Many of the South Sound’s best theater and visual arts critics write for OLY ARTS. We asked six of them to highlight some of their favorite visual and performance art shows from 2024, and we congratulate and celebrate the Olympia and Tacoma-area artists selected. Due to the limitation we put on the critics of no more than two or three shows, we are aware of and acknowledge that many great shows and artists were not picked. We are lucky to live in such a vibrant creative community.
At Evergreen City Ballet, currently based in Renton, Artistic Director Maximiliano Guerra has plans to embrace an enhanced learning philosophy. During the school’s 2024-2025 season, Guerra and the team are establishing a unique curriculum that includes the study of broader topics, with art, history, and classical music to complement instruction in ballet. In December they will be performing Wade Walthall’s The Nutcracker.
MOSAIC: Tacoma’s Arts and Culture Festival at Tacoma’s Wright Park on July 27 and 28 is a weekend of multicultural music, dance, art, crafts, and cuisine, with an evening movie in the park and a Kids Zone and sprayground. The festival will see a visit from the Mobile Teaching Kitchen, which will provide a preview of culinary courses available through Metro Parks Tacoma.
By Lynette Charters Serembe This is on page 10-11 of OLY ARTS Summer 2024 print edition. Olympia Harbor Day started in 1973, showcasing the vintage tugboats of the Puget Sound at Percival Landing in Olympia. It was a casual gathering hosted by the nonprofit South Sound Maritime Heritage Association, which organizes the event to this …
Both the Studio West Dance Theatre production, opening Nov. 24, and the Ballet Northwest version, opening Dec. 8, are beloved traditions. Studio West first performed the ballet in 2009, and the venerable Ballet Northwest premiered its version in 1983. “There’s always a buzz around The Nutcracker,” said Stephanie Wood-Ennett, the co-director of Studio West. “So many people feel that their holiday is not complete without it.”
“Another thing I think is different and nice about this event is that it’s not just visual artists,” Daniel Garcia continues. “In some cases, we have literary artists, we have poets, we have dancers, so we’re really trying to find that whole realm of artistry and bring it through to Arts at the Armory.”
Visions of Sugarplum Fairies will be dancing across the stage of The Washington Center for the Performing Arts beginning Friday, Nov. 25, when Studio West Dance Theatre’s “Nutcracker” opens. Ballet Northwest’s “Nutcracker” begins Friday, Dec. 9.
By Molly Gilmore The Washington Center for the Performing Arts’ 2022-2023 season marks both a return to pre-pandemic norms — it’s the first full season with subscription plans since theaters closed in March 2020 — and a fresh start. When the season launches Nov. 4 with “Stunt Dog Experience,” the center will have a new …
Valerie Veils, the self-billed “Heroine of the Hoochi Coo,” has dazzled audiences up and down the Pacific Coast. Now she’s extended her talents to produce the first-ever Pacific Northwest Burlesque Festival, a two-day, ecdysiastic extravaganza that’ll twirl its tassels at the Capitol Theater the first full weekend in May.
This year marks The Nutcracker’s jubilant return to The Washington Center, with Josie and Ken Johnson at the helm. Guest artist Lucas Horns will dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Cavalier alongside a cast of over 150.
