Tag Archives: Cincinnati Ballet

May 26, 2021 · 6:56 pm

Artistic Director Victoria Morgan to Step Down After 21-22 Season at Cincinnati Ballet

CB_Victoria MorganCompany to celebrate her 25th Anniversary Season will ambitious and nostalgic programming

(Cincinnati, OH, May 262021) — After 25 years of leadership, Victoria Morgan announced today she will step down as Cincinnati Ballet Artistic Director at the conclusion of the 2021-2022 Season. Next season will also mark her 25th Anniversary Season, generously presented by PNC. “It will be a poignant season for me, as it will also be my last year as Artistic Director of this beloved Company,” Morgan said. “I have deep gratitude for how the Cincinnati community has steadfastly supported Cincinnati Ballet through these many years. I am so proud of this organization and the work we have accomplished and continue to build upon – elevating our artistry, growing a healthy endowment, championing female choreographers, and the imminent opening of the new Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance. I will cherish being with you next season, as I have done so many seasons before. Nothing will give me greater joy than raising the curtain on this remarkable season together one last time for my grand finale.” Cincinnati Ballet’s Board of Trustees has formed a committee to conduct a national search for a suitable replacement. The transition of leadership will take place at the conclusion of the 2021-2022 Season. “On behalf of the board, dancers, and staff, I want to thank Victoria for her tireless commitment to Cincinnati Ballet,” said Scott Altman, Cincinnati Ballet President + CEO. “We look forward to making many more cherished memories with her this upcoming season as we celebrate her incredible achievement.”

Morgan’s 25th Anniversary Season will open with free performances of The Kaplan New Works Series in a community setting at Seasongood Pavilion in Eden Park, September 23-26, 2021. Kaplan New Works in the Park will feature groundbreaking choreography in a welcoming, outdoor space. This ambitious program will include four world premieres created by DANCEFIX founder and Cincinnati choreographer Heather Britt and three company dancers — Melissa Gelfin De-Poli, Daniel Baldwin, and Taylor Carrasco – as well as the return of Resident Choreographer Jennifer Archibald’s popular work, Sit. Celebrations for Victoria Morgan’s 25th Anniversary will continue with the return of her King Arthur’s Camelot to Cincinnati Music Hall, November 5-7, 2021. Travel once again to the Land of Sweets with family favorite, The Nutcracker, at Music Hall, December 16-26, 2021. Dreams come true in February with Victoria Morgan’s Cinderella at Cincinnati Music Hall, February 17-27, 2022. In the Spring, enjoy our Family Series: Snow White. The hour-long, narrated production is the perfect introduction to ballet for dance lovers of all ages at the Aronoff Center, April 7-10, 2022. The 2021-2022 Season will conclude with the launch of something
completely new – the Company’s first-ever Bold Moves Festival at the Aronoff Center, May 12-22, 2022. The immersive dance experience will feature six rotating mainstage productions accompanied by a variety of activities and interactive events that will educate and inspire discerning dance-lovers and families alike. Guest companies including Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and Dancing Wheels will also be featured during the production. Bold Moves Festival will bring back a community favorite, Ohad Naharin’s seminal work Minus 16, along with a world premiere, Our Story, from Company soloist David Morse. Continuing our commitment to female choreographers, the program will feature the regional premieres of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Bloom and Helen Pickett’s Petal, the return of Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs and Morgan’s Boléro.

The 2021-2022 Season marks Victoria Morgan’s 25th Season as Cincinnati Ballet’s Artistic Director. Morgan took on the additional role of executive leader in 2008, serving as both the Artistic Director and CEO. Under her leadership, after years of growing deficits, the company stabilized their finances, built a healthy and sizeable endowment fund, created an operating reserve, and presented several million-dollar capital projects. During this time, the Company also expanded the Otto M. Budig Academy, as well as education and community
engagement programming. In 2017 with the arrival of Scott Altman as President +CEO, Morgan transitioned to full-time Artistic Director, giving her the opportunity to focus exclusively on artistic excellence. Morgan’s artistic contributions to Cincinnati Ballet are myriad. During her tenure, she has choreographed numerous one-act and full-length ballets, including world premieres of King Arthur’s Camelot, the new Nutcracker, and her revised choreography for Cinderella. With her deep roots in the Cincinnati community, Morgan was instrumental in fundraising efforts to secure support for the new 57,000-square-foot Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance in Walnut Hills. While construction was underway for the new Dance Center, 2020 challenged Morgan’s artistic leadership in unprecedented ways. She responded to the global pandemic in a creative and science-based way, working closely the Company’s artistic and administrative teams to safely present one of the nation’s first ballet performances to an in-person audience following the shutdown. Ballet in the Park was staged at the Procter & Gamble Pavilion in September 2020 and was lauded by The National Endowment for the Arts for its innovation. Prior to joining Cincinnati Ballet, Morgan was resident choreographer for the San Francisco Opera and a principal dancer for San Francisco Ballet and Ballet West. She has and continues to serve on numerous boards including Dance USA, Dance Magazine, the NEA evaluation panel, and was a judge for several International Ballet Competitions. Morgan graduated Magna Cum Laude with an M.F.A. from University of Utah and was honored as a YWCA Career Woman of Achievement in 2009.

