Final performance of “Eternal Dialogue” this Saturday evening!

Don’t miss your last chance to see this beautiful and creative arts collaboration this Saturday night at 7:30, at the historic Su Teatro Denver Civic Theatre in Denver!  More info at the bottom of this blog post.

"Reflections" by Patricia Renzetti

Delusions had an amazing weekend of shows for “Eternal Dialogue”! Delusions performed at the Dairy Center for the Arts Performance Space  August 19th and 20th for two very enthusiastic and vocal audiences. We  are so fortunate to have such great crowds who, by their responses, clearly relish the choreography, dancers, music, spoken word, and film. As performing and visual artists, there is absolutely nothing more meaningful than the opportunity to share our passions with you, our audience.

Here are some descriptions and comments we received  from audience members after the show: “Extremely well crafted,” “Artistically and visually beautiful,” “Exquisite,” and “…the whole show was magical.”

"Compulse" by Michael Levy

Also, some excerpts from a review we received from Saturday’s show:

“Delusions of Grandeur Productions is an idea hatched in the lovely heads of some Boulder ballet former students… They are excellent musicians, virtuoso dancers, etc. This is their second production of a major show of their own….

…The show is built around a series of poems read/recited capably and expressively by Stephanie Brown, as punctuated by projections of abstract films. The dances are almost all accompanied by live music… 

…Two works are stunning. Elvira Stewart’s “Eternal Dialogue” uses Felix Levy’s amazing dance abilities in movement choices that constantly agree and disagree with the John Dowland music score. Levy is at times totally still, at times en adagio, and within a microsecond exploding across the stage with amazing movement choices and skill. Peter Strand’s “Una Furtiva Lagrima” features his own considerable dance abilities and singing along with dancer Gina Eslinger. The piece is an amazing juxtaposition of Eslinger’s delightful varying dance movement – at times so very kinetic – with Strand’s voice singing Donzetti’s “l’elislir d’amore” and his at times stoic partnering of Eslinger. Those two pieces are worth whatever you pay to see this show.” (Don Atwood, World Dance Reviews)

"Eternal Dialogue" by Elvira Stewart

This Saturday night (Aug 27th) at 7:30 pm is your last chance to see this amazing show. Tickets are only $15 if you pre order them through the box office. For the price of two fast food meals, you will receive not calories and trans fat, but inspiration and refreshment for your soul. You will walk out of the theater as the performers do– hearts full of song and beauty.

(all photos by RDG Photography)

“Eternal Dialogue”

Final performance: Aug. 27th at 7:30

Su Teatro Denver Civic Theatre
721 Santa Fe Dr. Denver, CO 80204
Tickets: $15.00 presale; $20 at the door
Box Office: 303.296.0219 (call between 9 and 5:30 pm M-F to get tickets, tickets not available online)
Su Teatro website: http://martinezled.com/

For more Eternal Dialogue info: http://bodyofsound.wordpress.com/about-eternal-dialogue/
Delusions Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Delusions-of-Grandeur-Productions/384354174950

Who are you?

Jennifer Kuhn, choreographer and dancer for "Eternal Dialogue"

Have you ever stopped to think about who you might have turned out to be  if you had a different family, friends, significant others, and random people weaving in and out of your life? How much of an influence do others have on our personalities, our reactions to life, our emotional makeup? How might your life have changed if that one person had not comforted you that one day you were so emotionally broken– or what kind of person would you be today if that other person had not broken your heart years ago? Does time heal all wounds?

These are some of the themes explored in Jennifer Kuhn’s choreography for our upcoming summer production “Eternal Dialogue.” You may have seen Jennifer featured in any number of productions with David Taylor Dance Theatre, or in Delusion of Grandeur’s July 2o1o production “Body of Sound” as a dancer and choreographer. Making use of seven local professional dancers portraying different characters, Kuhn tells the story of an individual making her way through life, as all of us do, with the constant of Time at her side. The style of the piece is contemporary, with dancers weaving on and off stage representing different stages and times in life (love, loss, joy, friendship, and others). Time is the only constant in the story and will be portrayed by Jackie McMenaman of David Taylor Dance Theatre. Although we are early in the rehearsal process for this piece it is clear the story will touch those who see it and cause them to evaluate their own path and who has influenced them along the way to be who they are today. Dancers  in the piece have already commented on how engaging and moving the choreography is to express. Check back with us to see pictures and more news about this unique piece as it progresses through the rehearsal process.

Delusions is on Twitter!

Delusions has  joined Twitter recently! Keep up with the latest news on what we’re working on! Click here to go to our page:  https://twitter.com/#!/DenverDelusions

On the program: “Reflections” by Patricia Renzetti

Delusions of Grandeur is honored and privileged to have former Colorado Ballet principal ballerina Patricia Renzetti on board for our August production “Eternal Dialogue.” She has choreographed a piece called “Reflections” – a Delusions premiere.  The music is composed by Arvo Part (for cello and piano– “Spiegel im Spiegel” (or Glass on Glass/Mirror on Mirror). It is moving and thought provoking, using the theme of dialogue through relationships with oneself and others. Featuring dancers Peter Strand, Elvira Stewart, Amber Harris, and Drew Xilin, the piece guides us through the different stages of life through the mirrors in a dance studio and in the mirrors we use to view ourselves and others.