By Molly Gilmore Update Nov. 24: “The Nutcracker” dates, times and locations have changed since the original release of this story. Updated information is below the article. Despite COVID-19, Ballet Northwest’s “Nutcracker,” a South Sound holiday tradition for 35 years, is on for the holidays, but the company’s 2020 edition of the Tchaikovsky classic — …
By Jerica Pender The Koresh Dance Company, an internationally renowned dance troupe, will dance its way into Olympia at the end of March. In a multi-day experience and learning opportunity is made possible by a $10,000 Challenge America grant recently awarded to the Washington Center for the Performing Arts from the National Endowment for the …
By CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL For all the influence they had on popular music genres, aside from success they’ve enjoyed on their own, the Fab Four were only together eight years. Alexander the Great ruled the Macedonian empire from 336 BC till his death a mere eight years later. The Qin dynasty that reunified China lasted a …
An exclusive photo gallery by MOLLY WALSH for OLY ARTS. WHAT Ballet Northwest’s The Nutcracker WHERE The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia WHEN 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Dec. 13 and 14, 20 and 21; 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 14, 15, 21 and 22 HOW MUCH $14-$35 …
By MOLLY WASH Out of the wings and onto center stage, Ballet Northwest will present its 35th-annual production of The Nutcracker at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts from December 13 to 22. Illustrating the time-honored holiday story will be choreography by Ballet Northwest’s co-artistic directors, Josie and Ken Johnson, who devised a show …
An exclusive photo gallery by MOLLY WALSH for OLY ARTS. WHAT Studio West Dance Theatre presents The Nutcracker WHEN 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Dec 14, 20 and 21; 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sundays, Dec 15 and 22 WHERE South Puget Sound Community College Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts, 2011 Mottman Rd. …
By MOLLY WALSH Vignettes of holiday celebrations, royal battles and sugar plum dreams will be illuminated on the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center stage with Studio West Dance Theater’s 11th annual production of The Nutcracker. Over 230 dancers will bring Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker score to life from December 14-22. The cast and crew at Studio West are …
By Kati Sagawa On Sunday, Nov. 10, South Puget Sound Community College will host a collaborative movement and partnering workshop with two members of visiting “rebellious” dance company Pilobolus, Heather Favretto and Nate Buchsbaum. The workshop will be from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center …
By KAREN LUNDE Coppelia arrives at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts April 18 through 20, bringing a tale of mayhem, mischief and mistaken identities. Studio West Dance Theatre’s production follows the antics of Swanhilda and her friends as they try to discover the identity of Coppélia, a mysterious woman who’s enthralled Swanhilda’s fiancé, Franz. “Coppélia is the …
By Billy Thomas and Lydia Boss, special contributor Artist Trust is a nonprofit dedicated to helping Washington State artists of all disciplines thrive. Its mission is to support and encourage artists working in all disciplines to enrich community life throughout Washington State. Founded in 1986, it was formed by a group of artists and arts lovers who …
By CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL Each year, Olympia belly-dance troupe Mas Uda donates proceeds from a weekend of workshops and a public performance to a worthy cause. After years benefitting cancer research, Mas Uda made Girl Scouts of Western Washington its focus of generosity beginning in 2015. “That money that we raise,” says Cindy Connolly, troupe member …
By KAREN LUNDE Each year, Ballet Northwest celebrates dance in all its forms by bringing local dance groups and guest artists together for its annual Olympia Dance Festival. The group pulled out all the stops for its 10th anniversary this year. The festival always invites a high-profile, guest artist to complement an exciting collection of …
By MELINDA MINTON This year’s Oly Old Time Festival brings food, music, workshops and new musical talents. Among its featured performers are Allison de Groot and Nic Gareiss. Making use of the South Bay Grange’s beautiful dance floor, they’ll hold a workshop called “Play a Tune/Dance a Tune.” It’s intended to, as Gareiss described it, “reveal …
By Molly Gilmore For the 10th anniversary of its The Nutcracker, Studio West Dance Theatre has added new treats and trimmings to its production of Tchaikovsky’s ballet about a young girl who receives a nutcracker for Christmas and dreams herself into a magical world of fairies and sweets. The production, opening Dec. 9, aims to …
By Molly Gilmore In Ballet Northwest’s 34th-annual The Nutcracker, sugarplums will dance, as will candies, mice, snowflakes and toy soldiers. It’s Tchaikovsky’s classic, holiday tale with an extra dash of romance: Clara, the young girl who dreams of wintry fairylands, gets a duet with a prince. Giving Clara in her toe shoes and the Nutcracker …
By Kameko Lashlee Every Tuesday evening on the corner of Fourth and Plum Street, a cacophony of uptempo jazz music and foot-stomping emanates from the second-floor ballroom of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Ballroom and Conference Center. This weekly shindig, broadly known as Oly Swing, is a time capsule of sorts: a revival of 1950s-style …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS The Evergreen State College is known for a liberal-arts environment that encourages free artistic expression. However, this spring Evergreen will cut heavily into the budget for staff and facilities that nurture theatrical expression. This year, the last seven shows at TESC will be especially fraught but meaningful, as they …
