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VOLUME 2, NUMBER 5 • MARCH 18, 2010
Strutting into spring Behind the footsteps at the second annual Green is the New Black Fashion Extravaganza By Trina Ortega The Sopris Sun
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ou won’t see them in the spotlight strutting the stage. Most likely, you won’t see them at all, but they are critical in making sure the show goes on. They are the choreographers, lighting technicians, makeup artists and others behind the curtain who will help turn the gymnasium at the Carbondale Recreation and Community Center into a New York-style venue for the second annual Green is the New Black Fashion Extravaganza, a benefit for the Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities. The event begins with an opening dessert reception at 7 p.m. followed by the fashion show at 8 p.m. Green is the New Black showcases original clothing designs made from sustainable and/or recycled materials. This year’s theme is “The Rites of Spring.” Last year’s Green is the New Black fashion Show proved to be a magical event for audience members who were whooping and cheering throughout the night. For days after, the show was the talk of the town.
The power of the troupe The show’s director, Lynn Aliya, says the show is a wonderful mix of community members who come together and work hard to make magic happen. The show germinates like a seed and blooms at the turn of spring, she says. “It’s always a miracle when you see the flowers bloom in the springtime. But so much has gone into the blooming of the flower. The show is like that — the troupes are forces of nature,”said Aliya, who was the director of last year’s event as well. After directing last year’s show, Aliya’s love for theater was revived. She was so inspired she enrolled in an intensive course at the School at Steppenwolf in Chicago, where she learned more about creating ensembles and orchestrating spontaneous theatrical pieces. Her job as director includes selecting music and choreographing the models for stage. Weeks prior to this Saturday’s show, she will have worked with the team on rehearsals, impromptu fashion shows, and exercises to help them feel comfortable being on stage. It’s her task to take the awkward, scattered energy of all the models and turn it into a refined performance. That involves getting four or five models to walk and turn in step or getting 40-plus models to jump at the exact same time. “Last year was so magical. Magic is a form of entertainment but there’s a difference between magic and alchemy. I think of the artists and the models as the alchemy. We’re turning nothing into gold,” Aliya said. Yet she is quick to compliment the community members who are part of the show. “I was just blown away last year by how everyone came together. It’s amazing when you bring really unbelievably talented members of the community together and the power of ideas that just collide when you collaborate,” she added.
The magic of light Tori Riger will spring onto the runway modeling this dress made of aluminum pop tops from the “Trashed” collection designed by Karrah Aegerter. You can see Riger and other designs at “The Rites of Spring,” Green is the New Black Fashion Extravaganza on March 20. Original photos by Jane Bachrach, composite by Terri Ritchie
Heath Manning and Susan Peters are the wizards behind the green curtain when it comes to WIZARDS page 8
A Q&A with the candidates
Marijuana grower violates zoning
Boland talks jazz
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