"Zoot Suit Riots" by Collide Theatrical Dance Company at the Lab Theater

Collide Theatrical Dance Company is a bit of a step out of my comfort zone as a theater blogger. But I do love to watch dance, and Collide (named for the collision of various art forms, including dance, theater, and music) allows this theater geek to get a dance fix in the form of storytelling, which is what theater is all about. Their latest original jazz-dance musical creation is Zoot Suit Riots, based on the historical riots in 1943 Los Angeles that spread to other parts of the country. This version of the riots takes place in Harlem in a dance hall similar to the historic Savoy Ballroom, and while the story may be a bit thin, the dancing is spectacular and does a wonderful job of expressing emotions and defining characters.

Let's start with the music. The five-piece band, directed by Bob Beahen on percussion and also including keyboard, upright bass, guitar, and my favorite jazz instrument the clarinet, sounds super smooth and cool and jazzy. The song selections are mostly standards from the era like "Moondance" and "You Can't Take That Away from Me," with a little Queen and Lady Gaga thrown in for good measure. Singing these songs are two amazing vocalists, Katie Carney and Ben Bakken (did someone say Queen?), solo and duet. The choice of music is, as always, spot on, and it's fun to hear modern pop music played and sung in the '40s jazz style.

the company and the band (photo by V. Paul V.)

Hand in hand with the music is the dancing, which is awe-inspiring to this non-dancing theater geek. Directer/ choreographer/creator of the piece Regina Peluso combines various styles of dance (jazz, ballet, tap, Fosse, contemporary) to create something unique and so much fun to watch. Whether solo dances or group numbers, the dances perfectly suit the music which perfectly suits the moment in the story. In fact, the dancing is so expressive and tells the story so well that I wish they would eliminate the short scenes with dialogue, which are a bit stilted. These dancers are better actors when they're dancing; when they're dancing I know who they are and I believe them. Some of Collide's earlier pieces had no dialogue and told the story entirely through music and movement (with a short story summary in the program), and were the stronger for it.

Galen Higgins flies high (photo by V. Paul V.)

The ten dancers in the company are all beautiful, graceful, strong dancers (including familiar faces Renee Guittar, Riley Thomas Weber, and Jeffrey Robinson in the lead roles), but the standout in this show is Galen Higgins as a hard-nosed, fierce-tapping Marine. His tap dance (which he also choreographed) is huge and fast and explosive. Lastly, there's no costumer listed in the credits, but I'm always amazed how the dancers can move so well in what look like street clothes, and look stylish while doing so.

Zoot Suit Riots officially opens tonight and continues through March 15 at the gorgeous Lab Theater, a great space for dance. (Discount tickets available on Goldstar.)

"Lot of Living to Do" by ColliDe Theatrical Dance Company at the Southern Theater

I don't go to many dance performances, mostly because it's hard enough to stay on top of the incredible theater scene in the Twin Cities area. To be fully immersed in the theater and dance world would be too much for one person to handle. But occasionally I find myself at a dance show (typically one with theatrical connections), and I always love it. Dancing is a further extension of the core principle of musical theater - that when ideas and emotions cannot be expressed in mere words, music and movement are necessary to fully convey them. In ColliDe Theatrical Dance Company's original jazz dance musical Lot of Living to Do, a story is told through dance alone, without a single word of explanation (a story summary in the program helps set the stage). The talented troupe of dancers is accompanied by jazz standards performed by a fantastic three-piece band and two talented singers, all of which combines for a very entertaining evening.

ColliDe's mission is to partner artists with Minnesota charities to create new works, an admirable goal (I've always believed that theater has the power to change the world, a little at a time). In this case, the charitable partner is the Women's Foundation of Minnesota's campaign to end underage prostitution in Minnesota, called "MN Girls Are Not For Sale." It's unthinkable that this occurs right here in our fair state, something I wasn't really aware of before reading the literature for this show. In fact, the Twin Cities is one of the 13 largest centers for child prostitution in the country. But don't worry, Lot of Living to Do doesn't preach or hit you over the head with scary facts. It's a story about working girls in the 1930s and their problems and triumphs over them, as a subtle reminder that things aren't that different today. The story centers on teen-aged Jenny, abandoned at a brothel by her mother who can no longer support her. Jenny eventually finds a way to escape this life, with the support of the other women who are in too deep to see a way out for themselves.

Some highlights of the show:

• I have to admit, one of the reasons why I wanted to see this show is to see one of my favorite musical theater actors, Jared Oxborough. Just after a successful run as Radames in Theater Latte Da's Aida, he channels Michael Buble on such classics as "The Best is Yet to Come," "Have You Met Miss Jones," and my theme song, "The Lady is a Tramp" (I get much too hungry to eat dinner at 8, I love the theater, but never come late, I never bother with people I hate). Jared also plays the role of a jerk of a john, and gets to kick up his heels a bit at the end.
• Katie Gearty plays the brothel madam, the aforementioned Miss Jones, and lends her gorgeous jazzy voice to songs like "Nice Work if You Can Get It" and "Frankie and Johnny," all while presiding over the brothel and collecting money from her girls.

the light-on-his-feet (and hands) Galen Higgins

• All of the dancers are so gorgeous performing the choreography of ColliDe Artistic Director Regina Peluso, a sort of Fosse-esque jazz style, sharp and yet loose at the same time, and very expressive of the high emotions of the characters. Standouts in the cast include Lauren Anderson, a fierce and powerful dancer, conveying strong emotion as the tough working girl Frankie. As Jenny's sweet boyfriend, Galen Higgins is incredibly light on his feet and expressive in every muscle of his body, from the tips of his toes to his open face. His dancing is so joyful, it's impossible not to smile while watching him.
• The Southern Theater is a great place for dance, with its wide-open cavernous space, well-used by the dancers. A few set pieces, including a bar on the left, a small stage for the singers, and some tables in back, set the scene of a 1930s brothel while still leaving plenty of space for dance.

ColliDe Theatrical Dance Company beautifully tells this story in a fun and entertaining way. On the surface it's just a beautiful dance performance, until you see that it goes a little deeper than that. It's a great way to draw people in and inform them of a very real and serious problem, as well as offering a solution to that problem. In the real world, young girls need more than a cute bartender boyfriend to get them out of this terrible situation, which is where MN Girls Are Not For Sale comes in. See their website for more information on how to help in this worthwhile campaign, and go check out the show at the Southern (one performance Saturday night and two on Sunday) for an entertaining evening of jazz, music, vocals, and dance. Talented dancers, singers, and musicians, a captivating story, a great cause, and free drinks from sponsors Whiplash Wines and Stella Artois. What more can you ask for?