by MELISSA AVRIL HARRIS for OLY ARTS In search of an escape this spring season? Take a trip down the rabbit hole with Studio West Dance Academy’s production of Alice in Wonderland. The classic children’s tale of a little girl who ventures into a world filled with tardy white rabbits, mystical caterpillars, and fearsome Queens …
by MOLLY GILMORE for OLY ARTS Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake didn’t earn much acclaim when it debuted in 1877 in Moscow, but once it took wing, the ballet continued to soar. Ballet Northwest’s production of the classic about a young woman cursed to live as a swan opens May 11 at the Washington Center for the …
by Yvonne Joyce for OLY ARTS Stephen Petronio is a name — and dance company — well known to audiences in New York City, but less well known on the West Coast, except among dance aficionados. The post-modern New York-based choreographer and his company will make their Olympia debut next week. Described by dance critics variously …
by Jennifer Crain for OLY ARTS Once again, the stage at the Washington Center will be filled with mice, soldiers and snowflakes in Ballet Northwest’s 34th annual production of The Nutcracker. Ken Johnson, co-artistic director of Ballet Northwest, says this is a landmark production year for the 48-year-old company. They redesigned the scenery for the …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS No holiday season is complete without settling into a soft, cozy theater seat to watch Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker ballet. Studio West Dance Academy knows just how important the dance is to building holiday cheer, and it’s doing its part to bring The Nutcracker to life once again this winter …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS The ways in which The Nutcracker delivers beauty, grace and whimsy to audiences isn’t limited to just dancing (as mesmerizing as every pirouette and twirling leg can be). The intricate sets, sweeping music and, of course, jaw-dropping costumes all add to our ballet experience. Studio West Dance Academy’s The …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS The creators and performers of Olympia’s Own TUSH! Burlesque are promotional wordsmiths, though some of their enticements are unprintable here. For the troupe’s recurring series at Obsidian, it promises “a titillating romp to celebrate Halloween,” with lots of “sizzle, sass and fabulous fun.” When asked about the name of …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS The Washington Center for the Performing Arts has been closed for the summer while the City of Olympia made updates to the HVAC system. Rest assured, come October 5 the center will open its 32nd season with an energetic performance by Gaelic Storm. While every act slated to grace …
by Christina Butcher and Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Olympia Arts Walk is a celebration of the visual arts, but it’s also an opportunity to demonstrate the physicality of creativity. For the fourth year in a row, the Washington Center for the Performing Arts will host a free, public dance recital with Random Acts of …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS With the help of Lacey Timberland Library, Lacey Loves to Read and the North Thurston School District, Lacey’s Parks and Recreation Department gives all families a reason to get out of the house this fall. This year marks the 21st-annual Children’s Day, which is held rain or shine. Its …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS Nine years ago, Studio West Dance Academy had two studios, four instructors and one office administrator. Flash forward to this, the company’s 10th season, and to say it’s grown is an understatement. SWDA now has five studios, 15 instructors and six office administrators. Not only that, it now serves …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS There isn’t a ballet dancer or aficionado in the South Sound who’s unfamiliar with Ballet Northwest, one of Olympia’s premier, longest-standing ballet companies. That fact is built on Ballet Northwest’s reputation for holding performances with all the beauty and grace for which ballet is known. This August, the dance …
by Adam McKinney for OLY ARTS As the dog days of summer descend on the Pacific Northwest, eyes look to a time when layers and long sleeves will return and it’s even more enticing to venture outside; and in any city worth its salt, there ought to be venues that feature consistent bookings showcasing a …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS On a clear, summer day, the view from the Heritage Park Fountain in Olympia is nothing short of stunning. The Capitol rises behind a line of cherry trees to meet blue sky as jets of water shoot upward, delighting park visitors. It’s the perfect backdrop for public performances, and …
WEEKEND PREVIEW is your weekly guide to events in Thurston County. This week, there’s enough live music in Olympia to keep your toes tapping all night long, not to mention author readings at some of your favorite bookstores. Click here to listen to our podcast version of Weekend Preview, sponsored by Shur-Kleen Car Wash. Follow the links …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS For the well-seasoned performers of Wrinkles of Washington, the show must go on. To quote the title of WOW’s new show, happening Saturday at the Olympia High School Performing Arts Center, they’ve Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance. About 25 performers ages 55 and older will be part of the show, …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS There’s something unique about the Olympia arts community, especially when it comes to cross-genre collaborations. The arts community is constantly pushing its members to hone their craft, whether through music, theater, writing or dance. This June, that spirit of encouragement and growth will be showcased at the ARTery Community …
