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Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies tap into the joy of dance
Richard Duckett
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Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
Chloé Arnold is a multi-talented person who can put on many hats — and taps.
Tap dance is where it all started for Arnold, a dancer, Emmy-nominated choreographer, actress, director, producer, filmmaker and entrepreneur who will be bringing “Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies LIVE!” to The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts for a show at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17.
Syncopated Ladies is a female tap dance band from Los Angeles created by Arnold.
Numbers such as “Beyoncé Tap Salute” (which you can see on YouTube) convey both visual joy and also seem to add more layers of joy to the music as well. Little wonder that Beyoncé shared their work saying, “They Killed It,” and transformed the homepage of Beyonce.com to feature Syncopated Ladies and invited them to perform live internationally.
Originally from Washington, D.C., Arnold recalled during a recent telephone interview that “when I was 9 years old I saw the movie ‘Tap.’ (I said) ‘That’s what I want to do.’”
“Tap,” a 1989 dance drama, starred the late Gregory Hynes and Sammy Davis Jr. (in his last role).
“Shortly thereafter, I had the honor to meet Gregory Hynes, and that changed my life,” Arnold said.
Based on that experience, “I know how important it is for us to tour. I know what it’s like to see an artist come to town,” she said.
So Arnold is touring and will be in town, but this won’t be her first dance experience in Worcester.
Last summer she was here when the upcoming Apple TV+ musical film “Spirited,” starring Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds and Octavia Spencer, shot a dance sequence in Mechanics Hall. “Spirited” is a remake of Charles Dickens’ novella “A Christmas Carol.”
“It’s unreal to be coming back so soon,” she said.
Dickens gave a live reading of “A Christmas Carol” in Mechanics Hall.
Arnold is the choreographer for “Spirited,” the first fulllength feature movie she has choreographed.
“Mechanics Hall — it’s a beautiful hall. The craftsmanship. It’s just absolutely gorgeous,” Arnold said. “It was
“Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies LIVE!” comes to The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts for a show at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17. SUBMITTED PHOTO
Ladies
Continued from Page 4
amazing.”
One of the dancers in the Mechanics Hall sequence for “Spirited” was tap dancer Michelle Dorrance. Dorrance is also the founder and artistic director of Dorrance Dance, the award-winning New York City tap dance company that performed at The Hanover Theatre Oct. 2 with a show that was also the official opening of Music Worcester’s 2021-22 season.
Now Arnold will also be at The Hanover Theatre with her own show.
“Michelle is a great, dear friend of mine,” Arnold said.
“Dorrance Dance, now Syncopated Ladies — Worcester becomes the buzz word. I’m so grateful your town has enabled art and tap dance, and I can’t wait to come back up,” she said.
It likely won’t be quite as warm in Worcester in February as it was in July, but Arnold has something she can tap into, so to speak. “We’re gonna warm it up. That’s for sure.”
“Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies LIVE!” features five dancers and a singer, and the narrative is drawn from their own stories. Besides Arnold, the dancers include her sister and fellow producer, Maud Arnold.
They all have tremendous stories to draw from.
“Our story is quite unique to our personal journeys. From the idea of having a dream, then the obstacles you face. Feeling the joy within to overcome these obstacles and how we found freedom through our expressions,” Arnold said.
Besides tap dance numbers, the show unfolds in monologues and “digital experiences.”
“It’s a journey of any person with a dream. I feel like it’s really a personal journey told with upbeat music, high-tech digital content,” Arnold said.
The soundtrack includes songs by Beyoncé, Adelle and Justin Timberlake, “but it’s all going to be entwined,” Arnold said.
Syncopated Ladies has its own band, but because of COVID it won’t be on this tour.
“We pared it down to an intimate performance — five women tap (dancers), one singer. But our band has recorded to make it feel like a live performance.”
Just as COVID emerged as a crisis in 2020, Syncopated Ladies had a 33-city tour planned. All the tour dates were canceled, Arnold said.
When the first iteration of the show was put on about a decade ago, “we always had the dream of making this a tour as a main stage show,” she said.
But it was also envisioned that “our show will be perpetually universal.”
So now that Syncopated Ladies is back on the road as a main stage show, “we’re infusing some of our recent experiences because we haven’t been on tour since 2020,” Arnold said.
“The show is unique for you all. We’re surviving a pandemic.”
