On Stage: A First Look at Akram Khan

Pittsburgh Dance Council brought Akram Khan’s Vertical Road to the Byham Theater last weekend. Already a big name in Europe, his work was commissioned for the opening of London’s Summer Olympics and he achieved some fame because NBC cut away to air an interview with swimmer Michael Phelps. His topic for the Olympics was loss, perhaps a tribute to the 52 victims of bombings in 2005. Here in Pittsburgh, Vertical Road dealt with death and spirituality. It was certainly one of the most memorable performances in more than 40 years at PDC. Read the review in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.