WEEKEND PREVIEW is your weekly guide to events in Thurston County. This week, there’s no shortage of theatrical performances, classic dance and musicals to keep you out on the town. The only question is whether you’re in the mood for heart-pumping fun or looking a chance to relax as the curtain opens. Click here to …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS For those familiar with the classic fairy tale — or Disney’s animated takes on it — Ballet Northwest’s The Sleeping Beauty has a few surprises. After the wicked fairy curses her, after she pricks her finger on a spindle, after a kiss ends her long sleep, the Aurora of …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS The arts are for everyone to create and to enjoy. The Washington Center for the Performing Arts’s Young Arts Ambassadors are learning about the arts from the inside out, and they’ll share their knowledge and creations at a showcase this Saturday. A benefit for the program, the showcase features …
by Nora Kovacs for OLY ARTS Studio West Dance Theatre presents ballet classic Giselle, an adventurous choice for the studio and an emotionally effervescent piece certain to leave audiences filled with joy and energy. From love and the supernatural to vengeance and forgiveness, the ballet spans a multitude of universal themes. Director Stephanie Wood-Ennett spoke …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS Samba dancing began as semba in Angola, then evolved into its modern form in early-20th-century Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Olympia’s resident samba troupe, Samba Olywa, united to dance in Procession of the Species 1995. Now it performs several times a year under the direction of a seven-member steering committee. …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS ((See the OLY ARTS Luminary Procession 2017 photo essay, taken by Shanna Paxton)) The subtler sibling to the many-splendored Procession of the Species, the Luminary Procession shines bright, filling the streets of Olympia with glowing paper lanterns and live music. When it began in 2009, this procession was intended …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS Out on a Limb, Olympia’s second-annual showcase for experimental dance, promises some surprises, a few chills and a chance to be part of the dance. The event, curated by members of the Random Acts of Dance Collective and Company Y, features a diverse selection of work inspired by butoh, …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS Olympia’s Studio West Dance Theatre and Guild provide an enchanting opportunity each year for the community to enjoy an evening of fine food and dance. All proceeds from the annual Dance to Make a Difference gala go to a local charity. Now in its ninth year, the gala’s chosen …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS More than love will be in the air when Olympia’s Own Tush! Burlesque takes the main stage of The Washington Center four days after Valentine’s Day. A highlight of the show will be the first-ever aerial burlesque performance by Valerie Veils. “I’m excited. I’m pretty nervous, though,” Veils admitted. …
by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Look up, look up for acrobatic feats of aerial grace at Rhythm & Rye as Joanna Gibson and her troupe of nine aerialists offer an evening of dance above the bar and tables at the popular Olympia watering hole—home to entertainment ranging from music to burlesque to the ever-popular …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS Seattle contemporary dance company Whim W’Him comes to the Minnaert Center for the Arts as part of the South Puget Sound Community College Artist and Lecture Series. The dance company will perform one of its newest programs, SENSATION, under artistic director Olivier Wevers. “This is our first time in …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS As the 124th anniversary of its first production approaches, The Nutcracker might be more popular than ever. There’s an entire website (NutcrackerBallet.com), in fact, devoted to listing productions of the holiday ballet about a little girl who gets a nutcracker for Christmas and finds herself transported to magical lands …
READ COMPLETE JILL CARTER INTERVIEW HERE >> PRINT ARTICLE BELOW >> by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS When the curtain first rose on Jill Carter’s original set design for Land of the Sweets 20 years ago, there was a gasp from the audience, followed by a round of applause. The audience cheered for the scenic design …
READ PRINT ARTICLE HERE >> COMPLETE INTERVIEW BELOW >> by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Here’s a holiday story: Once upon a time, a talented, young woman began a ballet class but fell in love with the scenery instead of the dancing. That was merely the beginning of her story. Jill Carter was fortunate to …
Many of the South Sound’s best theater and visual arts critics write for OLY ARTS. We asked six of them to highlight some of their favorite visual and performance art shows from 2024, and we congratulate and celebrate the Olympia and Tacoma-area artists selected. Due to the limitation we put on the critics of no more than two or three shows, we are aware of and acknowledge that many great shows and artists were not picked. We are lucky to live in such a vibrant creative community.
