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La Follia Austin Baroque spotlights baroque dance for February concerts

Updated: Friday, February 10 2012, 02:31 PM CST
Baroque dance comes to Austin when La Follia Austin Baroque features international Baroque dancing stars Paige Whitley-Bauguess and Thomas Baird performing authentic Baroque dances in period costumes, backed by the La Follia Baroque Ensemble. 

The concerts play Feb. 11 and 12 at Northwest Hills Methodist Church.

An art form that was performed by King Louis XIV himself, the French noble dance style and technique of the late 17th and early 18th centuries was cultivated by the dancing masters and dance activities at the court.  The style greatly influenced dancing in ballrooms and theatres throughout Europe, as French dancing masters were prized commodities - and French dances were danced all across Europe while the French dancing manuals were translated into various languages.

Baroque dancer Paige Whitley-Bauguess interprets, recreates and performs Baroque theatre dance in venues throughout the world as a soloist and with her dance partner, Thomas Baird.  The duo's critically-acclaimed collaborations have been performed for audiences in the U.S., Canada, and Japan.  Highlights include repeat concerts with the Little Orchestra Society at Lincoln Center and the Pacific Baroque Orchestra of Vancouver, their reconstruction of the courtly entertainment Le Mariage de la Grosse Cathos in Tokyo and Shizuoka, Japan, Bailles y Danzas, a program they created especially for performances with Chatham Baroque and "Harlequin Unmasked" - a program of commedia dell' arte dance and music with REBEL.

Performances will be at 8 p.m. on Feb. 11 and 7 p.m. on Feb. 12.  Tickets are $25 for general admission, $20 for seniors and $15 for students.  Whitley-Bauguess will present a free lecture on Baroque dance, beginning 30 minutes prior to the start of each performance.

Northwest Hills Methodist Church is located at 7050 Village Center Drive.  For more information and reservations, call (512) 879-6404 or visit LaFollia.org.

(Photo by Bill Benners)
La Follia Austin Baroque spotlights baroque dance for February concerts