Tag Archives: Cincinnati Ballet

August 14, 2024 · 5:20 pm

THE KAPLAN NEW WORK SERIES Runs Sept. 6-15

THE KAPLAN NEW WORK SERIES
Cincinnati Ballet
Sept. 6-15
Aronoff Center for the Arts Jarson-Kaplan Theater [Downtown]

Experience four world premiere commissions from choreographers Darrell Grand Moultrie, Christian Denice, Caroline Dahm, and Gustavo Ramirez. Staged in the intimate Jarson-Kaplan Theater at the Aronoff Center, the contemporary series is a perennial patron favorite.

Darrell Grand Moultrie has created and staged works for dance companies across the world including American Ballet Theatre, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, BalletX, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. The Harlem, New York-based choreographer also served as a choreographer on Beyoncé’s record-breaking The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour.

Christian Denice is a dancer and choreographer originally from Los Angeles, California. As a choreographer, he has created new works for such companies and organizations as Moving Arts with dancers of Cincinnati Ballet and Kansas City Ballet, Chamber Dance Project, Odyssey Dance Theatre, and DanceWorks Chicago.

Gustavo Ramírez Sansano is one of Spain’s most internationally recognized choreographers. Gustavo Ramírez has been commissioned to create works for some of the most representative dance companies all around the world, including Ballet Hispánico, Jacob’s Pillow, Nederlands Dans Theater, Hubbard Street Dance, Scottish Dance Theatre, among others. He is the recipient of numerous international awards for his work.

Caroline Dahm is a professional dancer and choreographer from Los Angeles, California. She has set original works on the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Kansas City Ballet, Musical Theater Heritage, Newport Contemporary Ballet, and Wylliams-Henry Contemporary Dance Company, among others.

  • Fri, Sept. 6 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Sept. 7 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, Sept. 8 at 1pm
  • Wed-Fri, Sept. 11-13 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Sept. 14 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, Sept. 15 at 1pm

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March 18, 2024 · 9:31 pm

MECURIAL LANDSCAPES Runs April 5-7

CB_Mecural LandscapesMECURIAL LANDSCAPES
Cincinnati Ballet
April 5-7
Aronoff Center for the Arts [Downtown]

Cincinnati Ballet presents Rep 4—Mercurial Landscapes, featuring four dynamic contemporary works.

Mercurial Landscapes features the title work created by choreographer Jodie Gates, set to Max Richter’s ethereal re-composition of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons; a world premiere by Rena Butler, choreographic associate for the progressive Gibney Dance Company in New York, with costume design by Asha Ama Bias-Daniels, a Cincinnati-based fashion designer and artist; and Petit Mort and Sechs Tänze, set to the music of Mozart by Jiří Kylián, world-renowned artistic director of Nederlands Dans Theater.

  • Fri, April 5 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, April 6 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, April 7 at 2pm

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March 18, 2024 · 6:47 pm

Dive Into Adventure with the Family Series: THE LITTLE MERMAID, April 11-14 at Aronoff Center

CB_The Little Mermaid

Ballet West’s THE LITTLE MERMAID. Photo by Ashleigh Porter.

Special sensory-friendly performance April 12, PLUS all shows ASL-Interpreted 

Cincinnati, OH (March 18, 2024) – If you like the movie, you’ll love the ballet! Cincinnati Ballet presents the annual Family Series: The Little Mermaid, April 11-14 at the Aronoff Center. The hour-long, narrated production is perfect for families and dance lovers of all ages. Cincinnati Ballet is also proud to continue its commitment to accessible programming for all with this annual production. In partnership with Cincinnati Children’s, Cincinnati Ballet will offer a sensory-friendly performance on Friday, April 12 at 10:30 am. Sensory-friendly performances are created to provide a supportive and welcoming experience for those with sensory processing challenges to enjoy live ballet with their friends and family. The environment is relaxed and may include lighting, sound, and other production modifications. Electronic devices, fidgets, and other support items are allowed in the theater. Patrons are also permitted to enter and leave the theater during the performance. In addition, every performance of The Little Mermaid will be ASL (American Sign Language) interpreted. Select performances will also be audio-described for patrons who are visually impaired.

