2013 - 2014 Dance Council Season Announced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today's date: May 5, 2013
Contact: Shaunda Miles / 412-471-1578 / miles@trustarts.org
              Diana Roth / 412-471-8717 / roth@trustarts.org

2013-2014 Pittsburgh Dance Council 

Season Announcement 

Pittsburgh, PA (For Release: May 5, 2013):  The Pittsburgh Dance Council, a division of Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, announces an outstanding array of dance from around the world that will grace our stages this season!  Paul Organisak, Executive Director, comments “Pittsburgh Dance Council is pleased to continue to present some of the finest companies whose diversity of artistic expression and culture are certain to captivate, challenge and entertain you during the 2013-2014 Season.  With a focus on delivering new and fresh experiences and international flair, the Dance Council brings a snapshot of contemporary dance and performance.”

The Pittsburgh Dance Council will be featured prominently during the return of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s International Festival of Firsts with the US premiere of a work by the remarkable Marie Chouinard and the US premiere presentation of Switzerland’s ground-breaking physical theatre of Zimmerman & de Perrot.  Three Pittsburgh premieres fill out the second half of the season with the incredibly dynamic Compagnie Käfig from Brazil, the gorgeous performers of Ballet Genève, and the rare opportunity to see an evening of dance featuring Wendy Whelan.  The season will close with the return of a popular Dance Council series performance by Wayne McGregor’s Random Dance.

2013-14 Pittsburgh Dance Council season:

Compagnie Marie Chouinard
Friday, September 28, 2013
8pm, Byham Theater

 Two featured presentations are also part of the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts

-Henry Michaux: Mouvements

- Gymnopedies (U.S. Premiere)

Marie Chouinard creates dance conceived from primeval dreams— earthy and strong, yet shaped by irrepressible secrets and unseen dimensions in time. Selected to launch the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts, the evening's program will include the U.S. premiere of Gymnopedies, set to the glorious solo piano pieces of Eric Satie and Henri Michaux:Mouvements, inspired by a book of poetry and drawings by Belgian artist Henri Michaux. In HenryMichaux: Mouvements, the dancers form a stunning silhouette to projections exuding a haunting sense that they, in the artist’s words, are connected to “the strangeness of natural things and the naturalness of strange things.”

"It felt like experiencing an event rather than watching a performance. Marie Chouinard breaks boundaries…" -The Vancouver Sun

Zimmermann & de Perrot
Friday, October 18, 2013
8pm, Byham Theater

 -U.S. Premiere – Featured presentation of the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts
- Hans was Heiri

With a great deal of mischief but at the same time, anger and depth, the duo Zimmermann & de Perrot present a disconcertingly original marriage of theatre, circus and dance.  Supported by five circus artists and dancers, these two directors, who now enjoy dazzling success, have far exceeded all expectations in their new work.  Poets as well as magicians, they keep a piece overflowing with humor regulated to the nearest millimeter.  The stage design, which revolves on a horizontal axis, forces the performers into the most unlikely positions.  All this is put at the service of a caustic story, which makes Hans was Heiri a work that has broken down barriers among the public to an extent rarely seen.
“ 4 STARS. Boisterous, off-the-wall humour and fizzy, rollickingly good entertainment” – The Times

“Zimmermann & de Perrot create absurd, surreal masterpieces of visual theatre” –Total Theatre Review

Compagnie Käfig
Saturday, February 1, 2014
8pm, Byham Theatear

-CORRERIA

-AGWA

This innovative hip-hop ensemble has become an international phenomenon, touring the world with sold out performances and rave reviews.   Inspired by an encounter with eleven young dancers from the shantytowns of Brazil, director and choreographer Mourad Merzouki  created Correriaand Agwa—two heart-stopping works that showcase a sensational combination of athletic samba, hip-hop, and capoeira dance styles. The all-male company from Brazil exhibits theatrical intelligence and is gifted with irresistible personality and astonishing dancing.  Bursting with fun, humor, and vitality, this show is set to an energetic soundtrack of samba and bossa nova music.
 “Compagnie Käfig… a.k.a.: the cure for pretty much anything that ails you.” --The Boston Globe
“One of the most innovative troupes on the experimental dance scene.”  --The New York Times

Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève
Saturday, March 8, 2014
8pm, Byham Theater

-Glory

-Sed Lux Permanet

Directed by Philippe Cohen, the Geneva Ballet is known around the world for its exquisite dancers and exciting artistic collaborations. The Pittsburgh premiere presentation of will also feature the premiere of two major emerging choreographers in the international contemporary dance scene:  Andonis Foniadakis and Ken Ossola.  Glory, choreographed by Andonis Foniadakis, allows the dancers’ bodies to come together in various modes of symbiosis, either fluid or tense, expansive or minimalistic which demonstrates the mastery and quality of Handel’s flamboyant music.  The hypnotic quality of Sed Lux Permanet and its sculpted shadow play enhance the delicate nature of bodies wreathed by the sensitive, ethereal sweetness of Fauré’s Requiem.

