Interdance directors Sarah and Eloy Barragan welcome the public to the 12th anniversary of the Iowa Dance Festival, featuring a dynamic tribute to movement and music on Saturday, May 12, at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts. Dancers are invited to attend daytime master classes in circus hooping, hip-hop, and contemporary ballet, and all are welcome to enjoy the evening production of collaborative performances from local musicians, poets, and choreographers, as well as special guests Nimbus Dance Works from New Jersey.
The 7 p.m. performance includes dances choreographed to live music and poetry by local celebrities Alan Swanson, Maddie Brown, Marcus Pei, and Lindsey Moon, accompanied by the Preucil School Cello Choir. Capping the evening is a performance by Nimbus Dance Works from New Jersey—including Iowa City’s Hanna Weeks as principal dancer. Weeks grew up dancing at Nolte Academy, City Ballet of Iowa, and the University of Iowa, and she finished her training with LINES directed by Alonzo King in San Francisco.
Nimbus Dance Works, which was named Best Dance Performances of 2016 by the Huffington Post, focuses on innovative ways to involve communities and audiences in high-level dance. This is their first visit to the Iowa City area, and their performance will include collaborations with local musicians, poets, and dancers.
Class Schedule
10:30-12:00 Lindsay Moon – Circus Hooping Master Class (Limited to 25)
A native Iowan, Lindsey Moon is founder of the Eastern Iowa Circus Collective. She’s also living proof that anyone can get bendy with the right stretches, vast amounts of patience, and a regular yoga practice. She discovered hoop dance in early 2015 and fell in love with acro yoga and aerial silks shortly after that. She’s most at home in front of an audience when her props are on fire, and she’s currently working to improve her skills as a juggler.
Her love of the circus is outweighed only by her belief in the power of public media. During the workday, she is a nationally award-winning producer for Iowa Public Radio.
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-2:30 Nimbus Master Class—Contemporary Ballet
3:00-4:30 Ashley Basset Hip-Hop Master Class
Ashley Basset is currently a graduate student and teaching assistant at the University of Iowa, receiving her MFA degree in Dance/Performance. She has received her yoga certification and is also a tap and jazz instructor for the UI Youth Ballet Program. She has worked with such artists as Rennie Harris, Darrell Grand Moultrie, and Hanna Brictson.
6:15-6:45 Nimbus Preconcert Talk
7:00 Dance Concert
A pass for three masterclasses and admission to the show is $25. Individual passes are
$15 for adults, $10 for students & seniors, $5 for children, babies for free.
RSVP to iowadancefestival@gmail.com. For more information, see IowaDance.org.