Taking a Stand

 FRI, 3/11

Most of us dance to get to know someone a little better or maybe to burn a few calories. But the Speaking of Dance troupe has another goal: peace on earth. Working for Peace, the company's newest work, will be performed this weekend by SOD members and participants from its neighborhood-workshop program, Building Community Through Dance. "This is a heartfelt dance ensemble with a strong message," says artistic director Deborah Reshotko. "It's a very unusual program that looks at how dynamic peace is and how we can achieve it."

Working for Peace is an intergenerational performance that includes 56 dancers who range in age from seven to 75. The members of Building Community Through Dance choreographed each piece; musical accompaniment will be provided by two local composers playing original works designed for the dance ensemble.

"Everything that Building Community Through Dance does on stage is about the different steps people must take to achieve peace," says Reshotko. "Some are positive ones, and others are negative." For example, "Monster Dance" is a work about the anger and pain that humans experience during conflict.

"Even if we don't achieve peace," adds Reshotko, "the performance is a great way to see your neighbors in this family-friendly environment."

The free shows take place at the Temple Events Center, 1595 Pearl Street, tonight at 7 p.m. and tomorrow at 2 p.m. For details, call 303-722-0902 or visit www.speakingofdance.org. -- Richard Kellerhals

Sing Out
Choruses come together with an anthem to freedom.
SAT, 3/12

"The more voices you have, the easier it is to be heard. And that's how I feel about the First Amendment," states Sue Coffee, director of both the Denver Gay Men's Chorus and the Women's Chorus of Boulder. It's one of the reasons Coffee has chosen to take on the daunting task of organizing so many singers for 200 Voices Together. The two choruses, each with about a hundred members, will come together tonight to interpret a variety of musical pieces, including some that have been either censored or banned. "It just feels powerful having that many voices together at once."

The performers will use a technique called overtone singing. "It's a held drone with serial melodies on top of it. You have to hear it," Coffee laughs, adding, "It just blows the audience away." Aside from that effect, she emphasizes "the opportunity for all of us, the singers and the audience, to revel in the beauty of the collective energy of all these voices."

The concert begins at 8 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 1421 Spruce Street in Boulder. Tickets are $15. (It will be performed in Denver on Saturday, March 19, at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, 1980 Dahlia Street, and will cost $20). For tickets, call 303-893-4100 or log on to www.dgmc.org. -- Jerri Theil