Arnold had not only displayed dance talent from a young age, but scholastic ability as well, including winning The Bill Gates Millennium Scholarship.
When she was 16, another multi-talented and also very influential artist, Debbie Allen (of “Fame” fame and many other shows) cast Arnold in a production of “Brother’s of the Knight” at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Allen subsequently took Arnold under her wing as a mentor, and Arnold worked with her for over a decade as a performer, choreographer, director and producer. Arnold also graduated with a degree in Film from Columbia University.
Her choreography has been featured on television shows such as “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Good Morning America,” “The Ellen Show,” “The Talk” and over 50 episodes of “The Late Late Show With James Corden.”
Utilizing her filmmaking skills, Arnold has made Syncopated Ladies the most viewed Female Tap dance band in history, known for their viral selfproduced content, amassing over 100 million views online.
With her sister Maud, she produced the award-winning documentary “Tap World,” and they are the co-directors of the critically acclaimed DC Tap Festival. The two have been recognized by Columbia University as Rising Stars, and by the U.S. House of Representatives as arts preservers and ambassadors.
Tap dance has undergone a great revival as an art form in recent years, epitomized by two tap shows, Dorrance Dance and Syncopated Ladies, coming to The Hanover Theatre in quick succession.
“I think you always have people who love the art to the core, and I think what’s different now because there is the internet it allows you to reach people without massive amounts of money,” Arnold said.
“I studied film at Columbia. I like to put the pieces online.”
Paradoxically, when producers see that you are reaching people, they green light shows that cost money, Arnold noted.
Asked what other forms of dance she likes, Arnold credited “my mentor Debbie Allen.”
“I also do jazz, hip-hop, African jazz. Ultimately if it moves me, I move.”
As for what is her favorite dance movie, Arnold said “Still to this day the movie ‘Tap.’ Not because it’s the best movie ever done, but because it changed my life and it never gets old to me.”
As was mentioned earlier, there will be more good things to tap about at “Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies LIVE!” at The Hanover Theatre.
“This iteration of the show will be totally new (because) our story is evolving,” Arnold said.
That story now includes choreographing her first movie.
But for all that she does, the stage is a special place to express that story.
“COVID has has isolated so many of us, and our show is about joy,” she said.
And tapping that out on stage never gets old for her, either.
“Maud and I are currently pitching television shows and movies, but I will say the concert stage is where the magic happens for me,” Arnold said.
“For me the duality of being a performer, director/producer drives the inspiration on both sides, but performing is the essence of it all. The performance component is the magic, the unlocking of the art that lives in your soul.”
“Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies LIVE!” features five dancers and a singer, and the narrative is drawn from their own stories. SUBMITTED PHOTO
When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 Where: The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester How much: $55, $45, $35 and $25. Call (877) 571-7469 or visit www.TheHanoverTheatre.org for more information. For Hanover Theatre safety protocols, visit https://thehanovertheatre.org/plan-your-visit/ safety-protocols/
Melissa Mitchell, of Worcester, lets her axe fly at Far Shot. ALLAN
JUNG/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
Right on target
Throwing axes at Far Shot Worcester a cathartic, exciting delight
Victor D. Infante
Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
When the zombie apocalypse comes, I’m handing my wife, Lea, the axe. That was, perhaps, the most striking lesson of a Jan. 26 visit to Far Shot Worcester, the axe-throwing, knife-throwing and archery facility that opened up on Front Street in October. In a tournament between us and three of our friends, she trounced us all. Only our friend Missy came close. Two other friends did OK, too, but I was left in the dust, coming in dead last.
When the zombies come … at least I have people skills? Still, even with three out of every four of my axes bouncing off the target — there’s metal fencing between throwing ranges to keep bouncing blades from hurting anyone — it’s impossible to deny that the game was both fun and viscerally satisfying.
“It’s a different activity, for sure,” says Benn MacDonald, the president of Far Shot Recreation, which owns the Worcester range, as well as locations in Syracuse, Albany, Providence and two in Canada, where the company was founded. “It’s also primal. All that weight leaves your body when it leaves your hand, and when it hits the wood, it’s a satisfying sound.”
McDonald says that, in its short existence, the Worcester facility has drawn work events from neighboring offices, families of various sizes, first dates and even divorce parties. Having just watched my wife wield an axe with deadly accuracy, I pressed him on that last one.