At Evergreen City Ballet, currently based in Renton, Artistic Director Maximiliano Guerra has plans to embrace an enhanced learning philosophy. During the school’s 2024-2025 season, Guerra and the team are establishing a unique curriculum that includes the study of broader topics, with art, history, and classical music to complement instruction in ballet. In December they will be performing Wade Walthall’s The Nutcracker.
MOSAIC: Tacoma’s Arts and Culture Festival at Tacoma’s Wright Park on July 27 and 28 is a weekend of multicultural music, dance, art, crafts, and cuisine, with an evening movie in the park and a Kids Zone and sprayground. The festival will see a visit from the Mobile Teaching Kitchen, which will provide a preview of culinary courses available through Metro Parks Tacoma.
Both the Studio West Dance Theatre production, opening Nov. 24, and the Ballet Northwest version, opening Dec. 8, are beloved traditions. Studio West first performed the ballet in 2009, and the venerable Ballet Northwest premiered its version in 1983. “There’s always a buzz around The Nutcracker,” said Stephanie Wood-Ennett, the co-director of Studio West. “So many people feel that their holiday is not complete without it.”
“Another thing I think is different and nice about this event is that it’s not just visual artists,” Daniel Garcia continues. “In some cases, we have literary artists, we have poets, we have dancers, so we’re really trying to find that whole realm of artistry and bring it through to Arts at the Armory.”
Indicative of the vast art and entertainment to be found at Arts Walk, check out the OlyFilm and OlyAct film demo where You’re the Star!
Expect miracles, at least those of the theatrical kind, at The Midwinter Revels in Tacoma’s Rialto Theater this holiday season.
Visions of Sugarplum Fairies will be dancing across the stage of The Washington Center for the Performing Arts beginning Friday, Nov. 25, when Studio West Dance Theatre’s “Nutcracker” opens. Ballet Northwest’s “Nutcracker” begins Friday, Dec. 9.
Olympia begins planning of city arts space.
By Molly Gilmore The Washington Center for the Performing Arts’ 2022-2023 season marks both a return to pre-pandemic norms — it’s the first full season with subscription plans since theaters closed in March 2020 — and a fresh start. When the season launches Nov. 4 with “Stunt Dog Experience,” the center will have a new …
Valerie Veils, the self-billed “Heroine of the Hoochi Coo,” has dazzled audiences up and down the Pacific Coast. Now she’s extended her talents to produce the first-ever Pacific Northwest Burlesque Festival, a two-day, ecdysiastic extravaganza that’ll twirl its tassels at the Capitol Theater the first full weekend in May.
Lacey’s Cultural Celebration returns to Saint Martin’s University this month after two years found solely online.
This year marks The Nutcracker’s jubilant return to The Washington Center, with Josie and Ken Johnson at the helm. Guest artist Lucas Horns will dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Cavalier alongside a cast of over 150.
