Enjoy an evening of original choreography, Minnesota history, and magic as the UMN Morris Performing Arts Series welcomes the Fargo Moorhead Ballet to the Edson Auditorium on Saturday, January 28.
The Fargo Moorhead Ballet is a regional professional dance performance company recognized and respected nationally for its original choreography, employment of quality artists, and the continuing creative development of the company’s educational and outreach programming. FM Ballet presents a multidisciplinary repertoire from ballet, jazz, moderns, and tap, under the artistic direction of Matt Gasper. The FM Ballet is celebrating its 19th season in 2023.
Its Morris performance will include three dances: ‘Spirit Rising,’ ‘Sargoso Sea,’ and ‘Toy Shop Fantasy.’
Spirit Rising is the storytelling ballet of Nimuué, or the “Lady of the Lake.” Her remains were discovered in 1931 during a road reconstruction project near Pelican Rapids and are rumored to be among the oldest ever discovered in North America. Nimuué was found buried standing with her arm reaching up towards the sky. She is believed to have drowned and then been frozen in time by the Pelican Glacier. The story is a ballet that will depict Nimuué’s journey reaching the Midwest and gathering the artifacts found alongside her body. You will witness Nimuué as she braves the ice, snow, and wilderness. She is surrounded by spirit animals, gathers a wolf’s tooth, and is saved by her guardian, the Pelican.
Sargoso Sea is a short dance about the ebb and flow of the sea. The Sargasso Sea is a region of the Atlantic Ocean bounded by four currents, and unlike all other regions called seas, it has no land boundaries. It is distinguished from other parts of the Atlantic Ocean by its characteristic brown Sargassum seaweed and often calm blue water.
Toy Shop Fantasy is a ballet for all ages about a magic toy shop that comes to life. Your heart will fall in love with these ‘toys’ from your childhood once again.
The company will lead a public ballet workshop on January 28 beginning at 2 p.m. This workshop is free and open to the public and no prior dance experience is required.
Additionally, the Chancellor's Office is hosting a reception beginning at 5 p.m. in the Grand Foyer, Edward J. and Helen Jane Morrison Performing Arts Center, Student Center, University of Minnesota Morris. All are welcome.
The FM Ballet performance will be held in Edson Auditorium in the Edward J. and Helen Jane Morrison Performing Arts Center at 6 p.m. on Saturday, January 28. All events for the 2022–23 Performing Arts Series are free and open to the public, no ticket required.