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CONTACT CITY Amber Dorsky [email protected] | 305.929.7000 x7189

Julii Oh [email protected]

Miami City Ballet presents 2021 Spring Season:

To Miami, With Love A series of pop-up performances throughout the Magic City

Digital Season Features world premiere by Amy Hall Garner and the digital premiere of A Midsummer Night’s Dream On sale February 9, 2021

(Miami, FL) – Miami City Ballet (MCB) is pleased to present its 2021 Spring Season. Dedicated as a love letter to the community, the 35th anniversary season offers a series of seven pop-up performances running Jan 30 to Feb 21, 2021 that celebrate the vibrant neighborhoods and iconic destinations that put the magic into this global City we call home. Supported in partnership with numerous business and civic leaders, these ephemeral To Miami, With Love pop-ups are choreographed and performed by MCB company dancers. Each headlining work is site specific, inspired by the surrounding environment and the unique cultural tapestry of the location.

MCB will also offer a Digital Spring Season running March through May 2021, featuring three illustrious programs that portray the company’s youthful and uniquely Miamian spirit. It is bookended with the world premiere of ViVa by Amy Hall Garner (which was filmed on location at Miami Beach’s famed , MCB’s first home, and at The Taylor Studios in Manhattan’s vibrant Lower East Side) and the digital premiere of ’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream – signature MCB work, set in an ethereal South seascape as designed by acclaimed artist Michele Oka Doner. The season also includes beloved fan favorites from the company’s repertory, including Balanchine’s flirtatious Rubies and irresistible nod to Hollywood glamour, I’m Old Fashioned. Subscriptions to the 2021 Spring Season go on sale February 9, 2021 at miamicityballet.org.

“Our 35th anniversary season remains dedicated as a love letter to the community. When the pandemic struck, we recognized immediately how much our communities needed the healing power of the arts and the hope they elicit. This was demonstrated powerfully by our remarkable sold-out performances of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker in the Park,” says MCB Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez. “Our pop- ups and digital season also show just how organically Miami City Ballet is connected to our city, our environment, our neighborhoods, and our audiences – all of which inspire us every day to create memorable moments of beauty, hope and inspiration, in everything we do.”

MCB Executive Director Tania Castroverde Moskalenko, “Miami is a global city rich in cultural and artistic offerings. By partnering with numerous community leaders, we can together uplift our communities while sharing in our love of dance. We greatly value the collaboration and support of our partners including with Commissioner Eileen Higgins, , New World Symphony, Lincoln Road Business Improvement District, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Vizcaya Museum and Garden, Business Improvement District, and The Underline, for their commitment to shepherding the arts, especially during these unprecedented times.”

“The arts and culture sector is vital to Miami-Dade’s economy. Due to the global pandemic, I’ve been passionate about prioritizing and providing economic relief to the artists and institutions that we love so much,” said Commissioner Higgins. “For 35 years, the Miami City Ballet has delivered beauty, joy, and hope to our community. I am proud to support its innovative programming that will continue to lift the spirit of our residents during these challenging times.”

“The Lincoln Road District was the original home of the Miami City Ballet at a time when most of the Road’s residents were artists and performers themselves,” says Timothy Schmand, executive director of the Lincoln Road BID. “While the pandemic has limited the ways we can share artistic experiences with our community, we are inspired by Miami City Ballet’s innovative spirit, devising unique ways to continue engaging with the public during these unprecedented times. This is the second time since the pandemic began that we will collaborate with the Miami City Ballet, and we will continue to support their organization and the rest of our local performing arts community by making our pedestrian promenade and unoccupied storefronts available to organizations looking to engage with the public and create moments of unexpected wonder at a time we need it most.”

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Chief Operating Officer Nannette Zapata adds, “We’re so pleased to, once again, partner with MCB. To Miami, With Love is a love letter to our beautiful city, and we can think of no better way to share in this experience than by showcasing the grace and artistry of MCB’s dancers within the extraordinary beauty of Fairchild.”

“Arts and culture are integral to the character of Wynwood and a priority for the Wynwood BID,” said Albert Garcia, chairman and co-founder of the Wynwood BID. “We are proud to once again partner with Miami City Ballet to bring world-class dance to the heart of Miami’s urban arts district, further strengthening the BID’s partnership with this important local institution.”

“Vizcaya is proud to partner with MCB to provide the Miami community with inspiring artistic experiences,” says Joel Hoffman, Executive Director and CEO of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.

To Miami, With Love Pop-Up Calendar: * Locations, dates, and times subject to change. Be sure to check miamicityballet.org before heading out.

To Miami, With Love begins Saturday, January 30 at approximately 7:30pm - 8:30pm at the place where MCB first began its ascent to becoming one of the country’s most renowned ballet companies – Lincoln Road, Miami Beach – featuring headline choreography by MCB dancer Cameron Catazaro and special musical accompaniment by musicians from the New World Symphony.

