By Susan Lampert Smith | Photo by Lisa Frank
“A Breath of Fresh Art” will take to outdoor stages on Sept. 21 and 22 in Verona at Primrose Retreat, located on a historic Dane County farm. Dancers, singers, and visual and spoken word artists will all present around the theme of “Democracy in Life & Art.” The event was created by internationally renowned tap dancer Katherine Kramer, who resides in the tiny township of Primrose.
Kramer began learning from the legends of tap in the 1970s and won the 2018 Hoofer award from the American Tap Dance Foundation. She imagined the first “A Breath of Fresh Art” as an opportunity for hope, healing and togetherness during the COVID lockdown of 2020. At the inaugural event, visitors could hear a ukulele strumming from the porch of the sauna, while poets read from the barn stage, and the rhythmic rat-a-tat of tap dancers sounded from the front porch of the property’s Queen Anne-style farmhouse.
On Sept. 21, audience members will follow maps around Primrose Retreat to take in performances and view art installations from Dane County and the Driftless Area arts community. Shows will conclude with audience participation “talk circles.” On Sunday, artists will lead participatory workshops on the interplay of democracy and the arts.
Tickets are available at katherinekramerprojects.com. The event is supported by the Wisconsin Arts Board and Dane Arts.
