Step Up to Celtic Dance and Music
Johnson County Community College |
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The StepCrew is the new Celtic-inspired dance production that features the world’s top talents in modern tap, Irish and Ottawa Valley (Canada) dancing. Performances blend elements of Riverdance and Tap Dogs. After enthusiastic receptions in Canada, The StepCrew will perform its Midwest premiere at 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Feb. 15-16, in Yardley Hall of the Carlsen Center, Johnson County Community College.
A cast of six outstanding dancers, who have worked together for more than 10 years, are backed up by amazing five-piece band, including three top-notch fiddlers. Dancers perform traditional Irish steps and introduce us to high-energy Ottawa Valley stepdancing, a cross between tap and Irish dancing with a twist. The musicians bow through combinations of Celtic, French, Scandinavian and many other styles of music from around the world, not to mention original compositions. All of this is supported by a “hot” band and a disc jockey for edginess.
The StepCrew continuously transitions from modern interpretations of traditional Celtic music and dance to original compositions and choreography created for this show.
The core ensemble features Jon and Nathan Pilatzke, 2005 Gemini Award winners (Canada’s Emmy Award) who tour full time with The Chieftains; Stephanie Cadman, the fiddling World Tap Dance Champion of Bowfire; Cara Butler, principal female dancer with The Chieftains; and the incredible dancer/fiddler Dan Stacey, recently performing with the hit band Seven Nations. The StepCrew takes traditional dance forms and fiddling to new heights.
Tickets for StepCrew are $25 and $35, available by calling the Carlsen Center box office, 913-469-4445.
The StepCrew will perform a school show at noon Friday, Feb. 15, in Yardley Hall, sponsored by the Carlsen Center ArtsEducation program. Tickets are $5, available at 913-469-4445
