Daring ‘To The Pointe’ Opens Milwaukee Ballet’s 2020-21 Season in Style [REVIEW]

Milwaukee BalletTo The PointeOn Demand Digital Stage ProductionFebruary 25 – March 7, 2021 Reviewed by Steve Sucato Coming on the heels of a year disrupted by pandemic, Milwaukee Ballet artistic director Michael Pink made the bold decision to open the company’s 2020-21 season with a program of challenging classical ballet works. Not fearing dancer technique rust from the sporadic training schedules that have been the … Continue reading Daring ‘To The Pointe’ Opens Milwaukee Ballet’s 2020-21 Season in Style [REVIEW]

North Pointe Ballet Production Celebrates The ‘Why’ Of What They Do

By Steve Sucato Why artists do what they do is a constant source of curiosity for many.  It is perhaps in trying to understand their motivations that we gain a better understanding of them and their art.  In North Pointe Ballet’s program What’s Your Why?, March 14 and 15 at the Lorain Palace Theater, the West Side ballet company seeks in part to answer those … Continue reading North Pointe Ballet Production Celebrates The ‘Why’ Of What They Do

‘Wild Sweet Love’ to usher in Sofranko-Era at Grand Rapids Ballet

By Steve Sucato For Grand Rapids Ballet’s season opening program, the first under new artistic director James Sofranko, the company will present Wild Sweet Love, October 19-21 at GRB’s ’ Peter Martin Wege Theatre. The diverse program including ballets by George Balanchine, Trey McIntyre, GRB resident choreographer Penny Saunders and a world premiere by Sofranko has audience-pleaser written all over it. The production will also … Continue reading ‘Wild Sweet Love’ to usher in Sofranko-Era at Grand Rapids Ballet

Pittsburgh Ballet launches its 45th season with ‘The Sleeping Beauty’

By Steve Sucato In a great story ballet, the principal roles provide the emotional adrenaline and the corps de ballet the pulse. The corps creates the world for the main characters to play off of, and is integral to advancing the narrative and creating much of the beauty audiences associate with such ballets. What would Swan Lake be without its swans, or Giselle without its ghostly wilis? … Continue reading Pittsburgh Ballet launches its 45th season with ‘The Sleeping Beauty’

Talented Russian troupe dances a family-friendly ‘Don Quixote’

By Steve Sucato News Contributing Reviewer When Moscow Festival Ballet took the Mainstage in the University at Buffalo Center for the Arts on April 8 in “Don Quixote,” I experienced a feeling of déjà vu as if I had seen this Russian touring company before. Apart from a few personnel changes, essentially I did last March at UB in “Swan Lake,” only then it was called … Continue reading Talented Russian troupe dances a family-friendly ‘Don Quixote’