L.A. Dance Project
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L.A. Dance Project WHEN: VENUE: FRIDAY, MEMORIAL JANUARY 26 & AUDITORIUM SATURDAY, JANUARY 27 7:30 PM Murder Ballades / Photo: Laurent Philippe Program Notes Murder Ballades Choreographer: Justin Peck Murder Ballades Justin Peck’s Murder Ballades was Dancers: David Adrian Freeland Jr. (Jan. 26), Kaitlyn Gilliland, Axel Ibot, Nathan commissioned and premiered by L.A. Dance Makolandra (Jan. 27), Francisco Mungamba, Janie Taylor, Miranda Wattier Project in 2013. Set against a vivid backdrop by contemporary artist Sterling Ruby, the exuberant work for six dancers unfolds to —INTERMISSION— Bryce Dessner’s “Murder Ballades” (recorded for L.A. Dance Project by the American Second Quartet Choreographer: Noé Soulier chamber music ensemble Eighth Blackbird). Inspired by American folk songs of the 1930s Dancers: Aaron Carr, David Adrian Freeland Jr., Nathan Makolandra, Rachelle and ‘40s, specifically murder ballades, Rafailedes Dessner synthesized melodies and concepts from these ballades into a classically-based chamber piece with complex rhythms and a —INTERMISSION— strong pulse. Though the ballet contains no explicit narrative, Peck drew upon the lyrics of the original folk songs during his creative Hearts & Arrows Choreographer: Benjamin Millepied process, the dark hints of which can be gleaned from the choreography— Dancers: Aaron Carr, David Adrian Freeland Jr., Axel Ibot, Daisy Jacobson, Nathan particularly in the piece’s two duets. Athletic, Makolandra, Francisco Mungamba, Rachelle Rafailedes, Miranda Wattier playful, and slightly sinister, Murder Ballades is at once a celebration of life and a On January 26, there will be a post-performance conversation with dancers Nathan cautionary tale told through Peck’s buoyant Makolandra and Rachelle Rafailedes. choreography. This program is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. Choreography Justin Peck Original Score Bryce Dessner, By arrangement with Chester Music Limited Visual Design PROGRAM SUBJECT TO CHANGE . Please be considerate of others and turn off all phones, pagers, and watch alarms. Sterling Ruby Photography and recording of any kind are not permitted. Thank you. 2 Lighting Design Lighting Design Choreographer Brandon Sterling Baker Victor Burel Benjamin Millepied Length: 20 Minutes Length: 28 Minutes Music Philip Glass String Quartet No. 3 (Mishima) Premiere: September 17, 2013, Maison de la Premiere: September 2017 at The LUMA Performed by Kronos Quartet Danse in Lyon, France. Foundation, Arles, France © 1985, Dunvagen Music Publishers Inc. Second Quartet L.A. Dance Project developed this work thanks (ASCAP). Used by permission. Performed by Per choreographer Noé Soulier, the to an Artistic Residency in July 2017 at The Kronos Quartet—Nonesuch Records. movements present in his Second Quartet LUMA Foundation in Arles Recorded in 1993. Produced by Judith are not immediately recognizable. Rather, Sherman, Kurt Munkacsi, and Philip Glass. they are motivated by concrete goals—such Hearts & Arrows as avoiding, striking, throwing, pushing, and Hearts & Arrows premiered in 2014 and is part Visual Concept resisting—but impeded through the use of of Benjamin Millepied’s “Gems” trilogy, a Liam Gillick specific strategies. The targeted objects are collaboration between L.A. Dance Project not present, or body parts used during the and Van Cleef & Arpels. (The two other Lighting Design movements are ill-suited for their goals. For ballets completing this trilogy are Reflections , Roderick Murray example, a dancer may hit an imaginary inspired by the energy of rubies, and On the object or attempt to push another dancer Other Side , inspired by emeralds.) Millepied Costume Design with his throat or rib cage. Without the has described this trilogy of ballets as “an Janie Taylor spectator having to recognize the emotional journey” with “a strong and motivations behind these incomplete hopeful sense of lasting love and community Length: 17 Minutes movements, they are intended to stimulate amidst the uncertainty in which we live.” his or her own physical memory by Hearts & Arrows , with costumes by company Premiere: September 25th, 2014 at the appearing directed or defined by something dancer Janie Taylor, is inspired by diamonds Opera Theatre of St. Etienne in Saint- that is invisible. This openness allows and the idea of light. The dancers’ impressive Etienne, France in coproduction with Lyon images, physical expectations, and other athleticism and musicality are amplified Biennale de la Danse. associations to inform the spectator’s through Millepied’s masterful choreography. perception of the movement itself. The New York Times described the work as “a With Mr. Gillick’s Visual Concept: December propulsive, kinetic stream of movement… 1st, 2014 in Miami, Florida Choreography [that] offers a glowing display of Mr. Noé Soulier Millepied’s craftsmanship—the way he keeps Commissioned by his eight dancers constantly moving through Van Cleef & Arpels. Music asymmetrical and contrapuntal patterns… Tom De Cock (Ictus Ensemble) and Noé Soulier Everything is unexpected, everything feels Recorded and mixed by Alexandre Fostier serendipitously right.” 