BARAK BALLET JUN 29 – 30 / 7:30 PM Melissa Barak, artistic director ENSEMBLE Sadie Black, Xuan Cheng, Julia Erickson, Jessica Gadzinski, Zachary Guthier, Stephanie Kim, Robert Mulvey, Francisco Preciado, Brian Simcoe, Tiffany Smith, Evan Swenson, Lauren Veyette, Jorge Villarini, Hannah Wilcox © Nick Rasmussen © Nick There will be one 15-minute intermission. 38 PROGRAM World premiere: June 24, 2017, The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA Cypher Choreography by Melissa Barak This ballet has been made possible by a Music by Molly Joyce generous grant from the Edward F. Limato Costume design by Holly Hynes Foundation. Lighting design by Nathan Scheuer Dancers: Xuan Cheng, Jessica Gadzinski, COMPANY CREDITS Zachary Guthier, Brian Simcoe, Tiffany Artistic Director: Melissa Barak Smith, Lauren Veyette Board of Directors: Rachel Weber (Chair), World premiere: June 29, 2018, The Broad Julia Cherlow, Craig Olsen, Dr. Michael Stage in Santa Monica, CA Sheps, Victoria Yust Production Manager: Nathan Scheuer This ballet has been made possible by a Costume Mistress: Ruth Fentroy generous grant from the Virginia B. Toulmin Company Chiropractor: Dr. Michael Sheps Foundation. Company Assistant: Paloma Connolly Rehearsal Coordinator: Francine Taylor Desert Transport Choreography by Nicolas Blanc BARAK BALLET SUPPORTERS Music by Mason Bates Costume design by Ruth Fentroy and Producer’s Circle ($25,000+): The Edward Nicolas Blanc F. Limato Foundation, Lloyd E. Rigler Lighting design by Nathan Scheuer - Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation, Dancers: Sadie Black, Julia Erickson, Westside School of Ballet Stephanie Kim, Robert Mulvey, Francisco New Choreography Fund ($10,000+): Preciado, Evan Swenson, Jorge Villarini, Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, The Joyce Hannah Wilcox Theater Foundation, Inc., California World premiere: June 29, 2018, The Broad Community Foundation Stage in Santa Monica, CA Artist Sponsors ($5,000+): Terri and Kim This ballet has been made possible by Avila, Bill Bloomfield, Thao and Sherman a generous grant from the Lloyd E. Rigler - Ma, Dr. Michael Sheps, Victoria Yust and Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation. Ian Mcllvaine Collaboration Fund ($2,500+): Justin Intermission Connolly, Sharon Christie, Anna Sanders Eigler, Mayer and Morris Kaplan Family E/SPACE Foundation, Rachel Weber Choreography by Melissa Barak Music by David Lawrence Costume Fund ($1,000+): Elizabeth and Media design by Refik Anadol Stanislas Debreu, Patricia and Gregory Costume design by Holly Hynes Penske, Kathy and Michael Moray, Lee Lighting design by Nathan Scheuer and Ann Cooper, Toshiko Honda, Warren Dancers: Sadie Black, Julia Erickson, Weber, Elisabeth and Bryan Wolf Jessica Gadzinski, Zachary Guthier, Pointe Shoe Fund ($500+): Jeff Assaf, Francisco Preciado, Tiffany Smith, Lauren Hannah Cox, Mary and Peter Gross, Veyette, Jorge Villarini, Hannah Wilcox Melissa Reid and David Lillard, Virginia VISIT THEBROADSTAGE.ORG 39 Coffin, Robert Schulman, Patricia Brown, June Workshop performance that quickly Mithra Sheybani and William Schoenholz followed up with encore performances Encore Circle ($250+): Austin and Virginia on NYCB the following season. Later that Beutner, Joel Cherlow, Jacquelyn Frohlich, year, another choreographic commission Ellen McCormick, Dea Benson, Jeff Plass, was offered by NYCB for their prestigious Ken Wells, Susanne Meline, Richard and Diamond Project, making her, at the time, the Leslie Curtis, Deborah Collodel, Philippe youngest choreographer to create an original Perebinosoff, Maya Varnell work on the company. She has created new works for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Friends ($100+): Bosko Family Trust, Bradley Richmond Ballet, Dayton Ballet, American Bernstein, Sara and Steven Boyers, Susan Repertory Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Los Friedman, Hilary and Bayard Maybank, Tracy Angeles Ballet and, of course, Barak Ballet. Kinell, Carla and Gerald Du Manoir, Andrea She has had the honor of choreographing Tracy, Michele Yacso, Renae Niles, Becca on dance luminaries Sara Mearns, Tiler Peck, Hartmeier, Clara and Larry Yust, John and Benjamin Millepied and Robert Fairchild. In Gia Thompson, Christina Benson, Andreana 2009 and 2010, she was invited to return to Berry, Patricia Brown, Mark Kelsey, Marie the New York City Ballet where she created Maclennan, Margaret Nevins, Melissa Oman, two more works, A Simple Symphony and Call Kenneth Phillips, Desiree Samuels, Catharine Me Ben respectively. Her film and commercial Soros, Sandra Wisot credits include original choreography for Mattel’s feature film Barbie in the Pink Shoes, 2017/18 Fiscal Year Xayron in Hungary, Illusions in China and a Samsung commercial working alongside ARTIST BIOS director Mark Romanek. Melissa has been CHOREOGRAPHERS awarded the Mae L. Wein and Choo San Goh awards for Outstanding Choreography and MELISSA BARAK is a choreographer and has been named a Dance Magazine “Top 25 former professional dancer with New York to Watch.” City Ballet (NYCB) and Los Angeles Ballet. Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Barak After a 13 year career as a ballet dancer, began her ballet training at the age of eight Barak sought to focus on her work as a at Westside School of Ballet in Santa Monica, choreographer and to build a company CA under the direction of Yvonne Mounsey dynamic based upon personal philosophies and Rosemary Valaire. Her training continued deeply rooted in the significance of the in New York City at the School of American human spirit, true collaboration, individuality Ballet (SAB), the official school of NYCB. In and artistic maturity. 1998, Barak was invited to join NYCB where NICOLAS BLANC started his dance training she performed in numerous works by George in Montauban, France, continuing at the Balanchine and Jerome Robbins as well as ‘Academie de Danse Classique Princesse originating roles in new ballets by Christopher Grace’ in Monte-Carlo. After winning a Wheeldon, Eliot Feld and Robert Garland, scholarship in the 1994 Prix de Lausanne, he among others. completed his education at the Paris Opera Barak began exploring her choreographic Ballet School. He went on to dance for Nice talents throughout her time at SAB and NYCB. Opera Ballet, Deutsche Oper am Rhein in At the age of 21, she premiered her work Dusseldorf, Zurich Ballet and San Francisco Telemann Overture Suite in E Minor at the SAB Ballet, where he was made Principal Dancer 40 MAY/JUN 2018 in 2004. His repertoire included lead roles in 2013. She has also danced with Guangzhou in Balanchine’s Jewels, Square Dance, Ballet of China, La La La Human Steps and Les Divertimento no 15, The Four Temperaments Grands Ballets Canadiens. and Tarantella pas de deux. He also danced the leads in Robbins’ Dybbuk and Mats Ek’s JULIA ERICKSON is a Seattle, WA native Carmen, Benvolio and Mercutio in Romeo and celebrated, longtime principal with and Juliet and Cavalier in The Nutcracker, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. This season marks and danced in various ballets by Mark Morris. Julia’s second with Barak Ballet. Blanc originated roles in Wheeldon’s Rush and Quaternary; Welch’s Falling and Naked, JESSICA GADZINSKI is from Riverside, CA Possokov’s Study in Motion and Reflections; and has danced with Barak Ballet since 2013. and Tomasson’s 7 for Eight and Blue Rose. She has performed works by artistic director Blanc was awarded a special prize in Melissa Barak as well as choreographers Frank performing arts by the city of Dusseldorf Chaves, Norbert de la Cruz, Nicolo Fonte and in 1998, and a special award of recognition Pascal Rioult. by his hometown in 2004 (and 2013), and ZACHARY GUTHIER is from Madison, he was named one of the “25 to Watch” by Wisconsin and was the recipient of the Dance Magazine. In 2010, he was nominated Rudolph Nureyev Scholarship during his time with Tina LeBlanc for an Isadora Duncan at the School of American Ballet in New York. Dance Award (Best Ensemble in Wheeldon’s This is Zachary’s second season with Barak Within The Golden Hour). Blanc was Ballet. He also dances with California Ballet in selected to participate in the 2015 National San Diego, CA. Choreographers Initiative (NCI) and created Orphee, which was presented at the Barclay STEPHANIE KIM hails from Northern Theater in Irvine, CA. He was also chosen to California. She has danced with Barak Ballet participate in New York City Ballet’s New York since the fall of 2015 while juggling a busy Choreographic Institute where he created schedule as a model and commercial dancer. Mothership, which premiered at New York City Ballet’s 2016 Spring Gala. Earlier this ROBERT MULVEY is originally from year he premiered Beyond the Shore on the Washington, D.C. This is his second season Joffrey Ballet to critical acclaim. Desert with Barak Ballet and first time working with Transport marks his second choreographic choreographer Nicolas Blanc. commission for Barak Ballet. FRANCISCO PRECIADO trained at Los DANCERS Angeles Ballet Academy in Encino, CA. This marks his first season with Barak SADIE BLACK is from Long Beach, CA. and Ballet. He joined Memphis Ballet in 2017 has been dancing with Barak Ballet since and has performed works by a variety of 2014. She has danced professionally with choreographers including Jessica Lang, Jorma Texas Ballet Theater, Columbia City Ballet and Elo and Ohad Naharin. Los Angeles Ballet. BRIAN SIMCOE is from Grants Pass, Oregon XUAN CHENG is from Chen Zhou, Hu Nan and currently a principal dancer with Oregon Province of China. Currently a principal with Ballet Theater. He has performed with Oregon Ballet Theater, she has performed Barak Ballet numerous times, including the with Barak Ballet numerous times including company’s official launch performance in the company’s official launch performance 2013. MAY/JUN 2018 VISIT THEBROADSTAGE.ORG 41 TIFFANY SMITH is from Portsmouth, New Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Hampshire. This marks her first season Symphony Orchestra, and the New Juilliard, with Barak Ballet. She has also danced Decoda, and Contemporaneous ensembles. professionally with Nashville Ballet, Milwaukee Additionally, her work has been performed at Ballet and Missouri Ballet Theatre. She is TEDxMidAtlantic, Bang on a Can Marathon and currently a soloist with California Ballet.