Instrumental: An exceptional arts scene awaits

‘It was like the angels sang’

Thousands of young ballerinas apply each year to study on a private island off New York owned by the pre-eminent classical ballerina Suzanne Farrell, the founder of the Suzanne Farrell Ballet at the Kennedy Center in D.C.

It’s among the highest honors a dancer can achieve as she or he looks ahead to professional dancing.

Under the tutelage of Petoskey ballet instructor Heather Raue, in summer 2010 two young ladies from Northern Michigan will be among the handful selected to learn at Farrell’s acclaimed ballet school.

“It’s extremely exciting,” said Raue, director of dance education at the Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey.

Raue knows what it’s like to eye a national stage; she has performed in Dallas, Connecticut and in programs around the country. Nine years ago, she and her husband, Erik, landed in Petoskey by happenstance. They were headed north from Dallas and destined for Canada, where they hoped to move, when they crested the hill in Petoskey and Little Traverse Bay opened before them.

That was all it took for the young couple to know they found home.

“It was like the angels sang,” Raue, 31, recalled.

Today, they’ve both carved professions here, Erik as a chef and Heather passing along her passion for dance and bringing the local ballet program to a national level. She teaches all ages, including pre-professional young adults looking to go on to join dance companies in New York and Chicago.

After studying with Raue, they make it —and they further spread the word about the caliber of dance, and the arts scene overall, in Northern Michigan.

“It’s an unexpected area,” said Raue. “You wouldn’t expect to have such a thriving ballet community here.”

And it’s not just dance. Raue and her programs are one example of the high-achieving, notable arts palette in Emmet County and the region.

It’s really no wonder. This is the place that inspires poets to put words on paper, that compels painters to stand in open fields and sweep oil on canvas with breathtaking details, and a location that lures dancers and singers, musicians and all others who specialize in the arts to reach out and share their experiences and talents.

“This is the place to live. The people are engaging and supportive of the arts in every way,” said Raue. “It’s just a haven for art up here.”

The Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey is the hub of those arts-oriented activities. With two galleries and performing arts space, the CTAC hosts much-anticipated traveling exhibits and performers and is host to juried art and photography shows. Residents can utilize the arts center for music and dance, pottery, cooking, woodworking, quilt-making and a bevy of artistic lessons.

“A regional arts center is one component that defines a strong community,” said Liz Ahrens, the arts center’s executive director. “There is really no end to the cultural opportunities in Emmet County. We are blessed with an abundance of talent.”

In the summer months, the Bay View Association offers a variety of Chautauqua programs including concerts, films, recitals and lectures by national and international speakers. Since its establishment in 1875, the community of Victorian cottages has focused heavily on cultural activities while its members spend the summer resorting on the shores of Little Traverse Bay.

Blissfest Music Organization is another Emmet County group dedicated to promoting musicians, dancers and storytellers. Each year it hosts a colorful summer music concert outside of Cross Village, Blissfest, which attracts thousands for folk music, food and entertainment.

And the Odawa Casino and Resort in Petoskey offers another venue, with hundreds of slot machines and table games, a performance hall that attracts well-known performers such as the B-52s and Joan Rivers, plus a nightclub and multiple restaurants.

Further, many artists are proprietors of their own galleries and studios, from stained-glass masterpieces to woodcarvers and oil painters, photographers to glass blowers, all capturing the beauty inherent in Northern Michigan.

Indeed, Emmet County cannot be painted with the same brush of other communities its size. Here, various organizations and talented, committed locals work together to create a canvas of arts and entertainment that enriches our residents and the region overall.

Hitting the high notes

Emmet County Arts-oriented organizations:

Bay View Association: Summer arts and entertainment open to the public. bayviewassociation.com

Blissfest Music Organization: Preserving and promoting the cultural heritage and diversity with a focus on folk and roots music, dance, oral history and crafts from America and all cultures. blissfest.org

Crooked Tree Arts Center: Concerts, theater performances, classes, national and regional artists’ exhibits year ‘round. crookedtree.org

Emmet County Fairgrounds: Antique shows, county fair, garden expos and community benefits. emmetcounty.org

Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra: Producing live orchestral performances that provide entertainment, education and inspiration to Northern Michigan. glcorchestra.org

Harbor Springs Performing Arts Center: Performance venue for students and for professional groups and non-profits, such as the Association for Harbor Arts. harborps.org/PAC/pac

Little Traverse Civic Theater: Community theater group. ltct.org

Michigan Hemingway Society: Emmet County served as inspiration for the legendary author, who summered here on the shores of Walloon Lake. Many local references can be found throughout his works. michiganhemingwaysociety.org.

Odawa Casino: Gaming, entertainment, concerts. odawacasino.com

Vivace School of Music and Arts: Music, dance, vocal, instrument and other arts classes. vivaceschool.org

Emmet County Guide 2010 » Instrumental: An exceptional arts scene awaits