Thankful for Inlet: A Testimonial

Over the past year, Inlet has shared excerpts of our evening-length show “What Do You Do With An Idea?” to students from ages 3 and up. We have heard so many testimonials and we want to share them with you.

This is Katie Vanderaar, age 12, and this is why she is thankful for Inlet. She saw the world-premiere of the show back in March, 2018 and also attended Inlet’s Summer Dance Intensive Jr. this past summer.

“I am glad I went to Inlet’s recreation of What Do You Do With An Idea?. It was quite enjoyable, a good way for Inlet to spread their influence to younger children, and a great exposure to modern dance for younger dancers.

Personally, I liked the visual parts of the performance. It was interesting to watch and see how the dancers’ movements enhanced everything else. One part that exemplified this was when the dancers were using a prop that resembled a clock, showing the passage of time in the story and recreating the illustrations in the actual book.

The parts that incorporated props into the dancing also stood out to me. At the very beginning of the show, there were mice that wheeled around on little platforms. It enhanced the skittering personality of the characters, and it was also intriguing to see what the dancers could do with the props, and with more restricted movement. It was also a good thing to put earlier on in the show, to introduce to the audience the unique way Inlet likes to perform. Other animals, the deer, also used props to make their characters stand out. They were more graceful than the mice, and their long poles added to their mobility instead of taking away from it. In a way, it gave a more dreamlike atmosphere, with physics unlike reality.

The show was excellent for younger viewers, especially dancers. Normally Inlet’s shows are aimed at an older audience, but What Do You Do With An Idea? was a step outside of that. The expanded age range was definitely a positive thing, since people of all ages can watch and enjoy it too.

The performance had no shortage of comedy. Most of this was centered at one point in the story: when the boy meets his idea. They both had big personalities, and clashed in a comedic manner. The emphasized body language and expression was also a good addition. The personality of the Idea was especially amusing to watch, with its mischievous yet hilarious antics. Another thing about the Idea’s behavior was its lack of arms, and how difficult it must be to convey emotion with such limited movement.

Overall, the performance was very compelling and interesting, and a good way to reach out to a wider age range. I hope Inlet does more performances like this in the future.”