Arts lovers have an opportunity too see some captivating and inspiring dance this week by SALT Contemporary Dance. Presented by the Dance Alliance of the Pikes Peak Region, the Utah-based SALT will perform at the Ent Center for the Arts March 13.
Since being founded in 2013, SALT Contemporary Dance has grown into a well- respected company and brought new voices of contemporary dance to Utah. In its 10 seasons, SALT has worked with some of the most sought-after choreographers, built in-depth training programs and shared its innovative productions around the world.
“They are creating a buzz not just nationally, but overseas,” says Ihsan Rustem, an international choreographer. “They simply stand out in a sea of prospects presenting contemporary dance today. This dynamic troupe has surpassed expectations and challenged possibilities; pushed the boundaries and raised the bar for what audiences should expect.”
SALT celebrates innovation in dance and strives to use dance as a salve for current social issues and to bring vibrancy, diversity and health to the community.
“In preparation for my first season as artistic director of SALT Contemporary Dance, I spent a lot of time identifying what it is about contemporary dance that I love, and how I wanted to bring that to life,” says Amy Gunter, artistic director of SALT. “Ultimately, that reflection boiled down to the amplification of physicality and humanity.”
“I applaud the Dance Alliance for bringing SALT Contemporary Dance to our community,” says David Siegel, executive director of the Ent Center. “We are honored to host this exhilarating evening of dance at the Ent Center for the Arts.”
“We showcased SALT a few years ago and received excellent feedback on their spectacular performance,” says Beth Carlson, Dance Alliance’s president emeritus and chair of the artistic committee. “We wanted to bring them back and give more people a chance to see them on stage.”
During its 48 years, the Dance Alliance has hosted over 114 of the world’s leading dance companies at local venues.
SALT’s show, Spring 12, was specifically curated for this tour. Within its dance pieces, you’ll see ideas of humor, love, loss, joy, community, encountering and reckoning with memories, and exploring the inner child and the systems that we exist within.
“My goal is to present work that is so physical and intentional that the audience feels it without having to get every moment,” Gunter says. “Because movement is ancient and intuitive and powerful, it is a form that is truly limitless. It has the power to transport and transform, and this limitlessness of contemporary art is a really special place to be.”
As the dancers tell stories through movement and physicality, the goal is to imprint a feeling on the audience.
“The show is vibrant and complex,” Gunter. says “My hope is that it gives the audience moments to hold and to reflect. And maybe even moments to ask questions and connect with their own humanness.”
SALT’s will perform on March 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ent Center for the Arts Shockley-Zalabak Theater. To make the performance more accessible to students in the community, tickets are only $15 for students from kindergarten to grad school. Regular tickets range from $26-$50.
“This show is brought to life by an exceptional team of choreographers and dancers,” says Gunter. “They are the heart of what is on stage, and I cannot wait for you all to experience the stories and images created. I hope it transports and connects us all a little bit in a time where we need more connectedness.”
Find details and tickets at entcenterforthearts.org.
