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Photos by: Sonam Zksang
Ellenville Public Library & Museum proudly presents The Vanaver Caravan, Arm-of-the-Sea Theater, Barely Lace Singers and local youth performing “Into the Light!”, a beautiful holiday pageant with live music, festive dance, and puppetry for the 4th year running. “Into the Light!” tells the story of young Lucia, who journeys through the world’s communities to learn how light is kept glowing through the darkest time of the year. This heartfelt celebration of many cultural traditions — including Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, and Dewali — is a delight for the whole family.
Ellenville Public Library & Museum, with support from an Arts Mid-Hudson Decentralization Grant, offers dance and music classes to local children at the library that are taught by The Vanaver Caravan, a Hudson Valley based dance company. Participating children then have the opportunity to perform with the company.
The Vanaver Caravan is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1972 by Artistic Directors, Livia and Bill
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Photos by: Sonam Zksang
Vanaver.The internationally renowned company offers concerts, classes, workshops and Arts Education programs. Arm-of-the-Sea Theater fuses visual storytelling with live music in contemporary works of masks and puppet theater. Founded in 1982 by Marlena Marallo and Patrick Wadden, the company tours original shows throughout the eastern US, and conducts community-based artist residency projects. Both performance companies are known for their high quality work and support of cross-cultural understanding through the arts. They each receive funding from NYSCA, the New York State Council on the Arts Program with support of Governor Andrew Cuomo & the NYS Legislature.
This year, more than 15 “CaravanKids in Ellenville” will join with other Ulster County CaravanKids and these professional companies for a very special performance. Don Odum and a tech team from WELV, the Ellenville High School TV and radio station, will help produce the show, which will take place on Saturday, December 17 at 3:00pm in the High School Auditorium, 28 Maple Avenue in Ellenville.
“‘Into the Light!’ is the culmination of a wonderful collaborative effort by regional organizations. Working on this project together depends on the warmth of spirit that the show hopes to create for its viewers,” said Asha Golliher, Outreach Librarian at Ellenville Library.
Open seating tickets are available the day of the performance — there is a $5 donation at the door. Children under 10 are free; recommended for ages 3 an up. For more information, please call Ellenville Public Library at (845)647-5530 or visit eplm.org.
