Helene Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 I thought I had posted this last month; apologies for the lateness. From the press release: Emergence November 6 – 15, 2015 Marion Oliver McCaw Hall 321 Mercer Street, Seattle Center Seattle, WA 98109 November 6 at 7:30 pm November 7 at 2:00 and 7:30 pm November 12 – 14 at 7:30 pm November 15 at 1:00 pm SEATTLE, WA – For the second program of its 43rd season, Pacific Northwest Ballet provides a crystal-ball look at the next generation of dance makers with EMERGENCE, a program of four contemporary works. PNB audiences have been counting the days until they could see Crystal Pite’s Emergence again, and PNB dancers have felt the same way. Kiyon Gaines’ Sum Stravinsky was another immediate favorite when it debuted in PNB’s 2012 ALL PREMIERE program. The Calling, a haunting work by choreographer Jessica Lang, artistic director of Jessica Lang Dance, receives its PNB season premiere, alongside a world premiere by PNB’s own Price Suddarth. EMERGENCE runs for 7 performances only, November 6 through 15 at Seattle Center’s Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets start at $30. For more information, contact the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424, in person at 301 Mercer Street, or online at PNB.org. “This program reflects our Company well,” said PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal in his program notes for EMERGENCE. “The range of pieces is vast, with music from the 12th and 21st centuries. The choreographers are young: all four were born after 1970. They are a diverse group and yet they share the common denominator of having developed as artists and choreographers in an environment that was encouraging to their creativity and experimentation. They were accepted for who they were, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, age, or income, and they were asked to find out what they had to say. Perhaps that’s the answer we’re all looking for: acceptance and encouragement for all.” The line-up for EMERGENCE will include: Sum Stravinsky Music: Igor Stravinsky (Concerto in E-Flat, “Dumbarton Oaks8-v-1938,” 1937-1938) Choreography: Kiyon Gaines Costume Design: Pauline Smith Lighting Design: Randall G. Chiarelli Running Time: 18 minutes Premiere: November 2, 2012 Sum Stravinsky is Kiyon Gaines’ second ballet choreographed for PNB’s mainstage repertory, following M-Pulse in 2008. It premiered during the Company’s 40th Anniversary season. In his program notes, Mr. Gaines wrote “The creation of Sum Stravinsky is particularly special for me because it gives me a chance to both return to my roots as a choreographer and to give a special gift to PNB in its fortieth year. I was inspired by the Balanchine/Stravinsky relationship and also knew I wanted to add to that some of the influence of [PNB Founding Artistic Director] Kent Stowell. In my research for music by Stravinsky, I kept landing on the Dumbarton Oaks concerto. Kent had choreographed his own Dumbarton Oaks many years ago, and I remember watching it and thinking to myself, ‘This is one of the ballets I would absolutely love to dance.’ Creating Sum Stravinsky has given me this wonderful opportunity to revisit the music and create movement that expresses how the music makes me feel. As a choreographer, Balanchine is one of my biggest influences, and I am still amazed each time I see his works at how adept he was at moving large groups around the stage and creating great patterns, shapes, and formations. This is something I also wanted to explore while creating Sum Stravinsky.” The Calling (PNB Season Premiere) Music: Anonymous (“O Maria, stella maris,” French late12th-early 13th century) Choreography: Jessica Lang Staging: Jessica Lang and Kanji Segawa Costume Design: Elena Comendador Costume Concept: Jessica Lang Lighting Design: Al Crawford Running Time: Five minutes Premiere: October 15, 2006 (as part of Splendid Isolation II); Ailey II, Baltimore, MD Jessica Lang is a choreographer and the artistic director of Jessica Lang Dance. Hailed as "a master of visual composition" by Dance Magazine, she has created more than 80 works on companies worldwide including Birmingham Royal Ballet, The National Ballet of Japan, Joffrey Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, and New York City Ballet's Choreographic Institute, among others. Ms. Lang is a New York City Center Fellow for 2015 and the recipient of a 2014 Bessie Award. She has received numerous grants from organizations such as the Jerome Robbins Foundation, the NEA, and the Choo San Goh Foundation, and a 2010 Joyce Theater Artist Residency supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation helped launch her own company in 2011. Ms. Lang is on faculty of American Ballet Theatre's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School as well as a teaching artist for the “Make A Ballet” program. She has been commissioned by Birmingham Royal Ballet to create a premiere in 2016 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. A graduate of The Juilliard School, Ms. Lang is a former member of Twyla Tharp's company, THARP! Signature (World