“They’re just recently divorced,” says McDonald. “They go out with their friends, forget what’s going on, and it’s fantastic!”
Whatever the reason, it’s definitely a great way to blow off steam and frustration.
The Wednesday night we visited had a trickle of small groups coming through, mostly young couples. Two who were there contemporaneously with us were also throwing axes, while another couple took up the archery range, with a staff member teaching the young woman how to shoot, and her seemingly picking it up quickly.
“It’s been around for 25,000 years,” says McDonald, of archery. “It’s a very natural sport. Every continent developed it on their own, independent of each other. It hasn’t quite picked up the way axe-throwing has,” he says, but he’s definitely seen the impact of popular fictional archers such Hawkeye and Kat-
James Mullally aims before letting his axe fly at Far Shot.
ALLAN JUNG/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE Melissa Mitchell, of Worcester, clinks axes with opponent Gary Hoare, of Worcester, before a
match at Far Shot. ALLAN JUNG/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
Target
Continued from Page 6
niss Everdeen.
According to McDonald, axe-throwing is easily the facility’s most popular activity, with archery being second and knife-throwing, “more challenging.” Which is kind of a shame, as I found knife-throwing to be strangely satisfying, even without the visceral heft of an axe handle. Hitting the target felt extremely rewarding, although to be fair, I missed more than I hit.
If McDonald sounds like he has a soft spot for archery, it’s because he does: He started out as an archer, and opened the first Far Shot so he would have a range to practice on more regularly in 2016. He had no experience with axe-throwing at the time, but he and his collaborators taught themselves, and then went on to help found the World Axe-Throwing League, which governs a tournament of more than 300 teams each season, with more than 6,000 individuals competing. McDonald is currently the league’s Head Judge.
Worcester doesn’t have a club, yet, but McDonald hopes that will happen, eventually, as Worcester embraces axethrowing. He says Worcester has been “very supportive of us.”
“It’s a great town, a great community. Once we started looking into it, we fell in love with the Common, we fell in love with everything about this place.”
McDonald is definitely cognizant of how good a location the facility has right there on the Worcester Common.
“We’ve seen this street change quite a bit in the last two years,” he says. “We’re hoping to see more businesses down here, more restaurants and other activities which we can bounce off of, so you can go axe-throwing, then go to a restaurant, for example. If you’re in town for an event, you can come here afterward.”
For the moment, though, Far Shot Worcester seems to be off to a good start. When asked if there was anything else he thought visitors should know, he looked thoughtful, then answered, “Wear closed-toed shoes. We want everyone to leave with all the fingers and toes they came in with.”
Far Shot president Benn MacDonald watches the axe throwers.
ALLAN JUNG/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE A bullseye for Tony Brown, of Worcester, at Far Shot.
ALLAN JUNG/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
WORCESTERIA
How does the Duende Project connect to ‘ The Suicide Squad’?
Victor D. Infante
Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
How does the recent comic book blockbuster “The Suicide Squad” connect to one of the bands that regularly plays Nick’s Bar and Restaurant? The answer was revealed by the British online comic book news magazine, Bleeding Cool. In an article titled, “Kaleidoscope, The Suicide Squad Character Created By Two Fans In 1982,” writer Rich Johnston discussed the origins of the blink-andyou’ll-miss-it cameo.
Johnston reveals the character’s first and only appearance, in “Dial H for Hero,” at the time a back-up feature in the comic book, “New Adventures of Superboy.” In the ‘80s, “Dial H for Hero” followed the adventures of Chris King and Vicki Grant, who transformed into different superheroes each time they spelled out the word “H-E-R-O” on a magic dial they found. Also, they would only become each hero once, so it was different every time.
Consequently, DC Comics needed a LOT of new characters, and turned to readers for help: Readers would send in their creations, and if they were used, DC Comics would credit the creators and send them a Tshirt to say thanks. And of course, they’d own the rights forever, although it was very rare to see one of these characters twice. Kaleidoscope was one such character, created by Christopher Lawton of Fall River, and his mother, Nancy M. Lawton, who died in 2016.
In a short online conversation, Lawton – currently the guitarist of the Worcester music-poetry ensemble, the Duende Project, which plays regularly at Nick’s – said that he had sent DC Comics several character creations, but “Kaleidoscope was the only one they took of mine.”