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About Cincinnati Ballet
Since 1963, Cincinnati Ballet has been the cornerstone professional ballet company of the region, presenting a bold and adventurous array of classical, full-length ballets and contemporary works, regularly with live orchestral accompaniment. Under the artistic direction of Victoria Morgan, Cincinnati Ballet has become a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world premiere works and exploring unique collaborations with artists as diverse as Grammy winning guitarist Peter Frampton and popular, Ohio-based band Over the Rhine. With a mission to enrich, expand, and excel in the art of dance through performance, a high-caliber academy, and impactful education and engagement in local to global communities, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance. To that end, Cincinnati Ballet presents exhilarating performances, provides extensive education and community engagement programs, and offers top-level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.

Victoria Morgan’s 25th Anniversary Season is proudly presented by PNC.

Cincinnati Ballet 2021-2022 Season Sponsors: Rhonda & Larry A. Sheakley, Margaret and Michael Valentine, ArtsWave, Mercy Health, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Ohio Arts Council, The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation

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May 12, 2021 · 1:43 pm

BOLD MOVES PLUS Runs June 16-20

CB_Bold Moves PlusBOLD MOVES PLUS
Cincinnati Ballet
June 16-20
Aronoff Center P&G Hall [Downtown]

This mixed-rep program is being re-imagined with the health and safety of our dancers and patrons top of mind.

  • Wed-Thu, June 16-17 at 7:30pm
  • Fri, June 18 at 8pm
  • Sat, June 19 at 2pm & 8pm
  • Sun, June 20 at 1pm & 6:30pm

Official page |

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May 3, 2021 · 9:14 am

Auditions Announced for CINCYDANCE! for Second and Third Graders at Cincinnati Ballet

CB_CincyDance promoCALLING ALL SECOND AND THIRD GRADERS FOR OPEN AUDITION MAY 15
Free summer classes will introduce children to ballet and other dance styles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (Cincinnati, OH, April 25, 2021) — Join Cincinnati Ballet for a FREE summer dance experience connecting your second or third grader to the joy and discipline of dance! Any second or third grader in the tri-state area is invited to audition Saturday, May 15 at Cincinnati Ballet. To accommodate as many students as possible, there will be two audition times at 4 pm and 5 pm. (All details below) Following the audition, select dancers will be chosen to join CincyDance’s Ballet Foundations class, a nine-week program this summer that will teach children ballet fundamentals in a safe, structured, and supportive environment. Classes are 2 hours with a 20-minute snack and water break provided by Cincinnati Ballet. The first hour of class will focus on a warm-up and ballet technique and the second half of class will include a guest teacher to introduce the students to dance styles including street, modern, and musical theater.

CincyDance! is a fully scholarshipped program designed to remove barriers and encourage racial, gender and economic diversity within the Otto M. Budig Academy. After the Ballet Foundations experience, five to six students will be given the opportunity to receive full, lifetime tuition scholarships to Cincinnati Ballet’s Otto M. Budig Academy. The Academy’s pre-professional training program provides students with a world-class dance education as well as performance opportunities with the Academy and Cincinnati Ballet’s professional company. Students may go on to pursue dance as a career pathway or as a personal passion. The May 15th audition is the beginning to a student’s exciting journey with Cincinnati Ballet and high-quality dance training.

DATE: May 15, 2021
CHECK-IN: 3:30-4 PM or 4:30-5 PM
AUDITION: 4 PM or 5 PM
WHERE: 1555 Central Parkway, Cincinnati
WHO IS ELIGIBLE: Any second and third grader in the tri-state area
WHAT TO WEAR: Comfortable clothes you can dance in. Dancers will audition in bare feet.
HOW TO PREPARE: Show up and bring your best self! No previous dance training or audition materials are required.
HOW TO REGISTER: Register here or by call us at 513-562-1124. Due to the limited capacity, we encourage all participants to pre-register online or by phone. Limited registration will be available on day of audition.
SAFETY: Anyone who enters the Ballet Center must wear a mask, maintain a safe distance, answer health questions, and respect all health and safety protocols as stated by Cincinnati Ballet. Class space is limited.

