Verb Ballets Continues the Legacy of Heinz Polls

Verb Ballets continues the legacy of Heinz Poll, founder of Ohio Ballet, at the Akron Civic Theatre on Friday, February 17, 2017 at 8:00pm. Verb Ballets will showcase new ballets inspired by Poll's choreography with a company premiere by former principal with Ohio Ballet, AnDrew Carroll and Verb Ballets' dancer, Michael Hinton. The program will include the revival of full company classics Schubert Waltzes and Bolero. Plus, there will be live accompaniment by former Ohio Ballet Music Director, David Fisher. This performance is supported by the generosity of The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation, Akron Community Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Fund for Dance in Summit County of Akron Community Foundation. This performance will launch Verb Ballets' 30th Anniversary Celebration in 2017.

AnDrew Carroll, who was trained by Heinz Poll, returns to set a company premiere of his own work, titled 3:00am. Carroll grew up in Akron has an extensive background in the performing arts, which includes performing nationally and internationally for nine years as a soloist with the Pennsylvania Ballet Company in Philadelphia, and a principal with the Ohio Ballet prior to that. His career spanned performing throughout the United States, including The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and The Joyce Theatre, The Spoleto Festival in Italy, as well as appearing throughout South America, China and Europe. In 2010, Carroll joined University of South Florida, where he now teaches all levels of ballet, history and partnering.

Verb Ballets' dancer Michael Hinton will premiere a new work inspired by the Shostakovich score from Poll's Elegiac Song. Hinton joined Verb Ballets in 2014 after training for three years at the School of American Ballet. Hinton has performed with Verb Ballets in several of Poll's works including Duet and Songs Without Words.
Verb Ballets will debut the company premiere of Schubert Waltzes choreographed by Heinz Poll. The classical piece was noted as "catapults ordinary waltz steps into a delightful combination of classicism and wit". Poll has taken the music and created three couples with individual personalities. The couples embrace character through their dancing to bring an inventiveness to the music.

Verb Ballets has a long history of performing Poll's work and strong artistic and personal ties to Akron- including Verb Ballets' Associate Director, Richard Dickinson, who danced with Ohio Ballet under Poll's Direction and eventually served as Poll's ballet master. Dr. Margaret Carlson was part of the original student group gathered together to study from Poll when the company was founded and she was on the committee that worked to found the dance festival in his name. In over 30 years as director, Poll choreographed more than 60 works for Ohio Ballet. At Poll's death in 2006, his estate stipulated that 10 of his most exceptional works be maintained as his artistic legacy. Verb Ballets is the repository of a number of Poll's choreographic works.
Single tickets are $32 Preferred, $27 Center, $22 Side Admission or $12 Students. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Akron Civic Box Office at 330-253-2488 or online at akroncivic.com. The Akron Civic Theatre is located at 182 South Main Street Akron, Ohio 44308. For more information visit www.verbballets.org.

AnDrew Carroll

In studio January 23-25, 2017 Carroll has an extensive background in the performing arts, which includes performing nationally and internationally for nine years as a soloist with the Pennsylvania Ballet Company in Philadelphia, and a principal with the Ohio Ballet prior to that. His career spanned performing throughout the United States, including The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and The Joyce Theatre, The Spoleto Festival in Italy, as well as appearing throughout South America, China and Europe. In 2010, Carroll joined University of South Florida, where he now teaches all levels of ballet, history and partnering. For full bio visit http://theatreanddance.arts.usf.edu/content/templates/?z=9&a=1474.

Micahel Hinton

Michael Hinton is from Colorado. His training started competitive gymnastics when he was 5 within the USAG gymnastics program. Michael decided to start ballet in order to add grace and poise to his gymnastics routines. He went on to study ballet class full time at Ballet Nouveau Colorado (BNC) and at the age of 15 auditioned for The School Of American Ballet. He was accepted into the school and moved to New York City where he trained for three years before accepting his contract with Verb Ballets.

Heinz Poll

Poll was born in Oberhausen, Germany, in 1926. Poll was a champion ice skater before he became a dancer. His experience on the rinks imbued him with a love of speed that he expressed in his athletic baroque ballet, Cascade (1985). After World War II, he studied dance at Joss's Folkwang School in Essen, began his professional career at the Municipal Theatre in Goettingen and became a principal dancer with the Berlin State Opera Ballet. In 1951, he joined the National Ballet of Chile as a dancer, ballet master, and teacher. The company's tradition of bringing serious programs to indigenous people in remote mountain villages served as the model for Ohio Ballet's Summer Festival of free outdoor performances. In 1962, Poll joined Ballet de Jeunesse Musicales de France as ballet master. Two years later, he came to the United States as a guest artist with the Chilean company. He performed in the American Dance Festival the following summer and stayed in New York to teach at Thalia Mara's National Academy of Ballet. In Akron, he developed Ohio Ballet into one of America's most polished, respected, and widely traveled chamber dance troupes. Poll was awarded the Association of Ohio Dance Companies Award in 1983, the Cleveland Arts Prize in 1995, and the Ohio Arts Council's Governor's Award in 1999. After his retirement, he wrote his memoir and has conferred a number of his ballets to former Ohio Ballet dancers. Poll passed away in 2006.

About Verb Ballets

Verb Ballets, a contemporary ballet company, presents dynamic programming through bold artistry, unique styles and technical excellence that captivates a broad audience. Under the direction of Dr. Margaret Carlson, Producing Artistic Director and Richard Dickinson, MFA, Associate Director, the company will present a season that ignites passion in the energy, beauty and athleticism of dance. Critics have hailed Verb Ballets as, "Dashes preconceptions ...with keen dramatic power." -The Plain Dealer, "(Verb) is dance magnifique." - The Examiner, "confident and polished, Verb's dancers shone" - Dance International Magazine. Verb Ballets cultivates dance appreciation and nurtures wellness through movement in community dance classes, school residencies, senior outreach, library programs, master classes and college course partnerships. Verb Ballets has also been named one of Five Great Tiny Troupes in America by Dance Magazine and was one of the 25 dance companies in America to watch. Additional information can be found at www.verbballets.org

Image credit: Melissa Mendise

To post a comment, you must register and login.