A unique and diverse series of dance performances designed to demonstrate the amazing breadth of the art form is coming to the University of Hartford’s Lincoln Theater. Entitled Hartt Dances, the exclusive presentation—a stirring array of new and classic works—is being staged by The Hartt School. Nationally known as a premier conservatory that offers meticulous training programs in music, dance, and theatre, The Hartt School has had great success preparing students for the world of professional performing arts.
Hartt Dances will be presented on April 11, 12, and 13 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee on April 13 at 2 p.m.
The program will highlight several choreographic innovations. The groundbreaking work of Norbert Dela Cruz III and Tamisha Guy will be among them. Dela Cruz III is often called a visionary choreographer who presents compelling narratives and dynamic motion. Guy is both a choreographer and performer widely celebrated for her emotive power and pioneering dance movements.
Another special portion of the show will involve a distinctive piece by Stephen Pier, a former member of the Royal Danish Ballet and director of the Hartt School’s Dance Division. His work, “Under the Ice,” explores the contrast between surface appearances and inner emotions.
A modern interpretation of a dance originally choreographed by the legendary Martha Graham will also be part of the program. Called “Canticle for Innocent Comedians,” it is being restaged by Miki Orihara, who is on the Hartt Dance faculty and is known for her work as a principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company and for her performances in New York City, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Paris, and elsewhere. Excerpts from a ballet called Paquita, by Marius Petipa, will be staged by Hilda Morales, a choreographer renowned for her deep understanding and interpretation of Petipa’s work and the elegance and precision she brings to it.