Pgh Dance Council Presents Black Grace

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today's date: February 5, 2013
Contact: Diana Roth, (412) 471-8717; roth@trustarts.org

Pittsburgh Dance Council presents Black Grace

8:00 p.m., Saturday, March 2, 2013, Byham Theater

Pittsburgh, PA:  Pittsburgh Dance Council, a division of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, presents New Zealand dance company, Black Grace, under the direction of choreographer and founder Neil Ieremia, on Saturday, March 2, 2013, at 8:00 p.m., at the Byham Theater.  Black Grace will present several works on this tour including Pati Pati, Objects and Amata. The program also includes a piece from Ieremia’s new full length work, VVaka*.

 Neil Ieremia grew up studying dance, which was not the preferred subject of boys in a society that favored athleticism as masculinity. He pursued his dreams and graduated from Auckland Performing Arts School in New Zealand. There he learned various styles of dance as well as a sense of which genres were more challenging for his Samoan build, like ballet. After working under some of New Zealand’s top choreographers, Ieremia created his own all-male dance company, Black Grace, in 1995.   As the name alludes, the company showcases unique works where dancers combine elements of sleek hard presence and remarkable elegance.

Ieremia’s unique choreography blends traditional Samoan dance with modern and classical dance forms and paints a picture of his cultural values and personal history.  Neil comments, “I build simple movements into phrases and patterns that I can then communicate to the company. Dance is intuitive, but it’s organized intuition. The movements make sense to me, and I have to trust that they’ll connect with the company, and that together, we can make it connect with audiences.”

Over the past seventeen years, Ieremia has gathered inspirations from his culture and traditions to create choreography that focuses on traditions of the Pacific Islands.  For example, with the Samoan tradition of tatau (tattoo, body art), where the skin and mark are one, Ieremia compares the dancers and the space in which they dance. “Sometimes the thing that interests me is the space between the dancers rather than the dancers themselves,” says Neil.

Photo by Duncan Cole

High energy movements, clapping, singing, chanting, and graceful dance are used by Ieremia in his work that uniquely contrasts, as well as closes the gap, between past and present dance heritage. “In a memorable performance, the thrilling and brilliantly executed New Zealand company,” the Broad Street Review exclaimed, “Black Grace integrated many aspects of modern dance with Samoan and South Pacific indigenous dance forms. The result was no cut-and-paste assemblage, but a new art form.”

Recognized by the Arts Foundation of New Zealand, Ieremia is the recipient of the Laureate Award (2005) for outstanding creative achievements and contributions to dance.  In 2009, Ieremia was honored with a Resolution from the Government of Guam for his choreographic works; and that same year received the Paul D. Fleck Fellowship in the Arts Award from The Banff Centre in Canada. In honor of Iermia’s work that celebrates Pacific dance heritage, Hawaii’s capital city, Honolulu, named February 6 (2010) as Black Grace Day.

*About Vaka:  In the native language of the Maori people, vaka means canoe. Ieremia’s choreography of the same name is based on a famous painting The Arrival of the Moaris in New Zealand (1898) by artists Louis J. Steele and Charles F. Goldie.  The artwork represents the hardships faced by the Maori people on an immigration voyage.  Ieremia’s work is based on navigation and migration, and their impacts, both personally and culturally, on a society.

Each year the Pittsburgh Dance Council, a division of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, showcases a world-class season of dance. As the largest presenter of international performances in the city, the Dance Council continues to help make our Cultural District one of the country’s leading arts and entertainment centers.

Tickets ($19-$48) may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, online at www.trustarts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666.  For subscriptions to Pittsburgh Dance Council, please call (412) 456-1390 or subscribe online at www.trustarts.org/dance. Pittsburgh Dance Council’s media partner is Essential Public Radio 90.5FM.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Drumline Live at Benedum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today's date: January 29, 2013
Contact:
Diana Roth
412-471-8717
roth@trustarts.org

Drumline Live, Tuesday, February 26, 2013, Benedum Center
Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series

Pittsburgh, PA- The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is proud to present an explosive performance from DRUMLine Live on February 15, 2012 at the Benedum Center.  Continuing its fourth US tour, DRUMLine Live’s energetic cast has honed its precision and energy with years of training in marching band programs across the southern United States.

This versatile group of musicians and dancers combines dramatic lighting, intricate choreography and vibrant effects to the stage in an explosive and energetic performance.

Experienced in a wide range of music and dance, DRUMLine Live takes on contemporary hip hop, R&B, classic Motown tunes, and the traditional marching band brass sounds in its musically diverse shows.

