Julio Bocca and Ballet Argentino perform steamy Boccatango
October 19, 2007
Former American Ballet Theatre star Julio Bocca brings a sensual performance, mixing the passion of tango with contemporary choreography, to Penn State in Boccatango. The performance by the Argentine-born Bocca, one of the greatest dancers of his generation, and his Ballet Argentino comes to Eisenhower Auditorium at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9.
The performance, part of Bocca's farewell tour as a dancer, features six male and two female dancers, an eight-piece orchestra and two singers who meld the classic sounds of tango masters Carlos Gardel and Astor Piazzolla with the contemporary choreography of Ana María Stekelman.
Tickets for the Center for the Performing Arts presentation are $35 for an adult, $15 for a University Park student and $25 for a person 18 and younger. Buy tickets online at www.cpa.psu.edu or by phone at 814-863-0255. Outside the local calling area, dial 1-800-ARTS-TIX. Tickets are also available at four State College locations: Eisenhower Auditorium (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays), Penn State Tickets Downtown (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday), HUB-Robeson Center (11 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays) and Bryce Jordan Center (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays). A grant from the Penn State Student Activities Fee Funds makes University Park student prices possible.
Bocca, who received the gold medal at the fifth International Ballet Competition in Moscow, earned international acclaim as a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. He created Ballet Argentino in 1990. The company, which toured to five continents in 1996, once performed for an audience of 80,000 people at an outdoor venue in Buenos Aires.
A master of duets, Bocca partners in Boccatango with women, men and even a stepladder in a production simmering with sensuality. His smooth yet angular movements evoke the yearning and eroticism of tango. The performance includes partial nudity.
The musicians of Octango, the eight-piece orchestra, are also members of the Colon Theatre Orchestra and the National Symphony of Argentina. They combine jazz, tango and contemporary elements into their music.
Funding from the Penn State International Dance Ensemble Endowment and the Penn State Equal Opportunity Planning Committee supports this event. FOX 8 and ABC 23 are the media sponsors. Artistic Viewpoints, an informal discussion featuring a visiting artist or local expert, is offered in Eisenhower Auditorium one hour before the performance and is free for ticket holders. Artistic Viewpoints regularly fills to capacity. Seating is available on a first-arrival basis.
Contact: Laura Sullivan, 814-863-6379