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All in modern troupe step up to teach, perform in E.J. Thomas world premiere
By Elaine Guregian
Beacon Journal arts and culture writer
POSTED: 01:45 p.m. EDT, Sep 24, 2008
When the University of Akron opened its spacious, up-to-date dance center two years ago, it was obvious that the students and young dancers in its Dance Institute would benefit.
Who could have foreseen, though, that a partnership with a modern dance presenter in Cleveland would also boost the ballet-based program at UA — and bring top-notch contemporary dance to the public?
Last year, DanceCleveland partnered with UA for a residency by Alonzo King's Lines Ballet. After a week of classes for students taught by King's ballet master, the whole company gave a dazzling public performance at E.J. Thomas Hall. The concert marked DanceCleveland's first presentation in Akron.
This year's project is even bigger.
Audiences can see the final product at 8 p.m. Oct. 4, when New York's Doug Varone and Dancers perform at E.J. Thomas Hall. The concert includes the world premiere of Alchemy, choreographer/dancer Varone's response to the story of American-Jewish journalist Daniel Pearl, who was executed in Pakistan in 2002.
For a complete picture of Varone's company in Akron, you'd need to slip into the seven studios of the Dance Center early in the week.
From Monday through Wednesday afternoon, the entire nine-member company will visit the dance department.
Most companies want to bring just a dancer or two for residencies. Not artistic director Doug Varone.
''Doug was like, 'I want them all there,' '' said DanceCleveland's executive director, Pam Young.
Varone has choreographed for theater, opera, fashion and television. He wanted his dancers to touch every kind of dance that students learn, said Neil Sapienza, director of the School of Dance, Theatre and Arts Administration at the University of Akron.
''We ultimately decided, we're just going to turn the dance program over to (the whole company) for three days. They're basically teaching every class we have here at the dance program: modern classes, ballet, dance philosophy and criticism, choreography, dance as an art form,'' Sapienza said. Advanced students from the Dance Institute, which enrolls students through the high school level, will have their own classes.
Varone began a relationship with the dance program at the university last year. Then, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts allowed two of his company members to visit and set his dance Bel Canto on university students, who performed it in a spring program. Next week's residency continues the partnership.
What lured the New York company to Akron this fall? The luxury of rehearsal time and space, which can be out of reach in New York City. The company will have six days of unlimited access to studio space. They'll also have two extra days in the theater, with production staff, to work out the lighting and technical aspects of Alchemy.
Students will have the valuable chance to be taught by professionals and to watch them at work. All of the company's rehearsals will be open to the student dancers. Varone will allow students to watch tech rehearsals, too.
In return for the week's use of the studios and theater, UA and E.J. Thomas Hall will be credited as commissioners of Alchemy, a tagline that will follow the piece in program books any time the dance is performed in the future.
''Dance is being pretty besieged around the country. As the economy has gone south, fewer venues are bringing dance because it's hard to make it break even. It loses money, hand over fist . . . so the fact that E.J. is willing to do this, and that the Dance Center is willing to do this and look at it as an opportunity, not as a challenge, is really unprecedented,'' Young said.
Last year, when the ballet master for Alonzo King's Lines Ballet did a master class, people traveled from all over the state to attend it, Sapienza said.
Three young men from Columbus who came up to take the class are now freshmen in the UA Dance Department, Sapienza said.
Young met with Varone when he was mulling over the subject for the new dance, eventually titled Alchemy. The process began when Varone discovered a composition by Steve Reich called Daniel Variations, inspired by the life and death of Pearl.
Alchemy is not a retelling of events, but Varone's response to them, Young said.
Last year, Varone's Boats Leaving New York won a Bessie Award, a major honor bestowed for innovation in dance.
The company will not perform Boats in Akron, but it will dance Lux, set to Philip Glass' score titled The Light. Lux, along with Boats, had precipitated Varone's nomination for the Bessie Award, Young said. (Glass will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 3 at the Ohio Theatre at PlayhouseSquare in Cleveland.) Completing the program is Tomorrow, with music by Reynaldo Hahn. It's duets and solos — ''very intimate, kind of a love songs piece,'' Young said.
''Doug has worked really hard to create a performance that spans a little bit of everything [of his style].''
Master Class
Doug Varone and Dancers will hold a master class for invited performing arts high school students Wednesday at the University of Akron Dance Center.
A master class for professional dancers in the community will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 4 in Albrecht Studio 194 (the black box studio) of the Dance Center and will be open to the public for viewing.
Registration for the Oct. 4 class is required because space is limited. Register by contacting the University of Akron dance program at 330-972-7948 or via e-mail at dance@uakron.edu. Space for observers will be limited by room capacity.
