Cacalano & Cooper to debut new works in Pittsburgh before UK Tour

By Steve Sucato Gia Cacalano says it was the lure of the ocean’s smell and distant sound that beckoned her and her 7-year-old daughter to continue a long hike that led them to an as-yet-unseen Atlantic. The pair’s nature adventure this past summer, in Bangor, Maine — coupled with the anticipation of her daughter seeing the ocean for the first time — inspired the dancer-choreographer’s … Continue reading Cacalano & Cooper to debut new works in Pittsburgh before UK Tour

Dance troupe explores notions of order and structure via the lives of service workers

By Steve Sucato In 2010, a JetBlue flight attendant who had argued with a passenger got fed up with his job, grabbed a beer, deployed the emergency slide and exited the plane. This well-publicized incident illustrated what a social psychologist might term a “deviation from structure.” The kind of emotional structure flight attendants and other service workers adopt for the sake of commerce is among … Continue reading Dance troupe explores notions of order and structure via the lives of service workers

Hear Us Roar: Murphy/Smith Dance Collective Celebrates a Century of Women’s Social Progress

By Steve Sucato “Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.” The line is from “The Good Wife’s Guide,” a widely circulated list attributed to a 1950s women’s magazine. Though the list itself is likely apocryphal, it reflects that era’s gender norms. And for choreographers Jamie … Continue reading Hear Us Roar: Murphy/Smith Dance Collective Celebrates a Century of Women’s Social Progress