It is no mystery why we are so privileged to have Renzetti choreographing alongside us. Anyone that has seen her perform onstage or even watched as she demonstrated a combination as the instructor in their ballet class will affirm that it is difficult to take ones eyes off of her. Patricia Renzetti was a principal ballerina for the Colorado Ballet for twelve years, and also was a principal dancer with the London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet), Scapino Ballet of Holland, the Iranian National Ballet, and the Tampa Ballet. She appeared as a guest ballerina with the Estonia National Ballet, Teatro Communale in Florence, Italy, and the Israel Ballet. She has danced numerous leading roles in the classical repertoire including Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Coppelia, Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty. Patricia earned a Master’s Degree in Choreography at the University of Iowa, and continues to teach, choreograph, and occasionally perform. She teaches pointe and variations in the Ballet Ariel School as well as staging classical works for the Ballet Ariel Company. She has guest taught in Taiwan and Japan as well as here in Colorado. She was a Guest Lecturer for one month for Naropa and for one year at the University of Colorado in Boulder. She received her MA in Counseling in 2006 and is now a therapist specializing in dancers and other artists’ issues.

Rehearsals in Full Swing for Eternal Dialogue

It’s that time again! Rehearsals are in full swing for “Eternal Dialogue,” Delusions’ summer production! (for more info on tickets, dates and venues, click http://bodyofsound.wordpress.com/about-eternal-dialogue/)

Just like last year’s “Body of Sound” (Delusions dancers and musicians performing at the Dairy, pictured above and below) there is a huge variety in this show as far as music, dance, film, and choreography go. However, in this year’s show we are exploring the theme of  dialogue within the passage of time– be prepared to see lots and lots of different types of “conversations” in different situations and varied periods in our history.  For example: How do you go about most of the “conversations” in your life? With your iphone? On facebook? By texting? Face to face? Be prepared to see all sorts of styles of dialogue through all sorts of mediums expressed within this show!

Also, true to the mission of Delusions, dancers will be performing to music and musicians alongside them onstage. Some pieces will be danced to live poetry reading, some to piano music (“Clair de Lune” on the roster for this year!), some to exciting drum beats, some to big band music, and some to many other styles of music. There will be original film integrated into the show as well.

Hope to see you all at the show! Keep updated on our creative and rehearsal processes by checking right here on our blog, and on our video page.

Kizuna Success!

Delusions had a fantastic time performing in Kizuna on Saturday. Everyone played and danced beautifully! It was an honor to be invited to be a part of this project and to join so many other talented groups for a great cause. Kizuna managed to raise $8,600 for the Red Cross Japanese Relief Fund.Just goes to show, that dancing can make a difference, a big difference!

“Body of Sound” Review and Looking Toward “Eternal Dialogue”!

In July 2010, Delusions presented “‘Body of Sound” at the Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder, CO to two nearly sold out and very enthusiastic audiences. The show explored the relation between musicians and dancers and the living entity of a Body of Sound that surrounds us in the vibrations of live string music. The production integrated live musicians onstage with the dancers and original film. Many of the pieces presented were world premieres and have since been performed in many other venues and shows. Invited choreographers that joined this project included long-time artist to Boulder and award winner Barbara Demaree, dancers of David Taylor Dance Theatre (Jennifer Kuhn, Gina Eslinger (now dancing at Ballet Ariel) and Kevin Burke, dancers of Boulder Ballet  (Katelyn Burgess, Rob Kuykendall, and Annalise Woller (now dancing at Dayton Ballet), and dancer and current member of the Board of Directors for Contemporary Ballet Dallas, Michael Levy. Many of the pieces were accompanied by live string music with musicians from Boulder’s local Swedish fiddle groups Carnelian and from the school Spelmanslag. Read a glowing review for “Body of Sound” from Don Atwood at World Dance Reviews:
http://www.worlddancereviews.com/dance/archive.php?page=reviews_archives&id=327

Gina Eslinger and Kevin Burke in "that which was lost" from Body of Sound production July 2010 (choreographed by Gina Eslinger)

Our newest venture is “Kizuna: Dance for Japan” Saturday May 14th at 7:30 pm (Newman Center, Denver), a benefit for Japanese relief. See the post below for more details on this inspiring show!

We are also at work creating for our summer production “Eternal Dialogue” which will again feature all live music and original film and choreography. This year we will be performing not only at the Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder but also at Su Teatro (Denver Civic Theater) in Denver!

Boulder performance info: Aug. 19th-20th at 7:30 pm at the Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St; Boulder, CO 80302 (http://thedairy.org/)

Denver performance info: Aug. 27th at 7:30 at Su Teatro– Denver Civic Theatre, 4725 High St Denver, CO
(http://martinezled.com/)