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Attack Theatre co-directors Peter Kope and
Michele de la Reza have been recognized as
"a masterful and dynamite duo...the Fred and
Ginger of the 90's where Ginger does most
of the lifting." Attack Theatre collaborates with artists
from many disciplines to create performances
and events featuring elements from many art
forms. Their work has been seen throughout
the United States including the Byham Theatre,
Regent Theater and Three Rivers Arts Festival
in Pittsburgh, Kumquat Theatre in Philadelphia,
the Pantages Theatre in Washington, in Switzerland,
Germany and Turkey. Attack Theatre has created
site-specific works for the East End Event
(a critically and popularly acclaimed five
house traveling art event), Carnegie Museum
of Art, the Andy Warhol Museum, First Night
Pittsburgh, the Mattress Factory, The Frick
Art and Historical Society and private functions
and events. Attack Theatre choreographed
for the Broadway production of "Squonk" in New York City (2000) and created
a new multi-media piece with Squonk Opera,
commissioned by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
at the Byham Theatre in April 2000.
Attack Theatre has received grants, commissions
and recognition from the Pennsylvania Council
on the Arts, Pittsburgh Dance Council and
the Harry Schwalb Excellence in the Arts
and Pittsburgh’s "Fabulous 40 under 40" Award from Pittsburgh Magazine. "As dancers, the couple's mutual excellence
generates fearless, uninhibited performances." (Pittsburgh Magazine). They were
also named to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette's
"Top Ten List for Dance in 1997" for "Some Assembly Required",
a process/performance in the Frick Museum
galleries. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette described
the work as "filled with refreshing honesty and breezy
camaraderie combined with a sensual 'attack'
for an engaging evening of improvisation
and interaction."
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Michele, a native Texan, moved to New York
City to study at the Juilliard School where
she earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts in
dance. While in NYC she performed both classical
and contemporary works by choreographers
including Jose Limon, David Parsons, Benjamin
Harkarvy, Martha Clarke, David Dorfman, Paul
Taylor and Anna Sokolow. Michele is the resident
movement teacher for the Pittsburgh Opera
and choreographed "Andreas Chenier"
and "Rigoletto" in 1999. In 1994
she received a Masters of Science in Developmental
Movement/Motor Learning from the University
of Pittsburgh. Peter, born and bred in Cleveland,
has performed and taught domestically and
internationally with The Dayton Contemporary
Dance Company and later with Men Dancers:
The Ted Shawn Legacy. Peter also was an Art
Handler for the inaugural installation of
the Andy Warhol Museum. He earned a degree
in Management from the University of Dayton.
Both Michele and Peter danced for Dance
Alloy
for 8 years and and were featured in
the
works of noted choreographers David
Rousseve,
Elizabeth Streb, Ann Carlson, Doug
Elkins,
Miriam Herve-Gil and artistic director
Mark
Taylor. They are principal dancers
and collaborators
with the New York based company - The
Perks
DanceMusicTheatre (founded by Rebecca
Stenn,
principal dancer with Pilobolus and
Momix).
With Attack Theatre, The Perks and
Dance
Alloy, they have toured throughout
the United
States and Europe. Michele and Peter
have
conducted master classes and residencies
in modern dance, contemporary partnering,
repertory and improvisation throughout
the
United States. They have taught at
colleges
including University of Pittsburgh,
Dickinson
College, Point Park College, Frostburg
University,
Western Pennsylvania School for the
Deaf
and numerous primary and secondary
schools.
Since 1993, they have conducted movement
workshops for academic instructors
helping
them to integrate kinetic learning
into the
classroom. |
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