The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts Half-Day program recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of Choreographers’ Showcase. The annual performance is an opportunity for Academy dancers to work with world renowned choreographers to learn and perform their works followed by a performance. This year’s show was on October 21, 2023.
This year we were able to present Mark Morris’ “Water” staged by the wonderful Billy Smith of the Mark Morris Dance Group. The Academy also presented “Abravanel” by long-time collaborators Kate Sutter and Lynn Peterson of New York based Syren Modern Dance. Tendayi Kumba, a Dance Magazine Top 25 to Watch in 2023, created “The Adventures of Left and Right Brain” on students and circus artist Tandy Beal allowed us to present her piece “Red Thread” staged by Peter Kyle.
Of note in this year’s production was the performance of Lotte Goslar’s “Leggieros”. First performed by the Hartford Ballet 1975, “Leggieros” is a series of vignettes using ballet technique and the dancers' personalities to gently poke fun at dance and life. The piece was staged by Academy Artist Instructors, and Hartford Ballet alumni, Thomas and Jeanne Giroir with John Simone, also a former dancer with the company. We were thrilled to bring this small piece of Hartford’s dance history to our stage.