Premiere) Music: Barret Anspach after Antonio Vivaldi (2015) Choreography: Price Suddarth Costume Design: Mark Zappone Lighting Design: Randall G. Chiarelli Running Time: 30 minutes (est.) Price Suddarth studied ballet at Central Indiana Dance Ensemble, the School of American Ballet (SAB), and Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and he attended summer courses on scholarship at PNB School, the Rock School, SAB, and Miami City Ballet. Mr. Suddarth joined PNB as an apprentice in 2010 and was promoted to corps de ballet in 2011. In 2012, he was chosen as one of Dance Magazine’s Top 25 to Watch. His choreographic career began at SAB’s student choreographic workshop in 2007, and he has subsequently worked with regional companies in the United States. Mr. Suddarth has created regularly for PNB’s NEXT STEP choreographers’ showcases, and in 2012 he was commissioned to create a ballet for PNB School's Annual School Performance. He was invited to present his works at the 2012 Regional Dance America Gala performance and at the 2014 Chop Shop: Bodies of Work Contemporary Dance Festival. A Pacific Northwest native, Barret Anspach composes chamber music, orchestral music, pop music, and ballet scores. He graduated in 2010 with a Master of Music from The Juilliard School. Mr. Anspach’s commissioned score for Signature marks his second orchestral premiere for PNB (his first was created for Andrew Bartee’s 2012 arms that work). He has also been commissioned by Joel Sachs for the New Juilliard Ensemble and has collaborated with a variety of artists in other disciplines, including performance artist Rachel Mason, choreographer Zack Winokur, photographer/filmmaker Michael Hart, and musician Jenn Ghetto. He and songwriter Seth Garrison form the dream pop group Night Cadet. Mr. Anspach lives in Seattle and is the brother of long-time Company dancer Jessika Anspach. Emergence Music: Owen Belton Choreography: Crystal Pite Staging: Hope Muir Scenic Design: Jay Gower Taylor Costume Design: Linda Chow Lighting Design: Alan Brodie Running Time: 28 minutes Premiere: March 4, 2009; National Ballet of Canada (Toronto) PNB Premiere: November 8, 2013 Crystal Pite is known as one of the most innovative and exciting choreographers at work today. National Ballet of Canada artistic director Karen Kain commissioned Pite to create an original work for the company as part of a program of new work by Canadian choreographers. The result, Emergence, brought audiences to their feet and went on to win four Dora Mavor Moore Awards for Outstanding Production, Outstanding New Choreography, Outstanding Performance and Outstanding Sound Design/Composition by Owen Belton. A riveting dark-hued work that casts a swarming, scurrying group of dancers, insect-like, in an eerily subterranean universe, Emergence dramatizes through its mesmerizing choreographic attack the ways in which the instinct for creating social forms seems hard-wired into life itself. Pite’s inspiration for the work came from reading Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities and Software by American popular science theorist Steven Johnson and considering parallels between the social organization of bees and the hierarchical nature of classical ballet companies. Johnson’s statement that “simple agents following simple rules could generate amazingly complex structures” became a touchstone for the piece. Pite was interested in individual expression and in collective problem solving through movement, often favoring the visual and kinesthetic appeal of the eccentric over the mundane and the grotesque over the beautiful. Pite rarely works with dancers en pointe and was attracted not only to the dancers’ ease of movement but also to the potential for a creature-like effect. Key to Pite’s vision for Emergence was her collaboration with composer Owen Belton, who uses both acoustic and electronic instruments, often in combination with computer processing techniques, to arrive at atmospheric palettes of sound and tone. Pite and Belton incorporated drone-like sounds of bees along with sounds of marching to signify the power and ominous presence of the body politic. [Notes courtesy of National Ballet of Canada.] Link to comment
Helene Posted October 22, 2015 Author Share Posted October 22, 2015 SPECIAL EVENTS FRIDAY PREVIEW Friday, October 30, 6:00 pm The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer St., Seattle PNB’s popular Friday Previews are hour-long studio rehearsals hosted by Artistic Director Peter Boal and PNB artistic staff, featuring Company dancers rehearsing excerpts from upcoming ballets. Tickets are $12. These events usually sell out in advance. Friday Previews are sponsored by U.S. Bank. BALLET PREVIEW — FREE Tuesday, November 3, 2015, 12:00 noon Central Seattle Public Library, 1000 Fourth Avenue, Seattle Join PNB for a free lunch-hour preview lecture at the Central Seattle Public Library. Audience Education Manager Doug Fullington will offer insights about EMERGENCE, complete with video excerpts. LECTURE SERIES & DRESS REHEARSAL Thursday, November 5, 2015 Lecture 6:00 pm, Nesholm Family Lecture Hallat McCaw Hall Dress