Not the Same Old Song and Dance

William Inman

For its upcoming season — its 11th under the umbrella of Georgia State and 91st year overall — the Rialto Center for the Arts has scheduled perhaps its most diverse and comprehensive series yet.

The 2007-08 Rialto Series will introduce the first year of the Loridans Dance Initiative, which teams the Rialto with other community partners to bring in such contemporary dance troupes as the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Garth Fagan Dance and David Dorfman Dance companies. Garth Fagan is the Tony Award-winning choreographer of The Lion King.

"I think it's a great season and it's incredibly diverse while at the same time having a high level of excitement generated by the uniqueness of the artists," said Leslie Gordon, the Rialto's executive director.

The season kicks off with an opening night featuring renowned jazz pianist and composer Geri Allen's special project "For the Healing of the Nations," a tribute she composed for the fifth anniversary of Sept. 11.

"At the Rialto, we have a tremendous opportunity to showcase artists who people don't necessarily find wherever they go," Gordon said.

A perfect example is Angélique Kidjo, who is coming off a fourth Grammy win and new album release that features Peter Gabriel and Alicia Keys.

"People also have a lot of fun here and that's what I love," Gordon said.

For a full schedule, visit http://www.rialtocenter.org/.