01.10.19

PW OPINION PW NEWS PW LIFE PW ARTS
Michelle Kolb, Hilary Thomas, Brian Elerding and Ericalynn Priolo
DANCE FOR JOY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21
22 PASADENA WEEKLY | 01.10.19
speaking at and attending their conferences, and
“they’re basically doing a favor back for me.”
The “Follies” also take place amid a major transitional
period for Lineage, as it is temporarily housed
at Pasadena’s First United Methodist Church while
awaiting a move to its own new facility this summer.
According to Dance for Joy Program Manager Brian
Elerding, Saturday’s event is a source of great pride
for him and all who are associated with the center.
“We have these wonderful students in these creative
classes, and they’ve been generating incredible
work and it seems like a no-brainer to bring people in
to see what they’ve been doing,” says Elerding. “We
have four main classes, so you’re going to see a little
bit of each class. In acting, you’ll see a couple people
with PD doing a scene from ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ and a
woman recovering from an aneurysm doing a poem
while one of the Lineage company members dances
along with her.
“There’s going to be several group dances, one
just by the Lineage pro dancers and a couple that are
a combination of the pro company with members of
the class,” continues Elerding. “There’ll be songs,
with people singing with live accompaniment. On top
of all that are the world-class neurologists coming to
speak about what we do and how creativity and community
are really powerful for folks with neurological
challenges.”
The classes are supported by grants from the
Pasadena Arts League, Pasadena Showcase House
for the Arts, the Parkinson’s Foundation and the
Tournament of Roses Foundation in addition to
individual donors. The acting classes, which thus
far have focused on Shakespearean monologues in
keeping with Elerding’s other role as the head of the
Shakespeare Ensemble Theatre, are held at 11 a.m.
Wednesdays, while the “everyday movement” classes
are at 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Voice lessons are at 1 p.m. Wednesdays, with dance
classes at 2 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10 a.m.,
with no registration required. The classes cater to all
skill levels, with participants strongly encouraged to
dress comfortably so that movement is easy.
“The reason that I wanted to do this show is that
first, I wanted everybody in the program to have a
goal and give them some excitement,” explains Carlson.
“Now we’re preparing for a show, and that’s motivating.
Secondly, we wanted to raise funds because a
lot of participants are financially strapped due to the
fact that drugs and rehab cost money.
“I can’t ask for their money, but I can ask them to
perform and sell tickets and get others to contribute
money, raising funds without reaching into their own
pockets,” she continues. “It’s a way to give back to
Lineage in a way that they can. Once I learned about
PD and started working on it, it became important to
get up off your couch having fun and staying healthy.
This is one way to drag people off the couch.” n
“The Lineage Follies” takes place at 7 p.m. Saturday at First United
Methodist Church, 500 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Tickets are
$9. Call (626) 844-7008 or visit lineagepac.org.
PHOTO: Danny Liao