Rehearsal 7:00 pm, McCaw Hall Join PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal in conversation with Signature choreographer Price Suddarth, during the hour preceding the dress rehearsal. Attend the lecture only or stay for the rehearsal. Tickets are $12 for the lecture, or $30 for the lecture and dress rehearsal. Tickets may be purchased through the PNB Box Office. PRE-PERFORMANCE LECTURES Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Join Audience Education Manager Doug Fullington for a 30-minute introduction to each performance, including discussions of choreography, music, history, design and the process of bringing ballet to the stage. One hour before performances. FREE for ticketholders. POST-PERFORMANCE Q&A Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Skip the post-show traffic and enjoy a Q&A with Artistic Director Peter Boal and PNB dancers, immediately following each performance. FREE for ticketholders. YOUNG PATRONS CIRCLE NIGHT Friday, November 13, 2015, 7:30 pm Join members of PNB’s Young Patrons Circle (YPC) in an exclusive lounge for complimentary wine and coffee before the show and at intermission. YPC is PNB’s social and educational group for ballet patrons ages 21 through 39. YPC members save up to 40% off their tickets. For more information, visit PNB.org and search for “YPC.” Link to comment
sandik Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Emergence was amazingly popular when PNB first performed it -- tickets for this program will likely be very scarce. Link to comment
Helene Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 We can only hope. Link to comment
Helene Posted October 24, 2015 Author Share Posted October 24, 2015 An excerpt of Dylan Wald in Jessica Lang's "The Calling": Link to comment
sandik Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 There's a special category of "working with fabric" in the dance world -- Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Loie Fuller, Moses Pendleton and Pilobolus... it's lovely to add another work to the list! Link to comment
SandyMcKean Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Right on, sandik.......and probably not appreciated as much as it deserves by the average ballet go'er. Link to comment
Helene Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 None of what sandik mentioned is ballet. People like what they like. There's no obligation for ballet lovers to love modern dance, although many of us do, and early on, modern dance lovers made it an ethical/political stand not to like ballet. Then there are the perpetual questions whether regardless of what one thinks about modern dance, do ballet dancers do modern dance justice and should ballet companies allocate their limited resources to preset modern dance. Link to comment
sandik Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I wasn't really thinking about distinctions between ballet and modern dance with that grouping (dances that make use of fabric as an integral component of the choreography). I could have added La Fille Mal Gardee to that list, I suppose, and Prodigal Son. Link to comment
Helene Posted October 27, 2015 Author Share Posted October 27, 2015 Casting for first weekend is up. For "Sum Stravinsky," there is one couple debut in each performance, and 2 2/3 unique casts. There are three making their debuts in "The Calling," which Carla Korbes danced at Season Encores: Dylan Wald, Leah Merchant, and James Moore. There is one cast for Price Suddarth's "Signature," to music by Barrett Anspach, and it includes eight women and six men. In "Emergence" there are a smattering of debuts throughout the weekend. Among the missing from featured roles in weekend one are Principal Dancers Lindsi Dec, Rachel Foster, Carrie Imler, Seth Orza, and Jonathan Porretta. Here is the spreadsheet: Casting has changed. See below: http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/40758-emergence-november-6-7-and-12-15/?p=363237 Link to comment
Helene Posted October 27, 2015 Author Share Posted October 27, 2015 Ticket Contest: Five winners for a pair of tickets to "Emergence" on November 12 at 7:30pm -- entry deadline is Wednesday, October 28 at midnight: https://www.pnb.org/win/emergence/ Videos: From instagram (short), William Lin-Yee in "Sum Stravinsky": https://instagram.com/p/9Tk1l1meq4/ More "Sum Stravinsky": https://instagram.com/p/9EYnihmeix/ "Emergence" trailer (<3): Link to comment
Helene Posted November 3, 2015 Author Share Posted November 3, 2015 Casting is up for week two: until next week, scroll down the page to toggle to week two: https://www.pnb.org/season/15-16/emergence/#casting There are debuts on Thursday, November 12: Margaret Mullin (with James Moore" in "Sum Stravinksky" (also Friday, November 13) A full new second cast of 14 for Price Suddarth's new "Signature" (Also Sunday, November 15) Sarah Pasch and Elle Macy (with Cecilia Illiesciu) in "Trio" section of "Emergence" Matthew Renko as "Bee Man" in "Emergence" Seth Orza iis featured second weekend in "Signature." Spreadsheet to follow. Link to comment
