The newest moves: Summer dance
Share with others:
Pittsburgh's summer dance is already in full swing with the Kelly-Strayhorn's newMoves Festival and most of the local professionals will be making appearances along the way. Of particular interest are the hip-hop masters of Rennie Harris Puremovement, who will be hitting the August Wilson Center next week. Mr. Harris has become the global spokesman for this dynamic American style of dance and is a primary influence in moving hip-hop into the realm of a structured concert dance form. But there's still plenty of street-wise excitement to their ultra-cool moves.
NEWMOVES CONTEMPORARY DANCE FESTIVAL: A festival for those who like a contemporary edge to their movement. The lineup, different each night, features Philadelphia's Nichole Canuso and New York's Camille A. Brown on Friday, Pittsburgh independent choreographers on Saturday and YouthMoves on Sunday (May 14-16). 412-363-3000 or www.kelly-strayhorn.org.
PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATRE PRE-PROFESSIONAL SHOWCASE: While the advanced students will perform "Etudes" and a premiere by Viktor Plotnikov, there will also be an new emphasis on traditional pas de deux to spotlight graduate students at Point Park University's George Rowland White Performance Studio (May 15-16). 412-281-6727 or www.pbt.org.
RENNIE HARRIS PUREMOVEMENT: This Philadelphia group is the centerpiece of First Voice, produced by the August Wilson Center and running May 20-23. PureMovement takes the stage with a quartet of hip-hop works including "PFunk" and "Students of the Asphalt Jungle" (May 21). 412-456-6666 or www.pgharts.org.
AUGUST WILSON DANCE ENSEMBLE: Greer Reed-Jones' burgeoning new ensemble, ranging from age 15 to 30, concludes First Voice (May 23). 412-456-6666 or www.pgharts.org.
PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATRE SCHOOL: All levels, beginning through advanced, get their moment in the spotlight, culminating in Harald Landers' crescendo of ballet combinations from barre to leaps, "Etudes" (May 28). 412-456-6666 or www.pbt.org.
DANCE ALLOY THEATER: DAT continues to focus on the local community with a pair of informal sessions at the company's Friendship studios, "African Rainbow" (June 4) and "Pittsburgh Choreographers" (July 2). 412-363-4321 or www.dancealloy.org.
ATTACK THEATER: Look for the Attackers at Three Rivers Arts Festival, which commissioned a dance premiere complete with Dave Eggar and his musical buddies (June 4-6).
First Published May 14, 2010 12:00 am
