DANCE: That's all they wanna do ...

Wednesday, May 12, 2004

	HOT PICKS: DanceNational Performing Arts Convention You could say that the real action at the National Performing Arts Convention won't be inside the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. More than 30 national and local dance groups will participate in a series of showcases (averaging 15 minutes) at the Playhouse and Kelly-Strayhorn theaters. It's a quick way to get a handle on the pulse of American dance, and limited seating will be available. The June 10 performance at the Kelly-Strayhorn will feature eight groups, including Molissa Fenley and Dancers, American Repertory Ballet, Paradigm and Johannes Wieland. The Playhouse will offer two shows on June 11. Sarah Skaggs, Zvi Dance, Sinister Slapstick and Bang Group will be among those to perform at 7 p.m., and Ron Brown and Rennie Harris Pure Movement will flank Pittsburgh's Xpressions Dance Company, Pittsburgh Black Theater Dance Ensemble and Nego Gato at 8:30 p.m. The June 12 Playhouse performances will feature Elizabeth Streb, Bebe Miller, Amy Mullen and local Indian dancer Sreyashi Dey at 7 p.m. and Dance Alloy, Labco, Groundworks Dance Theater and Portables at 8:30 p.m. 412-621-4445.

It will seem as if there is dance on every street corner this summer, unlike the past few seasons when terpsichorean delights were virtually left to student workshops.

With the National Performing Arts Convention hitting the David L. Lawrence Center June 9-13, almost every Pittsburgh company will have its 15 minutes of fame, whether on stage (Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's "Magnificat"), inside corporate America (Mary Miller's gospel-driven celebration) or hitting the pavement.

Anything is possible as Junction Dance Theater Renegades "spy" on passers-by, Bill Shannon demonstrates his movement wizardry on crutches, Pittsburgh Youth Ballet celebrates 20 years or the Tammies take on China. Stay tuned.

PITTSBURGH DANCE COUNCIL The North American premiere of "Passare," by Ginette Laurin of Montreal-based O Vertigo, concludes the Dance Council season (Byham Theater, May 15). 412-456-6666.

PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATRE SCHENLEY PROGRAM PBT's best and brightest take on "Grand Pas Espagnol," George Balanchine's "Serenade" and Stacey Wallach's "Grace and Beauty," among others (PBT studios, May 15). 412-281-6727.

JUNCTION DANCE THEATRE Melanie Miller's group continues its Renegade Series, capitalizing on the element of surprise in East Liberty at Whole Foods, the busway station and Frick Park during May, then moving to Homestead's Waterfront and the Downtown area in June. Dates remain a secret unless you join the Renegade (various locations, May 15-June 12). 412-394-3353.

ATTACK THEATRE Michele de la Reza and Peter Kope christen their new rehearsal and performing space in the Penn Avenue Arts District with an open house featuring the husband-and-wife duo. They also plan a Nightcap series of informal performances throughout the summer (Attack Theatre Studios, May 22). 412-441-8444.

BALLET MANILA Ballet Manila's first performance here, sponsored by the Filipino American Association of Pittsburgh (Carnegie Music Hall, Oakland, June 4). 412-856-1445.

PITTSBURGH YOUTH BALLET Artistic director Jean Gedeon celebrates the company's 20th anniversary as one of the country's top independent ballet schools with George Balanchine's "Serenade," "Stars and Stripes" and "Circus Polka" and Melissa Allen's "Peter and the Wolf" (Byham, May 29-30). 412-835-1250 or 412-835-1335.

UNBLURRED Independent choreographers Gina Desko, Amanda Schneider and Molly McClelland share an evening of dance (Attack Theatre Studios, June 4). 412-441-8444.

THREE RIVERS ARTS FESTIVAL

Bill Shannon Impromptu street performances using boom-box music, skateboards, crutches and other mobility devices (June 4-6). 412-281-8723.

Street Scene In conjunction with the National Performing Arts Convention, this is a one-night street fair between 7th and 10th streets. Against a backdrop of window installations by local artists, Attack Theatre, Gina Desko, Junction Dance Theatre's Melanie Miller, Dance Alloy's Michael Walsh and 30 local dancers and musicians will lure onlookers into Zydeco, spy spoofs, hip-hop, even a wacky Chicken Dance and much more (Penn Avenue, June 9). 412-281-8723.

Jorge Variego & Contemporary Tango Ensemble Part of the Liberty Lab series, Variego fuses Argentinean Tango with contemporary music (937 Liberty Ave., June 9). 412-281-8723.

Labco Dance Labco takes to the outdoors with Andre Koslowski's "Where are the tears I cried along last evening" (Dominion Plaza, June 10). 412-281-8723.

Mary Miller Dance Company Miller produces an on-site collaboration, "Celebration of Spirit," with Anicet Mundundu and the gospel-based East End Men's Chorus and visual artist Rochelle Blumenfeld (One Oxford Center, June 10). 412-281-8723.

Attack Theatre Each of three performances at the Liberty Lab will be different, as the company spins the bottle or opens fortune cookies to determine the order of each program, to be drawn from the repertoire (937 Liberty, June 11). 412-281-8723.

PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATRE SCHOOL The school's annual spring recital will spotlight the entire student body and include segments of Balanchine's "The Four Temperaments" and "Theme and Variations," along with PBT artistic director Terrence Orr's "Waltz of the Flowers" and Richard Englund's "Jigs and Reels" (Byham, June 5). 412-281-6727.

PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATRE In one of the major programs set for the National Performing Arts Convention, PBT joins forces with the Mendelssohn Choir in a program of vocal music and dance, featuring Bach's "Magnificat" with choreography by Salvatore Aiello (Heinz Hall, June 9). 412-392-4900.

LABCO BLACK BOX SERIES Labco gives independent choreographers a showcase in a series devoted to new dance (Yoga Sadhana, June 26). 1-800-607-0857.

INTERNATIONAL SUMMERDANCE Students of this summer intensive will perform works from the contemporary and classical repertoire (Pittsburgh Playhouse, July 30-31). 412-621-4445.

PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATRE SCHOOL SUMMER PROGRAM Students of PBT's pre-professional intensive perform their own choreography Friday, then turn to classical excerpts Saturday (PBT studios, July 30-31). 412-281-6727.

PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATRE PBT gets a running start on the company's performance at Wolf Trap in Virginia the following week with this free outdoor program of contemporary choreography (Hartwood Acres, Aug. 19). 412-594-4823.

DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY TAMBURITZANS The Tammies want to open up a whole new realm of possibilities when they debut their new show in this free performance, one that will venture outside the Slavic folk tradition to create a multi-national festival segment including Irish and Chinese dance (South Park, Aug. 20). 412-594-4823.