Ann Arbor — The University Musical Society (UMS) and the City of Ypsilanti continue their exciting partnership with a four-week residency in September 2023 featuring expanded programming for Ypsilanti residents, families, and schoolchildren.
A community-informed programming process is the catalyst for this dynamic residency in an effort to continue activating the unique and historic civic space for performances, arts learning and participation, and creative exploration. Additional residencies are being planned for April 2024 and September 2024.
A successful pilot residency week in April 2023 featured nine unique programs — all free or Pay What You Wish — and brought together multi-generational audiences from Ypsilanti and beyond, with enthusiasm and energy from artists and audiences alike.
These residencies are a natural extension of UMS’s engagement in Ypsilanti over the past several years. At the Freighthouse, UMS presented the International Contemporary Ensemble in a Secret Show in 2018 and dancer Caleb Teicher in 2019, as well as an interactive event related to Parable Path A2Ypsi, which was developed in conjunction with the theatrical presentation of The Parable of the Sower by Toshi Reagon in March 2022. Additional partnerships have included free You Can Dance workshops at the Riverside Arts Center, a post-pandemic series of workshops for teens with Corner Health, and providing dance instruction for summer camps at the Parkridge Community Center in 2022 and 2023.
Cayenne Harris, UMS Vice President of Learning and Engagement noted, “On the heels of our April pilot residency we are buoyed by the extraordinarily warm response from the Ypsilanti community to our initial offerings. This September we’re back for a month of arts programming at the Freighthouse, developed in response to feedback from residents.”
As part of the Freighthouse residency, UMS will prioritize access for Ypsilanti residents through both early registration for free ticketed events and a pay-what-you-wish structure for live performances. A full schedule of the September residency follows; tickets and registration will be available on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, for Ypsilanti residents, and will open up more broadly on Tuesday, August 15.
“The City of Ypsilanti is thrilled to welcome UMS back to the Freighthouse. We continue to support this work and build a lasting partnership that will support the Ypsilanti arts community”, said Frances McMullan, Ypsilanti City Manager. The Ypsilanti Freighthouse residency is made possible with support from Menakka and Essel Bailey, Matt and Nicole Lester, and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. Family programs are sponsored by Michigan Medicine.
Schedule of Ypsilanti Freighthouse Activities & Ticketing Information
PARTICIPATORY EXPERIENCE
Yoga at the Freighthouse
Tuesday, September 12 // 6 – 7:30 pm Tuesday, September 19 // 6 – 7:30 pm A Pay-What-You-Wish Event
This workshop, led by yoga instructor and Ypsilanti resident Marly Spieser-Schneider, will touch on fundamental physical and philosophical elements of the Iyengar Yoga practice, accompanied by live music. This opportunity to stretch and breathe provides a unique
experience for curious movers, providing a structure for developing awareness, exploring creative possibilities, and discovering new ways to move through the world. Participants will learn postures, ask questions, experiment, and play!
All levels are welcome (ages 12+), no previous yoga experience necessary. Bring your own yoga mat and a water bottle.
PERFORMANCE / PARTICIPATORY EXPERIENCE
Open Mic Night with Shara Nova
Friday, September 15 // 7:30 – 10 pm
Free, no ticket or registration required (voluntary donations accepted at the door)
Singer, songwriter, and composer, Shara Nova (My Brightest Diamond), who spent her formative childhood years in Ypsilanti, hosts this open mic night and local artist showcase. Bring yourself, your friends, and whatever creative contribution you can offer! Registration will open at 7 pm for those who wish to perform and continue on a rolling basis through 8:30 pm, with names randomly selected for a starring moment on stage at the Freighthouse.
Recommended for 16+, alcohol will be available for purchase for ages 21+ with ID.
FOR FAMILIES
slapslap (performance and music making)
Saturday, September 16 // 11 am – 12:30 pm
Sunday, September 17 // 11 am – 12:30 pm
Free event (advanced registration required, voluntary donations accepted at the door)
What do you get when you cross DEVO with the Wiggles? Join us for a musical and theatrical adventure provided by the unique electric bassoon and percussion quartet known as slapslap, which brings together up-tempo dance, music, storytelling, and creative play in a unique interactive event just for families. Composed of local artists, including two bassoonists and two percussionists, slapslap brings technical musicianship and light-hearted absurdity to the Freighthouse, delighting audiences with a performance that is equal parts enthralling, wacky, and fun. After the performance, participants will learn more about improvised music by making their own slapsticks and playing along with the musicians.
Recommended for ages 3-12 and their parents or guardians.
PERFORMANCE
The Ypsi Experience: Sonic Contributions to Honor the Past, Present, and Future of the Black Community in Ypsilanti.
