Performances
Kaleidoscope
Dance Company
Kaleidoscope Dance Company is the Northwest’s unique modern dance company of young people between the ages of 7 and 17. Founded in 1981 by Anne Green Gilbert, directed by Anna Mansbridge 2014-2023, and now directed by Bronwen Houck, this engaging company delights audiences with their mesmerizing and expressive performances. Kaleidoscope has performed for hundreds of thousands of children and adults in schools, theaters, community centers, retirement centers and other communal settings across the world.
Mosaic
Dance Company
Mosaic Dance Company is comprised of children between the ages of 7 and 13, and offers performance opportunities to interested Creative Dance Center students. First formed in 2006 by Anne Green Gilbert, the company was reconvened by Anna Mansbridge in the Fall of 2018 through Spring 2020. When Mosaic is in session they perform with Kaleidoscope in two major annual concerts each year.
The Kaleidoscope Experience
The Kaleidoscope Experience is…
About movement and beyond: You’ll experience performers leap, turn, lift, twist, fall, bend, and balance in a seamless flow of shifting patterns and shapes, connecting and separating. Our pieces communicate profound ideas exploring challenging themes such as identity, connection and disconnection, global issues, peace, and the human experience. Some pieces are fun and uplifting, some are abstract, and some tell a narrative story.
Sometimes musical, sometimes silent, but always emotive: Musical accompaniment comes from many genres; classical, contemporary, traditional, pop, musical theatre, alternative, contemporary, electronic, folk, world music, or sometimes silence. Our melodies, beats, and more ambient sounds evoke a particular feeling or atmosphere explored in our dances.
Professionally performed and unforgettable: Our costumes add to the uniqueness of each piece, bringing into focus the colors, look, and style of each choreographic work. Imbued with creative theatrical lighting that enhances the mood and character of each dance, you won’t want to miss the artistry that is a Kaleidoscope concert.
From the same mind that created the Creative Dance Center: Our reputation as one of the foremost youth dance companies in America is in thanks to founding director Anne Green Gilbert’s philosophy that young people are able to achieve a professional level of artistic expression.
For those interested in joining Kaleidoscope: There is no audition required. A passion for dancing, performing, and a commitment to rehearsals are very important. If you are interested in your child being considered for a place in Kaleidoscope please download and review the Statement of Interest and contact the Artistic Director, Bronwen Houck at bronwen@creativedance.org
Upcoming Performances
Kaleidoscope 40th Anniversary Spring Concert
Friday, May 12, 7:30pm
Saturday, May 13, 2:00pm & 7:30pm
Sunday May 14, 3:30pm
Broadway Performance Hall, Seattle
Experience the wonder of our resident company as they present a full concert of new pieces and work from the repertoire. Kaleidoscope in Concert showcases the collaborative work between Kaleidoscope dancers and professional choreographers. Witness the legacy which has supported the creation of over 350 dances since its inception. This inspiring event includes our popular Chance for Dance fundraiser.
What Sets It Apart: Company dancers have the opportunity to work in collaboration with local, national, and international professional choreographers. The choreographers may be invited to work with the whole company or create on a smaller cast of 10-15 dancers. They are encouraged to challenge the dancers, exposing them to the infinite ways of creating dances. This year’s concert features amazing choreography by exciting local artists: Tiffany Bierly, Shobha Blossey, S. Alice Grendon, Elizabeth Heard Hodgson, Lauren Kutz, Anna Mansbridge, Nia-Amina Minor, Jay Tan, Tshedzom Tingkhye, Bri Wilson, and the Kaleidoscope Dancers.
Plus a special performance by Kaleidoscope Alumni from the past 40 years!
Gift of Dance Concert
SAVE THE DATES!
Sat December 3, 2023 @ 5:00pm
Sun December 4, 2023 @ TBD
Erickson Theatre, Capitol Hill, Seattle
Our annual gift to the community during the holiday season! The Gift of Dance Concert celebrates the power of youth and dance, bringing together community and uniting us in the very human experience of creating Art.
Celebrate the unique talents of this amazing group of young people and witness the power of dance to inspire, transform, and transcend!
What Sets It Apart: In this special concert the dancers take charge of their own creative process, organize their groups, choose music, decide on costumes, and choreograph together using devices and forms to compose work that is deeply personal yet universal in its appeal to audiences of all ages. This vibrant show shares a message of hope and cooperation, especially meaningful during the holiday season.
