As we leap into our 38th season, it is a time for reflection and innovation. 2023/24 marks the 40th anniversary of the death of George Balanchine, who was not only the cornerstone of modern American ballet but also a teacher, mentor, and an inspiration to generations of dancers and choreographers. It is not an overreach to say that without Balanchine, there would be no Miami City Ballet.
To honor the legacy of Balanchine, and mark the privileged role we have in the stewardship of his work, we have curated this season to invite you on a journey through a century of ballet. Each mixed program is anchored by a cherished classic from the Balanchine canon, and builds upon that foundation through next generation masterworks and world premieres from today’s youngest voices in dance.
The season opens with Serenade, the first original ballet George Balanchine created in the United States in 1934. The program is joined by Twyla Tharp’s “fierce, driving, and relentless” In the Upper Room, and the world premiere of Sea Change from Bessie Award winning artist, Miami’s very own Jamar Roberts.
The winter season begins with everyone’s favorite festive tradition, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® spreading holiday joy with our distinct Miami twist. Quickly following is our second mixed program, Winter Mix, which showcases two world premieres from Miami natives Margarita Armas and Durante Verzola. Alongside these new works are masterpieces from their predecessors – Alexei Ratmansky’s Concerto DSCH, and a reimagined production of Robbins’s and Balanchine’s Firebird – the only production of this version to exist outside of New York City Ballet.
The great works of Balanchine continue as a throughline for the season into the spring, in a triple bill that includes Balanchine’s 1957 tour de force Agon, Alonzo King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream, and the final world premiere of the season, a new work from Brazilian-born choreographer Ricardo Amarante that is sure to “Delight” us all.
And finally, we bring you Swan Lake, lovingly reconstructed by Alexei Ratmansky, delivering a striking display of over fifty of our impeccable dancers breathing new life into an enchanting classic.
What’s more, all of these incredible works are performed to the glistening sounds of our live Miami City Ballet Orchestra.
We are so grateful to you, our audiences, for being here with us as we continue to honor our history and uplift new voices. The future of dance is nothing without you.
With love,
AGON
Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust
Music by Igor Stravinsky*
Staged by Amar Ramasar
Costume design by Karinska
Lighting by John Hall
*Agon, by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.
Choreographed in 1957, Agon was a collaboration between composer Igor Stravinsky and George Balanchine. Together they devised a sequence of musical numbers and dances that updated forms from the 17th century, such as the "sarabande" (a stately court dance), the "gaillard," and the "branle." The title is the Greek word for "contest," and through this and the work's linear, geometrical look, Balanchine's 1928 masterpiece, Apollo, is invoked. Combining two frames of historical reference -- ancient Greece and baroque France -- with a modern sensibility, Agon is perhaps Balanchine's most distilled synthesis of classical and modern art, and one of the most influential works of art of the 20th century.
Agon is packed with verbal and intellectual puns (though one need not know that to enjoy the ballet). For example, the work has 12 dancers who interact in both symmetrical and asymmetrical arrangements of the number 12, and the music, which is composed on the 12-tone scale, develops its own 12-sided patterns. The work, labelled "world-conquering" by dance critic Arlene Croce, is completely engrossing.
The heart of the work is an extended pas de deux for the leading couple which departs from classical pas de deux form and from Balanchine's usual observance of that form. The duet is built on the sustained, prolonged intertwining of the two dancers rather than being structured as a supported adagio followed by separate variations and a coda. It offers scarcely a break as it builds in tension, offering images of a bond that is tested but not broken. Perhaps more than any other part of Agon, the dramatic pas de deux, has influenced other artists ballets, and the dynamics and form of choreographed relationships.
---Adapted from a note by Anita Finkel
Miami City Ballet premiere on January 26, 1995 at Dade County Auditorium; Miami, FL.
“The performance of Agon, 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.”
FOLLOWING THE SUBTLE CURRENT UPSTREAM
Choreography by Alonzo King
Music by Zakir Hussain, Miguel Frasconi, & Miriam Makeba
Costume Design by Robert Rosenwasser
Original Lighting Design by Axel Morganthaler
Lighting Design by Al Crawford
Staged by Meredith Webster
The question at the center of Following the Subtle Current Upstream is how do we return to joy?
