Celebrating 37 years of dance, art and culture, Momentum Dance Company and its Founder and Artistic Director, Delma Iles, announce a magical series of children’s programming through May. The imaginative performances bring 10 different award-winning programs to life for the community’s children, all free of charge thanks to The Miami-Dade Pandemic Assistance Program, with funding provided by the federal CARES Act. Fellow organizations that made the inspirational children’s programming possible include the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs Council and the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners.
The 10 children’s programs explore the tales of Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Alice in Wonderland, and so many more well-known adventures and stories. All available via Momentum Dance Company’s Facebook page, the wildly popular tales are performed with vibrant colors and awe-inspiring dance sequences with two performances per month through May. The artistic experiences are meant to be enjoyed by the entire family, especially children ages three through 10, as they spend this time living, learning, and continuing to stay safe and healthy together.
“We are incredibly grateful for the funding made possible by the CARES Act and our Miami-Dade counterparts who appreciate the value in bringing inspiration and the arts to South Florida’s children,” says Iles. “For 37 years, we’ve helped children explore the world through song and dance; today, parents and even grandparents join in on the educational experience that explores a new cultural element for children and shows them that anything is possible.”
All performances are free admission on Momentum Dance Company’s Facebook page. The remaining performances are:
February 13, at 11am: Hansel and Gretel
Momentum uses excerpts from Humperdinck’s famous opera music to create just the right scary feeling. The Wicked Witch lures children to her candy-covered gingerbread house with the evil intention of eating them! Brave and clever Gretel saves her brother from a terrible fate! The cast includes Father and Mother as well as the Angel who protects children and the Witch’s evil helper, the Crow.
February 27, at 11am: Carnival of the Animals
Momentum’s dancers bring Camille Saint-Saens’ dazzling and clever score to life, creating movement vignettes for each of Saint-Saens’ animals: the prancing Lion, the lugubrious Tortoise, a pair of whimsical Elephants, a school of fish in an Aquarium, the shy Cuckoo, gliding and graceful (until they get on land) Swans, and a Grand Finale. Each segment features fabulous costumes by Marilyn Skow, unique dance movement and lots of fun!
March 13, at 11am: The Tiger and the Brahmin
This popular fable from India tells the story of a trusting Brahmin who finds his kindness to a Tiger betrayed when the Tiger wants to eat him! The Brahmin seeks help from the Elephant and the Water Buffalo, but the clever Jackal outwits the Tiger and saves the Brahmin. This production features authentic Bollywood dance as well as traditional mudras (hand gestures from Indian classical dance that tell the story) and beautiful colorful costumes from India.
March 27, at 11am: Alice in Wonderland
Young Alice falls down the rabbit hole and meets some unusual characters on her wild trip. She encounters a nervous White Rabbit, is mystified by a strange Caterpillar, takes part in the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, and is pursued by the vicious Red Queen who is aided by a Deck of Cards. Just as things get completely out of hand, she wakes up to find that it was only a dream. Each character portrait is complete with unique and individual movement and colorful costumes as delightful and imaginative staging brings this classic story to life.
April 10, at 11am: Mark Twain’s Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
Beloved American author Mark Twain’s hilarious classic short story comes to life through dance. Smiley, the gambler, bets his frog can out-jump any frog in Calaveras County, but the mysterious stranger has something up his sleeve! The story is told through Mark Twain’s prose, bluegrass and country music, colorful costumes and high-jumping dance movement. It is a must-see for students studying American literature.
April 24, at 11am: Peter and the Wolf
Momentum Dance Company delights young audiences with a perennial children’s favorite! This classic folk tale with music by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev is the most popular children’s work the company has ever offered. Kids join clever Peter and his friends the Bird and the Duck as they work together to outwit and capture the fierce Wolf. Other characters include grumpy Grandfather and the ridiculous Hunters. Each character is represented by a different instrument of the orchestra and a unique way of moving. Comedy, drama, suspense and excitement make this work a must-see experience.
May 8, at 11am: Insects
This performance features dance sequences inspired by poems for children about bugs selected from Barry Louis Polisar’s book Insect Soup. Kids meet the Dung Beetle, the Praying Mantis, the Cicada, the Flea and more. Each insect has a unique and crazy way of moving as it goes about the business of its daily life – eating, sleeping, walking, flying and dancing. Insects dance to an original jazzy score and wear crazy colorful costumes by Marilyn Skow.
May 22, at 11am: Fish Tales
This exciting and colorful environmentally conscious work tells the story of marine life on Florida’s coral reefs and their beautiful, but fragile environment. Meet Madame Manatee and Senora Stingray as they lead the underwater inhabitants (peppermint stripe shrimp, parrotfish, jellyfish, grouper and more) in cleaning up their neglected reef. This program is fun and empowering as the characters send a message of personal responsibility for conservation. Colorful, imaginative costumes and an original Caribbean style musical score make Fish Tales a must-see.
For more information about Momentum Dance Company, follow the company on Facebook.
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