Loop in Motion Performance Schedule

Saturday, October 3
1:00 to 9:30 p.m.

1:00 p.m. Arts In Motion
1:30 p.m. Pazazz - St. Louis Academy of Dance
2:15 p.m. Hui Hula 'O Punahele Hula Halau
2:45 p.m. Ashleyliane Dance Company
3:45 p.m. Motion Express - Dance Force
4:15 p.m. Midwest Dance Theater
4:30 p.m. Clarkson School of Irish Dance
5:15 p.m. Aalim Belly Dance
5:45 p.m. Midwest Dance Theater
6:00 p.m. Desert Moon Dance
6:30 p.m. Shaolin Lohan Pai Lion Dance Troupe with Special Guest:
                    Nine Dragon Dance Academy Lion Dance Troupe
7:15 p.m. Murder City Players   (reggae, SKA & more!)

At Arts In Motion we believe in the fine art of dance innovation, and we've also been known to say, "Dance like you feel it! Jump for joy"! At Arts In Motion you can expect a fun environment with a fine arts based, age appropriate philosophy. The program is directed by Alicia Jonas, a degreed professional dancer.

Arts In Motion offers an excellent ensemble program called AIMDance! AIMDance is a special group of talented and committed dancers who want to make dance a priority and perform throughout the city of St. Louis. Arts In Motion also boasts strong programs focused on early childhood and school-aged kids. Intelligent and potent instruction, fun movement activities, and socialization are all a part of a balanced approach to dance as an extracurricular activity.

A premiere Saint Louis Dance Studio, St. Louis Academy of Dance has been providing dance instruction in Creve Coeur/Olivette for nearly 30 years. Located in the heart of Olivette, we offer a wide variety of classes from ballet and tap to jazz and modern. Our class schedule can accommodate the beginner, the advanced and all dancers in between. We have classes for the young and the young-at-heart!.

Hui Hula 'O Punahele Hula Halau

Hui Hula 'O Punahele Hula Halau, is St. Louis' only Hula and Polynesian (halau) dance school. There are various Polynesian dance groups in the St. Louis area, but only one halau that teaches the cultures of Polynesia, including language, dance and drumming,more importantly, our haumana, or students are taught the foundation to all of the Polynesian cultures. Dori Neumeier teaches at St. Louis Community and St. Charles Community Colleges year round. Check out our website for further details regarding schedules.

Our professional dancers have the opportunity bi-annually, to study with the world's finest Tahitian dance company, Nonosina Polynesia, Inc. and the prestigious Kumu Hula Keali'i Ceballos of Hula Halau Keali'i O Nalani, of Merrie Monarch (the Olympics of Hula) notoriety.

Ashleyliane Dance Company (ADC) is a professional performance organization under the artistic direction of Ashley L. Tate, who also serves as the head choreographer. ADC specializes in blending modern, jazz, and contemporary training with urban street dance. The Company offers outreach activities that include choreography, performances, master class instruction, workshops, and private lessons. The ADC Senior Company currently has 14 dancers on its roster. These dancers range from nurses to computer programmers, to dance majors and everything in between. ADC dancers are natives of Missouri and Illinois who are all college graduates or currently pursuing their degree in higher education.

During the 2007-2008 inaugural season, the Senior Company dancers performed at National Dance Week at Union Station, Creve Coeur Days on the Monsanto Campus in West County, Fair Saint Louis, and Loop in Motion. ADC opened the First Night celebration at Grand Center for New Years Eve and conducted the hip hop workshop with 100.3 The Beat at the Charter Communications Smart Living Expo at America's Center. The Company had the pleasure of being invited to appear on "Best of the STL" on STL TV (formerly City TV) and held their first Showcase at COCA in April of 2008. ADC has begun its second season, already performing at National Dance Week, Creve Coeur Days, Fair Saint Louis, and Parties at the Plaza in Westport. Ashleyliane Dance Company also began a program called Saturday Session, where students study lyrical-jazz, technique/ballet principles, traditional jazz, and hip hop with ADC Senior Company dancers.

Motion Express - Dance Force is a youth oriented company providing serious students of dance an opportunity to develop and foster a love for artistic expression through movement.

Company members will also have a chance to hone their performing skills as well as learn the meaning of cooperation and responsibility as they interact with their fellow company members and choreographers to bring to the stage well rehearsed and entertaining dance and acrobatic numbers.

Midwest Dance Theater is the official company of Patzius Performing Arts. Andrea Patzius who currently serves as director originally founded Midwest Dance Theater in 1983 so young dancers could develop their talents and gain professional performing experience. Her daughter, Donna Patzius-Hill, who went on to perform with Ballet West, Atlanta Ballet, BalletMet and Milwaukee Ballet now serves as artistic director. The company now excels in both classical and contemporary ballet.

