Verb Ballet and Blue Water Orchestra combine for compelling music and dance performanc

 

In this pandemic era, where the best we can hope for are performances in Brady family-like shadow boxes, it is exciting to find arts companies going beyond the norm to bring about entertainment while still following the Covid protocols.
 
Compelling entertainment was certainly the result when Verb Ballets and BlueWater Chamber Orchestra joined forces to create Building Bridges Together, a collaboration designed, performed, and filmed specifically for virtual performance on November 21, 2020.
 
Verb Ballets, which was founded in 1987, is one of Northeast Ohio’s most respected dance companies. Verb Ballets has gained a reputation for artistic excellence and exemplary community engagement since 1987.  “Under the leadership of Dr. Margaret Carlson, former principal dancer for Cleveland Ballet, and Richard Dickinson, MFA, former Ohio Ballet dancer, the company is committed to the creation and mounting of dance works of the highest caliber. The company strives to act as a catalyst to promote learning, nurture wellness, and encourage dialogue about the dance art form. As a contemporary ballet company, the dancers combine classical ballet training with strong artistry.” 

Under the Artistic Directorship of native Clevelander, Daniel Meyer, the Blue Water Chamber Orchestra “is a cooperative, professional chamber orchestra serving the NE Ohio region. Performance of great music, outreach program and educational endeavors are equal in their mission statement.  The musical ensemble is committed to expanding the boundaries of what a chamber orchestra can be.”

The forty-five-minute program, presented without intermission, opened with Heinz Poll’s Adagio for Two Dancers set to Albinoni’s “Adagio.”
 
The lush, slow, sensual neo-Baroque composition, is a gentle and ethereal work.  It was well interpreted by the orchestra.  
 
The ballet was originally choreographed in 1973 for Ohio Ballet and remounted with permission of Jane Startzman.

 
Kelly Korfhage and Benjamin Shepard, both in masks, danced in traditional balletic form.  Her toe-work and his strong partnering and flowing leaps, seamlessly flowed together.  The number was beautifully lit, accenting the duos shimmering costumes.
 
Anton Webern's “Langsamer Satz” is presumed to be a “musical love-letter, born of a relationship between the composer and Wilhelmine Mörtl.”  It is a romantic composition, with rich harmonies.  It well deserves its reputation as a fine example of how elegantly and unabashedly music can emerge from a compact format. 
 
The lush piece was beautifully performed by the all-string orchestra under the baton of Daniel Meyer. 

The program concluded with Broken Bridges, choreographed by former company dancer and choreographer, Michael Escovedo. It was set to the haunting sounds of Shostakovich’s Chamber Symphony in C minor Op. 110A.
 
According to program notes, “Escovedo choreographed this piece as a tribute to his grandmother, Bridgett Escovedo, who passed away in 2017. In the ballet, he honors his late grandmother who suffered from mental illness, which left the relationships in the family strained, especially the relationship between Escovedo and his mother after he became her caregiver when she developed Alzheimer's disease later in life. Broken Bridges explores this family dynamic.  
 
The introspective, emotionally-draining modern ballet piece, featured the masterful dancing and story-telling of Kate Webb and Lieneke Matte and showcased Robert Carter, Daniel Cho, Kelly Korfhage, Antonio Morillo, Noe Iwamatsu and Julie Russel, all masked. 

 
The emotions of the story were well told though impressive stage pictures, dramatic acting, powerful hand and body movements and impressive dance skills.
 
Capsule judgment:  Kudos to Verb Ballet and Blue Water Chamber Orchestra for creating a unique and fulfilling cinematic experience that was, indeed, “an evening of connecting to the heart; a perfect respite for those emotionally challenging times.”

Verb Ballets at Breen—a fusion of Asian and Western choreography

Roy Berko

(Member, Dance Critics Association)

Cleveland has no professional ballet company, but there is an abundance of local modern and contemporary dance troupes.   One of these, Verb Ballets, which recently announced that it was becoming the resident dance company at the Breen Center on the campus of St. Ignatius High School, presented EXPLORE DISCOVER, an evening of original works, to an appreciative sold out house.

EXPLORE DISCOVER featured the creations of Taiwanese choreographer Chung-Fu Chang.  Chang, who performed with the Cloudgate Dance Theatre and Kaohsiung Contemporary Dance Company in his native land, was in residence with Verb this winter to work on his new company piece, as well as refine a piece he previously developed for Verb.

Last year, Chang choreographed THE LILY.  His latest work, BORROWING WINDS, is a fusion of Asian and Western concepts, centering on the wind.  He believes the breeze has “dynamics, path, speed, shape, and ultimately emotion,” which can come alive on stage through conceived choreography.   He views the stage, “as a canvas, a space to explore.” 

Deeply immersed in a rich Taiwanese-Chinese cultural heritage, which “is poetic, ritualistic, theatrical and profoundly spiritual,” Chang is motivated to broaden his creative horizons by directly connecting his culture with Western dance traditions.

Watching Chang during a company rehearsal, it became obvious that he is well disciplined and expects the same from his dancers.  He does not believe in creating dances through the collaborative process, but, instead, pre-choreographs the numbers and then teaches the movements to the company.   It was obvious that he creates word pictures through body angles, hand movements, and structural placements. 

During the rehearsal, the dancers were relaxed, yet very involved.  They were aware that the dance language Chang was using was different from that of  Western choreographers.  To proficiently perform  required building a relationship with Chang based on respect and trust.

Chang continually checked in with the performers, asking “okay” after he gave directions and made adjustments.  He seemed constantly aware that he needed to adapt the movements to the company as the dancers’ bodies were not necessarily trained to bend, pose, and move in the ways of his choreographic language.

It was obvious that the Asian tradition of “face” was in force.  The choreographer never yelled, bawled out, or castigated a dancer, but used courtesy in order for neither to lose respect.  The session ended with the company bowing to the choreographer.  He responded in kind.

Chang’s solo performance, PHEASANT’S WAITING, was a world premiere.  He indicated that it was a self-exploration for him as a dancer/choreographer.  As he indicated during an interview, he “can no longer move like he did as a twenty-year old and, therefore, had to start a new procedure, filled with self insecurities, thus slowing down the developmental process.”  Besides the dance, Chang, who is a noted artist, also designed the set, which consisted of slides of his contemporary paintings, and his costume.

PHEASANT’S WAITING is inspired by one of the poems from Shijing (The Classic of Poetry), one of the great literary works of ancient China, which is a collection of 305 poems and songs dating from the 10^th to the 7^th century.  Using feathers as appendages, Chang flowed with controlled movements to “reveal secrets, gain identity and find one’s own language.”

Next on the program was FOUR LAST SONGS, a ballet about loss and longing, also in its world premiere.  Choreographed by Richard Dickinson, to the music of Richard Strauss, the well received piece, with creative lighting designed by Trad Burns, was inspired by Herman Hesse and Joseph von Eichendorff’s soul-searching poetry.  The angst-filled dancers’ movements effectively conveyed Strauss’s haunting melodies.  A highlight was a Stephanie Krise and Brian Murphy duet in At Dusk.

THE LILY, using classic choreography, is based on a legend of Baleng of the Rukai Tribe, one of the native tribes of Taiwan, and set to music by David Darling and traditional music of the Rukai and Paiwan Tribes.  The well danced number was filled with traditional customs and rituals.  The dancers each performed with a lily held in their mouth.  Historically, the lily is noted as a sumbol of remembrance. 

The program concluded with BORROWING WINDS.  Chang developed the choreography of the three segments, Cave Of The Winds, Kite, and Pleating Water, by selecting the music of Ondsekoza, a Japanese tiger drum group, and building images based on their sounds.

