FALL FOR DANCE is Stone Valley Dance Collective’s inaugural stage performance that will feature an inspiring program of new choreography to include modern dance, contemporary ballet, rhythm tap,    
jazz dance, hoop dance, and contact improvisation.  

The Stone Valley Dance Collective is a newly formed group of dance professionals and enthusiasts dedicated to bringing quality dance classes and performance opportunities for adults in the Rutland County area. Classes and rehearsals are held at Stone Valley Arts in Poultney and at the West Rutland Town Hall.

Contributing choreographers for this program are: Yvonne Brunot, Denise Cupoli, Stephanie Jones and Margaret Dunn, Maria Girona, Zoe Marr Hilliard, Erika Schmidt, Nicole Ullman, and Maya Zelkin with an ensemble of 18 dancers to include Mary Barron, Erin Bodin, Alycia Hollister, Kris Jacoby, Candy Jones, Susan Wood, Alexandra Welych-Miller and Nikki Zullo.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Zoe Marr Hilliard’s ensemble piece, Suitcases and Silhouettes is “inspired by our emergence from years of remote co-existence and isolation to physical reconnection. The choreography mimics the moments of synchronicity and opposition we all encounter as we travel through life.”  Maya Zelkin’s Chance Encounter  is informed by her ballet training and “explores how we influence and adapt to each other through movement.” 

Nicole Ullman created Sifting through fragments  to highlight the creative process between dancers. “The main phrase for this piece grew out of our group work during class time…. and how through collaboration the dancers created variations on this original theme” Nicole’s 2nd piece Preserving and Scattering “focuses on traditions: those we have kept from childhood, ones we have chosen not to continue, and new ones we have started.”

Yvonne Brunot, stage name Sekhmet, brings elegant dance tradition with Turkish Orientale Veil Dance to the program. “This specialized Turkish style belly dance is a living art with roots that go back to the Ottoman Empire.”

Denise Cupoli worked with a group of 8 dancers on a rhythm tap piece titled Rise and Fall  “an exploration of sound, tempo and rhythms inspired by everyday life.” This dance includes co-created duos by members of the ensemble. 

Margaret Dunne-Francoeur & Stephanie Jones will create Libra Counterbalance through the technique of contact improvisation.“This piece explores the concepts of separation, awareness, togetherness, connection, and support.”

Erika Schmidt’s piece, Mapmaker is set to the Andante movement of Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21. In accord with her signature style, she allows for a fluidity of dance language to emerge, often with surprising connections made in midst of patterns and places where the direction of things shift. Schmidt’s 2nd piece set to BennyGoodman’s Sing, Sing, Sing,  choreographed for 12 dancers is a  joyful celebration of the American spunk and sizzle of traditional Jazz Dance. And Maria Girona dazzles with an original hoop dance.

All in all, FALL FOR DANCE offers audiences an exciting opportunity to enjoy live dances performance created by a beautiful ensemble of dancers. Each choreographer and dancer brings a unique quality and presence to the program.

For more information on Stone Valley Dance Collective classes contact : Nicole Pelaggi Ullman at: nicoleannpd@gmail.com.

Through time, dance has been a way to create community, identity, ritual and celebration. Dance is ‘of the body and mind and spirit’.’  Dance, like all art, is about creating possibility. Things that live as possibility have a different impact on the quality of our lives than those things that live from an obviousness we’ve grown accustomed to. Through our dance practice and exploration, we get to know what’s possible in being human.  

WHERE:  WEST RUTLAND TOWN HALL.
                 35 MARBLE STREET
                WEST RUTLAND, VERMONT

TICKETS: (at the door):
General admission: $10 
Students: $5
children 12 and under Free

Instructions on how to pay:

• once you click on Pay Here button you are redirected to our Paypal page
• please write the total amount you are paying after the $ sign
• the second line under amount is an optional “write a note” element
• click on “write a note” 
• a small box will appear where you can enter how many tickets were bought and any other pertinent info