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<p style="text-align: center; font-family: -webkit-standard;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Verb Ballets brings diverse styles to The Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival </span></b></p>
<p style="text-align: center; font-family: -webkit-standard;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">in celebration of the company's 30th anniversary season</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p style="text-align: center; font-family: -webkit-standard;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">World Premiere of work by Philadelphia choreographer, Tommie-Waheed Evans</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
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<p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">AKRON, OH - Verb Ballets returns to The Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival at Akron's Firestone Park on July 28 & 29, 2017. These free community performances will showcase Verb Ballets as the company celebrates the 30th
anniversary season by featuring a diverse dynamic program including a world premiere. Verb Ballets is proud to present a season that highlights the artistry of contemporary choreographers paired with balletic works that have moved audiences for decades. </p>
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<p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">Verb Ballets will premiere a new work by Philadelphia chorographer Tommie-Waheed Evans at the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival. In 2013 Evan's created
<i>Dark Matter</i> on Verb Ballets that audiences and critics alike enjoyed. Evans danced with PHILADANCO! and Complexions Contemporary Ballet before starting his own company Waheed Works in 2006. The Dance Journal described his work as, “vocabulary is deeply
rooted in a classical ballet aesthetic blended with modern sensibilities and jazz influences.” Evans strives to create work built upon the human experience to connect audiences through a fierce physical language while communicating statements about social
justice. </p>
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<p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">Returning to the stage is the Heinz Poll favorite,
<i>Eight By Benny Goodma</i>n. This fun loving piece combines ballet and ballroom to the exuberant big-band sounds of the master, Benny Goodman. Verb Ballets' dancers will debut the amazing technique of the Cuban Ballet style as the company performs
<i>Don Quixote Grand Pas de Deux </i>staged by renowned Cuban ballerina, Laura Alonso. </p>
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<p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">Guests are invited to bring blankets and/or a chair. Onstage children's activities lead by the Dance Institute start at 7:45pm. Verb Ballets performance begins at 8:45pm. Firestone Park is located at 1480 Girard St,
Akron, Ohio 44301. Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival performances are free and open to the public. </p>
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<p style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">All programs and artists are subject to change. </p>
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<p style="text-align: center; font-family: -webkit-standard;"><i>Photos from Verb Ballets’ repertory and choreographers interviews available upon request by contacting </i></p>
<p style="text-align: center; font-family: -webkit-standard;"><i>Jen Garlando at jgarlando@verbballets.org.</i></p>
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