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Missouri Contemporary Ballet (MCB) will present its fall season performance,
“EVOKE,” at Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts on Thursday, November 17th and
Friday, November 18th, 2011 at 7:30p.m.MCB is excited to return to the Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts after an
absence of one year due to the temporary closing of the theatre.“EVOKE” will feature seven works, five of which are world premieres. Two of the
premieres are by Choreographer-in-Residence Shannon Lee West. Another is by
guest choreographer Joshua Blake Carter, a dancer from Giordano Jazz Dance
Chicago. A fourth work, by company member Alex Gordon, was chosen from the
Choreographic Installation in May 2011. He has since expanded on the piece for
“EVOKE.” Artistic Director, Karen Mareck Grundy will also create a new piece,
entitled Furious Angels. This will feature the five men of MCB.Gordon’s piece, entitled The Dirt BeNeath, mixes ballet, modern, and hip hop
elements. Gordon discusses how his piece will “look at the interior behavior of
individuals who try to appear composed and elegant, but who are no better than
anyone else when the doors are closed.”Originally commissioned by the RSVP Center for MU’s “Rock Against Rape”
benefit, Shrapnel, choreographed by Shannon Lee West, features an intense duet
that explores a survivor’s and perpetrator’s reaction to sexual and domestic violence
and its aftermath. This piece was set to music composed by Radiohead’s Jonny
Greenwood.MCB is also proud to be performing Twisted, a piece from the company’s first
performance in 2006, which has always been a fan-favorite. Also returning from
the repertoire is Breaking Patterns, originally choreographed in 2008. Both pieces
were choreographed by Artistic Director, Karen Mareck Grundy.Tickets are $17-$25 for adults, $12-$20 for seniors, students, and children 12 and
under. There will be special half off student rates on the Thursday, November 17th,
performance. They can be purchased at the Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts box
office, 573-882-3781, or at www.concertseries.org.-more-Founded in 2006, Missouri Contemporary Ballet is Columbia’s resident professional dance company that is committed to creating dance entertainment through the art of contemporary ballet. MCB creates exciting, edgy, hip entertainment to make the experience of live dance an artful and joyful event for all ages.