The piece probes into the dichotomy of the wind to be both an immense destructive power but also has the gentleness to calm one’s soul.  Using of flowing fabrics, weightless actions, and martial arts’ influenced movements, the dancers effectively changed moods, and created an investigation of the ever altering powers of the wind.  Visual illusions of the after effect of the wind, the confronting of the natural phenomena, the taking on of the various forms of and the ever presence of wind, are all represented.

Chang indicated that the inspiration for BORROWING WINDS came from his 2011 visit to Cleveland when he become aware of how windy it is here. 

Besides Krise and Murray, the evening’s highlight performances were presented by Kara Madden, Leslie J. Miller, and Ryan DeAlexandro.

Capsule judgement: EXPLORE DISCOVER, Verb Ballet’s Winter, 2013 series, was highlighted by the exciting works of Chung-Fu Chang and Richard Dickinson.  It was a wonderful illumination of western and eastern modern and balletic dance.

Next up for Verb:

MARCH 21- 23, 2013 7:00pm

Verb Goes Electric with the Cleveland Chamber Symphony

Cleveland Public Theatre DanceWorks Series

APRIL 18-20, 2013 7:00pm

Rite of Spring: The Bride Unseen

Cleveland Public Theatre DanceWorks Series

For information go to:  verbballets.org or call 216-397-3757.

Verb Ballets opens Fall season with EXPLORE DISCOVER;

This season Verb Ballets, Cleveland’s largest contemporary dance company, is mainly featuring a single choreographer at each program.  This concept continues the company’s goal of supporting and fostering emerging talent.  Programs will highlight the works of Antonio Brown, Chung-Fu Chang and Richard Dickinson.

It is appropriate that the first evening of EXPLORE DISCOVER showcases the work of local dancer and choreographer, Antonio Brown.

Brown, who is a member of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, was born and raised in Cleveland.  He began his dance training at the Cleveland School for the Arts under the guidance of Bill Wade (Inlet Dance).  He went on to study at the Julliard School, and has performed with a number of noted dance companies.  Besides performing, he developed an interest in choreography, and staged works for such organizations as Verb Ballets, August Wilson Center Dance Ensemble, and The Julliard Dance Ensemble. 

Brown, who is noted for his dynamic personality as well as his non-stop energy, displays these traits in his dance concepts. 

The Verb program opened with CONTINUUM (2011), performed to a remix assembled by Brown, which represented his youthful and free form style and featured a dervish of balletic, rolling, running, sliding, arms flailing, free form lifts, and movements.  Though a little long, it was engrossing.  Trad Burns’ lighting and Janet Bolick’s blue and maroon costumes helped create the right moods.

Tom Evert’s THE PRESIDENT (1986) featured the focused dancing of Brian Murphy.  The piece showcased the anguish, reconciliation, sleepless nights, and pressure of the man who holds the highest position in the land.  Complete with the unfurling of the American flag in the conclusion, it was an appropriate selection for this season of political infighting.

THE ROAD TOGETHER, choreographed by Brian Murphy was performed to Sigur Ros’s Med Sud I Eyrum.  Short and intense, it showcased Ashley Cohen and Ryan DeAlexandro nicely exploring the challenges that keep us apart.  Centering on moving on and around two chairs, the duo came together and broke apart in anguish and angst.  There was a clear message, nicely developed by Murphy and his dancers.

I’M ON MY WAY (2012) was choreographed by Brown for himself.  Centering on a pile of clothing which Brown put on and took off in an attempt to find the “right look,” there was a shallowness of effect.

Performed to a remix of various artists, PASSING BY (2012), was youthful, repetitive, and overly long. The free form movements, though well danced, did little to capture and hold the attention.

Capsule judgement: Antonio Brown, whose work was the centerpiece of EXPLORE DISCOVER (9/22/12) has great potential as a choreographer.  Though it might be incumbent upon a local reviewer to extol his work, it would not be a service to him or his audience.  Brown is  just developing a style and dance philosophy that will take years and maturity to polish, and needs honest evaluation to help him on his path.  Verb should be praised for giving the young man a chance to ply his creativity and give him a chance to experiment.

Carmen: Story of Passion

VERB BALLETS: creative CARMEN: STORY OF PASSION

Verb Ballets is in the midst of a reinvigoration project. The company has added several much needed new male dancers. The results were positively displayed in their production of CARMEN: STORY OF PASSION, their entry in DANCEWORKS 2012.

CARMEN is a sensual ballet based on Georges Bizet’s four-act opera. The music is noted for its melody, harmony and emotionality. It creates the proper mood for compassionate dance.

Choreographer Richard Dickinson has created a short story piece which takes advantage of the quality of the music, Verb’s new male dancers, and its fine female corps. 

Physically, the audience is seated in a formation that resembles a bull fighting ring. It fits the story of Carment, the fiery gypsy, who seduces men including Don José, a naïve soldier. In a fit of rage, Don José kills Escamillo, the glamorous toreador, who is another of Carmen’s lovers. The story highlights jealousy, immorality, lawlessness, seduction, sorrow, and revenge.

The entire company sets the proper moods. The audience is seduced into complicity as the dancers use empty chairs in the seating segment between exits and entrances.

The night I attended, Kara Madden, with flashing eyes and seductive moves, convincingly portrayed the hot tempered Carmen. Arthur Prettyman well danced Don José, Katie Gnagy portrayed Micaela, Don José’s jilted lover, with yearning tenderness. 

Brian Murphy’s take on Escamillo was refreshing. Usually the role is sung (in the opera) and danced (in the ballet version) with the egocentric disdain of an idolized toreador. Murphy, instead, gave a human quality to the characterization. Or Sagi, as Lieutenant Luniga, has a captivating stage presence which gives an added dimension to the male Verb presence.

Janet Bolick’s costumes fit the mood and era of the setting.

The missing element for many was the absence of the famous bull ring cape routine which is one of Verbs’ signature pieces. Though a wonderful visual image, it was wisely omitted. It would have distracted rather than added to the Dickinsonian image of the piece.

Rockin' Summer, Verb Ballets 7/11

ROCKIN’ SUMMER: Verb Ballets at Cain Park

It was a hot night in the open-air Cain Park Evans theatre. On stage was Verb Ballets performing a program with a world premiere by a former Cleveland School of the Arts dancer/choreographer and a duo of company premiers.

CONTIUUM, choreographed by Antonio Brown, with a Remix of music by Brown, featured mood setting lighting by Trad Burns.

The piece, whose movements well fit the changing moods of the sounds, was the highlight of the evening. Filled with energetic movements, the dancers performed with confidence and discipline. The creation was a moving collage of weaving bodies, aerobic dynamics, flowing arms, contrasting forms and visual energy.

Brown not only created a strong piece, but obviously found a way to work with the company’s many new, as well as the experienced dancers. Bravo Antonio, we want to see more of your work!

SONG WITHOUT WORDS is choreographer Heinz poll’s tribute to those lost in the Holocaust. It was performed to the live playing of pianist David Fisher, who performed for years with the Ohio Ballet under Poll. Fisher created the music’s arrangement.

The story ballet, was enhanced by dark mood lighting, highlighted by the darkening skies which could be seen over the black backdrop in front of a line of the park’s shimmering trees.

Poll’s purposeful choreography showed the strife of those who became victims of the Nazis. Poll based the story on the poem Butterfly by Czech poet, Pavel Friedman who spent much of the war in Thereisenstadt where the poem was found after the war. He died after being transferred to Aushwitz. The poem ends with the poignant line, “That butterfly was the last one. Butterflies don't live in here, in the ghetto.”