“Divine … this company has established itself as one of the most original and inventive in Europe.” -La Presse de Tunisie

Wendy Whelan Project
Saturday, March 22, 2014
8pm, Byham Theater

-Restless Creature

 “America’s most celebrated contemporary ballerina” (The New York Times) has joined forces with four of today’s top male choreographers, Pittsburgh’s own Kyle Abraham, Joshua Beamish, Brian Brooks, and Alejandro Cerrudo. Arguably the finest ballet dancer of our time, Whelan has danced with New York City Ballet for more than 25 years. She embarks on a new dance adventure with this vibrant suite of four contemporary duets, each with its own distinct style and artistry.

Wayne McGregor | Random Dance
Saturday, April 26, 2014
8pm, Byham Theater

-FAR

Award-winning, anatomy-defying British choreographer Wayne McGregor’s groundbreaking vision embraces dance, science, film, music, visual art and technology to create intriguing, expansive works. And FAR is no exception. Staged in a mesmerizing environment of shadow and light, FARbinds innovative design with choreography inspired by radical cognitive research process. It will make you think differently about dance.
“Wayne McGregor is doing some of the most exciting work on the planet.”-The New York Times
“If any artist has defined the decade, it’s Wayne McGregor.”- The UK Times


Subscription Information
Subscription packages for the Pittsburgh Dance Council 2013-14 season include:  Super Subscriber: six-show series (receive 6 performances for the price of 5) are available for: $96-$240; and Four Performance Package (pick 4 performances of your choice and save up to 20%) are available for $64-$160.  To subscribe, call 412-456-1390 or TrustArts.org/dance; groups of 10 or more tickets, call 412-471-6930. Single tickets for Pittsburgh Dance Council performances will go on sale to the general public in mid-August.  For information, call 412-456-6666 or visit TrustArts.org/dance.

Text Dance to 76274 for special offers and reminders. Standard text messaging rates apply.
Like the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust for up-to-the-minute news, links and more: facebook.com/CulturalTrust

About The Pittsburgh Dance Council
The Pittsburgh Dance Council joined Pittsburgh Cultural Trust as a programming division 2002. The mission of Pittsburgh Dance Council is to bring the best contemporary dance companies from around the world to the Cultural District. Each season, Pittsburgh Dance Council presents diverse, world-class contemporary works, including U.S. and world premieres.

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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

Mark Morris Dance Group at Byham Theater

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:  Diana Roth, (412) 471-8717; roth@trustarts.org
Electronic artwork is available: http://trustarts.org/press
Search by show title for press release link and scroll to bottom of page for images.

Mark Morris Dance Group
Saturday, May 4, 2013 at the Byham Theater

Pittsburgh Dance Council presents
Mark Morris Dance Group
8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Byham Theater

 Pittsburgh, PA:   Pittsburgh Dance Council, a division of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, will present world renowned Mark Morris Dance Group at the Byham Theater, on Saturday, May 4, 2013, at 8:00 p.m.

Petrichor (Photo Credit:  Brian Snyder)

Mark Morris Dance Group will perform three works: “The Muir”, “Petrichor” and “The Festival Dance”. The Muir (premiered in June 27, 2010) features six dancers with various music and Ludwig van Beethoven’s arrangements to a collection of Irish and Scottish folk songs. Petrichor (premiered Oct. 14, 2010; title refers to the scent left behind after rain) features eight female dancers and is composed to a series of string quartets by composer Heitor Villa-Lobos.   The Festival Dance (premiered March 17, 2011) is performed by 12 dancers to Piano Trio No.5, a Bohemian folk dance work composed by Johann Nepomuk Hummel.  All three pieces were choreographed after the music had been chosen, a practice unique to Morris in all of his works.

Mark Morris

Mark Morris has spent his life surrounded by the arts. First he learned music then he learned dance, both of which he pursued passionately. After graduation he spent time in Europe studying the flamenco. Moving to New York City was a major step for Morris that gave him the opportunity to perform with various companies. These experiences allowed him to develop his own style, creating dances in a rented studio space until the founding of Mark Morris Dance Group in Brooklyn, New York in 1980.

Mark Morris is best known for his great accomplishments with his own dance company, his unique style begins with a score. Creating entire dances based on music might seem backwards but it is a technique that transforms the language of dance.  He has also worked with many ballet companies, and received eleven honorary doctorates. Along with these doctorates Mark Morris has received countless other awards recognizing his excellence including; the Benjamin Franklin Creativity Laureate Award in 2012 and in 2010 received the Leonard Bernstein Lifetime Achievement Award for the Elevation of Music in Society.

