Ordway Brings Saint Paul Organizations Together For Free Summer Dance Program 6/17

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, along with the City of Saint Paul, Landmark Center, The Saint Paul Hotel, Pazzaluna, Minnesota State Arts Board, Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, and the Saint Paul Public Library system enthusiastically announce the free Summer Dance program, a weekly social dance event at Landmark Plaza. Beginning June 17, Summer Dance highlights a different social dance style every Thursday with demonstrations and basic lessons by professional dance companies and the opportunity to put those lessons into practice during open dancing the rest of the evening. Local bands will provide live music each week, adding special energy to Saint Paul summer evenings. In addition to the fun happening on Thursday evenings, The Friend's of the Saint Paul Public Library will feature dance-themed films in conjunction with the Summer Dance program as a part of its annual Friday Movie Nights.

"Summer Dance is central to Ordway's mission and purpose in this community: to make the arts an accessible, interactive experience for everyone," explains Patricia A. Mitchell, Ordway's President and CEO. "What a great opportunity to enjoy social dance in styles ranging from Salsa to Cajun, and from Country to Swing, framed by a picturesque backdrop of downtown Saint Paul."

The Summer Dance Series will begin with social time at 5:30 p.m. with food and beverages available for purchase from The Saint Paul Hotel, Pazzaluna, and Meritage, which will serve decadent crepes. Free dance demonstrations by well-known local dance professionals from organizations including Arthur Murray Dance Studio and Cinema Ballroom will begin at 6:00 p.m. and the live music will follow at 7:30 p.m. throughout the eight-week program.

In conjunction with the Summer Dance program, The Friend's of the Saint Paul Public Library continue the annual free Friday Movie Nights series and will feature dance-themed films, each highlighting the weekly social dance genre provided the night before in the Summer Dance program. These movie nights take place at the Kellogg Boulevard Courtyard and begin at 9:30 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.thefriends.org/calendar.htm.

In case of inclement weather, the Summer Dance program will move inside the Ordway and the Saint Paul Public Library's Friday Movie Nights will be cancelled.

The Ordway's Summer Dance program is sponsored in part by Landmark Center, Pazzaluna, The Saint Paul Hotel and The Saint Paul Cultural Star Program.

Summer Dance & Movie Night Schedule

June 17 - Salsa
Dance instruction with Manuel and Carmen Rubio and Arthur Murray Dance Studio
Live music by Salsa del Soul

June 18 Movie Night
"Dance with Me"
Vanessa Williams stars in this 1998 film as an instructor in a small dance studio in Houston. While preparing for the World Open Dance Championships, she encounters Rafael, who is searching for the father he's never known - and who happens to be a great dancer.

June 24 - Swing
Dance instruction with Arthur Murray Dance Studio
Live music by The Senders

June 25 Movie Night
"Top Hat"
It's a case of love at first sight for Jerry Travers, a musical revue star, and the object of his affections, Dale Tremont, leads him on a merry chase from London to Italy. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers shine in this 1935 film about mistaken identities, true love and lots of dancing.

No Events on July 1 & 2

July 8 - Tango
Dance instruction with Cinema Ballroom
Live music by Mandragora Tango

July 9 Movie Night
"Take the Lead"
Based on a true story, the movie tells of the struggle of a dance teacher, Pierre Dulain, to give to a group of problem kids a second chance by exploring their dance skills. Antonio Banderas stars in the 2006 film.

July 15 - Disco
Dance instruction with Arthur Murray Dance Studio
Live music by Boogie Wonderland

July 16 Movie Night
"That's the Way I Like It"
Set in Singapore in 1977, That's the Way I Like It follows Hock (Adrian Pang), a Bruce Lee fan, as he discovers the joys of disco when he's dragged unwillingly to Saturday Night Fever.

July 22 - Cajun/Country
Dance instruction with Flory Katz and Rick Ernst
Live music by Kevin Anthony and the Twin Cities Playboys
(Note: Live music won't start until 8:00 p.m.)

July 23 Movie Night
"Urban Cowboy"
John Travolta stars in this 1980 drama about a young man from the country who learns about life and love in a honky-tonk Houston bar.

July 29 - Rock ‘n' Roll
Dance instruction with Arthur Murray Dance Studio
Live music by The Rockin' Hollywoods

July 30 Movie Night
"Footloose"
When teenager Ren and his family move from Chicago to a small town in the West, he's shocked to be living in a place where rock music and dancing are illegal. With the senior prom around the corner, only Ren has the courage to initiate a battle to abolish the outmoded ban and revitalize the spirit of the repressed townspeople.

August 5 - Ballroom
Dance instruction with Cinema Ballroom
Live music by Jerry O'Hagan Orchestra

August 6 Movie Night
"Mad Hot Ballroom"
In this compelling 2005 documentary, the students of several New York City elementary schools learn ballroom dancing and compete in a city wide dance competition.

August 12 - Reggae/Worldbeat
Dance instruction with Kenna Sarge
Live music by New Primitives

August 13 Movie Night
"Sabar"
An African-American, California-born hip-hop girl resists the ancestral call of the Senegalese dance, "Sabar." When she finally gives in, she discovers more than a dance - she finds herself.

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

The Ordway celebrates its 25th anniversary season as one of the nation's leading nonprofit performing arts centers and Saint Paul's most elegant and inviting performance space. The Ordway's Main Hall and McKnight Theatre stages attract diverse audiences with an array of productions showcasing the finest in American musical theater, world music, dance, and vocal performance. Education and community engagement are integral to the Ordway's mission, with major initiatives including the annual Flint Hills International Children's Festival and Ordway Education programs that serve over 50,000 students annually. The Ordway also sponsors The Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, a professionally guided academic and artistic environment that trains aspiring pre-professional performing artists. Together with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Opera and The Schubert Club, the Ordway is a member of the Arts Partnership and serves as the principal venue for their performances.

Performance Information
Summer Dance Program (Free)
June 17 - August 12, 2010
Note: No Event on July 1, 2010

Friday Movie Nights (Free)
June 18 - August 13, 2010
Note: No Event on July 2, 2010

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
345 Washington Street
Saint Paul, MN 55102
Box Office: 651.224.4222
ordway.org

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