and even internationally to a range of audiences in its short yet diverse history. With a deep commitment to group collaboration and exposing new audiences to dance and the performing arts, the company has won both critical acclaim as well as many new fans.
2008 Cast Members are:
· Breanna Dancy, Pennsburg, PA
· Jennifer Durham, Newfield, NJ
· Jessica Lynn DiFrancesco, Limerick, PA
· Stacey Folks, Pennsburg, PA
· Melissa Hunt, Howell, NJ
· Ashley Klemmer, Whitehall, PA
· Andrea Piovane, Bensalem, PA
· Tasha Saleh – Southampton, PA
· Morgan Woroniecki, East Windsor, NJ
Additional Information:
http://www.Music-and-Motion.com
High Resolution Downloadable Photos:
http://www.music-and-motion.com/media.html#performance
Upcoming Events
Sunday, August 10th
Music & Motion
Time: 1-4pm. Free with park admission.
Music & Motion dance Productions present a one-time performance of their new production, Continents: A Global Voyage. A multi-textured celebration of rhythm that is both subtle and complex, Music & Motion takes its audience on a journey to exotic lands, among the diverse sculpture and landscape of Grounds For Sculpture.