One reporter, Gia Kourlas, for The New York Times pointed out, "That Mr. Morris reveals his musical sophistication through barefoot modern dancing is what gives his choreography such primal elegance. Whether the effect is joyful, bombastic or as quiet as can be, the connective tissue is rhythm: the way a melody might hook its way into a foot and lengthen out through the opposite shoulder. He finds ways to make bodies sing all the notes, not just the high ones."

Petrichor (Photo Credit:  Brian Snyder)

Petrichor (Photo Credit:  Brian Snyder)

Mark Morris Dance Group travels internationally, striking the world with their melodic moves. Working only with live accompaniment in practice and performance MMDG strives to fully incorporate the human element into each work they produce. In 1988 MMDG was asked to travel to Belgium’s Theatre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels in order to accept a three-year residence as the national dance company.

Since accepting this honor and completing the residency, Mark Morris Dance Group has returned to New York where they continue to create innovations in modern dance. Morris has created over 130 works for his dance group. With an extensive repertoire this company is not only inventing new works but reinventing their previous dances! A performance by the MMDG can promise a unique expression of human dance, accompanied by live music, and humorous innuendoes to lighten the mood.

Tickets ($19-$48) may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square, online at www.TrustArts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. Subscribe to the 2013-2014 Pittsburgh Dance Council season by calling (412) 456-1390 or online at www.TrustArts.org/dance.


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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

Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion: Pavement at Byham

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today's date: January 16, 2013
Contact:
Diana Roth
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
(412) 471-8717
roth@trustarts.org

Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion: Pavement
Saturday, February 16, 2013, 8:00 p.m., Byham Theater

 Pittsburgh, PA: The Pittsburgh Dance Council, a division of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, will present Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion: Pavement on Saturday, February 16, 2013, at 8:00 p.m., at the Byham Theater.

Pittsburgh native, Kyle Abraham, brings his company home for a special evening of dance showcasing his latest work, Pavement, a choreography that expresses changes taking place in Pittsburgh’s historically black neighborhoods. Abraham’s work is influenced by growing up African American in Pittsburgh. From his beginnings at the Civic Light Opera Academy and the Creative and Performing Arts High School in Pittsburgh, Abraham moved to New York City and received his BFA from SUNY Purchase and MFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. In 2009 Dance Magazine named Kyle Abraham one of the “25 to watch.”

Steve Sucato of City Paper wrote, “Whether he’s talking on social issues or making even bigger splashes on the local and national scenes, the sense that Abraham is on the verge of breakthrough looms primarily because his talent is just too big to ignore.”  In Pavement Abraham uses these talents to express his view of the current social stigmas of African Americans.

 Abraham’s choreography features early hip-hop musicians, like Kriss Kross,- that offer some comic relief, and challenges the progress made over the past twenty years among African American communities.Abraham.In.Motion dancers have varied backgrounds, bringing their unique styles into the composition such as ballet, hip-hop, and African dance. Pavement is performed to a diverse score of opera, rhythm & blues, soul, country, essays from W.E.B. DuBois’ The Soul of Black Folk, and excerpts from the 1991 film by John Singleton, Boyz n the Hood, all mixed with sounds of the city bringing this powerful dance to life.

Tickets ($19-$48) may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square, online at www.trustarts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. Subscribe to the 2012-2013 Dance Council season by calling (412) 456-1390 or online at www.trustarts.org/dance.

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.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit organization whose mission is the cultural and economic development of Pittsburgh’s 14-block Cultural District through public and private support.  The Trust presents and encourages diverse performing and visual arts programs within the District, and is an impetus for additional development in downtown Pittsburgh. www.Trustarts.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 to Perform Chromatic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 13, 2012
Contact: Meghan McNamara
Marketing Coordinator
412-454-9117 mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre to Perform Chromatic During 2012 Jazz Dance World Festival in Pittsburgh

(Pittsburgh, PA) –  Joining a lineup of dance companies and styles from around the world, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will perform a unique blend of contemporary and classical style during the Jazz Dance World Festival at Pittsburgh’s Byham Theater on Friday, August 3, at 8 p.m.

Presented by Giordano Dance Chicago and Point Park University, Jazz Dance World Festival features four electrifying evenings of dance August 1 – 4 at the Byham Theater. PBT will take the stage during the festi- val’s third evening, also featuring host company Giordano Dance Chicago, ballroom dance champions Del Dominguez & Laura Flores of Chicago, Odyssey Dance Theatre of Salt Lake City and Pittsburgh’s own August Wilson Center Dance Ensemble.

Adding to an eclectic evening of dance, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will perform excerpts from the cutting- edge Chromatic, a 2012 Pittsburgh world premiere created on PBT dancers by choreographer Dwight Rhoden. Set to music by Johann S. Bach, Rhoden melds the classical ornamentation of the Baroque era with contemporary and athletic movement that will challenge preconceptions about the relationship be- tween classical composition and ballet.

