Housing for Dancers

Every summer, generous supporters of the company open up their homes to house our artists. Since we have dancers, musicians and other artists coming in from all over the country, accommodations could easily become one of our largest expenses. In fact, at this point in our development, it would make it virtually impossible to even produce our shows if we had to come up with this extra funding. Luckily, Asheville is filled with kind people willing to share a little room for a few weeks.

Having dancers stay with members of the Asheville community has always been a very special opportunity for all involved. Close friendships have developed over the years and dancers have had beautiful personal experiences. Our dancer Chris Bandy was staying in a beautiful cabin with a view to die for when he decided to propose to his wife... in the vegetable garden! His host is now considered a beloved part of their family.

This is the time of year when we start looking for hosts. Here is some information about our needs and how you may be able to help...
- The most ideal situation is house-sitting. If you are going away and would like someone to watch over your home while you're gone, or you have a country house sitting empty, we can house a dancer or two there to help take care of it for you.
- A room with its own bathroom. The more privacy, the better, for the artist as well as the host. We realize this isn't always possible, but it is a plus.
- You can choose one or both sets of rehearsal periods. The weeks are June 1-28 and/or July 13- Aug 9.
- We have eleven artists to house for the June show and nine for the August show.
- You can request preferences (man or woman, non-smoker, etc). Remember that our June show is men only, but they are very respectful and all of our dancers are a pleasure to be around.
- Keep in mind that people who already have housed dancers and have existing relationships with them get assigned first.
- Let us know if you are interested by calling the office, 828-252-6342 or emailing us at user@example.com

Bring on the Men!

One of the hardest challenges for dance companies is to find great male dancers. The difference between the numbers of men who dance in comparison to the number of women is huge. It's not unusual to see an imbalance in the quality and, often, the number of men to women at a dance performance. We have been overwhelmingly lucky here at Terpsicorps. Our men are incredible and every year we hear from more professional male dancers who are interested in joining our company.

Our ability to assemble an extraordinary strong group of men is the inspiration behind our upcoming show, "Elvis & other men." We thought if we have great male dancers, and too many to hire for our usual shows, why don't we do a show that is just for them? On June 26-28 "Elvis & other men" will be performed with male dancers from NC Dance Theatre, Nevada Ballet Theatre, Balletmet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and the Nashville Ballet.

The entire evening will pay homage to men, in all their universal forms-

Every Man - Salvatore Aiello's "Journey" uses a dynamic corps of nine male dancers to show the voyage of man as he progresses through the many phases of life.

The Performer - "Elvis has Left the Building" takes an alternately campy and thought provoking look at the trappings of celebrity, its glitz, allure, and devastating effects.

The Business Man - "Run Ragged" takes a comedic look at the day to day competition and stress of the workplace.

The Working Man - "Train" is inspired by the strength and determination of the men who truly embody the term 'worker' with their bodies, hearts, and souls.

The Young Man - Every man has to get through their teenage years, with all the conflict, angst, and rebellion that go along with them. "Ugly" uses the music of the Violent Femmes, notorious for capturing all of those emotions, to portray the good, the bad, and the ugly of youth.

Capturing the Violent Femmes

When I decided to create the piece "Ugly" I didn't want to just use a recording of Violent Femmes music. I knew that wouldn't quite capture the "kids at a rock show" feeling that I was going for. I started thinking about local musicians who could capture the raw energy of these angst ridden lyrics. It's no secret that I'm a fan of the band The Goodies, and after working with front man Holiday Childress on "The Many Deaths of Edward Gorey" last summer, I knew that he was the perfect person for this project.

Holiday and I talked together about the ideal accompaniment for him. I'm excited to say that he has found it with another local group, Menage. The band's instrumentation is very similar to that of the Violent Femmes and they are very accomplished musicians. Plus, the lovely ladies of Menage will be bringing the only feminine energy onstage all night, which is fitting for the piece about teenage boys!

I encourage you to visit the MySpace pages of both the Goodies and Menage, where you can check out their original music and see upcoming show dates. They are very talented musicians and are great fun to see live.

And in case you didn't know, Terpsicorps has its own MySpace page. As we are in the process of launching a new website (very soon!) MySpace is a great place to see updated information about the company. Sign up to be our friend and you will get event announcements and other fun information. There are pictures and videos as well!

http://www.myspace.com/thegoodies
http://www.myspace.com/menage
http://www.myspace.com/terpsicorps

Interview with Timothy Yeager, Terpsicorps Ballet Master

TERPSICORPS) When did you start dancing? When did you make the decision to make dance your career?

TIM) I started dancing when I was nine. I made the decision to make dance my career when I was in my sophomore year of college at Syracuse University studying chemical engineering. I met some professors there who had seen me dance in a school student production and encouraged me to follow that path.

TERPSICORPS) What exactly is a "ballet master" and what does a ballet master do?

TIM) I start the day scheduling the dancer's day to day rehearsals/costume fittings/meetings of any kind. For Nashville Ballet that means managing about 40 dancers. Then I'll teach Company class about twice a week, maybe three times. Then I'm in the studio rehearsing the dancers in their upcoming production, whether I'm teaching the actual piece or I'm just cleaning (making sure everything is done right).

TERPSICORPS) How is working for Terpsicorps different from working for the Nashville Ballet?

TIM) Working with Tersicorps takes a little more work for me. I have to teach every day and rehearse all day, where in Nashville I don't necessarily do either always. The productions are usually much different as well. At Terpsicorps there is much more that has to happen with a small amount of time. At Nashville Ballet we have more weeks to do a lot less.

TERPSICORPS) What was one of your favorite Terpsicorps experiences?

TIM) There are a lot of them, but the only one that really matters, I suppose, is the fact that there is a great company in Asheville and that it survives and grows year after year, that I'm a part of it and a dear friend started it.

TERPSICORPS) What is your favorite thing about the city of Asheville?

TIM) Those summer nights! The whole climate is so enjoyable. I can't think of a better place to spend my summer.

TERPSICORPS) What do you enjoy doing when you're not involved with dance and your work?

TIM) I'm a big golf freak. Any time I can get to the driving range or the course, I'm there.

TERPSICORPS) What is something dance-related that you've never done but would love to do (a role, a show, choreograph, weird art installations, etc.)?

TIM) There isn't a lot that I haven't been a part of. There are some ballets I see being created or restaged that I would love to dance or have had the chance to dance. My career end fairly quickly and I missed a lot of opportunities.

TERPSICORPS) What's it like to work with Heather?

TIM) Heather and I go sooooooo far back. Basically, I've always worked with her as a professional, I'm not sure what it would be like not to. We have a good understanding of one another and get along well. We trust each other in the studio and we like to do great work- how can we go wrong?

TERPSICORPS) If you won one million dollars in the lottery, what would you do with it and how would your life change?

TIM) I would put it in the bank, live off the interest, and I would be a supporter of the arts rather than struggling to live as an artist.

Terpsicorps on tour!

Just a little reminder for those of you in the Triad area- On February 29 - March 2, our dancers will be performing "Couch Potatoes" as guests of the Greensboro Ballet at the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro. Tickets, $10-25, are available here http://www.carolinatheatre.com/calendar2.html?event=1201450575441

Shows are at 8pm on Friday and Saturday, with a 3pm matinee on Sunday. Hope to see you there!