[NEohioPAL] Lose Your Marbles, a new dance-centric fringe festival, is coming to downtown Akron June 9-10

[Neos Dance Theatre via NEohioPAL]

Presented by Neos Dance Theatre with funding from the John S. and James L.
Knight Foundation as part of its Knight Arts Challenge, the fringe
festival takes
its name from Akron’s legacy as the birthplace of toy marble-making
automation.



“With Akron’s reputation for dance, and audiences hungry for it, the city
is a perfect platform for a festival that showcases new and emerging
artists,” said Victoria Rogers, vice president for arts at Knight
Foundation.



“Lose Your Marbles” will begin June 9 with a kick-off event at the newly
repurposed Trailhead Event Space at Cascade Lofts on the banks of the Ohio
and Erie Canal. On June 10 it will move to Akron's historic Trolley Barn,
gifted by the Development Finance Authority of Summit County, with
a temporary large stage, lighting and theatrical equipment.



Smaller spaces without stages — including an ice cream parlor, coffee shop,
gallery, and storefront window space provided in collaboration with the
Curated Storefront — will feature pop-up performances to round out the
festival’s walk-able footprint. The pop-up performances will be free, while
the main stage performances on Friday and Saturday will have small fees.



Lucky Plush Productions of Chicago, Duane Gosa of Les Ballet Trockadero,
and Terk Lewis Waters of Complexions Contemporary Ballet are slated to
perform, representing nationally recognized groups. Local participants
include Ma'Sue Productions, Inlet Dance Theatre, Groundworks Dance Theatre,
and Neos Dance Theatre have confirmed participation as well. Additional
dance and visual artists — emerging and established — will be chosen by a
festivalpanel.



Plans are also underway to present larger “Lose Your Marbles” festivals in
2018 and 2019. Bobby Wesner, co-founder and artistic director of Neos, says
that “Lose Your Marbles” is taking its cues from other fringe festivals,
such as the world’s largest and oldest in Edinburgh, Scotland, by giving
artists the freedom to present diverse, original and often risky works.
“Akron's fringe festival will be a fun and informative opportunity for our
community to binge-watch the performing arts and then share their opinions
about what they've seen.” Audience members will be able to vote for the
best-of-show performance that will then receive a final showcase on the
evening of June 10 and a cash award.



Tickets and details about “Lose Your Marbles” are available at
www.loseyourmarbles.org
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