Sunday, March 15th at 2pm

James A. Little Theater 

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day a wee bit early and join Belisama Irish Dance for Rhythm of Fire 2020, a celebration of dance and song from Ireland, Scotland, Spain and Mexico!

Belisama combines traditional and contemporary Irish dancing styles with music that will have you clapping your hands and tapping your feet.  Featuring flamenco and folklorico dancers from Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, and Scottish dancers from Highland Dance Albuquerque.

Adults -$20

Students/ Seniors/Children under 12 -$15

Tickets at Tickets.Lensic.org

Photo by Kate Russell

Check out their website for more info.

Los Alamos Unitarian church, Saturday, February 25th from 2-4pm in Los Alamos.  Tickets available at CB Fox (cash or check only) or from your favorite dancer.  1738 N. Sage Street.

$10 children (under 4 are free), $15 adults, and $50 for families of 4+

Tickets available soon!

Friday, March 18th ∙ 7pm
Saturday, March 19th ∙ 2pm & 7pm
Los Alamos Little Theatre

LOS ALAMOS & SANTE FE, NM—St. Patrick’s Day for the whole family!  Back this month from an impressive showing at the CRN North American Open Championships, Belisama Irish Dance presents the 9th incarnation of its Rhythm of Fire performance on Friday, March 18^th at 7pm, and Saturday, March 19^th at 2pm and 7pm at the Los Alamos Little Theatre.  This high energy show features young up-and-coming performers in a family friendly, foot stomping performance of traditional and contemporary Irish dancing. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $10 for students, seniors, and children under 12.  The theater is located at 1670 Nectar Street in Los Alamos. Tickets are available at CB Fox in Los Alamos, or ask your favorite dancer. Call 505-670-2152 for more information.

This year’s Rhythm of Fire promises a fun and entertaining show, and features live music by Bethany and Matthew Filer. Audiences will also enjoy both new choreography and long-loved favorites by company directors Adrienne Bellis and Celia Kessler, champion dancer Maria Jones, and former Riverdance lead Michael Patrick Gallagher. 

 Photo by Kate Russell

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Belisama Irish Dance features local dancers from Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Rio Rancho, and has been honored with numerous past and present national and regional championship awards. The dancers have performed alongside renowned artists including Trinity Irish Dance Company, Lúnasa, Natalie MacMaster, Gaelic Storm, Michael Patrick Gallagher, and Eileen Ivers. With small class sizes, the Belisama School of Dance instructs committed dancers of all ages in Irish technique and choreography as well as performance opportunities. View full the schedule of classes online at www.belisamadance.com. 

Belisama (bel-i-SAH-ma) is a Celtic goddess recognized in Romano-Gaulish inscriptions which equate her with Roman goddess Minerva. The name translates as ‘summer bright;’ Belisama’s consort Belenus is God of the Sun, and she shares many attributes with him. Belisama is also associated with wisdom, healing, forge, and craft.

Photo by Kate Russell

Belisama Irish Dance will be performing at 11am both days of the Santa Fe Renaissance Fair, Saturday, Sept. 19th & Sunday, Sept. 20th at Rancho de las Golondrinas.  This is one of our favorite events so we hope you will join us and share in the fun!  For more info go to http://www.sfrenfair.org.

James A. Little Theater
1060 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505

SANTA FE, NM—Belisama Irish Dance and Moving People Dance Theatre are proud to present ‘Irish Jigs and Winter Treats,’ a dance repertory showcase, December 12th-14th at the James A. Little Theater in Santa Fe. Jump into the holiday spirit with an assortment of winter-wonderful dance, a festive medley for all ages including Irish, modern, jazz, and ballet. Performances take place Friday and Saturday evenings at 7pm and Sunday afternoon at 2:30pm.  Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children, and $12 for seniors; the James A. Little Theater is located at 1060 Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe. For tickets, call Tickets Santa Fe at 505-988-1234, or visit www.ticketssantafe.org.

Belisama Irish Dance ∙ Photo by Kate Russell

The Irish offerings for this showcase range from classic Christmas favorites to 1950s rock, with traditional soft- and hard-shoe dancing. Director Adrienne Bellis and choreographer Celia Kessler also present modern Riverdance style interpretations, evocative of peaceful snow-covered pathways and twinkling lights, with beautiful acapella choral harmonies. Thirty dancers span age six to sixty.

