Three aspiring choreographers present World Premieres at the
Harris Theater for Music and Dance – March 1, 2014
CHICAGO (January 28, 2014) – The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, presents the fourth annual Winning Works: Choreographers of Color Award, featuring three World Premieres by rising-star choreographers Justin Allen, Stephanie Batten Bland and Norbert De La Cruz III. The three World Premieres, along with Academy Co-Artistic Director Alexei Kremnev’s restaging of Le Roi S’Amuse, are performed by the international members of the Joffrey Academy Trainee Program at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 East Randolph Drive, one night only, Saturday, March 1 at 7:00 pm.
Stefanie Batten Bland’s piece Chiral,
consisting of eight women and two men, is a fusion of contemporary and
classical dance vocabulary exploring behavioral patterns of the body in
symmetrical and non-symmetrical orders. The women in this piece switch
between dancing on and off pointe, reflecting both masculine and
feminine nature.
Justin Allen’s Stillness in Motion was
derived from the idea that even in constant movement, one can find
moments of breath and stillness, and even in moments of stillness one
can find continuous motion. Stillness in Motion is set to contemporary classical music by Ezio Bosso.
Norbert De La Cruz III’s untitled
piece, also for seven women and three men, aims to tell his own story
of deeply personal relationships. The idea of “presence” versus
“vanishing” guides his exploration of mistake and fear through the
medium of contemporary ballet.
The Winning Works program also includes Kremnev’s restaging of Le Roi S’Amuse.
Set to recorded music composed by Leo Delibes and performed by the
Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, this piece is inspired by the six
ancient dances and thematic material written for the ball scene in a
Comedie-Francaise production of Victor Hugo’s 1882 play Le Roi S’Amuse.
“Dance
remains a ‘universal’ language. People from all backgrounds dance, and
communicate, without sharing words. Dance is a powerful bridge. With Winning Works, we celebrate all that is different and all that is universal amongst us,” stated Ashley Wheater, Joffrey Ballet Artistic Director.
“Winning this award was a huge honor and one of the greatest successes of my choreographic career,” said 2013 Winner William McClellan. “The dancers were a complete joy to work with and we learned and grew together through the process.”
Ticket Information
Tickets for the Winning Works: Choreographers of Color Award 2014 at
the Harris Theater are $20 in advance and $23 at the door. Tickets can
be purchased in advance by visiting or calling the Harris Theater Box
Office at 312-334-7777 or online at www.harristheaterchicago.org.
About the Choreographers
Stefanie Batten Bland
adds to Mary Batten and Ed Bland's artistic legacy of writing and music
with her own layer of dance. She has been recognized as a 2010-12
Baryshnikov Arts Center Artist in Residence and a Jerome Robbins "NEW
Fellow," and a 2011-12 Cambridge Who’s Who of Professionals and
Entrepreneurs. Stefanie has danced for Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance
Company, Pal Frenak, Georges Momboye, Pina Bausch Tanz Theater
Wuppertal, Lar Lubovitch, Julie Taymor and Angelin Preljocaj, among
others. Stefanie created Company Stefanie Batten Bland in 2008 in France
so that she might better investigate the human condition and our
relationship within the natural world. Her works are based in dance,
with a strong instillation component which allows futuristic worlds to
take place in space and time. The troupe has performed live and via
dance cinema, throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and the States. Stefanie
has also set pieces on Ailey ll, Danceland of Singapore, Zenon Dance
Company of Minneapolis and is currently guest choreographer for
Transitions Dance Company of London.
Justin Allen was born
in Baltimore, Maryland and began his dance training at the Baltimore
School for the Arts. In 2004, he began his training at The Rock School
for Dance Education and completed his education in the Rock Academics
Program Alliance. From 2004-2008, he spent his summers training with the
Miami City Ballet School. In 2008, Justin received his first
opportunity to dance as a professional guest artist with The Dayton
Ballet, which led to him receiving his first professional contract. In
2009, Justin joined The Ballet Theatre of Maryland where he performed as
a soloist and in 2010 he became full time faculty and a choreographer
at The Rock School.
Norbert De La Cruz III was
born in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines and raised in Los
Angeles, California. He began his artistic journey at 13 years of age by
training at the Gabriella Foundation in
LA, The LA County High School for the Arts, ABT NYC, San Francisco
Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Lines Ballet, NWPDP, NDT Summer Course.
Norbert graduated from The Juilliard School in 2010 with a BFA in dance.
