AXIS Dance Company comes to JMKAC
The AXIS Dance Company, which features dancers with physical disabilities, will perform at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, 608 New York Ave., Sheboygan, on Nov. 11 and 12.
“Unless they have seen us on ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ most people have not seen this type of dance,” said Judith Smith of AXIS Dance Company, which she founded in 1987. The contemporary dance troupe has been credited with paving the way for a new, contemporary dance form known as physically integrated dance.
The company combines fully able-bodied dancers with dancers who have physical disabilities. Many of the routines involve multi-person pairings delivering a diverse repertoire of choreography with each show.
“If you have seven people in a room that move very much the same way, that is one vocabulary. But if you have seven people in a room and one or two are wheels and one or two use prosthetics and dance with and without them, there is more that can happen," Smith explained. "Some people think it’s limited, but it’s not.”
The company travels to areas outside of its home state of California to demonstrate to others that “everybody can dance and when we collaborate with people who are different from us better things and really great things can happen,” Smith said.
The shows will be performed by six dancers, one of which is a disabled veteran.
In recognition of Veterans Day, Nov. 11, the program will include a piece called “To Go Again,” which was done in collaboration with choreographer Joe Goode, who is known for promoting understanding, compassion and tolerance through the use of text and high velocity dancing. The piece brings to light issues facing America’s veterans and addresses their resilience following severe life changes.
The Veterans Day performance will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11. The 45-minute show will feature excerpts from various dances in the company’s repertoire and opportunities for audience members to interact with the artists. This shorter program is designed for the more inquisitive theater goer, or families with children. Tickets are $16 each, or $12 for Arts Center members and students. Special veteran pricing is available.
On Thursday the show begins at 7:30 p.m. and is a full length performance, including a talk back after the show. Tickets are $29 each or $24 for Arts Center members and students.
One of the featured numbers is created by the highly acclaimed international choreographer Marc Brew.
“This is Marc’s second piece for us and Marc is unusual for us in that he is disabled and was a dancer before he became disabled and he has continued his career. He is definitely one of the most (talented), and one of the few disabled choreographers in the world,” Smith said.
The 14-city tour brings the troupe from New York to New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as Wisconsin. AXIS has performed in such venues as the Kennedy Center, Olympic Arts Festival and World Trade Center, as well as internationally in Europe and Russia.
In addition to the public shows, AXIS, in partnership with the Arts Center, is hosting a series of special Sheboygan County community outreach events and performances.
One of those programs is a master class with about 80 clients of RCS Empowers. Another is a series of educational programs that will be attended by about 400 Sheboygan Area School District students.
“I am most excited to see what the engagement portions of the residency will bring to our community," said Danika Williamson, performing arts coordinator of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center.
The residency is a National Dance Project grant recipient and is made possible due to the support of National Performance Network, which provides support through its subsidy programs, such as the NPN Residency Program.
For additional information, or to purchase tickets contact the John Michael Kohler Arts Center at 920-458-6144 or visit jmkac.org.
Allison Thompson can be reached at allithompson@sbcglobal.net.
If you go:
What: AXIS Dance Company, a contemporary dance known for physically integrated dance
When: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 11 (45-minute show with audience interaction) and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12 (full performance and talk back).
Where: John Michael Kohler Arts Center, 608 New York Ave., Sheboygan.
Tickets: $16, or $12 for JMKAC members and students on Wednesday, Nov. 11, (special veteran pricing is available); and $29 or $24 for JMKAC members and students on Thursday, Nov. 12.
For more information call 920-458-6144 or visit jmkac.org.