Momentum preview:

It may look sinister, but Danse Macabre is all about joy

Delightfully dark and unexpectedly joyous, Danse Macabre – a new work by AMB founder and artistic director Erika Overturff – takes the elegance and glamour of classical ballet in an unconventional direction.

“Its premise,” she said, “is that once a year, the dead get to reunite and have the night of their lives.”

Set to Camille Saint-Saëns’ orchestral tone poem “Danse macabre, Op. 40”, first composed in 1872, the new work has been lurking in the back of Erika’s mind since AMB’s very first season.

“Other things came up, but it’s always been on my to-do list somewhere,” she said. “This season we were talking about what programming we were going to do, and [costume designer] Deborah Overturff said, ‘Why don’t you do your Danse Macabre?’

“It’s a fabulous piece of music, and I had a context in mind as to what the ballet would be about. I’m excited we’re doing it.”

Dazzling blends with dark to create just the right look

Erika wanted her new work’s style to blend dazzling classical ballet choreography — replete with daring lifts, thrilling leaps and turns, and sparkling pointe work — with a dark, luxurious elegance in its costuming. “We wanted the dancers to look very beautiful, like they’re going to a ball or a big celebration,” she said. “But yet, it’s almost like they’re a little bit translucent — you can see the hint of the skeleton.

“In a way I was thinking of it like one of those old-fashioned paintings where, when you look at them from one angle, you see a beautiful portrait, and then from another angle it’s a little more ghostly.

“It looks eerie, but it’s joyful. Really, it’s about joie de vie, the joy of life — being together with people in the best times, and living life to the fullest.”

Part of our bold menu of brilliant dance…

The premiere of Danse Macabre is a highlight of our Momentum program, a must-see selection of ballets that showcase the versatility of dance as an art form. There will be two performances only, so get your tickets now:

Saturday, October 17, 7:30 pm & Sunday, October 18, 2 pm
Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center, 1001 S 6th Street, Council Bluffs