Be MOVED to the Max for Northrop!
Be moved. To the Max! On Give to the Max Day, Northrop’s goal is to raise enough money to provide 500 free tickets to youth and families who would otherwise not have access to the Northrop experience. Friends of Northrop Yvonne and Erhard Bruderer talk about the impact Northrop has had on their appreciation of the arts and their relationship. Help give the joy of dance to our community! Become a friend of Northrop by Giving to the Max!
Both Yvonne and Erhard Bruderer grew up with an appreciation for the arts. Born and raised in Switzerland, they remember meeting for lunch at the art institute in Zurich while in college, quickly taking in a few galleries before heading back to class. On many evenings they could also be found waiting in line with student passes to attend opera performances. Today, Yvonne and Erhard continue the tradition with vacations that typically include international performances and museums. Despite a life-long passion for visual art and classical music, they came to dance later in life thanks to Yvonne’s love of movement.
“As a physical therapist, I have always had an intuitive connection to movement and fitness,” Yvonne muses. “I feel a bit like a sculptor adjusting the motion and posture of my patients to relieve pain. Our love of dance really began when I signed up for adult figure skating lessons because my five year old daughter was skating. I thought it would be a fun way to stay fit.” Yvonne went on to win a gold medal in her division at the Adult World Figure Skating Championships in 2005. “I began looking for similar activities and thought that ballet lessons might be good for me. I like that in ballet you work toward improving your movement and mastering the technique whether it is a better pirouette or a little higher leap. I’ve been taking ballet class for eleven years now and have learned to appreciate how hard a dancer has to work to perfect his or her craft.”
As her love of dance grew, Yvonne eventually introduced Erhard to ballet at Northrop. “When the ballet was over I told her, ‘I think I can tolerate this!’” Erhard says with a big laugh. “It was an ‘ah-ha’ moment for me realizing how great this art form is. That night I said, ‘why don’t we sign up for season tickets?’ Eleven seasons later, we have become quite knowledgeable and spoiled by Northrop’s programming. It’s wonderful to be able to share this together.”
Yvonne reminisces about their first year at Northrop. “2000 was a great season! We still talk about Balanchine’s Prodigal Son danced by the San Francisco Ballet. Prokofiev is one of our favorite composers and George Rouault's sets and costumes were a treat for the eye. The ballet was danced impeccably. In February that same year the Nederlands Dans Theater performed Petit Mort and Bella Figura and they were a delight! We instantly loved Jiří Kylián’s choreography and I went on to order his Black and White DVD. We were hooked on the Northrop Dance performances!"
Yvonne and Erhard’s excitement motivated them to become Friends of Northrop after just two performances. “Dance is an art that is still undervalued. By contributing we hope that we can continue to bring first rate companies to the Twin Cities and give dancers a platform to showcase their exquisite art. We have returned to these productions for the last ten years because they are always top companies that impress us.”
In thinking about their aspirations for Northrop, Erhard has only two requests. “First—be world-class. Bring the best troupes you can afford and deliver quality over quantity. Second—be bold. It’s OK if not every opportunity works out. If you don’t experiment and take risks, you can’t grow.” Yvonne reiterates, “It really is about quality. For us, Northrop Dance is the best arts investment in the Twin Cities.”
Be a part of the transformation that only live performance can inspire! Give to the Max and help others experience the joys of the Northrop Dance season. Join Yvonne, Erhard and all of our fabulous Friends in celebrating and stewarding Northrop Concerts and Lectures!