By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Dance Arts Center is getting ready to bring Wonderland to the stage in St. Joseph.
The Dance Arts Center Performing Company is taking audiences into the mystical world of Alice in Wonderland in January.
Director Marla Heeler says the company started around 2016, first performing The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Just last year they took on a bigger hit, bringing The Nutcracker to the Missouri Theatre for the first time in a long time.
Heeler says the company will often choose the performance before it knows how many performers it will have.
"So, it's a little bit of a gamble I guess, my production team and I just kind of brainstorm some different ideas that we'd like to do and then figure out what we think we can actually make happen, what resources we have," Heeler tells KFEQ/St. joseph Post.
Heeler says the company gives students pre professional experience in putting on a full-scale production, from creating costumes, to prop design, to creating their characters.
"So, it kind of just gives them a whole different perspective of a full show performance of telling a story through dance and not just a dance recital or a dance competition, and so they really have to bring their characters to life more," Heeler explains. "We have kids who they love that more than they love even competing and things like that."
The company will put on a performance of Alice in Wonderland in January. This Saturday, the Dance Arts Center will host its fifth annual Coffee Crawl to raise money for the performance.
Heeler says the event helps raise money for the dance studio, but it's also a way for them to collaborate with downtown businesses.
"Which we love, and they really enjoy it too," Heeler says. "And we've had great weather, the last two years we've had great weather, the very first year was actually the worst it rained, and it was cold."
Heeler says they also hand out a themed mug during the event to participants. Heeler says it’s really a wonderful collaboration.
"With our dancers there and all the shops as well in their character costumes for the show and it kind of helps promote our show, promote downtown businesses, it's just like a win-win for us and for St. Joe," Heeler points out.
16 downtown businesses will give out Alice in Wonderland themed drinks during the event on Saturday. You can find more information at thedanceartscenter.com
