The Colorado Dance Collective is offering the community a chance to see an original production based off of the amazing artwork and art installations that will be featured in the new LINC Library Innovation Center, 501 Eighth Ave., Greeley.
“They are doing a huge interactive art installation in there and it’s going to be visual, touch, hear, smell — completely interactive— like a mini Meow Wolf,” explained Wendy Sosa, executive director of the Colorado Dance Collective. “They wanted to have some dancers involved. They will be a part of this full 360-degree movie that will be shown inside of this installation.”
Wes Bruce, the artist creating the installation, told Sosa that she could pull any inspiration and ideas from his piece to use in crafting a show for the Colorado Dance Collective.
“So that’s what we did. We have taken some of the characters from his story and hired a scriptwriter and had an original script put together,” Sosa said. “We built our show around these beautiful characters and it’s all about nature and beauty and the sun and the cycle of life.”
“Anabranch,” written by Abraham Eifert and Daniel Mothershed, follows the story of mystical beings known as the Willows. For centuries, the Willows have been tasked with the renewal of earth and everything that lives on it. While things have been going well, their world is suddenly thrown into chaos when an unknown force threatens to uproot their peaceful existence. Determined not to let the earth be destroyed, the Willows venture out to uncover this unknown force and reset the natural balance of the world that they’ve worked so hard to maintain.
Along with dancers from the company, the show features eight actors and three live musicians.
Wendy Sosa, executive director of the Colorado Dance Collective. (Courtesy/Colorado Dance Collective)
“It’s a truly all-encompassing show this year. We took a bite and tried to up our game from last year,” Sosa said.
Local artist Betony Coons lent her artistic skills to the production through the creation of the projections that will be featured in the background.
“We have seen two or three shows (from the Colorado Dance Collective) and we were really impressed by the shows. I felt like they just did things in such a tasteful, artistic beautiful way that was very connective in community,” Coons said. “I read the script and I had some ideas for backdrops. It’s kind of a new thing for me because I don’t usually do anything video or time-based.”
In addition to creating the projections, Coons, who danced her whole childhood, decided get back into the art and auditioned for a part in the show.
“So I am in the show this time around,” she said, laughing.
The Colorado Dance Collective is a nonprofit that was founded in July 2009 by a small group of adult dancers who wanted to offer a place to other adults looking to continue dancing or learn how to dance.
Since its inception, the dance studio has grown to offer five different auditioned dance companies — ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap and swing.
Dancers in the companies are 18 and older in all stages of life who come together to share their passion for the art of dance.
All ages are invited to attend a special performance of the original script “Anabranch” by the Colorado Dance Collective. (Courtesy/Colorado Dance Collective)
Each year the Colorado Dance Collective hosts community outreach programs and multiple performances including its Hip Hop Madness, The Hot Chocolate Collective and The Dance Teacher Alliance.
Classes offered by the studio include:
Beginning Belly Dance
Advanced Tap
Yoga
Pointe/Variations
Intermediate Ballet
Conditioning for Dancers
Hip Hop Open Sessions
Stage, Swing and Social
Classes are $5 per person per session except for yoga and belly dancing classes, which are $10 per person per session.
For more information on the Colorado Dance Collective, including the full schedule of classes offered, upcoming performances or how to support the dance studio, go to www.ColoradoDanceCollective.com .
If you go:
What: Colorado Dance Collective Presents “Anabranch”
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Monfort Concert Hall, Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Ave., Greeley
Cost: $15 per person for all ages. Tickets can be purchased by going to http://bit.ly/3GY3gHJ.
For more information, go to www.ColoradoDanceCollective.com
This article was originally published in Greeley Tribune