The Jazz Dance World Festival is part of Jazz Dance World Congress 2012, an international consortium of dancers and teachers which furthers the legacy of jazz dance and education. This five-day event unites teachers, dancers and choreographers from around the world and will take place on the campus of Point Park University from August 1-5, 2012, with additional classes at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture and performances at the Byham Theater.

Presented by Giordano Dance Chicago and Point Park University, Jazz Dance World Congress 2012 marks the first year that Pittsburgh will host this international dance event, which previously has been held in Japan, Washington, D.C.; Germany, Phoenix, AZ; Buffalo, NY; Monterrey, Mexico; San Jose, Costa Rica and Chicago.

Other companies scheduled to perform during the Jazz Dance World Festival include Philadanco! (Philadelphia), Cuerpo Etéreo Danza Contemporánea (Mexico), Masashi Action Machine (Japan), Koresh Dance Company (Philadelphia) and Conservatory Dance Company of Point Park University (Pittsburgh).

PROGAM C
Friday, August 3, at 8 p.m. — Byham Theater

Giordano Dance Chicago (Host)
August Wilson Center Dance Ensemble Del Dominguez & Laura Flores (Chicago) Odyssey Dance Theatre (Salt Lake City) Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

Tickets are available for $45, and can be purchased online at www.trustarts.org or by calling 412-456-
6666. Patrons who purchase a ticket are also welcome to attend the pre-show International Choreography Competition, sponsored by Dance Studio Life, at 6:30 p.m. each evening at the Byham Theater. The first- place winner of this esteemed competition will receive $2,500 and the special opportunity to perform alongside the professional companies at the closing night of the Festival on Saturday, August 4.

For additional information and to register for Jazz Dance World Congress 2012, please visit www.jazzdanceworldcongress.org or call 312-922-1332.


2012-2013 SEASON


For photos or interview opportunities from Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, please contact Meghan
McNamara, marketing coordinator, at 412-454-9117 or mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org.
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Jazz Dance World Congress 2012 is co-presented by Giordano Dance Chicago and Point Park University. Premier sponsors are Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit Magazine, and Dance Teacher Magazine. Additional sponsors include Wyndham Pittsburgh Grand Downtown Hotel, Dance Studio Life Magazine, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, and the August Wilson Center for Center for African American Culture.

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

Contemporary Dance Enlivens Dance Council Upcoming Season

FOR RELEASE: Sunday, April 29, 2012
Contact: Diana Roth, roth@trustart.org

Pittsburgh Dance Council 2012/2013 Season

An exceptional lineup of world-class contemporary dance

The Pittsburgh Dance Council, a division of Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, announces a diverse representation of the best in contemporary dance for 2012-2013. The season combines the work of iconic choreographer Mark Morris with the rising talent of Pittsburgh native Kyle Abraham; the levity of the legendary Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo with the gravity of Akram Khan’s stunning full-length work Vertical Road; the ground-breaking action of STREB with the traditional cultural influences present in the work of New Zealand’s indigenous dance company Black Grace.

“What I’m really excited about this season is the breadth and depth of expressions that are communicated through dance,” said Executive Director Paul J. Organisak. “The season reflects a balanced mixture that offers audiences an eclectic and engaging glimpse into the vast range of contemporary dance.”

The Pittsburgh Dance Council 2012-2013 Season Line-up:

Photography by Tom Caravaglia

STREB: FORCES
Friday, September 28, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
8 p.m.
Byham Theater
A thrilling, heart-stopping investigation of action, STREB: FORCES  boldly explores a range of motions, from everyday movements to the extreme action of sports, the circus and adventure rides.  Inventor and architect of eccentric action, Elizabeth Streb orchestrates an athletic cadre of daring theater specialists, taking audiences on a wild ride into mechanically outrageous zones and configurations. Gravity be damned. Fasten your safety belts. "By exploring the frontiers of performance space, and creating works that reflect the spirit of our technological age, Ms. Streb is carrying dance into a new dimension." -The New York Times
streb.org

Vertical Road by Laurent Ziegler

Akram Khan Company Vertical Road
Saturday, October 20, 2012
8 p.m.
Byham Theater
British-born Bangladeshi choreographer Akram Khan is celebrated internationally for the vitality he brings to intercultural dance expressions. Khan’s stunning full-length work Vertical Road is a rare feast for the senses—design, lighting, music and dance combine in a rich glow of art. Vertical Road is a meditation on the journey from gravity to grace, drawing inspiration from the Sufi tradition and the words of beloved Persian poet and philosopher Rumi. "Akram Khan is a true choreographer...someone who asks what it is to be human and provides the answers in dance." -The London Evening Standard
akramkhancompany.net

