M&M Dance Theatre Production Offers Inside Look at Real Lives of Dancers
"Love 2 Dance" debuts August 19 at the South Point Showroom.
Las Vegas, NV, June 17, 2011 --(PR.com)-- When husband and wife song and dance team Michael Kessler and Melinda Jackson sat down to create “Love 2 Dance,” the duo tapped into their love of dance and compassion for dancers to produce a funny and touching show that offers an intimate and original look inside the lives of dancers.
“Love 2 Dance” debuts Friday, August 19 in the showroom at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa. Hosted by Kessler and Jackson, better known as M&M, “Love 2 Dance” features 18 top dancers and choreographers from prominent shows on the Las Vegas Strip including Jersey Boys, Phantom-The Las Vegas Spectacular, Jubilee, “O,” and other famous notables such as Radio City Music Hall, Lido de Paris and more.
According to M&M, the premise for the show is based on material taken from hours of on camera interviews with the performers about their lives.
“The interviews with the dancers focused on their triumphs, struggles and their love of dancing,” said Kessler, whose talent earned him a spot as a choreographer for The Winter Olympics and the U.S. Pro Gymnastics Classic at Madison Square Garden. “From those interviews we created vignettes that tell the dancers’ personal stories through dance, song and spoken word.”
One of the principal dancers in the show, Don Bellamy, knows all too well about personal struggle. His family gave up a lot for him to pursue his love of dance. “My mother sacrificed so much for us, and sometimes the electricity would be cut off and the lights would go out because it was time to buy us dance shoes or clothes,” Bellamy said.
The overwhelming passion for dancing is present throughout all the scenes, including a funny vignette that dramatizes how Jackson and Kessler first met in ballet class in New York City in the 1980’s.
Their dancing led to a friendship, which blossomed into a real life love story and long-term partnership. After their first show together in New York City in 1987, they formed M&M American Dance Theatre and toured all over the world.
While Jackson and Kessler’s long careers have included producing, directing, writing, choreographing and performing internationally with their company, Jackson says they adapt to their changing audience by employing several young dancers who are on the pulse of popular culture.
“We are part of the ever changing culture,” said Kessler. “We have been inspired and mentored by great artists of the past and we are mentoring artists of the future. If you create by trying to figure out what is ‘today,’ by the time you present it, it's already yesterday.”
And today, they say there is a growing interest in dance. “The increased interest is due in part to the ubiquity of dancing on television shows, commercials and in movies,” Jackson said. “However, the drawback to these shows is that they give a false impression of what it takes to become a great dancer. The shows give the idea that you can become a great dancer in a few weeks.”
The life of a dancer can be very rewarding and difficult. “People love dancing because of the combination of raw physicality, emotional, artistic expression, athleticism, fantasy, escapism and sex appeal,” Kessler said. “Professional dancing is a vigorous and rigorous contact sport which can lead to acute and chronic injuries. Yet, those who don’t dance, never experience the joy of dancing or the overwhelming feeling of connecting with your audience. We create shows because we are bursting to express the truth, beauty and humor we perceive in life.”
Tickets for Love 2 Dance are $20, $25 or $30 and are available online at www.americandance.biz or www.southpointcasino.com or by calling 702-797-8055. Group discounts and room/show packages are available by calling The South Point Box Office at 702-797-8055.
###
“Love 2 Dance” debuts Friday, August 19 in the showroom at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa. Hosted by Kessler and Jackson, better known as M&M, “Love 2 Dance” features 18 top dancers and choreographers from prominent shows on the Las Vegas Strip including Jersey Boys, Phantom-The Las Vegas Spectacular, Jubilee, “O,” and other famous notables such as Radio City Music Hall, Lido de Paris and more.
According to M&M, the premise for the show is based on material taken from hours of on camera interviews with the performers about their lives.
“The interviews with the dancers focused on their triumphs, struggles and their love of dancing,” said Kessler, whose talent earned him a spot as a choreographer for The Winter Olympics and the U.S. Pro Gymnastics Classic at Madison Square Garden. “From those interviews we created vignettes that tell the dancers’ personal stories through dance, song and spoken word.”
One of the principal dancers in the show, Don Bellamy, knows all too well about personal struggle. His family gave up a lot for him to pursue his love of dance. “My mother sacrificed so much for us, and sometimes the electricity would be cut off and the lights would go out because it was time to buy us dance shoes or clothes,” Bellamy said.
The overwhelming passion for dancing is present throughout all the scenes, including a funny vignette that dramatizes how Jackson and Kessler first met in ballet class in New York City in the 1980’s.
Their dancing led to a friendship, which blossomed into a real life love story and long-term partnership. After their first show together in New York City in 1987, they formed M&M American Dance Theatre and toured all over the world.
While Jackson and Kessler’s long careers have included producing, directing, writing, choreographing and performing internationally with their company, Jackson says they adapt to their changing audience by employing several young dancers who are on the pulse of popular culture.
“We are part of the ever changing culture,” said Kessler. “We have been inspired and mentored by great artists of the past and we are mentoring artists of the future. If you create by trying to figure out what is ‘today,’ by the time you present it, it's already yesterday.”
And today, they say there is a growing interest in dance. “The increased interest is due in part to the ubiquity of dancing on television shows, commercials and in movies,” Jackson said. “However, the drawback to these shows is that they give a false impression of what it takes to become a great dancer. The shows give the idea that you can become a great dancer in a few weeks.”
The life of a dancer can be very rewarding and difficult. “People love dancing because of the combination of raw physicality, emotional, artistic expression, athleticism, fantasy, escapism and sex appeal,” Kessler said. “Professional dancing is a vigorous and rigorous contact sport which can lead to acute and chronic injuries. Yet, those who don’t dance, never experience the joy of dancing or the overwhelming feeling of connecting with your audience. We create shows because we are bursting to express the truth, beauty and humor we perceive in life.”
Tickets for Love 2 Dance are $20, $25 or $30 and are available online at www.americandance.biz or www.southpointcasino.com or by calling 702-797-8055. Group discounts and room/show packages are available by calling The South Point Box Office at 702-797-8055.
###
Contact
M&M American Dance Theatre
Sarah Thornton
702-445-7194
www.americandance.biz
Sarah Thornton
702-445-7194
www.americandance.biz
Contact
Categories