Send in the Jazz; July 2011
Wednesday, July 17, 2013 at 11:30AM Send in the Jazz
The Ritz Theatre 2011
July 14th-17th, 2011
This was an amazing show to work on that brought so many artists together. We were able to bring in three incredible choreographers to work with the company. From jazz legend, Zoe Sealy, who has been such a force for Jazz Dance in Minneapolis, and one of my greatest mentors. Molly Breen, who I first met performing in a can-can dance and has now become a great friend, is such an incredible talent and brings such joy to the stage with her work, you just have to get up a dance! Judith James Ries who I watched in awe as she performed for so many years with JAZZDANCE by Danny Buraczeski, came back and choreographed another breathe-taking piece for EEE.
We also worked with 3 incredible and eclectic composers. We brought back and re-vamped Warren Park’s quirky Mechanical Toys Piece that we first performed in 2006. Then had the great pleasure of working with Michael Rossetto; one of the founding members of the Spaghetti Western String Co. We had been in contact for a couple of years on joining forces to create a new piece for EEE, and it finally happened! I was so beyond proud and amazed with the piece we created in Still.
Then my wonderfully talented father, Richard Sloss, composed two pieces for Send in the Jazz. The Cactus Dance and Workin’ ‘itle that was performed by students who participated in EEE’s first studio jazz intensives at 4th Street Dance in White Bear Lake, Prairie School of Dance in Eden Prairie and Ballare Teatro in Minneapolis. It was such an incredible experience working with these students and bringing them in to perform with EEE!
Eclectic Edge Ensemble Company Members:
Irving Amigon, Heather Annis, Mackenzie Beck-Esmay, Sarah Beck-Esmay, Desiree Dantona, Allison Doughty Marquesen, Mallory Dykema, Nina Ebbighausen, Susanne Grochett, Kristin Grohs, Heather Klopchin, Erinn Liebhard, Megan Mohr , Crystal Pelletier, Katrina Schleisman…and Jeremy Bensussan, Emily Broeker, Becky Olson, Vanessa Fischer
EEE Production Team:
Artistic Director and Choreographer:
Karis Sloss
Stage Manager
Sarah Salisbury
Light Designer
Julia Carlis
Ritz Production Manager
Mike Romens
Costume Designer
Dana Barnes
Graphic Designer
Hannah Haugberg
Photographer
Amanda Hankerson
Web Designer
Matt Hankerson
EEE Board
Rebecca Olson
Allison Doughty Marquesen
Katrina Schleisman
Desiree Dantona
Heather Annis
Mallory Dykema
Erinn Liebhard
Megan Mohr
Company Advisor: Zoe Sealy
Fiscal Agent
Springboard for the Arts
Eclectic Edge Ensemble’s NE Business Supporters:
East Side Services- Mulberry Junction
Northeast Social Club
Lace/Hanky studio
Sally Cassellius massage therapist
Shuga Records
SiP Coffeebar
Trivia Mafia
Fried Bologna Vintage
Snowbound! a Journey from Autumn to Spring; February 2011
Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 11:38AM Snowbound! A Journey from Autumn to Spring
Collaboration with Mad Munchkin Productions
During the winter of 2010 I was invited to a dinner meeting at Longfellow Grill (love those sweet potato fries) with Mad Munchkin Production’s Co-Artistic Director Laura Wilhelm. She had a project that she had wanted to work on for years and was looking for a choreographer/dance company to collaborate with. Lucky for EEE she asked us.
This was an AMAZING collaboration of a year’s worth of late night storyboarding, meeting with composers, looking at photos and designs and creating movement around this wonderful journey that we Minnesotans go through every year. Most of all it brought on an incredible partnership with MMP and EEE that I hope goes on for years, and a beautiful friendship!
The Ritz Theatre 2011
February 17th-20th, 2011
Co-written by Laura Wilhelm, Karis Sloss, and Alan Pagel
Original Music by Richard Sloss, Warren Parks, Brian Erickson, and Kirsten Broberg
EEE Company: Irving Amigon, Heather Annis, Sarah Beck-Esmay, Jeremy Bensussan, Desiree Dantona, Allison Doughty Marquesen, Mallory Dykema, Erinn Liebhard, Megan Mohr, Crystal Pelletier, Katrina Schleisman, Mackenzie Beck-Esmay, Vanessa Fischer
Do you have your tickets to see...
Monday, July 15, 2013 at 8:58PM We are just days away from the big 10th Anniversary show. Do you have your tickets to see these talented dancers?
Mackenzie Beck-Esmay graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota’s BFA Dance Program. Currently, she is dancing with Threads Dance Project and Alternative Motion Project (AMP), teaching dance to enthusiastic students at Ballare Teatro, Tonka Dance Works, and The Children’s Theater, and working as a program counselor in a group home with vulnerable adults. She is honored and thrilled to be dancing with EEE for her third season!
