‘ ‘ ‘ The Pittsburgh Ballet Company will bring some spring to the steps of ballet with live… ‘ ‘ ‘ The Pittsburgh Ballet Company will bring some spring to the steps of ballet with live doo-wop music and the songs of Cole Porter and The Boss. ‘ ‘ ‘ The Company will dance its way through a three-ballet extravaganza this weekend at the Byham Theater. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘This is the kind of show that would attract a younger audience,’ said Julia Erikson, a dancer in all three shows. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘American Rhythms’ is a toe-tapping blend of three ballets danced to the music of Porter, Bruce Springsteen and doo-wop. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘It’s a contemporary vocabulary that only ballet dancers really can do. So you have the aesthetics of a physical ballet dancer and then doing rhythms and movements that are atypical for a ballet dancer,’ said Terry Orr, artistic director for the entire show. ‘ ‘ ‘ The show starts with Porter’s ‘Anything Goes.’ The ballet elicits nostalgia of the enchanting and bygone era of Hollywood in the ’30s and ’40s. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘It’s really light and fun, and the music is great,’ said Robert Moore, a dancer in all the ballets. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘You take on this air of sophistication and the style of that day,’ said Erikson. ‘ ‘ ‘ It certainly won’t be the very classic dancing and musical images that pop into people’s heads when they hear the word ‘ballet.’ The dancing is similar to the glamorous ballroom dancing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and the old glamour of men wearing tuxedos and women donning lovely dresses. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘It’s more like ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ almost,’ said Orr. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Straight Life’ utilizes Springsteen’s music. The Boss’ gravelly voice underscores the duets and scenes that act as snapshots in the lives of several different people. This ballet has a more melancholy feel, exploring the difficulties and complexities of love. ‘ ‘ ‘ Each of the eight couples portrays a different story taken from the words of Springsteen’s songs through their dancing. One pair, who die in a car wreck, reminisce about their lives together. In another dance, a very insecure man is constantly paranoid that his wife is cheating on him. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘It’s really kind of edgy. It really has a strength to it that’s different,’ said Orr. ‘ ‘ ‘ Moore’s dance in the ballet is to the song ‘New York City Serenade.’ The dance chronicles the inescapable, on-again-off-again relationship between a man who’s a bit of a Don Juan and a woman who is a bit of a shady lady. As far as Moore can tell, the two end up together. ‘ ‘ ‘ The last ballet, in the show, ‘Step Touch,’ is an upbeat doo-wop piece with live music played by Charlie Thomas’ Drifters and Pure Gold, which will be onstage with the dancers. Even more exciting is that this will be the world premiere of the show. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Doo-wop is a genre of music that resonates America. It comes from the roots of American music, and it has a different kind of sound than you’re used to hearing,’ said Orr. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘It’s going to be a blast. It will be like a concert,’ said Moore. ‘ ‘ ‘ The choreographer sampled from the doo-wop steps of the late ’50s and ’60s and made them more contemporary for the show. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘It’s more contemporary movement, it’s not just a plain old, classical story ballet,’ said Erikson. ‘ ‘ ‘ The close-proximity of the audience to the dancers in the Byham Theater will create a personal feel for the show. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘It’s more intimate and you can really feel the presence of the audience right there. Which I think for these ballets is especially appropriate because they are more like a conversation,’ said Erikson. ‘ ‘ ‘ For people that think that ballet is for an older crowd, this might be the right kind of ballet to change their minds. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘I think it will have all different levels [of people]. I think it’s going to be great for the young. I think they’ll get into at least two of the three types of rhythms, and I think that they’ll love what they’re going to see,’ said Orr. ‘ ‘ ‘ Inevitably, everyone will find something to enjoy. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘It offers more variety of ballet. You’re going to see three completely different styles of dance in one show. It gives something for everyone,’ said Moore.