Hiplet Ballerinas
- Saturday, November 9, 7:30 p.m. | Edson Auditorium
The only company in the world to perform the signature trademark style, Hiplet Ballerinas of Chicago, Illinois fuse classical pointe technique with African, Latin, Hip-Hop, and urban dance styles rooted in communities of color. Promoting inclusivity in both their cast and audience, Hiplet features true-toned tights, modern music, and dancers of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Since going viral in 2016 thanks to appearances on Good Morning America and Buzzfeed, the company has amassed over a billion views on YouTube, starred in a feature documentary, made a cameo in Shawn Mendes’ “Youth” music video, and performed across the world. The Hiplet Ballerinas are also often found in high-fashion campaigns such as the runways of Paris Fashion Week.
SHAPESHIFT
- Friday, December 6, 7:30 p.m. | Edson Auditorium
Minneapolis based SHAPESHIFT is a hip-hop/contemporary storytelling dance company that uses a fusion of dance styles to create powerful theatrical productions tackling issues of social justice, loss, love, and human emotions. SHAPESHIFT, a multicultural dance collective, has performed in esteemed venues such as the Ordway Center for Performing Arts, the XCEL Energy Center, and the Kennedy Center.
David L. Harris
- Friday, February 21, 7:30 p.m. | Edson Auditorium
African American trombonist, vocalist, composer and arranger David L. Harris embodies the edge of modern jazz and the sultriness of blues. Every time he steps on stage, David takes listeners on the emotionally engaging journey of love and liberation, wrapped in a sound that embraces the groove, grit, and swing of the past. He has captured and moved audiences in China, Europe, Taiwan, Russia, South America, Australia, Canada, South Africa, and in over twenty cities in Japan. His masterful team joins him in this endeavor, most recently with the critically-acclaimed “Blues I Felt,” Harris’ debut album.
Russian String Orchestra
- Saturday, April 25, 7: 30 p.m. | Edson Auditorium
Moscow’s finest young string ensemble, the Russian String Orchestra, brings its trademark virtuosity, high energy, and warmth to Rockport. Founded in 1991 under the baton of music director Misha Rachlevsky, the Russian String Orchestra delivers impassioned performances that linger in the soul long after the last note resonates. The orchestra’s discography of over thirty CDs has received widespread international acclaim with critics’ choice in London’s Gramophone, Critics Choice in the New York Times, and Record of the Year in Hong Kong. Experiencing the Russian String Orchestra will move your soul.