Art Moves tribute scheduled

REGION  — Debi Irons and eight dancers from the Art Moves Dance Project will present an hour-long dance piece called "Touch the Sky" on Tuesday, August 14 at One Longfellow Square in Portland and on Thursday, August 16 at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in South Paris.

All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. with admission at the door of $15. Irons is the contact for both shows at 743-5569 or artmoves13@gmail.com.

"Touch the Sky" takes a trip from club dance through jazz, afro-brazilian, modern, improvisation, and meditative movement via music favored by Niles Ford as either a deejay or a choreographer. His influence and presence will be enhanced by voice-overs in a soundtrack done by DJ Brendan Schauffler.

Niles Bailey Ford was a dancer, choreographer and DJ from Brooklyn, NY.  After Ford’s sudden death at age 52 of a massive heart attack, several Maine dancers spoke of the desire to do something for this talented artist who had chosen Maine as his second dance home.

Dancers in "Touch the Sky" include Sasha Campbell, Erin Hamlin, Kim Hamlin, Kristen Lindstrom, Melissa McLaren, Karianna Merrill, Joanna Patterson and Lindsey Redgate, along with Irons and some special guests for each show.

After the performance there will be a brief video followed by a dance party to the soulful house music DJ Niles used for his dance parties, provided by Schauffler.