Celebrate Thanksgiving with the world renowned dance-illusionist group, Momix, at Reichhold Center for the Arts at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 25. Momix will present “Botanica,” a spectacular blend of physical theater, circus, athleticism and comedy. The company transports audiences from their everyday lives to a fantasy world through its trademark use of magical lighting and imagery to conjure up a world of surrealistic images using props, light, shadow, humor and the human body.
Artistic Director and Choreographer, Moses Pendelton, has created works that have astonished audiences on five continents for more than 30 years. Pendelton, a founding member of the ground-breaking Pilobolus Dance Theater in 1971, formed his own company, MOMIX, in 1980. Since then Momix has traveled the globe extensively thrilling fans in 22 countries. They’ve also appeared in various films and on television, including the Golden Globe Awards and the “Dance in America” series on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), just to name a few.
“Botanica” reveals nature’s changing imagery and shows off the inventive and endlessly renewable energy of the amazing physicality of the MOMIX performers. From the array of swirling, evolving, abstract objects in a glow-in-the-dark setting or the triceratops skeleton coming to life, a sight any kid would deem cool. Momix “Botanica” is dance at its most organic and inventive.
With cool effects like centaurs and snowstorms; pretty pictures of sunflowers and flashlight fireflies; little beetles outrunning a giant snail or finches flying by on roller skates – it is hard to believe that humans are present during the entire performance.
The Momix Dance Company has received rave reviews. Botanica “...is the IMAX version of dance theater.” “a savvy mix of puppetry, strobe lights and multi-media,” according to the Star Ledger.
“… [“Botanica”] traffics in this tension between illusion and reality, apprehension and excitement: as with a Halloween disguise, you know there is a person behind the mask. The fun is in figuring out just how the effect is created,” according to The New York Times.
“Your impression of the seasons will never be the same after this Thanksgiving performance,” said Denise Humphrey, of the Reichhold Center for the Arts.
Reichhold and the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts (VICA) will host an Innovative’s Arts in Education Workshop with a student performance that introduces the students to the various art forms represented in the show. Please call Tasida Kelch, of VICA, at (340) 774-5984 for details on how to sign up your class for this engaging and awe-inspiring opportunity.
The Reichhold Center’s 37th season is sponsored by International Capital and Management Company, VI Lottery, Innovative, Marriott Frenchman’s Reef Resort, Tropical Shipping and the VI Council on the Arts. The Reichhold Center for the Arts is the flagship performing arts center for the University of the Virgin Islands.
For tickets, visit Reichhold Center’s Box Office or call (340) 693-1559. For more information on the Reichhold Center and the 37th season or to purchase tickets visit www.reichholdcenter.org. For inquiries into sponsorship and Stagebill advertising contact Ian Turnbull at ian.turnbull@uvi.edu or (340)693-1554.