Alonzo King’s work investigates deeply rooted affinities between Western and Eastern classical forms, elemental materials, the natural world, and the human spirit. Described by King as “a piece about how to return to joy,” Following the Subtle Current Upstream mirrors life’s boisterous waves and reminds us that everything in nature seeks to return to its source. King’s movement—abstract but steeped in meaning—sets the dancers in constant flow to an eclectic score by Zakir Hussain, Miguel Frasconi, and Miriam Makeba.
Source: alvinailey.org
Alonzo King- Choreographer, Co-Founder & Artistic Director LINES Ballet
Alonzo King has been called a visionary choreographer, who is altering the way we look and think about movement. King calls his works ‘thought structures’, created by the manipulation of energies that exist in matter through laws, which govern the shapes and movement directions of everything that exists. Named as a choreographer with ”astonishing originality” by the New York Times, Alonzo King LINES Ballet has been guided by his unique artistic vision since 1982.
King has works in the repertories of the world’s leading ballet and modern companies and has collaborated with distinguished visual artists, musicians and composers across the globe. His work has been recognized for its impact on the cultural fabric of the company’s home in San Francisco, as well as internationally by the dance world’s most prestigious institutions.
Named a Master of Choreography by the Kennedy Center in 2005, King is the recipient of the NEA Choreographer’s Fellowship, the Jacob’s Pillow Creativity Award, the US Artist Award in Dance, NY Bessie Award, and the National Dance Project’s Residency and Touring Awards. In 2015 he received the Doris Duke Artist Award in recognition of his ongoing contributions to the advancement of contemporary dance. Joining historic icons in the field, King was named one of America’s “Irreplaceable Dance Treasures” by the Dance Heritage Coalition. He is a former San Francisco commissioner, and a writer and lecturer on humanity and art. Inducted into the California Hall of Fame, King holds an honorary Doctorate from Dominican University, California Institute of the Arts, and The Juilliard School.
DELIGHT
Choreography by Ricardo Amarante
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Costume Design by Renê Salazar David
Lighting Design by Micheal Mazzola
At the heart of this artistic form is a profound connection to the divine, a manifestation of the universal desire to express the deepest aspects of the soul through the grace and beauty of the physical body. The joy, pleasure, and delight that emanate from such an experience are nothing less than an affirmation of the human capacity for greatness, and a reminder of the enduring power of art to transform and uplift the human spirit.
The art of dance is an evocative expression of the human spirit, allowing one to transcend the boundaries of the mundane and revel in the blissful exaltation of the sublime. To witness a dancer performing their craft with their whole being is to be transported to a realm of infinite wonder, where the interplay of movement, music, and light creates a mesmerizing and unforgettable spectacle that both captivates and inspires.
I believe beauty is the mission of every artist.
Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez
Executive Director Juan José Escalante
Chair, Board of Trustees Jeff Davis
Founder Toby Lerner Ansin
Founding Artistic Director Edward Villella
Production and Lighting Director John D. Hall
Principal Conductor Gary Sheldon
Principal Rehearsal Director Roma Sosenko
Rehearsal Directors Joan Latham, Arnold Quintane, Tricia Albertson
Company Pianist Francisco Rennó
* indicates Miami City Ballet School Alumni
Ciro Foderé (Montevideo, Uruguay) graced with a powerful musicality and fiery technique, has established himself as a well-sought soloist and chamber musician. Regularly invited as a concerto soloist with orchestras such as the New World Symphony, Symphony of the Americas, Miami Symphony Orchestra, Montevideo Philharmonic, Sendai Philharmonic, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonic of Extremadura, he has worked with conductors Michael Tilson Thomas, with whom he closely collaborated, David Stahl, Ignaz Solzhenitsyn, Eduardo Marturet, Eduardo Marturet, and as a chamber musician alongside violinist Joshua Bell, and soprano Renée Fleming.
A champion of virtuoso piano repertoire, the press has hailed his performances as "masterful, electric, by turns fiery and lyrical" (Post and
Courier), "edge-of-the-seat thrilling" featuring "technical sheen articulation, alert dynamic shading, and an imaginative approach"(Miami Herald).