By Molly Gilmore Update Nov. 24: “The Nutcracker” dates, times and locations have changed since the original release of this story. Updated information is below the article. Despite COVID-19, Ballet Northwest’s “Nutcracker,” a South Sound holiday tradition for 35 years, is on for the holidays, but the company’s 2020 edition of the Tchaikovsky classic — …
By Jerica Pender The Koresh Dance Company, an internationally renowned dance troupe, will dance its way into Olympia at the end of March. In a multi-day experience and learning opportunity is made possible by a $10,000 Challenge America grant recently awarded to the Washington Center for the Performing Arts from the National Endowment for the …
By CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL For all the influence they had on popular music genres, aside from success they’ve enjoyed on their own, the Fab Four were only together eight years. Alexander the Great ruled the Macedonian empire from 336 BC till his death a mere eight years later. The Qin dynasty that reunified China lasted a …
An exclusive photo gallery by MOLLY WALSH for OLY ARTS. WHAT Ballet Northwest’s The Nutcracker WHERE The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia WHEN 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Dec. 13 and 14, 20 and 21; 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 14, 15, 21 and 22 HOW MUCH $14-$35 …
By MOLLY WASH Out of the wings and onto center stage, Ballet Northwest will present its 35th-annual production of The Nutcracker at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts from December 13 to 22. Illustrating the time-honored holiday story will be choreography by Ballet Northwest’s co-artistic directors, Josie and Ken Johnson, who devised a show …
An exclusive photo gallery by MOLLY WALSH for OLY ARTS. WHAT Studio West Dance Theatre presents The Nutcracker WHEN 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Dec 14, 20 and 21; 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sundays, Dec 15 and 22 WHERE South Puget Sound Community College Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts, 2011 Mottman Rd. …
By MOLLY WALSH Vignettes of holiday celebrations, royal battles and sugar plum dreams will be illuminated on the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center stage with Studio West Dance Theater’s 11th annual production of The Nutcracker. Over 230 dancers will bring Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker score to life from December 14-22. The cast and crew at Studio West are …
By Kati Sagawa On Sunday, Nov. 10, South Puget Sound Community College will host a collaborative movement and partnering workshop with two members of visiting “rebellious” dance company Pilobolus, Heather Favretto and Nate Buchsbaum. The workshop will be from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center …
By KAREN LUNDE Coppelia arrives at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts April 18 through 20, bringing a tale of mayhem, mischief and mistaken identities. Studio West Dance Theatre’s production follows the antics of Swanhilda and her friends as they try to discover the identity of Coppélia, a mysterious woman who’s enthralled Swanhilda’s fiancé, Franz. “Coppélia is the …
By Billy Thomas and Lydia Boss, special contributor Artist Trust is a nonprofit dedicated to helping Washington State artists of all disciplines thrive. Its mission is to support and encourage artists working in all disciplines to enrich community life throughout Washington State. Founded in 1986, it was formed by a group of artists and arts lovers who …
By CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL Each year, Olympia belly-dance troupe Mas Uda donates proceeds from a weekend of workshops and a public performance to a worthy cause. After years benefitting cancer research, Mas Uda made Girl Scouts of Western Washington its focus of generosity beginning in 2015. “That money that we raise,” says Cindy Connolly, troupe member …
By KAREN LUNDE Each year, Ballet Northwest celebrates dance in all its forms by bringing local dance groups and guest artists together for its annual Olympia Dance Festival. The group pulled out all the stops for its 10th anniversary this year. The festival always invites a high-profile, guest artist to complement an exciting collection of …
By MELINDA MINTON This year’s Oly Old Time Festival brings food, music, workshops and new musical talents. Among its featured performers are Allison de Groot and Nic Gareiss. Making use of the South Bay Grange’s beautiful dance floor, they’ll hold a workshop called “Play a Tune/Dance a Tune.” It’s intended to, as Gareiss described it, “reveal …
By Molly Gilmore For the 10th anniversary of its The Nutcracker, Studio West Dance Theatre has added new treats and trimmings to its production of Tchaikovsky’s ballet about a young girl who receives a nutcracker for Christmas and dreams herself into a magical world of fairies and sweets. The production, opening Dec. 9, aims to …
By Molly Gilmore In Ballet Northwest’s 34th-annual The Nutcracker, sugarplums will dance, as will candies, mice, snowflakes and toy soldiers. It’s Tchaikovsky’s classic, holiday tale with an extra dash of romance: Clara, the young girl who dreams of wintry fairylands, gets a duet with a prince. Giving Clara in her toe shoes and the Nutcracker …