The Tennessee Journal reviewed the performance, raving: “The spectacle did not disappoint as the cast dazzled the audience with fancy footwork, comedic scuffles and a blast of marching band tradition…By the end of the hair-raising gospel routine, members of the band were playing in the aisles and the entire audience was brought to their feet…Audience members who thought the stage would be the last place to see the cast were surprised when every cast member…flooded the aisles to dance out to the lobby.”

DRUMLine Live’s diverse group of performers brings an explosive energy and athleticism to an eclectic mix of sounds to create a unique, stage marching band performance. This performance is a part of the 2012-2013 Trust Presents series, sponsored by Cohen and Grigsby.

Tickets start at $28 for DRUMLine Live on February 26, 2013 at 7:30 p.m., at the Benedum Center may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, online at www.trustarts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. To purchase 10 or more tickets at special discounted rates, please call (412) 471-6930.


About DRUMLine Live
DRUMLine Live traces its heritage back to the Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU), institutions of higher learning established before 1964 to serve the African American community. The drum line tradition began over fifty years ago at Florida A&M University, which is considered the nation’s preeminent black college marching band school. HBCU marching bands began as support for college football teams subsequently developed into a sport of their own, featuring characteristic high stepping, funky dance rhythms, and diverse musical repertoire.  HBCU marching performances culminated in large-scale competitions, drawing more than 60,000 fans, and, recently, with films such as Drumline, backed by a flurry of high profile marching band appearances, this tradition has caught the nation’s attention.

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Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Moulin Rouge Opens Valentine's Day at the Benedum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                 January 14, 2013

Contact: Meghan McNamara
Marketing Coordinator
412-454-9117
mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org

Pittsburgh Premiere of Moulin Rouge® — The Ballet  Opens Valentine’s Day
PBT Presents a Story of Love, Ambition and Heartbreak Valentine’s Day Weekend

PITTSBURGH, PA –  Opening on Valentine’s Day, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre brings the mystique of Paris’ famed cabaret to the Benedum Center stage for the Pittsburgh premiere of Moulin Rouge® — The Ballet, Feb. 14-17, 2013.

The iconic cabaret, high-kicking cancan and extravagant excesses of  turn-of-the-century Paris set the scene for a story of love, ambition and heartbreak in Moulin Rouge®—The Ballet. Drawn to Paris by the city’s passion, struggling artist Matthew and launderette-turned-performer Nathalie find themselves swept into a passionate romance and the intoxicating nightlife of the Moulin Rouge.

Choreographer Jorden Morris, the creator behind PBT’s 2011 production of Peter Pan, laces contemporary and classical ballet with international influences from the vivacious French cancan to the fiery partnering of the Tango Café. The passion peaks with an intimate pas de deux set to  Debussy’s Claire de Lune on a bridge by the Eiffel Tower. The cabaret’s possessive proprietor Zidler, however, casts a shadow over their romance as he ensnares his newly-discovered performer and her lover in a dangerous love triangle.

A number of historic figures from the origins of the Moulin Rouge® also find roles in the ballet. French painter Henri Toulouse-Latrec, who immortalized the Moulin Rouge® with depictions of its performers, takes the role of Matthew’s mentor, and the cabaret’s co-founder Charles Zidler becomes Matthew’s adversary.

With a score spanning 27 different works by 14 different composers — including some well-known titles such as Clair de Lune, La Vie en Rose, or the Can-Can — Morris selected the majority of music from the late 19th and early 20th centuries during the rise of the Moulin Rouge®.

Moulin Rouge® — The Ballet features more than 70 vibrantly-colored costumes, created by Anne Armit, Head of Wardrobe at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and Shannon Lovelace, a freelance designer, who drew inspiration from the fashions of the era and from Toulouse-Lautrec’s paintings of the Moulin Rouge®. A luminous red windmill and Eiffel Tower  top the onstage scenery, designed by Andrew Beck.

Experienced by more than 100,000 people across North America, Moulin Rouge®—The Ballet had its world premiere in 2009 at Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, where Morris trained and later danced professionally.

The Moulin Rouge® was co-founded  in 1889 — the same year the Eiffel Tower was constructed —by builder Joseph Oller and manager Charles Zidler in the Monmartre district of Paris. The cabaret’s iconic red windmill, and namesake, became a symbol of the city’s thriving nightlife. Today, among other performance requirements, all of the Moulin Rouge’s performers must possess a solid base in classical ballet training.

This  production of Moulin Rouge® — The Ballet is generously sponsored by UPMC and PPG Industries Foundation.

In the spirit of the Moulin Rouge of Paris, Moulin Rouge® is a registered trademark of Moulin Rouge S.A.

Tickets
Tickets range in price from $25.75 to $95.75, and are available online at www.pbt.org, by calling 412-456-6666 or visiting The Box Office at Theater Square.