Virtual Performances
Virtual Spring Concert 2021
Now available for anytime viewing!
Experience the wonder of our resident companies Kaleidoscope and Mosaic as they present a full virtual concert of dance on film. Join us for this inspiring concert filmed on location around the beautiful Seattle area, featuring exciting new works by local Seattle choreographers: Sarah Alaways, Holand Dennis, Kechelle Jackson, Amy J. Lambert, Anna Mansbridge, Robert Moore, Melissa Sanderson, Hayley Shannon, Maya Soto, & Elizabeth Sugawara.
Connecting Through Dance: This year’s concert also features “Common Ground”, a special virtual collaboration with Barefoot Dance Company from West Park, NY, and Kaleidoscope Dance Company.
A new way to watch: the full concert is now available to view on our website films page (link below). A suggested donation of $15 will support this concert and our performing companies. Thank you!
Gift of Dance Virtual Concert
Created December 2020, available to view now!
Join us as Kaleidoscope and Mosaic present original modern dance works choreographed by youth ages 7 to 17 in a new medium – dance on film!
Collaborating in multi-age groups, Kaleidoscope dancers rise to the artistic challenge of making work in a new way. Navigating social distancing guidelines and inspired by the beautiful outdoor spaces of the Pacific Northwest, these dances reflect our unusual times. Creating for the camera rather than the stage, our artists utilize creative, flexible, and innovative thinking as they work together to bring their choreographic visions to life. Watch and rewatch this inspiring and family-friendly virtual concert!
A new way to watch: This concert on film is available for anytime viewing at the link below. A suggested donation of $10 will support this concert and our performing companies. Thank you!
School & Community Performances
Events Coming Soon!
Want to know about our next performance? Stay up to date by visiting our announcements. Want to book a concert for your school or community? Fill out the form below!
Bring Kaleidoscope to You
You can invite Kaleidoscope to perform at your school, festival, retirement home, or community event! The company performs a narrated, educational dance concert which is engaging and fun for all ages.
Our concert includes…
- Parachute Play, a humorous romp with a full-sized parachute;
- Oh Be Gentle, a movement choir inspired by American Sign Language, encouraging everyone to treat the earth and its inhabitants with kindness;
- A To Zap, a lively dance based on classic children’s games and the alphabet;
- The Kites are Flying focusing on resilience and peace
- And more, including fun, guided audience participation and a short Q&A with the dancers.
Booking & Concert Details
- Your experience includes: Concert and Discussion Question Booklets
- Focused Audience: Preschool through grade 8
- Length of School Concert: 40 minutes
- Required Space for Presentation: Minimum 20’x20’ gym or stage space
- Cost: One Concert – $495: Two Concerts – $800.
Financial support is available upon request.
Please complete the form below.
Dance Residencies are also available using Anne Green Gilbert’s Brain-Compatible Dance Education methods tailored to the needs of your school.
Have an urgent question? You can directly contact Director Bronwen Houck at bronwen@creativedance.org or 206-363-7281.
Afternoon of Dance School Show
Expect the Unexpected
The Afternoon of Dance is a celebration of community, creativity, and collaboration that showcases our teaching methodology, brain-compatible dance education. The show provides our students with the opportunity to perform on stage in front of friends and family. (That’s you!) Afternoon of Dance is their time to shine! We hope you join us to cheer them on at Shorecrest Performing Arts Center on March 19, 2023.
What Sets It Apart: CDC’s Afternoon of Dance is not your typical recital. There are no expensive costumes to purchase as students are invited to express their unique personalities on stage. Our students work in collaboration with each other and with their teacher to present a dance that is age-appropriate and creative, highlighting what they have explored and learned in class. The dancers enrolled in our Winter/Spring independent classes, from preschoolers and children to teens and adults, work hard in class and this is their moment to showcase their work. This inspiring day of performance makes it clear that dance is for all ages and abilities as we celebrate the dancer inside all of us!
CDC Virtual School Show
A show must go on moment!
Our 2021 Virtual School Show was a truly a demonstration in flexibility – and not the kind you usually think of in dance! We could not let the year of dancing online go by without celebrating the students’ hard work and joyful learning. Dances were filmed during class time and put together in a video showcase. From joyful preschoolers, to children and teens demonstrating dance skills and embodied self-expression, to adults of all ages relating to their screens and each other in the most unique ways, our Virtual School Show was truly a display of determination, creative problem-solving, and the joy of dance.
Alumni
We are so proud of our Alums!
