Nashville Jazz, St. Louis Musicians, Choreographers and Poetry Collide

Missouri Ballet Theatre Presents 

Concepts II: Feel The Vibe

Poetry in Motion

On Friday and Saturday, March 9th and 10th, 2012, at 7:30 pm the Edison Theatre will vibrate with the sights and sounds of a unique collaboration of Midwestern talents when Missouri Ballet Theatre presents

Concepts II: Feel The Vibe-Poetry in Motion. 

Missouri Ballet Theatre dancers will share the stage with Nashville singer, songwriter and recording artist Benita Hill and her band and St. Louis-based musician/composer Jon Garrett,  as well as presenting a stunning visual dance interpretation of poetry and classical and contemporary music. 

Missouri Ballet Theatre is excited to welcome Nashville singer Benita Hill, who will blend her trademark sultry and sensitive vocals with MBT’s talented dancers and innovative choreography. Benita’s standard-sounding original songs have crossed so many boundaries that even Garth Brooks is a fan and was moved to record three of her compositions. A former background vocalist for the Allman Brothers, her songs have been covered by artists in multiple genres-the legendary Isaac Hayes, gospel jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum, country songbird Crystal Gayle and many more. Band member Mark Douthit has recorded with such heavy hitters as Elton John, Amy Grant, Billy Joel, Vanessa Williams, Garth Brooks, Michael W. Smith, Toby Keith, Hank Williams Jr., Whitney Houston, Billy Ray Cyrus, Michael McDonald, Neville Brothers…the list goes on and on. Band member Kevin Madill has played on over 5000 recordings and 2000 live shows for artists like Tony Bennett, Leon Russell, Smokey Robinson, Bruce Hornsby. http://www.benitahill.com/

This is the second year that Missouri Ballet Theatre has collaborated with St. Louis musician/composer/singer Jon Garrett. Audiences at the world premiere of Concepts in 2011 thrilled to the soaring strands of Jon’s rich voice translated into visually dynamic and exciting modern ballet by MBT’s dancers. This year promises to bring more of this exhilarating convergence of St. Louis talents to Concepts II audiences.  The poetry of J.D. Drilon Jr. is the inspiration for a unique multimedia piece blending an original musical composition by Jon Garrett, spoken word, the flowing artistry of the MBT dancers choreographed by dancer Katie Howland and visual projections that will bring the poems to life. http://jongarrettmusic.com/

MBT’s Ballet Master/Resident Choreographer Robert Philander’s piece “LAPse Dance” was originally choreographed for Nashville Ballet and premiered in Nashville at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center with original music by Nashville composer Stan Link. Philander has restaged this work for MBT,  who will be performing this intricate and highly energetic fusion of classical and contemporary movement for the first time.

To round out the performance, three classical pieces by Beethoven, Vivaldi and Delibes and choreographed by MBT’s Artistic Director Adam Sage will be sprinkled in to bring out the full flavor of this diverse mixture of dance and music-a fusion of ingredients sure to leave one “feeling the vibe.”