Kids from Ames and surrounding areas will perform a modern dance to cap off the Kids Co-Motion workshop in the Ames City Auditorium this Friday and Saturday. Under the direction of Kids Co-Motion, founder Valerie Williams, the young dancers will spin, jump, tumble, and sprint as they execute a routine called “Crash and Carry.”

Kids Co-motion is an outreach program that gives kids with or without a background in dance an opportunity to take part in a three-week modern dance workshop. Kids from ages eight to 18 spend four hours per day learning dance technique, composition and improvisation as they prepare for their final performance. 

The program, which was choreographed by Williams, represents “physics in motion.” The entire routine is broken down into smaller dances, each with their own physics-based theme. Speed, direction, acceleration, rotationa and gravity are just some of the themed dances included in the routine.

Some of the dances are especially unique, such as The Doppler Effect, which features a group of three dancers moving on what appears to be a random path around stationary dancers. These stationary dancers raise their arms and raise the pitch of their voice as the group of three approaches, mimicking The Doppler Effect.

These innovative dances are supplemented by equally unique music, written and performed by guitarist/cellist Will Pett and trombonist/keyboard player Paul Hertz. Additionally, a backdrop displays motion-sensitive digital images.

In other words, the various graphics displayed on the screen during the performance actually change based on the dancers’ movement. 

This portrayal of physics concepts was created entirely by Williams. 

“I spent a lot of time researching after talking to some friends of mine who work in the physics field. The routine is centered around the idea that we are physical objects being acted upon by other physical objects and forces,” Williams said.

The 21 participants in this year’s workshop work hard under Williams’ direction. However, the kids take their dancing seriously, and have partial control of the performance. During rehearsal, the kids offer their own ideas and perspective to Williams, who takes their thoughts into consideration. 

“The kids like to do different things and be creative. The work they do requires them to be very disciplined, and during the final rehearsals, I’m about as popular as stale bread. But at the end of the day, everybody wonders where the time went,” Williams said. 

Leah Wolter, 12, has been a part of Kids Co-Motion for three years and can’t wait to come back next year. 

“My favorite part [of the workshop] is meeting a bunch of new people and making friends. It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s also a lot of fun,” Wolter said.

All of the kids’ hard work and dedication will culminate at 7:30 p.m. this Friday and Saturday at Ames City Auditorium.

“The kids are amazing, and they are so smart,” Williams said. “They don’t dance from the arms and legs, but from their souls.”