2009 HEINZ POLL SUMMER DANCE FESTIVAL SCHEDULE RELEASED

The City of Akron will continue its 34 year tradition of presenting free dance performances in the parks during the summer and honoring the legacy of the founding artistic director of Ohio Ballet, Heinz Poll.

This marks the 3^rd year the city has sponsored, The Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival - - four consecutive weekends of ballet featuring four high caliber, professional dance companies: Akron’s Ballet Theatre of Ohio, the GroundWorks Dancetheater, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and Verb Ballets of northeast Ohio.

"Dayton Contemporary Dance Company is celebrating their 40^th Anniversary and holds the largest repertoire of classic works by African-American choreographers in the world. The company will also present two stimulating and informative residency activities at The University of Akron while they are here, said Festival Director Jane Startzman."

Initiated by Mayor Plusquellic, the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival started in 2007 in response to the demise of Ohio Ballet, which gave its final performance August 6, 2006 at Goodyear Metropolitan Park. A committee of dance and education professionals, with local foundations that was convened by the Mayor examined options for continuing free outdoor summer performances that is unique among American cities and dates to 1975.

The programs will be presented July 24 - August 15, and begin at 8:45pm on Friday and Saturday evenings, with a children’s program starting at 7:45pm each night:

 

July 24, 25 Ballet Theatre of Ohio at Hardesty Park (Akron Arts Expo)
July 31, Aug. 1 Groundworks Dancetheater at Glendale Cemetery
August 8, 9 Dayton Contemporary Dance Company at Firestone Park
August 14,15 Verb Ballets at Goodyear Heights Metropolitan Park

The University of Akron Dance Institute will present the children’s program on three of the four weekends, and Ballet Theatre of Ohio will present a children’s program on July 24, 25.

"This year we are collaborating with young people, neighborhoods, and others more than ever on several different levels. Besides our partnership with The University of Akron on all residency activities, the addition of a dance component to the Lock 3 Summer Arts Experience will include interfacing with educational opportunities and programs offered through the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival. West Hill Neighborhood Organization will also present a "pre-show" picnic with jazz music at Glendale Cemetery on August 1, enhancing the outdoor dance experience for that neighborhood."

The Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival also offers a bonus performance in collaboration with The Cleveland Orchestra and The Joffrey Ballet at the Blossom Festival on August 22^nd and 23^rd.

The German-born Heinz Poll came to Akron in 1967 and offered classes to promising students. In 1974, with lighting designer Thomas Skelton, he founded Akron’s first professional company, which eventually became Ohio Ballet. Poll died in April, 2006. His works are included in the summer repertoire.

"Besides creating a professional dance company of national stature and taking it to New York City for five seasons, Heinz Poll created this special summer experience," says Startzman. "Everyone told him that he was crazy, but he was accustomed to accomplishing what others thought impossible."

The Founding Steering Committee includes Sapienza, Akron Deputy Mayor for Administration Dave Lieberth, Christine Amer Mayer and Leslie Nelson of the GAR Foundation, and Heinz Poll’s legacy dancers: David Shimotakahara, founder and artistic director of GroundWorks Dancetheater, who danced with Ohio Ballet from 1983 until 1998; Christine Meneer, artistic director of Ballet Theatre of Ohio, who for Ohio Ballet’s first performances at Cascade Plaza in 1975; Dr. Margaret Carlson, executive director of Verb Ballets and former student of Poll’s who worked with the late choreographer in obtaining five of Poll’s works for Verb’s present repertoire; Lana Carroll Heylock, head of the Dance Institute at the University of Akron and also one of the original students and dancers of Ohio Ballet, and Startzman, director of the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival who danced with Ohio Ballet from 1969 to 1989 and later served for 10 years as artistic administrator and company manager for Ohio Ballet.

In addition to the programs of dance performance, the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival will also include a a free public program entitled "Liturgical Dance Workshop" which will be held on Friday, August 7 at 11:30am at The University of Akron’s Albrecht Dance Studio in Guzetta Hall.

Master classes for advanced and pre-professional students will be conducted by each performing company every Saturday at 11:30am, July 25-August 15 in the Guzetta studios at a cost of $10/student. For more information about master classes, call 330.972.7948 or contact dance@uakron.edu.

Since 1975, the City of Akron has invested more than $1.6 million in summer performances of Ohio Ballet. This year’s festival is also supported by Akron Community Foundation, the GAR Foundation, and the John S. And James L. Knight Foundation.

INTERVIEW and PHOTO AVAILABILITY

To set up interviews with a Heinz Poll Dance Festival representative; or for photos, contact Maria Nagel at 330-441-2493 or maria_nagel1@yahoo.com.