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Attack Theatre
Attack Theatre was founded in 1994 in Pittsburgh, PA by Peter Kope and Michele de la Reza and has reached tens of thousands of people with personal, accessible and collaborative dance-based performances. Attack Theatre combines modern dance, original live music, multimedia and interdisciplinary art forms in traditional and non-traditional spaces throughout Pittsburgh, United States and the world.
Attack Theatre has choreographed and performed for the Avignon Festival, the 7th Next Wave Dance Festival/Japan, Indonesia Arts Festival, Monaco Danses Forum, the Spoleto Festival, the Broadway production of Squonk, over two dozen operas and symphonies. Attack Theatre has been on the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts roster of performing artists since 2001. They received the Hardie Educator of the Year Award in 2007 and are sought-after teachers in creative movement, modern dance and integrating kinesthetic learning into the classroom environment. The company’s arts education programs in K-12 schools, universities, schools, and community centers reach approximately 9,000 students, teachers and community members each year.
Attack Theatre’s arts in education and arts integration programs in schools utilize movement and dance as an engaging tool for: enhancing problem solving and critical analysis skills, building interdisciplinary connections, developing communication and cooperation skills, exploring abstract thinking, developing self-confidence, promoting healthy habits, exploring the creative process; and creating a deeper understanding of dance as an art form. Attack Theatre residency projects use a reflective and investigative approach to kinesthetic learning that stimulates students’ creativity and enhances curricular concepts and connections.
Find out more about Attack Theatre’s recent Residency Project at Shaler Area Elementary School in this article published by the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.
“The experience was highly beneficial to our school community. Meaningful activities helped students make connections – they had one ‘ah-ha!’ experience after another. Learning through movement was exciting and stimulating. The artists taught so effectively that students wanted to learn more! Very powerful and very positive.”
– Teacher, Allegheny Valley School District
