Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and August Wilson Center Collaborate

The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and the August Wilson Center for African American Culture today announced a three-year partnership that will include performances, workshops and reciprocal dance instruction.

The August Wilson Center’s president and CEO Andre Kimo Stone Guess says the seven executives of cultural district institutions meet every month, and this cooperative effort with the Ballet Theatre is one result. Guess says he's not aware of any other city with the same high level of cooperation among artistic groups.

Greer Reed Jones, founding Artistic Director for the August Wilson Center, says the collaboration is coming out of a real dance boom in Pittsburgh, with young companies forming and individual projects taking shape.

In February, 2012, the ballet will perform “Uncommon Baroque” a contemporary mixed repertoire with live music of Bach, Brahms and Beethoven in the August Wilson Center’s 486-seat theater. Choreographer Dwight Rhoden will choreograph an original work to music by Bach.

One of Andre Kimo Stone Guess’s visions is instruction in either ballet or modern dance at either institution available to children from an early age through CAPA through Point Park College and, without leaving Pittsburgh, into a world class dance ensemble.

August Wilson Center offers Fellows Program

The August Wilson Center, for the first time, is offering a Fellows Program for passionate artists of African descent. Shay Wafer, vice president of programs, said the program is designed for artists who work in media arts, music composition and performance, performance-based arts and visual arts. Interested applicants choose a self-identified project to work on over a one-year period, which the Wilson Center will provide each fellow with stipend and support both administratively and creatively. Wafer said it’s a bright future for Pittsburgh artists, to give the option of staying instead of going elsewhere to study.

Wafer said there are two information sessions being held for those who want to find out more and how to apply. The first session is on Thurs, Dec. 4, 5:30pm, at Gallery 209/9, located at 209 Ninth St., Downtown. The other session is on Sat, Dec. 6, 12pm, at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, located at 5941 Penn Avenue, East Liberty. Also, Wafer can be contacted at swafer@AugustWilsonCenter.org for more information.