Beth Corning, Dance Alloy’s Artistic Director, shares her vision of building a modern repertory touring company that showcases great choreographers. hunk of cheese that is her makeshift lunch. “With BY GINA MAZZA HILLIER live performances, nothing can be done the same “This job is huge for me, didn’t come to hear the Dance Alloy’s new artistic way twice. TV, on the other hand, is redone until it’s perfect. There’s no humanity at that sub-level. and I still can’t believe director wax rhapsodic about the ethereal nature I of dance. (I’ll leave that to the dance critics.) My Our job as dancers is to give the audience a visceral sometimes that quest was for a vividly sketched reality check about experience rather than a spoon-fed experience.” the rigors of working as a professional dancer, espe- I wake up every day cially in a pop culture prone to TV, videogames and Getting The Company Back On Its Feet and get paid to do computer screens. As an internationally acclaimed choreographer and Beth Corning didn’t disappoint. On this teacher, Corning has what it takes to be the alche- what I absolutely brisk winter day, the refreshingly irrever- mist in charge of transforming Dance Alloy’s ele- love to do.” ent red-head is fighting the flu, but you’d mental mix of talent into a stronger, more lustrous never guess by the exuberance pouring amalgam of well-rounded performers. Upon arriving - Stephanie Thiel, from her as she wittingly philosophizes in Pittsburgh from Minnesota in 2003 to steer “a Alloy Dancer about contemporary dance and ship that was rudderless,” she lunged into tightening conveys her vision for rejuvenating the organization financially and artistically. While Pittsburgh’s 30-year-old modern balancing the practicalities of hiring personnel, fund- dance company. raising and renovating the company’s Neighborhood “The fun thing about dance and Dance Center along Penn Avenue in Friendship, theatre, as opposed to TV, is Corning staged auditions in Pittsburgh and New Photos: (above) by Cylla Von Tiedemann; that it’s human and vulnerable York last October in search of a fresh roster of danc- (right) Alloy dancers and provocative in an intel- ers who she could train to be “highly technical and Johnathan Sanchez and Cass Ghiorse, ligent way—it’s about what theatrically flexible artists.” (p.2) Michael Walsh makes you think,” Corning “My vision is to build a modern repertory tour- and Stephanie Thiel (p.3) Stephanie Thiel emotes, every so often slicing ing company that presents dance theater works of and Maribeth Maxa, a wedge from a foil-wrapped exceptionally high quality. When Mark Taylor was by Frank Walsh here, the choreography was mostly his,” she “So much of this generation is about psyche. Yet, constantly striving to new levels adds, referring to the Alloy’s erstwhile artistic product, not process. Audiences are into of competence while doing that which you director of 12 years. product, which is fine, frankly. I don’t want love has inherent rewards, as Corning eluci- As long-time choreographer and artistic to pay $30 to see a work in progress. It’s dates: director for Corning Dances & Company no longer the 70s, when everyone paid ten “Being a dancer is like being an ath- (which she founded in 1981 in Stockholm, bucks to sit on a floor in a loft and have lete [in that] repetition is a huge part of our Sweden, then moved to Minnesota in 1993), orange paint flung at career. You do a plié she now relishes the freedom to showcase them—which, at the every single day. You others’ works. time, I thought was “In terms of [dance] being this do a tendu every “I know a lot of good choreographers very cool.” glorified, graceful, wonderful single day. You stretch and I’m excited about bringing in their work. Invigorating the every single day, and I’ve become jaded in dances that are just Dance Alloy into an way to live . the older you get, the about technique. Technique comes first but it echelon of dance- well, that is what we work more you have to has to be a vehicle for something other than theatre artists meant very hard to make you think. stretch because it’s ‘gee, look how these people can move’. I’m finding dancers not cumulative. Like very interested in dance theatre. As a cho- who were open to It’s an unspoken part of the job.” any job, the repeti- reographer, I’m interested in choreograph- creative experimen- tion can be grueling, ing that way. As an audience member, I’m tation, as well. The fall 2003 auditions drew