Steve Sucato

Humanity's evolving relationship with artificial intelligence in our lives and the growing fears surrounding it are the themes of dancer, choreographer, and actress Maria Caruso's latest evening-length solo work, Counterpoint of Chaos.

For almost as long as this current iteration of the Cleveland Ballet has existed, dancer Erinn Crittenden has been a fixture. With her bright eyes, million-watt smile, and an affinity for playing charismatic characters, including the fiery street dancer Mercedes in Don Quixote, Collette in Dracula, Red Riding Hood in The Sleeping Beauty, and the comedic Grandmother in The Nutcracker and Tweedle Dee in Alice in Wonderland, Crittenden has endeared herself to Northeast Ohio audiences. 

For Cleveland Ballet Artistic Director Timour Bourtasenkov’s new production of Cinderella, premiering May 15-17, 2026, at Playhouse Square’s Mimi Ohio Theatre, he incorporated much of that tradition while crafting a ballet uniquely his own. 

City Ballet of Cleveland, the pre-professional student company in residence at Cleveland City Dance, will present its 17th annual Spring Repertory Concert on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at the Lorraine and Bill Dodero Center for Performing Arts at Gilmour Academy.

Veteran dancer-choreographer Beth Corning doesn’t wear her heart on her sleeve; it is reflected in her choreographic works if you look with intent. Not one to spoon-feed or preach to audiences, Corning’s works pose thought-provoking questions, often steeped in metaphor, and are sharp-witted, a touch humorous, a tad poignant, and magnificently beautiful in their visuals and craft. 

​​​​​​​DanceCleveland’s 69th season came to a satisfying close Saturday night at Playhouse Square’s Mimi Ohio Theatre with the Northeast Ohio debut of YY Dance Company.

Maria Caruso’s Bodiography returns to Pittsburgh’s Kelly-Strayhorn Theater this weekend, April 17-19, 2026, for Arcadia, a mixed repertory program of past company favorites and new works, all choreographed by company Founding Director Maria Caruso, including the world premiere of the program’s namesake ballet.

'Alexi Ratmansky’s 'Seven Sonatas' was a cut above anything I have seen from BalletMet in recent memory.'

Premiered in February in Akron, Ohio Contemporary Ballet’s Ballet Unbound now moves to Cleveland at Playhouse Square’s Mimi Ohio Theatre on March 28, 2026. The diverse mixed repertory program of works by Paul Taylor, Heinz Poll, and Nycole Ray will now include the world premiere of Gordon Peirce Schmidt’s timely “From the Street.” 

Cleveland Ballet continues its 11th season with Handel’s Messiah this weekend at Playhouse Square’s KeyBank State Theatre.

After a 20-year professional performance career, Cleveland Ballet’s Lauren Stenroos is retiring from the company as a dancer this weekend, following the company’s performances of Handel's 'Messiah' with the Cleveland Chamber Choir and BlueWater Chamber Orchestra at KeyBank State Theatre in Cleveland. 

Hot off the heels of their memorable performances of Trey McIntyre’s Peter Pan in February, BalletMet continues its 48th season with For the Love of Dance, March 20-28, 2026, at the Davidson Theatre at The Riffe Center Theatres in Columbus.

Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio-based Ballet Excel Ohio, formerly Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet, is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this weekend with the world premiere of choreographer Erich Yetter’s Aladdin at Akron Civic Theatre. 

Who the f-word is Attack Theatre? Those words were uttered in frustration by a famous rock singer some years back after Attack’s longtime music director, Dave Eggar, told them he couldn’t perform with them because of a prior commitment with the small-scale Pittsburgh dance troupe.

Primed to chase away the winter doldrums, Ohio Contemporary Ballet (OCB) returns to the University of Akron’s E. J. Thomas Hall on Saturday, February 28, 2026, with Ballet Unbound*. The mixed repertory program will showcase four diverse dance works, including two premieres.  

What did our critic think of MARTHA GRAHAM DANCE COMPANY - GRAHAM 100 at KeyBank State Theatre At Playhouse Square?

First, there was the 1962 song made famous by folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary. Then, a 1979 juvenile fiction book adaptation by Romeo Muller. Now, Puff the Magic Dragon, the familiar children’s tale about childhood imagination and growing up, is being told as a multimedia ballet.