The Ibn Sina Foundation Montessori School for Underserved Children
director: Tony Smith
A variety of acts in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Maria Montessori.
Ariel Silks with Dreya Weber
Kuumba House Dance Theatre and School of the Woods African Drummers
Houston World Dance Ensemble
Anjali Center for Performing Arts
Ann Candler Harlan with School of the Woods Singers
Ariel Swing with Dreya Weber
Rebekah Loweke and kit Reid's Jackson Square Band
Cass Academy of Irish Dance
Round Rock Entertainment Brazilian Dance Ensemble
Lee's Golden Dragons
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This extravaganza lacked focus. It was a light show with some variety acts or greatly varying talents. The interludes between acts was interesting with its history of Maria Montessori. What the acts had to do with anything was not at all clear -- except that they all were geared toward a specific culture.
Most of the talent was amateurish -- it had the feel of a showcase. Dreya Weber was good and very interesting as the ariel artist. The dancers which appeared a number of sections were talented and I'd liked to have seen more of them. Outstanding was the Lee's Dragons. Their big number with a dragon (manned by two people) jumping along pylons was absolutely incredible and well worth the admission price by itself.
The Irish dancers were very good and it was a joy to watch them. Sadly, there was one very obvious error made by one dancer, which took away from the overall feel for the group.
I was invited to come to this, and I'm glad I did. However, I would not have paid money for it myself. First, it was definitley aimed at a target audience, which I am not part of. Secondly, I am very critical of this type of performance. I don't want to see amateurs. If it bills itself as amateurs than I have no problem and accept it for what it is. This was billed as high quality entertainment.
The biggest problem here was the lighting. It seemed obvious that the lighting designer was given free reign to do as he pleased and he made it a light show, an industrial. I understand that he probably felt that the talent needed to be backed by something spectacular, but often the lights were distracting and in some cases even prevented us from seeing the talent.
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