Arts Off 75: Celebrate Dance in May

May is shaping up to be the month of dance, with an abundance of performances lighting up stages in both Cincinnati and Dayton. It’s the perfect way to shake off the grey days of winter and dive into something fresh and electric, as both Cincinnati Ballet and Dayton Ballet present the grand finales of their seasons.

Back in my own dancing days, the end of the year always meant mixed repertory shows — programs that blended restaged masterpieces from the archives with bold, new works by emerging choreographers. For me, these performances were the real highlight of the season. They offered a payoff for all the training and challenged us to stretch our abilities even further. There’s nothing quite like being the inspiration for a brand-new creation, and sharing in that journey of discovery was an experience I always cherished. It was in those moments, working side-by-side with choreographers, that the spark to create my own dances was lit — a passion that eventually led me to The Ohio State University for graduate studies in Dance, and, well, the rest is history.

This season’s final performances bring that same spirit of creativity and boldness to the stage. Cincinnati Ballet wraps up their 2024–2025 season at the Aronoff Center with a triple bill that moves from playful to profound. Alexander Ekman’s Cacti pokes affectionate fun at the conventions of contemporary dance, offering a witty and clever deconstruction of the art form. David Morse’s Our Story shifts the mood with an intimate, cinematic meditation on the Holocaust, asking us to consider what it means to share and honor our collective humanity. The program caps off with the regional premiere of Delmira by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, a dramatic and symbolic retelling of the life of Latin American poet Delmira Agustini.

Meanwhile, in Dayton, Dayton Ballet’s Pointes of View offers a thrilling mix of the classical and the contemporary. The program travels from the sparkling brilliance of George Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante, through the striking modern visions of Andrea Schermoly’s Klein Perspectives and Sanjay Saverimuttu’s Anagapesis, and culminates with an exciting world premiere by Qarrianne Blayr.

With both companies so conveniently located along the I-75 corridor, true dance lovers — and even the simply curious — have an incredible opportunity to experience the best of both worlds. It’s a rare chance to catch the timeless and the cutting-edge side by side, in two cities, all in one vibrant month.

Rodney Veal
CET and Think^TV Producer and Community Arts Liaison