Ciro Foderé's versatile playing has seen him appear with the Miami City Ballet since 2013, collaborating in studio rehearsals and performances throughout Florida. He also has appeared as a recitalist and chamber musician in Carnegie Hall, Teatro Santa Cecilia, Pittsburgh Concert Society, and in festivals Perugia, Londrina Music Festival, International Piano Series, Spoleto Festival, and Trujillo Music Festival. His performances have been broadcasted by America's National Public Radio (NPR) and North and South American TV.
Always enthusiastic about expanding his repertoire, Mr. Foderé has premiered works by numerous American composers. Composer Florencia Di Concilio dedicated to him a piano concerto, premiered with the Miami Symphony Orchestra. An active teacher, Ciro Foderé is a professor at the New World School of the Arts, the University of Florida in Miami, and has taught at the Miami Music Festival.
Ciro Foderé is the First Prize Winner of the XIV Bartok-Kabalevsky-Prokofieff International Competition. Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Ciro came to the US while still a teenager, and studied with Enrique Graf and the late Earl Wild.
In the 2023-2024 season, Ciro Foderé's concert engagements include performances of Rachmaninoff second, Bach, Beethoven and Gershwin piano concerti, as well as solo and chamber music recitals in both North and South America.
Interview with Choreographer Alonzo King: Following The Subtle Current Upstream
Artistic Director: Lourdes Lopez
Executive Director: Juan José Escalante
Chairman of the Board of Directors & Trustees: Jeff Davis
Board Liaison & Executive Assistant: Leslie Ann Reams
ARTISTIC
Artistic Operations & Strategic Initiatives: Kiera O'Rourke
Company Manager: Jessica Perez
Principal Rehearsal Director: Roma Sosenko
Rehearsal Directors: Joan Latham, Arnold Quintane, and Tricia Albertson
Company Pianist: Francisco Rennó
Music Director and Principal Conductor: Gary Sheldon
PRODUCTION AND WARDROBE
Director of Production and Lighting: John D. Hall
Production Stage Manager: Kelly Brown
Assistant Stage Manager: Lauren Wickett
Sound Engineer: Sean M. Deceunick
Head Carpenter: Brian Harris
Properties Master: Marc Stoudt
Head Electrician: Shane Cassidy
Assistant Electrician: Nicanor Smith
Projection Operator: Steve Covey
In Memorium: Richard Carter
Wardrobe Manager: Carrie Cabrera
Wardrobe Master: Ricardo "Pico" Asturias
School Wardrobe Mistress: Ibis Hernandez
Wardrobe Mistress: Jennifer Conrad
Shoe Inventory Assistant: Christie Scitturo
Seamstress/Seamster: Julia Villalobos, Alberto Fages
Makeup Artist: Ellen Dawson
DEVELOPMENT
Senior Director of Development: Dena Liston
Senior Director, Major Gifts: Orene Tross-Harris
Director of Special Events: Heather Rush
Director of Foundation and Government Relations: Michele Scanlan
Manager of Foundation and Government Relations: Lee Eachus
Associate Director of Corporate Giving: Matt Williams
Associate Director of Individual Giving- Palm Beach: Samantha Hurwitch
Associate Director of Development Services: Carlos Collins
Special Events Manager: Somers Killian
Executive Assistant: Adisa T. Murphy
MARKETING
Chief Marketing Officer: Chantell Ghosh
Marketing & Customer Relations Consultant: Mary Landreth
Director of Marketing, Digital, and Content: Anne Mortomore
Director of Audience and Ticketing Services: Joshua Wickard
Marketing Services Manager: Ali Castro
Graphic Designer: Mina Rhee
Public Relations and Events Marketing Coordinator: Masha Enriquez
Digital Marketing Coordinator: Eden Cohen
Supervisor, Audience, and Ticketing Services: Katharine Baines
Associate Coordinator, Audience Services and Ticketing: Leyda Castro
