Tonight marks the return to the Bermuda Festival stage of the Pascal Rioult Dance Theatre for two performances, both of which are dedicated to the memory of the late Paul LePercq, a great supporter of dance in Bermuda.

Performances take place at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts, and curtain time each night is 8 p.m.

Mr. Rioult’s choreography is deep-rooted in traditionalism and he has been able to take the dance vocabulary of the ‘New World’ and meld it with the historical traditions of European dance. His allegiance to what he knows to be the right approach for him as a choreographer has brought him and his company of ten dancers to the height of acclaim and international recognition.

Mr. Rioult, who holds a Master’s degree in Science Education from the University of Paris, joined the Martha Graham Dance Company in 1986, interpreting many of its most prestigious roles before Miss Graham created the central role in her ballet, ‘Eyes of the Goddess’, especially for him.

He also danced opposite Mikhail Baryshnikov in her three-character piece, ‘El Penitente’ as well as appearing in television specials. In the early 1990s he broke away from the Graham company to become a choreographer in his own right, although he credits Miss Graham with teaching him the value of “total engagement” .

With his keen sense of music and movement, Mr. Rioult lets the music influence the moves – unheard of in modern dance, where a silent backdrop is the norm during the gestation of an original work.

His affinity to the music of Ravel became a source of choreographic enlightenment, and his ‘The Ravel Project’, debuted in 2002 at the University of California, to critical acclaim.

For the 2003 season, Mr. Rioult has turned to Stravinsky for inspiration. With music from the ‘Pulcinella Suite’ and ‘Duo Concertante’, Pascal has created two pieces, ‘Veneziana’ and ‘Black Diamond’, both of which premi?red at the Joyce Theatre in New York in April, and will now be seen by Bermuda Festival audiences.

The French-born choreographer believes in surprising his audiences and then taking them on an adventurous journey of bliss and truth.

For ticket information visit the ferry terminal building on Front Street between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. For general inquiries during these hours ( 292-8572. For ticket information ( 296-5774 or visit website www.bermudafestival.com