Media Note: For interview or photo requests, please contact Meghan McNamara, marketing coordinator, at 412-454-9117 or mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Presents Giselle

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 4, 2012
Contact: Meghan McNamara
Marketing Coordinator
412-454-9117
Email: mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org


Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Presents Giselle at the Benedum Oct. 26-28, 2012
2012-2013 Season Premieres with Live Orchestra

(Pittsburgh, PA) – Just days before Halloween, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre submerses audiences in a haunting story of undying love with Giselle, onstage with the live PBT Orchestra Oct. 26-28 at the Benedum Center.

Opening the 2012-2013 PBT Season, this great Romantic-era ballet offers the definitive dramatic role of the ballerina. Shattered by a lover's lie, descending into madness and death, Giselle's spirit is fated to revenge. Only Albrecht's true love can break the supernatural bond of evil that reaches beyond the grave. One of the most famous story ballets of all time, Giselle features choreography by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot and the music of Adolphe Adam — the first original score ever composed for a ballet. Giselle premiered in 1841 at the Paris Opera Ballet.

“Giselle is a Romantic masterpiece that holds a special legacy for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre,” said Terrence S. Orr, PBT Artistic Director. “We’re extremely lucky to have Ballet Mistress Marianna Tcherkassky with us to pass down the tradition of this role, which earned her distinction as one of the greatest Giselles of her time.”

Drawing from the supernatural themes of the Romantic era and Eastern European folklore, the story of Giselle juxtaposes love and betrayal, life and death, vengeance and forgiveness as a vibrant peasant girl descends to the unearthly realm of the Wilis. Jilted in life by their lovers, these ghostly maidens are doomed to roam, seeking vengeance by luring young men to their deaths. Perhaps more subtle than the dual role of Swan Lake’s Odette and Odile, Giselle requires intricate artistry to embody both an earthly and ethereal essence, a mystique that makes it one of the ballerina’s most coveted roles.

For PBT Ballet Mistress Marianna Tcherkassky, Giselle became the breakout role of own career at American Ballet Theatre, leading the New York Times to call her “one of the greatest Giselles America has ever produced.” From her Giselle debut in 1976 to her retirement 20 years later, Tcherkassky performed the role countless times opposite partners ranging from Mikhail Baryshnikov to Rudolf Nureyev. Now, Tcherkassky coaches a new generation of ballerinas in dramatic and emotional interpretation of the character.

“What makes it so special is the contrast; Giselle is of this world and then suddenly she isn't,” Tcherkassky said. “The acting in Act II is subtler; it is all about creating illusion, finding ways to convey a mood and feeling that emanates love and forgiveness through the quality of movement….realizing that with every step you can create magic. You can make the ordinary, extraordinary.”

Under the direction of Music Director Charles Barker, the PBT Orchestra will explore the depth of Adam’s score, which innovated with musical themes to develop characters, settings and dramatic atmosphere throughout the production. Even before reaching the moonlit world of the Wilis, Adam’s score shades the brightness of Act I with suspense, building a feeling of foreboding that peaks with the sharp contrast be- tween Acts I and II.

Tickets for Giselle range in price from $25.75-$95.75 and can be purchased online at www.pbt.org, by calling 412-456-6666 or visting The Box Office at Theater Square.


Giselle Performance Times
• Friday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 27, at 8 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 28, at 2 p.m.

Giselle with the Orchestra
October 26-28 — Benedum Center

Photography Credits:  Lois Greenfield

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Andre Reyes Joins Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Faculty

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Meghan McNamara
412-454-9117
mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Welcomes Andre Reyes to 2012-2013 Faculty

PITTSBURGH, PA (September 2012) – Marking the start of the 2012-2013 school year, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall have announced the addition of Andre Reyes as the school’s newest full-time faculty member.

Reyes brings more than 30 years of professional ballet and teaching experience to PBT School, where he will instruct students of the Pre-Professional Program in a variety of classes, including Pas de Deux, Men’s Technique and others.

“I’m really proud to be part of such an experienced team,” said Reyes, who danced for several years with School Director Dennis Marshall and remembers watching PBT Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr and Ballet Mistress Marianna Tcherkassky perform when he was a student at American Ballet Theatre.

A San Francisco Bay Area native, Reyes received his early dance training from his parents Benjamin Reyes and Josefa Villanueva at Santa Clara Ballet School before continuing on to Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, School of American Ballet and San Francisco Ballet School. Reyes, a longtime favorite of Bay Area audiences, performed as a principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet from 1980 to 1993 and Pacific Northwest Ballet from 1994 to 1996.

It was during his time as a principal dancer at San Francisco Ballet that Reyes first met PBT School Director Dennis Marshall, then a fellow principal with the company.

