FEED YOUR HEAD CAFE: weekend 3 comments

The third weekend for Feed Your Head Cafe was a great finish to a successful run. Through word of mouth and rave reviews, this weekends crowds were the largest over the past three weeks.

This week's feature guest artist was Greer Reed-Jones. The featured queen was Eda Bagel. They were both truly stunning.

Here is what this weekend's audience thought:


We really liked how it’s completely up to you how to interpret it but its very jam packed with emotional response. The lack of talking and when it did it was very relevant to the movement that was going on.
Michael Kelly & Alexa Pontzer, Children's Institute, Pittsburgh & Northwest, PA


I liked the show. It was different and creative. I liked the leggings and the male Alice. I thought it had a message for all audiences, not just female Alice’s.
Asia, Roger's School, Beltzhoover



The music and costumes were great. It was very interesting to think about the tea party, and how we bring tea parties into our adult lives.
Stephanie, Student in Toronto, Forest Hills



I liked the costumes. It was a little scary.
Shiana, Brandi & Joshua, Allegheny






The choreography was different and it was really intriguing.
Ashya, Student, New Jersey







I could relate to Alice 100% and we’re all confused at least I’m not alone this time. And I agree, nothing is over easy.
Carylotta and Debbie, Pittsburgh





I liked the stage, I liked the black and white on the stage. Really nice use of the space. The music was great. It was just beautiful.
Andrew, Time & Kristen, Pittsburgh & New Jersey

FEED YOUR HEAD CAFE: weekend 2 comments

The second weekend for Feed Your Head Cafe was great. The reviews from opening weekend came pouring in. The critics had great things to say. There is one weekend left, so don't miss your last chance to see a truely amazing performance!

This week's feature guest artist was Karla Boos of Quantum Theatre. The featured queen was Marsha Mellow. They were amazing. Don't forget, there is a different featured guest artist and featured queen each weekend.

Here is what this weekend's audience thought:


I was really uncertain of what to expect, but when I got it in and saw the setting, I was really surprised and couldn’t tell what was about to happen next, but we were having a fun time trying to figure out who was what character and see if there was any symbolism taking place. Justin Chesarek, Student, Slippery Rock



I like the idea of alternate realities. . . The lighting, costumes, and props were all amazing – so eerie. Veronica Osbourne and Elaine Foley, Students, Oakland



My impression of the whole piece was realizing one’s mortality and what could have been: regrets, and loves and losses… The three person waltz was just unbelievable. I was just thinking that… in modern dance, when you have something with surreal, random, and abstract elements, for it also to have so much heart and healing in it -- that’s so often the missing element. I just think to be able to bring those things together is phenomenal. Jeff Nytch, Musician/Composer/Conductor, Northside


I think the thing that struck me most about it was just the way that all of the dancers moved around the theater. They were in front of you ...I felt like I was there on the floor ...but not just that: moving around in the balconies and the different catwalks, I thought that was pretty cool. Jessica, Web Designer, South Hills


I remember all the different things that Alice fell in love with, as she went down the rabbit hole. Heather, Freelancer, East Liberty


I think the space was great, and what it allowed the theater group to do. What can I say? The props, lighting, even the tables suspended from the ceiling – I liked that a lot. Adele, DJ, South Hills

I thought the staging was beautiful. I thought the performers were really top-notch; I liked the way they put their own expression into the theme. It was really, really beautiful. Renee, Photo Journalist, Southside

FEED YOUR HEAD CAFE: weekend 1 comments

We had a great turnout for the opening weekend of Dance Alloy Theater's FEED YOUR HEAD CAFE! Opening night was SOLD OUT, Saturday's Cupcakes with the Cast was fun for all, and Sunday's Matinee was great for families and students.

This week's feature guest artist was Aaron Ingley of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. The featured queen was Jezabel D'Opulence. They were amazing. Don't forget, there is a different featured guest artist and featured queen each weekend.