boring, frustrating. You race against yourself transfixed by that kind of work. I would like 41 dancers in Pittsburgh and 30 in New York every day, plus, you’re in competition with to bring in theatre artists to start creating City. Of that number, Corning plum-picked the person in front of you who might be works—people like Ann Bogart, an award- four: Stephanie Thiel and Maribeth Maxa doing it better because you’ll lose your job if winning New York theatre director who does from the Pittsburgh area; Cass Ghiorse from you’re not good enough.” beautifully theatrical movement work on Katonah, NY; and Jonathan Sanchez, a Point “In terms of it being this glorified, grace- actors.” Park College student from California. ful, wonderful way to live . well, that is Corning realizes that integrating They join veteran Alloy dancer what we work very hard to make you think. theatrical components into Michael Walsh. By mid- It’s an unspoken part of the job. We want the contemporary dance can December, the group of five audience to say ‘wow, just look at that body “present a dilemma” from a presented their informal debut and what he or she can do! That must feel dancer’s perspective. at the Neighborhood Dance Center. glorious!’ “Young dancers, all they want True to her sensibility that the “The fact is, it f---ing hurts! It DOESN’T to do is dance,” Corning gesticulates. essence of good dance transcends feel glorious. You’re thinking get your hand “They don’t want to bother pushing technical proficiency, Corning chose her out of my crotch, or if my hip stays in place around a prop for 10 counts. With my dancers from instinct—not necessarily for this performance I’m going back to company in Minneapolis, for example, “how good you are but what you bring to church, or, I hope I don’t throw up, or what- we once worked four hours every day it with your soul. I can’t teach anybody ever it is you’re thinking to get you through for a month on figuring out how to to dance but if you have a dancer’s soul, the performance. You are NOT gazing at move a nine-foot rolling table around I can teach you technique, and then you your partner with love and lust. You’re too the stage. The dancers were so angry have to do the rest of the work.” busy thinking count one, count two, count at me. Oh, they weren’t dancing with That passionate inner impulse is what three. a capital D! I said to them, ‘go find anoth- keeps dancers shouldering on in spite of the er company... I want to play with this table.’ work’s inherent challenges, Corning com- RESURRECTION OF THE ALLOY: “Then we got down to work. I’d ask ments. 40 YEARS OF DANCE one of my dancers to ‘slide over the table “We sure as hell don’t do this for top...okay, you just money, we sure as Join the Dance Alloy for a gala performance that offers both a retrospective and futuristic look ripped open your “Our job as dancers hell don’t do it for stomach—that won’t compliments, and at this Pittsburgh-grown dance company. The do, go to the hospital is to give we sure as hell don’t evening will include works by the Alloy’s various and come back’...or, the audience do it to feel good,” choreographers and dancers both past and present. The premiere promises a taste of the Corning’s ‘okay, I can’t lift that a visceral experience she says derisively. table, but all of us “Okay! So why do we renowned dark wit and dance theater esthetic. can.’ Ultimately, the rather than do this?” A 70’s-themed Black Tie/Champagne table was a small yet a spoon-fed experience.” Corning Benefit – with live music and a strolling dinner seamless portion of answers her own catered by Whole Foods and a variety of local the hour-long show. question: “It’s a men- restaurants – will be held in the theater’s lobby It turned into this beautiful work.” tality, something you’re born with, something after the Saturday evening performance. Part of what gets Corning jazzed about you just are.” April 9 through 12 dance theatre is the experimentation aspect, Kelly-Strayhorn Community Performing being able to enjoy the process as well as the Moments Of Grace In An Imperfect World Arts Center, East Liberty end result. Working as a dance professional can be Showtimes 8pm everyday except Monday, cruel on the body and challenging for the which is 7pm. “And yet, every once in a while, you’ll mately results in the art form’s evanescent bar. If he doesn’t, there’s no disguising it. look up and catch your partner’s eyes and beauty and ability to inspire an audience.