Photography by Ian Douglas

Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion
Boyz n the Hood: Pavement
Saturday, February 16, 2013
8pm
Byham Theater
Like August Wilson, Kyle Abraham draws heavily from his experiences growing up African American in Pittsburgh to create personal and culturally-referenced works. The New York Times has described Kyle Abraham’s work as “an intriguing mix of breaking and Chaplinesque pathos.” The evening's full-length performance pairs classic essays from W.E.B. Du Bois’ The Souls of Black Folk and John Singleton’s 1991 film, Boyz n the Hood with an operatic score layered with a brash urban landscape. “Kyle Abraham is the biggest choreographic force coming out of Pittsburgh and has taken a prominent place as a must-see choreographer on the New York scene.” - Jane Vranish, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
abrahaminmotion.org

Photography by Duncan Cole

Black Grace
Saturday, March 2, 2013
8 p.m.
Byham Theater
Samoan culture informs and shapes New Zealand’s most accomplished choreographer Neil Ieremia, fueling his artistry with organic exuberance.  Black Grace manifests the rhythms, spirit and energy of Pacific heritage with outstanding works from the company’s 17-year history.
The performance includes excerpts from Minoi, Pati Pati, Objects and Amata—plus a glimpse fromWaka, a fascinating new work inspired by the 1898 painting The Arrival of the Maoris. In the Samoan tradition of tatau (tattoo, body art), Black Grace will make an indelible impression. “A polished, pungent, bone-crunching physical and perfectly executed alchemy of music, muscle and motion.” - New Zealand Herald
blackgrace.co.nz

Photography by Sascha Vaughn

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Friday, April 5, 2013
8 p.m.
Byham Theater
For more than 35 years, New York’s legendary all-male dance company “Keeps on Trockin” by playfully bringing the pleasures of dance to the widest possible audience.  Through its skillful parodies of ballet classics and modern dance,  the Trocks’ comedic brilliance lies in incorporating and exaggerating the foibles, incongruities, accidents and underlying congruities of serious dance. “Whenever I leave a Trocks’ show I'm always, always, happy. I can't say this of any other company. What thrills me is the cleverness and subtlety of their observations and the sheer technical dedication of all involved. The Trocks know their stuff.” - Ballet Magazine
trockadero.org

Photography by Brian Snyder

Mark Morris Dance Group
Saturday, May 4, 2013
8 p.m.
Byham Theater
Endlessly inventive and masterful, Mark Morris ranks among the world’s greatest choreographers. Described as “undeviating in his devotion to music,” Mark Morris has made live musical accompaniment the gold standard in modern dance.  For more than three decades, the Mark Morris Dance Group has been wowing the world over with outstanding works that dutifully exude Mark Morris’ prolificacy, passion and artistic conviction. “That Mr. Morris reveals his musical sophistication through barefoot modern dancing is what gives his choreography such primal elegance. Whether the effect is joyful, bombastic or as quiet as can be, the connective tissue is rhythm. He finds ways to make bodies sing all the notes, not just the high ones.” - The New York Times
markmorrisdancegroup.org

Subscription Information
Subscription packages for the Pittsburgh Dance Council’ six-show series are available for: $96-$240. To subscribe, call 412-456-1390; groups of 10 or more tickets, call 412-471-6930. Single tickets for Pittsburgh Dance Council performances will go on sale to the general public in mid-August.

About The Pittsburgh Dance Council
The Pittsburgh Dance Council joined Pittsburgh Cultural Trust as a programming division 2002. The mission of Pittsburgh Dance Council is to bring the best contemporary dance companies from around the world to the Cultural District. Each season, Pittsburgh Dance Council presents diverse, world-class contemporary works, including U.S. and world premieres.
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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 Dance Council Presents US Premiere of Last Touch First

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: March 9, 2012

Contact:
Veronica Corpuz
(412) 471-6082
corpuz@trustarts.org

Diana Roth
(412) 471-8717
roth@trustarts.org

The U.S. Premiere of Last Touch First presented by Pittsburgh Dance Council

Friday, April 6 and Saturday, April 7, 2012, at 8:00 p.m., August Wilson Center, 980 Liberty Avenue

Credit:  Robert Benschop

Pittsburgh Dance Council, a division of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, proudly presents the U.S. premiere of “Last Touch First”, created by famed Dutch choreographer Jiří Kylián and expat Michael Schumacher, at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture on Friday, April 6 and Saturday, April 7, 2012, at 8:00 p.m. “...an intimate and moving performance, in which desperation, madness and loneliness touch the depths of the six characters. The dancers move almost an hour in super slow motion, situated in the atmosphere of 19th century, which reminds of the grotesque plays by Russian author Anton Chekhov” (NRC Handelsblad).

Tickets ($35) 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 proud season sponsor of Pittsburgh Dance Council, and 90.5 Essential Public Radio is the media sponsor. This performance of “Last Touch First” is also part of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Distinctively Dutch Festival*.

