|
We define Helios Arts with three words: Dance,
Art, Theatre. It is our goal to unite all
of the Arts as well as making them more easily
accessible to all people by providing programs
and opportunities in these arenas. We think
we've been succesful - Helios Arts was named
"Best Dance Lessons" by readers
of the InPittsburgh Newsweekly, and Laura
Hodge and Christopher Mattick were named
by the Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project and
Pittsburgh Magazine as two of Pittsburgh's
Top 40 Civic Leaders under the age of 40.
Helios views dance as an art and a discipline.
Students receive instruction in more intuitive
performance techniques and not only learn
to dance, but to create and express their
own dances. We teach with a strong emphasis
upon learning the techniques involved rather
than the formulaic rote memorization of by-the-numbers
dance steps, and while we are rooted in the
past and do teach traditional methods, we
are not lost there and utilize the most modern,
up-to-date technique, styles, and music.
|
|
We bring experience from a wide variety of
situations and combine them into a Unified
Dance Theory utilizing traditional styles
and techniques (jazz, tap, ballet, modern,
and others) taught with ultra-modern methods
to create a whole dancer as well. We also
take great care to ensure exposure to other
performing arts (singing, acting, yoga, martial
arts, mime, etc.) in order that students
might become over-all better performers.
Helios produces several shows each year,
including the very successful Indie*Chor,
a showcase of local independent choreographers.
In addition, our Ampersand Dance Company
actively performs throughout the city with
various arts organizations, including the
Pittsburgh Symphony, the Heinz History Center,
ProArts, and the Shadyside Arts festival.
|
