Mark Morris Dance Group

Mark Morris Dance Group (MMDG) is the next performance in our 10x10 Arts Series. They will perform Thursday, February 2 at 7pm, and with tickets starting at just $10 we hope you won't miss this amazing show! Let's take a quick time-out - did you know that you don't have to purchase tickets to the entire 10x10 series to get the $10 ticket price? Only interested in coming to MMDG? No worries; tickets are still only $10! Ok, glad we got that cleared up.

Grand Duo by Scott Suchman

In anticipation of Mark Morris Dance Group coming to Walton Arts Center, our Programming Assistant, Lydia Seifritz, took time to explain some traits unique to the company and why it's so amazing that they are coming here as part of their tour. Here are some fun facts about MMDG (I like bullet points; makes it easier to digest the information!):

• Mark Morris is known for his choreography specific to the music; i.e. he starts with the music and choreographs around that rather than choreographing a piece and then choosing music.
• Live music!! In the 30 years that Mark Morris Dance Group has been around they have always performed to live music. This is very unique for a dance company. And exciting! Great dancing & amazing live music in one performance?? Yes please!
• The company will be performing three pieces that showcase their evolution over the past 30 years. The most famous piece, Grand Duo, is highly-acclaimed for the juxtaposition of the dancers movement to the classical music.
• Many of the dancers in MMDG have been in the company for years; some almost 20 years! These 'seasoned' dancers are very unique as most dancers don't have careers that span that length of time.
• MMDG is very involved in community outreach. In their Brooklyn studio they offer free classes to underprivileged children & adults. They also offer Dance for PD; movement classes for persons with Parkinson's Disease.

They will be conducting one of their Dance for Parkinson's Disease classes while in NWA, and you can sign up here. There will also be a Master Class for dancers age 14 + at the HPER on the University of Arkansas campus. Call our box office at 479.443.5600 to register for the Master Class.

Tune in tomorrow for a Q&A with some of the members of the Mark Morris Dance Group!

SoNA Masterworks II - Rach music & more

Classical music may not be for everyone, but the staff at the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA) is doing their part to help educate patrons on this particular style of music. SoNA is doing a great job at taking a usually niche style of music and making it more accessible.

Music Director, Paul Haas is so very, very good at explaining the symphony and all it's parts in laymen terms. SoNA has their Masterworks II concert coming up on January 21 at Walton Arts Center. The program is Russian composers Rachmaninov and Shostakovich, and to some that just sounds 'heavy.' Haas took some time to explain more about these composers and the pieces that SoNA will play on their January 21 concert over on the SoNA blog.

I can honestly say that I'm very excited to see this concert. I hope you will take the time to read Paul Haas' blog entry and get your tickets to Masterworks II!