Though there was a lack of cohesion in several parts, an excellent duet by Brian Murphy and Stephanie Krise, some strong dancing by Rebecca Nicklos and Kara Madden, a nice trio by Katie Gnagy, Jason Wang and Danielle Brickman, and an angst filled solo by Jarrod Sickles, were the piece’s highlights.

The unspecific costumes didn’t visually set the mood nor identify the people. If these were Jews, why no yarmulkes, tizzies or the required gold stars of David?

The opening number, JANIS & JOE, a 2011-2012 company premiere, was ragged. The ballet, as choreographed by Christopher Fleming, seemed under rehearsed, with many tenuous movements, poor corps timing, and some weak partnering. Maybe all the new male dancers, and the inclusion of a group of youngsters, was just too much to coordinate, but, this was a disappointing and underwhelming performance.

Capsule judgement: Verb Ballets’ ROCKIN’ SUMMER was an uneven evening of dance. The performance’s highlight was CONTINUUM, choreographed by Cleveland School for the Arts’ graduate Antonio Brown.

Fresh Inventions

Verb Ballets presents FRESH INVENTIONS

For the last several years Verb Ballets has used their Cleveland Public Theatre’s DANCEWORKS presentation time to do some inventing and innovating. Last year they selected new works by local composers and matched each selection to a local choreographer. Given a short period of preparation and rehearsal time, and the use of any or all of the company of dancers, the presentations were an opportunity for local dance aficionados to see new works invented.

This year Verb tried a different approach. Couple a member of the dance company and a piece of sculpture and see what happens. The results were very mixed. But, it must be remembered that the pieces were works in progress, not complete and tested dances.

The evening opened with Brian Murphy’s choreography of WAR ELEGY, based on music of the same name by Katharine O’Connell, and played live by talented cellist Regina Mushabee. The melancholy musical score and dance were inspired by a series of grotesque sculpture pieces which were pictured in the program. Though generally well danced, the piece lacked the clear story line needed to make a strong emotional impact.

RECALLING TENSIONS OF MIND was choreographed by Stephanie Krise to music by Stephen Smith and played by a live string quartet. Using sculptural poses and tandem movements, the movements fit the abstract music.

BREACH, choreographed by Erin Conway Lewis, was performed to Michael Leese’s Klavierstück. Played on a synthesizer by Nicholas Underhill, the music had a strong undertone that was reflected in the movements. Unfortunately, there was errant coordination and a lack of precision among the dancers.

The only piece that did not fit the company choreographer/company dancer theme/sculpture piece was NOUMENON MOBILUS, a 2010-2011 season company premiere, which was originally conceived in 1953. It was choreographed by Alwin Nikolais, who also wrote the music and did the lighting concept. The futurist selection was performed by Kara Madden and Rebecca Nicklos, who were each encased in a Mylar-material bag. Sitting on and moving around stools, the duo moved by stretching the materials in cadence to the music. The overall effect was audience pleasing.

ECHOES OF SILENT SCREAMS was performed without music. Voices related the stories of seven people who had been interviewed by choreographer Antwon Duncan. The conceiver’s intent was to “spread awareness and courage to all the unheard screams out there.” Though the idea was well intentioned, the overall effect was lacking. A bad sound system made the stories almost unintelligible and the piece was way too long and repetitious.

The highlight of the evening was Terrence Greene’s CALLIGRAPHY work in progress. Set to various musical selections, the constant feeling of ribbons floating in space were visualized by the hand and body movements of the dancers. Rebecca J. Nicklos and Brian Murphy effectively represented Ernestine and Malcolm Brown, local art benefactors who were being honored.

Guest dancer Mariano Moreno Albano did little to add to the male members of the company. He appeared to lack concentration and was late in many of his corps movements.

Capsule judgment: FRESH INVENTIONS was another in the series of introducing local audiences to new ideas and choreography. The idea has merit, but doesn’t always reach high levels of performance. This can be expected since these are works in progress.

Inlet, Verb Ballets

Dance, dance, dance, dance

Roy Berko

(Member, Dance Critics Association)

Over the past few weeks the dance scene in the area has exploded. Four major concerts were scheduled…. Groundworks, Inlet Dance, Verb Ballets and Ohio Dance Theatre were all on stage. Unfortunately, due to the horrific weather, I only got to see two of the programs.

INLET DANCE

Inlet's SURPISING. INSPIRING. COLORFUL!, staged at the Chagrin Falls Performing Arts Center, featured revivals of past programs. The company is blessed with a strong corps. Joshua Brown and Justin Stentz are two of the most talented male dancers in the area. The duo exudes physical power and movement skills. Wisely, the ever-creative choreographer, Bill Wade, builds pieces around his testosterone duo. Inlet's females, Makaela Clark, Mackenzie Clevenger and Elizabeth Pollert are equally proficient. Since the company is an educational as well as performance troop, the regular dancers are often blended with young emerging talents. When this happens, as was obvious in ASCENSION, there is an obvious difference between the quality of the movements between the company members and the students. But with their company mission, this is acceptable.

The highlights of the Chagrin program were: SNOW, which found the dancers twirling, floating, doing smooth lifts and powerful moves, forming visual images of snow falling and moving; A CLOSE SHAVE, which has emerged into a signature piece, was delightful as Brown and Stentz displayed gymnastic moves with power and physical control as they mirrored each other while performing morning rituals. WONDEROUS BEASTS found the dancers transformed into creatures who hopped, jumped and made head thrusts while dressed in Kristin Wade's glorious costumes. The three and five year olds sitting behind me expressed awe and wonder during this segment of the program. IMPAIRED, a piece developed to illustrate life without sight, in which Brown and Mackenzie Clevenger perform the entire number while wearing blindfolds, brought positive audience reactions.

I can only wonder why Wade chose to end the program with BEAUTY IN TENSION, which finds the dancers covered over by stretch material trying to escape from the anxiety ridden times in which we live, thus leaving the audience on a downer, a well-done performance, but a downer just the same, rather than with the cartoon pop art romp BALListic in which the dancers proficiently frolic with huge red exercise balls to the delight of viewers.

VERB BALLETS

Performing before a sold-out house at the Breen Center, Verb Ballets's OPEN YOUR IMAGINATION was an evening of premieres.

Danced to throbbing sounds, TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, which was choreographed by Danial Shapiro and Joanie Smith, was dedicated to those who have loved and lost but are not forgotten. It featured the cast flipping and vaulting over, sliding on and under three benches while they intertwined in symmetrical and asymmetrical groupings. Unfortunately, the male dancers were not always in sync, which weakened the overall effect.

NOUNEMON MOBILUS, danced to atonal percussion music, found three dancers encased in stretch sacks of material creating visual images. BREATH, choreographed by the talented Terence Greene, featured the entire company, plus students from Greene's classes at the Cleveland School of the Arts. A powerful segment featured Brian Murphy and Terrence Greene. AMBIGIUOUS DRIVES, choreographed by Tommie-Waheed Evans, which featured the wonderful Katie Gnagy, was a fine creation consisting of balletic movements and some compelling lifts.

I believe that Verb Ballets is at a crossroads. The largest of the local dance companies, it continues to attract big audiences, but, if the comments I heard following the latest program are an indication, the sheen is wearing off. The company membership remains stagnant. They have an excellent corps of females dancers. Brian Murphy is the only male dancer who has the finite ability to do both quality solo and corps work. More effort needs to be made to attract proficient males. A quality company cannot continue with dancers who are over the hill, or are not well trained and lacking in experience, or fill in with apprentices. Verb's purpose is not as a training school. It bills itself as Cleveland's National Repertory Dance Company. Yes, proficient male dancers are hard to find, but if Groundworks and Inlet can succeed in finding them, why can't Verb?