By Kameko Lashlee Every Tuesday evening on the corner of Fourth and Plum Street, a cacophony of uptempo jazz music and foot-stomping emanates from the second-floor ballroom of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Ballroom and Conference Center. This weekly shindig, broadly known as Oly Swing, is a time capsule of sorts: a revival of 1950s-style …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS The Evergreen State College is known for a liberal-arts environment that encourages free artistic expression. However, this spring Evergreen will cut heavily into the budget for staff and facilities that nurture theatrical expression. This year, the last seven shows at TESC will be especially fraught but meaningful, as they …
by MELISSA AVRIL HARRIS for OLY ARTS In search of an escape this spring season? Take a trip down the rabbit hole with Studio West Dance Academy’s production of Alice in Wonderland. The classic children’s tale of a little girl who ventures into a world filled with tardy white rabbits, mystical caterpillars, and fearsome Queens …
by MOLLY GILMORE for OLY ARTS Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake didn’t earn much acclaim when it debuted in 1877 in Moscow, but once it took wing, the ballet continued to soar. Ballet Northwest’s production of the classic about a young woman cursed to live as a swan opens May 11 at the Washington Center for the …
by Yvonne Joyce for OLY ARTS Stephen Petronio is a name — and dance company — well known to audiences in New York City, but less well known on the West Coast, except among dance aficionados. The post-modern New York-based choreographer and his company will make their Olympia debut next week. Described by dance critics variously …
by Jennifer Crain for OLY ARTS Once again, the stage at the Washington Center will be filled with mice, soldiers and snowflakes in Ballet Northwest’s 34th annual production of The Nutcracker. Ken Johnson, co-artistic director of Ballet Northwest, says this is a landmark production year for the 48-year-old company. They redesigned the scenery for the …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS No holiday season is complete without settling into a soft, cozy theater seat to watch Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker ballet. Studio West Dance Academy knows just how important the dance is to building holiday cheer, and it’s doing its part to bring The Nutcracker to life once again this winter …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS The ways in which The Nutcracker delivers beauty, grace and whimsy to audiences isn’t limited to just dancing (as mesmerizing as every pirouette and twirling leg can be). The intricate sets, sweeping music and, of course, jaw-dropping costumes all add to our ballet experience. Studio West Dance Academy’s The …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS The creators and performers of Olympia’s Own TUSH! Burlesque are promotional wordsmiths, though some of their enticements are unprintable here. For the troupe’s recurring series at Obsidian, it promises “a titillating romp to celebrate Halloween,” with lots of “sizzle, sass and fabulous fun.” When asked about the name of …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS The Washington Center for the Performing Arts has been closed for the summer while the City of Olympia made updates to the HVAC system. Rest assured, come October 5 the center will open its 32nd season with an energetic performance by Gaelic Storm. While every act slated to grace …
by Christina Butcher and Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Olympia Arts Walk is a celebration of the visual arts, but it’s also an opportunity to demonstrate the physicality of creativity. For the fourth year in a row, the Washington Center for the Performing Arts will host a free, public dance recital with Random Acts of …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS With the help of Lacey Timberland Library, Lacey Loves to Read and the North Thurston School District, Lacey’s Parks and Recreation Department gives all families a reason to get out of the house this fall. This year marks the 21st-annual Children’s Day, which is held rain or shine. Its …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS Nine years ago, Studio West Dance Academy had two studios, four instructors and one office administrator. Flash forward to this, the company’s 10th season, and to say it’s grown is an understatement. SWDA now has five studios, 15 instructors and six office administrators. Not only that, it now serves …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS There isn’t a ballet dancer or aficionado in the South Sound who’s unfamiliar with Ballet Northwest, one of Olympia’s premier, longest-standing ballet companies. That fact is built on Ballet Northwest’s reputation for holding performances with all the beauty and grace for which ballet is known. This August, the dance …
by Adam McKinney for OLY ARTS As the dog days of summer descend on the Pacific Northwest, eyes look to a time when layers and long sleeves will return and it’s even more enticing to venture outside; and in any city worth its salt, there ought to be venues that feature consistent bookings showcasing a …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS On a clear, summer day, the view from the Heritage Park Fountain in Olympia is nothing short of stunning. The Capitol rises behind a line of cherry trees to meet blue sky as jets of water shoot upward, delighting park visitors. It’s the perfect backdrop for public performances, and …
