by jvranish | Feb 2, 2023 | On Stage, Shana Simmons Dance
At first they may seem to be an odd couple, modern dance and kathak. Modern dance creates shapes that are born of Western thought. We think of Mary Wigman, Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham. Indian dance, in all of its illustrious forms, predates modern by thousands of...
by jvranish | Jan 18, 2023 | Attack Theatre, On Stage
Memories came flooding back as Dave Eggar, former Attack Theatre music director, returned for a special event, DEAR Sessions!, at the AT studio in Lawrenceville. Dave Eggar A remarkably talented and versatile cellist, Dave has been an integral part of Attack since...
by jvranish | Dec 12, 2022 | On Stage, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
There was a shadow hovering over Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre as it opened its 52nd season at August Wilson Center this fall. Artistic director Susan Jaffe was not physically present, an odd and rare situation, although she purportedly was still doing her PBT job in New...
by jvranish | Jan 22, 2022 | Corningworks, On Stage
It was the first performance I had ever attended where I didn’t feel welcome. As usual nowadays, I produced my I.D. and proof of vaccination. As usual, I was asked Covid questions. Cough? Fever? Etcetera? Then it all changed. The event was called The Tipping Point, a...
by jvranish | Dec 17, 2021 | On Stage, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
The Transformation Scene in “The Nutcracker,” where Marie dreams that everything around her grows exponentially, is one of the highlights of any production. But there is a real transformation taking place at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s “Nut,” one that is surpassing...
by jvranish | Dec 8, 2021 | On Stage, Point Park University
Watching dance is my passion, but watching dance emerge from the pandemic is a privilege. There has been an explosion of live performances, which created a traffic jam of sorts. So, although it’s somewhat late, I will be writing about them, beginning today. I...
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