I’m a fan of the dance invention — and entrepreneurialism — of choreographer Marilyn Klaus. Her company, Ballets with a Twist, performs in all kinds of unexpected venues — small-to-medium-sized performing arts centers across the nation, and even lounges, cabarets, and soon, casinos.
Her customized dance menus, packaged as “Cocktail Hour: The Show,” comprise 24 choreographed cocktails — yummy dance-vignettes often performed to original music. Pictured above is “Absinthe.” Others include “Singapore Sling,” “Bloody Mary,” “Martini,” “Rob Roy,” and a personal favorite, “Zombie.”
Ballets with a Twist has captured the fancy of off-beat chanteuse Cyndi Lauper, who has invited the company to open for her upcoming “Home for the Holidays” show at the Beacon Theatre. This is a first for me — seeing a ballet company opening a pop performance.
Klaus cites Busby Berkeley and Lucille Ball as inspirations. Working with collaborators, music composer/director Stephen Gaboury and costumer Catharine Zehr, deserves kudos for drawing new eyes to choreographed dance — and for not shying from the idea that dance can (and should) entertain.
‘Ballets With a Twist,’ opening for Cyndi Lauper, Home for the Holidays | The Beacon Theatre | Dec 3