Atlanta Ballet uses Cash to spotlight local talent

From March 23-25 the Atlanta Ballet hosts The Man in Black, a moving tribute to Johnny Cash that features, oddly, not Cash originals, but a handful of songs Cash covered toward the end of his life, including: “Sam Hall” (English folk song - Recorded by Cash for Sings the Ballads of the True West); “In My Life” (originally recorded by The Beatles); “Hurt” (originally recorded by Nine Inch Nails); “If You Could Read My Mind” (originally recorded by Gordon Lightfoot); “Four Strong Winds” (written by Ian Tyson; originally recorded by The Brothers Four); and “Further On Up the Road” (originally by Bruce Springsteen). “Surprisingly simple in its approach and ingenious in its outcome, The Man In Black was ... one of the finest works I’ve seen this season,” said Dance Magazine’s Steve Sucato of the BalletMet Columbus’ (Ohio) 2010 performance of the James Kudelka-choreographed work.

The Atlanta’s Ballet’s line-up that weekend will also include two other works: 1st Flash choreographed by Jorma Elo and Moments of Dis choreographed by up-and-coming local talent Juel Lane with music by Quentin “EQ” Johnson, also from Atlanta. Lane caught the eye of Atlanta Ballet Artistic Director John McFall during a 2009 Dance Canvas show, and was asked to collaborate with the company. In 2011, Lane premiered a work in conjunction with the Atlanta Ballet’s site-specific Wabi Sabi. Lane explores the implications of the prefix “dis” in this current collaboration Moments of Dis. Check out the short video bio of Lane below that offers a sneak peak of the choreography.