Karin Stevens Dance Presents Baroque to the 21st Century | Seattle

Published on September 22, 2010 by IAM

Karin Stevens Dance Presents | “A Contemporary Dance through the Baroque to the 21st Century”

November 12th and 13th, 2010 7:30pm
Fremont Abbey Arts Center

January 27th and 28th, 2011 8pm
The Black Box Theater at Edmonds Community College


Experience a full evening of 5 world premiere works by Karin Stevens Dance. Each performance will feature Karin Stevens’ choreographic creations and the Starry Night Chamber Orchestra, with world debut by Seattle composer/cellist Phillip Peterson of the Grace Experimental Orchestra.

Karin Stevens Dance, now in its second season in Seattle, presents two concerts a year in the Great Hall of the Fremont Abbey Arts Center.  Stevens began her early dance training at Pacific Northwest Ballet and Spectrum Dance Theater.  While completing her B.A. in dance at the University of Washington in the late 1990s, Hannah C. Wiley, inspired her not only as a dancer, but also as a leader in the art form.  Stevens' vision for starting her own dance company began at this time.  

In 1999, she began presenting her work and since has completed more than 40 dances. As Director of Dance at Dr Philips H. S. Visual and Performing Arts Department, Orlando, FL, 2000 - 2003, she created many notable dances. She was awarded multiple invitations to present in various national and local dance festivals, including a request to teach and choreograph for The Orlando Ballet School.  In 2003, Stevens was awarded a full scholarship to and teaching assistantship in the Mills College MFA Dance program in Oakland, CA.

Following the completion of her M.F.A., Stevens began Oakland Dance Encounter, only to quickly discover a strong desire to return to her native city of Seattle to work as an artist. Karin Stevens Dance has been a resident company at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center since the fall of 2008. "My choice to return to my native city and launch KSD was inspired by the collaborations I did with musicians in the Bay Area and a hope of finding in Seattle a community of artists in the various disciplines to work closely with in collaboration.  My fortunate opportunity in finding a 'home' to build KSD at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center has also brought me into contact with other generous-spirited and talented artists who are committed as I am to working in collaboration," says Stevens.
 
The November concert will be danced by the KSD core-company dancers; Morgan Houghton, Melanie Williams, and Karin Stevens- University of Washington alumni; Amy Daniel and Caprice Abowitt- Cornish College of the Arts alumni; Naphtali Beyleveld and Tori McConnnell- Belhaven College alumni.  The music performed live by Starry Night Chamber Orchestra will include works for string orchestra by J.S. Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Grieg, Corigliano, and Seattle composer Philip Peterson.

A special FREE dress rehearsal performance for students/families of neighborhood elementary schools will be held on Friday, November 12th, at 4 pm.  As a resident company and active community participant of the Fremont Abbey Arts Center, this performance is part of KSD’s commitment to education and performance outreach to neighborhood youth and families.  “My three children are an integral part of my dance company and the Abbey community.  I hope to see more families enjoying and participating in this wonderful arts community,” says Stevens.

Note: The free dress rehearsal and evening ticketed concert will feature post-performance Q & A  with choreographer, composer, music director and dancers.  The goal is to share with the audience some of the process of composing dance and music, working in collaboration, and performing dance and music together live.


November Performance Location:
Freemont Abbey Arts Center
4272 Fremont Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98103

Tickets
General: $15
Under 25: $12
Under 12: $7

January Performance Location:
The Black Box Theater at Edmonds Community College
20310 68th Avenue West
Lynnwood, WA 98036

Tickets