This past Wednesday, Feb. 25, the Pittsburgh Playhouse opened with its first of six shows of the annual Winter Dance Concert.
The show comprises four different pieces of four different genres helmed by four renowned choreographers from around the country.
The first piece was choreographed by Columbus-native and all-around dancer and artist, Dwight Rhoden. Rhoden earned the New York Times’ distinction of being “one of the most sought after choreographers of the day.”
His ballet piece, which was the first of the segment of the show, was entitled “Chromatic.” The piece originally debuted in 2012 with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and was brought to the Playhouse to be performed by a cast of many Point Park students.
With music selections by Johann Sebastion Bach, “Chromatic” was a poetic and graceful encapsulation of the rhythms of modern life. The contemporary piece transitions flawlessly between the different motions of life and different artistic displays.
One of these images features dancers under luminescent window-shaped lights on the stage, perfectly embodying the meaning of this dance.
The second dance of act one was choreographed by working dancer and New York City choreographer Kenichi Kasamatsu.
Kasamatsu is known for working for other renowned choreographers like Keone and Mari Madrid, Nappytabs and Kyle Hanagami. He has been on stage with Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez, Ne-Yo, Daddy Yankee and others.
Kasamatsu’s Hip Hop dance was entitled “To Be Found.”
The piece, featured with flashing light, blue modern costumes and music selections by Travis Lake, had the entire audience hyped up and shouting with excitement and encouragement for their peers in the piece.
“To Be Found’s” eye-catching choreography was made to express the vibrant and intense emotions as people enter and exit our lives throughout our time. There’s the turmoil of our loved ones leaving and the bliss of those who stay forever. “To Be Found” was both visually entertaining and emotionally invigorating.
Act two began with choreographer, performer and director Roderick George’s contemporary routine, “Father’s Tears”.
The piece had music selections from DJ Gregory & Karizma and Tasha LaRae & Geoffrey C.
“Father’s Tears” portrayed “liberation, joy, and futurism within the African diaspora, with a particular focus of queer Black culture,” as described in the dance concert program.
“Father’s Tears” was evocative and seized the attention of the audience with its colorfully lit stage and its unique lack of stage wings.
The piece was an image of emerging young artists, with individuals emerging from the larger group to show their own uniqueness and radical self-ownership. The choreography was meant for young adult artists reaching for a place in the professional world, and the performance executed this perfectly.
The final dance of the Winter Dance Concert was choreographed by Emmy-winning director, choreographer and educator Al Blackstone.
Blackstone’s jazz piece, entitled “Dancing in the Dark,” had music featuring Fred Astaire, who inspired the piece. The large cast of this piece did a wonderful job portraying the different dances within the pieces, which felt musical theater-inspired.
One of these even featured a song from the Broadway show “Chicago,” called “Roxie.” Dancers Jordan Wanuck and Abigail Cardella were featured as the well-known character of Roxie.
The final song and dance of “Dancing in the Dark” was satisfying and fitting, with the song “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails” by Fred Astaire. The jazz piece satisfyingly captured the elegance and joy of the legacy of performer Fred Astaire.
