Pittsburgh Dance Council Presents Stephen Petronio Company 1/22

The Pittsburgh Dance Council presents The Stephen Petronio Company on Saturday, January 22, 2011, at 8:00 p.m. at the Byham Theater. "A richly layered, juicily contemporary experience...sharply articulated...heady spontaneity ...terrific dancers ...a mix of super-athletes and wild creatures...unexpected and revelatory effect" (Susan Reiter, New York Press).

Tickets ($19-$45) may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square, online at www.pgharts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. First Commonwealth is the proud season sponsor of Pittsburgh Dance Council, and WDUQ 90.5 FM is the media sponsor.

About The Stephen Petronio Company
Celebrating its 25th Anniversary Season and returning to Pittsburgh after ten years, The Stephen Petronio Company continues to spread its rich contemporary work with the world. Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, Petronio is widely regarded as one of the leading dance makers of his generation. New music, visual art and contemporary fashion collide as his dances produce powerful modern landscapes for the senses. He has built a body of work with some of the most talented and provocative artists in the world. "...Stephen Petronio and his elegant troupe create indelibly beautiful imagery by matching steps with just the right music and visuals...a feast for the senses..." (Rebecca Milzoff, New York Magazine). Since the inception of the company in 1984, The Stephen Petronio Company has performed in 26 countries throughout the world including the presentation of over 35 New York City engagements.

Among the riveting choreographic masterpieces for the Pittsburgh performance will be one of Petronio's best known pieces, MiddleSexGorge, and the world premiere of his newest experimental endeavor, Ghostown. Each set is riveting and shocking, yet elegant and polished. They are sure to leave the audience wanting more.

About Stephen Petronio
Stephen Petronio was born in Newark, New Jersey, and received a BA from Hampshire College in Amberst, Massachusetts, where he began dancing in 1974. Initially inspired by the dancing of Rudolf Nureyev and Steve Paxton, Petronio was the first male dance of the Trisha Brown Company (1979 to 1986). He founded Stephen Petronio Company in 1984 and has gone on to build a unique and powerful language of movement in collaboration with contemporary innovators in the fields of music, visual arts and fashion.

Stephen has received numerous accolades for his work, including a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, as well as awards from the Foundation for Contemporary Performance Arts, New York Foundation for the Arts, an American Choreographer Award, and a New York Dance and Performance "Bessie" Award. "He is one of the few contemporary dance makers who have created an instantly recognizable style...fresh and unpredictable...infused with emotional texture and wit...jarring and just right" (Roslyn Sulcas, The New York Times).

Each year the Pittsburgh Dance Council, a division of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, showcases a world-class season of dance. As the largest presenter of international performances in the city, the Dance Council continues to help make our Cultural District one of the country's leading arts and entertainment centers.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit organization whose mission is the cultural and economic development of Pittsburgh's 14-block Cultural District through public and private support. The Trust presents and encourages diverse performing and visual arts programs within the District, and is an impetus for additional development in downtown Pittsburgh. In addition to the Pittsburgh Dance Council, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents the PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh series, Trust Presents, Pittsburgh International Children's Theater and Children's Festival, CD Live, JazzLive, First Night Pittsburgh, Gallery Crawl, and Three Rivers Arts Festival, among other Cultural District and arts events. The Trust owns Theater Square and the Cabaret at Theater Square; James E. Rohr Building & Arts Education Center; the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts; Byham, O'Reilly, and Harris Theaters; visual arts galleries: Wood Street Galleries, at 601 Wood Street; SPACE, at 812 Liberty Avenue and 937 Liberty: a multipurpose performance and exhibit space, among other downtown arts facilities.

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