“Andre was an amazingly exciting dancer,” Marshall said. “He’s very versatile whether he’s working with classical or contemporary choreography, staging or creating works. He was a phenomenal dancer, and he’s a phenomenal teacher.”

Prior to joining PBT School, Reyes taught since 2007 on the faculty of the Boston Ballet School. Reyes has been a guest lecturer for Stanford University, University of Santa Clara, San Francisco State University, Boston College, Harvard, as well as the American College Dance Festival Association. During his career, he worked with world-renowned choreographers Glen Tetley, Jiri Kylian, Michael Smuin, Eliot Feld, James Kudelka, and David Bintley, and danced in a number of special invitation and international gala performances.

Joining Reyes in Pittsburgh are his wife, Cynthia Drayer, a former San Francisco Ballet principal who served as a guest ballet teacher during PBT’s 2012 Intensive Summer Program, as well as his daughter Rowan, a new full-time high school student in PBT School’s Pre-Professional Program.

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School is the official training institution of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and has an enrollment of more than 900 students, including the Children’s, Student, Pre-Professional and Open Divisions. The Children’s Division gives young students an introduction to ballet and prepares them for advancement to the Student Division. Dancers in the Student Division work to refine their technique and dancers in the Pre- Professional Program prepare for professional careers in classical ballet. Many students perform in an annual School Spring Performance at the Byham Theater, and some students are chosen by Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr to perform with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre at the Benedum Center. Each year, PBT School students can audition for The Nutcracker, and in 2011 more than 150 were cast in a
variety of roles.

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Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Pgh Ballet Theatre Spring Performance

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Contact: Meghan McNamara
Marketing Coordinator
Office: 412-454-9117
Cell: 412-527-8953
Email:  mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org

MEDIA ALERT/ PHOTO OPPORTUNITY REQUEST FOR COVERAGE
DRESS REHEARSAL: Friday, May 25, 2012 – Byham Theater

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Presents Spring Performance 2012

WHO: Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Student and Pre-Professional Divisions

WHAT: Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School will close the year by showcasing the talent and diversity of more than 150 students with the 2012 Spring Performance. Under the direction of PBT Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr and School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall, the students will perform George Balanchine’s Serenade, excerpts from August Bournonville’s Napoli and La Sylphide as well as original PBT School works. Class Concert, a new work choreographed by PBT School Principal Anastasia Wovchko, will feature students ranging from Level 1-b of the Student Division through Level VI of the Pre-Professional Division. Set to music by Carl Czerny, the work is inspired by the progression of barre and centre work through a dancer’s training. Another new work, A Voice in Time, choreographed by PBT School Faculty Member Alan Obuzor, will feature students of the Pre- Professional Division performing contemporary choreography set to music by Philip Glass.

Friday’s dress rehearsal is open to media for photographing and filming.


WHERE: Byham Theater
101 Sixth Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222



WHEN: DRESS REHEARSAL
Friday, May 25, from 2:00-5:00 p.m.



PERFORMANCE
Friday, May 25, at 7 p.m.


TICKETS: Tickets are $26.75 for adults and $22.75 for children 12 and under, and can be purchased online at www.trustarts.org or by calling the Cultural Trust Box Office at 412-456-6666.

*Media should ask for Meghan McNamara or call her cell phone at 412-527-8953 upon arrival. Advance arrangements are appreciated.
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Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Lar Lubovitch Dance Company Storms The Byham

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today's date: April 10, 2012
Contact:
Veronica Corpuz
(412) 471-6082
corpuz@trustarts.org

Pittsburgh Dance Council presents

Lar Lubovitch Dance Company

Saturday, April 28, 2012, at 8:00 p.m.

Byham Theater, 101 Sixth Street 

Pittsburgh Dance Council, a division of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust,  presents Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, at the Byham Theater, on Saturday, April 28, 2012, at 8:00 p.m. “All of the company’s dancers are true artists in their own right, and the ‘music’ they make is as wondrous as that of any Coltrane quartet” (The Washington Post).

Tickets ($19-$45) may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square, online at www.trustarts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666.  First Commonwealth is the season sponsor of Pittsburgh Dance Council, and 90.5 Essential Public Radio is the media sponsor.

One of America’s most versatile, popular and highly-acclaimed choreographers Lar Lubovitch founded the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in 1968, New York City.  Throughout the years, the company has been referred to as one of the world’s most leading modern dance companies.  In addition to performing in every state across the United States, they have also performed in more than 30 foreign countries worldwide.  The company has been referred to as a "national treasure" by Variety Magazine.  Lubovitch’s work is extolled for its musicality, rhapsodic style and sophisticated formal structures.  His radiant, highly-technical choreography and deeply-humanistic voice have been celebrated throughout the world.

