GREENFIELD — As Sheila Summers wandered through the American Museum of Natural History in New York City last summer, inspiration struck. She and her fellow Wilkerson Dance instructors had been brainstorming for a theme for the 2019 spring recital, but so far, nothing they’d come up with seemed right. It might have been the Mummies of Egypt exhibit or the tyrannosaurus rex skeleton or Human Origins and Cultural Hall. Whatever it was, Summers returned to Greenfield with the perfect theme: Night at the Museum.
“Our reaction was, ‘OMG, that’s it!’” said director Debbie Wilkerson, “and from then on it just snowballed.”
Instructors came up with so many ideas for dances.
“When you say museum,” Summers said, “it really lends itself to everyone’s own interests and what they’re comfortable with.”
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And on May 17 and 18, Wilkerson Dance will present “Night at the Museum” as its spring recital.
Based on the idea that the museum comes to life after dark, the opening of the show is Wilkerson’s favorite. Night watchmen come on with flashlights to keep on eye on the museum throughout the night, and when their lights go out, the statues and artwork begin to awaken.
The overall production spans a variety of museum experiences. Not only do some of the performers’ dances represent different exhibits in a museum, they also jet the audience around to specific museums. One piece is performed to “Starry Night,” a cover of Don McLean’s song about artist Vincent Van Gogh’s painting of the same name — which hangs in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
Two of Wilkerson’s seniors — Katie Jackley and Delonie Blake — send the audience on a quick trip to the National Museum of American History for a hip-hop tribute to “The Wizard of Oz” and Dorothy’s ruby slippers on display there.
Then it’s off to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. for a jazz rendition to the song “Jet Set.”
This year’s show has lots of sets and props that have everybody excited, Wilkerson said.
The Antiquities ballet in the second act showcases the company’s senior dancers: Stephanie Arellano, Evelyn Fletcher, Abby Phillips, Kenzie Polster and Logan Uitermarkt. The performance takes place in a museum’s Egyptian exhibit with a set that includes the Sphinx, pyramids and palm trees.
Of the 350 dancers who will perform over the two nights of the recital, more than 115 of them from eight separate tap classes will take part in a dance to “The Formation of the Terra-Cotta Army” from the film “The Mummy.” Wilkerson expects it to be one of the highlights of the recital. Costumer Darla Conley made all 115 terra-cotta look costumes from a faux suede material. Half will perform on Friday night, and the other half will dance on Saturday.
“Four seniors start on the stage,” Wilkerson described, “and they just keep coming out.”
Other performances are based on Edward Degas’ “The Little Dancer,” the statue of Venus de Milo and Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream.” And there’s even a dance themed around Robert Indiana’s LOVE sculpture at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
The program ends with a surprise appearance from a special guest often seen at New York City’s American Museum of Natural History — and then the sun rises and the museum goes back to sleep.
Performances are at 7 p.m. May 17 and 18 at Greenfield-Central Auditorium, 810 N. State St. Tickets are available in advance for $10 at the studio office or for $11 at the door. Call 317-462-1673 for more information.