For Lawton, “being a comic book nerd, it was very cool. However, being 15 and in high school it didn’t get noticed beyond a friend or two.” Eventually, Kaleidoscope became a distant memory. That is, until she made an unexpected reappearance, when Lawton watched “The Suicide Squad.”
Earlier this month, says Lawton, “I was home with COVID and ordered the movie. It was about 2 a.m. when I saw her on screen. My initial thought was, ‘No way!’” He says he recognized her instantly, saying, “Even in a prison jumper she has a distinct look.” Still, he took to the web to verify her identity, and she was indeed credited as being his character, played by actor Natalia Safran. Lawton and his mother are even thanked in the movie’s credits, although no one notified him that the character was being used. (Remember, DC Comics still owns the character outright.)
“Mom was thrilled with the initial publication,” says Lawton. “She’d have been over the moon seeing her name on the big screen.”
Asked how he felt to see that character appear on screen, Lawton replied, “Forty years on it made me feel like my greatest artistic ‘success’ came at the age of 15. It kinda makes me laugh at the absurdity of it all. It’s definitely brought a smile.”
The Duende Project. PROMOTIONAL PHOTO
The character Kaleidoscope, created by drummer Chris Lawton and his mother, Nancy Mae Lawton, in 1982, appears in “The New Adventures of Superboy” No. 35. DC COMICS
CONNELL SANDERS
Would you like to read my diary?
Sarah Connell Sanders
Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
I’ve kept a diary for as long as I’ve known how to write. My entries are directly proportional to the amount of freelancing I’ve committed to during any given period of time. They also reflect my overall happiness. (Sad Sarah writes a lot of bad poetry.) As a result of these two factors, I haven’t filled very many pages over the last five years — a victory in some respects. I’m writing for publication. I’m content and in love. There’s no time for weepy iambic pentameter.
Nevertheless, once in a while, the old leather volumes in my desk drawer catch my eye and I flip through them for long enough to remember why I’ve hidden them away. The stories that weigh the heaviest are the hardest ones for me to share.
I was surprised to receive an invitation a few months back to participate in a visual arts show curated by the independent lifestyle publication, Juniper Rag. I’ve written a couple of pieces for the magazine in the past about art and travel, but I don’t consider myself an artist. I began to think about how I could turn my written words into something more aesthetic. Eventually, I settled on acrylic letter beads.
The project gave me an opportunity to read back through the personal diary entries of my past, some of them painful and others humiliating. I highlighted lines here and there, then strung them letter by letter onto elastic. The truth is, I don’t much care if my creations get left on the bus or shoved to the bottom of a glove compartment. I just like the idea of setting them free.
As a columnist, I tend to write for an audience. I submit my work knowing it will be subject to public scrutiny. Curiously enough, my personal writing is that which affords me the most pride and healing. It is also the most intimidating. By releasing it in tiny installments as jewelry, I hope to experience some sense of relief.
Unlike the other pieces featured in the show by talented and accomplished professionals, my little beaded creations are both amateur and free. If you care to peer inside my most private thoughts, the ones that will never see the pages of a magazine, please join us on Feb. 5 from 6-10 p.m. 20 Franklin St. If the idea of reading my diary makes you squeamish, I don’t blame you. I, myself, am sick to my stomach just thinking about it and in no way offended. You are not the first one to be made uncomfortable by vulnerability, or for that matter, art.
The truth is, I don’t much care if my creations get left on the bus or shoved to the bottom of a glove compartment. I just like the idea of setting them
free. SUBMITTED PHOTO
‘ORIGIN’ at Worcester PopUp marks launch of Juniper Rag art magazine
Richard Duckett
Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK
“ORIGIN,” an art exhibition at the Worcester PopUp at the JMAC, 20 Franklin St., from Feb. 5 to 18, will celebrate Juniper Rag, a visual art and lifestyle magazine.
An “official launch” from 6 to 10 p.m. Feb. 5 will feature a performance by Boston singer Mali Sastri, best known for her work with the band Jaggery, as well as installations and presentations.
Juniper Rag showcases the work of artists from Worcester, the United States and around the world. The first issue of the quarterly debuted last spring.
See‘ORIGIN’,Page12
Juniper Rag is available for sale at Bedlam Books, The Market Pantry and CC Lowell. There is also a digital version. ASHLEY
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