We have a new date!!
November 7, 2023, at 7:30 pm
Thalian Hall Main Stage
310 Chestnut Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
Tickets are $25 general admission; $22 for seniors, students, military, & children under 12, plus taxes and fees. Please contact the Thalian Hall Box Office at 910.632.2285 or online for ticket reservations.
Forward Motion Dance Company generates an electrifying dance event with their annual performance, Cape Fear Arts in Motion: Film, Fire and Fusion. This performance connects dancers, choreographers, musical and visual artists, and more to bring the art form of modern, contemporary and jazz dance to the beautiful and historic Thalian Hall main stage for a varied and collaborative event that showcases the talents of Choreographer Tracey Varga. Presented are new dance performances along with re-creations of works from the past, with a film by Patrick Ogelvie, vivid stage design by local set designer Randy Davis, live music composed by pianist Barbara Gallagher and performed with flutists Mary Gheen and Deborah Phillips, and an exciting jazz-funk piece by local guest choreographer Qaadir Hicks.
Premiering on the stage are several new works featuring Forward Motion Dance Company dancers and guest performers. Set to music by Vivaldi and Queen and performed by Croatian cellist duo 2CELLOS, nine dancers perform “Show Must Go On” with an opening duet by guest dancers Stephanie Nadeau and Wells Jackson.
In its exciting premiere, three dancers share the stage with eight-foot screens created by local set designer Randy Davis, where movement is explored with silhouettes and shadows and set to music by Andrew Bird from his 2017 album “Echolocations – River”, recorded under the Hyperion Bridge in Las Angeles.
A duet by guest artists Katie Crosby and Linda Ann Webb is danced to live music by pianist and composer Barbara Gallagher with flutists Mary Gheen and Deborah Phillips. “Festival in the Park” was originally written in 2008 for the Duke String School at Duke University and is revised for this Forward Motion Dance performance with an upbeat and playful back-and-forth feel.
New dance and film set to music by Peter Gabriel features six teen dancers from local studios DREAMS, The Dance Element, and the Southeast Dance Academy. The film is created by Patrick Ogelvie with assistant Kate Spivey.
Forward Motion Dance Company is delighted to present local guest choreographer Qaadir Hicks who has set his exciting jazz-funk piece with Forward Motion Dance company dancers Kara Abbott, Savannah Brooks, Nicole Dalier and Jenn Vahamikos.
With a progression of music and dance, “Fusion 2” returns from Arts In Motion 2022 with its high energy and music composed and performed by Joe Cordaro. Also returning is “Resolve” which premiered in 2014 also featuring original music and vocals by Joe Cordaro. Dancers explore friendships with music and poetry in “Friends Revisited” which premiered in Arts in Motion in 2022, and was featured in Dance-a-lorus (part of the Cucalorus film festival) with a film by Patrick Ogelvie. Set to music composed by Latvian composer Eriks Esenvalds with lyrics from a poem by American author Sara Teasdale (1884-1933), the poem is about remembering childhood friends in dreams and is read by Rhonda Bellamy of the Wilmington and New Hanover County Arts Council.
Forward Motion Dance Company dancers are Kara Abbott, Ashley Barnes, Savannah Brooks, Nicole Dalier, Becky Spivey, Susan Turner, and Jenn Vahamikos. Guest dancers are Amanda Brown, Katie Crosby, Wells Jackson, Cassandra McAlister, Stephanie Nadeau, Anna Reign Parker, Trilby Shier, Stephanie Stone and Linda Ann Webb. Teen dancers are Nevaeh Allen, Alexus Harris, Malonie Jean-Julien, Sa’Mya Jones, Kate Spivey and Kai Williamson.
In a show not to be missed, come be astounded by an inspired evening of music, film, and modern, contemporary and jazz dance that Cape Fear Arts in Motion brings to the beautiful and historic Thalian Hall main stage.
Forward Motion Dance Company with founder, director and choreographer Tracey Varga is a Wilmington, NC, based non-profit 501(c)(3) dance organization whose mission is to provide local and regional communities with quality modern contemporary dance and education in the art of dance, as well as enhance the local arts community by providing performance opportunities for area dancers and performance artists. FMD is an all-volunteer organization proudly supported by local, state and national grants, and community sponsors. For more information please visit our Facebook page or www.forwardmotiondance.org.