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About Cincinnati Ballet
Since 1963, Cincinnati Ballet has been the cornerstone professional ballet company of the region, presenting a bold and adventurous array of classical, full-length ballets and contemporary works, regularly with live orchestral accompaniment. Under the artistic direction of Victoria Morgan, Cincinnati Ballet has become a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world premiere works and exploring unique collaborations with artists as diverse as Grammy winning guitarist Peter Frampton and popular, Ohio-based band Over the Rhine. With a mission to enrich, expand, and excel in the art of dance through performance, a high-caliber academy, and impactful education and engagement in local to global communities, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance. To that end, Cincinnati Ballet presents exhilarating performances, provides extensive education and community engagement programs, and offers top-level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.

Cincinnati Ballet 2020-2021 Season Sponsors: Rhonda & Larry A. Sheakley, Margaret and Michael Valentine, ArtsWave, Mercy Health, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Ohio Arts Council, Frisch’s, The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation

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March 31, 2021 · 10:43 am

Cincinnati Ballet Shatters Record $30.8 Million Goal to Fund New Dance Center in Walnut Hills

CB_Ground levelTHE NEW CINCINNATI BALLET MARGARET AND MICHAEL VALENTINE CENTER FOR DANCE WILL OPEN IN JUNE FOR SUMMER PROGRAMS

Cincinnati, OH (MARCH 30, 2021) –
Cincinnati Ballet President + CEO Scott Altman announced Tuesday the organization has successfully completed and exceeded its $30.8 million dollar capital campaign to fund a new state-of-the-art facility in Walnut Hills. “We are truly humbled and honored by the tremendous support of our donors, patrons, and the community, especially during these challenging times,” Altman said. “A project of this size and scope is a watershed moment for Cincinnati Ballet and we are so excited to take the next step into our future.” The new Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Center for Dance will feature nine studios in 57-thousand-square-feet of space, as well as boast an outdoor Community Terrace and Performance Plaza adjacent to Johnston Park, a Rooftop Terrace, and stunning views of Downtown Cincinnati. The larger space will also accommodate the Ballet’s expanded education and community engagement programming. For the first time in Cincinnati Ballet history, the organization will own its own building at 1801 Gilbert Avenue. Located at the foot of Eden Park, the new Center for Dance will also anchor the Walnut Hills Arts Corridor.

Cincinnati Ballet’s Move With Us campaign exceeded its $30.8 million goal by more than $80,000 as of Tuesday, March 30, 2021. Longtime Cincinnati Ballet patrons and supporters Margaret and Michael Valentine were the first to support the project, committing $10 million dollars, the largest one-time gift in Cincinnati Ballet history, to name and memorialize the Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance. “We are honored to be a part of this historic project,” Margaret Valentine said. “Cincinnati is fortunate to have such a thriving arts sector, and I think it’s important for members of our community to give back. I understand the importance of demonstrating leadership for projects that benefit the city and the new Valentine Center for Dance will provide many cultural and educational opportunities to the region.” Cincinnati Ballet is also grateful for a $3 million gift from Rhonda Sheakley and her husband Larry A. Sheakley. As a permanent commemoration of the Sheakley family’s generosity, the largest Company studio will be named the Rhonda and Larry A. Sheakley Premier Studio. That gift was followed by significant gifts from Otto M. Budig, Sue and Bill Friedlander, Lynn and Brain Good, and Marty and Nick Ragland. Move With Us. A Campaign for Cincinnati Ballet’s New Home, with co-chaired by Rhonda Sheakley and fellow Emeritus Trustee Larry Kellar.

“The new building is architecturally stunning, both inside and outside,” said Artistic Director Victoria Morgan. “There’s so much openness and light. What an experience it will be for our dancers to move in this amazing space.” The highly visible, iconic building was designed by GBBN Architects and is being built by Messer Construction. The new facility will also support expanded dance classes in the Otto M. Budig Academy, and a deeper commitment to community offerings such as Ballet Moves, created in partnership with Cincinnati Children’s. New Ballet Moves offerings will also provide the opportunity for students who traditionally use a mobility device to participate in a supportive environment employing an innovative, double track harness system or utilizing their devices. Cincinnati Ballet is the first ballet company in the country to install this specialized track system that will allow students to partner, stand at the barre and go across the floor.

An additional ‘1801 Community Campaign’ launched in December 2020 with personalized engraving opportunities on the plaza steps for a gift $1,801; Those opportunities are nearly sold out. Additional naming rights are available, and gifts received will be earmarked for future capital needs and sustainability of the new facility. Donations can be made at cballet.org.

Otto M. Budig Academy students will be the first to train in the new space with Summer Intensive programming in June. Official Grand Opening celebrations presented by PNC Bank will take place in September and include free community events, as well as a Grand Opening Gala. Details will be announced in the summer.

About Cincinnati Ballet
Since 1963, Cincinnati Ballet has been the cornerstone professional ballet company of the region, presenting a bold and adventurous array of classical, full-length ballets and contemporary works, regularly with live orchestral accompaniment. Under the artistic direction of Victoria Morgan, Cincinnati Ballet has become a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world premiere works and exploring unique collaborations. With a mission to enrich, expand, and excel in the art of dance through performance, a high-
caliber academy, and impactful education and community engagement in local to global communities, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance. To that end, Cincinnati Ballet presents exhilarating performances, provides extensive education and community engagement programs, and offers top-level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.

