ArtsEngage sponsors weeklong residency with Diavolo Dance Theater

ArtsEngage, Syracuse University’s Office of the Arts Presenter, is sponsoring  a weeklong residency with the Diavolo Dance Theater, an internationally renowned modern acrobatic dance company, this week, April 9-13 at the Landmark Theatre in downtown Syracuse.

Diavolo company members are dancers, gymnasts, actors, athletes and, above all, teammates. Under the guidance of Artistic Director Jacques Heim, the company has developed a reputation for stunning, innovative movement on oversized surrealistic sets and everyday structures. Through working together, Diavolo dancers explore the challenges of relationships, the absurdities of life and the struggles to maintain one’s humanity.

Diavolo is currently completing work on “Transit Space,” a new piece inspired by the movement of skateboarding. The world premiere of “Transit Space” will take place in late April at the Center for the Performing Arts at Pennsylvania State University, as the culminating event of Diavolo’s participation in the Creative Campus Project. The Creative Campus Project is an initiative to foster connections between performing arts companies and universities, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and administered by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP).

The residency will culminate with a public performance on Friday, April 13, at 7 p.m. at the Landmark Theatre. The performance will include a world preview of “Transit Space” and other works in Diavolo’s current repertoire.

Tickets for SU students, faculty and staff are free and are now available from the Schine Box Office (limit four tickets per person). Requests for large numbers of tickets (as for a class), should be made to Esther Gray at 443-2941 or eegray@syr.edu.

Tickets for members of the Syracuse community are on sale at the Landmark Box Office. The price is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors (62 and over) and $5 for students (of any age), with a cap of $35 per family.

Among the opportunities for the Syracuse University and greater Syracuse communities during the week:

• open observation, a behind-the-scenes look at the professional performance process, daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.;
• stage lighting fundamentals, daily from 10-11 a.m.;
• A View From the Balcony: History of the Landmark Theatre, presented by the Onondaga Historical Association, Tuesday and Wednesday from noon-1:30 p.m.;
• From the Director’s Chair: An Inside Look at Diavolo, Tuesday from 1-2 p.m.
• advanced stage lighting, Tuesday from 2-4 p.m.
• movement master class, Wednesday from 1-2:30 p.m.;
• dance master class, Thursday from 10-11:30 a.m.;
• Under the Big Top, The History of the Circus in Syracuse (presented by Onondaga Historical Association), Thursday from noon-1 p.m.;
• movement for non-performers, Thursday from 1-2 p.m.

For more information, e-mail Danielle Hodgins at dahodgin@syr.edu or call ArtsEngage at 443-0296.

Heim founded Diavolo Dance Theater in 1992. Based in Los Angeles ever since, Diavolo was officially recognized as a cultural treasure by the City of Los Angeles in 2007. The 2011-12 season marks Diavolo’s 13th U.S. tour, with more than 14 weeks on the road in 20 cities. In addition, Diavolo has toured extensively throughout Europe, Asia and Latin America.