LA VALSE
Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust
Music by Maurice Ravel*
Costume Design by Karinska
Set and Lighting Desing by Jean Rosenthal
Scenic Supervision by Arnold Abramson, Scenery Build by Jupiter Scenic
The stage is a dark and mysterious ballroom in which thirty-four dancers waltz in flowing romantic tutus to the powerful and disturbing music of Ravel. La Valse, a neo-romantic ballet choreographed by Balanchine in 1951, projects a mood of impending doom. Ravel wrote of the score, Valses Nobles: “We are dancing on the edge of a volcano,” and dance critic Arlene Croce wrote that the ballet “is about waltz intoxication, vertigo, and death.”
Although Balanchine’s ballet is considered plotless, it contains many dramatic elements that culminate with the appearance of a dark figure of Death who claims the life of a young woman dressed in white as the horrified on-lookers swirl about her upraised body. The girl in La Valse was the signature role of Tanaquil LeClercq whose career was tragically brought to a close when she contracted polio – a macabre parallel to the fate of the character whose death she danced so movingly.
*Valses Nobles et Sentimentales (1911, orchestrated 1912); La Valse (1920)
Miami City Ballet premiere on February 11, 2005, at Jackie Gleason Theatre; Miami Beach, FL.
The performance of La Valse 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.
Miami City Ballet gratefully acknowledges the generosity of Rita E. Stein and The Rosenfeld Foundation for their gift to underwrite the Company Premiere of La Valse
WALPURGISNACHT BALLET
Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust
Music by Charles Gounod*
Costume Designs by Karinska
Lighting Design by John Hall
Twenty-four girls stampeding across the stage – most of them in purple, their hair flowing – and a single man. Gounod’s passionate Faust music. A bravura ballerina role demanding both complete control and utter abandon (hand-tailored in 1980 for the great Suzanne Farrell). There’s no Faust, no Mephistopheles – just sheer impetuosity and startling virtuosity. This is Balanchine at his most outrageously popular – marrying classicism to kitsch!
*From Faust (1859, ballet music added in 1869)
The performance of Walpurgisnacht Ballet, 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.
COINCIDENT DANCES
Choreography by Pam Tanowitz
Music by Jessie Montgomery*
Costume Design by Harriet Jung and Reid Bartelme
Lighting Design by Brandon Stirling Baker
Coincident Dances combines material from sources as varied as 19th Century ballet, early modern dance, American jazz and the movement of pedestrians. All of this vocabulary can be recognized and relished in new forms, as the ballet unfolds, they are moved against one another, layered, pulled back, reconfigured, turned around and brought into the light.
*Starburst (2015) and Coincident Dances (2019) have been rearranged by Montgomery for the World Premiere of Coincident Dances.
Welcome MCB Friends and Family,
Miami City Ballet’s 39th season is, in some ways, the start of our 40th anniversary celebration. As stewards of this incredible art form, we maintain our commitment to our dancers, the heart and soul of our company, as well as to you, our audiences, by curating an ambitious season of ballet.
It has been said that in George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, one can see Shakespeare’s words written in the choreography. With designs and projections inspired by the shapes and colors found in marine life, our reimagined production trades the lush forest landscape for the coastal waters of South Florida.
No season would be complete without George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®, the family favorite and Florida-flavored holiday tradition. We hope you enjoy the festive magic this season brings, as this timeless classic continues to enchant and inspire.
In Winter Mix, Balanchine’s Walpurgisnacht Ballet and La Valse bring classical elegance to the stage, while contemporary choreographer Pam Tanowitz premieres her second work for MCB, complete with music by Grammy award-winning artist Jessie Montgomery, a young, fresh female voice in today’s classical music scene.
Spring Mix offers a diverse range of choreographers and composers, showcasing our dedication to artistic variety. Alexei Ratmansky’s Pictures at an Exhibition is a ballet for ten dancers; Playful, tongue-in-cheek, but not without its dark shadows. In complete contrast, José Limón’s Chaconne offers baroque inspired choreography set to Bach for a solo male dancer. Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces introduces a contemporary, urban feel, featuring Philip Glass’s minimalist score. Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux brings Balanchine brilliance to the mix–short, stunning, and supremely cherished, it’s a thrill ride for dancers and audience alike.
Finally, we bring you the World Premiere of Carmen. This is the first commissioned work for the company by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, emphasizing our commitment to showcasing contemporary choreographic voices. Commissioned music by young classical Colombian composer Juan Pablo Acosta builds upon Bizet’s original–and iconic–composition. This unique fusion of styles demonstrates our enthusiasm for exploring new artistic directions and supporting burgeoning composers.
