SPRINGER | MUELLER
"Meindersee took center stage and, perfectly poised, rose on point and balanced at astonishing length. Upstage, percussionist Mueller and pianist David Utzinger began their accompaniment. Suddenly, Meindersee exploded into a series of big balletic movements. She stopped as suddenly, waited for us to breathe and listen, and then executed a string of fast spins on point. Another pause, then another difficult string of big classical ballet moves deployed for sheer impact. We were moments into the dance and already I wanted to cheer.
Enter dancers Rachel Malehorn, also retired from Milwaukee Ballet and dancing as powerfully as ever, and Annia Hidalgo, still a leading artist with that company and regularly flooring audiences with her skill and charisma. The muscles of the three dancers were as heartily tested in balances, spins and footwork: long stretches of speedy stepping on point in place. Springer put familiar ballet moves into unique, extreme constructions; every phrase was an event. Likewise, major groove shifts in the music arrived. Time flew. The end echoed the start: Hidalgo alone now—moving, listening, moving, listening."
John Schneider, Shepherd Express
Videography by Kym McDaniel
Composer Jon Mueller
Performance by Ania Hidalgo, Rachel Malehorn, Janel Meindersee, Jon Mueller, and Dave Utzinger