Photo by Steve Holmes Photography
Each year, MoCo Arts’ School of Dance presents a unique and awe-inspiring performance that showcases the exceptional talents of both teachers and students. An annual gem, Time to Dance is a true celebration of dance, featuring a variety of original pieces choreographed by the talented MoCo Arts teaching artists. These pieces are then interpreted and brought to life on stage by MoCo’s advanced dancers.
This year, MoCo Arts is returning to the Redfern Arts Center at Keene State College for their 16th annual performance of Time to Dance with two performances on Saturday, January 18th at 2 pm and 7 pm. More than 70 students will take the stage to perform 13 different pieces they’ve been working on throughout the entire fall semester.
Photo by Steve Holmes Photography
“All of the pieces challenge the students in some way,” said Reagan Messer, Executive Director and Artistic Director of the Dance Program at MoCo Arts. “Sometimes it is with the technique, sometimes the characterization. Each piece really stands on its own, which allows the choreographers to push students within their vision of the piece without having to tie it to a storyline.”
Time to Dance incorporates several different styles of dance, including ballet, tap, hip hop, modern and jazz, and takes audiences on an emotional journey they won’t soon forget. What began as an opportunity for MoCo’s upper-level and repertory students to showcase their talents, has become an annual tradition that is revered by students, teachers, and audience members alike.
“I always love performing in Time to Dance because the pieces are so creative,” said Eliza Holmes, a senior at Keene High School who has been dancing at MoCo Arts since she was 7 years old. “Because no storyline has to be followed, the teachers are able to develop unique pieces that highlight the abilities of the dancers. My favorite piece this year is with the Ballet class. We’re dancing to a medley of songs by Queen. The piece is fifteen minutes long! It’s a very tiring piece, but there is so much energy and emotion that makes it beautiful.”
The show is performed at the Redfern every other year – the years when MoCo doesn’t perform their rendition of the classic holiday tale, The Nutcracker. During their 2018-2019 performance season MoCo Arts students performed The Nutcracker at the Redfern in December, and Time to Dance in their own black box, The Founder’s Theatre, in March.
MoCo Arts offers dance and theatre students several performance opportunities throughout the year. The performance is part of the educational process, the culmination of the semester’s work. It is something that sets MoCo apart from most other dance studios where the focus is on preparing for a recital rather than on interpreting a story through dance.
Time to Dance is being performed on Saturday, January 18 at 2 pm and 7 pm at the Redfern Arts Center at Keene State College. This year’s performance is sponsored in part by Connection. Tickets are $20 for adults, $14 for youth and seniors, and are available at the Redfern Arts Center box office, open Monday-Friday from 12 pm to 5 pm. You can also purchase tickets online at keene.universitytickets.com with no processing fees. For more information, contact MoCo Arts at (603) 357-2100, or via email at info@moco.org
