Moonwalk meets Stravinsky in hip-hop ballet
By Sara G. Levin
Delicately, then fiercely, Keely Wright introduces the all-female “hip-hop ballet,” Decadance vs. The Firebird, by softly writhing her arms and torso, then slashing her elbows and knees in hatchet-like thrusts. Loosely based on the Michel Fokine’s 1910 Firebird—the Russian folktale of prince Ivan lost in an evil forest and saved by a magical bird—Decadance Theatre director Jennifer Weber pits streetwise princess Iva against b-girl thugs who compete for respect in popping and locking duels.

Karmas collide in ‘The Dying Gaul’
By Noah Fowle
Wrapping his audience up in an intoxicating blend of suspense and heartbreak, Craig Lucas has created a seamless reinvention of his play in “The Dying Gaul,” his directorial debut. Unnerving in its believability, the story, set in the mid-nineties, hovers on timeless themes of betrayal, power, and sex. Thanks in part to the performances by the three leads, the story surpasses that of a common thriller, and its stunning climax elevates the film to the level of Greek Tragedy.

Using gallery walls to tear one down in the Middle East
By Tim Chan
When artist Seth Tobocman visited war-torn Ramallah in 2002, he found a city besieged by violence and uncertainty. He also found a fertile ground for compelling art.