Point Park University was aiming to focus on its new facility and the theater program for the upcoming 2019-20 season announcement. But it turned out that the dance department came to the forefront.
It began with PPU president Paul Hennigan, who took note of Gabrielle Hamilton, who performs in the altered universe of the new Oklahoma! (read her rave review in the New York Times) and just receive a Chita Rivera Award, and Ahmad Simmons, veteran of CATS, Justin Peck’s Carousel, recent TV limited series Fosse/Verdon (Ben Vereen role!) and now Hadestown and who will perform at the Tony Awards Sunday. (FYI: Camille Brown, who is scheduled for the upcoming dance season was also nominated for Choir Boy. Also check out her step dancing choreography on the Tonys.)
The big news was Rob Ashford, who will be “giving back” to his alma mater by returning to direct “Parade.” Early on in his career, Rob was dance captain, assistant choreographer and performer in that very production and has gone on to direct and choreograph internationally as a Tony, Olivier, Emmy, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Award winner.
But this blog is all about the dance.
Dance department head Garfield Lemonius has put together another potentially terrific dance season. The bookends that define it feature a lineup of intriguing choreographers. The opening event, simply Contemporary Choreographers, will feature Yin Yue, a Shanghai graduate noted for her unique choreographer style and winner of Hubbard Street Dance 2015 Commissioning Project and BalletX Choreographic Fellowship , Bridget Moore, recipient of a Princess Grace Award, ground-breaking Amy Hall Garner, whose credits include Madonna, So You Think You Can Dance, Justin Bieber and Cirque du Soleil, and PPU faculty member Pearlann Porter, founder of the improvisation-based Pillow Project. (George Rowland White Performance Studio, Oct. 10-13).
At the other end of the season will be the Spring Dance Concert featuring the inimitable Martha Graham, Jessica Lang (American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, San Francisco Opera), Penny Saunders (2016 Prince Grace Award, choreographer in residence at Grand Rapids Ballet) and the above-mentioned and very hot Camille Brown (PNC Theatre, Apr. 15-19).
The university is also providing strong support for faculty member Kiesha Lalama, who has worked extensively with internationally known Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, and is presenting a full-length world premiere (PNC Theatre, Dec. 6-15).
Filling out the season will be two sessions of Student Choreography (GWRS Nov. 15-17 and Apr. 3-5) and the annual and much anticipated Faculty Concert (GRWPS, Feb. 20-23).
For ticket information, click on PPU.
P.S.: Gabrielle Hamilton reel.
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