Review: SILENCE IN THE JUNGLE at Melonlight Ballroom

Eureka Springs is full of creative people, and this is true of the artists who run Melonlight Ballroom. From now until Saturday, July 27, SILENCE IN THE JUNGLE will take you on a journey that will captivate your imagination and make you fall in love with the characters that Emily and Raymond have conjured up. This immersive experience has suspense, mystery, adventure, and the supernatural, and watching this amazing couple dance will have you illuminating starry-heart eyes even when the lights are out.  

When you enter the showroom, Maggie Mae welcomes you into their intimate world. She warns you that they are traveling in a boat and are we afraid of getting wet? I’m excited already! Esme (Emily) is pregnant and wants to go on one more adventure before she has the baby. So, she and her husband (Raymond) charter a boat for a jungle cruise. The first few days goes well, but then the captain (Michael Carey) disappears. When the couple go in search of him and supplies, the husband gets hurt. Then, spooky things start happening. Do they ever find the captain? Do they make it out of the jungle alive? Go see the show and find out.  

I love their coming to the Melonlight Ballroom. They make every person who walks in the door feel special. They are so intriguing. Both Raymond and Emily have so much charisma that it’s hard to look away once they enter the room. Emily writes all of their shows, which is amazing. You really need to experience the world they have created! 

When not performing their original pieces, they are giving dance lessons. They are DVIDA certified with over 20 years of teaching experience. They specialize in partnership dances of all styles including Ballroom, Latin, Swing, Tango and Improvisation focused on the intimate and powerful art of connection (i.e. leading and following). Private lessons are available to singles or couples of any age. If you're not in Eureka Springs, they can facilitate your private lessons via Zoom! 

During intermission, my audience neighbors were theatre teachers who recently brought their students to learn movement from the couple. They raved that not only did they teach them some dance moves, but they taught them how to carry themselves and enter a room. The couple said how important it was for kids to be taught that, and it made a big difference in their students.  

According to their website, The Melonlight Kids Dance Class is a varietal movement class with elements of hip hop, ballet, ballroom, yoga, and creative movement. Its goal is to get kids well-oriented with the amazing things their bodies can do. Kids will have lots of fun, learn to work together, explore their creativity with props and behind-the-scenes aspects of performance. 

For the adults that are looking to spice things up, they offer Miss M's Burlesque, which covers the full spectrum of burlesque performance including dance elements, theatrics, stage presence, costuming, the art of allure, beauty tips for the stage, and more. Sounds like fun to me! 

If you are looking for a romantic venue in Eureka Springs for your wedding, (and you know that Eureka Springs would be the perfect place for a wedding) the Melonlight Ballroom will devote their day for your special event. The whole crew comes together to make sure your day is the most romantic moment of your life.  

For more information about the services and shows at Melonlight Ballroom, check out their website at https://www.melonlight.com. Seats are limited for SILENCE IN THE JUNGLE, so get them before they sell out.  

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