Marcus Elliot, saxophone
Miles Lindsey, librettist, and narrator
Friday, September 22 // 7:30 pm Saturday, September 23 // 7:30 pm A Pay-What-You-Wish Event
Detroit-based saxophonist Marcus Elliot leads a seven-piece band of musicians and artists in a new work by Elliot and collaborator Miles Lindsey created especially for the Freighthouse. The Ypsi Experience celebrates the history of Ypsilanti as a refuge for Black Americans dating back to the 1830s. Stories from this significant time in history will inspire original music compositions that honor the bravery and resilience of those who sought freedom on the Underground Railroad and celebrate the important role Ypsilanti played in this pivotal moment in American history. This multimedia work featuring saxophone, bass, drums, piano, guitar, voice, and narrator was commissioned by UMS to celebrate Ypsilanti’s bicentennial and was developed in collaboration with the African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County. The performances at the Freighthouse will be the world premiere of this new composition.
PARTICIPATORY EXPERIENCE
Square Dance at the Freighthouse
Instructors: Detroit Square Dance Society
Tuesday, September 26 // 7 – 9 pm
A Pay-What-You-Wish Event
Join us for an evening of Square Dancing with the Detroit Square Dance Society. Start with light refreshments before heading to the dance floor as we bring the Southern Square Dancing tradition to the Ypsilanti Freighthouse, with live music, non-gender calling, and line dances for anyone and everyone to enjoy. Each dance will be taught, rehearsed, and then danced to live music.
Recommended for 18+, no experience or partner necessary. Alcohol will be available for purchase for ages 21+ with ID. Doors open at 6:30 for light refreshments.
PERFORMANCE
LIGHTNING: A One-of-a-Kind Drag Show Extravaganza
with Heads over Heels Productions and Chroma Productions
Friday, September 29 // 7 – 9:30 pm
A Pay-What-You-Wish Event
Lightning rarely strikes in the same place twice, but UMS is delighted to collaborate with Heads Over Heels Productions and Chroma Productions for two different sets in this drag show extravaganza. This action-packed, special night celebrates queer performance art at the historic Ypsilanti Freighthouse.
Must be 18+ to attend, alcohol will be available for purchase for ages 21+ with ID.
FOR FAMILIES
Moving to the Beat: West African Dance and Visual Art
Instructors: Heather Mitchell, Nate Waller, Justin Stokes, and Sajeev Visweswaren
Saturday, September 30 // 11 am – 12:30 pm
Sunday, October 30 // 11 am – 12:30 pm
Free event (advanced registration required, voluntary donations accepted at the door)
Get ready to feel the heat, listen to the beat, and move your feet. Created especially for families, participants in this workshop will experience traditional West African Dance as well as contemporary AfroBeat dance moves. Afterward, families will participate in an art-making workshop that connects movement to visual art.
Recommended for ages 3-17 and their parents or guardians.
PARTICIPATORY EXPERIENCE
West African Dance
Instructors: Heather Mitchell, Nate Waller, and Justin Stokes
Saturday, September 30 // 4 – 6 pm
A Pay-What-You-Wish Event
Originating from the Malinke people of West Africa, Moribayassa is a traditional practice in which participants are invited to relieve their burdens through movement and music. The practice uses dance and live drumming as a way to offer thanks for overcoming obstacles or adversities within the context of community support. Participants will be invited to write, sing, and dance as a healing modality for their struggles.
Recommended for ages 14+, no experience necessary.
FOR FAMILIES
LEONARDO! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster
Presented by Manual Cinema, based on books by Mo Willems
Thursday, October 5 // 10 am – 11 am and 12 noon – 1 pm (Ypsilanti Schools, by invitation) Friday, October 6 // 10 am – 11 am and 12 noon – 1 pm (Ypsilanti Schools, by invitation) Saturday, October 7 // 11 am – 12 noon and 1 – 2 pm
A Pay-What-You-Wish Event
Leonardo is a terrible monster. He tries so hard to be scary, but he just… isn’t. Then Leonardo finds Sam, the most scaredy-cat kid in the world. Will Leonardo finally get to scare the tuna salad out of someone? Or will it be the start of an unlikely friendship?
Come experience the big, bold, colorful use of illustrations, playful use of scale, and the magic of cinema. Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About A Terrible Monster uses hundreds of illustrated puppets, book pages, two-dimensional props, furry monster puppets, live music, and the wonder of real-time filming to bring Mo Willems’ books to life.
Recommended for ages 3+ and their parents and guardians, the production contains some loud sounds, flashing lights, and furry monster puppets.
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About the Ypsilanti Freighthouse
Located next to Frog Island Park on the north side of Depot Town, the Ypsilanti Freighthouse was built in 1878 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Sites. The Freighthouse originally served as a distribution center for rail-bound goods and is now owned and operated by the City of Ypsilanti as a gathering space for many community and private events.
About UMS
A recipient of the 2014 National Medal of Arts, UMS (also known as the University Musical Society) contributes to a vibrant cultural community by connecting audiences with performing artists from around the world in uncommon and engaging experiences. One of the oldest performing arts presenters in the country, UMS is an independent non-profit organization based in Ann Arbor and affiliated with the University of Michigan. The organization presents dozens of music, theater, and dance performances by professional touring artists each season, along with many free public and private educational activities throughout Southeast Michigan. Since 1990, the organization has co-commissioned and supported the production of nearly 80 new or reimagined works. Matthew VanBesien became the organization’s seventh president in July 2017.
