Publication: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel [US]
Date: October 17, 1997
Section: Cue Pg. 3
Length: 262 Words
Title: "Cue TIPS Wife Of Artist Steps Out On Her Own"
Written By: Tom Strini

Mayte, the dancer spouse of The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, will bring her New Power Generation Dance Company to the Riverside Theater, 116 W. Wisconsin Ave., at 8 p.m. Monday. The 20-dancer troupe is on a six-month inaugural tour of the U.S. and Europe.

Spokeswoman Jacqueline Thompson said that NPG is to be an ongoing concern.

Unlike most dance companies, it will run as a commercial business, as another arm of The Artist Formerly's Paisley Park Productions. Thompson promises high production values.

"We have a lot of resources," she said, in a phone interview from Paisley Park's Minneapolis headquarters.

They had the resources to bring in Dwight Rhoden, of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Desmond Richardson, of American Ballet Theater, to supplement Mayte's own choreography.

Mayte (pronounced My-tay) was once featured as "the world's youngest professional belly dancer" on the TV show, "That's Incredible."

As a teenager, she branched out from belly to ballet, studying at the Washington School of Ballet and then dancing at the Wiesbaden Stadt Theater in Germany. She joined The Artist Formerly's "Diamonds and Pearls" tour when she was 18.

Thompson describes NPG's dance style as a blend of Middle Eastern, hip-hop and ballet styles. Act 2 of the touring show is a "Kama Sutra ballet," to music The Artist composed for Mayte as a wedding gift. Acts 1 and 3 are dances set to old and new tunes by The Artist.

Tickets are $45, $35 and $28.50 at the Riverside Theater box office and through Ticketmaster, 276-4545.