Putnam County Dancers Join Global Water Dances Movement

[KENT LAKES, NY, May 12—] Putnam County Dance Project and Arts on the Lake will participate in Global Water Dances, Saturday June 15 at 3:00 at AOTL’s Kent location. With Lake Carmel as the backdrop, local dancers will perform and invite audience participation in a free outdoor performance combining artistry and environmental advocacy. While celebrating local Putnam County bodies of water, the event is linked to coinciding performances in over 100 countries via online broadcast.

Marie Carstens and Erin Jennings, former professional dancers and co-founders of Putnam County Dance Project, will choreograph and dance in the modern dance performance.

The event will feature two pieces choreographed by Carstens and Jennings, exploring water issues specific to Lake Carmel, and featuring music composed and played by local musician Pierre de Gaillande. The performance will culminate with a global dance performed simultaneously worldwide, and a call to action for clean water. Students from local schools, including Kent Elementary, will sing and dance in the event, and audience members are invited to participate in the final section. For a short video on the 2017 event visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmzaAjcqgc0

“We welcome this opportunity to use movement to remind us of the power of water as it moves through our lives in so many different ways. In Putnam County, we’re especially concerned about the increase of toxic algae that is a risk to the habitat, animals, and people, and learning how our contributions of run-off and pollution make the problem worse,” states Carstens and Jennings.

The event is free with donations suggested, and families are invited to bring a blanket and enjoy live dancing and music by the lake by the lake.

AOTL Executive Director Edward Durkee states “Our location on Lake Carmel makes us a perfect place to host this unique event. Being part of a worldwide day of celebrating the importance of our world's water helps us realize how important our lake is to our own community and I urge our neighbors to come and join in this celebration.”

Putnam County Dance Project (PCDP) is dedicated to bringing Modern dance to the local community, and to building community connection through dance, culture and art. PCDP, sponsored by Town of Southeast Cultural Arts Coalition, encourages families to enjoy dance and its unique expressiveness

Arts on the Lake is a non-profit corporation that fosters performances, exhibits and art classes in Kent, NY. Arts on the Lake’s mission is to sponsor, encourage, and create opportunities for all the residents of the Town of Kent and the larger community to participate in and appreciate the visual and performing arts, to be a roof and walls for performances, exhibits, classes and workshops.