The Family Series is performed by the Second Company – CB2 and Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy students. This year, dive into adventure with the classic Hans Christian Anderson tale. It’s the beloved story of a brave, kind mermaid, a devious sea witch, and a handsome prince. The stage will be transformed into an ocean filled with a cast of colorful characters including angelfish, sharks, crabs, and of course, mermaids! Plus, the patron experience starts at the door. The Aronoff Center will become the Mermaid’s Cove, with free sea-themed games, drop-in dance classes crafts, photos, and other activities on all three levels. We are so pleased to welcome families back to the Aronoff for an interactive dance performance created with children in mind. The Little Mermaid features the familiar storyline re-interpreted with incredible dance. The production, choreographed by Pamela Robinson Harris and Peggy Dolkas, is also narrated, making the story easy for even the youngest members of your family to understand and enjoy. The production runs a little over an hour.

Tickets cost $20-$60 and are on sale now. For more information visit cballet.org.

WHO: Cincinnati Ballet

WHAT: Family Series: The Little Mermaid

WHEN:

  • Thursday, April 11 and 7:30 pm
  • Friday, April 12 at 10:30 am (Sensory-friendly) and 7:30 pm
  • Saturday, April 13 at 11 am, 2:30 pm and 6:30 pm
  • Sunday, April 14 at 11 am and 2:30 pm

WHERE: Aronoff Center for the Arts – 650 Walnut St., Cincinnati, Ohio

TICKETS: Call 513.621.5282 or visit cballet.org

Cincinnati Ballet 2022-2023 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

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 Jodie Gates, Cincinnati Ballet is 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.

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March 13, 2024 · 9:43 pm

Cincinnati Ballet Present s MECURIAL LANDSCAPES, April 5-7 at Aronoff Center

CB_Mecural LandscapesWorld premiere by Rena Butler with costumes by Cincinnati designer Asha Ama Bias-Daniels

Cincinnati, OH (March 12, 2024) – Cincinnati Ballet presents Mercurial Landscapes, April 5 –7 at the Aronoff Center. The production features contemporary work from three choreographers – Rena Butler, Jodie Gates, and Jiří Kylián. Cincinnati Ballet is proud to present a world premiere featuring the work of two dynamic African-American women with Bloom, created by Rena Butler, choreographic associate for the progressive Gibney Dance Company in New York, with costume design by Cincinnati native Asha Ama Bias-Daniels; the title work, Mercurial Landscapes, created by choreographer Jodie Gates, set to Max Richter’s ethereal re-composition of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons; and Petit Mort and Sechs Tänze, set to the music of Mozart by Jiří Kylián, world renowned artistic director of Nederlands Dans Theater.

Choreographer Rena Butler, called ‘the epitome of contemporary cool’ by Dance Magazine, presents her world premiere, Bloom. “Bloom is an ode to the collective experience women have had since the beginning of time – the pressure to perpetually make ourselves smaller for societal norms: a man, a lover, our families, our peers, or our careers,” Butler said. “This work seeks to encourage our audience to reflect on the ways we dim our own light to make others more comfortable and explores the pain found within the constant search of finding our voice and the courage to break free from the confines we are put in: an ode to the women that weren’t able to acquire the freedom to be expansive and honor their sacrifice by doing what they couldn’t, bloom.” Asha Ama Bias-Daniels is a fashion designer and artist born and raised in Avondale. As a Black woman, Asha said she often found herself misunderstood, stereotyped, and misidentified. She was able to navigate the fashion world and survive because she was raised with a great knowledge of self that she tries to impart to others through her designs. As a couture designer, Asha has created pieces for a diverse range of artists from Zendaya to Little Big Town. Asha also appeared on two seasons of the hit show, Project Runway. “Working with Rena was ‘love at first sight!’ Rena has been a dream collaborator,” Bias-Daniels said. “She is a young, Black woman at the height of innovation in her industry. Like myself, she breathes meaning into her work. We came up with the concept for this original piece the last time we got together for drinks. Laughing and crying about the times we’ve conquered great mountains in our careers but found ourselves shrinking our greatness to make others comfortable and having a great accomplishment soured by an unsupportive partner. This led to a bigger conversation about how we owe it to the women that came before us, that didn’t have the freedom to be big, to honor their sacrifice by being larger than life. I have never designed from a place of practicality. I must be inspired by a greater message and then work my way backwards into how to create that vision. Designing for dance is no different. We came up with the concept and I had to feel what that looked like. The design process is always fluid for me. I will be sitting in on some of Rena’s sessions with the dancers to gain inspiration before draping the more organic pieces of my designs for this collaboration.”