“Last Touch First” originated from a small idea from the Holland Dance Festival. Dance improviser Michael Schumacher and dancer Sabine Kupferberg were to make a duet based on improvisation systems that were developed while working together on “The Moment,” a piece created for Nederlands Dans Theater III (2001). However, this idea grew into a project of respectable size, based on Jiří Kylián’s “Last Touch,” created for Nederlands Dance Theater III (2003). Therefore, with the combined minds of Jiří Kylián and Sabine Kupferberg, Michael Schumacher created the ensemble piece “Last Touch First,” which premiered in February 2008 at Korzo Theater in The Hague.

Artistic direction for “Last Touch First” stems from the ingenious minds of Michael Schumacher and Jiří Kylián. Schumacher began his career as a dancer at various ballets including: Frankfurt Ballet, Twyla Tharp Dance, the Feld Ballet and the Pretty Ugly Dance Company. Schumacher continued his career with guest appearances for Peter Sellars, as well as productions with several artists such as Sylvie Guillem, Dana Caspersen, and Anouk van Dijk. He currently performs with an Amsterdam-based collective of improvisation artists at the Magpie Music Dance Company and also teaches workshops in improvisation techniques and movement analysis.

Prague native Jiří Kylián became increasingly interested in the performing arts by studying at the Ballet School of Prague National Theatre, Prague Conservatory, and the Royal Ballet School in London. He became the artistic director of Nederlands Dans Theatre in 1975 after creating his first choreography for the company two years prior. Kylián’s numerous works can be seen throughout the world, and his choreographies are to be found on the repertoire of numerous dance companies all over the world. In 1991, the Holland Dance Festival opened with Jiří Kylián’s first piece for Nederlands Dans Theater III, and in 2005 he celebrated his 30th anniversary at Nederlands Dans Theater by opening the Holland Dance Festival with a production for Nederlands Dans Theater II.

Jiří Kylián has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including three Nijinsky Awards, Honorary Medal from the president of the Czech Republic, Benois de la Danse in Moscow and Berlin, The Golden Lion at Venice Biennale (2008), and the Medal for Art and Science of Her Majesty Queen Beatrix (2008).

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 Pittsburgh Dance Council continues to help make our Cultural District one of the country’s leading arts and entertainment centers.

*The Distinctively Dutch Festival is presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, in collaboration with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. From February through May, 2012, throughout downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, the Festival will feature a range of contemporary work that is reflective of today’s Dutch culture, including dance, jazz, visual art, film, theater, children’s theater and literature. The Festival is part of the Cultural Trust’s mission to present a wide variety of art forms, as well as companies and artists who represent our world’s rich cultural heritages. The Cultural Trust seeks to present artists of the highest quality and caliber in each discipline, particularly artists who would not normally have an opportunity to be seen in Pittsburgh or the United States. For more information visit www.trustarts.org/dutchfestival.

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

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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Heidi Latsky's GIMP Create Uncommon Magnificence

October 15

8pm

$15

August Wilson Center

A special performance in celebration of FISA foundation’s 100th anniversary!

Heidi Latsky, artistic director and former principal dancer with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance, is a dynamic force in the dance world. Latsky’s GIMP is about beauty—the breathtaking, unexpected sort that is physical, emotional and full of grace. At the heart of GIMP are five trained dancers and five performers with physical disabilities who create an edgy landscape of uncommon magnificence.

Accessibility

A variety of accessibility accommodations will be available. To request an accommodation or information on accessible parking, call 412-456-2670, or email customerservice@pgharts.org.


Ticket availability is limited, so order your tickets today!

To purchase tickets:

Online at TrustArts.org

Call 412-456-2670

Box Office at Theater Square

Groups 10+ Tickets 412-471-6930

Pittsburgh Dance Council Announces Celebrated Season

The Pittsburgh Dance Council, a division of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, announces a season that showcases works by some of the most celebrated choreographers in America, including dance masters Paul Taylor, Moses Pendleton, Lar Lubovitch and Karole Armitage. The Dance Council season is generously sponsored by First Commonwealth to support the growth and development of dance in Pittsburgh.


“The spirit and heritage of contemporary American dance gives this season an especially rich vibrancy,” said Executive Director Paul J. Organisak. “I’m proud of the fact that some of the best work in contemporary dance today is being produced by American dance companies, and that we can present these outstanding works in the Cultural District.”

In addition, as part of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Distinctively Dutch Festival in 2012, the Pittsburgh Dance Council will present two U.S. premieres: Dance Works Rotterdam/André Gingras’ wry and exuberant Anatomica; and former Nederlands Dans Theater artistic director Jiri Kylian and collaborator Michael Schumacher’s poignant dance theater production, Last Touch First.

New this year is a Pittsburgh Dance Council special at the August Wilson Center: Heidi Latsky’s GIMP Project. Details for all the performances and subscription information follow.