Audience Services Representatives: Michael Tilis, Randy Fumero. Alison Loases, Jennifer Parra, Joas Cerutti, Mariangel Rivero, and Andrea Lastra
General Press Representation: Billy Zavelson/Richard Kornberg & Associates
Marketing & Customer Relations Consultant: Nicole Wetzell
Creative Direction Consultant: Ron Roberts
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Director of Community Engagement: Brenda Alba
Community Engagement Programs Manager: Theresa Z. Perry
Community Dance Education Programs Manager: Norma Fuisting
Arts in Education Program
Teaching Artists: Vanya Allen, Meredith Barton, Stephanie Fuentes, Jennifer Puig, Kelly Robotham
Community Engagement Program Assistants: Merle Inasi, Iman Clark, Noeli Morejon
FINANCE AND OPERATIONS
Director of Finance: Ainsworth Geddes
Payroll Manager: Marisa Rios-Lopez
Senior Accountant: Carlos Lopez
Senior Director of Human Resources: Lina Aguirre
Human Resources Assistant and Office Manager: Joy Stanfield
MIAMI CITY BALLET SCHOOL
Chair: Lourdes Lopez
School Artistic Director: Arantxa Ochoa
School Operations Manager: Jessica Bork
Pre-Professional Division Manager: Manon Maher
School Programs Manager: Amanda Rodriguez
School Administrative Assistant: Giana Ruffa
Housing Manager: Pebbles Rainford
Principal Faculty: Leslie Young Cheng, Alexander Iziliaev, Claudia Kuwana, Claudia Lezcano, Rosa Mercedes, Michaela Mann, Maribel Modrono, Fabian Morales, Kareen Pauld Camargo, Herman Payne, Renato Penteado , Granaina Rondena (La Merche), Rilanty Septiantari, Durante Verzola
Pianists: Marianela Castro, Juvenal Correa-Salas, Gladys Fariñas, Vivian Gonzalez, Yraima Menendez, Teresa Valdivia
PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS
Employment and Labor Law: Lisa Berg, Esq. — Stearns Weaver Miller, et al, P.A.
Immigration Law: Glenn Rissman, Esq. — Stearns Weaver Miller, et al, P.A.
Auditor: Robbins and Moroney, P.A.
MEDICAL PROVIDERS
Director of Artistic Health: Alejandro Piris Niño, PT, DPT
Company Physician: Kathleen L. Davenport, MD
Foot and Ankle Orthopedic Specialist: Steven David Steinlauf, MD
Massage Therapist: Alexis Somoano LMT, Jill Davison, LMT
Part-Time Physical Therapists: Audrey Lugo PT, DPT, CSCS, and Bethany Cook, PT, DPT, SCS, CSCS
Strength and Conditioning: Chase Swatosh
Nutritionist: Maria Vallasciani MS, RD, LD/N, RN, CNSC, IBCLC
Mental Health: Dr. Scott Leydig, Psy.D.
Jeffrey Davis, Board Chair
Charles Adelman
Jill E. Braufman
Veronica de Zayas
Margaret Eidson
Juan José Escalante
Robert Friezo
Kathy Guttman
Bruce Halpryn
Alina Hudak
Kristi Jernigan
Mamie Joeveer
Susan Kronick
Allen London
Lourdes Lopez
Manny Marquez
Lisa Kott Massirman
Eleanor Pao
Saul Sanders, Treasurer
Michael Schultz
John Vogelstein
Sara Minskoff Allan
Madeline Anbinder
Stephen Anbinder
Toby Lerner Ansin, Founder
Robert Chaskes
Lester Coney
Neil Devlin
Jim Freeze
Sheila O’Malley Fuchs
Dini Albert Golden
Janine Gordon
Francinelee Hand
Pearl Johnson
Elissa Kramer
Karen Krause
Rhoda Levitt*
Eve Rounds
Sara Solomon
Suzy Wahba
Gail Wasserman
Holly Wright
Diana S.C. Zeydel
* Trustees Emeriti
Major funding for Miami City Ballet provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Arison Arts Foundation. Miami-Dade County support provided by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners. Support for Miami City Ballet in the Palm Beaches generously sponsored in part by the Board of County Commissioners, the Tourist Development Council and the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Made possible with support from the Broward County Cultural Division. Broward County performances supported by Funding Arts Broward, supporting innovative local visual and performing arts in Broward County.
Miami City Ballet is grateful to Baptist Health, the official healthcare partner for our company dancers.