I just returned from dress rehearsal for this weekend’s Kairos Dance Theatre Take Me Back to Hip Harlem show at Intermedia Arts, featuring Ida Arbeit and Irv Williams. Maria Genné, Kairos’ Artistic Director, has done it again with a fabulous show that will delight young and old alike. If you haven’t already purchased your tickets, you should do so ASAP. It was a sellout last year and you won’t want to miss this year’s new choreography, new dancers, singers and musicians. We’re celebrating choreographer Ida’s 101st birthday (December 7) with performances on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.
Now that I’ve had a chance to preview the show, I can speak from experience. This performance is inspiring, heart-warming and great fun. The Kairos dancers are from 4 to 101 years old and it is amazing to watch how beautifully everyone interacts.
There is live music – great jazz from seasoned TC musicians and glorious gospel singing from Fred Steele, a member of The Steeles, a world-famous gospel group. Every dance is a special treat but there is one that really stands out for me.
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Wade in the Water is a beautiful song made even more heavenly by Fred’s voice and the marvelous dancers who glide across the stage in rhythmic motion reminiscent of the ocean’s waves.
A tap-dancing routine with Nancy Nair and Danessa Snustad, choreographed by Danessa, Nancy’s student, is a lively toe-tapper. Jesse Neumann-Peterson, a Minneapolis performing artist, solos to an original composition by Irv Williams, jazz saxophonist who recently celebrated his 91st birthday. Jesse and Nancy are delightful to watch as they duo to Goodbye Blues. Down by the Riverside brings the entire Kairos intergenerational dance company on stage for a rousing finale!
This show will warm your heart, inspire your soul, make you tap your toes and clap your hands. It’s sure to please everyone – young and old and in-between.
For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.