The Hope College Great Performance Series will showcase Koresh Dance Company on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 14 and 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the DeWitt Center main theatre.
Renowned for powerful stage presence and high-energy style, Philadelphia's Koresh Dance Company has been hailed as an extraordinary and vital force in the local and national dance scene. Founded in 1991 by Israeli-born choreographer and artistic director Ronen Koresh, this troupe presents its audiences with an exciting and emotional blend of ballet, modern and jazz, molded into a style of choreography that is both eloquent and explosive.
"When Koresh Dance Company performs, audiences leap to their feet," "Dance Magazine" has said.
The first half of the troupe's HopeCollege performance is "Looking Back: The Music of the 40s and 50s," which is part of a full-length work Koresh created exploring dance in America. The work includes pieces set to the music of Benny Goodman, Julie London, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and many others.
The second half is "Hidden Drives," another work choreographed by Koresh and part of the company's eclectic repertoire of more than 50 works, which also include pieces by guest artists such as Brian Sanders, formerly of Momix; Hector Vega; and Donald Byrd.
The company's critically acclaimed work attracts increasing audiences across the nation, and Koresh's reputation for passion and outstanding technique regularly results in sold-out performances. The "Denver Post" has called the Koresh Dance Company "...a vibrant ensemble that offered non-stop dynamism throughout its performance."
Support for the program comes locally from the Padnos Foundation and the Hope College department of multicultural life. The performances are also supported by the Performing Arts Fund, a program of Arts Midwest funded by the National Endowment for the Arts with additional contributions from General Mills Foundation, Land O'Lakes Foundation, and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
Tickets for the performance are on sale at the ticket office in the DeVos Fieldhouse, and cost $17 for regular admission, $12 for senior citizens, and $6 for children 18 and under. The ticket office is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be called at (616) 395-7890.
The ticket office is in the main lobby of the DeVos Fieldhouse, which is located at 222 Fairbanks Ave., between Ninth and 11th streets. The DeWitt Center is located at 141 E. 12th St. on the northwest corner of 12th Street and Columbia Avenue.
Additional information may be obtained online by visiting www.koreshdance.org or www.hope.edu/gps.