2011 SCHEDULE
Click links above for
program details
The Heinz Poll 2011 Summer Dance Festival in Akron
Continuing Akron’s unique 36 year tradition of presenting free dance performances
in the parks during the summer, The Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival has been
established to honor the legacy of the legendary founding Artistic Director of Ohio
Ballet. Free public performances by respected Ohio dance companies, each presenting a
unique dance experience, reflect the common thread of Poll's commitment to the highest
artistic standards.
In 2011, the City will sponsor four consecutive weekends of ballet featuring four professional dance companies: Dayton Contemporary Dance Company; the GroundWorks Dancetheater, Verb Ballets of Northeast Ohio, and Neos Dance Theatre.
Since the 2006 demise of Ohio Ballet’s Summer Festival - supported by the City of Akron since 1975 - there was no ready outlet for dance in Akron, Ohio. The community enjoyed performances by touring companies at Akron Civic Theatre and E. J. Thomas Hall, and the annual Fall performance at the Northside Ice House by GroundWorks Dancetheater. Youth ballet performances by the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet and Children’s Ballet Theater also made dance available to local audiences.
The Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival has expanded the offerings so that there are now 16 to 18 separate ballets offered each summer. Attendance averages 10,000 per season.
The schedule for 2011:
| July 22 & 23 | Hardesty Park | Dayton Contemporary Dance Company |
| July 29 & 30 | Firestone Park | Verb Ballets www.verbballets.org |
| August 5 & 6 | Glendale Cemetery | GroundWorks Dance Theater www.groundworksdance.org |
| August 12 & 13 | Goodyear Metropolitan Park | Neos Dance Theatre |
| August | Bonus Blossom Music Center | Joffrey Ballet, presented by the Cleveland Orchestra, www.joffrey.com |