Point Park University’s Conservatory Dance Company opened their Winter Dance Concert on Friday, the first full production in new Pittsburgh Playhouse’s PNC Theatre. The Winter Dance Concert features the work of four world-class contemporary choreographers Aszure Barton, Tyce Diorio, Nacho Duato, and Edward Lang.

The concert began with Lang’s the Art of War set to music by music by Michael Tork. The title and essence of the piece are taken from an ancient and influential Chinese military treatise, which influenced Eastern and Western thinking and strategies. (Perhaps worthwhile reading in today’s world.) Lang’s choreography has a flowing silky feel, enhanced by both the costumes, by Ballet Met’s Erin E. Rollins, and huge sail-like swaths of fabric that reveal and conceal the dancers. His choreography features many physically demanding lifts and planks that demonstrate the strength and power of the Conservatory’s dancers and elicit rounds of applause from the audience. Lang is the Artistic Director at New York’s BalletMet where he continues to choreograph new works, most recently, Cinderella.

Act One concludes with a tribute piece by the sought-after choreographer Tyce Diorio who’s work and judging is frequently seen on the FOX television series So You Think You Can Dance. Based on a 2012 piece from the show Chaplin…Then and Now is set to Chaplin’s music and recaps ‘The Little Tramps” life from the days of silent movies to his loves and ultimate outspoken political activism. Diorio employs sixteen “Chaplinesque” dancers as a reflection of the varied personas of his life and career along with three female dancers.  The piece employs the commercial and visually frenetic style of choreography he most often uses on the FOX series. It is an interesting piece, short in its duration but not the most compelling or challenging portion of the evening.

Happy Little Things  (Waiting On a Gruff Cloud of Wanting) choreographed by Aszure Barton opens Act Two with a bare stage and nineteen dancers on a bench, or perhaps a fence, a long row parallel to the upstage wall. There is a sense, an essence, of a country western theme, amplified by Barton’s costume design and the music from a variety of artists including the guitarist/composer Bill Frisell and “Appalachian post-punk solipsist” Bonnie “Prince” Billy.

Happy Little Things first premièred at Juilliard in 2009. This is a complex piece with elements of spectacle, whimsy, and nostalgia that twist and turns like a ride on West Virginia a mountain railroad.

Palmeras (excerpts from Gnawa) is choreographed by Nacho Duato. The breadth and depth of Duato’s cultural experiences are evident in his work and Gnawa is an excellent example of those influences. “Gnawa” refers to a group of Moroccan musicians who practice healing rituals. The percussive, driving music by comes from Spain and North Africa. “Palmeras” refers to the waving of palm branches. The choreographer uses his dancers in a fashion that compliments the unpredictable nature of the music that accompanies the piece and ranges from the frenetic to the lush and sensual. While the work is generally an ensemble piece in, there is a sensual yet innocent duet beautifully performed by Myles Canonge and Aleigh Hawkins (at this performance) and two impressive solo sections performed by Drake Phouasavanh and Maytte Subriana Albarellos.

With these four exceptions, it is nearly impossible to reference a single dancer and their performance since there are no program bios or headshots provided. What we can say is the overall quality of performance and execution of the choreography by Point Park University’s Conservatory Dance Company is excellent. Due to the number of talented Conservatory students, each work is double cast, and therefore performances will have variations.

It is joyous and to see and experience the blend of strength, agility and graceful athleticism of these young and gifted dancers. They are aptly guided by the Conservatory faculty and are adept at assimilating different styles of choreography and rhythms into each performance. They are a pleasure to watch.

This show, the first public performance in Pittsburgh Playhouses PNC Theatre, barely scratched the surface of the theatre’s capabilities. That will have to wait until the Conservatory Theatre Company presents Sunday in the Park with George this spring. Till then, the sight lines are great, the seats comfy and the Conservatory Dance Company gives an exemplary performance worthy of the new theaters opening.

Point Park University’s Winter Dance Concert runs now through December 16th at the PNC Theatre in Point Park University’s new Pittsburgh Playhouse, 350 Forbes Avenue. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Adult tickets are $20-24, students and seniors are $10; tickets can be purchased by calling the Pittsburgh Playhouse box office at 412-392-8000 or visiting www.pittsburghplayhouse.com.

Photos from Point Park University

George Hoover got his start in theatre in Miami when his family ran the Coconut Grove Playhouse. His career encompasses a variety of work in both the design and technical side of motion pictures, live theatre, and television. George is a three-time Emmy Award winner, member of the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, Broadcasting & Cable Technology Leadership Award winner, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers Life Fellow, and most importantly a passionate theatre person and generally handy guy.

Categories: Archived Reviews

Tags: PITRUniversity, Pittsburgh Playhouse, Point Park University, Winter Dance Concert