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Rocky Mountain High Newsletter
June 2003


"EVERYTHING'S COMIN' UP JOHN DENVER"
                       by Emily M. Parris

IN DANCE PERFORMANCES:
     While doing some research on the web, I have discovered
that John Denver's music has been showing up on stages across
the country.  His music is being used to accompany the dance.

     In April The Fort Worth Dallas Ballet performed a free
performance called "An Evening of Ballet 2003."  The
interesting thing about this is that it included dances set
to the music of John Denver:

                <Fort Worth Star-Telegram * 4/27/03>
     "The performance closed with 'Let This Be A Voice',
      dances set to John Denver songs.
          The entertainment level of that work depended
      on your tolerance for Denver's greatest hits, but
      there was certainly plenty of fine, free-form dance
      in this section. Erin Rivera-Brennand, Michelle
      Lawyer and Enrica G. Tseng made a fetching trio of
      cowgirls clad in red and white, fringed Western
      shirts for "Take Me Home, Country Roads", and
      Rebekah Raun and Ryan Thomas delivered a fine pas
      de deux to the strains of 'Annie's Song.'"

     According to Pittsburgh's "Tribune-Review", the Playhouse
Dance Company also danced to the music of John Denver.
Their performance was called "Premieres II."  A review of the
performance by William Loeffler had this to say about the
section with John's music:

       "For the third section, the cast whirled into -
       no kidding - a thigh-slapping country hoedown,
       set to John Denver's 'Thank God I'm A Country
       Boy.' And what do you know, it fit perfectly.
       The audience loved it."              (4-14-03)


AT THE RODEO
     John's music also showed up at the Rodeo in Edmonton,
Alberta, Canada.  The Edmonton Journal reported that the 43rd
annual Leduc Black Gold Rodeo proceeded despite the snow and
the show began with John's music:
     "Before the cowboys jump atop their bucking charges,
      several women on tamer horses, wearing tight
      Wrangler jeans and checkered shirts, wave corporate
      banners to the happy pluckings of 'Thank God I'm A
      Country Boy."

IN TALENT SHOWS
     The Marion Star in Marion, Ohio reported that John
Denver's music was going to be performed at the Panorama
Talent Show:

        "The high school will present its annual Panorama
     Talent Show on May 3rd. Among acts chosen to perform
     are a group of 16 freshmen who will perform John
     Denver's "Grandma's Feather Bed.' Freshman Kiersten
     Anderson said she was returning from her family's
     vacation when she got the idea of reuniting the junior
     high choir that attended the 2001 Ohio Music Education
     Association Junior High District Festival. They put
     together anything from plowing motions to spoon and
     washboard players to accompany the song when they
     auditioned on April 16. Five judges chose them along
     with 17 other acts out of about 50 that auditioned."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To Read More about it - Articles:
  "All Together: Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy"
     by Dave Ford <dford@sfchronicle.com> San Francisco
     Chronicle 4-25-03
"High-energy piece is standout of Playhouse Dance Program"
   by William Loeffler - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 4/13/03
"Ballet Troupe Returns Favor in Superb Style"
   by Punch Shaw - Fort Worth Star Telegram 4/27/03
"Everyone's a cold, wet winner down at the old Rodeo Days"
   by Todd Babiak - The Edmonton Journal 5-8-03