Winter Fantasia Reimagined

A Joyful Multicultural Celebration + Holiday Dazzle
Kanopy Dance Lights up the Stage with a Multicultural Holiday Celebration:
Winter Fantasia: Reimagined
Told through the Magic of Dance
Forty Magnetic Dancers in Stunning Costumes & Authentically Crafted Jewelry
December 5-8, 2024, at the Overture Center for the Arts
Tickets Overture.org (608) 258-4141

Madison, WI, October 31, 2024… Kanopy lights up the stage for the holidays with Winter Fantasia: Reimagined, a multi-cultural celebration showcasing a mosaic of cultural traditions told though the magic of dance, opening December 5-8, 2024, at the Overture Center for the Arts. Join Kanopy for an imaginary journey into the enchanting lives of Scandinavian mythological creatures; experience a “garba” folk dance, “Chalo Ramiye” –a festive ode to the revered Hindu Festival “Navratri’— and find joy in “Winter in the City”, choreographed to Leonard Bernstein’s landmark score for “On the Town”.

South Asian guest artist, Udbhav Desai, returns for this production of Winter Fantasia: Reimagined performing in and directing Kanopy dancers in his “Chalo Ramiye”, (a world premiere first commissioned by Kanopy).
Chalo Ramiye” (or “let’s play in Gujarati”), is a “garba” folk dance, and is performed in reverence of the Hindu goddess “Durga”, a protector of all that is good and harmonious in the world. The dance is an uplifting and joyful community celebration that helps us connect to each other.

Passed down through generations, “garba” shares many parallels with modern dance and ballet techniques. “Chalo Ramiye” will be a visual feast– with highly expressive dance and enchanting traditional costumes and jewelry crafted in a genuine Gujarati style. Dancing the “Chalo Ramiye” choreography demands a spirited bounce in the movement, nuanced head and hand gestures, grounded weighted movement, and a special bond among the performers. Garba is rarely, if ever, performed on a big stage in the United States- outside of cultural celebrations.

(Costumes and jewelry worn by dancers portraying female roles in “Chahlo Ramiye” come from a collection curated by the late Bijalben Patel, a lifelong Garba choreographer and dancer. They were donated to Kanopy Dance in loving memory by the guest artist’s mother, Raxitaben Desai)

Also part of the Winter Fantasia: Reimagined program are two cherished audience favorites– winter stories that are deeply rooted in Scandinavian folklore: “The Norse Tree of Life” and “Once Upon a Winter’s Eve”, choreographed by Kanopy’s co-artistic director, Lisa Thurrell (Thurrell). Thurrell’s choreography was inspired by childhood memories of her imaginary journeys into the lives of the mythological tomten -a mischievous but protective spirit in Scandinavian folklore- and by the shimmering fairies who appear during the winter solstice.

Noted New York City costume designer, David Quinn (Quinn), created the wardrobe of elaborate costumes for “Once Upon a Winter’s Eve”. Quinn, who designed many of the fabrics himself, was inspired by images of folk wear and medieval clothing as well as by the designers Alexander McQueen, Rei Kawakubo, and Guo Pei in ornately weaving and detailing his creative collection of gender-fluid costumes for Kanopy’s dancers.

And, a joyful Kanopy holiday favorite, Winter in the City- –inspired by American composer Leonard Bernstein’s landmark score from the sassy musical, “On the Town”, returns to the festive program lineup. Winter in the City is a delightful twist on that iconic tale—with a starry-eyed innocent small- town actor, dancer, or dreamer at center stage– trying to make it in the “Big City”—that is all wrapped up in frosty mystique. Kanopy’s co –artistic directors, Lisa Thurrell and Robert Cleary, created the original choreography for the three dances episodes featured in Winter in the City including “Times Square, 1944”, “The Great Lover” and “Lonely Town”. Expect nostalgia, joy and some great dance moves charged by fancy footwork.

Winter Fantasia: Reimagined
December 5-8, 2024,
Overture Center for the Arts Overture.org (608) 258-4141
12/5, Thursday, 7PM;12/6, Friday, 7:30 PM; 12/7, Saturday 3 & 7:30PM.
12/8, Sunday, 1& 4PM
Tickets (reserved seating): $40; Groups: 4 or more $35; Ages 18 & under and Students: $20