From hip-hop and tap to classical Indian dance and traditional Tahitian dance, Playhouse Square is celebrating the art form at its annual, free Dance Showcase presented by Terry and Sheldon Adelman. Ten Northeast Ohio dance companies that represent a wide range of styles were selected to perform at the KeyBank State Theatre on Friday, September 5 at 7 p.m. The evening will also feature a performance from special guest artist SW!NG OUT, a cast of world-champion swing dancers doing exciting Lindy Hop choreography and improvisation.
“For more than 20 years, Playhouse Square has been proud to feature the work of our local dance companies through our Dance Showcase,” said Daniel Hahn, Playhouse Square’s Vice President of Education. “Whether you are a dance aficionado or wanting to learn about a new dance style, this highly anticipated special event will leave you with a greater appreciation for the time and effort that these dancers dedicate to their art.”
The local companies performing at Dance Showcase include Christina Lindhout & Artists, Cleveland Ballet, Cleveland Dance Project Company, Dancing Wheels Company, ELEVĀTED, Ohio Contemporary Ballet, Pacific Paradise Entertainment, Shri Kalaa Mandir, SOĀR and Tap Artistry Project.
The event is free, but tickets are required. Tickets are available at playhousesquare.org or by calling 216-241-6000.
Dance Showcase Repertoire
Christina Lindhout & Artists
Piece description: “our knees hurt (excerpt)” is about of female-identifying bodies and what it means to have one. This piece utilizes powerful floor work, deliberate staging, unison ensemble movement, humor, and moments of devastating vulnerability to showcase different facets of the emotional and physical realities of female-identifying people. "our knees hurt" because of the repeated historic and cultural attempts to keep female-identifying people submissive, oppressed, and "in line." "corps (waltz of the knees)" because female-identifying people are expected to be the backbone of many systems. Just like a corps de ballet, female-bodied people are usually the backbones of families, households, classrooms or offices. Do it with a smile, do it well, be nice, do it without complaint. You will stand out if you make a mistake, but being exceptional is the bare minimum. Expect no recognition or reward.
Cleveland Ballet
Piece description: “Guernica”- Perhaps one of Pablo Picasso’s most recognized paintings, Guernica is a powerful anti-war statement created in 1937 as a response to the German bombing of the Basque town during the Spanish Civil War. Interpreted into a contemporary ballet, choreographer Attila Bongar spotlights a single female dancer with delicate and writhing movements while five male dancers are strong and aggressive. Accompanied by an original score by J. Mark Searce featuring a piano with an ominous discordant tone, the choreography allows movements that encompass violence and hopelessness as depicted in the original artwork.
Cleveland Dance Project Company
Piece description: “Drowning” is a raw & intimate contemporary dance work that explores depression and how it is often a silent battle hidden behind a smile and a "normal" functioning human. This work invites the audience to recognize the quiet battles people carry, to find empathy in shared vulnerability, and to find hope in the future.
Dancing Wheels Company
Piece description: Based on the life of Annie Oakley, “Little Sure Shot” (a name given to her by Sitting Bull for her sharpshooting skills) tells the story of her early childhood as a Quaker in Darke County, Ohio. By age 8, she was trapping and shooting proficiently to support her family of six brothers and sisters and her widowed mother. As the dance progresses, it depicts the relationship with her sharpshooter husband, Frank E. Butler, and their years spent touring with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Annie Oakley was considered an early feminist who believed women should be educated and independent. Over her lifetime, she trained as many as 15,000 women to defend themselves and competently use a firearm. Her sharpshooter skills were unmatched; in fact, she was the second highest paid performer (Buffalo Bill was the first) in the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show.
ELEVĀTED
Piece description: “When Doves Cry” is a modern take on a classic track from Prince with movement inspired by both Prince and Michael Jackson.
Ohio Contemporary Ballet
Piece description: “Planes/Configurations”- Created by Heinz Poll, the founder of the former Ohio Ballet in 1990, the work was ahead of its times. The music, by Steve Reich, is in 5/4 meter and juxtaposed by the dancers working in competing rhythms. It is an abstract work that utilizes various 2-dimensional figurations and lighting that supports those geometric shapes amidst the individual artists showcasing multiple approaches to pirouetting.
Pacific Paradise Entertainment
Piece description: “Tahiti Hanahana” talks about our love for Tahiti Nui, celebrating the land and the passion we have for our land
Shri Kalaa Mandir
Piece description: “SAMAYAM – The Break of Dawn” The individual is always on the go. Juggling commitments, moving at a frenetic pace, we feel that we are running out of time perpetually. In truth, TIME is the only constant. But, in a universal paradox, time is consistently in motion, collaborating with the SUN, crafting the progression of the day, transitioning seasons, the states of reverie and wakefulness, and cycles of birth and death. Let us peek into a human day when the sun rises and the light of day returns once again. Morning routines of getting ready for the day, prayers and preparing food etc. are carried out with diligence and tranquility, unwavering from day to day. While the cuckoo chimes and the pendulum sways, an alarm cuts through the calm–will our late riser, Anamika, be “on time”? Tik Tok, Tik Tok…
SOĀR
Piece description: “In The Air Tonight” is an artistic interpretation of "Yuppie American" culture in the 1980's. Focusing on the tension between the rise and fall factors in the path to success.
Tap Artistry Project
Piece description: “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”- Inspired by Michael Jackson’s iconic music track, this work highlights the intricate interplay of rhythm and sound through sophisticated tap footwork. The dancers move with sharp clarity and vibrant energy, exploring syncopated beats and dynamic grooves that evoke a contemporary urban feel. The black and white wardrobe underscores the choreography’s contrast and detail, presenting a visually striking complement to the music’s infectious pulse. This performance celebrates both technical skill and expressive depth, bridging classic tap elements with modern flair. It represents the essence of Tap Artistry Project (TAP), a new initiative launched in 2025 to focus on this unique dance form and help performing artists expand their footprint ~ literally and figuratively. TAP founder Heidi Glynias believes that tap dancing creates more versatile dancers, quicker to learn fast footwork, bringing greater precision to each movement, and strengthening their musicality.
SW!NG OUT
Acclaimed choreographer Caleb Teicher brings the best of the swing dance world to the stage in SW!NG OUT. Conceived by Caleb Teicher alongside their brain trust of collaborators Evita Arce, LaTasha Barnes, Nathan Bugh, and Eyal Vilner, SW!NG OUT features exciting Lindy Hop choreography and improvisation, celebrating the fire and fight of this dynamic dance form from a cast of world-champion swing dancers.