Review: Verb Ballets pays tribute to Heinz Poll, late dancer in Firestone Park program

AKRON, Ohio – Verb Ballets of Shaker Heights offered a nicely varied program of contemporary ballet to kick off the 12th annual Heinz Poll Dance Festival last weekend at Firestone Park.

On opening night Friday, the company paid tribute to late dance teacher Kate Lieberth Lytton, daughter of festival co-founder David Lieberth, by remounting Aposiopesis, which Verb performed two years ago for the Heinz Poll Dance Festival. Lytton, who died in April from breast cancer, danced the lead role in the work by Charles Anderson with Company C, partnering with husband Alec Lytton in 2007 or 2008, Alec Lytton said.