Pennsylvania Ballet's New Artistic Director Hopes For A Great Leap Forward

By Lynne Adkins

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Pennsylvania Ballet has a new artistic director who vows to energize the celebrated company.

Angel Corella has danced all over the world and now brings his experience and flair to Philadelphia with this new season.

He respects the company's past, but says it is time for a new direction.

"We have to look into the future and try to do things a bit more edgy and things that will attract new audiences and that will shock -- in a good way, not just do things for the hell of shocking people but do things that people go, like, 'Wow this is incredible,' and they can't wait to come the next day and see it again," he tells KYW Newsradio.

Corella, 38, expects to bring new programs and choreography to the Philadelphia stage -- along with a strong marketing and advertising plan so everyone will know about the changes.

"Although I'm gonna keep the heritage of the company in the Balanchine tradition, I'm going in a very different direction," he notes. "So, from now on, the company's going to have not a different kind of dance, because we're not going to turn into a modern company, but we're going to have a different look to the company and a different look into the future. So it's a new beginning," he adds.