SIDEWAYS Gets One Step Closer to Wonderland!

December 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

It’s show week and SIDEWAYS is getting revved up for this weekend’s performance of Once Upon A Holiday at 7 Stages Theater!
Sunday was our first full run-through with costumes and it was a great success! The dancers are really getting into the holiday spirit and are excited to share their winter adventure with all of you! Things are really coming together and we’re having a blast getting things perfect for our Friday, Saturday and Sunday shows!
Here are a few *sneak peaks* at what to expect this weekend!

Cheerful and mischievous snowmen!
One of Mrs. Claus’ reindeer getting into the holiday groove… Hawaiian style!
Blue Christmas blues!
SIDEWAYS dancers rehearsing “Wintersong” aka the Snowflake dance!
The Mad Hatter is opting for HOT CHOCOLATE instead of tea this holiday season, and has brought some friends along for the party!
Alice taking a moment to think about all her new WONDERLAND friends have taught her.
Jeremy and Mary Ann help Alice remember the true meaning of Christmas!
Gingerbread fun!
Mrs. Claus is always cheerful and bright!
Once Upon A Holiday even comes with PRESENTS!
Toy Soldiers fall in!
These penguins mean business!

Visit our website to purchase your tickets today and don’t miss out on all the fun this weekend!!!
Performances are:
Friday, December 16 @ 8:00 pm
Saturday, December 17 @ 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm
Sunday, December 18 @ 3:00 pm

See you there!

Filed Under: 7 Stages Theater, Atlanta Georgia, Atlanta Performing Arts, Blog, Georgia Arts, Once Upon A Holiday, Sideways Contemporary Dance Company
 

Make a Wish Gala 2011

October 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Last weekend SIDEWAYS was joined by members of Atlanta Rising Talent to perform as the opening number at the Make A Wish Foundation Gala here in Atlanta.
It was at the beautiful St. Regis hotel and the dancers performed a number from the upcoming Once Upon A Holiday show coming this December.
Here are a few snapshots from the glamorous evening!

rehearsing in the ballroom

getting ready for the performance! 

before the performance

Rockin’ on top of the world!

The crowd loved it!

 We were so happy to be able to perform for such a wonderful event and give everyone a taste of what’s to come in December!

Filed Under: Atlanta Performing Arts, Atlanta Rising Talent, Blog, dane, Sideways Contemporary Dance Company
 

We’re back…

October 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

… and OH, how we’ve missed you!

SIDEWAYS took a break for the summer after a FANTASTIC run of Breaking Bounds at 7 Stages Theater but we are back in the studio and back in action preparing for our holiday show December 16-18. Better yet, we even have one performance under our belt this season!

SIDEWAYS joined Atlanta Dance Central’s ART company for an “illuminating” performance at the Firefly Run in Piedmont Park.
Here’s just a taste of all the fun…

stay tuned for more pictures and VIDEO from the night!

Filed Under: Atlanta Georgia, Atlanta Performing Arts, Atlanta Rising Talent, Blog, Dance, Georgia Arts, Sideways Contemporary Dance Company
 

BECOME A MEMBER OF SIDEWAYS!

August 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
CALLING ALL DANCERS!!!
SIDEWAYS Contemporary Dance Company is seeking trained, passionate and driven dancers for their 2011-2012 season!
The season will begin September 2011 and will run through June 2012, with major repertory concerts held in December & June. Rehearsals are held every Sunday from 2 PM to 7 PM and usually begin with a modern or ballet technique class. 
 
*Dancers are paid for major concerts.

The audition will consist of:
Ballet Barre
Contemporary Repertory from SIDEWAYS
Improvisation
Interview
Solo Performance – Dancers should prepare a one-minute solo showcasing their strengths. (It does not need to be contemporary, modern, or ballet.)

Dancers should bring a current headshot and resume to the audition.
Registration begins at 9:30 AM.

For additional information check us out on YouTube, visit us on Facebook or email director Charlotte Foster at sidewaysdance@bellsouth.net.

We hope to see you there!

Filed Under: Atlanta Performing Arts, Blog, Sideways Contemporary Dance Company
 

OPENING NIGHT! Let the fun begin!

June 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

IT’S OPENING NIGHT!!!

The final dress rehearsal was a great success last night and we got some really enthusiastic feedback from some arts supporters who were able to get a sneak peak.
It’s positive feedback and support from people within the community that make us excited to share our passion with every member of the audience.

The dancers are ready and excited about OPENING NIGHT so let’s get to it!

There is still time to shag a ticket for tonight’s show (and for Saturday at 8:00 pm and Sunday at 3:00 pm) so check us out at www.sidewaysdance.org and come enjoy a wonderful performance of Breaking Bounds at 7 Stages Theater in Little Five Points.

Filed Under: 7 Stages Theater, Atlanta Performing Arts, Blog, Breaking Bounds, Sideways Contemporary Dance Company
 

Tech Week Day 3

June 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Three down, ONE to go!


Opening night is TOMORROW and we’re so thrilled with the progress we’ve made in the theater. Last night’s 2nd act cue to cue was another great success and some of the more emotionally gripping pieces were given the finishing lighting touches and look simply fantastic!


As always… here are some more snapshots from the evening!


Sweet hippies – “Trip”
Wanting daughter/wayward mother moment in “1000 Miles”
Waiting for 1000 Miles
“King of Grey”
“Gone”
Jeremy caught watching videos of the old folks RAP choir!



