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Saturday, May 14, 1983

AABT ends season

in 'Beauty
By Lou Fintor
AN A SMALL struggling troupe of
local dance artists overcome
limited financial resources and full-
time jobs to provide professionally
produced classical ballet? t
With fresh choreography, original
costumes, and a strong dedication to
artistic self-expression, members of the
Ann Arbor Ballet Theatre will take to
the stage Saturday evening and offer
local audiences a smorgasbord of dan-
ce.
Highlighting this season's final per-
ri UsovALvnAvaF1
b SIA Ae. o L.," 70 .7
$2.00 WED, SAT, SUN SHOWS BEFORE 6 pm
!STARTS FRI 5/20/83 "NAPOLEON" ADVANCE
TICKETS NOW ON SALE. $4.50 ADULTS EVENINGS
WED, SAT, SUN SHOWS BEFORE 6:00 pm $3.50
CHILDREN $2.00 (0)
ACADEMY AWARD
NOMINEE
BEST
FOREIGN FILM
. A
MASTERPIECE!"
sERTRAND TAVERNIERS
COUP
DE hRCHON
ism s (CENSAE

and Beast'
formance will be Beauty and the Beast
debuting as the latest. addition to
AABT's growing classical repertoire.
Performed to the music of Maurice
Ravel's "Mother Goose Suite," this
piece offers an interesting blend of
mime with dance in telling the age-old
fairy tale of a young maiden who must.
marry an engagingly charming, yet
frighteningly repulsive Beast in ex-
change for her father's life.
A charming young prince, a fairy of
enchantment, and bluebirds and
dragonflies are just a few of the roles
AABT Choreographer and Artistic
Director Carol Scharp features in this
traditionally classical piece.
But in a departure from the
"traditionally classical," the program
will also feature Medieva, performed to
the music of David Monrow.
Choreographed by Scharp with
daughter Kathryn, this piece brings the
seldom performed renaissance style of
dance to the classical stage.
While making extensive use of the
floor, arm positions are neither
classical nor neo-classical, but are
characteristic of medieval renaissance
dance.
Heliotrope, a neo-classical piece per-
formed to Eric Satie's "Gnossiennes,"
will feature some of the company's
most supple dancers in three Pas De
Deux.
Scharp employs difficult extensions
with interesting dramatic movement,
Dance
Theatre
Studio
711 N. University
(near State St.)
Ann Arbor
Separate classes for:
adults: ballet, modern, jazz
children: ballet

MON-7:30 9:45
SAT SUN - 12:45 3:00
5:15 7:30 9:45
WINNER ACADEMY
AWARD
BEST FOREIGN FILM
"A masterpiece!"
-Bemoud Drew, GANNETT NEWSPAPES
"'Mephisto is a rich and
first-rote drama.
Recommended."
-Swues KInD WNEW-TV
MON - 7:10 9:30
SAT SUN-2:30 4:50 7:10 9:30

Tne Beast( im Scnroeder) holes Beauty (Cynthia Weider) captive in Ann
Arbor Ballet Theatre's debut production of 'Beauty and the Beast.'
to reflect Satie's oriental influence, variety of Polish maz:urkas to the'
which is also underscored by exotic music of Frederic Chopin. Scharp uses
looking costumes in the tradition of four Pas De Deux in classical style in
"danse orientale." order to present an "impatient" par-
In contrast, Four Plus Two features a tner thus leaving the audience in an-
ticipation.
Finally, in Gypsy Suite, performed to
Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev's
"Stone Flower," Scharp calls for five
couples in a montage of bright, lively,
"character" dancing.
Established in the Spring of 1980, the
AABT is unique among community
dance companies with men comprising
about one-third of the company and the
use of live music and original costumes
for each production.
4,0Although most of the 28-member
company hold down full-time jobs, they
devote a grueling 15-16 hours per week
to rehearsals in addition to taking 6
to 10 dance classes.
Saturday's opening performance will
mark the second time AABT has used
taped music because the company
could not raise the $5,000 necessary to
hire a full orchestra, according to
Scharp.
Although the company recently ob-
tained non-profit status, they are
largely dependent upon dwindling cor-
porate contributions. In addition,
several dancers are lost to larger dance
companies each year, Scharp said.
But with renewed local interest in
dance and the opportunity to now apply
for federal and state arts grants,
Scharp is optimistic.
She hopes to take the company on the
road next summer, performing in
several small southeastern Michigan
communities, and then to the annual Mi
chigan Renaissance Festival held out-
doors near Pine Knob.
The AABT can be seen Saturday at 8
p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Power
Center. Tickets will be available at the
r,,sdoor and are $5 for adults and $3 for
c children. Seating is unreserved.

New classes begin May 16.
For current class schedule
and more
information: 995-4242
1-5 weekdays

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