Lar Lubovitch grew up in Chicago, but continued his higher education at the University of Iowa as well as The Juilliard School in New York City.  Before creating his own dance company, Lubovitch gained dance experience by performing with jazz, ballet, modern and ethnic dance companies.  It was in 1987 that Lubovitch made his Broadway debut with the musical staging for the Stephen Sondheim/ James Lapine musical, Into the Woods.  His performance in this production received a Tony Award nomination.  In addition to his stage, screen, and television work, Lubovitch has made a tremendous contribution to the advancement of choreography in ice-dancing.  Lubovitch has created numerous dances for several Olympic gold medalists such as: Peggy Fleming, John Curry, and Dorothy Hamill.  In 2007, he created the nonprofit organization, Chicago Dancing Company, in order to assemble dance audiences in his hometown.  The New York Times has recognized Lar Lubovitch as, “one of the ten best choreographers in the world” (The New York Times).

Lar Lubovitch has received many accolades throughout the years for his outstanding work.  The company has received numerous awards and grants from the New York State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and several foundations, including the Lila Wallace--Reader's Digest Fund.

Photo Credit:  Todd Rosenberg

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Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Presents Coppelia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 16, 2012

Contact: Meghan McNamara

Marketing Coordinator

412-454-9117

Email: mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Presents Coppélia at the Benedum April 13-15, 2012

PBT to Host Cookies with Coppélia Open House Sunday, April 1

(Pittsburgh, PA) – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre brings ballet’s original romantic comedy to the stage with the story of an unlikely love triangle in Coppélia, onstage with live orchestra April 13-15 at the Benedum Center.

Closing the PBT 2011-12 season on a high note is this beloved family favorite featuring the classical cho- reography of Arthur Saint-Léon and the uplifting score of Léo Delibes.

In a disastrous case of mistaken identity, a mysterious girl glimpsed from the window of Dr. Coppelius’ workshop sparks a lovers’ quarrel between the young village couple Franz and Swanhilda. Beguiled by the charms of the beautiful Coppélia, Franz is distracted from his betrothed as he pursues the life-like creation of the eccentric Dr. Coppelius. The absurdity reaches hilarious heights when the inquisitive Swanhilda discovers her rival is nothing more than a doll and chaos ensues.

Based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s short stories “Der Sandmann” (The Sandman), Coppélia was created when choreographer Arthur Saint-Léon, librettist Charles Nuitter and composer Léo Delibes revisioned the dark tale into a light-hearted fantasy. At the time of its 1870 premiere at the Paris Opera Ballet, Coppélia ad- vanced innovations in ballet as it broke with many Romantic-era conventions to reinvigorate the art form. The production explored a lighter side of ballet with playful humor, an assertive female protagonist and a lyrical score that expounded on character themes with complex national dances, including the Hungarian czardas and the Polish mazurka. Under the direction of Charles Barker, the PBT Orchestra will bring to life Léo Delibes’ exceptional score, which is widely regarded as a decisive factor in earning Coppélia its enduring acclaim.

First performed by Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in 1998, Coppélia has been a long-standing audience favorite, captivating adults and children alike with its vibrant colors, costuming and choreography.

Tickets range in price from $22.75-$90.75 and can be purchased online at www.pbt.org or by calling 412-

456-6666.

Performance Times Friday, April 13, at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 14, at 8 p.m. Sunday, April 15, at 2 p.m.

SPECIAL EVENT

Cookies with Coppélia — A PBT Open House

To get ready for the fun, PBT is inviting Pittsburghers to fall in love with Coppélia with a family-friendly trip to Dr. Coppelius’ workshop on Sunday, April 1, from 12 to 3 p.m. at the PBT Studios, 2900 Liberty Ave. The PBT studios will come to life with a variety of fun-filled ways to get creative with Coppélia. Craft your own toy-themed creations, learn steps from the ballet, enjoy cookies and treats and bring your camera to get a photo with characters from PBT’s delightful production of Coppélia! This event is free and open to the public.
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Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

PBT Donor Entices Students to Experience A Streetcar Named Desire

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 27, 2012

Contact: Meghan McNamara
Marketing Coordinator
412-454-9117
Email: mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org

PBT Donor Pledges $10,000 to Bring Students to A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

A Streetcar Named Desire

March 9-11, 2012

Benedum Center

(Pittsburgh, PA) – One Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre supporter thinks it’s important enough for local college students to experience the raw emotion of John Neumeier’s A Streetcar Named Desire that they’ve donated $10,000 to get students free seats on opening night.

Through this anonymous pledge, students now have the chance to be among the first audiences to see PBT’s A Streetcar Named Desire, which makes its Pittsburgh Premiere on the Benedum Center stage March 9-11. Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will be the first American ballet company to perform the ballet, marking only its second performance in the United States.

