Zodiaque Dance Company to Perform Oct. 17-21

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Department of Theatre and Dance at the University at Buffalo will present Zodiaque Dance Company at 8 p.m. Oct. 17-20 and 2 p.m. on Oct. 21 in the Drama Theatre in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus.

Two successful alumni of the UB dance program will set works for this performance. Jon Lehrer, formerly of Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago and founder of new Buffalo-based dance company Lehrerdance, will remount his work, The Way Within. The work is based on the Buddhist fundamental idea that to find peace and Nirvana requires looking inside oneself; that the way within is the path to enlightenment. The piece is loosely based on Herman Hesse's novel "Siddhartha," the theme of which is the search for truth.

Rebecca Guile, founder of Xtreme Talent Convention, will also create a work for the Company. The Zodiaque Dance Fund has made Lehrer's and Guile's work with the dance company possible.

The concert also brings two student choreographers to the studio and stage -- Andrew Delo and Lindsey Sahm. The vision and youthful insight that these promising artists create is an exciting addition to the concert. The Zodiaque Dance Company concerts also allow and encourage student technicians to hone their skills in a professional setting.

Faculty members Melanie Aceto and Kerry Ring will perform a new experimental work, Contextual Conduct. The work is an exploration of how music affects the audience's perception of meaning. Each night the dance is performed twice to two different musical selections chosen by the audience, offering two different contexts in which the piece can be seen.

Four dance faculty members will continue the dance concert adventure with their wit, grace and creative wonderings. Works from Aceto, Tressa Gorman Crehan, Shelley Hain and Tracy Navarro will complete the company's fall performance. The Zodiaque fall concert is an evening of dance perspectives and initiatives which reflects the diversity of the company cast.

Zodiaque Dance Company celebrates its 34th year in 2007-08. The company embraces a diversity of styles in both dance and dancers. Zodiaque serves as a professional training ground for emerging dancers and student choreographers to evolve into intelligent and resourceful working artists.

The Zodiaque Company will perform at the 2007 UB Scholarship Gala on Nov. 10, hosted by UB President John B. Simpson. Tom Ralabate will choreograph and direct the company for this grand event. Linda Swiniuch remains the founding director, while Tressa Gorman Crehan serves as company director and Shelly Hain as assistant to the director.

Tickets for Zodiaque Dance Company are $16, students $8. Tickets are available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Center for the Arts Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations, including Kaufmann's. To charge tickets, call 852-5000; in Canada, call 1-416-870-8000. For group sales, call 645-6771. For more information, call 645-ARTS. The Center for the Arts is a Ticketfast location. Students of any school must present valid student ID at the Center Box Office to receive discount.