Utah dance troupe spoofs the spooks

Odyssey's 'Thriller' offers witty option for Halloween fun

By KAREN ANNE WEBB
Standard-Examiner correspondent

Mr. and Mrs. Frankenstein, Jason and The Mummy welcome a trio of new acts when Odyssey Dance Theatre returns to Ogden next weekend with its Halloween extravaganza "Thriller." <a href=http://www.standard.net/standard/news/news_story.html?sid=00021010190740245485+cat%3Dgo+template%3Dnews1.html&TVS=1%24-1471444562%2450%24Fri+Oct+11+15%3A24%3A06+EDT+2002-40587 2%240%24989EA0713F89A79BEAFE80B5240B2914&CSBOX=1%24158%240%24USD%240.0%2410.0%2420.0%240.0%240%240%2433%3AUSD%3AUSD%3AL4%2C0%2C.05%2C.02%2C.05%2C10%2C0%2C.25%2418%3AUSD%3AUSD%3AL1% 2C.02%2C.05&CSAK=CSAK%3A1034364862334%3AAF8EDA560778F7B909AF199B7CA09803 target=_blank>more</a>

Odyssey Dance Theatre rises to Tier 1 status

By KAREN ANNE WEBB
Standard-Examiner correspondent

This year, Odyssey Dance Theatre was granted Tier 1 status with the Salt Lake County"s Zoo, Arts and Parks program. The program culls one-tenth of 1 percent of sales tax collected in the county and awards it to, among others, arts organizations that "preserve or promote use of the fine arts." <a href=http://www.standard.net/standard/news/news_story.html?sid=00021010190517395972+cat=go+template=news1.html&TVS=1%24-1471444562%2450%24Fri+Oct+11+15%3A24%3A06+EDT+2002-405872%24 0%24989EA0713F89A79BEAFE80B5240B2914&CSBOX=1%24158%240%24USD%240.0%2410.0%2420.0%240.0%240%240%2433%3AUSD%3AUSD%3AL4%2C0%2C.05%2C.02%2C.05%2C10%2C0%2C.25%2418%3AUSD%3AUSD%3AL1%2C.0 2%2C.05&CSAK=CSAK%3A1034364982546%3A43CAFC1A6A94520CC1213C4D31CC18FA target=_blank>more</a>

Back From the Dead, Ready to Dance

BY SCOTT C. MORGAN
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

Just when you thought it was safe to leave the multi-plex, those cinematic creatures and killers have popped off the screen to haunt you in person. Never mind that in the transformation from celluloid to solid-flesh, the monsters have also picked up a few jazz, hip-hop and modern dance steps. more

Grueling Programs Excite Odyssey

The Salt Lake Tribune

Each spring the Odyssey Dance Theatre creates a grueling spring repertory program that calls upon the company's stoutest hearts and legs. <a href=http://www.sltrib.com/2003/apr/04072003/monday/45635.asp target=_blank>more</a>

Review: 'Thriller' has too much filler, but has moments of frightful excitement

By KATHY ADAMS
Special to The Salt Lake Tribune

Odyssey Dance Theatre's annual Halloween performance, "Thriller," is in dire need of editing. The performance Wednesday night at Kingsbury Hall ran 2 1/2 hours and wouldn't suffer from cutting 30 minutes of filler and old material.

The best piece of the evening came right after intermission with "Michael's Mire," by choreographer David Carter. It was high velocity, high impact and hot. This talented group of jazz/ hip-hop dancers can do it all -- poppin', breakin', hip-hop and funk. Carter integrated the dancers' technical and performance skills into a piece that stood on its own merit. The performance was loaded with attitude.

Review: Odyssey's moves are no match for the Beatles' music in 'Let It Be'

By KATHY ADAMS
Special to the Salt Lake Tribune
January 30, 2004

There were few possibilities musically, because movement was choreographed metrically to the music. With the exception of "Revolution," which used the phrasing and tempo changes in the song, the music was never mined for creative ideas.

Uneven performance in Wild Moves

By SANGEETHA MADHAVAN
The Singapore Business Times
February 20, 2004

ODYSSEY Dance Theatre's Wild Moves - Men in Glass is set in an unusual venue: The Glass Hall at the Singapore Art Museum with light streaming in through the transparent glass walls and the pile carpet aiming to trip up dancers. But there really wasn't any distraction that filtered through the walls and the carpet behaved itself, conspiring only to make fast moves and turns a bit more difficult.

Odyssey Dance Theatre aims to make noise with 'Shut Up and Dance'

By KATHY ADAMS
Special to The Salt Lake Tribune
April 4, 2004

One day, almost 10 years ago, Derryl Yeager looked around the tiny town of Orem and saw a wealth of talent staring back at him.

Yeager had recently returned home from a successful, 15-year career in Los Angeles as a dancer/choreographer in stage, film and television, and recognized the unique set of circumstances creating this critical mass of dancers.

Review: Odyssey makes some meaningful moves

By KATHY ADAMS
Special to The Salt Lake Tribune
April 9, 2004

Odyssey Dance Theatre's performance at the Jeanne Wagner Theatre on Thursday night had one thing its previous performances did not - purpose.

Jazz Meets Ballet and a Tango Breaks Out
by JENNIFER DUNNING for the New York Times
published: April 7, 2007

Odyssey Dance Theater called its New York debut program “Shut Up and Dance!” but failed to heed that advice....

What the dancers performed on Thursday night at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, in choreography by Mia Michaels, Mandy Moore and the company’s founder and artistic director, Derryl Yeager, was dull-edged and freighted with solemn themes and messages, though none was self-apparent. Suddenly I missed the slam-bang jazz dance of old, for all its heartless, soul-less pizazz.