Joffrey Ballet will offer sample of acclaimed repertoire

The Joffrey Ballet The Benedum Center Tomorrow and Saturday, 8:00 p.m. $22-$50 (412) 456-6666… The Joffrey Ballet The Benedum Center Tomorrow and Saturday, 8:00 p.m. $22-$50 (412) 456-6666

One of the world’s most prestigious ballet companies will perform in Pittsburgh this weekend.

The Joffrey Ballet, an American institution since 1956, will perform its program of highly acclaimed pieces at the Benedum Center. Audiences can expect to see excerpts of three pieces from the dance company’s current repertoire.

The program will begin with George Balanchine’s “Apollo.” Created in 1928, “Apollo” was one of the first ballets to usher in a new era of dance with its clear, neoclassical style. Igor Stravinsky, one of Russia’s most influential composers, created the orchestration. “Apollo” loosely tells the story of a young god’s birth and growth as he leads the three muses of poetry, mime and dance in a final ascent to Mt. Olympus.

“Sometimes it Snows in April,” choreographed by Laura Dean, is set entirely to Prince’s music. Clad in silver costumes, the performers will be accompanied by Prince’s hits.

Finally, the troupe will perform one of the Joffrey Ballet’s signature pieces. “The Green Table,” choreographed by Kurt Joos, is a powerful anti-war piece set to the music of Frederick Cohen. “The Green Table” incorporates masks and props into the dance to demonstrate the timeless ravages of war.

To purchase tickets, call the Box Office at Theater Square at (412) 456-6666.