PARIS — Debi Irons and eight dancers from the Art Moves Dance Project will present an hour-long dance piece called “Touch the Sky,” on Tuesday, Aug. 14 at One Longfellow Square in Portland and on Thursday, Aug. 16, at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris.
All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. with admission at the door of $15. Irons is the contact for both shows at 207-743-5569 or [email protected].
“Touch the Sky” takes a trip from club dance through jazz, afro-brazilian, modern, improvisation, and meditative movement via music favored by Niles Ford as either a deejay or a choreographer. His influence and presence will be enhanced by voice-overs in a soundtrack done by Brendan Schauffler.
Niles Bailey Ford was a dancer, choreographer and deejay from Brooklyn, New York, whom Irons met and collaborated with in 2006 and 2007 on a project called “Life After Cynicism.” After Ford’s sudden death at age 52 of a massive heart attack several Maine dancers spoke of the desire to do something for this talented artist who had chosen Maine as his second dance home.
“He was so supportive of my work and of Art Moves — we shared a philosophy and a dance language. We genuinely and thoroughly believed in each other.
“He came to Maine and worked with my dancers while I was recovering from hip surgery last summer. Niles Ford was the best colleague you could ask for. He may be physically departed, but I want to be a part of carrying his spirit on,” said Irons.
Dancers in “touch the Sky” include Sasha Campbell, Erin Hamlin, Kim Hamlin, Kristen Lindstrom, Melissa McLaren, Karianna Merrill, Joanna Patterson and Lindsey Redgate, along with Irons and some special guests for each show. After the performance there will be a brief video followed by a dance party to the soulful house music dj Niles used for his dance parties, deejayed by Brendan Schauffler.

Kim Hamlin dances in the Art Moves dance studio with Erin Hamlin and Sasha Campbell in the background.