Miami City Ballet is grateful to Baptist Health, the official healthcare partner for our company dancers.

We are so glad you’re here. We are thrilled to present a season that celebrates ballet’s past, present, and future. As Miami City Ballet nears the end of its 37th year of dance, we stand in awe of this extraordinary company and all its infinite possibilities.

This season we shared Shakespeare's most famous love story as told through John Cranko's masterpiece Romeo and Juliet, and then again through Jerome Robbins' ever popular West Side Story Suite.

We brought you a sampling of modern dance pioneers, Martha Graham and José Limón, while ushering in diverse, boundary-breaking choreographic voices such as Pontus Lidberg and Amy Hall Garner.

We connected visionary young artists, like choreographer Durante Verzola and fashion industry icon Esteban Cortázar, to the past through the music of Cuban pianist Ernesto Lecuona.

And finally, we bring you Entradas, or an entryway, into the origins of American ballet through masterworks by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. We’re delighted to premiere a reimagined Square Dance, giving it a decidedly South Florida twist. We are honored to have the incomparable Tania León conducting the Miami City Ballet Orchestra for the final program of the season.

Thank you for being with us and sharing in these stories that we hope will emotionally transport, inspire, and most of all, entertain you.

With love,

Lourdes Lopez Artistic Director	Juan José Escalante Executive Director

​​Square Dance

Choreography by George Balanchine ©The George Balanchine Trust 

Concerto Grosso in B Minor, op. 3, no. 10; Concerto Grosso in E Major, op. 3, no. 12 [first movement] by Vivaldi; Badinerie and Giga from Sarabanda, Badinerie, and Giga by Corelli

Lyrics by Rudi Goblen

Staged by Victoria Simon

Produced by Lourdes Lopez

Costume Design by Montana Levi Blanco

Set Design by Mariana Sanchez

Lighting Design by Maria-Cristina Fusté

George Balanchine’s interpretation of a square dance has a breezy free spirit and exuberance that seem appropriately connected to the American West. When Square Dance premiered in 1957, a “Caller” (Elisha C. Keeler) appeared on stage with the dancers: he created his own verses to go along with the dance and his impressions of ballet became part of the flavor of the work.

Choreographed the same year as Balanchine’s iconic American classic Stars and Stripes, Square Dance highlights what American ballet is, what it could be, and how it differentiates from European ballet.

Our reimagined Square Dance pays homage to Balanchine’s original work, but exists as a reflection of today’s South Florida, inspired by our home in Miami; the people, the culture, the music, the weather. Rudi Goblen’s new lyrics build upon Keeler’s foundation – the pacing, the rhythm – and are influenced by local poetry, imagery, language, and pop references. It is a celebration of our culture, in our own voice – bilingual.

Departing from the traditional Western look, a refreshed set by Mariana Sanchez brings the twinkling stars of a Miami night to the stage, and Montana Levi Blanco’s updated costumes in Caribbean tones add a tropical twist and South Florida flair.

And now… The sun is down. The beach is blue. ¡A bailar! 

Miami City Ballet Premiere: January 9, 1987 at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts; Miami, Florida.

The original Miami City Ballet production of Square Dance was made possible by a special gift from Wachovia.

The performance of Square Dance, 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.

Afternoon of a Faun

Choreography by Jerome Robbins

Staged by Jean-Pierre Frohlich

Music by Claude Debussy: Prélude à l'Après-midi d'un Faune (1892-1894)

Costume Design by Irene Sharaff

Original Lighting and Set Design by Jean Rosenthal

Lighting by Les Dickert

Scenic Supervision by Arnold Abramson

A pas de deux set in a ballet studio, Jerome Robbins’s Afternoon of a Faun is about a fleeting encounter between a young man absorbed by his reflection in a mirror and a woman who enters the studio and interrupts his reverie. Set to music by Claude Debussy, Prélude à l’Après-midi d’un Faune, was composed between 1892 and 1894, a musical piece inspired by a Stephane Mallarmé poem, describing a faun’s encounter with nymphs.  In 1912 Vaslav Nijinsky presented his famous version of Afternoon of a Faun based on the music and the poem, among other sources. The Robbins choreography is a contemporary variation of these works. The ballet was first performed in 1953 by Francisco Moncion and Tanaquil LeClercq.

The ballet has special significance for Miami City Ballet. A young student at the School of American Ballet inspired Robbins to create the piece; that student was Edward Villella, the company’s founding artistic director.

Miami City Ballet Premiere: February 11, 2005 at Jackie Gleason Theater; Miami Beach, FL.

The original production of Miami City Ballet’s Afternoon of a Faun was underwritten by Diane and Irving Siegel, members of our Jewels Society and long-time friends of the Ballet.

A special thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts for supporting the original Company Premiere of Afternoon of a Faun.

Performed by permission of The Robbins Rights Trust. 

Antique Epigraphs

Choreography by Jerome Robbins

Music by Claude Debussy: Six Epigraphes Antiques (1915), orchestrated by Ernest Ansermet (1932) and Syrinx (1912)

Staged by Christine Redpath

Costume Design by Florence Klotz

Original Lighting Design by Jennifer Tipton

Lighting by Les Dickert

A contemplative and dramatic ballet that features a suite of eight women evoking ancient Greek bas relief sculpture. The first six sections are performed to an orchestral version of Debussy's Six Epigraphes Antiques, originally written as an accompaniment to poet Pierre Louÿs' Chanson de Bilitis; rumored to be translations of uncovered autobiographical poetry of Sappho. The seventh section is performed to solo flute entitled Syrinx.