The Pittsburgh Dance Council 2011-12 Season Line-up

MOMIX

Botanica

Friday, September 16, 2011

Saturday, February 17, 2011

8 P.M.

Byham Theater

With an eclectic score ranging from birdsong to Vivaldi, Moses Pendleton’s Botanica reveals nature's changing imagery. An herbal remedy and natural aphrodisiac, Botanica showcases the endlessly renewable energy of the superb MOMIX performers. Fantastical costumes, projections and custom-made props and puppetry add an extra dose of whimsy to the elixir. This is dance at its most organic and inventive. The seasons will never be the same. “People shouted out, gasped and applauded furiously. MOMIX is ideal for turning audiences on to dance.” -L.A. Herald Examiner

momix.com


Paul Taylor Dance Company

Saturday, October 22, 2011

8 P.M.

Byham Theater

Setting the global standard for excellence, Paul Taylor Dance Company is the epitome of modern dance. Paul Taylor’s signature athleticism and graceful techniques create exquisite stories that borrow the audience’s imagination for awhile. Since 1954, Paul Taylor has choreographed more than 130 works, many of which have attained iconic status and have been celebrated throughout the world. “The American spirit soars whenever Taylor’s dancers dance.” – San Francisco Chronicle

ptdc.org

Dance Works Rotterdam/André Gingras (U.S. Premiere)

Anatomica

Saturday, February 18, 2012

8 P.M.

Byham Theater

Dance Works Rotterdam/André Gingras, the Netherland’s most explosive modern dance company, performs Anatomica, an unyielding exploration of the danger, beauty and consequences of the human body on display. Anatomica presents a wry commentary on the obsessive culture of “showing off” with its unabashed physicality and Gingras’ signature high-octane partnering. "It's a terrific splurge of vibrant physicality and joie de vivre that sets out what an amazing miracle the body represents." The Times (UK)

danceworksrotterdam.nl

Armitage Gone! Dance

Three Theories

Saturday, March 3, 2012

8 P.M.

Byham Theater

Celebrated “punk ballerina” and artistic director Karole Three Theories is an evening-length work inspired by physicist Brian Greene’s best-selling book, The Elegant Universe, which Armitage uses as a means for exploring new possibilities in movement and patterning. “The spectator remains dazzled by so much received pleasure.” - Le MondeArmitage is renowned for pushing boundaries. In Karole Armitage’s hands, classical dance receives a needed shock to its system with speed and fractured lines, abstractions and symmetry countermanded by asymmetry.

armitagegonedance.org

Last Touch First by Jirí Kylián and Michael Schumacher (U.S. Premiere)

Friday, April 6, 2012

Saturday, April 7, 2012

8 P.M.

August Wilson Center

Famed Dutch choreographer Jirí Kylián (former artistic director of Nederlands Dans Theater) and expat Michael Schumacher eschew physical virtuosity for control, subtlety and timing with the intimate Last Touch First. Characters move surrealistically back in time to a 19th century Victorian atmosphere reminiscent of a Chekhov play. The dancers’ meticulous movements, accentuated with extravagant costumes and scenery, create a dramatic and gripping work.

“Last Touch First is an intimate and moving performance.” NRC Handelsblad

Lar Lubovitch Dance Company

Saturday, April 28, 2012

8 P.M.

Byham Theater

One of America’s most versatile, popular and highly-acclaimed choreographers, Lar Lubovitch founded the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company 43 years ago. 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 acclaimed throughout the world. “One of the ten best choreographers in the world.” - The New York Times

lubovitch.org


DANCE COUNCIL SPECIAL

Heidi Latsky Dance GIMP

Saturday October 15, 2011

8 P.M.

August Wilson Center

$17

Heidi Latsky, artistic director and former principal dancer with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance, is a dynamic force in the dance world. Latsky’s GIMP (2008) is about beauty – the breathtaking, unexpected sort that is physical, emotional and full of grace. At the heart of GIMP are five trained dancers and five performers with physical disabilities who create an edgy landscape of uncommon magnificence.

“GIMP is without a doubt a gleaming milestone in the progress of contemporary dance and theater, proving that the term ‘disabled dancer’ is an oxymoron.” - Dance Magazine

heidilatskydance.net

Subscription Information

Subscription packages for the Pittsburgh Dance Council’ six-show series are available for: $109-$217. To subscribe, call 412-456-1390; groups of 10 or more tickets, call 412-471-6930. Single tickets for Pittsburgh Dance Council performances will go on sale to the general public in mid-August.

About The Pittsburgh Dance Council

The Pittsburgh Dance Council joined The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust in as a programming division 2002. The mission of The Pittsburgh Dance Council is to bring the best contemporary dance companies from around the world to the Cultural District. Each season, the Pittsburgh Dance Council presents diverse, world-class contemporary works, including U.S. and world premieres.