From there, MCB dancers will pop-up at multiple locations throughout the city:

Sunday, January 31 at approximately 2:30pm - 3:30pm Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables with headline choreography by MCB dancer Renan Cerdeiro. Tickets are required for entry to the garden and may be purchased here.

Friday, February 5 at approximately 3pm - 4pm Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in with headline choreography MCB dancer by Julian Goodwin-Ferris. Advanced tickets are required for entry and may be purchased here.

Saturday, February 13 at approximately 7:30 - 8:30pm: Wynwood Walls, Wynwood with headline choreography by MCB dancer Eric Trope. Advanced tickets are required for entry and may be purchased here.

Sunday, February 14 at approximately 6:30 – 7:30pm Miami Design District at Palm Court. This performance will include each of the new works created, with headlining choreography by MCB dancer Alaina Andersen. Admission is free but advanced registration is required. Please visit Eventbrite to RSVP.

Friday, February 19 To Be Announced. Headline choreography by MCB dancers Ariel Rose and Harrison Monaco.

Sunday, February 21 at approximately 3pm - 4pm The Underline’s Sound Stage at Backyard, Miami’s newest urban oasis, with headline choreography by MCB dancer Bradley Dunlap. Free but advanced registration is required. Please visit Eventbrite to RSVP.

For those unable to physically attend the performances, each of the seven To Miami, With Love pop-up work will be available daily, free of charge, digitally on MCB’s social media channels beginning the week of March 8, 2021.

All performances adhere to health and safety measures as implemented by each locality or individual business. MCB is committed to maintaining a safe workplace for our dancers, staff, and crew. We strive to follow all current guidelines recommended by appropriate health authorities and safety experts. For more information, please visit https://www.miamicityballet.org/popups.

2021 Digital Spring Season Calendar Subscriptions on sale February 9, 2021 at MiamiCityBallet.org.

VIVA! Friday, March 19 A program of three that are an escape to a place of irrepressible joy and optimism, featuring beloved favorites by Balanchine and Robbins, and the premiere of a new work by Amy Hall Garner created in partnership with Paul Taylor Dance Company celebrating the vibrancy of two thrilling cities; Miami and New York.

ViVa (World Premiere) Choreographer: Amy Hall Garner Music: Antonio Vivaldi

Rubies Choreographer: George Balanchine Music: Igor Stravinsky

I’m Old Fashioned Choreographer: Jerome Robbins Music: Morton Gould

Love and Laughter

Friday, April 16 An evening featuring two works by Robbins set to Chopin’s breathtaking music that evoke the romance and bliss of distinctly different but equally delightful – and relatable – urban nights.

In the Night Choreographer: Jerome Robbins Music: Frédéric Chopin

The Concert (or, The Perils of Everybody) Choreographer: Jerome Robbins Music: Frédéric Chopin

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Friday, May 14

Choreographer: George Balanchine Music: Felix Mendelssohn

Dive into an undersea fantasy of magically entangled lovers, fairy royalty, magic spells, and happily-ever- after in Shakespeare’s timeless tale of love. Famed Miami raised artist Michele Oka Doner reimagined Balanchine’s beloved ballet with all new sets and costumes inspired by ’s underwater seascape in 2016, turning it into “a shimmery, shadowy, magical jewel box of a show.” (The Miami Herald)

ABOUT MIAMI CITY BALLET Miami City Ballet, celebrating its 35th anniversary season, has a diverse roster of 50 dancers and a repertoire of more than 130 works. As one of the most renowned ballet companies in the country, Miami City Ballet performs for nearly 125,000 patrons annually during its South Florida home season in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and tours to major cities domestically and internationally, including recent visits to New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles and Paris.

Miami City Ballet School, the official school of Miami City Ballet, is one of the most respected ballet training academies in America. The School trains students, ages 3-18 year-round and grants more than $650,000 in scholarships annually.

Miami City Ballet’s Community Engagement programs, serving more than 12,000 people annually in schools and communities; our free programs use the power of dance to uplift, teach and bring joy.

Executive Director Tania Castroverde Moskalenko and Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez lead the company. Lopez was recently awarded the prestigious Dance Magazine Award in 2018 and was named one of “The Most Influential People in Dance Today.” She is on the Ford Foundation Board of Trustees, the first artist to ever serve on its Board.

Miami City Ballet was founded in 1985 by Miami philanthropist Toby Lerner Ansin and Founding Artistic Director . It is headquartered in Miami Beach, FL, at the Ophelia & Juan Js. Roca Center, a facility designed by renowned architectural firm, Arquitectonica.

* * * Major funding for Miami City Ballet is provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, a national foundation with strong local roots, investing in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. The Foundation’s goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which they believe are essential for a healthy democracy.

Major funding is also provided by the Ford Foundation, working with visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide.

Miami-Dade County support is 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 are provided with the generous support of the City of Miami Beach and the Cultural Arts Council.

Support for Miami City Ballet in the Palm Beaches is 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 is provided in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.

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