REVIEW: The Tap Pack at MPAC

by Ilana Rapp - published 2020-02-24

Who knew, that back in my childhood days when my parents signed me up for tap dance lessons with Henry LeTang and Phil Black, that I would have a lifelong obsession with tap? So when I heard that Australia’s The Tap Pack was coming to the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, NJ, I knew I had to secure a seat – and only because they are tap dancers. I’ve never heard of them previous to seeing their sizzle reel on YouTube.

Rowan Presents "Groove" Dance Show

Paule Turner sees different sides of South Jersey when he looks out the window each morning on his way to work. For more than two decades, he’s taken a combination of trains and buses — and lately Lyfts — from his home in Philadelphia to the suburban borough of Glassboro, where he’s a dance professor at Rowan University. Along the way, he passes through the urban landscape of Camden.

Firsts and Lasts: New Jersey Ballet Season Opener at Mayo Performing Arts Center

This time of year is always my favorite, because so many performing arts seasons get underway, and they are full of promise and excitement. While New Jersey Ballet has already kicked off their full season earlier this fall (its 61st!), they are about to open the Mayo Performing Arts Center portion this Saturday, November 16 with their “Season Opener” program. This program features five works showcasing a range of styles.

Russian Ballet Theatre Presents Swan Lake

(BRANCHBURG, NJ) -- Russian Ballet Theatre will perform Swan Lake on Saturday, November 9 at 7:00pm in the Edward Nash Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg. Russian Ballet Theatre is passionate about producing shows that adorn Russian Ballet traditions in dance, sets and costume making. The new production of Swan Lake, is choreographed by Nadezhda Kalinina (Mariinsky Theatre, Teatro Lirico, Omsk State Music Theatre) who lovingly retouched the oldest St. Petersburg version of the ballet.

Warren County Artist with Disability Choreographs Dance to Debbie Gibson's "Lost in Your Eyes"

Josh Handler has always loved music, and one of his favorite songs is Debbie Gibson's "Lost In Your Eyes", from her 1989 Atlantic album, Electric Youth. To Handler, the song has special meaning. Written in 1987 when Gibson was 17 years old, the song's lyrics describe a first, adolescent love. To Handler, though, the song, "shows a lot of caring, that it doesn't matter if you're different, you're still great."

Go Ask Alice About Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theater

It started, of course, as a whimsical 19th century children’s book. In the 1950s, it was transformed into a Disney cartoon. And 60 years later, Tim Burton turned it into a piece of modern cinema.

American Repertory Ballet Premieres "Beauty and the Beast"

It's a tale as old as time -- but not exactly that one. American Repertory Ballet's "Beauty and the Beast" is making its world premiere. Presented with Princeton Symphony Orchestra, this show promises all the enchantment and romance that comes with this beloved story. Join Jesse and Dave at rehearsal in Princeton to hear more from the stars of this spellbinding ballet.

What Is Nimbus Dance?

Nimbus Dance Works has been presenting contemporary dance in Jersey City and beyond since 2005. Through critically acclaimed performances throughout New Jersey and the Northeast, programs for local youth and seniors, partnerships with regional civic and cultural institutions , and collaborations with notable composers and visual artists, NImbus weaves together artistic excellence and community impact. Join Jesse and Dave as they talk to the people that bring this company to life.

Faye Driscoll Debuts "Thank You For Coming: Space" at Peak Performances

About seven years ago, the acclaimed dancer and choreographer Faye Driscoll had a vision about her next project. Make that projects. Driscoll didn’t want to focus once again on creating a “standalone piece.”

"Breaking The Glass Ceiling" at Rowan University

How will you close out your Women’s History Month this year? I submit for your consideration: Rowan University College of Performing Arts’ “Breaking the Glass Ceiling: A Celebration of Women in Choreography” performance on Thursday, March 28. This evening features original choreography by Helen Simoneau, Dawn Marie Bazemore and Leslie Elkins. But wait, there’s more! Following the performance, stay for a talk with the artists, moderated by Dr. Brenda Dixon Gottschild, dance scholar and professor emeritus of dance studies at Temple University.