Milwaukee’s newest dance company exploded across the city skyline this past Saturday night with their presentation of Lia Smith-Redmann’s original choreography, The Firekeeper. This is the most moving and touching dance program that I can ever remember seeing. Sadly, it will have only one more performance in the near future on October 25, 2026 in the Door County Auditorium in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. If you are in the area, try to catch it. You will be moved.
The Firekeeper is the stuff of legends. It is a story of an ancient people, the Kurents, who are suffering under an oppresive leader, until the King of the Kurents reappears and gives them hope and a path to a new world. In the second act, a hero emerges from among the Kurenti, and learns the magic of conjuring fire, which brings our hero to full self-realization. And in the final act she returns to her community and leads them from their hopeless situation into an old but now re-imagined world.
From the company’s website:
Inspired by tales such as Rumplestilskin, Little Match Girl, The Giver, and Rite of Spring, this contemporary story ballet depicts a chilling world of dystopian technological cruelty, and the spirits of rebellion that come from unlikely places. Featuring characters from Slavic Carnival traditions and inspirations from the likes of Akram Khan and Pina Bausch…
The cast of The Firekeeper. Courtesy of Smith-Redmann Dance Co.
Smith-Redmann has choreographed this elaborate story for nine dancers and the cast for this series consists of dancers from here in the Milwaukee area. Our dancers are: Delilah Cardiff, Beck Kimbro, Paloma Kong-Ndoumbe, Elise Leonard, Madison Lower, Jessie MacDonald, Abigail Pasmore, Amaya Yasmin Esteves, and Rae Zimmerli. Full Disclosure: I am a personal friend of Elise Leonard, and I am grateful to her for getting me in touch with Lia Smith-Redmann and alerting me to this performance.
Smith-Redmann likes to go big and not just with the story. The dance itself is expansive as all of the dancers at one point or another are reaching out into space just as far as they can and maybe then some. And many of them reach up into the sky and occupy as much space as is physically possible. This is very compelling choreography that pulls you into the story and the action. And the action is very fast and expressive more often than not which brings a certain urgency to the action and kept me riveted to the stage. Which can be a problem because Smith-Redmann has choreographed these vibrant and active movements for every single dancer on stage, so when all nine are on stage as is often the case, you don’t know where to focus. Even in the piece leading into the finale, the ensemble was strewn about, laying on the floor, but here too, they expressed their volume and presence in the story.
The stage here is the wooden floor of the sanctuary of Calvary Presbyterian Church. So you are right on top of the dancers in a comfortable folding chair, so you can see and feel the emotions and actions very clearly. And there is not a toe shoe in sight, the dancers are all barefoot. So the slap of a barefoot on wooden floor adds to the sensory feel as well as the occasional squeak when a dancer makes a sudden spin or change of direction. I don’t quite know why, but those sounds felt very very satisfying.
Editor’s note 10/19/2026: This was part of my original mental text at 3:30 AM Sunday morning, but it had slipped away by 3 PM in the afternoon as I wrote. It reappeared at 1 AM this morning and now I am going to write it out for you but it is merely a paraphrase of the grand language from the middle of the night…and this might not be in the appropriate spot in my text, but here goes! The Dances and the dancers are amazingly agile, nimble, and fluid. And joyous. Even in the sad or threatening bits, the dance is joyous. And in her opening remarks, Smith-Redmann warned us that some violence is depicted. And it is. But just like the violence in the folk tales mentioned above it is accepted and understood and never comes across as repellent.
But don’t think that there weren’t any grand lifts or spins or solos or pas de deux. There is plenty of western ballet influence but it is intertwined with any number of other dance traditions. Certainly Slovenian styles, some other European styles, and once or twice it seemed in transition that a dancer or two held a post similar to pictures I have seen of Asian Apsara dance figures. Which brings us to the music. The accompaniment was recorded and is a grand collection of different influences as well; from folk traditions, to western classical, to electronic music, to more modern idioms, to just drumming. At one point, although not technically, music, the dancers were sitting on the floor, moving their arms and upper bodies to the vocalized sounds of their own breathing. This wild diversity wouldn’t seem to make sense, but it worked and was wholly unified with the dance movements and the story elements throughout.
One more note on the dancers. They did just an amazing job. First, they had to learn and master about one hour’s worth of choreography, and as I said, most often unique to the character that they were playing. And the speed at which they moved was often very quick with a variety of stops, returns, and sharp turns. And some of the lifts and carries that they completed were a bit harrowing from my seat. The scariest move was when Elise Leonard tried to escape by running directly toward the audience full out and two other dancers grabbed her arms and slingshotted her back into the company. Not just their dance but their gymnastic talents are amazing.
I am not used to covering dance, so I am sure that I leaving something important out. But I can’t wait to see the next presentation from Smith-Redmann Dance Co.!
YES, I left something out. Lia Smith-Redmann also did the sound design and costumes. Early on the costumes were contemporary casual wear but as the story progressed the costumes depicted the different folklore characters that populated Smith-Redmann’s story. Just as beautiful and thought provoking as her choreography.
And the Presenting Supporters were Slovenian Arts Program and the Door County Auditorium.
This past Monday evening I was pleasantly surprised to find an email from Lia Smith-Redmann letting me know about her new dance company and their inaugural performance this October. It is always a good day to find out about an arts group that I am not familiar with but it is even more exciting to hear about a brand new local adventure in the arts. And although I don’t have an education in dance or any real grounding in the art form, I have always enjoyed the events that I have been able to attend. Actually I love dance.
I kinda wondered how Smith-Redmann knew about An Intuitive Perspective but they were thorough and mentioned that a mutual friend (who happens to be a principal dancer in the upcoming concert) provided my contact information. So now I am doubly excited to see them perform!