Verb Ballets--8/10

Verb Ballets hits highs and lows at Cain Park

The night was warm with little humidity, the crowd was large, the setting perfect for an encompassing evening of dance. Verb Ballets presented its annual Cain Park program on August 6. The evening, which was populated by several world premieres and some reprisals of audience favorites, showcased both the strengths and weaknesses of Cleveland’s National Repertory Dance Company.

Program highlights included ‘TO HAVE AND TO HOLD,’ a 1989 piece, which was getting its 2010-2011 season company premiere. It was choreographed by Daniel Shapiro and Joanie Smith to the music of Scott Killian. The gymnastic piece, which was performed with the dancers moving on, over, beneath and beside a series of benches, included the entwining of bodies in vertical and horizontal interactions. The visual impact was excitement and wonder at the agility and daring of the dancers who often risked life and limb while performing the complicated moves.

Another audience pleaser was the well performed and conceived ‘AMBIGUOUS DRIVES’ in its world premiere. Choreographed creatively by Tommie-Waheed Evans, to the music of Greg Smith, the whirling dervish of movements fit the erratic sounds. The production was highlighted by outstanding performances by Katie Gnagy and Erin Conway Lewis.

‘THE FIDDLER,’ well performed to the Klemzer music of Samuel Matlowski, is a short piece based on stories by Sholem Aleichem, the Jewish Mark Twain, who mirrored his creations on life in the shettels (villages) of Eastern Europe. As is often pictured in the paintings of painter Marc Chagall, the fiddler represents Jewish tradition. Brian Murphy competently enacted the fiddler, who like the Jews in the Diaspora, are bent, but don’t break. Katie Gnagy as the mother and Erin Conway Lewis, as the daughter, were also excellent.

‘TARENTELLA,’ another season company premiere, was in need of dynamics. The Tarantella, a joyous Italian folk dance need to be exciting, filled with joy. Stephanie Krise sparkled, but Gary Lenington tromped around, unsmiling, creating the wrong visual and aesthetic illusion.

‘WINGS AND AIRES,’ the opening number, featured eye catching red costumes and many ill timed movements. The male corps was consistently out of step with each other. The highlight of the number was the second movement, nicely danced by Erin Conway Lewis and Brian Murphy.

‘CLICKS Crew,’ choreographed by Annalee Traylor, was an opportunity to showcase Verb’s Creative Liaisons Inspiring Cleveland’s Kids, a summer training program to engage teenagers interested in pursuing a career in dance. A combination of break dancing, modern movements and traditional ballet, it served its purpose of giving the kids a chance to show their skills.

The Cain Park program proved what has been known for some time. Verbs has a strong female corps, but is in desperate need of new male dancers. Except for Brian Murphy, none of the present group of male dancers is up to the task of dancing major roles or, in some cases, of displaying the concentration and skills needed to create sync in group movements. Though, at times Antwon Duncan, as he displayed in ‘TO HAVE AND TO HOLD’ can dance solo, he was consistently out of step when forced to coordinate movements with others. Lloyd Boyd Amir III just doesn’t have the training and control to be in a major company. Gary Lenington appears to be past his prime, often dancing flat footed. Why doesn’t Verb go on a search to find quality males? They are out there, they just have to be sought out.

Capsule judgement: VERB BALLETS’ Cain Park program had many highlights, but desperately needs to shore up its male dance corps.

Alex Berko appears with Verb Ballets

Alex Berko, the kid reviewer, to appear with Verb Ballets playing one of his compositions

Many of you know Alex Berko as the “kid reviewer” who accompanies me to theatre productions and gives his views on whether the play is kid friendly. What you may not know is that besides his theatre insights, he is an accomplished pianist and composer.

Alex will be one of the featured performers in Verb Ballets’ Fresh Inventions Series of New Works which pairs a composer with a choreographer who uses the members of Verb Ballets company to create a piece of dance.

Alex, who is 14 years old, fell in love with music very early and has been playing piano since the age of 4. He has had many musical accomplishments throughout the years. Alex was awarded 1st place in the 2009 Scholastic Composer’s Contest. He was selected as a young composer (2009) and as a performer (2008) for the Cleveland Composer’s Guild project, “Creativity; Learning through Experience.” Alex was chosen from over 100 students to receive the Samantha Richardson Award for outstanding leadership and musicianship at Orchard Middle School (Solon, OH). He was selected to train and perform with the Cleveland Chamber Music Camp in 2008. Alex has received consistent Superior ratings in the National Federation of Music Clubs annual piano competition. He currently studies composition with Dr. Stephen Stanziano, piano with Mrs. Sandra Shapiro (Cleveland Institute of Music, Cleveland, OH), and music theory with Mrs. Monica Houghton (Cleveland Institute of Music, Cleveland, OH). An honor roll student, Alex was a member of the Solon Middle School soccer team last fall.

Alex will be appearing on stage, playing his composition, Volcano Rhapsody.

Choreographers include Richard Dickinson, Kay Eichman, Diane Gray, Terence Greene, Lisa K. Lock, Troy McCarty, and Sara Whale. Besides Alex, the other composers are Larry Baker, Loris Chobanian, Ty Alan Emerson, Richard Rinehart, Nicholas Underhill, and Eric Ziolek.

The program will be presented at the Cleveland Public Theatre in the Gordon Square Theatre from April 8 to the 11th. CPT is located at 6415 Detroit Avenue in Cleveland. Performances are at 7 p.m. on the 8, 9 and 10 and at 3 p.m. on the 11th. Tickets, which are $10 on the 8th, and $21 on the other dates ($2 discount for students and seniors), may be obtained by calling 216-631-2727 or going on-line to www.cptonline.org.

Dance (Verb), Dance (Groundworks), Dance (Aspen Santa Fe Ballet)

DANCE (Verbs), DANCE (Groundworks), DANCE (Aspen Santa Fe Ballet)

There’s been a lot of dancing going on in Cleveland, with a lot more to come.

VERB BALLETS’ ‘HOMEGROWN” leads to audience enjoyment

Verb Ballets, performing before a Sunday afternoon family audience at the new Breen Center, on the campus of St. Ignatius High School, went back into their repertoire and pulled out some of their most audience friendly pieces. No premiers here, just tried and true pleasers.

The well selected program included an opening mini-lecture by Dr. Margaret Carlson, the company’s Chief Executive Officer and Artistic Officer, who gave a capsule summary of each piece. It was an excellent device for this audience, who, it appears, were mostly dance neophytes.

‘LADY BE GOOD,’ a ballroom theatre piece, was a reminder of the new rage of dance shows on TV. The jazz and scat music of George Gershwin was well interpreted by choreographer Gary Pierce, and the dancers.

‘LE CORSAIRE PAS DE DEUX’ exposed the audience to classical ballet. Beautifully performed by Brian Murphy and Jennifer Moll Safanovs, its highlights included excellent toe work, proficient leaps, strong coupling, and sprightly music and movement.

The music to ‘SPEED, THE ICARUS PROJECT’ brought squeals of delight from the children in the audience, familiar with the character of Speed Racer. A little static in movement, complete with some stumbles by Antwon Duncan, the piece did not hold the same fun power as previous enactments by the company. Katie Gnagy and Danielle Brickman were fine as the Wings.

‘VESPERS,’ with music by Mikel Rouse, was a visual enactment of passion and spirituality. The dancers stood and sat on, moved under, crawled beneath, and used chairs as the center point for their emotional feelings. A tribute to Martin Luther King, Ulysses Dove’s intricate choreography, as restaged by Dawn Carter, was filled with symbolism. This is one of the company’s signature pieces, and justifiably so.

