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James Sewell's 'In the Shadows' brings together Frankenstein, zombies, Poe and ballet
Review: The dance company takes a curated approach in the supernatural-themed works at O'Shaughnessy.
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In another shift, JSB is trying out a new model for pulling a show together, one that is particularly artist-driven. Rather than composer Timothy C. Takach and choreographer Penelope Freeh receiving commissioning funds from JSB, they sought funding as individual artists. The dance company is then producing the work and paying the dancers' wages and paying MPLS (imPulse) choral ensemble to perform live.
"This was something that I just knew I wanted to make," Takach said. His wife, who is also a composer, encouraged him to do what he wanted to do as an artist and figure out the rest later.
Initially, Takach received two grants through the Central Minnesota Arts Board, which paid for two sets of workshops used to initially develop the work with the JSB dancers. Takach and Freeh also received additional funding through a family fund from the Minneapolis Foundation, using JSB as their fiscal sponsor.
"We're feeling very supported, yet we're upending the model at the same time," said Freeh, who danced with the company for 17 years and served as artistic associate between 2007 and 2011.
Recent Past Mentions
JSB announces Da’Rius Malone as Resident Choreographer for the 2021-2022 season.
Malone has been with the company for the past four seasons and will hold prominent roles in upcoming performances, including the 30th Anniversary Retrospective (Oct 16-17, Cowles Center) and Earth Tomes (March 2022).
“Da’Rius has great creativity and passion as a dancer,” said Eve Schulte, executive director of James Sewell Ballet. “He embodies the company’s signature style of combining dynamic power with whimsy in a way the audience doesn’t expect. ”
Dancer with James Sewell Ballet steps into a new role – executive director
Eve Schulte, a longtime dancer for James Sewell Ballet, assumes a new role as the company’s executive director.
Co-founder James Sewell remains as artistic director, while former executive director George Sutton remains on the company’s board.
“George has been mentoring me through this, as has Tom McNamee, our development director,” Schulte said. “I’ve just got a wonderful rapport built with both of them. And I think James and I have already been fostering that more partner relationship rather than a hierarchy situation the last few years. So it’s not such a new thing.”
A "Fresh Take" on Ballet
James Sewell Ballet's spring program interpreted ballet through boxing and the polar vortex, with the help of local musician Martin Dosh and the choreographer Gabrielle Lamb.
During this weekend's "Fresh Take" performances at the Cowles Center, James Sewell and guest choreographers showed that when it comes to ballet, it's not all leotards, pirouettes and classical music. The pieces in the spring program proved that inspiration can strike anywhere and develop into divergent works.