An essential part of Northern Plain Ballet's upcoming show involves Nathan Lansing's mouth.

If Lansing doesn't show up with his mouth this weekend, there will be trouble. The production would be missing a beat - make that many beats.

Lansing, choral director at University of Mary, who has spent years honing his beatboxing skills, will have his mouth and lips on full throttle for one of the original dance pieces in Northern Plains' annual choreographer's showcase - "Ballet to Beatbox."

Lansing said that years ago he came to the realization he didn't have the talent to develop skills on real instruments, but he could mimic the sounds they made. So, he started to beatbox. His beatboxing this weekend, a brash hash of ping-pong staccato and oral growls and bring-it-on taunts, are skills typically heard in hip hop music. Lansing will be accompanied by the tender sounds of an Irish harp, played by Carly Schaub, a Northern Plains dancer and choreographer.

The shows, which have pieces ranging from traditional ballet, to contemporary to hip hop and African, will happen at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Belle Mehus City Auditorium, 201 N. Sixth St. There will be original works by Northern Plains' choreographers as well as pieces by choreographers based out of Langdon and Grand Forks.

Northern Plains is bringing in two guest artists for the shows: dancer Ralph Jacques, from Atlanta, and Robert Greer, a freelance dancer who once was a Northern Plains Ballet company member.

Robert McFarland, Northern Plains' guest artistic director, who has choreographed, taught and danced with several companies, said the thing he's most pleased about is that the show is not just Northern Plains', it's a community affair.

"It's really really diverse …,"he said. "It really involves the community."

Specifically, local actors, artists, musicians, a 7-year-old congo player and university professors.

In addition to Lansing, there's another University of Mary faculty member involved in the show.

Jamieson Ridenhour, an assistant English professor, got involved because he overheard something while waiting for his daughter to finish her ballet class - something about choreographer Hollis Mackintosh wanting live guitar music for her piece.

So, Ridenhour, a guitarist, got a CDof his original music to Mackintosh, and he was drafted. And he's bringing in some family support - his son, Ian Ridenhour, a congo player.

"He's 7, and he is a killer (on the congo drums),"Mackintosh said.

Brian Hushagen, an artist and art instructor at Bismarck State College, did a painting while listening to Ridenhour's CD and that painting will be the backdrop for Mackintosh's contemporary ballet piece called, "Sic Friatur Crustum Dulce."

Other local artists' creations also will be used. As will the acting skills of three Dakota Stage Ltd. actors.

Job Christiansen of the Grand-Forks-based North Dakota Ballet also is contributing to the event by choreographing a excerpt of Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana." And Marlo Miller of Langdon, who majored in dance at the University of Wyoming, has created an African-modern piece to "African Sanctus,"music by David Fanshawe.

Alysia Klein, owner of Velocity Yoga and Dance in Dickinson, has created a hip hop-modern piece. And McFarland, who describes himself as a "Shakespeare freak,"has created his own ballet rendition of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," music by Felix Mendelssohn.

McFarland said this is one ballet he never got to do as a professional dancer.

Now, he's doing it. In addition to choreographing, he's also dancing, unexpectedly, since a guest artist picked for that spot won't be able to make it.

"I love the music,"he said. And he loves, as a choreographer, telling a story. And this is quite the story.

"The characters are so interesting," he said.

And the piece, involving 20 dancers and five actors, is fast-paced, a challenge to stage.

You can't beat it.

Or maybe you could. If beatboxer Lansing had anything to say about it.

General admission tickets are available at all Dan's Supermarkets. To get reserved tickets, go to Northern Plains Dance's studio at 1125 E. Main Ave. or call 530-0986.

(Reach reporter Virginia Grantier at 250-8254 or at virginia.grantier@;bismarcktribune.com.)