The program ended with Pamela Pribisco’s ‘PETER AND THE WOLF. It was charmingly danced to the music of Sergei Prokofiev. The children in the audience verbally reacted to the familiar story and actions.

Verb’s next offering will be ‘CLEVELAND COMPOSERS, CLEVELAND CHOREOGRAPHERS, which is part of Dance Works 2020 at Cleveland Public Theatre from April 8 to the 11th. For information go to cptonline.org or call 216-631-2727.

GROUNDWORKS presents world premiere as part of Breen Center program

The Breen Center was the home to Groundworks DanceTheatre’s most recent concert. Made up of three pieces, the program again highlighted the uniform dancing excellence of the company. The six company members were nearly flawless in interpreting the works of three different choreographers.

‘POLARITY,’ staged by David Shimotakahara to atonal music composed and recorded by Gustavo Aguilar, created an abstract work centering on the internal and external impulses and forces of the performers. Though a little long, the dancers, dressed in striking orange costumes, used angular body moves, straight and bent arms and intertwining of bodies to create visual images of connections and disconnections of thought and action. Highlights of the piece included a mesmerizing solo by Kelly Brunk, who has developed into a premiere dancer since he joined the company 2008, and a duet coupling Brunk and powerhouse Amy Miller.

‘DELAYED,’ another abstract piece, was performed to the atonal sounds of Terry Riley. Supposedly developed as a movement piece which created a distinctive dance vocabulary. The dancing was well performed, but the repetition of movement and theme became somewhat tedious.

‘JUST YESTERDAY’ was an unusual piece for Danceworks. A combination of speaking, singing and dancing, with an excellent concept, some of the impact was lost because the vocalizations by the dancers were not always easy to hear. Too bad there wasn’t a way to individually mic the performers. The general idea came across, but with better audio, the effect could have been greater. Choreographer Dianne McIntyre did an excellent job of creating movement to parallel to the recollection and lasting family impressions of the dancers.

A benefit for Groundworks will be held on Saturday, March 13, at Windows on the River. The company will at the Philomethian Center in Chagrin Falls on February 20 at 8 p.m. and will be at the Cleveland Play House as part of Fusion Fest from April 22 to the 25th. For information go to www.groundworksdance.org or call 216-691-3180.

ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET to perform at the Ohio Theatre

Dance Cleveland and Playhouse Square Center presents the ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET on Saturday, February 27 at 8 PM and Sunday, February 28 at the Ohio Theatre. This fresh young company has established itself as one of America's leading contemporary ballet companies with their eclectic repertoire, musicality, athleticism and all-out dancing. For tickets and information call 216-241-6000 or go to playhousesquare.org.

Verb Ballets--80 Years of Contemporary Dance

Varied Verb program on pointe!

For its latest offering Verb Ballets, Cleveland’s “National Repertory Dance Company,” celebrated 80 years of contemporary dance. The results, showcased at the new Breen Center for the Performing Arts on the St. Ignatius High School campus, were very positive.

The program was introduced with a mini-lecture by Dr. Margaret Carlson, Verbs’ Chief Executive and Artistic Officer, concerning the development of contemporary dance and the founders of the movement.

Following the well-presented introduction, the dance segment opened with a fascinating interpretation of ‘LAMENTATION,’ Martha Graham’s 1930 ballet, which finds a solo dancer seated on a bench, enclosed in a long tube of material stretching and pushing the textile to its boundaries of elasticity. Katie Gnagy, emotionally moved within the boundaries of the fabric to show the frustration of the confinement and its resulting grief and emotion.

‘CROSS CURRENTS,’ a company premiere of a 1964 Merce Cunningham dance, was danced to the atonal piano music of Conlon Nancarrow. Using stylistic moves, in a robotic pattern, the controlled bodies of the dancers were a vision of pure abstraction. The overall effect was excellent, thanks to Ashley Cohen and Katie Gnagy who were in total control of their moves. Unfortunately, Antwon Duncan seemed uncomfortable, tentative and had difficulty holding the necessary freezes.

Ian Horvath was the cofounder of Cleveland Ballet. One of his high point choreographic creations is the 1975 ‘LAURA’S WOMEN,’ based on the music of Laura Nyro’s “Poverty Train.” An excerpt from the ballet was presented with a restaging by Carlson. Erin Conway Lewis gave an absorbing interpretation to an exploration of Schizophrenia.

A company standard, Heinz Poll’s ‘DUET,’ was again danced by the company’s strong male dancer, Brain Murphy, but with a new partner. Due to an injury, Andrea Blankstein, a member of the Ballet Theatre of Ohio, stepped in. The result was a different, but charming interpretation. Blankstein added a delicate presence. Her toe work, smooth movements and partnering skills were all on pointe. The lifts and carries were well executed. Blankstein and Murphy made the work look effortless and were in perfect sync with each other and the music.

‘SLEEP STUDY,’ David Parson’s 1987 choreographed piece to the music “High Wire,” was restaged by Carlson. Costumed in pajamas, the dancers rolled on the floor, sometimes along side each other, sometimes onto someone, sometimes in tandem with other sleepers. The overall effect of everyday sleeping movements, well-timed to music, was totally enjoyable.

Heinz Poll’s brilliant 1996 creation, ‘BOLERO,’ was mesmerizing. The enveloping Maurice Ravel score lends itself to a well-disciplined corps of dancers. And, in the main, Amy Miller’s restaging developed the needed patterned movements. A fusion of Indian and Spanish movements, the precision piece concluded to screams of pleasure from the audience.

Combine martial arts with music and the results can be compelling, as demonstrated by ‘TAI-QI KUNG FU FAN FORM,’ a piece developed for the 2008 Chinese-hosted Olympics. Having been in China shortly before those games, I saw groups of people in the parks in various cities doing this “routine.” Little did I realize that it would some day be included in a contemporary dance program. Using fans to create both visual illusions and a strong snapping sound, the piece required precision. In general, most of the company was capable of creating the right illusions.

‘THE GATHERING,’ choreographed by Terence Green, who, among other credits, has worked with students at the Cleveland School of the Arts, received its world premiere as the closing number on Verbs’ program. The four movement composition about vision of community and belonging, centered its movements around, on and under ten chairs and a table. The dancers often vaulted off and balanced on the set pieces, to enthusiastic reaction.

Verbs’ evening of dance was audience pleasing. However, they still need to find male dancers to accompany the always excellent Brian Murphy. Their latest applicants don’t totally fill their needs. Antwon Duncan often moves without enthusiasm and precision. Gary Lenington seems well disciplined, but his fullback build seems to limit his freedom of movement. Nehemia Spencer and Lloyd Amir Boyd III, both students at the Cleveland School of the Arts, have great potential, but need more training and experience. So, the search should go on for males to balance the excellent females in the company.

Capsule judgement: Verbs’ ’80 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY DANCE,’ was a bravo evening of dance. It passed the difficult test of holding the rapt attention of a large contingent of students from the Cleveland School of the Arts, who even stopped texting long enough to be an appreciative audience. Well done!

Dance, dance and more dance (Pointe of Departure, Verb Ballets)

Dance, dance and more dance!

The area has had a healthy dose of dance in the last couple of weeks, with more to come. Since the past programs aren’t going to be repeated, here are some quick comments about each and then some previews of what’s next.

POINTE OF DEPARTURE

On July 31, POINTE OF DEPARTURE, Karen Gabay and Raymond Rodriguez’s ballet company, took center stage at Cain Park. The duo, the former wunderkinds of the Cleveland San Jose Ballet, are local favorites. Several years ago they returned to the area for a summer concert with the promise of forming a permanent ballet company. Such a corps is needed as local companies are basically modern and contemporary groups.

