So you think you can watch dance?

Look, you couldn't fill up a ballet slipper with what we know about the art of dance. We know that Martha Graham is a big deal but we aren't really sure why. We know that we loved it when Ballet Internationale sent us free season tickets as part of a promotion a few years ago and we were bummed when they dissolved. However, mention Edith Piaf, Toulouse-Lautrec, and 2 for 1 tickets and we are there! Finding ourselves with no Easter obligations, we checked out Dance Kaleidoscope's The French Connection at the Indiana Repertory Theatre.

We are admittedly frugal so a big motivator for us getting out was our Indy Arts card. If you don't have one of these already, you really should sign up for one at http://www.indyarts.org/. It is free and you get emails so you know what is going on and what discounts are available for cardholders. So, we got 2 tickets for The French Connection for $34- we love that!

Now, we don't want to rave too much about the production since Sunday was the last performance and, if you missed it, you are out of luck. However, you can learn a lesson in this and be more watchful about upcoming Dance Kaleidoscope productions. Being more used to Broadway style shows, opera, and the ballet, we went in expecting that the whole show was going to be very Edith Piaf and Moulin Rouge intensive. It was not. However, the first 2 dances were absolutely lovely. Compared to other types of shows, it goes very quickly. There was already an intermission after the second dance which we appreciated since it is always nice to stretch the legs periodically. Then came the big draw, the number with the beautiful costumes, the Piaf music, and 1890s Paris. It was so lively, so gorgeous, and so graceful. There was one more intermission and then a last dance that was stripped down to simple white costumes and artistry. The whole show came in slightly under 2 hours. C'mon, it is Indiana in March; almost everything still looks dead and the sun is usually MIA. It is so worth it to seek out beauty like the Dance Kaleidoscope gave us. http://www.dancekal.org/

Now for a few words about the venue. Shame on us, this was the first time that we have seen anything at the Indiana Repertory Theatre; although we have admired the facade for years. It was more intimate than we expected. Not that it is Theatre on the Square tiny, but it is not Murat massive either. It was actually pretty perfect. We enjoyed a great view from the balcony. We really appreciated that bottled water was allowed in the auditorium. They offer stronger libations but you have to consume those in the lobby during the intermissions. We sincerely hope that the small crowd was due to the fact that it was a holiday. The Circle Centre Mall parking lot was extremely convenient and extremely affordable at $1.50 since we were there less than 3 hours. We will seek other shows out that come to the IRT now that we know what a nifty theatre they have. http://www.indianarep.com/