Moulin Rouge makes its Pittsburgh premiere
By Steve Sucato Celebrated on stage and screen and in literature, the most famous cabaret in the world is now a story ballet. Canadian choreographer Jorden Morris — whose Peter Pan the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre staged in 2011 — returns with his critically acclaimed 2009 box-office hit Moulin Rouge. The only ballet licensed by the Moulin Rouge to carry its name, Morris’ original story asks: If two good, … Continue reading Moulin Rouge makes its Pittsburgh premiere
Pittsburgh product Kyle Abraham hits the big time in the dance world
By Steve Sucato Kyle Abraham’s career has tipped. That is, it has crossed the threshold into the dance world’s version of the big time. In the span of several years, the Pittsburgh native and his New York-based dance company Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion have gone from self-presenting in small venues to catching the eye of major dance presenters in the U.S. and abroad. The company’s résumé now … Continue reading Pittsburgh product Kyle Abraham hits the big time in the dance world
Talented young dancers on the rise
Photo courtesy of Dance Theatre of Harlem By Steve Sucato News Contributing Reviewer After an eight-year hiatus because of financial woes, Dance Theatre of Harlem returned to touring last year “leaner and meaner,” according to Virginia Johnson, the company’s artistic director and former prima ballerina. The company looked the part Wednesday night in a mixed repertory program at the University at Buffalo‘s Center for the … Continue reading Talented young dancers on the rise
Attack Theatre surprises with a poignant Soap Opera
By Steve Sucato Because Attack Theatre is best known for its clever, lighthearted fare, it would be easy to assume that the troupe’s latest program would fall into that category — especially when it’s titled Soap Opera. But uncharacteristically, the work’s subject matter is far more serious. This is a show chronicling the last days of a man on his deathbed. Inspired by both the legend … Continue reading Attack Theatre surprises with a poignant Soap Opera
Joffrey’s ‘American’ Nutcracker Still Sparkles After A Quarter Century
December 2, 2012 PlayhouseSquare Center – State Theater Cleveland, OH By Steve Sucato In the 25-years since Robert Joffrey created his ‘American’ Nutcracker ballet, it has become one of the most popular touring productions of E.T.A. Hoffman’s classic holiday tale The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. For his version of the ballet conceived from a 1940 production by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and set … Continue reading Joffrey’s ‘American’ Nutcracker Still Sparkles After A Quarter Century
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
LINES Ballet to Perform in Cleveland as Part of 30th Anniversary Tour
By Pam Barr CLEVELAND (Jan. 7, 2013) – The acclaimed LINES Ballet, led by visionary choreographer and artistic director Alonzo King, will come to the Ohio Theatre for two performances, Jan. 26-27, presented by DANCECleveland and PlayhouseSquare. The LINES Ballet program will include two recent King dances: Scheherazade, created in 2009, and Resin from 2011. Scheherazade is a re-envisioning of the ancient collection of Persian, … Continue reading LINES Ballet to Perform in Cleveland as Part of 30th Anniversary Tour
2012 annual visitor report for Arts Air
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for Arts Air. See who else has checked this site out. Here’s an excerpt: 600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 10,000 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 17 years to get that many … Continue reading 2012 annual visitor report for Arts Air
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
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