The program, which was a series of duets, was danced to recorded music, and was well balanced as the classics blended with more modern pieces. The highlights included a delightful opening (COPPELIA, EXCERPT FROM ACT II) staring Gabay and Rodriguez. Also appealing was NUTCRACKER, GRANDE PAS DE DEUX, ACT II. Jing Zhang was lovely and the dynamic, high flying Damir Emric, displayed compelling stage presence. RAYMONDA, PAS DE DEUX AND VARIATIONS, ACT III, which showcased Gabay and the exciting Ramon Moreno, was another program highpoint. NUTCRACKER, SNOW PAS DE DEUX, ACT I, was exquisitely performed by Zhang and Emric.

The women dancers were generally good, the males with the exception of Moreno and Emric, were weak, doing more posing and walking then dancing.

Capsule judgement: The area needs a ballet company. It’s too bad the economy won’t support making POINTE OF DEPARTURE a local fixture.


VERB BALLETS

On August 7, the stage of Cain Park lit up with the reinvigorated Verb Ballets. Having reorganized itself, adding new performers, and expanding its repertoire, the company took another forward step, though there were a few glitches.

The program opened with what appeared to be the under rehearsed URBAN STUDY, a mirror of the gritty and cold atmosphere of NYC, as choreographed by Ginger Thatcher. The unit timing was generally off, and the hand and body angles of dancers often not in sync. The highlight was a duet section performed by Brian Murphy and Jennifer Moll Safonovs.

ELEGIAC SONG, a Heinz Poll piece, as restaged by Jan Startzman, was a “wow” selection, with choreography perfectly matching the plaintive tones of Shostakovich’s music. Jennifer Moll Safanovs, again shone forth. Unfortunately, newcomer Antwon Duncan, as was the case throughout the evening, was flatfooted, not precise, and showed little enthusiasm. The women were excellent and Trad Burns lighting added greatly to setting the proper mood.

Safonovs and Murphy were strong in TSCHAIKOVSKY PAS DE DEUX as choreographed by George Balanchine. The duo works well together. Their partnering is precise, their moves fully executed, their talent shining through.

LADY BE GOOD, in its world premiere, closed the program. Choreographed by Gary Pierce to the music of George Gershwin, it was a well danced piece with formality, fun and smart moves. It was a pleasant way to end the evening.

Capsule judgement: The Cain Park Verb performance was a solid program. With the exception of several male dancers, the company did an excellent job of changing moods and dance style requirements.


JOFFREY BALLET

The Blossom Festival will present ballet performances, for
the first time since the 1988 season. On August 22 and 23 The Joffrey Ballet will perform four signature works, accompanied by the Cleveland Orchestra. Place: Blossom Music Center, 1145 W Steels
Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223. For tickets: (330) 920-8040 or
www.ticketmaster.com.


DANCING WHEELS

On August 20, Dancing Wheels, will perform at Cain Park. The company is the first modern dance ensemble to integrate professional stand-up and sit-down (wheelchair) dancers. . For tickets call 216-371-3000.


DANCE SHOWCASE AT PLAYHOUSE SQUARE

Playhouse Square presents its seventh annual Dance Showcase on Friday, September 11 at 7 p.m. in the Ohio Theatre. Featuring eight of Northeast Ohio ’s professional dance companies, the performance highlights a wide array of dance styles from contemporary to ballet.

The companies performing are Antaeus Dance, Dance/Theater Collective, The Dancing Wheels Company, Foreground Dance, Inlet Dance Theatre, Ohio Dance Theater, Travesty Dance Group and Verb Ballets.

For tickets call 216-241-6000 or go to www.playhousesquare.org.

Verb Ballet 5/09

VERB makes quick recovery….they are back on top of their game!

Last April my headline for Verb Ballet’s dance concert read, “‘VERB good, but needs to step up their game.” I went on to say that “I consider Verb Ballets to be one of the best dance companies in the area. I have watched in pleasant joy as the company matured. Unfortunately, in the last year, I’ve seen what I consider a stagnation setting in. They haven’t upped their game.”

Little did I know that Dr. Margaret Carlson, the company’s Chief Executive Officer and the Board were looking for a solution to situation which one Board member called, “stopping the careening train by pulling the emergency cord.” In contrast to such organizations as the Ohio Ballet and Cleveland Ballet, which went belly up because of poor management, this group was on top of the issue and took swift action. From the looks of the company’s recent showing at Fusion Fest, they identified the problem and provided a solution. They replaced the artistic director, have gone out to find new male corps members, and changed the course of the company. Congrats to all who brought about this transition.

Their Fusion Fest program consisted of two acts. The first, a mélange of short pieces, included ‘VESPERS,’ a company staple, which examines the passion and the spirituality of women with faith. The piece, as choreographed by Ulysses Dove, has been restaged by Dawn Carter. It is one of the offerings that I panned last year for lacking discipline. The precision of this year’s version attests to the change of attitude and the improved focus of the company. The crisp and swift movements as six female dancers moved between two sets of chairs, sitting on, moving under, jumping astride and flowing around the seating devices, was intense and impressive.

‘ONE,’ as choreographed by one of the company’s newest additions, Michael Medcalf, the former artistic director of Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre, was outstanding. Medcalf and Brian Murphy, one of the area’s top male dancers, displayed strong muscularity in developing a contemporary ballet vision, to Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings.” The dancers flowed as they moved together and apart to create beautiful stage pictures.

‘THE NATURE OF THINGS: BROWNIAN MOVEMENT,’ was also choreographed by Medcalf to music by J. Swinscoe and J. Ellis. Starting slow, the dancing evolved into a joyous free dance echoing the musical sound. The costumes, women in softly flowing white and aqua material, and the men, bare-chested in white leotards, helped create appealing visual allusions, which were highlighted by Trad Burns’ lighting. The choreography clearly reflected botanist Robert Brown’s theory of the random movement of tiny particles mingling in a multitude of ways. The dancers’ facial expressions displayed a joy of freedom of movement and positive attitude.

The evening’s highlight was an original piece conceived by Dianne McIntyre. ‘IN THE GROOVE AND OVER THE TOP,’ is a conversation of music and dance. It combines the fine jazz offerings of a trio consisting of piano, bass and drums (Drene Ivy, Glenn Holmes and Robert Hubbard, Jr.), with vocal offerings (Mariama Whyte) and dancers (Michael Medcalf, Erin Conway Lewis, Catherine Meredith Lambert, Antwon Duncan, and Telly Fowler) to create what appeared to be an improvisational blending of sound and movement. In reality, the improvisation was finely developed and rehearsed. The results were involving and sensational. The number consisted of a series of different blendings. First just jazz music, then music and full company dance, then singing and dancing, then drum and dance, piano and dance, vocal scatting and dance, music alone, then a capella dance, and finally the blending of all elements. Wow!

Capsule judgement: Verb Ballet is back to its former level of excellence in a big way! Congrats to Margaret Carlson and the company’s visionary board who made changes when changes were needed!

Dance Preview, April/May 2009

VerbBallets, Alvin Ailey and CPT’s Dance Works ’09

There’s going to be a lot of dancing goin’ on in Cleveland in the next month. Verb Ballets, Alvin Alley American Dance Theatre and Cleveland Public Theatre’s ‘DANCE WORKS ‘09’ will be populating various area stages.

VERB BALLETS Gets In The Groove!

