Kinetic Kitchen Celebrates 10 Years

CityPages wrote about the show I'm performing in this weekend at Patrick's Cabaret!

 http://blogs.citypages.com/dressingroom/2014/04/kinetic_kitchen.php
by Sheila Regan

"Kinetic Kitchen, the dance series produced by Sarah LaRose-Holland, celebrates its 10th anniversary this weekend at Patrick's Cabaret. The show features an impressive lineup of choreographers, including two -- Christopher Watson Dance Company and Sarah Hauss -- who have been with the series since the beginning. 

Photo by Jim SmithHeidi Draskoci Johnson, Christopher Watson Dance Company 
LaRose-Holland originally founded the series at the Mounds Theatre in St. Paul with Gretchen Pick, who wanted to do a show with youth. "I thought I'd give it a shot," LaRose Holland says. 

The series has changed over the years, but Kinetic Kitchen still has a youth program, Kinetic Playground for Youth, for middle- and high-school students. The performance series also occasionally features youth artists. 

From its beginnings, Kinetic Kitchen has grown, evolving into an event where artists have sought out LaRose-Holland to be part of. "It' been a way to get the dance community together," she says. 

A number of years ago, she began taking the series on the road. "Audiences weren't always that interested in driving out to St. Paul," LaRose-Holland says. "I wanted to see what it would be like to take the series out to other places." She took Kinetic Kitchen to the Varsity and Old Arizona on Nicollet. "As I did shows in different places, we started to draw larger audiences," she says. Since 2007, the series has found a home at Patrick's Cabaret, which LaRose-Holland says has been "a perfect fit." 

Unlike other dance series in the Twin Cities, Kinetic Kitchen doesn't have a theme for each show. Rather, it's all about creating an opportunity to show new work. 

While LaRose-Holland presents and curates the series, she doesn't ask people to audition, though she does request a video of their work or asks people to send her links online to performances. 

Among the artists presenting this weekend is Arturo Miles, who was formerly the program director at Patrick's Cabaret. "He hasn't actually been one of the choreographers for Kinetic Kitchen," LaRose-Holland says. "I'm excited to bring him in. He's got a wonderful following with house dance and hip hop. It will be fun to have him actually perform onstage." 

Also performing will be Maia Maiden, who curates Sistah Solo and Rooted: Hip Hop Choreographer's Evening at Patrick's. Pramila Vasudevan, whom LaRose-Holland also met through the venue, will be presenting through her company, Aniccha Arts, a comedic piece poking fun at Bollywood dancing, performed by Chitra Vairavan. 

Both Christopher Watson, of Christopher Watson Dance Company, with whom LaRose-Holland has been dancing with for 18 years, and Sarah Hauss were part of the first Kinetic Kitchen, and will be presenting new work for this edition. LaRose-Holland also will be showing a new solo performed by Jennifer Pray. "She's a fierce, awesome dancer," LaRose-Holland says. 

Finally, Jennifer Glaws will be showing a new duet exploring persona and popularity, playing with the idea of a rock star. 

IF YOU GO:

Kinetic Kitchen 
7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday 
Patrick's Cabaret
3010 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis 
$8/$10

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