On Telling a Story
Not every dance tells a specific story, but that's the beauty of it. You can tell your own story, and the audience gets to interpret their own story from what you're doing. Dancing is a whole-body experience. It's not just words or actions, because there are so many details that go into dance. I try to get into the part by connecting with my personal experience and relating it to my life. For me, dance helps me in real life because I can work my anger or a bad day out through dance. Or if you're in love, you're happy, and can dance joyfully. balletincleveland.org — as told to Roxanna Coldiron
Inlet Dance Theatre @ Dance Showcase
Sept. 5, Connor Palace Theatre, playhousesquare.org
Seven dancers bring Vietnamese artist Bui Khanh's charcoal drawings to life in a unique performance by executive artistic director Bill Wade. Based on the idea that art connects us with the world around us, dancers move among artwork that flies around them on the stage.
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Oct. 5, E.J. Thomas Hall, dancecleveland.org
The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet performs several works such as Jorma Elo's Over Glow, which will be set against a backdrop of subtle lighting that morphs from cool blues and greens into ochers and purples with each new section of the performance.
Royal Ballet of Cambodia
Nov. 5, Cleveland Museum of Art, clevelandart.org
History comes alive as dancers portray four characters that have been a tradition of royal Cambodian performances for more than 1,000 years: Neang the woman, Neayrong the man, Yeak the giant and Sva the monkey. Known as the Khmer classical dance, this work expresses human emotion and embodies beliefs in spirituality, respect and refinement.
