Karen Ponzio Photos.
The Mercy Velvet Project taps it out at Katalina's.
Going to a bakery for a few cupcakes seems like an obvious choice, but going to a bakery to preview a tap dance-based rock opera seems less obvious. Fortunately, the New Haven arts community has become more and more creative at working together to allow new projects to seed, germinate, and grow.
On Saturday night, Katalina’s Bakery was the latest alternative space used, this time to host a fundraiser for The Mercy Velvet Project, a re-creation of the 1999 album Live in Vain by the band Mercy Velvet in rock opera form.
There were cupcakes, of course.
Alexis Robbins and Katalina Riegelmann.
The project is the brainchild of choreographer/artistic director/producer Alexis Robbins, who, along with musical director Christie Echols and a group of dancers and musicians, has been working since 2022 to create a nine-song, 90-minute show that showcases tap dance, singing, music, movement, and community.
When Katalina Riegelmann, owner of the bakery, was speaking with Robbins during her tap lessons about her dream to host a fundraiser for the project, Riegelmann said, “Why don’t you do it at the bakery?” She offered to donate the space and the food for whatever Robbins wanted to plan.
“I’m a big believer in helping other people fulfill their dreams,” said Riegelmann. “It’s one of the things I love to do.”
She added that she had used the space for fundraisers for a dog rescue agency before, so she was happy to offer it to Robbins, with whom she has been taking tap lessons for three years now.
“She’s a phenomenal teacher,” she said. “She’s patient and fun.” Riegelmann exercises and is athletic, but still finds tap hard — especially the improvisation she has tried, though she added that it is also “good for the brain.”
“I’m an improviser,” said Robbins, noting that she had produced events in untraditional spaces before. She also said this was her first fundraiser and it all felt “very new and uncertain.” She did know that this particular space was “naturally very cute,” and when Reigelmann told her she could use the whole space, including behind the counter, she was “really grateful.”
With help from friends and family, a lovely spread of food, desserts, and drinks awaited ticketholders who came through for the event. Everyone was also given a number that they could use later to offer a monetary donation. Tables were filled with silent auction items from local businesses, including private dance lesson with Robbins and a private birthday party or baking class at the bakery. Guests munched on mini cupcakes and mingled, making new friends and marveling at the creative use of the space.
Before the performance portion of the event began, Robbins and Echols gave everyone an overview of how they came to this project as well as their goals for where it is going. Robbins spoke of her father Mark Robbins, who was the drummer for the band Mercy Velvet. She grew up loving the music and choreographing dance pieces to it as a child. In January 2022 she began working on the idea for a full project based on their album Live in Vain, and after meeting Echols, asked if she would do “this insane project” with her. Echols agreed.
Echols told the crowd how the show is “so different from any other you’ll see because we’re adding multidisciplinary layers … the musicians have to be dancers and the dancers provide music.” She noted that the show will ultimately have a full rock band onstage with the drums replaced by tap percussion.
Robbins has been providing tap percussion to the local music scene in ensemble projects for quite a few years now, as well as teaching and performing with her company kamrDANCE in New Haven and beyond. The Mercy Velvet Project even performed a piece with a larger ensemble earlier this year as part of a Creative Circle event at St. Paul and St. James Episcopal Church.
For Saturday night’s event Robbins tapped along with Isabella Serricella, with Echols on bass and Aster Rhys on vocals, though all ensemble members provide both music and movement to each piece.
Echols noted that the ensemble has been creating these arrangements and rearranging them together.
“We thrive together,” she said.
Having people in the room to experience the performance also adds another layer.
“You feed us as we feed you,” she said.
The performance part of the evening included Robbins, Serricella, Echols and Rhys in sync, sound, and spirit offering excerpts of the songs “Live In Vain,” “Addiction’” “Devil’s Den,” and “Mercy.” Each piece was unique unto itself, but together they offered a meditation on who we are as individuals in this world — finding our way, but also finding others and learning to embrace our differences including what we struggle with inside ourselves.
“If I could stop one heart from breaking, I would not live in vain,” Rhys sang. Connection in song, in step, in serving the greater good — all of these made for an emphatic and empathetic performance that left the audience with much to ponder about their own journey.
The reception to the performance was as enthusiastic as the show itself. Robbins told the group that she has a residency beginning in January at NXTHVN, where work will continue on completing the project. They will also continue to try to raise money to premiere the completed show in New Haven later in 2025 and eventually take it on tour.
The night continued with monetary pledges, silent auction bidding, and much discussion about the meaning of cooperation and community, both artistically and otherwise. And everyone ate more cupcakes, of course. But there was something even sweeter in the air — the idea that one hand could still reach out to another and make a world of difference.
“To give and receive mercy: that is our thesis statement,” added Robbins. “It is necessary for survival.”
More information about The Mercy Velvet Project can be found on the kamrDANCE website.
Robbins and Echols welcome everyone.
A moment of community and support before the performance.