Bodiography founder Maria Caruso stages her swan song as performer with her company

By Steve Sucato After 14 years as Bodiography Contemporary Ballet’s most prominent and compelling dancer, Maria Caruso is retiring as a performer with her company. She will take her final bows in the Bodiography program My Journey, Feb. 20 and 21, at the Byham Theater. A fixture on the Pittsburgh dance scene, Caruso will carry on as director/choreographer of the company and school she founded … Continue reading Bodiography founder Maria Caruso stages her swan song as performer with her company

Re-established Chamber Dance Project to make Washington debut at the Kennedy Center

By Steve Sucato Conventional wisdom dictates that bigger is better and that more trumps less. Not so when it comes to watching dance says Chamber Dance Project founder and artistic director Diane Coburn Bruning.  “I don’t want people seeing my work from a football field away,” she says on the phone from our nation’s capital. “The closer the audience can be the better.” Coburn Bruning … Continue reading Re-established Chamber Dance Project to make Washington debut at the Kennedy Center

BalletMet Columbus and Cincinnati Ballet Collaborate on Stellar Program

BalletMet Columbus & Cincinnati Ballet – Symphony in C Ohio Theatre – Columbus, Ohio March 22, 2014 Reviewed by Steve Sucato A historic collaboration between two of Ohio’s top ballet companies, BalletMet Columbus and Cincinnati Ballet in the program Symphony in C at Columbus’ Ohio Theatre was not only an audience-pleasing triumph, but was perhaps a harbinger of the quality programming fledgling artistic director Edwaard Liang … Continue reading BalletMet Columbus and Cincinnati Ballet Collaborate on Stellar Program

Back from a successful New York show, Texture offers new work at the New Hazlett

By Steve Sucato On the heels of a recent successful performance at New York’s Ailey Citigroup Theater, Texture Contemporary Ballet returns home to the New Hazlett Theater this week for Shades of Light. The program features the premiere of company associate artistic director/resident choreographer Kelsey Bartman’s ballet “This.” Set to the music of Icelandic composer/musician Valgeir Sigurosson, the 15-minute ballet for five dancers is a response … Continue reading Back from a successful New York show, Texture offers new work at the New Hazlett

Pittsburgh Ballet opens its season with two modern classics by Twyla Tharp

By Steve Sucato Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre kicks off its 44th season with An Evening of Twyla Tharp, a salute to the irrepressible Emmy- and Tony Award-winning stage and screen choreographer. The Oct. 25-27 program features reprises of two of Tharp’s most popular works. First performed by PBT in 2006, the 35-minute “Nine Sinatra Songs” (1982) has a ballroom setting and features seven couples costumed in gowns and … Continue reading Pittsburgh Ballet opens its season with two modern classics by Twyla Tharp

Socks, Boots & Cheese

By Steve Sucato The American Dairy Association may have been onto something in its ads touting “the power of cheese.” Anecdotal reports of increased creativity by Texture Contemporary Ballet’s dancers and choreographers from eating cheese led to the tongue-in-cheek title of their latest program, There’s Something About Fontina. The troupe presents the mixed-repertory program featuring six premiere works April 3-5 at the New Hazlett Theater. Among … Continue reading Socks, Boots & Cheese