Dance Currents

News & Events

Keep up with all of my adventures, thoughts, and stories as I actively explore the diverse and exciting world of dance here in Pittsburgh!

On Stage: The King's Dance

Alonzo King's LINES Ballet came to the August Wilson Center last weekend. In case you missed it, here's my review (click on Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). And, in case you missed visiting the August Wilson Center, certainly a must, check out the schedule, which will...

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On Stage: King of the World

These days dance aficionados are questioning, "Is it ballet or contemporary dance?" With true blue ballet choreographers at a premium -- I'm referring to hot commodities like Alexei Ratmansky and Christopher Wheeldon, although neither might attain the stratospheric...

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On Stage: A Well-Deserved Bow (Or Curtsy)

I first wrote an introduction to Dancing Classrooms on CrossCurrents in September and started visiting six Pittsburgh elementary schools in October. It was undeniably seductive as the students moved from barely being able to touch and interact to a level of...

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Off Stage: Not Just a Classroom

Dance studios all have the a sense of sameness, much like McDonald's or Friday's. In the case of a studio, you have the barre, the mirrors, a music source (and a piano if you're lucky) and perhaps a few chairs. But set a photographer loose and, all of a sudden, there...

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Off Stage: Ten Best from the 2K Decade

As 2000 approached we dreaded the Y2K millenium bug, supposedly residing in all of our computers. But we "Ought" not have dreaded the first decade of a new century -- at least dance-wise. Dance was beginning to explode in many ways, and while we didn't have a Martha...

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Off Stage: Dance MVPs 2009

In you case you missed it, my Top Ten in dance appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in December. Now we can discuss the performers who infused that choreography and their considerable contributions to a vibrant local dance scene. Kudos to the women, who were...

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Dance Notes: First Night, Kennedy Center, Tome

DANCE OUT THE OLD. Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's First Night festivities will include diverse interests in dance like Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, featuring Christine Schwaner and Alexandre Silve with PBT grad students (Byham Theater, 7 p.m.), Attack Theatre's Bag Attack...

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Dance Notes: Corning, Dey, School Updates

THE GLUE FACTORY. Former Dance Alloy Theater artistic director Beth Corning is up and moving again. She has resurrected THE GLUE FACTORY, a project that she initiated in Minnesota and is now resurrected here in Pittsburgh under the aegis of her new company, CORNING...

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On Stage: Five Go-o-olden Years

They were selling Christmas trees outside Construction Junction, but The Pillow Project already had its own, a remnant from its "Sophisticated Junk" concert in October. It was a Charlie Brown tree, decorated with electrical cords and computer odds and ends. The real...

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jane@dancecurrents.com