Moving People Dance ∙ Photo by Max Mujynya

For modern dance featuring Moving People pre-professionals, choreographer Echo Gustafson presents the humorously titled I Can’t Fall Asleep on the Plane Because I Drank Too Much Coffee in the Airport, an exploration of myriad holiday themes.  On a quieter note, her Snowflake Lullaby is “a meditation on the beautiful floating forms of snow, danced to a Hebrew lullaby sung by Monserrat Figueras.”

Also dreaming of a frosty December, Carolyn Ellis and the Moving People pre-professional dancers have created the bold and collaborative Snow Queen Remixed. Morphing Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairytale into a world of contemporary, salsa-inspired jazz, the Snow Queen utilizes movement gleaned from jumprope, tag, and other children’s games while its story illustrates the age-old struggle between good and evil.

Canyon Road is Annie Kohn’s nod to one of Santa Fe’s favorite and most unique holiday traditions. A ballet with music by Garth Stevenson, this dance is sure to get you in the mood for Santa Fe’s annual Christmas Eve walk. Her quartet, Polaris, references the North Star as “a symbol of the guiding light within…the choreography aims to create a sense of steadiness and focus.” And, Kohn’s modern Chanukah-themed waltz Eight Little Lights is accompanied by Shtetl Band Amsterdam tunes and performed by dancers aged twelve to nineteen. “The students have worked beautifully together on this,” she says. “The winter holidays are such a sweet time to gather with loved ones and celebrate traditions passed down from generation to generation. This piece embodies the feeling of family, community and ancient rituals that bring us together to honor the small miracles of life.”

Belisama Irish Dance ∙ Photo by Kate Russell

Moving People Dance ∙ Photo by
Max Mujynya

Moving People Dance ∙ Photo by
Max Mujynya

ABOUT BELISAMA IRISH DANCE AND MOVING PEOPLE DANCE THEATRE
Belisama Irish Dance features local dancers from Santa Fe and Los Alamos, and has been honored with numerous past and present national and regional championship awards. The dancers have performed alongside renowned artists including Trinity Irish Dance Company, Lúnasa, Natalie MacMaster, Gaelic Storm, Michael Patrick Gallagher, and Eileen Ivers. With small class sizes, the School instructs committed dancers of all ages in Irish technique and choreography as well as performance opportunities. View the full schedule of classes online at www.belisamadance.com or call 505-670-2152 for more information.

Moving People Dance has been the pre-professional performing company of the Belisama school since 2013. MPD offers exceptional training for dancers, as well as a cutting-edge contemporary performance company. Moving People Dance Theatre is a non-profit organization committed to raising funds for training and performance opportunities which benefit dancers and choreographers at Belisama Dance.

Adrienne Bellis is the Director of Belisama School of Dance, Moving People Dance, and the internationally award-winning Belisama Irish Dance Company. With extensive training in jazz dance and music performance, Bellis was first introduced to Irish dance in California at the Claddagh School of Irish Dance. She is a national champion as part of an 8-hand ceili team. Her students are recognized as national and regional dance champions as well as up-and-coming choreographers. She is also a professional singer.

Belisama Irish Dance will be performing at the Santa Fe Renaissance Fair. Come join us for this fun annual event at El Rancho de las Golondrinas and supporting the Interfaith Community Shelter. Go to the event website for more information at http://www.sfrenfair.org

Photo by Phil Hypes

Sunday, March 16th at 4:00pm
El Farol Gallery
808 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501

March 22nd-29th, Times as Listed Below
Southwest Irish Theater Festival Produced by Theaterwork
James A. Little Theater
1060 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505

Photo by Kate Russell

Play: ‘Cathleen ni Houlihan’ by W.B. Yeats
March 22 at 7pm and March 29th at 2pm
With Belisama Irish Dance and Moving People Dance as ‘Spirits of the Woods’

Music & Poetry: ‘All the Doors Swing Wide!’
March 23rd at 2pm and March 30th at 2pm

All Southwest Irish Theater Festival tickets are $5.  Visit the Theaterwork website for details: www.twnm.org.