By Steve Sucato In ancient civilizations they were called “keepers of the flame”: those entrusted with tending the sacred fires. In a sense, August Wilson Center Dance Ensemble artistic director Greer Reed has taken up that mantle when it comes to black dance in Pittsburgh. Reed is organizing the August Wilson Center for African American Culture’s second annual Black Dance Festival, held Nov. 2-4. “Like the … Continue reading A Celebration of Black Dance
By Steve Sucato Outside dance circles, he’s best known for the controversy that arose when, during the opening ceremonies of the London Olympics, NBC cut from his moving dance work honoring London bombing victims … to a Michael Phelps interview. But British-born Bangladeshi choreographer Akram Khan is, in fact, one of the dance world’s current “it” people. Khan is a sought-after dancer and choreographer who … Continue reading Road Warriors: Akram Khan Company travels the Vertical Road
By Steve Sucato Modern office life has been a source of humor and consternation for decades, featured in everything from novels like Sloan Wilson’s TheMan in the Gray Flannel Suit and Joseph Heller’s Something Happenedto TV series like The Office and the comic strip Dilbert. Award-winning Japanese writer-director Toshiki Okada gives us his take on the subject in the movement-theater work Hot Pepper, Air Conditioner, and the Farewell Speech. The show is … Continue reading Japan’s chelfitsch Theater Company sends up office life
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