3 Biographies Benjamin Millepied , In 2016 Mr. Millepied resigned from his Justin has created over 30 ballets—14 of Choreographer Hearts & Arrows position in order to focus his energy on those for New York City Ballet. His works Benjamin Millepied is a French dancer, making L.A. Dance Project the organization have been performed by Paris Opera choreographer, and filmmaker. Millepied was he envisions for dance today. In addition to Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Miami City a principal with the New York City Ballet his work as a choreographer and artistic Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, L.A. Dance where he danced from 1995 to 2011. Mr. director, Mr. Millepied has directed Project, Dutch National Ballet, Joffrey Millepied’s many ballets are in the repertory numerous dance short films over the years. Ballet, Houston Ballet, and Pennsylvania of major dance companies around the world In 2018 he will make his directorial feature Ballet, to name a few. His collaborators such as American Ballet Theatre, New York debut with the film musical Carmen . Mr. include composers Sufjan Stevens, Bryce City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, The Mariinsky Millepied is a recipient of the Prix de Dessner (The National), Dan Deacon; visual Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pennsylvania Lausanne, the Mae L. Wien Award, and the artists Shepard Fairey, Marcel Dzama, John Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Berlin U.S.A. Artists fellowship and was also Baldessari, and Jules de Balincourt; and Straastsoper, Lyon Opera Ballet, and Dutch named a “Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres” fashion designers Mary Katrantzou, National Ballet. Mr. Millepied also by the French government. Humberto Leon (Kenzo, Opening choreographed the solo Years Later for Ceremony), and Dries Van Noten. Mikhail Baryshnikov in 2008. His Justin Peck, Choreographer Murder Ballades collaborators include composers Nico Muhly, Justin Peck is the Resident Choreographer In 2014, Peck was the subject of the Nicholas Britell, David Lang, Bryce Dessner, and soloist dancer with the New York City documentary Ballet 422 , which followed him artists Christopher Wool, Barbara Kruger, Ballet. He began choreographing in 2009 for two months as he created NYCB’s Mark Bradford, Daniel Buren, Liam Gillick, at the New York Choreographic Institute. In 422nd original dance, Paz de la Jolla . In United Visual Artists, designers Rodarte, Iris 2014, after the creation of his acclaimed 2015, his ballet Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes Van Herpen, and Alessandro Sartori. ballet Everywhere We Go , he was appointed won the Bessie Award for Outstanding as Resident Choreographer of New York Production. In 2017, Peck choreographed In 2010 Mr. Millepied choreographed and City Ballet. He is the second person in the the feature film Red Sparrow , starring starred in the award-winning film Black institution’s history to hold this title. Jennifer Lawrence, directed by Francis Swan . Two years later he founded L.A. Lawrence, and produced by 20th Century Dance Project. In 2014 he was appointed Peck joined New York City Ballet as a Fox Studios. In 2018, Peck will present his Director of Dance at Paris Opera Ballet. For dancer in 2006. As a performer, Peck has first choreographic foray into Broadway, the two seasons that Mr. Millepied danced a vast repertoire of works by with a major revival of Carousel directed by programmed at Paris Opera Ballet, he George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Peter Jack O’brien and starring Joshua Henry, commissioned new works by William Martins, Alexei Ratmansky, Benjamin Jesse Mueller, and Renée Flemming. Forsythe, Justin Peck, Jerome Bel, Wayne Millepied, Christopher Wheeldon, and McGregor, Crystal Pite, Tino Seghal, Nico many others. In 2013, Peck was promoted Noé Soulier , Choreographer Second Quartet Muhly, and James Blake. to the rank of Soloist. Born in Paris in 1987, Noé Soulier trained at 4 CNSMD (Paris), the National Ballet School is also active as a curator—a vital force in His activities as a curator have grown as his of Canada, and at PARTS (Brussels). He the flourishing realm of new creative music. career expanded, allowing him to bring received a master degree in philosophy at diverse artists and communities together in La Sorbonne University (Paris IV) and took His orchestral, chamber, and vocal an organic way. part in Palais de Tokyo’s residency compositions have been commissioned by program, Le Pavillon.