Ballet company offers ‘2005: Space Oddity’

Theatre Ballet of Spokane will celebrate Halloween with its second annual “Halloween Extravaganza” on Saturday at The Met.

“2005: A Space Oddity” features new choreography by Sara Donally, Pam Erickson, Peggy Goodner Tan and artistic director Dodie Askegard.

The program combines monsters of ballet with an outer-space theme in a variety of classical and contemporary styles. In “La Trouble Fete,” dancers clad in skeleton costumes and using abrupt, angular movements explore outer space. “Orbits” features the movements of the planets and their moons with other cosmic objects, while “Wizardry” highlights the junior company as witches and wizards.

A short dance from “Swan Lake” will feature the classic style in Askegard’s staging of “Four Swans.” By contrast, “Fractals” sports a contemporary style based entirely on transformational shapes and forms that dissolve, then unexpectedly reappear as three dancers move to the dissonance of Bartok. The shapes – now strong, now soft – reflect the musical score. A stage full of ballet monsters with accompaniment from Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain” will close the show.

Proceeds from the performance will help pay for the company’s study tour to New York City in 2007.

“On this tour, the students in the company will be introduced to the world of professional ballet and exposed to many of the cultural activities that the city has to offer,” Askegard says.

“Actually, the purpose of the tour is threefold: Students will watch professional ballet and musical performances, observe professional Broadway and ballet dancers take classes and, most importantly, participate in classes taught by some of the finest teachers in America.”

The tour costs about $1,000 per dancer. When the company went to New York earlier this year, dancers paid half of their own way, but Askegard’s goal is to raise enough money to make the experience available to all company dancers at little or no cost.

“We’re offering audience members a way to support the development of these young artists and have a Halloween party at the same time,” she says.

Those who would like to contribute more may call Theatre Ballet at 838-5707. A limited number of $40 tickets that include the performance and a post-show celebration are available.