Pilobolus, the modern dance troupe known for pushing envelopes and thrilling audiences, comes to the Midlands
February 12, 2018
Pilobolus is a rebellious dance company. For 45 years, the troupe has tested the limits of human physicality to explore the beauty and the power of connected bodies. The company brings decades of expertise in telling stories with the human form to show how to maximize group creativity, solve problems, and generate joy through the power of nonverbal communication. Pilobolus returns for the first time since 2012 to Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College (HT@MTC) for two performances on February 25 at 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM.
“People know Pilobolus by name, but until you see these masters at work on stage, the full effect isn’t apparent – the dancers truly are wizards of movement,” says Kristin Cobb, Executive Director of HT@MTC. “If you’re a modern dance enthusiast, you know the Pilobolus name. If you aren’t familiar with these dancer-chameleons, you’ll be a fan very soon.”
Pilobolus has created and toured more than 120 pieces of repertory to more than 65 countries. In the past year, Pilobolus was featured on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, NBC’s TODAY Show, MTV’s Video Music Awards, The Harry Connick Show, ABC’s The Chew, and the CW Network’s Penn & Teller: Fool Us. Pilobolus has been recognized with many prestigious honors, including a TED Fellowship, a 2012 GRAMMY® Award Nomination, a Primetime Emmy® Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cultural Programming, and several Cannes Lion Awards at the International Festival of Creativity.
The Philadelphia Inquirer says, “There are other companies that take art to extremes, but Pilobolus proves once more that it does it best.”
In the shows at HT@MTC, that extreme will be on full display. In addition to performing old favorites, Pilobolus will debut new works to South Carolina audiences. The standards include Jonathan Wolken’s á la B’zyrk – Intro (2007) and á la B’zyrk – Outro (2007) bookending the performance, with new works in between: On the Nature of Things (2014), The Inconsistent Pedaler (2014), Echo in the Valley (2017), and Branches (2017).
The troupe will also host a public workshop during its visit to the Midlands. Participants are encouraged to take part in a unique, up-close opportunity with the world-renowned company. Pilobolus will host dancers of all levels at the Columbia City Jazz Conservatory, on Saturday, February 24 at 4 PM. This workshop uses Pilobolus’ signature techniques of improvisation and movement creation to elevate training to the next level and reinvigorate creativity. All are welcome to participate, no matter what age, experience, or skill level. Additional details can be found at HarbisonTheatre.org/pilobolusworkshop.
Ticketing Details
Tickets are available now at HarbisonTheatre.org. Buyers may also order tickets at 803.407.5011 or at the Harbison Theatre Box Office, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM. The box office will open two hours prior to each show.
About Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College
Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College offers programs and productions that encourage reflection, examination, and discovery; and provide entertainment, education, and opportunity to professionals, learners, and community members in all stages of life. To learn about upcoming events, purchase tickets, or pursue sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, please visit HarbisonTheatre.org.
About Midlands Technical College
Midlands Technical College (MTC) is a non-profit, six-campus, two-year public college serving Richland, Lexington, and Fairfield counties in South Carolina. MTC enrolls approximately 15,000 credit students annually making it the fifth-largest provider of higher education in South Carolina and one of the largest providers of transfer students to the University of South Carolina. The Corporate and Continuing Education (CCE) program is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the Southeast, with approximately 15,000 students and provides training to hundreds of area businesses each year. midlandstech.edu