Elaine Guregian can be reached at 330-996-3574 or eguregian@thebeaconjournal.com
When the University of Akron opened its spacious, up-to-date dance center two years ago, it was obvious that the students and young dancers in its Dance Institute would benefit.
Who could have foreseen, though, that a partnership with a modern dance presenter in Cleveland would also boost the ballet-based program at UA — and bring top-notch contemporary dance to the public?
Last year, DanceCleveland partnered with UA for a residency by Alonzo King's Lines Ballet. After a week of classes for students taught by King's ballet master, the whole company gave a dazzling public performance at E.J. Thomas Hall. The concert marked DanceCleveland's first presentation in Akron.
This year's project is even bigger.
Audiences can see the final product at 8 p.m. Oct. 4, when New York's Doug Varone and Dancers perform at E.J. Thomas Hall. The concert includes the world premiere of Alchemy, choreographer/dancer Varone's response to the story of American-Jewish journalist Daniel Pearl, who was executed in Pakistan in 2002.
For a complete picture of Varone's company in Akron, you'd need to slip into the seven studios of the Dance Center early in the week.
From Monday through Wednesday afternoon, the entire nine-member company will visit the dance department.
Most companies want to bring just a dancer or two for residencies. Not artistic director Doug Varone.
''Doug was like, 'I want them all there,' '' said DanceCleveland's executive director, Pam Young.
Varone has choreographed for theater, opera, fashion and television. He wanted his dancers to touch every kind of dance that students learn, said Neil Sapienza, director of the School of Dance, Theatre and Arts Administration at the University of Akron.
''We ultimately decided, we're just going to turn the dance program over to (the whole company) for three days. They're basically teaching every class we have here at the dance program: modern classes, ballet, dance philosophy and criticism, choreography, dance as an art form,'' Sapienza said. Advanced students from the Dance Institute, which enrolls students through the high school level, will have their own classes.
Varone began a relationship with the dance program at the university last year. Then, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts allowed two of his company members to visit and set his dance Bel Canto on university students, who performed it in a spring program. Next week's residency continues the partnership.
What lured the New York company to Akron this fall? The luxury of rehearsal time and space, which can be out of reach in New York City. The company will have six days of unlimited access to studio space. They'll also have two extra days in the theater, with production staff, to work out the lighting and technical aspects of Alchemy.
Students will have the valuable chance to be taught by professionals and to watch them at work. All of the company's rehearsals will be open to the student dancers. Varone will allow students to watch tech rehearsals, too.
In return for the week's use of the studios and theater, UA and E.J. Thomas Hall will be credited as commissioners of Alchemy, a tagline that will follow the piece in program books any time the dance is performed in the future.
''Dance is being pretty besieged around the country. As the economy has gone south, fewer venues are bringing dance because it's hard to make it break even. It loses money, hand over fist . . . so the fact that E.J. is willing to do this, and that the Dance Center is willing to do this and look at it as an opportunity, not as a challenge, is really unprecedented,'' Young said.
Last year, when the ballet master for Alonzo King's Lines Ballet did a master class, people traveled from all over the state to attend it, Sapienza said.
Three young men from Columbus who came up to take the class are now freshmen in the UA Dance Department, Sapienza said.
Young met with Varone when he was mulling over the subject for the new dance, eventually titled Alchemy. The process began when Varone discovered a composition by Steve Reich called Daniel Variations, inspired by the life and death of Pearl.
Alchemy is not a retelling of events, but Varone's response to them, Young said.
Last year, Varone's Boats Leaving New York won a Bessie Award, a major honor bestowed for innovation in dance.
The company will not perform Boats in Akron, but it will dance Lux, set to Philip Glass' score titled The Light. Lux, along with Boats, had precipitated Varone's nomination for the Bessie Award, Young said. (Glass will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 3 at the Ohio Theatre at PlayhouseSquare in Cleveland.) Completing the program is Tomorrow, with music by Reynaldo Hahn. It's duets and solos — ''very intimate, kind of a love songs piece,'' Young said.
''Doug has worked really hard to create a performance that spans a little bit of everything [of his style].''
Master Class
Doug Varone and Dancers will hold a master class for invited performing arts high school students Wednesday at the University of Akron Dance Center.
A master class for professional dancers in the community will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 4 in Albrecht Studio 194 (the black box studio) of the Dance Center and will be open to the public for viewing.
Registration for the Oct. 4 class is required because space is limited. Register by contacting the University of Akron dance program at 330-972-7948 or via e-mail at dance@uakron.edu. Space for observers will be limited by room capacity.
Elaine Guregian can be reached at 330-996-3574 or eguregian@thebeaconjournal.com
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