Dance

655 results
Page 43
Flash mob in the London Underground: What better tonic for a hassled urban commuter?

Can dance reach young audiences?

I've seen the future of dance, and it's in the streets

The music and movie industries have no problem reaching younger audiences— the very people dance companies need to reach to assure their future. Yet dance packs more action than any other form of entertainment short of the circus. Why not take to social media and the streets and beat the movies and video companies at their own game?

Roger Lee

Articles 5 minute read
Kichtchenko aloft: Tough act to follow.

Orchestra's "Rite of Spring' (3rd review)

How to sacrifice a virgin? Let me count the ways

Let's not forget that Stravinsky's Rite of Spring was originally composed for a ballet. And there's no right or wrong way to imagine this work. Of the dozen interpretations I've seen, Dan Safer's fell somewhere in the middle— more exercising than engaging.
Merilyn Jackson

Merilyn Jackson

Articles 6 minute read
Someone to blend with Johnson's physicality. (Photo: Alexander Iziliaev.)

Pennsylvania Ballet's "Balanchine/ Wheeldon/ Tharp'

Three big names, perfect together

The Pennsylvania Ballet's combination of George Balanchine, Christopher Wheeldon and Twyla Tharp provided a romp for audience and troupe alike.

Janet Anderson

Articles 1 minute read
'Revelations': Beyond reaching arms. (Photo: Andrew Eccles.)

Alvin Ailey at the Merriam

Fresh blood for an old legacy

Can new director Robert Battle breathe new vitality into the iconic Alvin Ailey troupe? This month's programs suggest the answer is yes— if he relies on the spiritual work of Ronald K. Brown and Rennie Harris.
Jonathan M. Stein

Jonathan M. Stein

Articles 3 minute read
Clever, athletic and funny... sometimes.

Pilobolus Dance Theater at Annenberg (2nd review)

Inside joke

Pilobolus almost begs its audiences not to take it seriously. Yet there's no denying that the group combines real dance talent with athletic panache.
Steve Cohen

Steve Cohen

Articles 2 minute read
Trish Sie's 'All Is Not Lost': Fun with Plexiglas.

Pilobolus Dance Theater at Annenberg (1st review)

Goofy fun, or a fungus among us?

After 41 years, Pilobolus continues to offer visual dazzle and antic play. Yet more often than one might wish, its programs lately convey a one-joke tediousness.
Jonathan M. Stein

Jonathan M. Stein

Articles 4 minute read
What child wouldn't want to be part of this scene?

How kids see "The Nutcracker' (3rd helping)

‘Can I be in the ballet?' My Nutracker experiment continues

Precisely how do young children develop an appreciation for great art? Our annual visit to The Nutcracker with our grandchildren provides an ideal laboratory.
Dan Rottenberg

Dan Rottenberg

Articles 5 minute read
Hay: Can dancers think for themselves?

Deborah Hay, queen of improv

The antithesis of a control freak

Unlike most choreographers, Deborah Hay encourages dancers to stamp their own personalities on her work. The short-term results of this experimentation can be underwhelming, but over the long run the rewards are profound.
Merilyn Jackson

Merilyn Jackson

Articles 5 minute read
'Science Per Forms': Make way for the techies.

Techno-orgy: "Science Per Forms' and "Fresh Juice'

When dancers meet machines

At its best, the new genre of “dance and technology” is a wonderfully realized integration— in which the viewer doesn't have to choose between watching the dance or the technological elements, but can experience both as a synthesized medium.
Merilyn Jackson

Merilyn Jackson

Articles 4 minute read
Bond, Krodman in 'Colony': Just two colors, plus lipstick.

Dance at the Fringe: Something missing

Looking for dance in all the wrong places

This year's Philadelphia Live Arts/Fringe Festival offered a great deal of movement but precious little in the way of genuine dance. A loss of funding was the culprit.
Merilyn Jackson

Merilyn Jackson

Articles 7 minute read