This season, we are thrilled to be presenting work at The Moss Center, sharing some of our most delightful repertoire in an intimate environment. As a cornerstone of Miami’s cultural landscape, we take deep pride in continuing to enrich and inspire our community at every opportunity.
Through a diverse range of programming, from timeless classics to bold new commissions, we continue to push the boundaries of ballet, ensuring that Miami City Ballet remains a vital and innovative force in the world of dance. With each step, leap, and turn, we celebrate the infinite possibilities of movement—and the vibrant community that supports us every step of the way.
With love,
* indicates Miami City Ballet School Alumni
WINTER MIX TRAILER
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
Company Manager: Jessica Perez
Principal Rehearsal Director: Roma Sosenko
Rehearsal Directors: Joan Latham, Arnold Quintane, and Tricia Albertson
Company Class Accompanist: Leana Reisman
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: Bailey Kirk
Head Carpenter: Brian Harris
Head Properties: Nicanor Smith
Head Electrician: Shane Cassidy
Assistant Electrician: Elvin Thomas
Sound Engineer: Sean M. Deceunick
Assistant Carpenter/Flyman: James Sampedro
Properties Assistant: Gary Darling
Projection Operator: Wilmer Arellano
In Memorium: Richard Carter
Wardrobe Manager: Carrie Cabrera
Wardrobe Master: Ricardo "Pico" Asturias
School Wardrobe Mistress: Ibis Hernandez
Shoe Inventory Assistant: Helen Cave
Seamstress/Seamster: Julia Villalobos, Alberto Fages
Makeup Artist: Ellen Dawson
In Memorium: Jennifer Conrad
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 Individual Giving- Palm Beach: Samantha Hurwitch
Special Events Manager: Somers Killian
MARKETING
Chief Marketing Officer: Chantell Ghosh
Senior Director of Marketing Operations: Mary Landreth
Director of Marketing, Communications and Content: Anne Mortomore
Director of Audience and Ticketing Services: Joshua Wickard
Senior Creative Services & Content Manager: Ali Castro
Senior Production 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 and Adam Gamer
Audience Services Representatives: Jade Emmanuel, Randy Fumero, Yuan Gonzalez, Andrea Lastra, Sofia Osorio, Jennifer Parra, and Mariangel Rivero
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: Tharesa Z. Perry
Community Dance Education Programs Manager: Norma Fuisting
Community Engagement Coordinator: Bianca Guirado
Arts in Education Program
Teaching Artists and Musicians: Kassie Abreu, Blaire Andrews, Matthew Aubeuf, Efrain Chibas, Bradley Dunlap, Claudia Lezcano, Nuria Martinez, Luis Ocasio, Rae Wilcoxson
Community Engagement Program Assistants: Merle Inasi and Noeli Morejon
FINANCE AND OPERATIONS
Chief Financial Officer: Ainsworth Geddes
Payroll Manager: Marisa Rios-Lopez
Finance and Donor System Manager: Carlos Lopez
Staff Accountant: John Colon
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 Managing Director: Cameron Basden
School Operations Manager: Jessica Bork
Pre-Professionals Manager & Artistic Liaison: Manon Maher
School Programs Manager: Amanda Del Cerro
School Administrative Assistant: Vanessa Haro
Housing Manager: Nellani Rainford
Front Desk Receptionist: Carmen Ramos
School Resident Choreographer: Durante Verzola
Principal Faculty: Katia Carranza & Alexander Iziliaev
Faculty: Leslie Young Cheng, Claudia Kuwana, Claudia Lezcano, Rosa Mercedes, Michaela Mann, Maribel Modrono, Fabian Morales, Kareen Pauld Camargo, Herman Payne, Renato Penteado, Rilanty Septiantari
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, Chair
Charles Adelman
Jill E. Braufman
Eric Carpenter
Veronica de Zayas, Esq.
Alex DiLeonardo
Juan José Escalante, Ex Officio
Robert Friezo
Dan Gelber, Former Mayor of Miami Beach
Kathy Guttman
Bruce Halpryn, Ph.D.
Kristi Jernigan
Mamie Joeveer
Susan D. Kronick
Allen London
Lourdes Lopez, Ex Officio
Manny Marquez
Eleanor Pao
Saul Sanders, Treasurer
Michael Schultz
Ana-Marie Codina Barlick, Past Chair
Mike Eidson, Past Chair
Ron Esserman*, Past Chair
Robert Gottlieb*
Jacqueline Kott*
R. Kirk Landon*
Gerri LeBow*
Rhoda Levitt, Past Chair
Rita Stein*
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.