Here is what this weekend's audience thought:

...actually what this tells me, what this shows me, was sort of a sadness of what we go through in life, and some of the pleasures, and some of the needs, and some of the wonder, and I think it was all there in that performance – I really, really do.

Helen Corning, Beth's Mother, Washington, D.C.

It didn’t strike me as odd, I don’t think. I thought it was pretty powerful. I thought it was, like, very adult. It made me think a lot. There is no determining life!

Debbie, Waitress, Mt. Washington

...But overall, I liked the symbolism about life in general, I thought it was really good. And especially since I was a former waitress, too, so I thought it was interesting.

Jenny, Sales Rep, North Hills

I thought it was fabulous; it was like being in a dream.

Bernie Hanlon, Self-employed, Monroeville

I thought it was fantastic, it was really superb. And it was so interesting, and I loved the musical choices… I loved when they all came on in tutus with the stripes, and the piece where they come in holding the women on their backs.

Verity Stevens, Student, Highland Park

I thought it was quite interesting. But I just didn’t understand all of it. You know what I mean? There were some parts I liked extremely well…I loved it. And some parts went really slow for me. But that’s to be expected. But all in all, I enjoyed it…I loved the costumes, the music was really interesting.
PJ, Northside

I liked the swinging part, I loved that climbing wall. I tell you what, lots and lots of props make me nervous: like what’s not going work, what’s going fall over. Loved the cigarette lighting, loved the dynamite, and just the repetitive nature of that. But I also really liked when she talked. I thought that that put an interest context to it. And I liked that Alice wasn’t the youngest dancer. When she reveals herself it’s like whoa, Alice in the future!

Christine, Edgewood

*

The show continues for the next two weekends at the New Hazlett Theater on the Northside. Next weekend's (April 4-6) featured guest artist is Karla Boos of Quantum Theatre. The featured queen is Marsha Mellow.

Tickets still available. Save $2 by purchasing early. Call 412-363-4321 for details and to purchase.

Behind The Curtain with BETH CORNING

Another fantastic turnout for the March 7th Behind the Curtain! Those in attendance got a sneak peek at exerpts from FEED YOUR HEAD CAFE, Beth Corning's new evening length work opening March 28 at the New Hazlett Theater.

In addition to Beth and our five amazing dancers, tonight's showing featured students from CAPA High School.

As always, the reporters gathered the comments of the audience members:

“I’ve come to a couple of these, more than a couple actually, and I’m beginning to recognize the signature style for the company itself, and I also really appreciate the experimentation and especially the collaboration with younger people.”

-Gordon Hodnett, Interviewer, Beltzhoover

“I liked it. I didn’t know what to expect, although I heard hints of it from my daughter who’s in it. You know, so I’m looking at it from the point of view of: What is the experience for her? What does she get to do?...She’s enjoying it, I enjoyed it. I will see it more than once, I’m sure, and it will be interesting to see it more than once, because there are so many different ways you can look at this.”

-Viveca Meyer, Physician, Fox Chapel

“…I don’t want to play favorites, but Stephanie and Michael both were really at the best of their form, and it was hard to keep your eyes off them. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I’m coming to see the performance.”

-John Reynolds, CMU Professor, Shadyside

Mark your calendars!

FEED YOUR HEAD CAFE
New Hazlett Theater
March 28 - April 14
CLICK HERE for tickets and more information.

A bit Alice In Wonderland, a little bit Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, and a little bit Alice’s Restaurant; a bit Hollywood, a bit Off-Broadway; definitely surreal. Complete with interactive sets, a few screaming queens, a 21 member cast including a different guest performing local celebrity each week - Aaron Ingley, of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (March 28-30), Karla Boos, of Quantum Theatre (April 4-6), Greer Reed formerly of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (April 11-13), as well as dance students from the Creative And Performing Arts High School and a few screaming queens, this multimedia event is Dance Alloy Theater, like you’ve never seen it before.

