ESV Ensemble Tour Highlights from the Heartland!
A preview of the ensemble's 2024 Midwest tour report for the forthcoming Eurythmy Association of North America Newsletter, along with photos and candid moments from each stop along the way
From the 18th to the 31st of October, Eurythmy Spring Valley Ensemble was on the road again, touring the Midwest for the first time since the pandemic. What a joy for the group to spread their wings again!
Left to right: Barbara Richardson, Claudia Fontana, Ethan Sudan, Matej Rybka, Virginia Hermann, Barbara Schneider-Serio, Susann Eddy, Sea-Anna Vasilas, Wei Rung, Colleen Foglia, Carley Horan, and Grigory Smirnov, at the Detroit Waldorf School.
Overall, twelve performances took place over thirteen days, including three public performances of the evening program, one of which took place in Towsley Hall at the Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, MI. For early childhood and elementary students in Viroqua, WI, Chicago, IL, Ann Arbor, MI, and Detroit, MI, the ensemble performed their Wynken, Blynken, and Nod vignette, Frog Prince fairytale, and collection of humorous nursery rhymes. For upper grades and high school students in Chicago and Ann Arbor, the group brought excerpts from their current evening program A Shovel of Stars Overhead. A lively Q&A followed the Ann Arbor High School performance, and in Viroqua and Chicago enthusiastic 8th and 12th graders respectively awaited the performers afterwards with questions.
Many, many heartfelt thanks go out to all the local eurythmists, colleagues, anthroposophical society members, parents, friends, faculty, and staff at each of the schools we visited. Not only are these tours entirely made possible through such on-the-ground support, but they are also greatly enriched by the connections and relationships made along the way.
In Viroqua, former Eurythmy Spring Valley faculty and Ensemble member Elsa Macauley, along with graduate Erin Erkelens (both teaching at Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School), spearheaded our visit, along with the support of the Waldorf school, Robert Karp, and the Viroqua Branch of the anthroposophical society, the local Christian Community group, eurythmist Keith Hess, and all the folks at the Commons Theater. We are full of admiration and gratitude for the collaborative effort to host and feed us, have workshops and student performances, and especially for going the extra mile to have a special evening performance of A Shovel of Stars Overhead, which happened to be a debut performance for speech artist Carley Horan in her hometown!
Speech artist Carley Horan rehearsing at The Commons Theater, Viroqua, Wisconsin
Musician’s corner at The Commons Theater, Viroqua, Wisconsin
The Commons Theater, Viroqua, Wisconsin
Back row left to right: Colleen Foglia, Barbara Schneider-Serio, Grigory Smirnov, Ethan Sudan, Matej Rybka, Elsa Macauley, Virginia Hermann, Erin Erkelens.
Front row left to rught: Carley Horan, Sea-Anna Vasilas, Moira Macauley, and Wei Rung.
In Viroqua, Wisconsin
In Amherst, WI, at the Lettie Jensen Community Center, a special family program was presented to a first-time eurythmy audience. This unique afternoon was organized by Chamomile Nuzs, who has spearheaded several Waldorf Charter School initiatives in the area, including the Tomorrow River Community Charter School, which the group was able to tour along with another of its founders, current Eurythmy Spring Valley student Lindsey Jenkins!
Jensen Community Center Theater, Amherst, Wisconsin
Tour of Tomorrow River Community Charter School
Classroom at Tomorrow River Community Charter School, Amherst Junction, WI
At the Chicago Waldorf School, we were again hosted by a former stage group member, and Eurythmy Spring Valley alum, Emily Biffis, who expertly organized all aspects of a wonderful visit with three performances in one day for all students from kindergarten through 12th grade! What an impressive new school building, great auditorium, and appreciative students.
Left to right: Ethan Sudan, Virginia Hermann, Matej Rybka, Colleen Foglia, Wei Rung, Sea-Anna Vasilas, Emily Biffis, Barbara Schneider-Serio, Grigory Smirnov, Brendan Finucane, and Nelson Mendoza, at the Chicago Waldorf School.
Chicago Waldorf School Auditorium
Barbara Schneider-Serio, Chicago Skyline
In Ann Arbor, we were amazed by the collaborative effort from all sides to have performances in three different venues over two days! Special thanks to Marke Levene and Barbara Richardson for scouting the fantastic theater at Washtenaw Community College, to Knut Hill for coordinating and supporting every aspect of our stay, Emily Kozisek for the wonderful food, theater team of Nathan Corliss, Heather Lomason, and Noah Burns, eurythmists Andrea Paz and Claudia Fontana for their presence, enthusiasm, and colleagueship, and the Great Lakes Branch for their sponsorship and support!
Backstage at Towsley Hall, Washtenaw Community College, Ann Arbor, MI
Towsley Hall, Washtenaw Community College
Wei Rung, Matej Rybka, and Carley Horan rehearsing at Detroit Waldorf School
Last but not least, a big thank you to the stalwart Susann Eddy in Detroit, who beautifully hosted and organized us along with friend and speech artist Beatrice Voigt, and the warm and welcoming faculty and staff of the Detroit Waldorf School. It is truly wonderful to be able to return again and again to a school, build strong connections over time, and a feeling of familiarity with the space and the community.
A special thanks as well to the Rudolf Steiner House, Mary Stewart Adams, Eddie Ledermann, Cynthia Chelius, and the staff in Ann Arbor for hosting us for several days as we traveled between Ann Arbor and Detroit.
Welcome table created by Claudia Fontana at Rudolf Steiner House
The eurythmists on this tour included Barbara Schneider-Serio, Sea-Anna Vasilas, Virginia Herman, Wei Rung, Colleen Foglia, and Matej Rybka. Unfortunately, Cameron MacArthur was unable to join the group this time due to a recent injury, but hopefully he will be back in action in the New Year.
Farewell with Mary Stewart Adams at Rudolf Steiner House
Grigory Smirnov, the ensemble’s pianist, whose compositions are featured in A Shovel of Stars Overhead and the fairytale of the Frog Prince, was instrumental in coaching and rehearsing with local string musicians in each location. The group is so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Eric Miller and John Madura in Viroqua, WI, Brendan Finucane and Nelson Mendoza in Chicago, IL, and Jaime Gallupe, Jeremy Klapper, and Graham Emberton in Ann Arbor, MI.
Ethan Sudan, longtime Eurythmy Spring Valley lighter, was also able to join the group again, using his expertise and ingenuity to render colorful eurythmy lighting on each venue’s unique system, often creating a display the audience had never seen on their own stage.
It was a real pleasure to have Carley Horan join us as our new speech artist on tour; she did a beautiful job carrying the variety of programs we offer and making a connection to all the different audiences!
Everywhere we went we were warmly welcomed and well fed, and our performances were met with enthusiastic appreciation. We feel so privileged to be able to tour the country and share our work with so many people. We look forward to our next tour in February 2025 as we head to the West Coast!
Taking in the sunset on Lake Michigan after three performances at Chicago Waldorf School
Bring the ESV Ensemble to Your Community!
Our tour coordinator, Marta Stemberger, would love to hear from you. Please email esvtour@eurythmy.org.