Verb Ballets, Cleveland’s National Repertory Dance Company, returns to Play House’s FusionFest for a two-night stand that highlights the company’s season of collaborations, called ‘IN THE GROOVE!’

New works from nationally respected choreographers Dianne McIntyre, Michael Medcalf, and Ulysses Dove will be showcased.

Performances take place May 1 and 2, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the Cleveland Play House.

Reserved seats are available by calling 216-795-7000 or through www.clevelandplayhouse.com.

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER

A notable event is taking place in Cleveland mid-May. The ‘ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR’ comes to Playhouse Square May 15-17, 2009 at the State Theatre.

The company is presented by PlayhouseSquare in partnership with DANCECleveland.

The program, featuring excerpts of over a dozen ballets spanning each decade of Alvin Ailey’s career, includes beloved works as well as rare gems not seen in three decades. Beginning with Blues Suite, the dance that launched the company in 1958, to Opus McShann, his final piece thirty years later, and closing with the classic Revelations, this retrospective demonstrates the range and resonance of one man’s genius.

For tickets, which range in price from $10 to $70, call 216-241-6000 or go on-line to www.playhousesquare.org.

DanceWorks 09 at Cleveland Public Theatre

April 23 - April 26
Inlet Dance Theatre
Acclaimed both locally and internationally, Inlet Dance Theatre's accessible and powerful signature choreography speaks about the human condition. Repertory for the engagement features world premieres including a work based on the company's recent global travels, along with a remounting of the heartfelt Memoriate.

April 30 - May 3
Antaeus Dance
Directed and choreographed by Joan Meggitt, the company presents Molt, which explores the transformation that results from stripping away undesirable habits and patterns to reveal the essence of the individual.

May 7 - May 10
Ohio Dance Theatre
Choreographed by Denise Gula, Ohio Dance Theatre premieres Silent Witness, a multimedia work that reveals the darkness of the human soul, by honoring victims of domestic violence. Also presented is Spindrift, a contemporary ballet performed to the music of Vivaldi's Four Seasons.

May 14 - May 17
Double-Edge Dance
XspanD is a series of solos and duets formed around the spans of time, memory and relationships. Choreographed by Kora Radella, Julie Brodie and Balinda Craig-Quijada, the pieces are danced to new music composed by Ross Feller and performed by violinist Dorothy Martirano and bassist Armand Beaudion.

May 21 - May 24
Open Window Dance Company
Choreography by Tammy Metz Starr, Coloring Pages, uses IWDC’s unique approach to painting the stage with dances drawn from Asian movement forms.

For tickets to all DanceWorks 09 performances, call 216-631-2727, x501

Verb Ballets-2/09

Verb Ballets back on pointe! Coming dance attractions.

During most of the past seven years, Verb Ballets was one of the most exciting dance venues in the area. Then, about a year and-a-half ago, they seemed to lose their focus. The programs seemed disorganized and the dancers seemed to be going through the motions. They lost company members and did not replace them.

A change in artistic management took place, dancers were added and deleted, and it has done a world of good. The company’s recent program, presented as part of the Chagrin Arts 2009 Winter Series and performed at Chagrin Falls High School’s beautiful Performing Arts Center, was a return to the shining days of the past. The company’s pieces ranged from traditional ballet, to contemporary and modern dance, to a youth-centered offering, to the late Heinz Poll’s ‘BOLERO.’ All were well performed. There was precision and a renewed positive attitude.

The opening piece, ‘VESPERS,’ choreographed by Ulysses Dove, with restaging by Dawn Carter, was a disciplined work, centering around a series of chairs, which were sat on, jumped on and over, straddled, and balanced upon. Based on the passions and the spirituality of women who have faith, it was danced to the music of Mikel Rouse.

Brian Murphy, one of the best male dancers in the area, was splendid as the solo performer in David Dearling’s ‘DARK WOOD.’ He displayed complete body control as he moved with assurance and power . This was a tour de force.

‘PETER AND THE WOLF’ was danced to the vocal narration of the late Leonard Bernstein and the recorded music of Sergei Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf,” which uses a musical instrument to represent each of the animals and the people in the piece. For example, the flute represented the bird; the oboe, the duck; the clarinet, the cat; and grandfather was showcased by the bassoon. The delightful interpretation by Pamela Pribisco was well costumed by Gino Ventura. Though the pacing of the piece was a little languid, the children in the audience seemed delighted through out.

Jennifer Moll Safonovs and Brian Murphy, added grace and beauty to the program, dancing Heinz Poll’s ‘classically conceived ANDANTE SOSTENUTO.’ The pas de deux, set to Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 2, was a visual delight as the duo performed floating lifts, alert partnering, and smooth classic movements with ease and assurance.

The program ended with the spirited ‘BOLERO,’ complete with the waving cloaks of the bull fight. The conclusion was met with an enthusiastic and well deserved standing ovation from the sizeable crowd.
Capsule judgement: Welcome back Verb Ballets!

2009 Dance Preview

Area dance presentations: Merce Cunningham, Verb Ballets, Ballet Hispanico,

Arts patrons will be happy to know that dance returns to the area with two internationally recognized companies and the “reconstituted” Verb Ballets. Presentations include:

MERCE CUNNINGHAM DANCE

Returning to Cleveland after 23 years, the Merce Cunningham Dance Company takes the stage on Saturday, January 31, 2009 at 8 p.m. at the Ohio Theatre.

Considered “the world’s greatest living choreographer,” American modern dance icon Merce Cunningham shows his remarkable genius with every performance of his company. Included is the highly lauded 1970s work, Second Hand, which advanced his reputation for exploring the relationship between dance and music through collaborations with contemporary visual artists and musicians. This influential work features costumes by renowned visual artist Jasper Johns and a score by John Cage, Cunningham’s longtime collaborator and close artistic colleague.

Admission to the performance ranges from $25 to $60. For tickets call 216-241-6000 or go online to playhousesquare.org or DANCECleveland.org. To purchase tickets as part of a subscription package for VIVA & Gala Around Town, contact the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Box Office at 800-CMA-0033 or online at Clevelandart.org.


VERB BALLETS

On Saturday, February 7, 2009, Verb Ballets performs at Chagrin Falls High School, in the beautiful new Performing Arts Center. The family-friendly program includes Pamela Pribisco’s Peter and the Wolf; Ulysses Dove's Vespers; Hernando Cortez’s Darkwood; and two works by famed Ohio Ballet founder Heinz Poll: Duet, a romantic pas de deux, and the propulsive, captivating Bolero.

Verb Ballets’ company of dancers includes Danielle Brickman, Ashley Cohen, Katie Gnagy, Michael Medcalf, Catherine Meredith Lambert, Erin Conway Lewis, Brian Murphy, and Anna Roberts.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for students, and are available by calling the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre box office at 440-247-8955 or by visiting www.chagrinfoundation.org.


BALLET HISPANICO

Acclaimed New York City-based Ballet Hispanico comes to the Ohio Theatre in PlayhouseSquare for performances on Feb. 20-21 as part of a 16-city national tour.

This dynamic company, whose diverse choreography is infused with traditional Latin and Spanish movements, will perform at 8 p.m. Friday evening and at a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee, co-presented by DANCECleveland and Cuyahoga Community College. Prior to the Saturday matinee performance, a family festival at 1 p.m. in the Ohio Theatre lobby will showcase Latin culture with dancing, drumming and family activities. Tri-C will also host a free Showtime at High Noon on Friday for students from noon-1 p.m.

A highlight of the Friday evening repertory will be Tito on Timbales, accompanied by the sizzling Latin Rhythm Percussion Ensemble performing live on stage with the company. Other dances on the program include: Club Havana, choreography by Pedro Ruiz; Tres Bailes by Jean Emile; and Ritmo y Ruido by Ann Reinking.