Audience Reviews from ...A DIFFERENT DRUMMER

Audience members had a lot to say about our December show at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty. Dance Alloy Theater had "reporters" collecting the thoughts and reactions of the audience. If you didn't get a chance to give your thoughts, post a comment. We'd love to hear from you.


(Favorite Part:) "In the first part, they picked themselves up."
James Edwards (on Duet), Kindergartener, Tampa, FL



"It was a thrill to be here. It was beautiful, sensual, exciting and I loved it. I will come out many more times to see Dance Alloy."
Mary Jo Kenne, Elementary School Counselor/ Former Dancer, Fox Chapel




"I thought the show was excellent. It was just as good as last year if not better and I’ll be back next year."
Guy Peluso, Arts Enthusiast, Bloomfield




"The show was great. I saw people that I never met before. That was the great part. The dancing was great. I liked how they were holding each other up in the air. That was the best part. I liked how it seemed like they were fighting in some way. It was pretty cool."
Adam Hakas, Student, Upper St. Clair



"First of all, this was my first time here and I was blown away. I thought it was amazing. Their talent and strength blew me away."
Karen Pollock, Graphics Marketing Coordinator, Stanton Heights

Behind The Curtain with MARINA HARRIS

Another great turnout for our first Behind the Curtain 2007/2008 Season. Marina Harris debuted TABLE OF CONTENT; a re-structured, re-choreographed, re-envisioned, and re-titled version of her 2005 piece BLUE QUARTET. Harris has done what many choreographers dream - to fix, tweak, and remold a work - an opportunity not often afforded artists or companies!

We brought back the reporters of last season to get audience reactions to the performance. Here's what they had to say:


"I think the idea of the relationship between people and the artistic expression brought back those emotions. ...I got it right away."
-Nick Earks, Toronto, CAN.
Occupation: Insurance


"I haven't seen any contemporary dance in a long time but I thought this was the most excellent use of horizontal space I've seen in long, long time. The emotion was so graphic. The dancers were all fabulous but it was expression. It brought out emotions in me that I hadn't expected. And I would want to see it again and again and again. It was humorous and it was serious. It brought out a lot of different emotions in me. It was truly an excellent presentation about relationships. I think dance is something that allows people to feel. We were talking about it in the audience that it's too bad that so many people can't even feel what they are experiencing, they're too afraid to feel."
-Mary Jo Geyer, Southside
Occupation: Professor at Chatham University


"I would have to say the dynamic between all of the people on stage [struck me]. Certainly the way that they were interacting with each other with the way that they looked at each other and also the way that they balanced each others timing with interactions of their bodies."
-Brenna Argall, Wisconsin
Occupation: Graduate student CMU (robotics)

One Audience Member's Reaction to FRAGILE

This reaction was e-mailed to us. Thank you for your contribution.


"Usually I don’t like plays, especially so here in Pittsburgh. Sitting so close to the actors in the theatre, I cannot suspend my belief when watching them. They are just people mouthing words. I don’t see the characters.

I was pleasantly surprised tonight, sitting so close. I found it to be much more rewarding to see the dancers, hear them breathe etc.

Beth’s piece was a balanced counterpoint to the first two performances. I found it interesting how the costumes built a physical place. I would be interested to know at what stage in the choreographic design the costumes came along. The piece would not have been the same without them. And so the music and the sonic landscape it created. I am surprised, I have to say, to read the prose poem that was the seed for the piece. Not at all what I expected it to be.

I wish in Donald Byrd’s piece there would have been more loss, more despair. Which I know is a funny thing to say. Loss is a singularly personal experience and one that never truly leaves you. I wanted to feel that more in that performance. Not a question of acting, maybe just of feeling.

'Duet’ was also, to me, about loss due to miscommunication and the sadness that results because of that.

It was an impressive first time to see the dance alloy and its dancers. I hope to continue."

-T.S.