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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(204,0,0)"><a name="OLE_LINK1"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><br></span></b></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="OLE_LINK1"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style="color:rgb(204,0,0)"></span></span></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="OLE_LINK1"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style="color:rgb(204,0,0)"></span><br></span></b></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="OLE_LINK1"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Verb Ballets opens Fall season with EXPLORE
DISCOVER; preview of Joffreys NUTCRACKER</span></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Roy Berko</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino">(Member, Dance Critics Association)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">This season Verb Ballets, Clevelands largest contemporary dance
company, is mainly featuring a single choreographer at each program.<span style> </span>This concept continues the companys
goal of supporting and fostering emerging talent.<span style> </span>Programs will highlight the works of Antonio Brown, Chung-Fu
Chang and Richard Dickinson.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">It is appropriate that the first evening of EXPLORE DISCOVER
showcases the work of local dancer and choreographer, Antonio Brown.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Brown, who is a member of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company,
was born and raised in Cleveland.<span style>
</span>He began his dance training at the Cleveland School for the Arts under
the guidance of Bill Wade (Inlet Dance).<span style>
</span>He went on to study at the Julliard School, and has performed with a
number of noted dance companies.<span style>
</span>Besides performing, he developed an interest in choreography, and staged
works for such organizations as Verb Ballets, August Wilson Center Dance
Ensemble, and The Julliard Dance Ensemble.<span style> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Brown, who is noted for his dynamic personality as well as his
non-stop energy, displays these traits in his dance concepts.<span style> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">The Verb program opened with CONTINUUM (2011), performed to a remix
assembled by Brown, which represented his youthful and free form style and
featured a dervish of balletic, rolling, running, sliding, arms flailing, free
form lifts, and movements.<span style> </span>Though
a little long, it was engrossing.<span style>
</span>Trad Burns lighting and Janet Bolicks blue and maroon costumes helped
create the right moods. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Tom Everts THE PRESIDENT (1986) featured the focused dancing of
Brian Murphy.<span style> </span>The piece showcased
the anguish, reconciliation, sleepless nights, and pressure of the man who
holds the highest position in the land.<span style>
</span>Complete with the unfurling of the American flag in the conclusion, it
was an appropriate selection for this season of political infighting.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">THE ROAD TOGETHER, choreographed by Brian Murphy was performed to
Sigur Ross <i style>Med Sud I Eyrum</i>.<span style> </span>Short and intense, it showcased Ashley
Cohen and Ryan DeAlexandro nicely exploring the challenges that keep us
apart.<span style> </span>Centering on moving on and
around two chairs, the duo came together and broke apart in anguish and
angst.<span style> </span>There was a clear message,
nicely developed by Murphy and his dancers. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">IM ON MY WAY (2012) was choreographed by Brown for himself.<span style> </span>Centering on a pile of clothing which
Brown put on and took off in an attempt to find the right look, there was a shallowness
of effect. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Performed to a remix of various artists, PASSING BY (2012), was youthful,
repetitive, and overly long. The free form movements, though well danced, did
little to capture and hold the attention.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Capsule judgement: Antonio </span></i></span><span style><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Brown,
whose work was the centerpiece of EXPLORE DISCOVER (9/22/12) has great
potential as a choreographer.<span style>
</span>Though it might be incumbent upon a local reviewer to extol his work, it
would not be a service to him or his audience. <span style> </span>Brown is <span style> </span>just developing
a style and dance philosophy that will take years and maturity to polish, and
needs honest evaluation to help him on his path.<span style> </span>Verb should be praised for giving the young man a chance to
ply his creativity and give him a chance to experiment. </span></i></span><span style><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<span style></span>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black">Verbs next performance is on October 13 when
they will perform CARMEN:<span style> </span>STORY OF
PASSION at the Akron Civic Theatre.<span style>
</span>This is followed by the works of Chung-Fu Chang on February 23 at the
Breen Center.<span style> </span>Their April 18-20
session will feature Richard Dickinsons choreography at Cleveland Public
Theatre.<span style> </span>For information go
to:<span style> </span><a href="http://verbballets.org">verbballets.org</a> or call
216-397-3757.</span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><b style><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black">JOFFREY BALLET and THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black">The Cleveland Orchestra and The Joffrey
Ballet will perform THE NUTCRACKER, Tchaikovskys magical work, for five
performances on November 29 through December 2 at the State Theatre in
Playhouse Square.<span style> </span>For information
go to <a href="http://playhousesquare.org">playhousesquare.org</a> or call 216-241-6000 or 866-546-1353.</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="color:rgb(204,0,0)"><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Palatino"></span></span></p>
<span style="color:rgb(204,0,0)"></span><br><br><br><br>