Eclectic Edge Ensemble

Welcome to the middle of January!  

The holidays are over and the winter...well, the winter is far from over. This is usually the time of year that I start to feel just how LONG our Minnesnowta winters really are. I'm not too sick of it yet, but I know that in a matter of weeks I will be feeling like I'm going to jump out of my skin if I can't shine my face to the sun! April showers are how far away?? 

I have two tips for you:

#1. Discover the magic seasonal depression fighting powers of vitamin D3.  It has been deemed the "Sunshine Vitamin" for it's ability to give our bodies what our cloudy skies cannot.

Check out this link for more info:

 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/03/12/vitamin-d--the-master-key-to-optimal-health.aspx

#2. Mark your calendars for our upcoming show "Snow Bound! A Journey From Autumn to Spring."  Karis has choreographed several fantastic pieces with the topic of winter in mind and she has even ventured into the territory of going stir crazy!  Ever wondered what your winter neurosis would look like in a visible, tangible state?  Now's your chance! Come get crazy with us Feb 17th-20th at the Ritz Theater.

With Light,

Allison

Over this holiday season I was fortunate enough to really sit down and watch "White Christmas." I have now discovered my new favorite dancer Vera Ellen. I could not take my eyes off of her during the movie, and was so impressed by her technique and incredible performance skills. There were many parts I needed to rewind and pick my jaw off of the ground. Nothing like diving down a staircase head first, hoping that your partners are there to catch you...Wow!

I will now be adding her other musicals to my Netflix list. Here is her filmography list:

• Wonder Man (1945)
• The Kid from Brooklyn (1946)
• Three Little Girls in Blue (1946)
• Carnival in Costa Rica (1947)
• Words and Music (1948)
• Love Happy (1949)
• On the Town (1949)
• Three Little Words (1950)
• Happy Go Lovely (1951)
• The Belle of New York (1952)
• Call Me Madam (1953)
• Big Leaguer (1953)
• White Christmas (1954)
• Let's Be Happy (1957)

Now enjoy this fun clip from "White Christmas."

Happy New Year!

~ Karis

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way"!  Oh yes, it’s that time of year again; the time of year when all you will catch me listening to is Christmas music.  Can I just say that 107.9 is the best radio station ever… non-stop Christmas music from November 26^th-December 25^th.  I just love how reminiscent music can be.  Whenever I hear Mannheim Steamroller on the radio I think about my mom on Christmas day.  A few little cocktails and you will find my mom dancing away in the living room to any Mannheim Steamroller song.  As the years have gone by, I have started to partake in this fun tradition. Nothing beats dancing away with one of your best friends on a wonderful day.  I would say that I am lucky because I also get to experience that joy every Wednesday and Sunday with EEE!  As EEE gets revved up for our February show, Snowbound: A Journey from Winter to Spring, I encourage you to find the time to throw on the Christmas music, and let yourself dance.  Oh, and come check out what we have been “revving up” for in February!  I leave you now with the awesome sounds of Mannheim Steamroller.  Oh, and this video is AWESOME!

-Megan



Here we are again on another early Sunday morning. While many a Minneapolitian may still be sleeping, or perhaps enjoying a good cup of joe and the morning Strib, we EEE'ers are back in the studio, fixing to spend another several hours preparing a dynamite show for our audiences this February. If you haven't heard yet, EEE has a very exciting project coming up that month called Snowbound: A Journey from Winter to Spring. The show is a collaboration between us, puppet company Mad Munchkin Productions, and three local musicians:  Richard Sloss, Warren Park and Brian Erickson. Featuring blustery scenarios we long-time Minnesota dwellers can picture all too well, the show is a chance to stop in our hurried tracks and come together to consider what makes winter so frustrating and amazing.



In this thanksgiving season, I am thankful for my wonderful family and friends. One friend that I am especially thankful for is Desiree Dantona- a fellow EEE member. 

Our friendship began as young dancers at the Waconia Performing Arts Center- I thought she was cool because she was in jazz and I was only taking ballet; she thought I was cool because I was in ballet and she only taking jazz (got that?).  Soon we were in jazz, ballet, and modern together 6 days a week. Although I loved to dance, I believe that dancing alongside my best friend kept the love alive and my body in dance class.  Thankfully, we both ended up at the U of M in the dance program.  Now we dance with each other in Eclectic Edge and both teach at Prairie School of Dance.

Over the years our friendship has become the deepest that I know. With a look, she knows what I am thinking and if that look is a smile, we immediately burst into laughter.  We’ve been at each other’s side through many important life occurrences and I pray we will continue to be for years and years to come.

Des is incredibly loyal, thoughtful, kind-hearted and a blessing to all who come in contact with her.  I am honored to call her my bff . Thanks Des. xo

-mallory