Taylor Company Triple Bill A Triumph [REVIEW]

Paul Taylor Dance CompanyMimi Ohio Theatre at Playhouse SquareCleveland, OhioSaturday, January 20, 2024 By Steve Sucato To kick off the celebrations of New York City-based Paul Taylor Dance Company’s 70th Anniversary, the company returned to Cleveland this past Saturday night with a triple bill of riveting dance works. The performance at Playhouse Square’s Mimi Ohio Theatre featured two of late choreographer Paul Taylor’s critically acclaimed … Continue reading Taylor Company Triple Bill A Triumph [REVIEW]

Imagination Abounds in Two New Nutcracker Productions [PREVIEWS]

By Steve SucatoDecember 8, 2023 ’Tis the season for Nutcracker, and that includes new productions. This month, Milwaukee Ballet and Orlando Ballet each present world premieres that reimagine the holiday ballet’s magical journey with a mix of tradition, cultural sensitivity, and imagination. Milwaukee Ballet Milwaukee Ballet artistic director Michael Pink reconceptualizes his 2003 The Nutcracker with his new The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium. With his new production, Pink set out to solve … Continue reading Imagination Abounds in Two New Nutcracker Productions [PREVIEWS]

Case Western Reserve University’s ‘Au Courant’ an Emotional Journey

Case Western Reserve University Department of Dance – Au Courant Mather Dance Center at CWRU Cleveland, Ohio November 1, 2013 Reviewed by Steve Sucato Fervent emotion appeared to be the underlying theme of Case Western Reserve University’s Department of Dance Fall concert Au Courant (aware). The mixed repertory program performed by students, faculty and guest dancers at CWRU’s Mather Dance Center, explored a range of emotions … Continue reading Case Western Reserve University’s ‘Au Courant’ an Emotional Journey

GroundWorks’ Program Proves Intriguing and Entertaining

Cain Park – Alma Theater Cleveland Heights, Ohio August 18, 2013 By Steve Sucato For the 11th straight summer GroundWorks DanceTheater presented a program of repertory works at Cleveland Heights, Ohio’s Cain Park. The 5-member troupe, which for the past 15-years has been the Cleveland-Akron area’s most consistent in quality continued that trend with a trio of works performed in the Park’s intimate Alma Theater. … Continue reading GroundWorks’ Program Proves Intriguing and Entertaining

The City Ballet of Cleveland to present Spring Repertory Concert

  (Cleveland, OH) – The City Ballet of Cleveland, formerly Cleveland City Dance Company will be presenting its annual spring repertory concert at the Tri-C Eastern Campus on Saturday May 11th at 7:00 p.m. The diverse and entertaining program includes “Swan Lake, Act III” the classical ballet set to Tchaikovsky’s music. The members of the pre-professional company will also dance a lively “Maypole” and the … Continue reading The City Ballet of Cleveland to present Spring Repertory Concert

Dancing Pixels: Gia T. Presents explore The Frequency of Structure and Flow

By Steve Sucato Gia Cacalano and troupe return to Wood Street Galleries with the latest Gia T. Presents production, The Frequency of Structure and Flow. The 75-minute work, like 2012’s sold-out Blink, is a collaboration between Cacalano’s international troupe of dancers and musicians and an exhibit at the gallery. The Frequency of Structure and Flow responds to Paris-based technological artist Miguel Chevalier’s digital-media work “The Origin of the World,” part of his exhibition Power Pixels 2013. CP critic Robert Raczka described “The … Continue reading Dancing Pixels: Gia T. Presents explore The Frequency of Structure and Flow

Culture Clash

By Steve Sucato Was modern-dance pioneer Ruth St. Denis a racist? St. Denis (1880–1968) introduced Eastern culture into Western dance. For her famous “Oriental” dances of the early 1900s, she donned makeup to change the color of her skin a la Al Jolson, and costumed herself based on museum photographs. In his latest dance work, Ruth Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Santa Monica-based dancer/choreographer Lionel Popkin uses St. Denis’ … Continue reading Culture Clash