On Their Toes Local Ballet Troupe Performs ‘Giselle, Act Ii,’ World Premiere Of ‘Pop Psychology’

Sometimes the gems can be found in the more modest performance events. That could well be the case with the dances Theatre Ballet of Spokane will stage this weekend at The Met.

The non-professional ballet troupe will give the world premiere of a new dance by Jeff Amsden named “Pop Psychology.” And the company of young dancers will be joined by veterans Soili Arvola and Leo Ahonen, who will dance the lead roles in “Giselle, Act II.”

Amsden grew up in Spokane and trained under Theatre Ballet codirector Margaret Goodner. After dancing with Joffrey Ballet in New York for several years and stints in Rome and Los Angeles where he appeared in television productions, Amsden returned to Spokane to teach at Goodner’s school, Ballet Arts Academy. And he bought a horse ranch north of Spokane - he named it Dancin’ Bear Ranch - with money he made dancing as a bear in Teddy Grahams cookie commercials.

While Amsden still travels extensively to dance as a guest artist with numerous troupes, he’s turning his efforts toward directing and choreography. “Pop Psychology” will be the third piece he’s choreographed for Theatre Ballet.

The five movements, set to pop music by k.d. Lang, K.T. Oslin and Alanis Morissette, explore “our culture’s youthful worship of beautiful people,” says Amsden. “Young people have no role models, only MTV and fashion models. The movements speak to anorexia, obsession with youth, co-dependency and non-commitment.”

The choreography focuses on jazz and modern dance technique.

In contrast, the second half of Theatre Ballet’s program will feature the quintessential classical ballet technique and costumes of “Giselle, Act II.” The ballet is the signature piece of guests Arvola and Ahonen, who were raised and danced extensively in Finland. They now live in Texas but still perform as guest artists internationally.

While Theatre Ballet dancers could perform the demanding roles of the principals in “Giselle,” Goodner says it’s beneficial for both the young dancers and for the audience to have access to worldclass dancers such as Arvola and Ahonen.

The performance has a single intermission and will last about 1-1/2 hours.

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MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Ballet Theatre Ballet of Spokane will perform Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at The Met. Tickets: $15, $12 students/seniors.