Upon graduation, he balanced a career as a professional dancer,
photographer, and emerging choreographer. Norbert has danced
professionally as a soloist with the Metropolitan Opera House, Aszure
Barton & Artists, Jchen Project, Balletto Teatro di Torino (Italy),
Gallim, Sydney Skybetter & Associates, Lustig Dance Theatre, Aspen
Santa Fe Ballet, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. He has performed
works by some of our world's most current and historically renowned
teachers and choreographers including Jose Limon, David Parker, Adam
Hougland, Johannes Wieland, Ohad Naharin, Aszure Barton, Jerome Robbins,
Larry Keigwin, Jeremy McQueen, Jessica Chen, Dwight Rhoden, Desmond
Richardson, Lightfoot & Leon, Crystal Pite, Alonzo King, and Jiri
Kylian.
Norbert
was awarded the 2012 Jerome Robbins Foundation’s NEW Essential
Works Grant - commissioning his first ballet with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
(ASFB). He was also the 2012-2013 finalist winner of Hubbard Street 2’s
National Choreographic Competition and received the 2012 Princess Grace
Foundation Award Fellowship under choreography – granting his second
creation for ASFB. As a result, he received the 2013-2014 Alvin Ailey
New Directions Choreography Lab under the mentorship of Igal Perry and
guidance and host of Mr. Robert Battle. He continues to pursue his
passion in choreography and movement and thrives to continue dancing
with a high emphasis on his artistry as a means to manifest progressive
change in the dance world.
Alexei Kremnev
began his career in Moscow at the world famous Bolshoi Ballet Academy
(Degree of Ballet Artist), the Russian Academy of Theatrical Art
(GITIS), and the Moscow State Academy of Choreography (Degree in
Pedagogy and Choreography). He was the recipient of the Leonide Massine
Award and the Bronze Medal during 1992 International Diaghilev
Competition in Moscow. He also claimed an honorable diploma in 1996 at
the Nureyev International Ballet Competition as well as the 1996 Lifar
International Ballet Competition. In 2001, Kremnev was recognized as one
of the Most Influential People in the Arts in Cincinnati and has been
praised for his extraordinary ability to work with a young generation of
dancers, as well as for his original and creative choreography. In
2011, he was elected to the Advisory Board on Russia and Eastern Europe
for Illinois Senator, Mark Kirk. In 2004-2006, Kremnev’s choreography
was presented at the legendary Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and he received
the Outstanding Choreographer Award at Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP)
in 2006, 2007 and 2009. As Artistic Director, Kremnev led Southold Dance
Theater to become the Outstanding School at YAGP in 2008. He has
performed, choreographed and taught internationally with the Moscow
Festival Ballet (Russian National Ballet), England's Northern Ballet
Theatre, Bolshoi Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, BalletMet, Tulsa Ballet and
the Russian and European Stars of the Ballet. Under his current
leadership as Academy Artistic Director, the Joffrey Academy of Dance
was named Outstanding School of 2010 and 2012 by YAGP.
The
Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet is
grateful for the support of its Winning Works: Choreographers of Color
Awards 2014 Sponsors. With special thanks to Generous Underwriters Patti
S. Eylar and Charles R. Gardner and Video Production Sponsor, Left
Brain Right Brain Productions.
About the Joffrey Academy Trainees
The
Joffrey Academy Trainee Program is a one to two year program for
students ages 17 and older who are preparing for a professional dance
career. Students are selected to participate in the Trainee Program by
invitation from The Joffrey Ballet Artistic Director, Ashley C. Wheater,
and Academy Artistic Directors, Alexei Kremnev and Anna Reznik. The
Trainee Program is a rigorous program in which students train in ballet
and other dance disciplines. Graduates from this program have been
accepted into ballet companies around the world, including The Joffrey
Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Staatsoper Berlin, Dresden Semperoper,
New York City Ballet, Estonian National Ballet, Tulsa Ballet,
Complexions, Cincinnati Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Atlanta Ballet,
Milwaukee Ballet, Memphis Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Texas Ballet
Theatre, BalletMet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Pittsburg Ballet
Theatre, Polish National Ballet, Slovak National Ballet, Ballet West and
more. Trainees rehearse and perform classical and contemporary works
from The Joffrey Ballet’s extensive repertoire and have the opportunity
to work with world-renowned guest choreographers.
Trainees
rehearse and perform classical and contemporary works from The Joffrey
Ballet’s extensive repertoire and have the opportunity to work with
world-renowned guest choreographers.
For
more information on the Academy Trainees of the Joffrey Ballet, or
other programs at the Academy of Dance, Official School of the Joffrey
Ballet, please visit joffrey.org/academy
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