Here’s what Smith-Redmann provided (edited from a personal email for your reading pleasure):
The Smith-Redmann Dance Co., is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dance company that provides cultural enrichment and professional growth opportunities across Wisconsin and the broader Midwest. We established ourselves in 2025 and have been performing year-round, touring the country, and hosting choreographic residencies since 2020. On October 17th, 2026 we are holding our first live dance concert.
Inspired by tales such as Rumplestilskin, Little Match Girl, The Giver, and Rite of Spring, this contemporary story ballet depicts a chilling world of dystopian cruelty, and the spirits of rebellion that come from unlikely places. Featuring characters from Slavic Carnival traditions and inspirations from the likes of Akram Khan and Pina Bausch, 10 Milwaukee-based dancers bring the heat that is The Firekeeper.
It’s that wonderful time of the year…a week or so after Groundhog’s Day and just a few days into the Spring semester…UWM’s Winterdances. I always find this to be a cheerer upper in the gloomy days of February. And the 2026 version, named Resilience, didn’t disappoint. We were graced with four world premiere dances, each unique and extremely expressive, and absolutely engaging.
The first dance would be an exhilarating start to any dance program. Be My Ground, When The World Lets Go was choreographed by Peck School of the Arts Associate Professor Mair Culbreth in movement collaboration with the cast. Opening with an ensemble front stage dancing in a great bit of fluidity…we slowly become aware of four more dancers hanging against the back wall from harnesses and cable who begin to move up, down, or across the wall, only to eventually join their colleagues on the floor. Fluidity! This piece is all about that…as individual dancers, or pairs of dancers, or small groups spin off or leap across the stage in very natural yet hyperactive motions that just simply personify fluidity. But then everything gets crazy fun and each dancer takes a turn locking into a rope and harness and takes a turn defining space and distance on their own terms…sometimes solo and other times in unison with another dancer. You may be excused if you sense chaos here because no one dancer or core group is center focus anymore and it is hard to decide where to look and whom to watch…but it looked like such fun! And the sense of confusion was enhanced by the selection of different pieces of music providing a variety of sensual moods and feeling. From her notes, Culbreth stated: “This work began with a kinesthetic investigation of vertigo—as both a bodily sensation and a condition of ambivalence.” Her cast certainly took on that investigation in full.
Next dance, Ghana Must Go, is a very different experience…more sober…but also an example of fluidity, but more human and less mother nature perhaps. Assistant Professor Ishmael Konney is the choreographer on Ghana Must Go in collaboration with the performers. Based on the 1983 expulsion of Ghanians from Nigeria, this is a very telling human story. We first encounter a troupe of eight dancers moving in unison carrying bundles on their heads. At first just seemingly marching together, each dancer eventually breaks out for a moment and performs a short solo performance before reentering the group. The music is beautiful and rhythmic allowing the dancers to keep in time with each other while still moving away to express their individual personas. And as the dance progresses there is some signs of distress and sadness for certain, but the group comes together as a community…certainly an expression of resilience.
And after intermission, we were instantly called to pay full attention, as PSOA faculty member, Dawn Springer’s Harps That Once, bursts out as loud and fast and athletic. Many opening moves involve running break neck across the stage and later the group is running place…this all certainly exhibits references to athleticism. And then it evolves into an organic matrix of arms stretching skyward and legs kicking toward the horizon, and then falling back in graceful arcs to perpendicular, while the dancers spin and swirl and form and reform like a flock of birds. Using a vast variety of music for the settings, things change, break down, and again take on different moods and feelings. There is also a bit of chaos here, but a sense of structure too…and resilience!
And the finale, Care, conceived by visiting choreographer David Roussève, was also choreographed by Roussève in collaboration with the performers including guest performers Richard ‘Buda’ Brasfield, Jacques Infiniti-Hall (Mizrahi), and DaCosta Martin. Care is a homage to Ballroom House dancing and the LGBTQIA+ community that developed it over the years and celebrates it today. In Care, we first experience a Debutante Ball, chaperoned by a very vigilant chaperone, PSOA Artistic Director, Maria Gillespie. With a keen eye and harsh whistle Gillespie keeps the dancers moving and separated at the ‘appropriate’ distance. UNTIL, Buda, Mizrahi, and Martin show up expecting a Ballroom House ball. “What kind of a ball is this?”, they ask. “A debutante ball”, Gillespie replies. And? “Not anymore it isn’t!”, is their reply. And the music shifts and our three guests start to vogue, making their own presence in turn, and starting to attract the younger dancers. Gillespie tries to maintain decorum and control and keep some of her charges in line but it is a losing battle. One by one the debutante ball participants move over to the voguing trio and urge them to continue and to show them how to do it. The dance continues as each guest teaches and encourages the new devotees on the dance floor and a whole new energy comes to life right there on stage. The victory is complete when Gillespie is gifted with a bright red pair of elbow high satin gloves and they are quickly put on and showcased. There was no end to the flash, glamour, and exuberance during Care, until it did finally come to an end. Care received the biggest applause and cheering of the evening…obviously a big hit with the mostly student audience.
There were a number of stand out performers over the evening, but I don’t know their names so I can’t go on in detail. But as I said in my opening, Winterdances 2026, is still the highlight art event at UWM’s Peck School of the Arts in the spring semester.
Extra Credit Reading: The Playbill with bios, choreographer notes, and complete music listings
Editors Note 2/12/2026. While listening to WUWM this morning, they said that they had some photos from this version of Winterdances…but in my search I only found a few for Care…so I stole two of them an inserted them here!
