Texture presents its second outdoor performance of the summer at the South Park Amphitheater on Sunday, August 29th.
For this performance, company dancer Madeline Kendall premieres a new work that takes inspiration from the creations of Salvador Dali. The piece explores the artist’s surrealism through movement and music and highlights how art can make you think and feel.
Kendall was raised in Sacramento, California where she trained from the age of eight at Capitol Ballet Center under the direction of Stuart Carroll and Sharron Newton. In 2014, Kendall moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to dance with Ballet West, where she had the opportunity to perform in productions of Giselle, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, George Balanchine’s Symphony in C, and John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet. Over the past two years, Madeline toured the state of Utah as a part of an educational outreach called Ballet West for Children.
This performance will also feature the return of two past favorites! Alan Obuzor and Kelsey Bartman are bringing excerpts of their 2016 work, “Laurie Blue,” back to the stage, which is set to Adele’s stirring, dramatic music.
Obuzor was honored in 2013 by Dance Magazine by being named one of the “Top 25 to Watch”. Originally from Pittsburgh, Obuzor began dancing at the age of nine. Two years later he attended Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School(PBTS), where in 1998 he was a recipient of the prestigious Princess Grace Foundation Dance Honorarium. He received a contract to join Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s(PBT’s)professional company at the age of 17. During his seven years in PBT’s Company, he danced a wide array of ballets ranging from classical to neoclassical to contemporary, which included principal and soloist roles in ballets such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Symphony in C, Carmina Burana and Divertimento 15.
Bartman, originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, began formal training with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School (PBTS) and Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA). Summers were spent studying at American Ballet Theatre, New York, Jacob’s Pillow Jazz Program for two years and PBTS for several years. Bartman then continued as a trainee with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT). During that time she choreographed works for PBT’s School and Company. She then joined Nashville Ballet 2 in 2007 and was hired as a Nashville Ballet Apprentice. She is a co-creator of Works in Progress (WIP) Choreography Project, and has choreographed for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Nashville Ballet, Nashville Ballet 2, Arova Contemporary Ballet, Columbus Modern Dance, and Texture Contemporary Ballet.
The second favorite is Christopher Bandy’s 2019 work, “’til the wheels, come off”, set to eerie, sensuous, and whimsical music by Tom Waits.
Pittsburgh-based band Camelia Road is the musical guest! Bring your own chairs and blankets and enjoy a live performance! We’re looking forward to dancing for you!
Texture in August at South Park Amphitheater | Sunday, August 29th, 2021 | 7:00 pm
South Park Amphitheater 100 Farmshow Dr. South Park Township, PA 15129
Tickets are free, but please reserve tickets in advance!
Categories: Show Previews
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