The Southern Theater Presents New Works From Dance Artists Battlecats & Kenna Sarge, 1/14-1/17

The Southern Theater presents a showcase of new work from two very distinct and driven Twin Cities dance ambassadors, Jason Noer and Kenna Sarge, in a split-bill debut January 14-17, 2010.

Battlecats, The Way

Stem cells, MCs, DJs and aliens who tell us, "Communicate or die!" populate the world of the Battlecat's evocative Southern Theater debut. Innovative choreographer and b-boy J-Sun's The Way pairs keen skill and exuberant athleticism in an evening of undiluted Hip Hop. With b-boys Sequel, Rello, Minnesota Joe, Boogie Bones, Jesse Jess and Dancin' Dave.

"My personal b-boy style utilizes animalistic movement, abstract patterns and late eighties/early nineties Hip Hop dance. The Way features elements that I am experimenting with such as video and new choreographic techniques," explains Mr. Noer. "The DJ is the backbone of b-boying, and the songs I've chosen for each piece have important socio-cultural connotations." New work will include the improvisationally-heavy Uncarved Block, an ode to Dune author Frank Herbert entitled Remembering, and Stemming Cells, exploring education through art.

"...an ambassador of hip-hop who is helping spread urban dance from the streets to the stage, solidifying its place in Minnesota's dance culture." - Minnesota Monthly

Kenna Sarge, the missing pieces

Fusing West African and hip-hop techniques, Kenna Sarge's evening of Afro-modern storytelling the missing pieces channels the whispers and shouts of traditional and contemporary movement to tell a story that moves from West African roots, through a painful history, to a living, dancing present. This dynamic, vibrant performance features special guests DJ Mal, Angel Adams, and Leah Nelson as well as live drumming and traditional dance with Voice of Culture Drum and Dance members Yetunde Whittaker, Kinyari Al-Ahad, Yonci Jameson, Jasmine Harris, Ashley Akpaka, Selima Al-Ahad and more.

"Tish Jones has a poem that says ‘I have been called to represent the missing piece'... I present to you my own missing pieces. Traditional selections in ‘the missing pieces' represent the ancestry that I know I posess. These are bits and pieces of what used to be sacred/traditional/practical, but what now is for performance. TraditionAl West African music and dance are the foundation of my work. I gotta give respect to my teachers, local, national and international. It's what they started that I continue." - Kenna Sarge

Performances run January 14-17, 2010. Thurs. at 7:30pm, Fri. & Sat. at 8pm, Sun. at 7pm. Tickets cost $22 and can be purchased at the Southern Theater box office: 612.340.1725. The Southern Theatre is located at 1420 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis.

For more information, please visit www.southerntheater.org or call 612.340.0155

The Southern Theater cultivates artistic exploration by providing a vibrant home for performance, fostering a multiplicity of voices and catalyzing connections among artists and audience. The Southern presents and produces performance characterized by innovation and originality. We value connections to the local community and celebrate artwork that holds potential for transformative exchange. On stage, we are unyielding in our commitment to the highest levels of professionalism and artistic integrity.

Photo by Eric Melzer

 

 

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