The Saturday matinee will celebrate Ballet Hispanico’s 39th anniversary under the leadership of Founder Tina Ramirez with the revival of Stages. The company will also dance Tito on Timbales and Ritmo y Ruido.

For tickets call 216-241-6000 or go online at playhousesquare.org. For group tickets and for information about the Saturday matinee family festival call DANCECleveland at 216-991-9000

Lar Lubovitch Dance, Verb Ballets (11/1/08)

Lar Lubovitch Dance captivates, Verb Ballets needs to ask itself some questions

Within the last several weeks, Cleveland’s dance enthusiasts were given several opportunities to see major dance companies. Lar Lubovitch Dance is one of America’s most highly acclaimed dance companies. Verb Ballets is recognized as a leading local company. They both danced at the Ohio Theatre a week apart.

Lar Lubovitch, the founder of the company which bears his name, is generally recognized as a staging super star. He has choreographed more than 100 dances for his New York based company, as well as directing Broadway shows. His background as a painter carries over into his choreography. He uses the bodies of the dancers to paint fascinating pictures. He also directs the costume designers and lighting technicians to enhance his visual images. The overall effect is captivating.

The program, sponsored by Tri-C Performing Arts and DANCECleveland, was performed to a near sold-out house. Their enthusiastic applause and verbal responses attested to their delight with the evenings’ offerings which included a mélange of ballet, modern, contemporary and ethnic dance.

“Allegro,” the opening segment of “Concerto Six Twenty-Two,” was a composition of flowing bodies costumed in white which incorporated lines and circles with a gymnastic center and humorous inserts. “Adagio,” which examined friendship, was totally charismatic. It featured the powerful lifts and intertwining of the bodies of Jay Franke and George Smallwood. “Rondo” had a wonderful “aw shucks” attitude.

“Jangle” was a brilliant interpretation of four Hungarian dances complete with hand slaps, bottle dance-like movements and other ethnic moves. There was a perfect parallel between the musical sounds and the movements.

“Dvorák Serenade” was a balletic interpretation of the music of Antonin Dvorák. Consisting of four segments, it captivated the audience with flowing movements and the creation of attractive visual images. Strong dancing by Mucuy Bolles and Scott Rink, a long-time company member, made the piece captivating.

Capsule judgement: Lar Lubovitch presented a wonderful evening of dance. This is a world class company. It can only be hoped that Tri-C and DANCECleveland will bring back this exciting ensemble.

As exciting as Lar Lubovitch was, that’s almost how disappointing Verb Ballets has been in their recent concerts. Verb has been one of my favorite local companies. In the past I’ve raved about the creative direction of the company. Unfortunately, in the last year or so, I’ve seen a deterioration of energy and creativity. There are seemingly multiple causes. The loss of two strong male dancers who were not replaced has led to the lack of a strong male presence. Company members seem distracted, not displaying enthusiasm, not excited by what they are dancing. The corps has traditionally danced in sync. There was a precision to the movements. This, too, has not been maintained.

“Verb Ballets All Stars!” was an interesting concept. The combining of three Ohio dance companies. The results was a pleasant, but not captivating evening of dance.

The opening piece, danced to Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,” was staged by Hernando Cortez, Verb’s artistic director. A strong solo by Brian Murphy, one of the company’s strengths, was the highlight of the piece. The flowing movements, accented by flowing hands and tilted bodies, centered on the religious use of body positions which created illusions of the cross.

‘UNRESOLVED’ was a short piece by the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, which examined conflicted lovers. The piece, which had a strong emotional center, was well received by the audience.

“RUBIES, originally choreographed by George Balanchine, was performed by the Cincinnati Ballet. It was a pleasant piece whose movements did not always parallel the music.

“AFTERIMAGE,” was choreographed by Verb’s Hernando Cortez. It was an investigation of being human and was performed by combination of Verbs Ballets and the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company members. The first segment, “Afterimage,” was adequately danced by Sydney Ignacio, but lacked dynamism and precision. Brian Murphy gave a strong and controlled performance in “Dark Wood.” Hershel Deandre Horner III of the Dayton Company, was very effective in “A Moment More.”

The final segment, 'VESPERS, was performed by Verb Ballets and choreographed by Ulyssses Dove and restaged by Dawn Carter. It was danced to the music of Mikel Rouse. The physically exhausting piece, was generally well danced. The fast movements from chair to chair paralleled the passions and spirtuality of women who have a faith and belief in God that allows them to race physically and emotionally from place to place, life problem to life problem. The only weakness was the consistent breakdown of timing from the middle of the straight lines. One of the dancers was always too early or too late in her movements, thus causing a lack of visual unity.

Capsule judgement: The idea of bringing three major Ohio dance companies together was an excellent scheme. It would be a good idea to duplicate this effort in the future. As for Verb Ballets...it appears that the company’s leadership needs to ask itself how it can regain its past path, because lately the magic is gone.

Verb Ballet ("to hope")

‘VERB’ good, but needs to step up their game

I consider Verb Ballets to be one of the best dance companies in the area. I have watched in pleasant joy as the company matured. Unfortunately, in the last year, I’ve seen what I consider a stagnation setting in. They haven’t upped their game.

The females in the company are outstanding. They consistently are up to the task of interpreting the works of Artistic Director Hernando Cortez and guest choreographers.

Early this year Verb lost two of its male dancers. Neither has been replaced. This leaves the company with three male dancers. The very proficient Brian Murphy; Robert Wesner, who is a fine solo dancer but doesn’t always pull back and blend when he is dancing in corps, and Sydney Ignacio, who does excellent leaps, but does not fit in with Cortez’s disciplined style.

Yes, it is difficult to find strong male dancers, but if Verb is to continue to grow and not atrophy, it needs to find two or at least one very strong male dancer. The missing link was evident in their recent ‘to hope’ program at Fusion Fest ’08.

‘APPALACHIAN SPRING,’ is subtitled “Ballet for Martha” because of its strong ties to choreographer Martha Graham, who created the dance in 1944. Verb has performed this piece many times. In spite of strong performances by Murphy, Catherine Meredith and Katie Gnagy, this was the company’s weakest rendition of the Graham classic. Sydney Ignacia simply does not have the stage presence and power to portray the fanatic Revivalist whose followers quake at his every command and blindly follow his lead. In addition, The Followers often reverted to a pounding on the ground pattern, that evoked laughter from some of the audience. This is the not the intended purpose of that choreography.

In Cortez’s ‘TWO HOURS THAT SHOOK THE WORLD,’ another revival, Wesner did what he does best, shine as a soloist. Though Cortez contends that he did not set out to create a 9/11 tribute, the piece does have much of a disaster-centered theme. The chaos, panic and strong movements project an emotional core. Edward Hille’s video background helps create the mood, though watching a video of dancers paralleling the movements on stage could confuse some. Why not just accept that this is a 9/11 piece and have the video show the destructive holocaust of the fall of the Twin Towers. The ending seemed to catch the audience by surprise, not realizing that the piece was over they sat quietly sitting, waiting. Waiting for whatever.

‘THE YELLOW RIVER,’ in its world premiere, was an agreeable piece that used ballet movements to interpret Asian music (Jian Zhong-Wang’s “The Yellow River Concerto”) and the classical “The Mermaid Ballet Suite: Waterweed.” Though the dancers were not always in sync, the overall effect was generally positive. The piece allowed an opportunity for the company’s interns to perform. The lovely female costumes were designed by Suzy Campbell.

Capsule judgement: Verb's latest dance concert was good, but they need to step up and be great!