PBT is now challenging Pittsburgh-area college students to experience this powerful production by choos- ing one of two ways to secure a free ticket to the opening night performance at 8 p.m. Friday, March 9:

1. Students can submit a brief statement explaining why they think A Streetcar Named Desire is a must- see production. Submit statements to Aziza El Feil at 412.454.9127 or ael-feil@pittsburghballet.org.

2. Students can complete a PBT pre-performance survey available at www.pbt.org or the following link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WB5K288.


Tickets will be held at the Benedum Center Box Office. A valid student ID must be shown at the time of pickup.


*A Streetcar Named Desire is recommended for mature audiences only. This offer is open to high school juniors and seniors who wish to apply with parental approval.

A Streetcar Named Desire, a ballet by John Neumeier, takes audiences inside the tormented mind of aging southern belle Blanche Du Bois. Alternating between past and present, the production echoes her unraveling sense of reality. Neumeier’s searing choreography unites classical ballet and physical dance theater to evoke a powerful experience for ballet goers. Streetcar, originally created for Stuttgart Ballet, with Richard Cragun and Marcia Haydee in the roles of Stanley Kowalski and Blanche DuBois, has dominated stages in Europe since its premiere in 1983. In a jarring portrayal of clashing cultures, the production incites the senses as it explores fractious social issues that remain as relevant today as they were in the 1940’s New Orleans society depicted in Tennessee Williams’ American classic.
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Choreography: John Neumeier

Music: Sergei Prokofiev and Alfred Schnittke Scenic and Costume Design: John Neumeier Photography: Duane Rieder





2011/2012 Season



Peter Pan

With the Orchestra

October 28-30, 2011

Benedum Center





The Nutcracker

December 2-23, 2011

Benedum Center





Uncommon

With Chamber Musicians

February 3-12 , 2012

August Wilson Center





A Streetcar Named Desire

March 9-11, 2012

Benedum Center





Coppélia

With the Orchestra

April 13-15, 2012

Benedum Center

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

A Streetcar Named Desire Ballet at the Benedum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts:
Aimee Waeltz
awaeltz@pittsburghballet.org
412-454-9129

Meghan McNamara
mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org
412-454-9117

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Presents A Streetcar Named Desire

Photo by Duane Rieder; Dancers Eva Trapp and Robert Moore

(Pittsburgh, PA) – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre presents A Streetcar Named Desire, a ballet by John Neumeier, March 9-11, 2012 at the Benedum Center. Making its Pittsburgh Premiere, and only the second time being performed in the United States, is the raw emotion of Tennessee Williams’ American classic A Streetcar Named Desire. A jarring portrayal of clashing cultures, the ballet takes audiences inside the tormented mind of aging southern belle Blanch Du Bois. Alternating between past and present, the production echoes her unraveling sense of reality. Neumeier’s searing choreography unites classical ballet and physical dance theater to evoke a powerful experience for ballet goers.

Photo by Duane Rieder;  Dancers Eva Trapp and Robert Moore

 

Streetcar, originally created for Stuttgart Ballet, with Richard Cragun and Marcia Haydee in the roles of Stanley Kowalski and Blanch DuBois, has dominated stages in Europe since its premiere in 1983. This is the first time the ballet is being performed by and set on an American company.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Silk Road Acrobats from China Perform in Pittsburgh

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: October 3, 2011


Silk Road Acrobats

October 16-23, 2011 at various venues throughout the region

Pittsburgh International Children’s Theater, a division of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, presents the Pittsburgh premiere of Silk Road Acrobats from China, October 16-23, 2011, at six performance locations throughout the area. Performance locations include: City: Byham Theater, October 16 at 2:00 p.m. & Student Matinee: October 17 at 10:15 a.m.; East: Gateway High School, October 19 at 7:00 p.m.; North: Marshall Middle School, October 20 at 5:30 & 7:30 p.m.; West: Moon Area High School, October 21 at 7:00 p.m.; South: Mt Lebanon High School, October 22 at 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.; and Butler: Seneca Valley Senior High School, October 23 at 2:00 p.m.

Citizens Bank is the season sponsor of Pittsburgh International Children’s Theater.

A fusion of ancient and Chinese acrobatics and modern dance, the Silk Road Acrobats, from the Uyghur region in northwestern China, inspire audiences with precision, grace, and thrilling choreography. The music emulates the hard/soft, strong/weak interpretation of the Yin Yang (Dark / Light and Female/ Male) in Chinese culture and proudly preserves an ancient tradition as important to Chinese culture as song and dance. As their name suggests, the ancient art of these performers began with traveling acrobats who performed along the famous Silk Road, the most well-known trading route of ancient Chinese civilization. The 7000-mile route spanned China, Central Asia, Northern India, and the Parthian and Roman Empires, connected the Yellow River Valley to the Mediterranean Sea, and passed through present-day countries Iran, Iraq and Syria. In the late Ming Dynasty and the early Qing Dynasty, acrobatics was introduced abroad and was highly appreciated by the Americans and the Europeans.

