World Premiere Ballet to Janáček’s Moving ‘From the Street’ Highlights OCB’s ‘Ballet Unbound’ in Cleveland [PREVIEW]

By Steve Sucato Premiered in February in Akron, Ohio Contemporary Ballet’s Ballet Unbound now moves to Cleveland at Playhouse Square’s Mimi Ohio Theatre on March 28, 2026. The diverse mixed repertory program of works by Paul Taylor, Heinz Poll, and Nycole Ray will now include the world premiere of Gordon Peirce Schmidt’s timely “From the Street.”  Set to a piano sonata of the same name … Continue reading World Premiere Ballet to Janáček’s Moving ‘From the Street’ Highlights OCB’s ‘Ballet Unbound’ in Cleveland [PREVIEW]

Premieres and Recent Works Feature in Ohio Contemporary Ballet’s ‘Ballet Unbound’ in Akron [PREVIEW]

By Steve Sucato Primed to chase away the winter doldrums, Ohio Contemporary Ballet (OCB) returns to the University of Akron’s E. J. Thomas Hall on Saturday, February 28, 2026, with Ballet Unbound*. The mixed repertory program will showcase four diverse dance works, including two premieres.   Choreographer Avree Walker’s commissioned work for OCB, “Eternal,” is a world premiere danced to music by Johann Sebastian Bach, including … Continue reading Premieres and Recent Works Feature in Ohio Contemporary Ballet’s ‘Ballet Unbound’ in Akron [PREVIEW]

Philadanco Triumphs in Super-Charged Return to Cleveland [REVIEW]

Philadanco! (The Philadelphia Dance Company)Playhouse Square – Mimi Ohio TheatreNovember 11, 2023By Steve Sucato Absent from DANCECleveland’s dance card since 2006, Philadanco’s triumphant return to Cleveland Saturday night at Playhouse Square’s Mimi Ohio Theatre begged the question, why did it take so long to have them back? Presented by DANCECleveland and Tri-C Performing Arts, the 53+-year-old Philadelphia-based modern dance company kicked butt in four uber-energetic … Continue reading Philadanco Triumphs in Super-Charged Return to Cleveland [REVIEW]

Martinez’s ‘World of Another’ Pure Gold in Verb’s Contemporary Creations Program [REVIEW]

Verb BalletsContemporary CreationsDigital Stage ProductionMay 14, 2021 Reviewed by Steve Sucato For the latest program in Verb Ballet’s 2020-21 virtual dance season, the company offered up a trio of works including two world-premieres that were created on the company. Filmed at Verb’s Shaker Heights, Ohio studio/performance space with Verb’s dancers masked up per usual adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols, the digital stage production opened with … Continue reading Martinez’s ‘World of Another’ Pure Gold in Verb’s Contemporary Creations Program [REVIEW]

Verb Ballets Program to Feature the Works of Female Choreographers

By Steve Sucato The novelty of an all-female choreographer dance program shouldn’t be a thing for many reasons, not the least being the disproportionately greater number of females in dance than males. That it still is, is nonetheless a commendable early step along the journey when the need to tout giving opportunities to female choreographers will be rendered unnecessary and artistic directors programming female choreographers’ … Continue reading Verb Ballets Program to Feature the Works of Female Choreographers

With ‘MOVEMEDIA’ Grand Rapids Ballet pushes boundaries and audience expectations

Grand Rapids Ballet MOVEMEDIA Program One Peter Martin Wege Theatre Grand Rapids, MI March 13, 2015 Reviewed by Steve Sucato For the first installment of Grand Rapids Ballet’s annual MOVEMEDIA series for the 2014-2015 dance season at their Peter Martin Wege Theatre, GRB artistic director Patricia Barker chose a mix of choreographers new to the contemporary dance series with one familiar to it and Grand … Continue reading With ‘MOVEMEDIA’ Grand Rapids Ballet pushes boundaries and audience expectations

Grand Rapids Ballet’s ‘MOVEMEDIA I’ to feature new contemporary dance works by Sagi Gross, Gina Patterson and Andrew Bartee

By Steve Sucato For the fourth year running, Grand Rapids Ballet’s cutting-edge repertory series MOVEMEDIA returns to GRB’s own Peter Martin Wege Theatre. The first of two programs in the series, MOVEMEDIA I runs March 13-15 and will feature four works that stem from their choreographer’s personal experiences but also speak to universal themes of conflict, disappointment and reflection. The MOVEMEDIA series created by GRB … Continue reading Grand Rapids Ballet’s ‘MOVEMEDIA I’ to feature new contemporary dance works by Sagi Gross, Gina Patterson and Andrew Bartee

No doubt about it: Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company stuns with ‘If At All’

Reviewed by Steve Sucato The idea of circularity in life and our existing in circles of the individual, the couple, and society was the theme for Israeli choreographer Rami Be’er’s 2012 dance work “If At All,” performed last weekend by Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company in the Ohio Theatre at at PlayhouseSquare in Cleveland. The underlying theme of circles, figurative and abstract, is a recurring one … Continue reading No doubt about it: Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company stuns with ‘If At All’