ONYX ANNOUNCES BEGINNING OF DANCE SERIES WITH THE FUSION OF SLAM POETRY AND DANCE IN WESTWOOD'S "SPEAKING BODIES/MOVING WORDS"
LAS VEGAS' TOP SLAM POETS COMBINE WITH AWARD-WINNING CHOREOGRAPHY FROM MARKO WESTWOOD.

PLAYING MAY 8-10

In the back of a leather/fetish shop in Commercial Center, leading ballet, jazz and modern dancers are fusing their movement to an entirely new beat as rehearsals continue for SPEAKING BODIES/MOVING WORDS.
The artists involved in the concert are as diverse and multifaceted as the work they will be presenting. Cathy Allen, Associate Professor of Dance at UNLV and Kelly Roth, Dir. of Dance at CSN, who both have upcoming dance concerts at their respective colleges a week prior to Westwood's, have graciously added their artistic visions. Mr. Roth will be presenting a duet, "Adieu Au Gateau", in which he will also be performing. "The Wonderful Sweet Breath" is a premier solo choreographed by Cathy Allen, set to the timeless music of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Lending their prosaic voices to the weekend's performance will be Hyatt Mason, host of Sunday poetry night at reJAVAnate Coffee Lounge, and Mick Axelrod, a member of the 2008 Las Vegas Slam Poetry Team. Both will be presenting original works throughout the course of each evening's program. Students from UNLV, CSN and local dancer/choreographer Mindy Krasner lend artistic variety to the performances.
At the center of all this is the evenings coordinator, Marko Westwood. Mr. Westwood will be re-staging various works from past performances, including three solos, "Inner Sanctum on the Outside of my Sleeve", "Conversation of a Dance" and "Three Stairs to Where I Am". Marko will be premiering two new pieces. A duet dedicated to those lost in the recent Paradise Pet Hospital tragedy and a trio that is presently a work-in-progress.

"Speaking Bodies, Moving Words" is local choreographer Marko Westwood's latest adventure, bringing together some of Las Vegas' brightest talent for a unique three night engagement of slam poetry and contemporary dance. The venue for this production is the distinctive Onyx Theater, where Marko recently ended a four week run of Cannibal the Musical, which he not only choreographed, but also performed. The Onyx Theater is currently under the direction of John Beane, who has made this venture a reality. Be sure to check out Marko in Beane's return engagement of Cannibal from May 16th to June 7th ("yeah, it's a shameless plug" laughs Marko, "but I don't care").

SPEAKING BODIES/MOVING WORDS is the first in a series of dance offerings from the Onyx Theatre that continues in late May with national artist Julie Fotheringham's DO NOT DISCONNECT.

FACT SHEET
Production: SPEAKING BODIES/MOVING WORDS
Presented by: Westwood Dancers @ the Onyx Theatre
Location: Onyx Theatre 953 E. Sahara Ave. #16 Las Vegas, NV 89169
Showtimes/dates: MAY 8-10 @ 8PM, Champagne opening May 8th.
Tickets: $10