Behind the Movement: MADCO “SETs” the Stage with its 50th Anniversary Performance
Fifty years of dance doesn’t happen by accident: it’s because of the people. These people are the artists, dreamers, movers, and supporters who keep showing up, generation after generation, to create and celebrate something bigger than themselves.
This weekend, The Modern American Dance Company (MADCO) celebrates that legacy with SET: The Legacy Concert. The performance will bridge the company’s past and its present. In rehearsals leading up to opening night, the studio has been buzzing with energy! Alumni have visited, stories have been shared, and dancers have been connecting with the roots of the work they now carry forward.
Apprentice dancer Olivia Cesarano describes the experience best:
“With it being my first year as an apprentice, I came in with a very blind perspective about MADCO repertoire. These past few months of rehearsals and residencies have taught me more about the company in many ways. I found myself feeling more connected to the company’s history and the predecessors before me. I’ve learned how I can take what the previous dancers shared with me and make it my own. I hope that past and present MADCO can converge into something spectacular for the future.”
That “meeting point” is exactly what SET is about. The program features works by MADCO greats Jennifer Archibald, Michael Foley, Janice Garrett, and company co-founder Alcine Wiltz - choreographers whose voices shaped the company’s evolution from its early stylized roots to its modern, boundary-pushing identity; a bridge between MADCO’s rich history and its evolving vision that keeps pushing the company forward.
While SET celebrates five decades of choreography that has shaped MADCO’s past, it also shines a light on the creative voices shaping its future. Two of the works featured in this program come from the company’s very own Annie Mitchell and Artistic Director Arianna Russ. Together, their works highlight something essential about MADCO: it has always been built from the inside out. By nurturing its own artists and giving space for their voices to be seen and heard, the company continues the legacy of innovation and collaboration that has defined MADCO for 50 years.
With three performances - October 11th at 2 pm and 7:30 pm, and October 12th at 2 pm. at COCA’s Catherine B. Berges Theatre - audiences are invited to experience five decades of movement, memory, and momentum. Those audience members who plan to attend Saturday evening’s show are encouraged to dress for the occasion! After the October 11th evening show, the celebration continues with a post-show reception where fans, alumni, and dancers can raise a glass to 50 years of MADCO magic!
Pro tip: Parking may be limited for the Saturday evening performance due to another event across the street at the 560 Music Center. Arrive early or park in the Delmar Loop and enjoy a short walk to COCA.
Article contributions by Arianna Russ, Ja’Don Hamilton, and Olivia Cesarano
Rehearsal photos by Carly Vanderheyden