Tonight we’ll have a final dress rehearsal and then tomorrow is the BIG DAY!
Can’t wait… don’t forget to purchase your tickets today! :)
And for a special treat, our last webisode of the season. Video creation by Mary Ann!


Filed Under: 7 Stages Theater, Atlanta Performing Arts, Blog, Breaking Bounds, Sideways Contemporary Dance Company
 

Tech Week Day 2

June 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Two down, two to go!

We had another fantastic rehearsal last night at 7 Stages and, considering it was the first time we saw most of the pieces with full lights and sound, things are really looking SHOW WORTHY!

We did a Cue to Cue of Act 1 as well as a full run of Act 1.
The cue to cue allows us to walk through each piece very slowly to set the lighting changes like:
At this point we need to highlight a specific dancer.
At this time we need to brighten the entire stage.
At the fade out in the music we’ll have a complete blackout to transition to the next piece.

It’s a time consuming process but has great payoff in the end and Technical Director Mack has a great eye for what really makes the pieces come together.

Today we will do a Cue to Cue of act 2! It’s getting REALLY exciting now!

Nothing like a good stretch before Cue to Cue
Waiting to run BEING
Andrea and Sara – To Build A Home
Susanna – Being
Filed Under: 7 Stages Theater, Atlanta Performing Arts, Blog, Breaking Bounds, Sideways Contemporary Dance Company
 

Tech Week Day 1

June 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

One down, three to go!
We had a great rehearsal last night at 7 Stages, setting the pieces in the performance space for the first time! Although we had the privilege of bringing a few pieces to a preview performance back in January it was definitely exciting to get everything blocked out on stage.
I’ve you’ve never been to 7 Stages, it’s quite a unique space, especially because the audience is above the performers. It’s always a learning experience to transition out of rehearsals and into performances, but even more so when the dancers have to adjust their line of sight to meet the audience. But they quickly got a hang of it and all of the numbers are looking really good.
Last night we walked through each piece (there are 17 total in Breaking Bounds) with costumes specifically to look at spacing on the stage and make adjustments for entrances and exits through the wings. We’ll add the lights in tonight and tomorrow, which is always an exciting process. Although the dancers can hold their own on a blank stage, the pieces really become “complete” when you add in lights to help create a mood and enhance the message being conveyed.
Stay tuned for more tech week updates and here’s to another great SIDEWAYS rehearsal tonight!


For your “inside scoop” viewing pleasure, here are a few candid (mostly) shots from last night!

Sara and Jeremy admiring the 7 Stages lights!
Charlotte going over choreography details
Discussing spacing and transition pathways for ‘Tapes’
Charlotte’s sidekick, Chris and Mack, the Technical Director of 7 Stages
Susanna and Kay relaxing for notes
Sara, Andrea and Jeremy in the “Prototype” costumes… an audience favorite at Spoleto!
Being silly while we work out some spacing kinks
‘To Build A Home” family!
Channeling our inner Flower Child for “Trip”

And don’t forget to order your tickets for Breaking Bounds today!

Filed Under: 7 Stages Theater, Atlanta Performing Arts, Blog, Breaking Bounds, Directors Notes, Sideways Contemporary Dance Company
 

Become a member of SIDEWAYS!

June 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Happy June everyone!
It’s hard to believe the year is almost HALF over and even harder to believe that the 2010-2011 SIDEWAYS season is nearing the end!
The company couldn’t be more excited for our season showcase, fast approaching, and we wanted to offer up the opportunity for all of YOU to join in on the excitement by becoming a member or sponsor for Breaking Bounds.
By becoming a member of SIDEWAYS you not only show your support for us as a company but also for Atlanta Arts as a whole. We pride ourselves in holding long-lasting relationships with our members and sponsors and love seeing new faces join our “family” with every show so your support and participation will never go unnoticed.
If you are interested in becoming a member of SIDEWAYS, there are a number of different options for you to choose from! Visit our membership page for details or email director Charlotte Foster at charlotte@sidewaysdance.com. 


*Ask about program ad space and donating to our silent auction too!

It’s with friends like you that we can continue sharing our passion and our message year after year.
Thank you for all of your support and we hope to see you at the show!

Breaking Bounds – June 24-26 at 7 Stages Theater in Little 5 Points.
Tickets available NOW!

Filed Under: 7 Stages Theater, Atlanta Performing Arts, Blog, Breaking Bounds, Sideways Contemporary Dance Company
 

Welcome to the SIDEWAYS blog!

April 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In designing the presentation of SIDEWAYS 5th repertory concert, I was compelled to look back on where the company has been, the social issues we’ve addressed through our work, and what stood out to our audience members. It seemed that throughout our four previous seasons, there was always a piece or two that really stirred our audience. I’m not talking about a small heartfelt feeling; rather, I am talking about stirring a serious opinion or debate about a topic. One piece might earn a commendation from one audience member, while another audience member finds the piece unnecessary and shocking.
These pieces are what makes SIDEWAYS a memorable company that challenges perspectives and opens up conversations. With that idea in mind, our 5th season concert was born.
In this blog, we’ll be discussing the inspiration behind our concerts, why these topics are important to me, and the meaning behind some of our pieces as we prepare for our presentation of Breaking Bounds, June 24-26 at 7 Stages Theater.
I hope you’ll enjoy the journey with us!
Charlotte
Founder/Artistic Director
Filed Under: 7 Stages Theater, Atlanta Performing Arts, Breaking Bounds, Directors Notes, Sideways Contemporary Dance Company