This series brought to you by Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts.
When “Tangorium” whooshes onto the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts’ stage in September, it will be the first time the performance includes dance.
What is "Tangorium?"
"Tangorium" is the creation of BRIDGE & WOLAK, a unique classical and folk music duo from Canada. The multimedia experience blends classical, jazz and global music to share the captivating story of tango’s evolution from the Milongas of Buenos Aires to its place on the world stage. Previously, the show toured the United States and Canada with an orchestra.
However, when BRIDGE & WOLAK members Michael Bridge and Kornel Wolak saw Water Street Dance perform, they immediately knew the Milwaukee-based company was the perfect fit for "Tangorium."
A reimagined tango
During the dynamic performance, the dancers and musicians explore the full spectrum of movement possibilities and interact with each other as if engaging in a new tango of sorts. At times, the musicians move alongside the ensemble, fully integrated into the choreography. In other moments, they're lifted onto the dancers’ shoulders or interact in unexpected, physical ways.
"We’re embracing risk-taking and innovation while keeping safety a priority. We're pushing ourselves to discover fresh, imaginative ways to merge live music and dance into one unified performance," says Morgan Williams, founder and artistic director of Water Street Dance.
"When the music begins, the musicians seamlessly blend into the environment, becoming as much a part of the physical storytelling as the dancers themselves."
"Tangorium" details
The world premiere of a new version of "Tangorium" – a collaboration between BRIDGE & WOLAK and Water Street Dance – will take place Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts in Brookfield. The show starts at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $40 and $50 and are available here.
“We were so incredibly impressed by the musicality of their dancing,” says Bridge, a classically trained, digital accordionist who grew up in Alberta and started playing polkas at five years old. “We always dreamed of performing with a dance company, but never found the right one until Water Street Dance.”
Williams agrees with the dynamic connection between the two groups.
“I love the musical fusion that both Michael and Kornel bring to this piece,” says Williams. “They feel like the perfect sonic partner for the kind of physical storytelling we do at Water Street.”
Although tango is the focus of Tangorium, the show is a mix of many different dances and cultures – something very important to Williams.
“Fusion is really at the core of who I am as an artist – someone who blends different styles and techniques to create a raw, visceral experience through movement,” says Williams. “The music of Tangorium does something similar: it’s layered, emotional and genre-defying.”
The origin stories
Wolak, a classically trained clarinetist, was introduced to Bridge about 15 years ago through Bridge’s accordion professor. Their different personalities meshed personally and professionally, and today their unique relationship and senses of humor remain at the heart of the show’s success.
“We became friends quickly,” says Wolak. “And if we hadn’t, this would’ve gone under long ago.”
Both musicians wanted to explore performance that was outside the norm for classical musicians.
“We’re longtime classically trained musicians gone rogue,” says Bridge.
Williams founded Water Street Dance in 2019. The company was established to provide innovative performances and educational outreach, as well as offering a platform for emerging dancers and choreographers in the Midwest. Last year, it was recognized nationally as one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” in 2024.
Both BRIDGE & WOLAK and Water Street Dance have a passion for education. In 2020, the BRIDGE & WOLAK Music Mentorship Program launched as an online program for high-schoolers to explore careers in the arts.
Likewise, Water Street is committed to fostering and encouraging educational opportunities for young dancers. The Water Street Youth Co. is a pre-professional program for young, emerging dancers with strong talent and potential.
Family friendly yet "a little riotous"
Thus, “Tangorium” was created for audience members of all ages and is considered a family-friendly performance with hints of Cirque du Soleil that’s lively enough to hold kids’ attention.
“It’s a unique and accessible show,” says Wolak. “It’s even a little riotous.”
Plus, the dual-country collaboration is meaningful for both groups. “This is an across-the-border collaboration between Canada and the United States, and that really means something to us,” says Bridge.
After the show at Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, the same version of Tangorium will be performed Thursday, Sept. 18, at the University of Minnesota-Morris, and Friday, Sept. 19, at The Historic Holmes Theatre in Detroit Lakes, Minn. Go here for the full schedule.
“This is a first-of-its-kind show. It's truly unique and not to be missed,” says Williams.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
