MICHELE DE LA REZA

Michele de la Reza is co-artistic director and founder of Attack Theatre, who with Peter Kope have been recognized as a “ masterful and dynamite duo...Fred and Ginger of today where Ginger does all the lifting ”. Attack Theatre collaborates to create performances and events featuring elements from many art forms.  Their work has been presented throughout the US and in Switzerland, Japan, Germany, France and Turkey. They have choreographed for the Broadway production of “Squonk” , Pittsburgh Opera, Quantum Theatre and the Pittsburgh Symphony.  They have received commissions from the Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Symphony, and the Carnegie, Frick and Warhol Museums. With Michele, he has created and performed works for the Avignon Festival (France), the 7th Next Wave Dance Festival (Japan), Monaco Danses Forum (Monte Carlo) the Spoleto Festival (Charleston, SC) and will present their award winning “Games of Steel” throughout the US next season.  Michele was a leading company member of Dance Alloy for 8 years and a founding member of New York City based  based Perks DanceMusicTheatre. Michele and Peter received PA Council on the Arts Fellowships in 2002 and 2004 and has received grants, commissions, and recognition from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Pittsburgh Dance Council, Heinz Endowment, Harry Schwalb Excellence in the Arts Award, Pittsburgh Magazine's “Fabulous 40 under 40”; and were recently named “Top 50 Cultural Leaders of Pittsburgh” (Pittsburgh Post Gazette).

Michele received a BFA from the Juilliard School in NYC and Masters of Science in Education from the University of Pittsburgh. She coordinated the development of the CAPA arts curriculum and is an arts education consultant for the Pittsburgh Public Schools. She has conducted dance/movement master classes and residencies throughout the United States and Europe; and at University of Pittsburgh, Point Park Conservatory, Dickinson College, Mimar Sinan Conservatory, La Roche College and at hundreds of primary and secondary schools. She teaches movement and curriculum integration residencies for teachers and administrators, and has worked with Gateway to the Arts since 1991.