Kanopy Dance Company
Winter Fantasia: Reimagined
Thursday, December 5 - Sunday, December 8
Reception following the Friday evening performance.
Promenade Hall
Age Recommendation
All ages
Runtime
90 minutes with an intermission
Tickets (reserved seating): $40
Groups of 4 or more: $35
Ages 18 & under: $20
Students: $20
Kanopy lights up the stage with its multicultural holiday celebration “Winter Fantasia: Reimagined,” featuring Scandinavian legends and a festive ode to the revered Hindu festival “Navratri,” told through the magic of dance, guest starring choreographer and dancer Udbhav Desai.
Kanopy presents “Winter Fantasia: Reimagined,” designed to enrich the spirit of the holiday celebration by showcasing important contributions from a mosaic of cultures.
At the heart of “Winter Fantasia: Reimagined” is “Chalo Ramiye” (or “let’s play in Gujarati”), a community folk dance, choreographed by guest artist Udbhav Desai, known as “garba.” The ritual “garba” dance originated in the Indian state of Gujarat and is performed during Navratri, the longest and largest dance festival in the world.
Two cherished and enchanting winter stories rooted in Scandinavian folklore: “Once Upon a Winter’s Eve” and “The Norse Tree of Life,” conceived by Kanopy’s artistic director Lisa Thurrell and performed in lavish, elaborately detailed costuming designed by noted New York artist David Quinn, continue to be a treasured part of the program. And the joyful and sassy “Winter in the City,” set to the iconic Leonard Bernstein score for “On the Town” and charged with fancy footwork, completes the lineup.
Bring a Group!
Purchase 4 or more standard price tickets and get a discount. Discount automatically applied when you check out.
25% Off Ticket Special!
Sat, Dec 7, 7:30pm
Sun, Dec 8, 4pm
Order with promo code JOY
Meet the Guest Artists
Choreographer & Performer
Udbhav Desai
Udbhav Desai, a senior business intelligence and analytics manager for Alight Solutions, was born in the heart of Gujarat in Western India. From a young age, Desai was immersed in a world of dance, specifically Garba and Raas, routinely participating in community events and festivals. This tradition carried on at Northwestern University, where Desai performed with the South Asian Students Association in predominantly Bollywood fusion pieces. After graduating from Northwestern with a degree in chemical engineering, Desai joined Madison Contemporary Dance (2017/18) and appeared as a guest artist in Kanopy’s iconic production of “Love is Love” in the 2019/20 season and premiered “Chalo Ramiye” for Kanopy in 2022.
Performer
Kiro Kopulos
Kiro Kopulos is a choreographer and performer who has been teaching and dancing for 35 years. Kopulos co-directed Intersect Theatre Dance Company in Ann Arbor, Mich., also performing with Nonce Dance Ensemble in Detroit. For the past 30 years, Kopulos has been a frequent guest artist with Kanopy Dance Company. As a freelance choreographer and teacher, he has presented his work at the Edmonton, San Francisco and Minnesota Fringe Festivals and, most recently, at the White Church Theatre Project in Spring Green. Through his work, Kopulos has created a singular style of physical theater and vinyasa flow yoga.
Thank you to our sponsors
Underwritten with support from The Capital Times, Dane Arts and other generous support.
Upcoming Dance Events
-
November 7 - November 9
2025/26 Season, Dance The Rhythm Project
Promenade Hall
TNW Ensemble Theater's “The Rhythm Project” features a diverse array of Madison’s finest percussive dancers and musicians, with a recorded narration providing historical context and wry observations about these dance forms.
Multiple Showtimes -
December 4 - December 7
Dance, Family Friendly, Kanopy Dance Winter Fantasia: Reimagined
Promenade Hall
Kanopy lights up the stage for the holidays with “Winter Fantasia: Reimagined,” a dazzling dance celebration showcasing a mosaic of cultural traditions.
Multiple Showtimes -
December 12 - December 21
Dance, Family Friendly, Madison Ballet The Nutcracker
Overture Hall
Madison Ballet's The Nutcracker brings Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score to life with stunning choreography, lavish costumes and a dazzling cast of dancers from our company, school and community, under the glorious Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra conducted by Maestro Andrew Sewell.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 4
Wednesday
2025/26 Season, Dance, Overture Presents Step Afrika!'s The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence
Overture Hall
Watch as the energy of percussive dance, African traditions and contemporary movement collide. With powerful rhythms, storytelling and audience participation, this celebration of African culture and artistry will leave your heart pounding.
7:00 PM -
February 13 - February 15
Dance, Family Friendly, Madison Ballet Pointes of View
Promenade Hall
From tutus to combat boots, each work in "Pointes of View" offers a bold reinterpretation of classical technique, pushing boundaries while honoring ballet’s rich traditions.
Multiple Showtimes -
February 26
Thursday
2025/26 Season, Dance, Overture Presents Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Overture Hall
From tutus to toe shoes, the all-male troupe transforms classical ballet into an outrageous, yet deeply skilled, spectacle. With impeccable technique, over-the-top personas and a touch of slapstick, the Trocks deliver a performance as breathtaking as it is hilarious.
7:30 PM -
March 14
Saturday
Dance, Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids in the Rotunda Kalaanjali Indian Dance Company
Rotunda Stage
Experience breathtaking stories of the East through the graceful postures, percussive feet, vibrant costumes and dynamic expressions of the Kalaanjali dancers.
Multiple Showtimes -
March 28
Saturday
Dance, Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids in the Rotunda Madison Ballet
Rotunda Stage
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience the Madison Ballet like never before! Audience members will have an up-close experience of a ballet class warm up, barre practice, center floor work and choreography rehearsal.
Multiple Showtimes -
April 3 - April 5
Dance, Family Friendly, Madison Ballet ChoreograpHER
Starlight Theater MYARTS
The highlight of our 2025/26 season is a bold celebration of the female choreographic voice. Although women have long been the faces of ballet, they remain vastly underrepresented in choreography —especially women of color.
Multiple Showtimes -
April 4
Saturday
Dance, Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids in the Rotunda Trinity Irish Dance Academy
Overture Hall Main Lobby
Get ready for a high-energy showcase that will leave you breathless! In this performance, you’ll witness the incredible talent of Trinity students, some as young as 3.5 years old, as they bring traditional Irish steps and vibrant choreography to life on stage.
Multiple Showtimes -
April 11
Saturday
Dance, Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids in the Rotunda, Music Limanya Drum and Dance
Rotunda Stage
Performing traditional music from Guinea and Mali, West Africa, Limanya Drum and Dance Ensemble incorporates song, dance, drum and theater into high-energy entertainment for all audiences.
Multiple Showtimes -
April 16 - April 19
Dance, Family Friendly, Kanopy Dance Divine Mythologies
Promenade Hall
Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble and Kanopy Dance collaborate on a rare remarkable performance of Anna Sokolow’s epic “Odes," a luminous, searing vision of humanity, unsparing in its demands for intense physical concentration and dramatic depth.
Multiple Showtimes -
April 18
Saturday
Dance, Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids in the Rotunda, Music Duke Otherwise
Rotunda Stage
Don’t miss the wildly entertaining Duke Otherwise! This playful wordsmith, spirited performer and captivating tap dancer brings music and laughter to audiences of all ages.
Multiple Showtimes