The Provocative 1980s

The 1980s: super stars and one hit wonders, hair metal, the first Goths, The King of Pop, Flashdance, professional women, New Wave, high hair dos, bright colors, Reagan Conservativism, and the backlash against it.  A time of innocence, naivete and the extreme opposites.  A time when people believed in the magic behind high top sneakers that you could pump up, Mohawks, gummy worms and pop rocks, jelly shoes, slap bracelets, hyper-color t shirts, magical aerosol hair spray and banana clips.  A time of great materialism, superficiality, but also of joy and fun.  Everything was expressed in a BIG way.  The consequences of 20th century lifestyles were starting to be recognized, the need for safe sex, the danger of drugs, the problems with so much plastic, the fact that everyone was not in the "IN" crowd! Every song was a love song though, every romance was dramatic, every color was neon or iridescent, every piece of clothing impractical and big.  Fashion took precedence over function!  Things were done for the fun of them. Wealth was guarded, outside of its influence was the influence of great art.

This Fairfield Dance Gala is about the 1980s and Fairfield Dance Artists.  "Provocativeness", in many definitions of the word, came up as a theme at this time in Fairfield when choreographers started working inspired by the 80s.  Provocative means sexy, but it also means: mysterious, challenging, disturbing, exciting, heady, inciting, influential, inspirational, outrageous, spurring, stimulating, interesting, enchanting, alluring, intriguing, inviting.  These adjectives describe our material in this Gala.  This is what Fairfield needs right now! Watching dance can be joyful and also a challenge to us to be present in our mind, body, heart and soul.

If you have any love for Prince, The Talking Heads, David Bowie, The Pixies, Cyndi Lauper, INXS, Paul Simon, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, The Cure, Michael Jackson, Def Leppard, Queen, Depeche Mode, Paula Abdul, or Madonna, be at "The Provocative 1980s: A Fairfield Dance Gala".  If you like the works of  Hilary Jordan, Wendy Stegall, Carol Morehead, Rachael Wendell, Paul Stokstad, Jared Brown, Gerilyn Paguia, Regine Constant, Selena Maegram you should be at the "Provocative 1980s: A Fairfield Dance Gala".  If you want to see what new choreographers have come into town, you should be at "The Provocative 1980s: A Fairfield Dance Gala".  See the works of Alexandra Warwick, Dajana Seefluth, Gina Roethle, Jennymay Jaquette.  The list of dancers in this show includes but is not limited to Clouds, Tom O'Neill, Meret Giacomini, Brian Faulkner, Christine Goodale, David Fausteneau, Sankari Wegman, Dell Hipp, Olaya Veras, Marandah Franke, Megan Robinson, Hallei Halter, Alaris Todar, Beatrix Runyan, Ife Aziz, Beth Alonso, Shoan Dieter, Briggs Shore, Anna Bruen, Sara Langthorne, Eric Daniel Hannes, Eli Torres, Alexandra Joy, Hallei Halter, Elaine Pomfrey, Lilli Wells, Taniya Handapangoda, Laxmi Mason, plus most of the list of choreographers above.  If you know these dancers or have seen them dance before you should be at "The Provocative 1980s: A Fairfield Dance Gala".

The show runs twice at 8pm on Friday and Saturday nights Sept 30 and October 1 at the Sondheim Center. Admission is $10.00 at the door; $8.00 with a Student ID Card. DVDs for the "Fairfield Local Music Dance Gala" as well as Passion Dance Studio T Shirts will be for sale with concessions at intermission.  Sept 30 is 80s Day in Fairfield! Surgery will be playing both their own music and 80s covers before the Dance Gala. Wear 80s clothes to the show and get drink coupons for the Red Rock at Ed Murphy's 80s Dance Party at 10pm after the show!
 
The week after the show is also a special campaign at Passion Dance Studio: 7 days for 7 dollars. If you have not yet taken a class there, you can take as many classes as you want during that first week of October for 7 dollars. 

You will not regret coming to this show, but you will surely regret missing it! So mark your calendars, and find your 80s clothes!