Dance
655 results
Page 55
Merce Cunningham's final challenge
Merce Cunningham confronts the future (from the grave)
The late Merce Cunningham was ferocious about protecting his dry, acerbic, difficult, complicated and often downright incomprehensible work. Now his greatest challenge lies ahead— namely, can a choreographer preserve his vision from the grave?
Articles
4 minute read
In Bosnia: Dance conquers fear
A Bosnian Odyssey: Dance will bring us together
When I arrived in Bosnia-Herzegovina in June for a two-month humanitarian stint as a volunteer dance teacher, the challenge seemed daunting: In this tragic country, torn apart in the ‘90s by ethnic cleansing, could Muslim Bosniaks, Orthodox Serbs and Catholic Croats possibly dance together, much less live peacefully together? Within a few weeks I got my answer.
Articles
5 minute read
90 years of Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham remembered: At 90, still taking my breath away
People I know who don't quite respond to Merce Cunningham's dance often complain that it looks too mechanical. Well, if it does, that's what I always loved about it.
Articles
4 minute read
BalletX "Hot Summer Series' (2nd review)
A spunky newcomer finds confidence
BalletX has segued from an intriguing experiment into a mature local institution with a viewpoint and edge all its own, as this spunky little troupe demonstrated in its second summer program as the Wilma Theater's resident dance company.
Articles
4 minute read
BalletX "œHot Summer Series": Neenan and Gates (1st review)
Sometimes older is better
Jodie Gates's new but dreary Inevitable Kiss contrasted sharply with Matthew Neenan's older but inventive and prop-driven Broke Apart in the BalletX “Hot Summer Series.”
Articles
5 minute read
Pina Bausch: a personal memory
She made dance theater out of life
Pina Bausch, who died June 30, changed our perception of ballet, modern dance and theater. Wherever she went, she soaked up the essences of a community and then held what she absorbed back up to it like a mirror— as I discovered firsthand when she visited Arizona.
Articles
6 minute read
Pennsylvania Ballet's "La Sylphide' (2nd review)
Why La Sylphide (yawn) survives
In theory, we're all anxious to see our local ballet troupe perform new and experimental work. The truth is that nothing suits ballet dancers or their audience better than these oldies but goodies with corny nonsensical stories, big sets, plenty of costumes and character parts for witches and zombies and crazy folk of all kind.
Articles
4 minute read
Olive Prince's 'Serenade'
The agony of a lopsided relationship
In ten powerful minutes, Olive Prince's erotic and psychologically perverse Serenade brought racing back some of the most painful (as well as some of the best) moments of my existence— moments that, like the intense experience watching her choreography, I wouldn't replace for the life of me.
Articles
3 minute read
Jaamil Kosoko's "Virus' at UArts
Love among the robots
Jaamil Kosoko's compelling but cluttered Virus purports to show how technology distorts identity and human interaction while leaving vestiges of our humanity intact. Call it a good idea in need of further development.
Articles
4 minute read
Pennsylvania Ballet's "Sylphide' and "Barber Violin Concerto' (
And the moral of the story is....
The Pennsylvania Ballet's much-hyped restaging of Bournonville's La Sylphide floundered in comparison to the brilliantly executed company premiere of Peter Martins's Barber Violin Concerto.
Articles
4 minute read