Erie-based writer Steve Sucato covers a wide swath of dance in Ohio (Cleveland’s The Plain Dealer), scoots over to upstate New York (The Buffalo News), frequently writes for Erie Times-News and covers dance here in Pittsburgh’s City Paper. That means that he puts a lot of miles on his 1999 Toyota Corolla, which currently clocks in at 210,000 miles. Steve has served as president of the Dance Critics Association and his articles have appeared in a number of dance-related magazines, including Dance Magazine, Pointe and Dance Teacher. Since he lives minutes away from Chautauqua Institution, he offers this preview of upcoming dance performances. I’ll be there as well, definitely on July 14 and August 15 (and maybe more), where I’ll join you on the road.
Photo by Jeff Cravotta
In the 25 years Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux has headed The Chautauqua Institution’s summer dance series at the famed Chautauqua, New York resort, he has steadily built the summer performance series into one of the finest in the country — bringing in dancers from all over the country to dance under the moniker of The Chautauqua Ballet Company. In the past several seasons, the series has become more of a Southern affair with The Chautauqua Ballet Company giving way to Bonnefoux’ Charlotte-based North Carolina Dance Theatre, which has become the Institution’s resident dance company. This season NCDT will be the featured company in all but the first of the 8-week summer series’ 6 programs.
The season kicked off July 2 with the 6-member Chautauqua Dance Salon’s “Green Pieces,’ a program of new dance works choreographed by Chautauqua regular Mark Diamond and North Carolina Dance Theatre principal dancer Sasha Janes — all with environmental themes.
On July 14, North Carolina Dance Theatre begins its 6-week residency at the Institution joining the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra under the baton of guest conductor Grant Cooper for an eclectic program of dance works that will include a reprise of Alonzo King’s striking contemporary ballet, “Map,” set to music by Arvo Part, that the company performed at Chautauqua in 2004. Also on the program will be excerpts from a new work by Diamond set to Gustav Holst’s “The Planets,” a work by NCDT resident choreographer Dwight Rhoden, and a bit of Christmas in July in the form of excerpts from the second act of Bonnefoux’ “The Nutcracker Ballet.”
On July 29, the company will present “An Evening of Pas de Deux.” Slated are a mix of contemporary and classical works including Victor Gsovsky’s “Grand Pas Classique” (1972); the balcony scene pas de deux from Bonnefoux’ “Romeo and Juliet,” works by Diamond and Janes and George Balanchine’s famous “Tchaikovsky Pas De Deux” (1960), a ballet originated by the evening’s honoree, longtime Chautauqua dance teacher and dance icon Violette Verdy.
The program will also include the premiere showing of a new video about Verdy produced at the Institution.
August 5 the company returns in “Dance Innovations,” featuring excerpts from Rhoden’s steamy
Photo by Jeff Cravotta
“Dirty Truth and Pretty Lies,” inspired by Tennessee Williams’ “Cat on a Hot Tin roof” and set to torch songs by Nina Simone. Joining Rhoden’s work on the program will be Balanchine’s Ballet Ruses masterwork, “Apollon Musagete” (1928), choreographer Mark Godden’s “Romeo and Juliet”-inspired “Constructing Juliet” (2002) and Diamond’s “There Again, Not Slowly,” set to music by British duo Chemical Brothers.
The 2009 dance season wraps up August 15 with NCDT once again being joined by the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra in a program celebrating Chautauqua School of Dance teacher and former New York City Ballet star Patricia McBride’s 20th anniversary at the Institution. The program will feature a new ballet from husband Bonnefoux set to Rossini’s Overtures, Diamond’s “Immortal Design,” inspired by the film classic “Death Takes a Holday” and its remake “Meet Joe Black,” and Balanchine’s “Western Symphony,” staged by McBride.
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