Cincinnati Ballet 2020-2021 Season Sponsors: Rhonda & Larry A. Sheakley, Margaret and Michael Valentine, ArtsWave, Mercy Health, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Ohio Arts Council, Frisch’s, The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation

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February 26, 2021 · 9:11 am

NEW WORKS Streams FREE Feb. 25-28 & March 5-7

CB_New Works 2021Five world-premiere, contemporary ballets recorded at the Aronoff Center

Cincinnati Ballet’s The Kaplan New Works Series shifts to an innovative, digital experience, streaming FREE, Feb. 25-28 and March 5-7. Audiences can look forward to thought-provoking new work that reflects this unprecedented moment in time. Cincinnati Ballet’s Resident Choreographer Jennifer Archibald and choreographers Dana Genshaft and Helen Pickett will share their personal perspectives through movement. The digital program also features choreography from Cincinnati Ballet Principal Dancer Melissa Gelfin De-Poli and Corps de Ballet Dancer Taylor Carrasco. New Works was recorded at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater with multiple cameras for an immersive digital experience, following strict health and safety protocols.

What the choreographers say inspired their pieces for New Works:

Jennifer Archibald, Pursuit:
“It’s a play on power. It’s a play on the fearlessness and the sexual power of the madams of the 19th century. A lot of the madams of the 19th century had some of the highest wages of American women at that time. A lot of them funded irrigation and roadbuilding projects, and they provided their employees with healthcare. They were these brazenly public women. Even if you didn’t agree with their life choices, they were able to gain power and control of their womanhood and moved through society in this non-apologetic way.”

Taylor Carrasco, Regards:
“I decided to go the gay, queer route because that is how I identify and there have been a lot of voices like mine that have not been heard. Luckily, I’ve been given a platform. So, when I was thinking about how I wanted to explain that voice, I started gravitating towards Broadway music, because when I thought about, it is an art form that has a lot of gay men involved in it, but if you look at the subject matter of a lot of Broadway works, they’re not extremely inclusive of gays. You’re probably not going to be lead male unless you’re strong and masculine and fawning after a beautiful woman. I wanted to give people like me a space to feel like themselves.”

Melissa Gelfin De-Poli, Ain’t I a Woman:
“I am exploring the voice of intersection — intersections of equality for the voices of minority groups. Humans whose voices have been silenced, whose being has been hushed because of gender, race, religion. But more importantly, I hope to address ‘the how’ — how can we put away the blocks of judgment between us and race as one.”

Dana Genshaft, Wunderkammer:
“My piece is about fantasy. Fantasy is the bridge our minds make when it is reaching for ‘knowing.’ When we don’t know, we often create fantasies to make sense of the world. This piece is about acceptance of the things that are unknown, strange or don’t fit into society, that somehow don’t have a place in the logical, ‘real’ world.”

Helen Pickett, BALANCE:
“BALANCE is a journey solo, a dive into the continual negotiation of life’s on and off balance, physically and emotionally. What do we choose to carry or relinquish? In the solo, there is a chair and the image of the world printed on a carpet. Is that carpet the small/interior world, and the room, the large/exterior world? Or vice versa? How can we move fluidly between both worlds? When we DO find our balance, we dance our way through life.”

WHO: Cincinnati Ballet
WHAT: The Kaplan New Works Series
WHEN: February 25-28 & March 5-7
*Video link will be available at cballet.org beginning at 8 pm, Thursday, February 25 through 11:59 pm, Sunday,
February 28 and again beginning at 8 pm Friday, March 5 through 11:59 pm, Sunday, March 7.
WHERE: FREE at cballet.org

About Cincinnati Ballet
Since 1963, Cincinnati Ballet has been the cornerstone professional ballet company of the region, presenting a bold and adventurous array of classical, full-length ballets and contemporary works, regularly with live orchestral accompaniment. Under the artistic direction of Victoria Morgan, Cincinnati Ballet has become a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world premiere works and exploring unique collaborations with artists as diverse as Grammy winning guitarist Peter Frampton and popular, Ohio-based band Over the Rhine. With a mission to enrich, expand, and excel in the art of dance through performance, a high-caliber academy, and impactful education and outreach in local to global communities, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance. To that end, Cincinnati Ballet presents exhilarating performances, provides extensive education and community engagement programs, and offers top-level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.

Cincinnati Ballet 2020-2021 Season Sponsors: Rhonda & Larry A. Sheakley, Margaret and Michael Valentine, ArtsWave, Mercy Health, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Ohio Arts Council, Frisch’s, The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation

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