Each of our senior members has the opportunity to compete at the Youth America Grand Prix ballet competition. They are professionally coached in one to three variations by the Artistic Director of MDT (Donna Patzius-Hill), and then the outstanding world-renowned staff of YAGP adjudicates their performance. This enables each member to obtain experience in solo work which allows them to reach a higher standard in their personal goals.

Many of our current company members have received scholarships to some very prestigious summer intensives including American Ballet Theater (national ABT scholar), Ballet West, Harid, Atlanta Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Houston Ballet, BalletMet and Ballet Chicago.

The Clarkson School maintains a very impressive record in competition. We are very proud of the fact that Clarkson dancers consistently do well at all levels of Irish Dance competition: local, regional, national, and international. In an Oireachtas (Midwest Championship World qualifier) in 2001 we had:

• Eight dancers place in top ten places in their age group.
• Eleven dancers qualify for North American Championships
• Seven dancers qualify for All Ireland Championships of which one became an All Ireland medal winner
• Five dancers qualify for the World Championships in Ireland with one going on to win a World's medal in 2002 !

• 7 World Champion Medals
• 3 All Ireland Medals.

Aalim Belly Dance

Aalim Belly Dance of St. Louis, MO is proud to perform the beautiful and ancient Art of Middle Eastern Dance since 1987, representing various cultures from the Middle East, Central Europe and North Africa, from Lebanon to Greece to Morocco and more.The performing company and Aalim's Arabian Silk perform throughout the St. Louis region and across the U.S.

In addition to performances, Aalim also teaches the ancient art form: traditional to modern with classes at various location including our studio in Olivette, COCA, Florissant Valley and Meramec CC, Webster U., The Center of Clayton and other off site facilities.

Aalim’s Artistic Director, Lois Salwa Marshall, through her studio and Aalim’s performing company’s are proud to bring the ancient art of Middle Eastern Dance to you, helping you to learn about one of the Oldest forms of dance and music, belly dance.

Midwest Dance Theater is the official company of Patzius Performing Arts. Andrea Patzius who currently serves as director originally founded Midwest Dance Theater in 1983 so young dancers could develop their talents and gain professional performing experience. Her daughter, Donna Patzius-Hill, who went on to perform with Ballet West, Atlanta Ballet, BalletMet and Milwaukee Ballet now serves as artistic director. The company now excels in both classical and contemporary ballet.

Each of our senior members has the opportunity to compete at the Youth America Grand Prix ballet competition. They are professionally coached in one to three variations by the Artistic Director of MDT (Donna Patzius-Hill), and then the outstanding world-renowned staff of YAGP adjudicates their performance. This enables each member to obtain experience in solo work which allows them to reach a higher standard in their personal goals.

Many of our current company members have received scholarships to some very prestigious summer intensives including American Ballet Theater (national ABT scholar), Ballet West, Harid, Atlanta Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Houston Ballet, BalletMet and Ballet Chicago.

Desert Moon Dance

The Desert Moon Dance Academy teaches and performs a variety of Middle Eastern dances encompassing ethnic, folkloric and belly dance styles. This Missouri based dance company has been in existence for more than a decade. Their mission is to provide professional dance instruction in a friendly and warm atmosphere, to present Middle Eastern dance performances encompassing ethnic, folkloric and belly dance styles in a manner intended to enhance the public recognition and image of these artistic and beautiful dance forms, and to promote cultural understanding, peace and friendship through dance.

Shaolin Lohan Pai Lion Dance Troupe
(with special guest Nine Dragon Academy)

Thousands of years old! The lion dance is an important tradition in China and abroad. Usually the dance is part of festivities like Chinese New Year, the openings of restaurants and weddings. If well-performed, the lion dance is believed to bring luck and happiness. Lion Dance is considered a mandatory part of classical or traditional Kung Fu. Those who practice Kung Fu are usually very good at the dance because the lion dance utilizes the footwork, body movements, balance, and agility that is required in Kung Fu.

The Shaolin Lohan Pai Lion Dance Troupe has evolved throughout the past twenty-seven years and is considered to be the most experienced, respected and sought-after demonstration team within the state of Missouri. The team was formally known as the HuangSe' GeBei Xi'Tong's - Lion Dance and Demonstration Team (1997-2004 A.D.). Prior to that, it was know as the Lohan Gung Fu Demo Team (1994-1997 A.D.) and before that, it was simply known as the Lo'Han Group (1979-1994 A.D.).

