Eclectic Edge Ensemble

When it comes to Halloween costumes, I become the queen of procrastination!  I am always the lame person who comes dressed as a ghost wearing my latest white linens.  For those of you just like me, take a look at Martha Stewart’s ideas for costumes.  Maybe you will feel inspired to actually make or buy a costume before October, 31^st.  Some of these are really cool!  Enjoy.  ~Megan

http://www.marthastewart.com/275248/homemade-halloween-costumes-for-adults/@center/276965/halloween#/197466

Starting the week of November 5th, EEE will begin outreach workshops with Main Street School of Performing Arts. Although we love producing jazz shows in the Twin Cities, Eclectic Edge Ensemble is also devoted to outreach within our local dance community and in schools all over the metro area. We are proud to be a part of arts education at Main Street School of Performing Arts.

Main Street School of Performing Arts is a tuition free public charter school for grades 9 through 12, sponsored by the University of St. Thomas, conveniently located in the heart of Hopkins. MSSPA is open to all high school students throughout the metro area and offers students an integrated program of superior academic standards and an arts-focused education. MSSPA's meets all graduation requirement of the State of Minnesota and offers Advanced Placement classes in all academic areas. MSSPA also presents students with beginning through advanced level classes in Music, Theatre and Dance not offered at all public high schools. Main Street School of Performing Arts offers smaller class sizes, greater personal attention from fully licensed instructors, guidance and counseling, special education and the fullest production schedule of any four year Arts High School in the Twin Cities.

Fairy tales of the past were often full of macabre and gruesome twists and endings. These days, companies like Disney have sanitized them for a modern audience so we see happy endings everywhere. In light of EEE and Mad Munchkin’s “Grimm,” I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the original gruesome endings a couple of our beloved fairy tales held.

Little Red Riding Hood The version of this tale that most of us are familiar with ends with Riding Hood being saved by the woodsman who kills the wicked wolf. But in fact, the original French version (by Charles Perrault) of the tale was not quite so nice. In this version, the little girl is a well bred young lady who is given false instructions by the wolf when she asks the way to her grandmothers. Foolishly riding hood takes the advice of the wolf and ends up being eaten. And here the story ends. There is no woodsman – no grandmother – just a fat wolf and a dead Red Riding Hood. The moral to this story is to not take advice from strangers.

Snow White In the tale of Snow White that we are all familiar with, the Queen asks a huntsman to kill her and bring her heart back as proof. Instead, the huntsman can’t bring himself to do it and returns with the heart of a boar. in the original tale, the Queen actually asks for Snow White’s liver and lungs – which are to be served for dinner that night! Also in the original, Snow White wakes up when she is jostled by the prince’s horse as he carries her back to his castle – not from a magical kiss. In the Grimm version, the tale ends with the Queen being forced to dance to death in red hot iron shoes!

Cinderella In the modern Cinderella fairy tale we have the beautiful Cinderella swept off her feet by the prince and her wicked step sisters marrying two lords – with everyone living happily ever after. The fairy tale has its origins way back in the 1st century BC where Strabo’s heroine was actually called Rhodopis, not Cinderella. The story was very similar to the modern one with the exception of the glass slippers and pumpkin coach. But, lurking behind the pretty tale is a more sinister variation by the Grimm brothers: in this version, the nasty step-sisters cut off parts of their own feet in order to fit them into the glass slipper – hoping to fool the prince. The prince is alerted to the trickery by two pigeons who peck out the step sister’s eyes. They end up spending the rest of their lives as blind beggars while Cinderella gets to lounge about in luxury at the prince’s castle.

Come to the Ritz Theatre July 19-22, 2012 to see our interpretation of some of these beloved classics – I promise there won’t being any missing appendages. 

It's summer, and while that means a July show for EEE, that also means a lot of educating!

Let me be more clear; Thanks to popular demand and support from foundations and patrons like you, the Eclectic Edge Ensemble has been able to expand their programming beyond the stage and into the classroom. This summer, EEE has already or will be offering youth workshops to the following partners; 4th Street Dance, Eastside Neighborhood Services, Prairie School of Dance, St. Paul City Ballet and Tonka Danceworks. Not to be missed, adult dancers and educators can get their fill at the 3rd annual Jazz Week Intensive with Karis Sloss and Karla Grotting. The full workshop is being offered for $225 (a slam-bang deal) and all classes can also be taken drop-in, so stop by! Details;

When: August 6-10, 11am-4pm (morning and master classes can be taken individually)
Where: Zenon Dance School
Cost: $225 for entire workshop, $175 for morning classes only, $100 for master classes only, $25 master class drop-in
More Information/ Registration: http://www.zenondance.org/summer-camps-2012

The jazz Week Intensive now offers two tracks; a Pre-professional/Professional Track and a Dance Educator/ Beginning Adult Track.

Morning classes: Karis Sloss, Karla Grotting, Erinn Liebhard, Diane Aldis and Zoe Sealy.

Master Classes: African with Whitney McClusky, Jazz for Musical Theater with Kerry Casserly, Jazz Music for Jazz Dancers with Bruce Wintervold, Yoga with Allison Doughty Marquesen, Hip Hop with Amy Sackett

Questions? Click here. Hope you can join us!