Ballet Wichita experiments with edgy, high-trend display ‘made for grown-up audiences’

Teaser for Ballet Wichita's "Runway Pursuit"

Get a concept of what Ballet Wichita's edgy "Runway Pursuit" display can be like. Video courtesy of Eric Fisher and Ballet Wichita. by way of

× Get an idea of what Ballet Wichita's edgy "Runway Pursuit" display should be like. Video courtesy of Eric Fisher and Ballet Wichita. by way of

Ballet Wichita has by no means basically been linked to edgy, avant-garde dance.

but with new management on the helm, the longtime Wichita dance enterprise is looking to expand its repertoire to include just that.

"Very, very frequently ballet companies are associated with interesting little ones, however the paintings kind is a lot more critical than for kids," observed Alex Ossadnik, Ballet Wichita's inventive director as of ultimate 12 months. "I imply, you're now not storybook illustrators."

And its first standalone contemporary dance production is a high-style, glamorous show that includes a few of its most skilled dancers.

The reveal — "Runway Pursuit" — is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Roxy's Downtown, 412 E. Douglas. Tickets are $75, which contains a three-path dinner. They are available at www.roxysdowntown.com or by using mobile at 316-265-4400.

right here's what that you can are expecting:

"Runway Pursuit" consists of three ten-minute-lengthy dance pieces with the aid of Ossadnik, all set to original music by using Wichita percussionist Torin Andersen.

It's as tons a way display because it is a ballet.

one of the crucial Ballet Wichita dancers will put on complicated gowns made by using local stores Vanya Designs and Diva Jones — while sporting head-turning hairstyles by means of Eric Fisher and his college students on the Eric Fisher Academy. They gained't necessarily dance, per se — Ossadnik is the usage of them as models, chiefly.

"They sort of appear to be aliens," Ossadnik stated. "It's a unusual appear — a type of very designed seem to be."

in the back of these models, upstage, Ballet Wichita's dancers will move to painting "what the model could be considering at this very moment," he spoke of.

"you've got the entire glamorous element of the makeup and the hair, and at the back of them you've got these dancers which are totally anonymous — you don't see their faces," Ossadnik pointed out. "You don't see a natural person on stage in any respect. You both have these anonymous creatures or you have these super made-up ones. You don't have a single person on stage."

Andersen's accompaniment is percussive, digital and contemporary.

"we are in the now — we are not someplace out in the 19th century trying to find fairies," Ossadnik said. "this is a chunk definitely made for grown-up audiences."

It's summary and contemporary — which may additionally look new for Ballet Wichita, however is fairly par-for-the-course amongst ballet corporations across the country, Ossadnik stated.

before he got here to Wichita closing yr, he labored as ballet master for Ballet Idaho and danced in Germany and France.

"Any ballet enterprise available is doing the story ballets at the equal time as the summary, mixed-repertory courses," he noted. "here's variety of my attempt at a blended-repertory program."

Fisher and his college students are donating their make-up and hair work to the demonstrate at no cost.

After this, Ballet Wichita will return to its traditional Ballet in the Park sequence, with a construction of "Cinderella" — then its usual "The Nutcracker" for the break season.

Sandy Wolter, executive director of Ballet Wichita, said the enterprise has been "ramping up" its programming seeing that Ossadnik's arrival.

"Our plans for subsequent year are only to proceed so as to add more productions," she noted.

"Runway Pursuit" is expected to ultimate ninety minutes to 2 hours.

For greater assistance, discuss with www.balletwichita.com.