What is Equestrian theatre and what does it have to do with us here at Tuskey Dressage?
Equestrian theatre is what happens when you take the beauty and grace of horseback riding, set it to music, and add costumes and other visual effects to create an artistic presentation that envelops the audience in the presence and power of the horse. Equestrian theatre is a natural continuation of the work we do at here at Tuskey Dressage. Classical dressage promotes harmony and cooperation with the horse. The horse is treated as a partner and together horse and rider are able to achieve the highest levels of dressage and perform difficult movements with ease and grace. Technical correctness is important however never at the expense of the horse’s freedom to express himself. The horse is not a machine but a living, feeling, emotional creature and must be treated as such in order to allow his spirit to shine. Classical dressage is an art and a dance between horse and rider and each pair is unique. It only makes sense to take that partnership, that dance of two, and set it to music. Equestrian theatre gives both the horse and the rider the opportunity to express themselves through the music and costumes.
This past Spring we hosted our first recital, presented by our students and their horses and we are looking forward to our upcoming Christmas recital this December. It is our goal to be able to take our recitals to the next level and create a full on theatrical experience. To do this we need to purchase professional quality sound, lighting, and staging equipment.
Synergy, the combination of two or more things to create a combined effect greater than the sum of the individual parts, is the name that we have given to our equestrian theatre troupe. The idea is very simple: take passionate riders, energetic horses, and dynamic music and combine them together to create an experience that is as profound and engaging as it is graceful and inspiring.
These performances will give our students a chance to take what they have learned in their lessons and put it to use in both a practical and artistic way. Our students will have the opportunity to become involved in both performing on stage and working backstage and will have goals to work towards and achieve that will further their skills as horsemen.
These shows will give the audience a unique and memorable experience as they watch our horses and riders dance together. Audience members will be receive an intimate look at the bond between horse and rider and will be able to experience the strength and beauty of the majestic horse up close and personal.
We invite you to be a part of this dream by supporting our Kickstarter fundraising campaign. The money raised will be used to purchase the equipment needed. The plans are in place to develop a stage for our equine performers but we need your help to reach our fundraising goal. Our campaign will run from September 23rd – October 23rd . To donate, simply type in the following web address and choose the donation level you’d like: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/41948155/synergy-equestrian-theatre
Check out this video for more information on our Kickstarter campaign.
There are also other ways to get involved. Sharing our Kickstarter page with your friends and family helps us to get the word out. In addition, we are looking for people who would be interested in performing in our shows and working backstage. If this is something that interests you, let us know!
Thank you for your support. With your help, we can develop a state of the art, unique experience for horse lovers of all ages right here in Southern Wisconsin.
To learn more about how to achieve a better relationship with your horse, visit our website or blog, where we feature information about French Classical Dressage training, as well as care and maintenance of the horse!