Chinese acrobatics demands years of dedication and rigorous practice, sometimes with aspiring youngsters beginning their training as early as four or five years old. Sonny Soohoo, the creative director of the Silk Road Acrobats, began his career at the age of 12 and was trained by the famous Jiang Yanjing of the Shenyang Acrobatics Troupe. In 2004, he began coordinating and directing talent for everything from theatre shows to corporate events and has since produced, directed, choreographed, and stage managed hundreds of shows. The performers range in age from Sonny, who is 32, down to Enkhmurun Sodnumpunsum, who, at 14, is the show’s Mongolian contortionist, and has performed over 1000 shows since beginning her career at age 6.

The Silk Road Acrobats show is a high energy, tinged with danger, action-packed extravaganza that has audiences of all ages at the edge of their seats, as China’s gifted tumblers juggle, cycle, contort and flip across the stage. Vignettes can include: Hoop Diving, Plate Spinning, Candelabra Contortion, Happy Chef, Hula Hoop Contortion, Straw Hat Juggling, Handkerchief Spinning, Pole Diving, Mongolian Contortion, and of course the famous Lion Dance. This fifty minute performance is recommended for the entire family.
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Paul Taylor Dance Company at the Byham

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: October 3, 2011

Contact: Tara Safar, safar@pgharts.org



Paul Taylor Dance Company

October 22, 2011 - Byham Theater

Pittsburgh Dance Council proudly presents Paul Taylor Dance Company at the Byham Theater, on Saturday, October 22, 2011, at 8:00 p.m. The dance program will include: Mercuric Tidings (1982), music: Schubert / excerpts from Symphonies 1&2, costumes: Santo Loquasto, lighting: Jennifer Tipton; Three Dubious Memories (2010), music: Peter Elyakim Taussig / Five Enigmas (movements 1,3,4,5), costumes: Santo Loquasto, lighting: Jennifer Tipton; and Piazzolla Caldera (1997), music: Astor Piazzolla and Jerzy Peterburshsky / El Sol Sueno, Concierto Para Quinteto / Celos / Escualo, costumes: Santo Loquasto, lighting: Jennifer Tipton.

Tickets ($19-$50) may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square, online at www.pgharts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. First Commonwealth is the proud season sponsor of Pittsburgh Dance Council, and 90.5 Essential Public Radio is the media sponsor.

Mr. Paul Taylor was born in 1930 and grew up in Washington, DC. In the late 1940s, he began studying painting at Syracuse University until he discovered dance, which prompted his transfer to The Juilliard School in New York City. At the age of 23, Taylor, along with five other colleagues, gave his first choreographed public performance at the Henry Street Settlement in Manhattan on Sunday, May 30, 1954. After the debut of Taylor’s successfully choreographed performance, he became the youngest member of the pantheon that created American modern dance. Since retiring as a performer in 1974, he has devoted himself to creating major choreographed works including: Esplanade, Arden Court, Last Look, Musical Offering, Company B, and Promethean Fire, to name a few. According to Time Magazine, "Paul Taylor is the reigning master of modern dance" (Time Magazine).” Taylor continues to be one of modern dance’s most celebrated artists.

Paul Taylor Dance Company has performed for 56 years in more than 520 cities in 62 countries, as well as represented the United States at arts festivals in more than 40 countries worldwide. In honor of India’s celebration of the nation’s 50th anniversary in 1997, the Company toured throughout India. Taylor’s company continued to tour throughout the world, and in 1999 was honored as the Best International Dance Event by Chile’s Art Critics' Circle. Within its goal to reach new audiences, the Company toured the People's Republic of China in the summer of 2001 and performed in six cities, presenting American modern dance for the first time to audiences in four of those cities toured. The New York Times addresses the Company as, "One of the most exciting, innovative, and delightful dance companies in the entire world (New York Times).”

