by Susan Griffith

Dancers from CWRU's Mather Dance Program in the Department of Theater and Dance will perform a special presentation of the prestigious work by Martha Graham, "Appalachian Spring."

The performance, which takes place at 8 p.m. August 6 on the outdoor stage at Cain Park, Lee and Superior Roads in Cleveland Heights, marks the first time the piece has been staged since the Graham choreography came under court scrutiny and 10 works declared in the public domain.

Dancing in the lead role of the Husbandman, is Gary Galbraith, CWRU associate professor and principle dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company since 1991, and Shannon Cozad, a master's of fine arts graduate student in Dance,

Galbraith was invited not only to perform the work but to remount the ballet along with Diane Gray, a CWRU part-time lecturer who is a former dancer with Graham and the former co-artistic director of the company. Together they set the work during a three-week rehearsal period on the Repertory Project of Cleveland, a long time area dance company that is now headed by Hernando Cortez former dancer with the Paul Taylor Dance Company.

This is the first time that "Appalachian Spring" will be danced by a company other than the Graham company since the pivotal federal court ruling last year that awarded rights to a majority of Graham's ballets to the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance. "Appalachian Spring" and other works were designated as "in the public domain" by the Southern District of New York Judge Miriam Cederbaum.

The Mather Dance Program also will set a Graham ballet for their fall production November 6-9 at Mather Dance Center. "Steps," an excerpt from a longer work, "Chronicle," was choreographed in the 1930's.

Joyce Herring, former dancer with the Graham Company, who will be a guest teacher along with Pascal Rioult of the Pascal Rioult Dance Theater for the dance program this fall, set this dance work. Also involved in the project are Gray, Galbraith and Karen Potter, director of CWRU's Mather Dance Program.

Tickets for the Repertory Dance Project concert at Cain Park can be reserved by calling 371-3000. Advance prices are $15, $13 and $11. Tickets also are available at the door for $18, $16 and $14.

Return to the online edition of the 7-24-03 Campus News.

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