Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Announces Updates to its 2020-2021 Season & the Promotion of Three Dancers

By  Katie Drozynski PBT’s updated 2020-2021 Season will include performances rescheduled due to the coronavirus.  Cooper Verona and Marisa Grywalski. Photo by Duane Rieder.  PITTSBURGH (April 22, 2020) – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) has announced updates to its upcoming 2020-2021 Season in response to programs rescheduled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis that forced the closure of non-essential businesses, including PBT and the Cultural Trust venues … Continue reading Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Announces Updates to its 2020-2021 Season & the Promotion of Three Dancers

Susan Jaffe Named Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s New Artistic Director

By Steve Sucato Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre announced today that former American Ballet Theatre principal Susan Jaffe will succeed Terrence Orr as artistic director of the company, effective July 1. Jaffe becomes PBT’s seventh artistic director and only the second female director in the company’s history. Dubbed “America’s Quintessential American Ballerina” by The New York Times, Jaffe comes to PBT after eight years as dean of the … Continue reading Susan Jaffe Named Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s New Artistic Director

Caruso Triumphs in the Career-Defining ‘Metamorphosis’

Maria Caruso and Maria Caruso’s Bodiography – Metamorphosis The Factory – Pittsburgh, PA February 29, 2020 Part (intended) local stage farewell for company founder Maria Caruso and part Gala revealing Bodiography‘s future as an organization, Metamorphosis, February 29 at Pittsburgh’s The Factory, carried with it a heightened sense of excitement for those lucky enough to attend. And while announcements of Bodiography’s new studio/office facilities, new artistic leadership … Continue reading Caruso Triumphs in the Career-Defining ‘Metamorphosis’

Bodiography’s ‘Unveiled’ Revealed Caruso’s Entertaining Forward Vision

Bodiography Contemporary Ballet Company – Unveiled Byham Theater Pittsburgh, PA February 7, 2020 Reviewed by Steve Sucato A greater diversity in its repertoire and a showcasing of the organization’s many performance troupes is what Bodiography Contemporary Ballet Company founding artistic director Maria Caruso says is driving the current direction of the organization. That path forward was on display for all to see in Bodiography’s latest … Continue reading Bodiography’s ‘Unveiled’ Revealed Caruso’s Entertaining Forward Vision

Joint Bodiography and Graham 2 Program a Triumph

Bodiography and Graham 2 – Horizons Byham Theater Pittsburgh, PA April 26-27, 2019 Reviewed by Steve Sucato For the first-ever collaboration of its kind for both Pittsburgh-based Bodiography Contemporary Ballet and New York’s Graham 2, the joint program Horizons, on April 26 at Pittsburgh’s Byham Theater, offered up a unique look at what each company does best; the ballets of their respective company founders, Maria … Continue reading Joint Bodiography and Graham 2 Program a Triumph

CorningWorks’ ‘with a shadow of…’ a Muddling of Liminal Space

CorningWorks – with a shadow of… New Hazlett Theater Pittsburgh, PA March 27-31, 2019 Reviewed by Steve Sucato In the lead up to her latest GLUE FACTORY PROJECT work with a shadow of…, dancer/choreographer Beth Corning said “I hope nobody makes any sense of this work; none.” Mission accomplished. Pittsburgh’s queen of metaphor outdid herself with the hourlong collection of mind minutia and movement that … Continue reading CorningWorks’ ‘with a shadow of…’ a Muddling of Liminal Space

‘Multiplicity’ Program brings together all of Bodiography’s Sister Companies

Bodiography Contemporary Ballet – MultiplicityByham TheaterPittsburgh, PANovember 17, 2018 Reviewed by Steve Sucato After a 3-year hiatus Bodiography Contemporary Ballet’s longest running dance series Multiplicity returned to Pittsburgh’s Byham Theater on November 17 with its usual cavalcade of repertory works by current and former company members. What made this iteration of Multiplicity different from prior programs was that the works were for the first time … Continue reading ‘Multiplicity’ Program brings together all of Bodiography’s Sister Companies

For Pittsburgh Debut, LA’s BODYTRAFFIC Presents a Program of Distinct Choreographic Voices

By Steve Sucato Now a decade in, Los Angeles-based BODYTRAFFIC continues to make in-roads to becoming one of nation’s premiere contemporary dance companies.  While still not a household name even among dance aficionados, the company’s growing success has company co-founder/artistic director Tina Finkelman Berkett feeling a bit more added pressure because of that success. “You wish for success, then success comes and everyone has this … Continue reading For Pittsburgh Debut, LA’s BODYTRAFFIC Presents a Program of Distinct Choreographic Voices