Renowned choreographer Jiri Kylián created a pair of works set to the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Jiri Kylián choreographed Petit Mort for the Salzburg Festival to commemorate the second centenary of Mozart’s death. For his work, he chose the slow parts of two of Mozart’s most beautiful and popular piano concertos. Kylián remarked, ‘This deliberate choice should not be seen as a provocation or thoughtlessness – rather as my way to acknowledge the fact that I am living and working as part of a world where nothing is sacred, where brutality and arbitrariness are common places.’ The choreography includes twelve dancers and six foils. The foils have the function to be actual dance partners, and at times seem more unruly and obstinate than a human partner. They visualize a symbolism which is more present than a story line. Aggression, sexuality, energy, silence, cultivated senselessness, and vulnerability – they all play a significant part. Sechs Tänze is a whimsical take on the aristocratic era also set to the music of Mozart. Filled with sophisticated precision, this fanciful romp is poetic and playful, featuring moveable set pieces made to look like 17th century ballgowns and corseted costumes with period wigs and makeup.

Jodie Gates originally created the title work, Mercurial Landscapes, for Ballet West in 2013. The work, which plays with precision and fluidity, is set to the iconic music of Vivaldi.

Tickets for Mercurial Landscapes are on sale now. For more information, visit http://www.cballet.org.

WHO: Cincinnati Ballet
WHAT: Mercurial Landscapes
WHEN:

  • Friday, April 5 at 7:30 pm
  • Saturday, April 6 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm
  • Sunday, April 7 at 1 pm

WHERE: Aronoff Center for the Arts, Jarson-Kaplan Theater
650 Walnut Street
Cincinnati, Ohio

TICKETS: Call 513.621.5282 or visit cballet.org

Cincinnati Ballet 2023-2024 Season Sponsors:
PNC, Margaret and Michael Valentine, ArtsWave, H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Foundation, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Ohio Arts Council, The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation

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. Cincinnati Ballet is 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

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March 8, 2024 · 10:05 am

Cincinnati Ballet Announces 2024-2025 Season

Cincinnati Ballet proudly presents four world premieres for The Kaplan New Works Series; Devon Carney’s GISELLEe; Septime Webre’s THE WIZARD OF OZ; Director’s Vision: No Boundaries, which includes the regional premiere of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s DELMIRA, Alexander Ekman’s CACTIi, and David Morse’s OUR STORY — PLUS THE NUTCRACKER presented by Sheakley Family and the annual Family Series

CB_The Wizard of Oz

Samantha Griffin and Nikita Boris.Joe Lyman Photography.