Taylor has received numerous accolades for his outstanding work: (1967) 16th Annual Capezio Dance Award; the Dance Magazine Award, MacArthur "Genius" Award, Algur H. Meadows Award, Manchester Evening News Award, Association of Performing Arts Presenters Award of Merit, and the Americans for the Arts Lifetime Achievement Award. Vanity Fair magazine refers to him as "the greatest choreographer in the world.” "Paul Taylor Dance Company is perhaps the most beloved and respected modern dance company in the world, famous for Mr. Taylor's wit, its sunny expansiveness, its all-American optimism and its occasional forays into darkness and gloom (Dallas Morning News).”
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BLAST! A Celebration of Movement and Music at Heinz Hall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: September 23, 2011

BLAST! A Celebration of Movement and Music

Heinz Hall

October 6 through 9, 2011

Taking the world by storm with triumphant successes in London, on Broadway, across North America and Japan BLAST!, winner of the 2001 Tony Award for “Best Special Theatrical Event,” and the 2001 Emmy Award for “Best Choreography,” will play Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from October 6 through 9, 2011. This tour is part of the PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh series, presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Symphony and Broadway Across America.

Tickets ($20-$60) are available by calling (412) 392-4900, visiting the Box Office at Theater Square (655 Penn Avenue) or online at www.pgharts.org. For more information about the PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh 2011-2012 subscription series, please call (412) 456-1390. Groups of 10 or more may call 412-392-4819.

Astounding audiences around the globe repeatedly since the Emmy® winning PBS performance and the Tony® winning Broadway performances, Blast! is back. Showgoers quickly become fans who return to enjoy and celebrate Blast! over and over again. Along with this ever-growing core following, Blast! attracts to it’s performances newer and newer generations of devotees every time it takes the stage. An event for all ages, Blast! also defies language barriers by performing crowd thrilling instrumental material, making it the perfect touring production.

BLAST!, a celebration of movement and music, almost defies description -- and it has left critics everywhere surprised and delighted. Howard Kissel of the New York Daily News says: “What a cast, what a ‘Blast!’ An exhilarating evening.” Bruce McCabe of the Boston Globe says, “BLAST! doesn’t falter while bridging the categories of classical, blues, jazz, rock n roll, and techno-pop music. BLAST! stands, blows, pounds, marches, and whirls with panache. It sent the full house into repeated bursts of cheering and applause [with] the thrill of seeing sheer virtuosity in a different kind of art form. BLAST! is entertainment of a high order.” And Kevin Nance of The Tennessean raves, “I was helpless in the path of this visual and aural juggernaut, which far outdoes [Stomp and Riverdance] with youthful energy and cocky panache. …I had an absolutely an absolutely marvelous time.”

Born on athletic fields across the nation, BLAST! is a novel art form evolved from the showmanship of outdoor pageantry. A unique experience, BLAST! explodes the genre with the artistry of the theatre. BLAST! is musical spectacle; it is music in motion. Described by Richard Christiansen of the, Chicago Tribune, “‘Blast!’ And a truer word was never spoken. A terrific good time … explosive entertainment. It is indeed a blast.”

BLAST! evolved from the drum corps Star of Indiana, which was founded in 1984 in Bloomington, Indiana, by businessman Bill Cook to benefit young people in music education. The Artistic Director James Mason, is a lifelong veteran of drum and bugle corps and other musical activities. In its initial year, Star of Indiana became the first corps ever to place among the top ten corps at the prestigious Drum Corps International World Championships. Star of Indiana improved each year until it became the World Champion in 1991. Competing against other organizations from the United States, Japan, Canada and Europe, Star’s performances revolutionized the world of drum corps, bringing an ever more sophisticated sense of musicianship, exciting showmanship, and dynamic choreography to this wonderful genre. In 1993, Mr. Mason began shaping the evolution of Star of Indiana from a competitive drum corps into a theatrical show which brings the power, passion and precision of outdoor pageantry to the stage in a musical performance now known as BLAST!

BLAST! on tour consists of 35 members, drawn from the world of outdoor pageantry all across North America. There are over 40 world titles held by BLAST! cast members who comprise three performing sections – the brass, percussion and visual ensembles. The brass instruments are pitched in the standard multi-keys. The percussion section includes drums, mallet instruments and electronic keyboards. The visual element enhances the show by spinning and tossing unusual implements along with the traditional sabers and colorful flags in perfectly synchronized, ballet-like drill.

The physical and musical demands of the production require that the performers be highly trained athletes who are also world-class musicians. Months of intense training prepare the cast. Rehearsing through heat, cold, dust and rain, they produce thrilling performances where athleticism, musical talent, kaleidoscopic movement, and showmanship merge into an art form that is both compelling and entertaining, or in the words of Richard Quzounian of The Toronto Star, “Get your tickets now! BLAST! is nothing short of breathtaking; a free-wheeling fusion of then and now, [it] dazzles the eye, thrills the ear and stirs the spirit. A sure-fire hit.”

BLAST! is produced and booked by Prather Entertainment Group. PBS, the Public Broadcast Service, supports BLAST! with a one hour special program. The official BLAST! cast recording is available on RCA Victor. For further information on BLAST! and the 2011 North American tour, visit www.blasttheshow.com
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