40th Anniversary Tour Presents PILOBOLUS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact: Veronica Corpuz, (412) 471-6082; corpuz@pgharts.org

Diana Roth, (412) 471-8717; roth@pgharts.org

High-res images: http://pressroom.pgharts.org/?p=496


Pittsburgh Dance Council & Cohen Grisby Trust Presents Series announce the 40th anniversary tour performance of PILOBOLUS

Saturday, October 30, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.

Byham Theater, 101 Sixth Street



Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh Dance Council and Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series proudly present Pilobolus at the Byham Theater on Saturday, October 30, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. “Pilobolus embodies a large part of what the best in contemporary dance is all about: discovery. Making something new with the same standard body parts that all of us have. (The Washington Post).”  Tickets ($22-$56) 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 WDUQ 90.5 FM is the media sponsor. Cohen & Grigsby is the presenting sponsor of the Trust Presents series.

Celebrating its 40th season this year, Pilobolus has evolved into a pioneering American cultural institution of the 21st century. The company has produced over 100 choreographic works. Newsday comments “Pilobolus is a mind-blowing troupe of wildly creative and physically daring dancers who leap, fly, intertwine and break all the rules…Audiences should expect the unexpected with Pilobolus.” Pilobolus’ creative and far reaching impact on dance culture as well as their appeal to dancers and non-dancers alike, has consistently made this legendary dance group a “must see” and a widely popular and respected performance event. As 2010 celebrates the 40th anniversary of Pilobolus, it also marks the 8th time Pittsburgh Dance Council, during its 41-year presenting history, has featured this important modern dance troupe in Pittsburgh. Pilobolus’ performance schedule with the Pittsburgh Dance Council includes 1975-76 (PDC 6th season); 1980-81 (PDC 11th season); 1982-83 (PDC 13th season); 1989-90 (PDC 20th season); 1996-97 (PDC 27th season); 1998-99 (PDC 28th season); and 2002-03 (PDC 33rd season).

About PILOBOLUS

Pilobolus (crystallinus) is a phototropic zygomycete - a sun-loving fungus that grows in barnyards and pastures. It’s a feisty thing - only 1/4 inch tall - that can throw its spores nearly eight feet. Right over a cow. It is also a highly unusual dance company, embarking on its 40th year of evolution during 2010-2011.

In 1971 three students of Dartmouth College (Robby Bartnett, Michael Tracey, and the late Jonathan Wolken) united together in the name of art and science to create an exciting new form of contemporary dance, Pilobolus (the name of a fungus). The physical vocabularies of Pilobolus’ works are not drawn from traditions of codified dance movement but are invented, emerging from intense periods of improvisation and creative play.

Pilobolus is in constant pursuit of the exploration of new techniques to mold the body in ways that excite and tug at the strings of provoking thought. “Since its early years, the purest Pilobolus experiences have involved metamorphosis. We see both physicality and illusion. Bodies become imagery, and one image merges into another, poetically, inexplicably. (Alistair MacCaulay, The New York Times).

The company now revolves around three nuclei of activity: Pilobolus Dance Theater, the umbrella for a series of radically innovative and globally acclaimed concert dance companies; The Pilobolus Institute, unique educational programming; and Pilobolus Creative Services, a division specializing in a wide range of movement services for film, advertising, publishing, commercial clients, and corporate events.

Artistic direction for Pilobolus steams from the ingenious minds of Robby Barnett Michael Tracy, and the late Jonathan Wolken (July 1949-June 2010). Robby Barnett, born in the Adirondacks region, upstate New York, has also been employed as a technical metal worker, an instructor for Outward Bound Inc., a garden and landscape designer, and has taught skiing and high school art. Michael Tracy was born in Florence, Italy and raised in New England. He has choreographed for numerous prestigious companies and organizations and is a professor at Yale University.

The late founding member, Jonathan Wolken (1949-June, 2010), was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on July 12, 1949. He became acquainted with Pilobolus, the fungus, while researching its photoreceptor mechanism in his father’s biophysics laboratory. Mr. Wolken graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Philosophy. His artistic direction includes choreography of 46 works for Pilobolus; internationally for the Glyndebourne Festival Opera’s production of Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are”, and “Oneiric” featured in a joint collaboration with Danish Television for members of the Royal Danish Ballet. Mr. Wolken was an integral part of the Pilobolus team. In addition to artistic direction, his responsibilities included director of development and educational workshops. Mr. Wolken was dedicated to furthering the dance influence of Pilobolus, and for creative thinking in all fields of study.

Pilobolus has received a number of prestigious honors, including the Berlin Critic’s Prize, the Brandeis Award, the New England Theatre Conference Prize, and a Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding achievement in cultural programming. Pilobolus received the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award for lifetime achievement in choreography (2000) and the Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Endowment Fellowship (2007) from Dartmouth College.