CINCINNATI, OH (March 7, 2024) – Cincinnati Ballet is pleased to announce today the repertoire slated for the 2024-2025 Season curated by Interim Artistic Director Cervilio Miguel Amador. The Season opens September 6 – 15, 2024 at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theatre with The KAPLAN NEW WORKS Series. Experience four world premiere commissions from Darrell Grand Moultrie, Christian Denice, Caroline Dahm, and Gustavo Ramirez. Darell Grand Moultrie has created and staged works for dance companies across the world including American Ballet Theatre, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, BalletX, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. The Harlem, New York-based choreographer also served as a choreographer on Beyoncé’s record-breaking The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. Christian Denice is a dancer and choreographer originally from Los Angeles, California. As a choreographer, he has created new works for such companies and organizations as Moving Arts with dancers of Cincinnati Ballet and Kansas City Ballet, Chamber Dance Project, Odyssey Dance Theatre, and DanceWorks Chicago. Gustavo Ramírez Sansano is one of Spain’s most internationally recognized choreographers. Gustavo Ramírez has been commissioned to create works for some of the most representative dance companies all around the world, including Ballet Hispánico, Jacob’s Pillow, Nederlands Dans Theater, Hubbard Street Dance, Scottish Dance Theatre, among others. He is the recipient of numerous international awards for his work. Caroline Dahm is a dancer and choreographer from Los Angeles. She has danced with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater and Kansas City Ballet, among others. As a choreographer, Dahm has set works for Moving Arts for three seasons, as well as choreographed the Wylliams Henry Contemporary Dance Theater.

Just in time for Halloween, audiences will fall madly in love with the hauntingly beautiful Giselle at Music Hall, October 31 – November 3, 2024. Choregraphed by Devon Carney, it’s the story of a peasant girl who descends into madness and dies of a broken heart after her lover’s betrayal. Taken in by eerie ghosts called the Wilis, Giselle then enters an ethereal world where dance is the language of the soul. With live orchestration from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

No holiday is complete without a trip to the Land of Sweets for The Nutcracker presented by Sheakley Family at Music Hall, December 19 – 29, 2024. When a curious young girl named Clara receives a magical Nutcracker for Christmas, her dreams come to life. Joined by her Nutcracker Prince, Clara meets the Sugar Plum Fairy and a cast of colorful characters. With Tchaikovsky’s beloved score performed live by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. The 2024 – 2025 Season also marks the 50th Anniversary of Cincinnati Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker.

2025 begins with a trip down the yellow brick road with the return of choreographer Septime Webre’s wildly popular The Wizard of Oz at Music Hall, February 20 – March 2, 2025. Join Dorothy and her friends as they travel to the Emerald City but watch out for the Wicked Witch and her flying monkeys! This production features fantastic special effects and gorgeous sets and costumes. With music from composer Matthew Pierce performed by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Who’s the ‘fairest of them all?’ Snow White, of course! Cincinnati Ballet presents its annual Family Series: Snow White at the Aronoff Center for the Arts, April 24 – 27, 2025. Dance lovers of all ages will delight in the treasured fairy tale of a jealous Queen and her kind-hearted stepdaughter. This one-hour ballet with live narration features Cincinnati Ballet Second Company – CB2 dancers and young performers from the Otto M. Budig Academy. It’s the perfect introduction to dance, even for the youngest members of your family. Audiences will also enjoy free lobby games, crafts, photos and more.

The 2024 – 2025 Season concludes with Director’s Vision: No Boundaries, at the Aronoff Center for the Arts, May 1 – 4, 2025. The dynamic triple bill features work from choreographers Alexander Ekman and David Morse, and a regional premiere from choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. Ekman’s Cacti is a playful and witty parody of contemporary dance. The work is an affectionate, pointed, and often hilarious deconstruction of the affectations of dance. Director’s Vision also features Delmira, a regional premiere from Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. The dramatic work was inspired by the life of 20th century Latin American poet Delmira Agustini, one of the first female poets of the modern era. Ochoa tells the story using the symbolism that Agustini employed in her own writing. Both intimate and cinematic, Morse’s Our Story looks at the unique singularity of history’s darkest chapter – the Holocaust – and asks profound questions about what is required of each of us to appreciate our shared humanity. Our Story is also being performed in honor of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, an event that also marks the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust and for the prevention of crimes against humanity. Cincinnati Ballet is honored to work on this project with the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center.

Subscriptions on sale now for the 2024-2025 Season. For more information visit cballet.org.

Cincinnati Ballet 2023-2024 Season Sponsors:
PNC, Margaret and Michael Valentine, ArtsWave, H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Foundation, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Ohio Arts Council, The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation

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. Cincinnati Ballet is 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.

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