As a 'Northern Kung Fu School', they specialize in the Northern Lions. They have the strength and leg speed that is necessary for 'bold' lion dances. Due to this fact, their Southern Lion Dances are powerful, acrobatic and extremely pleasurable to watch. Since the system tends to do a great deal of reaching with normal techniques, they are more capable to reach-out further with the lions. They are also the only Troupe, in the area, capable of performing the fantastic Dragon Dance properly. It is without question that the Shaolin Lohan Pai Lion Dance Troupe is the most diverse, exciting and professional Lion Dance Troupe in Missouri!

Their teams have served countless respectable organizations with their duty, tradition, skill, professionalism, punctuality and honor. Some of the Organizations that they have served, and continue to serve are the City and County of Honolulu, the City of Springfield, Missouri, the Springfield Taiwanese Women's Association, the UMR Students & Scholars Association, the City of Saint Louis, the St. Louis City Museum, the St. Louis Children's Aquarium, the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Kansas City, Harrah's Casino - St. Louis, Ameristar Casino - St. Charles, the City of Maryland Heights, the Asian American Business Association, the Worldways Children's Museum and many more. They also serve as the only demonstration team for both Oriental Martial Arts Society (OMAS), Inc. within the Continental United States and the Midwest Martial Arts Council. The Shaolin Lohan Pai Lion Dance Troupe has been recognized as one of the "TOP 10 Dragon & Lion Dance Teams in the U.S.A." !

The Nine Dragon Academy Lion Dance Troupe (Jiu Long Pai Wu Shi Ban) is St. Louis' premiere lion dance troupe providing traditional and freestyle lion dances for the Greater St. Louis area. This professional team has many years of experience in a variety of routines with Northern Lions, Southern Lions and Dragon Dances. Performances include blessings, weddings, traditional dances, and freestyle exhibitions as well as Kung Fu demonstrations. These exciting performances are colorful and high energy and bring good luck and prosperity while entertaining.

Every member of the Nine Dragon Academy Lion Dance Troupe practices diligently to offer the best and most energetic performances in St. Louis. We believe that the Lions embody the spirit of a Kung Fu school and that a strong Lion Dance conveys the heart and passion that the players have for training Kung Fu. The two players in the lion must work together to bring the spirit of the lion to life. The stronger and more pleasing a dance is the more prosperity and blessings the lion can bring.

Many of the tricks and choreography are very challenging requiring strength, speed, stamina and precise timing. Acquiring these necessary skills takes a lot of hard work and dedication. These skills naturally develop in those who seriously practice Kung Fu. The members of the Nine Dragon Academy endeavor to constantly improve their skills in Kung Fu ensuring that every performance exceeds the expectations of all in attendance.

Murder City Players

Since their formation in 1983, the Murder City Players have built a rock-solid reputation in the mid-west as one of the premier American reggae bands. This ten-piece unit, complete with horn section, has been laying down full-force reggae riddims for over ten years. Based in St. Louis, the group is fronted by vocalists Mark Condelliere, a St. Louis native and 'Prince Phillip' McKenzie, native of Montego Bay, Jamaica. The chemistry between Mark and Phillip has been key to the enduring popularity MCP has enjoyed.

This talented and versatile band can easily slip from a ska medley to a dance-hall groove with DJ-style toasting, into a Studio One medley, then cap it off with a set of their own well-crafted originals. Over years of performing, the group has continued to push the limits of their craft. Backing great Jamaican artists in concert like The Itals, The Ethiopian and Daddy U-Roy, the group has learned from some of the best.

The recent couple of years MCP has cultivated a new entity titled the STL Reggae All-Stars, which features guest vocalists from various local reggae bands and soloists as well. It has become more the norm for many of these talented artists to make appearances at many of the shows.

The group's first album, "Enter the Musical Arena," was released several years ago on their own Burning Bush label. That album, which yielded the tune "Bitta Bye," was among those selected for "Reggae USA" -- The Best of US Reggae, by Reggae Report Magazine.

"Power Struggle" is the new album by Murder City Players, produced by the group, with Kingston-based engineer Mervin Williams. The album features thirteen titles which capture the band performing a range of styles from ska to roots reggae to soul and even dance-hall styles, with dj-toasting from Prince Phillip. Engineer and co-producer Mervin Williams brings an authentic sound to the recording, drawing on his experience at Aquarius Studios, where he recorded great artists like Burning Spear, The Itals, Bunny Wailer, Jimmy Cliff, Justin Hinds and others.

Parking is available on municipal lots, in the garage across from the Tivoli Theatre, and on Delmar and the side streets.

Last Update: October 2, 2009