Mojalet offers playful, romantic show for Valentine’s Day

Celebrate Valentine’s Day this year with “Viva Italia,” a new dance performance being offered by the Mojalet Dance Collective.

The shows will be performed at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7; 2 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8; 2 and 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14; and 2 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15 at the Vine Theater at the Bernardo Winery, 13330 Paseo Del Verano Norte in Rancho Bernardo.

Tickets are $20 general admission and $15 for students and seniors, and are available at www.mojalet.com/12webtix.html or by calling 858-243-1402. There is a $1 processing fee for purchasing tickets online.

“It’s playful and quirky,” said Faith Jensen-Ismay, artistic director for Mojalet Dance Collective. “It’s a little more like dance theater, since it has some dialogue. It’s a fun opportunity for interaction with the audience.”

The performance plays with poetic and romantic Italian music, said Jensen-Ismay. “It’s set up so the theater is like a little cafe,” she said. Throughout the performance the audience will get little “windows” into the private conversations of the servers and management of the cafe.

Small desserts will be served at the show, and on Valentine’s Day, there will be a special surprise.

“Viva Italia” has been in the works since 2001, when Jensen-Ismay choreographed “Frolicking” for the San Diego Dance Theater’s Trolley Dances. Ever since, she has been choreographing bits and pieces to music performed by Italian artists.

Now, Jensen-Ismay has been able to combine those older bits with new to create this unique one-act show. “This is unique for us, because it’s running for two weekends,” she said. “It’s a fun opportunity to celebrate Valentine’s Day.”

Performing in the show will be Lyndsey Gemmell, Faith Jensen-Ismay, Robby Johnson, Kathryn McLean, Mandy Langen-Kramp, and Jedi Taylor.

Mojalet Dance Collective is also gearing up for their annual Cafe Mojalet fundraiser, which will be held on March 21 in the Poway Community Auditorium in Poway Community Park, 13094 Civic Center Drive.

The theme will be “On the Wild Side,” which will feature a Western theme.

This dinner, dance and silent auction will be $26 for general admission; $36 for a reserved table seat; $125 for 2 reserved table seats; $250 for 3 reserved table seats; and $500 for 4 reserved table seats.

Tickets are available online at www.mojalet.com/12webtix.html.

Jensen-Ismay said Mojalet was also preparing for a cultural dance series in the spring, which will feature six different ethnic groups, including Bollywood.

For more information, visit www.mojalet.com.