Tap into the Rialto Center for the Arts’ Season of Power + Spirit with the Power of Dorrance Dance

The Rialto’s Season of Power + Spirit, a curated journey through the arts, continues with Dorrance Dance, the award-winning tap dance company based in New York City, on April 1, 2023, at 8 p.m. The Rialto presents Dorrance Dance on the heels of the first Atlanta performance in 84 years by the legendary Martha Graham Dance Company, which took place on February 5, 2023. It was preceded by the all-female tap troupe Syncopated Ladies’ performance last season.

Founded in 2011 by Artistic Director and 2015 MacArthur Fellow Michelle Dorrance, Dorrance Dance shares the incredibly dynamic range that tap dance musician. Originally a site-specific work that explored the unique acoustics of New York City’s St. Mark’s Church through the myriad sounds and textures of the feet, “SOUNDspace” has been adapted and continues to explore what is most beautiful and exceptional about tap dancing.

“Ms. Dorrance makes full use of tone, timbre, volume, tempo and, of course, rhythm,” said Brian Siebert of The New York Times, “constructing patterns that lock together thrillingly. The main emotion that “SOUNDspace” produced was excitement about sounds, and about the development of this talented choreographer, the most promising one in tap right now.” has to offer through performance and education. The company’s goal is to engage with audiences on a musical and emotional level and to share the complex history and powerful legacy of this American art form throughout the country and the world. Dorrance Dance explores what is most thrilling, brilliant and beautiful about tap dancing — that it is, at once, movement and music.

The repertoire for the Atlanta performance is “SOUNDspace” which features choreography by Michelle Dorrance with solo improvisation by the nine dancers and one

Free (validated) parking is provided for all Rialto Series shows at the 100 Peachtree Parking Garage (formerly the Equitable Deck), located at 123 Fairlie Street, Atlanta. Tickets are available at Rialto.GSU.edu

MARCH 25 @ 3pm & 7pm St Luke’s Episcopal Church

MARCH 18 @ 2pm & 7pm

St Luke’s Episcopal Church

KSU Dance Selects Two Eleo Pomare-Glenn Conner Choreographers for Summer 2023

Generous donation from Yunek family supports choreographic residencies, two world premieres

Kennesaw State University Department of Dance has selected two international choreographers for the Eleo Pomare-Glenn Conner Choreographic Residency in summer 2023. The Residency brings two curated choreographers each summer to KSU Dance to create an original work together with Dance alumni and students, made possible by an endowment from Jay and Debra Yunek.

The Pomare-Connor Memorial Endowed Fund for Dance honors the late benefactors who were luminaries of the dance world. Pomare, who passed away in 2008, was known for developing innovative choreography that deals with social inequality and injustice. The funds promote and preserve Pomare’s legacy through the cultivation of new choreographic voices.

This year, new choreographic voices

Nicola Wills and Lior Lazarof have been selected as this summer’s distinguished choreographers and will create two world premieres to open the KSU Dance performance season in August. Marsha Barsky, Chair of the Department of Dance, says, “We are thrilled to bring these incredibly talented choreographers to KSU Dance this summer. The competition was fierce; the selection committee reviewed over 86 applications, spanning 20 states and six countries.” One of those countries with a strong showing was Israel, known internationally for its acclaimed contemporary dance.

Israeli dance artist Lior Lazarof studied in the Sadna professional dance program, located in Kibbutz Ga’aton, and she graduated from Ga’atonusalem Academy of Music and Dance in 2016. In 2022, she was selected for the ATLAS program for choreographers in ImPulsTanz. She is a member of The Israeli Choreographers’ Association. About 15 hours away from Israel on the fastest flight, South Australia is home to Nicola Wills, where she started her dance training and developed her passion for performing a variety of dance styles. Moving to Europe in 2012, Nicola danced briefly with Dortmund Ballet, Germany, before joining the Ballet van Vlaanderen in Belgium in 2013, where she was promoted to Demi-soloist in 2017 and is currently still dancing. Audiences may see both world premieres in person at the KSU Dance Theater on the Marietta campus in August 2023. Dates will be announced (and tickets go on sale) July 1, 2023, at KSUDance.com.

Spring at the Alliance Theatre will Bring a World Premiere and a Musical inspired by a Legend

Winner of the Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, THE MANY WONDROUS REALITIES OF JASMINE STARRKIDD will have its world premiere on the Hertz Stage at Alliance Theatre March

1 – April 2, 2023. When a 12-yearold computer genius, Jasmine, realizes that time travel is a lot easier to figure out than trying to convince her parents to get back together, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Written by Stephen Brown, a fellow at The Juilliard School’s Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program, and directed by BOLD Associate Artistic Director Tinashe Kajese-Bolden.

On the Coca-Cola stage April 1 through April 16, THE BOY WHO KISSED THE SKY will celebrate the influences of musical icon Jimi Hendrix. Set in the heart of Seattle to the rhythms that shaped a generation, we see a young Black boy conjure his creativity as a budding guitarist. Guided by the spirit of music itself, the Boy learns to find harmony inside the challenging noises of his life. Although more mythology than biography, THE BOY WHO KISSED THE SKY is a celebration of our muses and the forces that pull us to be who we are. Commissioned by Seattle Children’s Theatre in partnership with Alliance Theatre, this highly theatrical play by Idris Goodwin celebrates all the young artists who follow their muse.

Founded in 1968, the Alliance Theatre is the leading producing theater in the Southeast, reaching more than 165,000 patrons annually. The Alliance has premiered more than 120 productions including nine that have transferred to Broadway. In 2007, the Alliance received the Regional Theatre Tony Award for sustained excellence in programming, education and community engagement. Tickets and season membership packages are available now. The Alliance is located at 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30309. For more information, call 404-733-4600 or visit alliancetheatre.org.