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PROJECT: ARTRAGEOUS

SEASON:2010-2011

EVENT:

Waltz at CMA

The rain began to pour just as the rehearsal time drew near.  I arrived at the Marriott ballroom to find Malcolm Rembert from Vibrations Dance Company, who was there early, ready to dance.  He told me about his trip to NYC to audition for Alvin Ailey.  Apparently they didn't take any new dancers on at the audition, but he was encouraged to audition again in the fall when they definitely would be looking for new company members.  Malcolm is a phenomenal dancer and I have no doubt that he will leave us to dance with the most prestigious African American company in the country, so I feel very lucky to have him dancing with us for this production.


Ryan Thomas and Olivia Anderson arrive, followed shortly thereafter by Krista Futch and Kristine Hartvigsen.  Aaron heads to the museum to see that we have a microphone for Xavier Moses, the graduate of the USC Music Department and Opera who will be the vocalist for the production.  I eagerly begin the rehearsal after a few more volunteers enter the ballroom, excited about seeing the choreography that Ryan and Olivia, both students majoring in dance at USC and members of the USC Dance Company, have come up with for this performance.  Ryan was a professional dancer before returning to school to get his undergraduate degree, and both Ryan and Olivia have been trained in choreography by Wideman Davis.





Margey Bolen, Mack Warren, Mark Green, Tammy Vann, Katherine LaLima, Tara Sharpe, Xavier Moses, Robert Michalski, Lauren Michalski, Karen Storay, Amy Warren, Nathan Good, Meredith Good, Sarah Keown, Bahiyyih Young, Renata Bobakova, Benjamin Eidson, Krista Futch, Jan Jackson 
Special thanks to Columbia City Ballet for allowing us to use their studio for the rehearsal

Photography by Kirill Simin and Mark Green
Music: The Rainbow Connection, written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher and performed by Jason Mraz