WEEKEND PREVIEW is your weekly guide to events in Thurston County. This week, there’s enough live music in Olympia to keep your toes tapping all night long, not to mention author readings at some of your favorite bookstores. Click here to listen to our podcast version of Weekend Preview, sponsored by Shur-Kleen Car Wash. Follow the links …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS For the well-seasoned performers of Wrinkles of Washington, the show must go on. To quote the title of WOW’s new show, happening Saturday at the Olympia High School Performing Arts Center, they’ve Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance. About 25 performers ages 55 and older will be part of the show, …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS There’s something unique about the Olympia arts community, especially when it comes to cross-genre collaborations. The arts community is constantly pushing its members to hone their craft, whether through music, theater, writing or dance. This June, that spirit of encouragement and growth will be showcased at the ARTery Community …
WEEKEND PREVIEW is your weekly guide to events in Thurston County. This week, there’s no shortage of theatrical performances, classic dance and musicals to keep you out on the town. The only question is whether you’re in the mood for heart-pumping fun or looking a chance to relax as the curtain opens. Click here to …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS The arts are for everyone to create and to enjoy. The Washington Center for the Performing Arts’s Young Arts Ambassadors are learning about the arts from the inside out, and they’ll share their knowledge and creations at a showcase this Saturday. A benefit for the program, the showcase features …
by Nora Kovacs for OLY ARTS Studio West Dance Theatre presents ballet classic Giselle, an adventurous choice for the studio and an emotionally effervescent piece certain to leave audiences filled with joy and energy. From love and the supernatural to vengeance and forgiveness, the ballet spans a multitude of universal themes. Director Stephanie Wood-Ennett spoke …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS Samba dancing began as semba in Angola, then evolved into its modern form in early-20th-century Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Olympia’s resident samba troupe, Samba Olywa, united to dance in Procession of the Species 1995. Now it performs several times a year under the direction of a seven-member steering committee. …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS ((See the OLY ARTS Luminary Procession 2017 photo essay, taken by Shanna Paxton)) The subtler sibling to the many-splendored Procession of the Species, the Luminary Procession shines bright, filling the streets of Olympia with glowing paper lanterns and live music. When it began in 2009, this procession was intended …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS Out on a Limb, Olympia’s second-annual showcase for experimental dance, promises some surprises, a few chills and a chance to be part of the dance. The event, curated by members of the Random Acts of Dance Collective and Company Y, features a diverse selection of work inspired by butoh, …
by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS Olympia’s Studio West Dance Theatre and Guild provide an enchanting opportunity each year for the community to enjoy an evening of fine food and dance. All proceeds from the annual Dance to Make a Difference gala go to a local charity. Now in its ninth year, the gala’s chosen …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS More than love will be in the air when Olympia’s Own Tush! Burlesque takes the main stage of The Washington Center four days after Valentine’s Day. A highlight of the show will be the first-ever aerial burlesque performance by Valerie Veils. “I’m excited. I’m pretty nervous, though,” Veils admitted. …
by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Look up, look up for acrobatic feats of aerial grace at Rhythm & Rye as Joanna Gibson and her troupe of nine aerialists offer an evening of dance above the bar and tables at the popular Olympia watering hole—home to entertainment ranging from music to burlesque to the ever-popular …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS Seattle contemporary dance company Whim W’Him comes to the Minnaert Center for the Arts as part of the South Puget Sound Community College Artist and Lecture Series. The dance company will perform one of its newest programs, SENSATION, under artistic director Olivier Wevers. “This is our first time in …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS As the 124th anniversary of its first production approaches, The Nutcracker might be more popular than ever. There’s an entire website (NutcrackerBallet.com), in fact, devoted to listing productions of the holiday ballet about a little girl who gets a nutcracker for Christmas and finds herself transported to magical lands …
READ COMPLETE JILL CARTER INTERVIEW HERE >> PRINT ARTICLE BELOW >> by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS When the curtain first rose on Jill Carter’s original set design for Land of the Sweets 20 years ago, there was a gasp from the audience, followed by a round of applause. The audience cheered for the scenic design …
READ PRINT ARTICLE HERE >> COMPLETE INTERVIEW BELOW >> by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Here’s a holiday story: Once upon a time, a talented, young woman began a ballet class but fell in love with the scenery instead of the dancing. That was merely the beginning of her story. Jill Carter was fortunate to …