Bodiography Contemporary Ballet (BCB) offers its audiences a union of many eclectic movement styles, solidly supported by classical ballet technique. BCB is not a traditional classical ballet repertorycompany. Contemporary ballet, as viewed by Artistic Director Maria Caruso, is a fusion of movement styles – modern, jazz, and pedestrian movement - with an underpinning of ballet technique. Instead of movement created for the pointe shoe, contemporary ballet is movement accentuated by the pointe shoe. Pointe work is a bright color in the contemporary ballet choreographer’s palette, sometimes shining on its own, sometimes used to contrast barefoot movement, sometimes not used at all. However, even when it is not used, the balletic line of the body still distinguishes contemporary ballet from straight modern dance. Where modern dance techniques such as Cunningham or Limon incorporate an original movement vocabulary, contemporary ballet speaks with a true ballet vocabulary accented by the languages of modern and jazz.
Caruso’s choreography is a fine balance of pristine classical ballet technique, powerful pointework, modern and jazz vocabulary, intense spatial patterns, and pedestrian movement. Ms. Caruso concentrates on realistic themes, such as relationships and real life issues, aiming at art that is emotionally accessible and relevant to all audiences. Caruso’s goal is to explore the universal human condition through movement, the universal language, in an attempt to touch viewers’ hearts. Her music is also specifically chosen to appeal to audiences that may be attracted to dance through the music. This strategy has been successful at bringing newcomers to view ballet with BCB as evident in BCB’s growing audience base at Pittsburgh’s Byham Theater.
BCB recruits well-trained dancers who are both finely tuned ballet dancers and competent in and confident with all dance styles, who have received a four-year baccalaureate degree, have experience with nationally renowned dance organizations, are accomplished dance teachers and mentors, are committed to BCB’s mission, and have a variety of healthy physiques. Rather than presenting a homogeneous corps, BCB aims to present uplifting ballet enlightened by the physicality, style, and passion of each unique company member. Pairing a tall dancer with a small dancer, for instance, gives BCB choreography a humanity and an emotional impact that cannot be achieved with a uniform corps of stereotypical ballet bodies. The concept behind BCB, that of providing entertaining and beautiful dance focused on the aesthetic of the movement rather than on the aesthetic of the dancer’s body, is unique in the dance community. It offers dancers the possibility of accepting their physical gifts as they are. It encourages young dancers not to fall prey to eating disorders and other destructive behaviors in order to meet sociological standards. As our mission asserts, it promotes healthy living and positive body image. BCB believes that these ideas are central to reaching out to new audience populations who may be intrigued by the company’s philosophy.