Choreography by Durante Verzola
Music: “Allegro con spirito” from Sonata in D Major for Two Pianos, K.448;
“Andante” from Concerto in C Major for Piano and Orchestra, K.467;
“Rondo: Allegro” from Concerto in E-Flat Major for Two Pianos and Orchestra, K.365 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Premiere: August 12, 2022 | Miami City Ballet School
Ophelia & Juan Js. Roca Center | Miami, Florida
Staged by Durante Verzola
Wei-Chung Chen, Conductor
Min-Shu Tsai, Piano
Susan Tsai, Piano
Michaela Rae Mann, Assistant Choreographer
Glenda Lucena, Ballet Master
Sarah Wroth, Ballet Master
Elizabeth Licata, Costume Designer
Movement I
Allegro con spirito
Annaliesa Gowe and Emily Hain
and
Luke Alcaraz, Margaret Broadhurst, Miguel Calero, Kate Deshler, Kale Jette, Josie Kirk, Oscar Lewis, Lillian Mozie, Mia Nelson, Josh Page, Emily Vlasnik, Tiffany Yang, Sarah Yoak
Movement II
Andante
Ethan Houck and Lillian Smith
with
Claire Bowers, Brianna Fuller, Arnon Gafni-Kane, Kelly Gleason, Ava Juleen
Movement III
Rondeau: Allegro
Graham Wessinger
and
Lauren Batterbee, Stella Faser, Julia Pellon, Grace Price, Luci Radke, Lucy Schultz, Ella Snavely, Nora Thorne, Delaine Tyler, Sarah Wilkinson, Kieran Wood
Durante Verzola is a passionate, neoclassical choreographer committed to creating the image of music in motion onstage. His ballets are meant to be danced, in every sense of the word, and the technical demands of his pieces are matched only by the expressive artistry he inspires from each dancer onstage. He demands precision in musicality and technique.
Choreography by George Balanchine*
Music: Grande Tarentelle for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 67 by Louis Moreau Gottschalk
Reconstructed and orchestrated by Hershy Kay
Premiere: January 7, 1964, New York City Ballet
Center of Music and Drama | New York City, New York
Staged by Kyra Nichols
Wei-Chung Chen, Conductor
Spencer Myer, Piano
Christian Claessens, Ballet Master
Grace Jaramillo and Jared Zeltner
George Balanchine’s admiration for this piece of music by Louis Gottschalk is what created this joyful pas de deux. He said of the music, “It is a dazzling display piece, full of speed and high spirits.” For this work, he utilized the particular strengths of Edward Villella and Patricia McBride, two principal dancers in his company, to create eight minutes of technical athleticism combined with the charms of a character dance pas de deux. McBride was a longtime and beloved faculty member of the Jacobs Ballet Department, and it is a pleasure to honor the Balanchine legacy she helped establish here in presenting this work.
*The performance of Tarantella, a Balanchine® Ballet, is presented by arrangement with ©The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style® and Balanchine Technique®. Service standards established and provided by the Trust.
*©The George Balanchine Trust
Tarantella costumes appear courtesy of Ballet Chicago, designed after the original by Barbara Karinska.
Choreography by Ken Ossola
Music: “Silence”
Music and lyrics by Polle van Genechten and Martino Muller
World Premiere
Staged by Ken Ossola
Nadia Reist, Voice Soloist
Sarah Wroth, Ballet Master
Rachel Caswell, Voice Coach
Elizabeth Licata, Costume Designer
Luke Alcaraz, Christopher Balbuena, Ava Beller, Eva Bendesky, Trey Ferdyn,
Brianna Fuller, Arnon Gafni-Kane, Annaliesa Gowe, Bryan Gregory,
Kale Jette, Oscar Lewis, Lola Mayo, Elly O’Connell, Jessica Ousterhout,
Catherine Payson, Joshua Randall, Jacob Shapiro, Ella Sperry, Carson Van Popering, Emily Vlasnik, Sarah Wilkinson, Graham Wissinger, Sarah Yoak
Ken Ossola’s choreography is born out of his own rich movement experience. During his illustrious contemporary movement career, he worked with and was a muse for several important choreographers. Using that movement vocabulary and his attention to detail, Ossola draws the best from each dancer. He sees the way each dancer’s talent unfolds and coaxes solos, pas de deux, and group movement out of the flow that his natural movement understanding yields. The process of creation is filled with appreciation and collaboration, giving each dancer ownership of their own individual contributions. His coaching of the work holds dancers to the highest possible standard and pushes them to be the best, most fluidly intentional version of themselves. Ossola said creating this work at IU brought an array of joyful moments to his life.
Choreography by Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux
Music:
“Get Up John” by Bill Monroe
“Lyndee” by Charley Brophey
“Nine Pound Hammer” (trad. American)
“Pistolerro” by Scott Anthony McAleer
“La Marie Bell” (trad. American)
“Rocky Broad Shuffle” by Joshua W. Haddix
“Dog Patch Scramble” by Daimon Empfield
“Whiskey Before Breakfast” (trad. American)
Premiere: September 18, 2003 | North Carolina Dance Theatre
Dance Place | Charlotte, North Carolina
Staged by Sasha Janes and Rebecca Janes
Diana Ladio, Bandleader, Fiddle, and Voice
Ben Zorn, Mandolin and Voice
Brendan Forrest, Guitar and Voice
Sam Guthridge, Banjo
Seán Carolan, Double Bass
Ella Sperry and Gabriel Weiner
Catherine Payson and Trey Ferdyn
Gates Northrup and Jared Zeltner
Annaliesa Gowe and Graham Wissinger
Emily Hain and Oscar Lewis
Lillian Smith and Arnon Gafni-Kane
Margaret Broadhurst and Bryan Gregory
Sarah Yoak and Kaito Aihara
This ballet represents joyful music sharing onstage. At its premiere, the lead singer of the original band, The Greasy Beans, got on the mic and told the audience a story, as he often did at his shows. He spoke of a French artistic director who called him about a ballet. That French director was a former chair of our very own Ballet Department, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, and his idea was to create a ballet that everyone could enjoy, a ballet to lift the spirits of audience and dancer alike. This work is just that—challenging, fulfilling, and fun for all to see.
A word from the original band: “One of The Greasy Beans’ most interesting collaborations was working with Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and his production of ‘Shindig.’ The marriage of traditional music and dance (with Charlotte Ballet) was exciting for the performers and the audience. Truly a unique innovation! We are excited the production will live on with Indiana University. You are in for a treat!”
Costume Design by Betsy Blackmore
“Get Up John”
Written by Bill Monroe
Unichapell Music Inc. (BMI)
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
