CHICAGO – February 14, 2017 The
Joffrey Academy of Dance,
Official School of The Joffrey Ballet in collaboration with Chicago
Public Library present four world premieres in the seventh annual
Winning Works
program, the culmination of Joffrey’s national call for ALAANA
(African, Latino(a), Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit
applications for the
Joffrey Academy’s Seventh Annual Winning Works Choreographic
Competition. This year’s Competition winners –
Shannon Alvis, Sean Aaron Carmon, Karen Gabay and Jimmy Orrante each
have choreographed an original work created on the Joffrey Academy
Trainees and Studio Company. The Joffrey Academy of Dance’s Winning
Works program is presented at the Cindy
Pritzker Theater, Chicago Public Library Harold Washington Center, 400
South State Street, over three performances only:
Saturday, March 11, at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM and Sunday, March 12 at 2:00 PM.
“The
artistry and diversity of the Winning Works choreographers provide an
inspiring look at the world in which we live allowing us to deepen our
understanding of the art
form”, said Ashley Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet. “The Winning Works program is an invaluable experience for our
Joffrey
Trainees and Studio Company providing them the opportunity to grow
artistically and perform works created by important voices of dance
today.”
“Winning Works empowered me as a female choreographer”, said
Mariana Oliveira, 2016 Winning Works Choreographer. “Being
a part of this program has opened many other doors for my career. It
was a pleasure to work with fearless young talent. I will always hold
this experience close to my heart.”
Shannon Alvis is originally from Greenwood,
Indiana and received her training at Butler University and the
University of Utah. She began her career with the second company of
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC), then went on to dance
and perform professionally with HSDC for nine years. In 2009, Ms. Alvis
went on to further her growth as a dancer at Nederlands Dans Theater
under the direction of Jim Vincent and Paul Lightfoot.
Her world premiere for the Joffrey Academy of Dance - Moonlight - is a contemporary piece with 5 men and 5 women featuring solo and partner work set to music by Debussy's
Clair de Lune. Moonlight is inspired by the poem Clair de Lune by Paul Verlaine, and the beautiful potential that lies within each of the dancers.
Sean Aaron Carmon is originally from Texas and joined
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
in 2011 and has performed major solos and featured roles
in ballets by many notable choreographers. His choreography has been
performed all across the U.S. and internationally and is lauded as
"everything and then some...", "powerful," and "seriously
flawless" by major national print and online publications such as The
New York Times, Newsweek, JET
Magazine, BroadwayBlack, Dance
Spirit, and
His world premiere for the Joffrey Academy of Dance - Suite Hearts explores
young love in all its varieties — romantic, friendly, playful,
emotional, heartbreak, resilience, and the interconnectivity between
each. This piece will
be performed by 6 men and 10 women.
Karen Gabay
grew
up in San Diego and has had a career as a ballerina that spans over 35
years. Ms. Gabay made her professional debut at the age of 18 as a
principal dancer with Ballet San Jose (BSJ).
Her repertoire includes Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Giselle in the title role and her most favorite role of Juliet in
Romeo and Juliet. As a choreographer, she created numerous ballets for the company including the 2012 production of BSJ’s annual production of
The Nutcracker which led to her first children’s book, The Nutcracker: A Story in Verse. Gabay is the co-founding Artistic Director of her own ballet troupe,
Pointe of Departure, which performs in the bay area and in Northeast Ohio.
Her
world premiere for the Joffrey Academy features 10-15 dancers with the
women dancing en pointe. The concept of the piece explores the lives of
coming-of-age teenagers and will feature a combination
of classical and neo classical ballet, acting, and theatrics.
Jimmy Orrante is a native of Los Angeles and
has danced with Nevada Ballet Theatre, Memphis Ballet, and 20 years
with BalletMet where he had the opportunity to choreograph 15 premieres
for the company. In addition to BalletMet, he has created ballets for
Ballet Austin, Motion Dance Theatre, Rochester
City Ballet, Ballet Arkansas, Atlanta Ballet’s Wabi Sabi, and UC
Irvine’s National Choreographers Initiative. Mr. Orrante’s repertoire
includes two full-length ballets,
The Great Gatsby, which premiered with BalletMet in 2009 and was reprised in 2015, and the children’s ballet
The Ugly Duckling for Rochester City Ballet.
