CCM Dance Showcases Contemporary and Classical Ballet in Spring Dance Concert

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music’s (CCM) Department of Dance presents its annual Spring Dance Concert, running

Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25,

in Corbett Auditorium. CCM Dance Professors

Jiang Qi

and

Michael Tevlin

direct this concert of mixed repertoire, which features five exciting works choreographed by CCM faculty members as well as esteemed guest artists. Tickets are on sale now.

Highlights of this year’s concert include Igor Stravinsky’s

Les Noces (The Wedding)

, a stunning dance cantata filled with joy and solemnity. Premiered in Paris in 1923,

Les Noces

captures the scenes and flavors of a Russian peasant wedding through the unique texture of four pianists, six percussionists, solo quartet and a 40 member chorus. For this piece, the Ballet Ensemble will be accompanied by the CCM Chamber Choir and student percussionists, along with CCM’s Eminent Scholar in Chamber Music

James Tocco

and members of his piano studio. Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies

Earl Rivers

conducts.

Assistant Professor of Dance

Andre Megerdichian

creates an original adaptation of

Les Noces

using both Stravinsky and Nijinska's concepts as a springboard. His cast of 18 dancers twists traditional perspectives on marriage, taking the audience on a Faustian journey of discovery.

“Stravinsky used traditional Russian peasant wedding songs and rituals as a base, and Nijinska focused on the gloom of arranged marriages. I'm looking at the idea of union in contemporary society. In a shifting landscape of gender roles, sexual orientation, alternative lifestyles and marriage opportunities, the real question is what happens when we lift the veil?” says Megerdichian.

Associate Professor of Dance

Deirdre Carberry

will restage excerpts from

Raymonda

with choreography by Marius Petipa and music by Alexander Glasunov. A ballet originally staged in three acts and four scenes with an apotheosis,

Raymonda

was first presented at the Imperial Ballet at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre on January 19, 1898, in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Associate Professor of Dance

Michael Tevlin

displays his choreography in

Prelude to Tomorrow

with music by Sergei Rachmaninoff. This new ballet by Tevlin was inspired by Rachmaninoff’s Preludes and Etudes for Piano. Featuring many of the members of CCM’s Dance Department’s graduating class,

Prelude to Tomorrow

explores relationships and camaraderie in many forms. From bittersweet to brash, powerful to tender, Rachmaninoff’s sweeping music provides a perfect backdrop for a cast of 10 dancers.

Guest artist

Anthony Krutzkamp

choreographs the contemporary ballet

Similar

with music by Brian Crain and Chad Lawson. Based loosely on the various stages of a couple’s relationship,

Similar

is an exploration of movement that is different with a common theme that makes it similar.

Visiting scholar

Tian Tian

will choreograph

Chiaroscuro

. With music by Liu Sanzang,

Chiaroscuro

is based on the Chinese ancient philosophy, which reflects the dichotomy of the strong contrasts between darkness and light. An instructor from Beijing Dance Academy and a PhD candidate at the School of Arts at Peking University, Tian Tian is focusing on the production of dance performance at CCM.

Performance Times

• 8 p.m. Thursday, April 23
• 8 p.m. Friday, April 24
• 2 & 8 p.m. Saturday, April 25

Location

Corbett Auditorium, CCM Village

University of Cincinnati

Purchasing Tickets

Tickets to the Spring Dance Concert are $15 for general admission, $10 for non-UC students and FREE for UC students with valid ID.

Tickets can be purchased in person at the CCM Box Office, over the telephone at 513-556-4183 or online now through our e-Box Office! Visit

ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice

for CCM Box Office hours and location.

Parking and Directions

Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Please visit

uc.edu/parking

for more information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit

uc.edu/visitors

. Additional parking is available off-campus at the new U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots.

For directions to CCM Village, visit

ccm.uc.edu/about/directions

.

CCM Season Presenting Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

Community Partner: ArtsWave

The Dance Department gratefully acknowledges the support of the Corbett Endowment at CCM.