By now we all know that dancing is healthy, but that doesn’t change the fact that most people still don’t feel motivated to move. While thinking of a way to solve this problem, I reflected on certain factors that never fail to stimulate my energetic juices. I know the one thing that inspires me most to dance is seeing live performances. For example, last weekend I traveled to the Byham Theater with some girlfriends to see “Radio and Juliet.” This show, performed by a company from Romania called Ballet Maribor, mixed Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Romeo and Juliet with the music of the popular, alternative band Radiohead. I believe that this abstract show functioned to please a wide demographic of audience members and thus proved that you don’t have to be a professional dancer to enjoy performances. If you are interested in good music, media, and light shows, then you can appreciate dance performances too. The best part about “Radio and Juliet” was that the dancing was extremely modern. It strayed from any preconceived notions one might have about the right way to “dance.” It’s good to be reminded that you don’t have to be able to booty pop in the club to be a good dancer or to dance “right.”
A lot of great dance comes through Pittsburgh, and luckily because I am connected to a program called PittArts, I receive updates about the most current tours. For your surfing pleasure, I’ve compiled a list of Pittsburgh dance performances for this fall semester.
University of Pittsburgh’s Fall Informal Concert
When? October 23 & 24
Where? Trees Dance Studio on Pitt’s campus
Cost? Donation
“A compilation of student choreography, a special work from professional choreographer Michelle Dawson, and guest appearances from Pitt’s Black Dance Workshop.”
“Twenty Eighty-Four”
http://www.pillowproject.org/events/2084/
“An abstract visual conversation about our destiny, our destination and about humanity on this pale blue dot…even as we forget that this is all just another dot in somebody else’s sky. Twenty Eighty-Four is an original full-length multimedia performance installation featuring non-fiction choreography, video projection and visual effects.”
“Insert Clever and Thought-Provoking Title Here”
http://www.attacktheatre.com/showcase/inserttitle
“An evening of live music, video, improvisation, and the physical prowess of Attack Theatre in a comedic journey through a world of bears, broken bottles, and axe murdering puppet shows.”
“The Great Gatsby”
http://www.pbt.org/performances/gatsby.php
“A 20th Century ballet at its best presented in an emotional story that serves as an emblem of a Golden Age.”
”Inbal Pinto Shaker”
http://www.pgharts.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=13950
“Direct from Tel Aviv, Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak’s latest creative endeavor takes its inspiration from glass snow globes that swirl and twist with snowflakes when shaken.The aptly titled Shaker transports you to an eerily beautiful winter day, fitfully seen through a whirling snow storm from the window of a fast moving train. Breaking through a dark, frozen landscape, Shaker is an introspective journey in dance, forging memories, longings, ideas and imagination.”
“The Nutcracker”
http://www.pbt.org/performances/nutcracker.php
“Christmas is The Nutcracker! This lavish production is steeped in glorious Pittsburgh history.”