His world premiere for the Joffrey Academy features
6 men and 6 women with the women dancing en pointe. The movement is
inspired by the energy within the music, a combination of cascading
momentum and a more formal, processional quality.
“The Joffrey is honored to collaborate with the
Chicago Public Library Harold Washington Library Center for the first
time to present this meaningful and innovative program”, said
Greg Cameron, Executive Director of The Joffrey Ballet. “We are
grateful for the support of Brian Bannon, Chicago Public Library
Commissioner and Mayor Rahm Emanuel as we embark on fulfilling our
shared mission and commitment to empowering the community
through dance and storytelling.”
"By co-hosting these ambitious programs with The
Joffrey Ballet, we are remaining dedicated to supporting lifelong
learning for patrons of all ages, in this case, through performing
arts”, said
Brian Bannon, Chicago Public Library Commissioner.
“We hope to inspire people of all backgrounds and ages to engage with
both the Joffrey and the library in new and exciting ways.”
Ticket Information
Tickets for “Winning Works” at the Chicago Public Library Harold Washington Library Center are FREE. Tickets can be reserved at
WinningWorks2017.Eventbrite.com.
The Joffrey Ballet is grateful for the support of
its Winning Works Sponsor, The Edward and Lucy R. Minor Family
Foundation, Video Production Sponsor Big Foot Media and to its Official
Provider of Physical Therapy, Athletico.
About the Joffrey Studio Company
The
Joffrey Studio Company is a scholarship program of the Joffrey Academy
of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet. The Joffrey Studio
Company consists of 10 outstanding
students selected by Joffrey Artistic Director Ashley Wheater and Head
of Studio Company and Trainee Program Raymond Rodriguez. The Joffrey
Studio Company and Trainees have performed on some of the most
prestigious stages, including Lincoln Center in NY, the
Auditorium Theatre, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Cadillac Palace
Theatre and MCA Stage in Chicago, Music Hall in LA, The Kennedy Center
in Washington D.C. and more. The individualized training and performance
opportunities provided by the Joffrey Studio
Company offers students unique insight into the life of a professional
dancer, assisting students in preparation for a professional career in
dance and helping them expand their technique and artistry.
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 Artistic Director
Ashley Wheater and the Head of Studio Company and Trainee Program
Raymond Rodriguez. This esteemed and rigorous program gives students a
unique and well-rounded experience to prepare them
for the next step in their careers. Trainees rehearse and perform
classical and contemporary works from The Joffrey Ballet’s extensive
repertoire and have the opportunity to work with guest choreographers
throughout the year. Graduates of the Academy have
gone on to dance professionally with companies throughout the world
including The Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City
Ballet, Staatsballett Berlin, Dresden Semperoper, Complexions, Milwaukee
Ballet, Memphis Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, BalletMet,
Polish National Ballet, Slovak National Ballet, and many more.
For more information on the Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet and its programs please visit
joffrey.org/academy.
About Chicago Public Library
Since
1873, Chicago Public Library (CPL) has encouraged lifelong learning by
welcoming all people and offering equal access
to information, entertainment and knowledge through innovative services
and programs, as well as cutting-edge technology. Through its 80
locations, the Library provides free access to a rich collection of
materials, both physical and digital, and presents
the highest quality author discussions, exhibits and programs for
children, teens and adults. CPL received the Social Innovator Award from
Chicago Innovation Awards; won a National Medal for Library Services
from the Institute for Museum and Library Services;
was named the first ever winner of the National Summer Learning
Association’s Founder’s Award in recognition of its Summer Learning
Challenge; and was ranked number one in the U.S., and third in the world
by an international study of major urban libraries
conducted by the Heinrich Heine University Dusseldorf in Germany. For
more information, please call (312) 747-4050 or visit
chipublib.org.
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