Emily Broeker A member of Eclectic Edge Ensemble for 8 years, Emily is currently pursuing her B.A. in dance from the University of Minnesota. At various venues around the Twin Cities, she has had the privilege of performing works by Karis Sloss, Kaleena Miller, Erinn Liebhard, Judith James Ries, Karla Grotting, and Kenna Cottman. She would like to thank all of her dance teachers and mentors for the learning experiences they have provided, and for sharing their love of dance.
Mallory Dykema has been dancing with EEE since 2008! She holds a BFA in dance from the University of MN-TC and currently teaches dance at Prairie School of Dance in Eden Prairie. She also teaches and choreographs at North Central University in downtown Minneapolis. Aside from her dance ambitions, Mallory is a freelance makeup artist, enjoys decorating her NE Mpls home, and is a proud wife to Traivis and mama to Harlow and Imogene- who love being at EEE rehearsals!
For Sport's Sake; July 2010
Saturday, July 13, 2013 at 6:24PM For Sport’s Sake
The Ritz Theatre 2010
July 15th-18th, 2010
This was the first production that EEE was awarded a MRAC Community Arts Grant! We were so grateful for the support, and were able make additions to our production; including having jazz legend Zoe Sealy choreograph a beautiful and touching piece “At the End of the Day.”
With the Winter Olympics and MN sport’s teams reaching for first in almost every sport and of course Brett Favre signing on to become a MN Viking, EEE was bit by the sport’s bug. We created a production that followed a family’s life and how sports were involved in every step they took. This was also the production that baby Harlow (while still hiding in the beautiful EEE member Mallory Dykema) first appeared on stage.
Eclectic Edge Ensemble Company Members:
Irving Amigon, Gabe Anderson, Heather Annis, Jeremy Bensussan, Sarah Beck-Esmay, Emily Broeker, Desiree Dantona, Mallory Dykema, Nina Ebbighausen, Susanne Grochett, Kristin Grohs, Christa Anderson-Hill, Heather Klopchin, Erinn Liebhard, Becky Olson, Crystal Pelletier, Jeffrey Peterson, Katrina Schleisman, Megan Mohr
EEE Apprentices
Vanessa Fischer
Jacob May
EEE Production Team:
Artistic Director and Choreographer:
Karis Sloss
Stage Manager
Sarah Salisbury
Light Designer
Julia Carlis
Ritz Production Manager
Mike Grogan
Costume Designer
Dana Barnes
Kaleena Miller- “Common Ground”
Graphic Designer
Hannah Haugberg
Photographer
Amanda Hankerson
Web Designer
Matt Hankerson
EEE Board
Desiree Dantona
Allison Doughty
Emily Kramer
Becky Olson
Erinn Liebhard
Emilie Moravec
Katrina Schleisman
Amanda Hankerson
Company Advisor: Zoe Sealy
Fiscal Agent
Springboard for the Arts
Eclectic Edge Ensemble’s NE Business Supporters:
Lace/Hanky studio
Sally Cassellius massage therapist
Reeling over Love; July 2009 Ritz Theatre
Thursday, July 11, 2013 at 6:35PM Reeling over Love
The Ritz Theatre 2009
July 16th – 19th, 2009
What do I love almost as much as dance? Movies!!! At one of our rehearsals dancers were talking over a movie they had recently seen and how their experiences in the dating world did not quite reflect the stories of the big screen. That got the wheels turning in my head of not only looking at how love was told through the movies, but what it can feel like in real life.
I started watching classic romantic movies, and spouting off memorable lines. From there we created our own movie story line and a movie score they could live in. Then we took a look at dating/loving in real life and brought it to a heightened satirical place. I absolutely loved working on “Reeling over Love,” and look forward to bringing it back again and again.
The first half of the production is where “Big Noise,” first premiered which we will be bringing back to our 10th Anniversary Concert and Karla Grotting set a fantastic piece on the dancers “Be Boppin’.” This was also the first EEE production for many of our EEE All Stars including Susanne Grochett, Crystal Secor and Heather Annis!
Eclectic Edge Ensemble Company Members:
Jeremy Bensussan, Kurt Blomberg, Emily Broeker, Natalie Bucey, Desiree Dantona, Allison Doughty, Mallory Dykema, Nina Ebbighausen, Jennifer Glaws, Susanne Grochett, Kristin Grohs, Christa Anderson-Hill, Heather Klopchin, Andrew Lester, Erinn Liebhard, Jennifer Mack, Becky Olson, Crystal Pelletier, Katrina Schleisman, Megan Vitally
EEE Aprentices
Heather Dunne
Katie Herbeck
EEE Production Team
Artistic Director and Choreographer:
Karis Sloss
Stage Manager
Sarah Salisbury
Light Designer
Julia Carlis
Ritz Production Manager
Mike Grogan
Costume Designer
Dana Barnes
Graphic Designer
Hannah Haugberg
Photographer
Amanda Hankerson
Designer
Brenda Ingersoll
Web Designer
Matt Hankerson
EEE Board
Natalie Bucey
Desiree Dantona
Allison Doughty
Becky Olson
Erinn Liebhard
Katrina Schleisman
Fiscal Agent
Springboard for the Arts