GALA CELEBRATES POLL.Ohio Ballet honored founding artistic director Heinz Poll with "motion ... emotion," a gala tribute May 1 at the Akron West Hilton. Poll, who retired after thirty-one years at the company's helm, was toasted by an overflow crowd of nearly 600. About seventy past and present dancers and staff members traveled from eighteen states to attend the black-tie event. Testimonials were sent by choreographers Paul Taylor
Brown was born in Aberdeen, Washington, and received a B.A. degree in dance from Mills College in 1958. Brown later received a D.F.A. from Bates College in 2000. , Laura Dean, and Gerald Arpino Gerald Arpino' (born January 14,1928) is an American dancer, choreographer, and the artistic director and co-founder of The Joffrey Ballet. Born in Staten Island, New York, Gerald Arpino studied ballet with Mary Ann Wells, while stationed with the Coast Guard in Seattle, . Congressman Tom Sawyer offered proclamations. Poll, 73, was introduced by board president Paul G. Lowe and presented with a metal sculpture commissioned from Akron artist Don Drumm. In response, Poll offered toasts to Tom Skelton, lighting designer and company cofounder co·found tr.v. co·found·ed, co·found·ing, co·founds To establish or found in concert with another or others. co·found who died in 1994, and other close friends within the ballet family. "Not everything was always rosy," said Poll. "What I remember and will miss are those moments when the houselights house·lights pl.n. The lights that illuminate the audience section of a concert hall, theater, or auditorium. Noun 1. houselights - lights that illuminate the audience's part of a theater or other auditorium go out ... the curtain finally goes up, and then there is magic. I am so happy we were able to take that magic to so many places." Before the program, guests were shown a retrospective video of rehearsals and performances from the company's earliest days to the last production of the 1998-99 season, when Poll was crowned with a laurel wreath laurel wreath ancient award for victory. [Western Cult.: Brewer Dictionary] See : Prize laurel wreath traditional symbol of victory, recognition, and reward. [Gk. and Rom. Hist.: Jobes, 374] See : Victory . The tribute raised $130,000 for the company, which is now under the direction of Poll's successor, Jeffrey Hughes. "This is not a sad event," said Poll. "The company is going on and I will be around." |
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