Chamber Dances. Surel's Place + LED = Awesomeness

Boise’s LED dancers, Brett Perry and Lauren Edson, and Surel's Place cellist-in-residence Dave Eggar at the Visual Art Collective, Garden City, Idaho on August 26, 2016.

Surel's Place cellist-in-residence Dave Eggar performs at Chamber Dances.

Chamber Dances was a collaboration between Boise’s LED dancers, Brett Perry and Lauren Edson, and Surel's Place cellist-in-residence Dave Eggar accompanied by Heather Mastel-Lipson on violin, Mario Diaz on classical guitar and Andrew Stensaas at the Visual Art Collective, Garden City, Idaho on August 26, 2016.

Another great event made possible by Surel's Place. This sold out show at the Visual Art Collective brought together a collaborative performance by major talent. Here are their bio's as highlighted in the event program:

DAVE EGGAR, Surel’s Place’s artist-in-residence for August, 2016, was a musical prodigy as a child, performing on Broadway and at The Metropolitan Opera by age 7. Having trained as a classical cellist at The Julliard School and Harvard University, Eggar has gone on to perform across the globe, including concerto appearances at Avery Fisher Hall, Carnegie Hall, London’s Barbican Center, the Paris Opera, and the Hollywood Bowl. Eggar has performed and recorded with many artists across musical genres including Coldplay, Beyoncé, Ornette Coleman, Amy Winehouse, Taylor Swift and Pete Seeger.

LAUREN EDSON is co-founder and choreographer for Boise-based dance company LED. Edson began her studies at Ballet Idaho, continued her formal training at North Carolina School of the Arts and The Juilliard School. She has danced with Trey McIntyre Project, BodyVox, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Idaho Dance Theatre. As a choreographer, she has won numerous fellowships and awards, and has been commissioned by companies and Universities throughout the nation.

BRETT PERRY graduated from The Juilliard School in 2008, and began his professional career with Trey McIntyre Project in Boise, Idaho where he spent six years with the company. Perry has since worked with Aszure Barton and Artists, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Adam Weinert, Ballet BC and Lauren Edson. He is a recipient of the prestigious Princess Grace Award for Dance 2010. After spending the last year dancing with Ballet BC for their 30th Anniversary season, Perry has returned to Boise to dance fulltime with LED.

Lauren Edson and Brett Perry perform during Chamber Dances event on August 26, 2016. The hands and arms in this images reminded me of April VanDeGrits's painting "New Slang".

April VanDeGrift's painting "New Slang" was part of a Trey McIntyre Project 10+1 series of work and captures the intense and often quirky movements of the choreography that went along with their interpretation of music by The Shins. New Slang, 2011, oil on wood panel, 24 x 30”.

VanDeGrift said that, "Supporting Surel's legacy and the exchange artists can have with artists from other communities is an amazing opportunity. I think interactions with artists inside and outside the valley is so important." 

Boise musician Jared Nilo had the opportunity to perform one of his original songs accompanied by Dave Eggar, Heather Mastel-Lipson and Mario Diaz.

Karen Bubb, co-founder of Surel's Place and Mistress of ceremonies for Chamber Dances at the Visual Art Collective, Garden City, Idaho on August 26, 2016.

Thanks for stopping by to take a look. -Gregg

More information on these local treasures:
  LED  Surel's Place and Visual Art Collective

More images from the event:
 Gregg Mizuta/Chamber Dances