The Verb Pops program features:
-- A revival of Ian Horvath's blues ballet, "Laura's Women,"
-- Verb's own Rock 'n Roll tribute, "MoonDogg," and
-- The world premiere of Artistic Director Hernando Cortez'
"Super Friends," a madcap dance sitcom featuring members
of the Westside community.
CLEVELAND, Dec. 21, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- For three performances only, Verb Ballets, Cleveland's National Repertory Dance Company, will launch "Verb Pops," a program that spotlights the company's commitment to family-friendly repertory.
According to Artistic Director Hernando Cortez, "The Beck Center has earned a reputation in Cleveland for the quality and diversity of its theatrical vision. Verb Ballets will add another dimension to their programming. Our debut at the Beck is the perfect opportunity for one of my favorite types of programs -- a light-hearted dance concert that will entertain the entire family and still inspire the seasoned dance fans in the audience."
Beck's Artistic Director Scott Spence agrees that it is a perfect collaboration -- the marriage of theatre and dance under one roof. "I am confident our audience will be thrilled when they experience Verb's electrifying energy -- it's infectious. I first saw them two summers ago at Cain Park, and knew I wanted them here."
Longtime Clevelander and Director of Beck's dance program, Lynda Sackett, embraced the collaboration whole-heartedly. "As soon as this talented group of professionals entered the studio, my students' energy levels soared. We all know the value of having professional dancers around dance students; it's amazing."
The Verb Pops program is the culmination of a six-week dance residency hosted by the Beck Center for the Arts with the generous support from The John P. Murphy Foundation.
Show times are Friday and Saturday, January 20 and 21, at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, January 22, at 3:00 p.m. For tickets, call the Beck Center box office at (216) 521-2540, or visit www.beckcenter.org. Tickets are $22 for adults, $15 for students (22 and under with ID) and $10 for children 12 and under. Rush tickets for students (22 and under with I.D.) are offered for $10 every night, 30 minutes prior to curtain, based on availability. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more. The Beck Center is located just 10 minutes west of downtown Cleveland at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood.
THE VERB POPS PROGRAM:
REPERTORY "MOONDOGG" (2003): Disk jockey Alan Freed is widely credited with coining the term "Rock and Roll" to describe the up-tempo black R&B records he played as early as 1951 on Cleveland radio station WJW. Freed called himself "the MoonDog" and billed his show as the "Moondog Rock 'n' Roll Party." A tireless and enthusiastic advocate of the music he played, Freed called it Rock and Roll because "it seemed to suggest the rolling, surging beat of the music." The Freed-sponsored 1952 Moondog Coronation Ball in Cleveland is believed to be the nation's first rock and roll concert.
The dance, "MoonDogg," is a suite of dances to early R&B favorites like: Right Now, Right Now (Alan Freed and his Rock 'N Roll Orchestra); Alright OK You Win (Count Basie); Can't We Be Sweethearts (Cleftones); Big Heavy (Alan Freed and his Rock 'N Roll Orchestra); Rock, Rock, Rock (Jimmy Cavello); Sincerely (Moonglows); Out of the Picture (The Robins); Rip It Up (Bill Haley & The Comets); One Night Only (Otis Williams); Magic Touch (The Penguins); and When the Saints Go Marching In (Bill Haley & The Comets). MoonDogg is supported by major funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, a government agency.
MAJOR REVIVAL: "Laura's Women" received its world premiere in 1974 in Cleveland, performed by Cleveland Ballet. The first work created by Ian Horvath (1943-1990), "Laura's Women" speaks of the life of women caught in a world of poverty and loneliness. The dance was inspired by the music and life of blues singer, Laura Nyro. Following its debut at The Cleveland Play House, "Laura's Women" remained in the repertory of Cleveland Ballet until 1998 as an audience favorite. The work has been staged by dance companies throughout the US, and was performed by the Jose Limon Dance Company at Ian Horvath's memorial service at the Joyce Theatre in New York City. This revival of "Laura's Women' was made possible by the generosity of Millie L. Carlson and Ginger Shane.
WORLD PREMIERE: "Super Friends" is a madcap romp set to familiar tunes of yesteryear, including themes from such TV classics as The Six Million Dollar Man, Superman, Bat Man, Wonder Woman, Bewitched, and The Avengers. Dorothy, Wendy, Michael, John and Alice -- familiar names from childhood tales -- are portrayed as high school students living a hum-drum existence. As they venture "Through the TV Looking Glass," they encounter the Wicked Witch of the North -- Poison Ivy -- who challenges them to return the last chunk of Kryptonite to Superman's vault. They must go through Neverland's Enchanted Forest, where they meet many other Saturday morning TV favorites. All ends well, and the finale brings the entire League of Super Heroes to dance for the children.
About Verb Ballets: Verb Ballets will now begin its fourth season under the leadership of Artistic Director Hernando Cortez and Executive Director Dr. Margaret Carlson, who have established it as Cleveland's premiere contemporary dance repertory company. Verb has been named as 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 important to its indigenous 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. Additional information may be found at www.verbballets.org.
The Company: Marcela Alvarez, Kallie Marie Bokal, Danielle Brickman, Erin Conway, Elizabeth Flynn, Glynn Owens, Catherine Meredith, Anna Roberts, Mark Tomasic, Tracy Vogt, Robert Wesner. By invitation: Katie Gnagy, Jessica Higgins.
Verb Ballets performances at Beck Center made possible through a generous grant from The John P. Murphy Foundation
DANSKIN IS THE OFFICIAL 2005-2006 SPONSOR OF VERB BALLETS.
JAKPRINTS.com, Clear Channel Communications, Baumgarten & Company, and BFL Communications are proud business partners of Verb Ballets. Major Support: The National Endowment for the Arts, The Lubrizol Foundation, The George Gund Foundation, The Cleveland Foundation, The Kulas Foundation, The John P. Murphy Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, The Laub Foundation, Eva L. and Joseph M. Bruening Foundation, Bascom Little Fund, Cuyahoga County ACE Grant, AHS Foundation, The Abington Foundation, Charles and Sandy Abookire, Millie L. Carlson, Chuck and Ann Ennis, Norma and Jeffrey Glazer, and Francine Pilloff.
Verb Ballets outreach performances in the Greater Cleveland area are presented through Young Audiences of Greater Cleveland. Please call 216-561-5005 or visit www.yagc.org