Helene Posted November 3, 2015 Author Share Posted November 3, 2015 On Instagram: L. Tisserand and Bold rehearse the "Emergence" PDD. https://instagram.com/p/9kaMTCmekJ/ Link to comment
Helene Posted November 3, 2015 Author Share Posted November 3, 2015 Here's the casting spreadsheet for both weeks: Casting has been updated. Please see below for updated casting: http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/40758-emergence-november-6-7-and-12-15/?p=363237 Link to comment
sandik Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Well, I'm missing Renko in a couple of things in the second weekend, and some work by the new corps members... Link to comment
Helene Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 "Emergence" choreographer Crystal Pite has received a 2015 Mayor's Art Award in dance from Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson. She was chosen by her peers. As a winner, she chose an merging artist from her field, and her choice was choreographer/performer Lesley Telford. http://www.straight.com/arts/570331/2015-mayors-arts-awards-recipients-announced Link to comment
its the mom Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 This is one ballet I really wish to see. I am a big fan of her work, but have never seen it in person. Lucky PNB fans. Link to comment
seattle_dancer Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 ITM, assuming you're referring to Emergence. PNB is taking it to NYC at the end of its tour, Feb 26 and 27th. It's paired with another rare piece A Million Kisses to My Skin (David Dawson) and Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude (Forsythe). It is preceded by an all Balanchine program. @ City Center. Details are posted on the Touring section of the PNB website. Link to comment
Helene Posted November 6, 2015 Author Share Posted November 6, 2015 Thanks to a heads up from a fellow member: Leta Biasucci is out of first week's casting. Angelica Generosa replaces her in "Tempo Giusto" in "Sum Stravinsky," in "Signature," and in "Trio" in "Emergence" on Friday, November 6. Elle Macy replaces her in "Trio" in "Emergence" on Saturday evening, November 7. Margaret Mullin replaces her in the "Prologue" in "Emergence." The updated spreadsheet is here: Emergence -- Wks 1 and 2 Nov 6.xlsx Link to comment
its the mom Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 ITM, assuming you're referring to Emergence. PNB is taking it to NYC at the end of its tour, Feb 26 and 27th. It's paired with another rare piece A Million Kisses to My Skin (David Dawson) and Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude (Forsythe). It is preceded by an all Balanchine program. @ City Center. Details are posted on the Touring section of the PNB website. Yes, thank you. Was referring to Emergence. Thanks for the info. I will have to get there for that program! Link to comment
sandik Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 Thanks to a heads up from a fellow member: Leta Biasucci is out of first week's casting. I'm sorry to hear this -- she's been a very consistent performer, so this is unexpected as well as unhappy. Hope it's nothing grim... Link to comment
sandik Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 Yes, thank you. Was referring to Emergence. Thanks for the info. I will have to get there for that program! They're both excellent programs! I wish I could come to watch... Link to comment
its the mom Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 I'm sorry to hear this -- she's been a very consistent performer, so this is unexpected as well as unhappy. Hope it's nothing grim... Hoping she will be back the second week! She's a beautiful performer. Hoping to see her in NYC. Link to comment
seattle_dancer Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 I saw Leta in the orchestra level at dress rehearsal and didn't see any crutches or boot or brace or anything of the like. Hope to see her second weekend, she was amazing in the Emergence Prologue at the studio rehearsal. Also at the dress rehearsal (lecture) Peter Boal mentioned James Moore had an issue with his neck. So Thursday evening Price danced the Bee Man solo as well as opening night. He was great! What a huge evening for Price! His world premiere Signature was very well received and many rose to their feet when he came out for his bow. The after talk produced some very nice comments from the audience regarding the music composed by Barret Anspach. Link to comment
Helene Posted November 8, 2015 Author Share Posted November 8, 2015 In the Q&A this afternoon, Peter Boal said that Lindsi Dec and Carrie Imler are pregnant -- wheeeee, more parents in the company, joining the Orzas, Kyle Kitchens, Maria Chapman, and Rachel Foster -- with due dates in January and April. (I don't know if any of the new men have kids.) James Moore was out today and Dylan Wald, who did opening night of "The Calling" did tonight's performance. I'm fairly certain Matthew Renko made his debut as Bee Man in "Emergence" this afternoon, replacing Moore. In the program, there is an article "In Memoriam" for Scott Ligocki, Principal Violist. Rest in peace Mr. Ligocki. Link to comment
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