Miami City Ballet Premiere: August 24, 2022 at Jacob’s Pillow

Performed by permission of The Robbins Rights Trust.

Symphony in Three Movements

Choreography by George Balanchine ©The George Balanchine Trust 

Music by Igor Stravinsky: Symphony in Three Movements (1945)* 

Staged by Miami City Ballet

Lighting Design by Mark Stanley

Lighting by John Hall

Choreographed by George Balanchine for the opening night of the New York City Ballet’s 1972 Stravinsky Festival, Symphony in Three Movements contains some of his fleetest and most densely patterned dance. The original cast featured Sara Leland, Marnee Morris, Lynda Yourth, Helgi Tomasson, Edward Villella and Robert Weiss.

Symphony in Three Movements is a large plotless ensemble work, containing a remarkable Balinese-inflected central duet startling in its breadth of energy, complexity, originality and contrasts. Balanchine choreographed to the jazz flavor in Stravinsky’s 1945 score by using angular, turned-in movements and brisk, athletic walking sequences. Stravinsky is said to have written Symphony in Three Movements in response to his impressions of World War II.

Miami City Ballet Premiere: October 3, 2003 at  Jackie Gleason Theater; Miami Beach, FL. 

*Symphony in Three Movements is used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company, sole U.S. and Canadian agent for Schott Music GmbH & Co. KG, publisher and copyright owner

The performance of Symphony in Three Movements, 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.

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

Company Pianist Francisco Rennó

* indicates Miami City Ballet School Alumni

Artistic Director: Lourdes Lopez

Executive Director: Juan José Escalante

Chairman of the Board of Directors & Trustees: Jeff Davis

ARTISTIC 

Chief of Staff to Artistic Director & Project Manager: Kiera O'Rourke

Company Manager: Jessica Perez

Principal Rehearsal Director: Roma Sosenko

Rehearsal Directors: Joan Latham and Arnold Quintane

Company Pianist: Francisco Rennó

Principal Conductor: Gary Sheldon

PRODUCTION AND WARDROBE 

Director of Production and Lighting: John Hall 

Production Stage Manager: Kelly Brown 

Assistant Stage Manager: Lauren Wickett

Head Carpenter: Brian Harris 

Properties Master: Marc Stoudt 

Head Electrician: Shane Cassidy

Assistant Electrician: Nicanor Smith

Sound Engineer: Sean M. Deceunick 

Projection Operator: Steve Covey 

In Memorium: Richard Carter 

Director of Costume Department: Eleanor Wolfe 

Wardrobe Master: Ricardo "Pico" Asturias

Wardrobe Mistress: Jennifer Conrad 

Shoe Inventory Assistant: Christie Scitturo

School Wardrobe Mistress: Ibis Hernandez 

Seamstress/Seamster: Julia Villalobos, Alberto Fages

Makeup Artist: Ellen Dawson 

DEVELOPMENT 

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: Matt Williams

Associate Director of Development Service: Carlos Collins

Special Events Manager: Somers Killian

Donor Relations Coordinator: Manon Maher

Executive Assistant: Adisa T. Murphy

MARKETING 

Chief Marketing Officer: Chantell Ghosh

Senior Director of Marketing Operations: 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

Customer Relations, Assistant Manager: Maritza Castro

Customer Service Representatives: Leyda Castro, Michael Tilis, Cheyla Monroy

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: Monica Stephenson

Community Engagement Programs Manager: Tharesa Z. Perry 

Community Engagement Group Leader and Coordinator: Kristina Jackson-Zabaleta

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 

Chief Operating Officer: John J. Shumaker, C.P.A 

Payroll Manager: Marisa Rios-Lopez 

Senior Accountant: Carlos Lopez 

Human Resources Director: 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: Lisa De Ravel 

School Operations Manager: Jessica Bork 

School Programs Manager: Amanda Rodriguez

Dean of Student Affairs: Roslyn Ruiz

Student Life and Housing Manager: Amanda Rodriguez

School Administrative Assistant: Giana Ruffa

Manager of Housing and Student Support Services: Alexis Gibson

Principal Faculty: Alexander Iziliaev

Faculty: Mariana Alvarez Brake, Karee Pauld Camargo, Michele Chaviano, Sara Franco, Brittany Kernohan, Claudia Lezcano, Rosa Mercedes, Maribel Modrono, Herman Payne, DeAnn Petruschke, Emma Reed, Emily Ricca, Francis Veyette, Antonella Vichidomini, Toranika Washington 

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

Company Physician: Kathleen Davenport MD 

Massage Therapist: Alexis Somoano LMT

Jeff Davis, Board Chair

Major funding for Miami City Ballet is provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Ford 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. Performances and programming in Miami Beach provided by the generous support of the City of Miami Beach and the Cultural Arts Council. 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. Broward County funding provided in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida, as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council. 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. 

Miami City Ballet is grateful to Baptist Health, the official healthcare partner for our company dancers.

Photo Credits: Cover Page:  Ariel Rose and Ellen Grocki in West Side Story Suite. Choreography by Jerome Robbins. Photo by © Gary James.