CLEVELAND, Oct. 19, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Verb Ballets, Cleveland's National Repertory Dance Company, finishes a two-year, three phase preservation project of Ohio Ballet founder Heinz Poll's works, titled "Preserving Poll." This final phase takes place October 22 - 26, 2007, at the University of Akron, the birthplace of Ohio Ballet, with the works Bolero, Andante Sostenuto and Duet. The project includes not only the preservation of several contemporary dance pieces, but also the performance and presentation of them. University of Akron was the home of the Ohio Ballet for 31 years, and it is fitting that this final chapter of preserving Poll's legacy be conducted there.
The overreaching goal of the project is to preserve the work of an important 20th century choreographer. A thorough account of choreographic work is rarely catalogued in detail. In doing so, Verb has ensured that these works will go on as Heinz had intended.
Heinz Poll was an important figure in the American dance scene for over four decades, debuting in North America in 1964, when he performed as a guest artist with the Ballet Nacional Chileno at the New York State Theatre. Born in Oberhausen, Germany, Poll was a scholarship student at the distinguished Folkwang School in Essen and began his professional dance career in 1947 as a soloist at the Municipal Theatre in Goettingen. A principal dancer, teacher and choreographer in Europe for just under 20 years, Poll performed with the American Dance Festival in New York in 1965, and soon become one of the most sought-after teachers on the staff of the National Academy of Ballet. An invitation to teach in Akron led to his formation of the Chamber Ballet in 1968, which in 1976 became the Ohio Ballet. During his 31-year tenure as Ohio Ballet's founding Artistic Director, Heinz Poll choreographed more than 60 works for the company. Varied and somewhat contrasting sources, including choreographers Kurt Jooss and George Balanchine, and dancers Dore Hoyer and Fred Astaire, while wildly original, influenced his works. Poll, 80, passed away in 2006.
As part of the preservation, and in order to remain true to Poll's vision, extensive research is being conducted, by sorting through text from old program notes, interviewing past performers of the Ohio Ballet, reading rehearsal notes, and studying archival photographs. The reconstruction of original costumes and lighting is also being incorporated into the overall project. Filming of Bolero, Duet and Andante Sostenuto and the creation of sound recordings will take place at the university. When finished, the UA Library will be given copies of each portfolio as well as Heinz's estate and the dancer who inherited the work.
For each piece being preserved as part of the residency, Verb will collaborate with the executor of Heinz Poll's estate and dancers to whom he bequeathed his work, to restage the works and prepare a preservation resource portfolio, called an orchesograph, consisting of the following: performance video of the work; costume designs with construction annotation and fabric specifications; light plot examples for a major theatrical presentation; approved musical recording; and, where relevant, a musical score with execution notes, a recording of the dancers performing the work wearing color coded unitards; a constant voiceover of the re-constructor; a full set of costumes available for reference purposes; and recorded interviews with the participants.
Phase I of the "Preserving Poll" project began in the 2005-2006 season when Verb Ballets acquired, preserved and presented two significant works by Poll: Wings and Aires and Elegiac Song. Verb Ballets performed these pieces in local concerts at Cain Park and the Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square. Audiences were enthusiastic about the work. Poll, who witnessed the reconstruction of his choreography, was pleased. "I'm honored to have my work performed again here in Cleveland," stated Poll at a rehearsal in summer of 2005.
States Verb Ballets Artistic Director Hernando Cortez, "Of the ten glorious ballets that Heinz Poll left the world, I am honored and proud that we have five in our current repertory. I promise to uphold Heinz's standard of deeply rooted artistry and human excellence." Verb Executive Director Dr. Margaret Carlson states, "We wish to thank the National Endowment for the Arts and The Cleveland Foundation for their support in bringing this three-year project to fruition. Their recognition of its importance signals the need for the dance field, in general, to be able to make its works viable and economically reproducible."
Phase I also included a collaboration with Ideastream, parent company of the local NPR affiliate, in which Verb Ballets filmed the two aforementioned Poll works. Verb's Executive Director, Dr. Margaret Carlson, produced a mini-documentary that celebrates the work of Heinz Poll, using his own words. Soaring was presented at the Verb Ballets Ohio Theatre concert in March 2006. The film features dancers illuminated by voice-over material by Heinz Poll and commentary.
In Phase II, Verb Ballets acquired, produced and presented two additional Poll works (Bolero and Eight by Benny Goodman) in order to create a several-hour long video tribute.
Verb Ballets company consists of dancers Danielle Brickman, Ashley Cohen, Erin Conway, Katie Gnagy, Sydney Ignacio, Catherine Meredith, Brian Murphy, Anna Roberts and Robert Wesner.
Major sponsors of Verb Ballets include AHS Foundation; The Bascom Little Fund; Millie L. Carlson; RSIS: a NASA Glenn Contractor; The Cleveland Foundation; The George Gund Foundation; Kulas Foundation; The Laub Foundation; The McGregor Foundation; John P. Murphy Foundation; The National Endowment for the Arts; and The Ohio Arts Council. Additional individual sponsors include Charles and Sandy Abookire, Chuck and Ann Ennis, Norma and Jeffrey Glazer and Aldona Titus. Special thanks to Barbee Thomas.
DANSKIN is the official 2006-2007 sponsor of Verb Ballets. Additional Verb sponsors include Baumgarten & Company, LLP; Cedar Hill Communications; Hotcards.com; PrimeNewswire; WCLV 104.9 FM; and WVIZ/WCPN Ideastream.
Verb Ballets
Verb Ballets is now in its sixth season under the leadership of Artistic Director Hernando Cortez, Executive Director Dr. Margaret Carlson, an energetic staff and its dedicated board of trustees, who have established Verb as Cleveland's premier dance repertory company. Verb Ballets has been named one of "25 to Watch in 2004" by Dance Magazine, the country's leading news magazine covering dance. Verb Ballets discovers, collects, interprets and stages choreography that matters to the region and to the world of dance. As a curator of expressive movement that is globally connected and nationally respected, Verb Ballets has a mandate to support and foster emerging talent, present excellence in contemporary choreographers and revive and honor modern dance classics.