Artists' Biographies

Over the years, Ballet Hispanico's Artistic Director, Tina Ramirez, has called on an extraordinary array of artists - choreographers, musicians and designers - to create Ballet Hispanico's distinctive repertory. Provided below are brief biographies for the artists represented in the company's recent repertory.

Graciela Daniele (Choreographer) has received 11 Tony nominations and numerous other awards for her work in such shows as Once on This Island, Dangerous Games, Drood, The Rink, The Goodbye Girl, Pirates of Penzance, Chronicle of a Death Foretold, and Ragtime. She choreographed three movies with Woody Allen and is director in residence at Lincoln Center Theater. Her directing and choreography credits include film, opera, dance adn theater around the country. Cada Noche... Tango was the first of her three works for Ballet Hispanico.

Alexandre Magno (Choreographer) came to the USA in 1986 from Brazil. Choreography credits include: Madonna's Drowned World Tour, The Girlie Show, and TV's In Living Color. Film credits include: 1991 Canned Film Festival entry, Liquid Dreams; Somebody to Love starring Rosie Perez; and Lord of Illusion, directed by Clive Barker. Film and television credits include: The Band Played On; Moonlighting; 15th and 16th American Music Awards; 62nd Academy Awards; and The Arsenio Hall Show. He also runs a successful dance company in Los Angeles, Personna Production Co.

Sergio Trujillo (Choreographer) is a multi-faceted artist whose career has made him an internationally recognized choreographer. His favorite theatre credits include: Peggy Sue Got Married in London's West End; West Side Story; The Sound of Music; Guys and Dolls, at the Stratford Festival in Canada; and segments of Chita Rivera's Chita And All That Jazz. He recently choreographed Salome for New York City Opera, and an upcoming production of Romeo adn Juliet for L.A. Opera. Sergio is the recipient of three Dora Award nominations for Outstanding Choreography in Canada.

Ramón Oller (Choreographer) is the founder and artistic director of Metros Dansa Contemporania in Barcelona, Spain. Already an actor at the age of seven, he trained as a dancer in Barcelona, Paris and London. He has choreographed numerous works for his own company and others throughout Europe, including Compania Nacional de Danza under Nacho Duato, Ballet Nacional de Espa–a, Ballet de Cristina Hoyos, Introdans, Festival Aix-en-Provence and Festival Avignon. He has taught at the Instituto del Teatro de Barcelona, and has been a guest teacher throughout Europe.

Ann Reinking (Choreographer), directed and/or choreographed Fosse (Tony nomination, Olivier Award), Chicago (Broadway), The Visit (Broadway), The Look of Love (Broadway), Ritmo y Ruido (Ballet Hispanico), Legends (Joffrey Ballet), Sondheim Suite (Pacific National Ballet), Suite Kander (Kansas City Ballet), Pal Joey (Goodman Theater, Jefferson Award), Bye Bye Birdie (ABC TV). She performed on Broadway in Pippin, Over Here (Theater World, Outer Circle and Clarence Derwent Awards), Goodtime Charley (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), Dancin' (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), Sweet Charity, Chicago (Tony Award, Drama Desk Award).

Pedro Ruiz (Choreographer) Pedro Ruiz celebrates his twentieth year dancing with Ballet Hispanico and has choreographed four critically acclaimed ballets. The New York Post said of Guajira, "It's an especially fine work"; The New York Times praised Club Havana saying, "Its freshness is exhilarating"; Time Out glowed, "Cecilia furthers the notion that his pieces exhibit a timelessness"; and of Sonetos de Amor, the Chicago Sun-Times said, "Mr. Ruiz has created a winning new piece of richness and delight." Recently, The New York Times said of Ruiz's dancing, "He steals your heart." In 1998, Mr. Ruiz received the dance world's highest honor, the Bessie Award. In May, 2006 Ruiz will premiere a new work for the Artists in Residency program at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center.

Jim Lewis (Libretto) Broadway: Chronicle of a Death Foretold (TONY and Drama Desk nominations "Best Book" 1995); Dangerous Games. Off Broadway: Tango Apaisionado; Philip Glass' Les Enfants Terrible. Translations: Ionesco's The Chairs; Ibsen's Lady From The Sea. Dramaturg: Past Forward with Mikhail Baryshnikov; Anna Deavere Smith's House Arrest; Lincoln Center's Woza Afrika Festival. Currently Bill T. Jones' Phantom Project (BAM 2004); and a new opera with Paul Dresher.

Astor Piazzolla (Composer), born in Argentina in 1921, was the world's foremost tango artist. Following a year's study in Paris with Nadia Boulanger in 1954, he formed Octeto Buenos Aires, a band which helped revolutionize the tango. Several of his works were used in the Broadway hit Tango Argentino.

Leo Brouwer (Composer) is considered one of the most important contemporary teachers and composers for the guitar. He is conductor for the National Symphony of Cuba and the Có²¤¯ba Symphony in Spain. He studied at the University of Hartford and the Julliard School of Music. Among his many symphonic works, La Tradició® “e Rompe (A Break with Tradition), for large orchestra, is particularly significant.

Philip Hamilton (Composer) is at the forefront of both music and dance, having toured and collaborated with numerous musicians and choreographers. He has worked with Pat Metheny, Danny Buraczeski and Ron Brown. He tours with his band, The Philip Hamilton Group, and mounting the next stage of his ongoing project, Vocalscapes. The music from Ritmo y Ruido is featured on the CD, Maya, and can be found on his website, philiphamilton.com.

Ernesto Lecuona (Composer), one of the great composers of the twentieth century, enjoyed an international career that extended to Europe and all of North and South America. Born in Guanabacoa, Cuba in 1895, he began writing and composing at a young age, gaining international success as a recording artist and concert pianist. He founded the Havana Symphony Orchestra (with Gonzalo Roig), and the Lecuona Cuban Boys Band.

José ?ariá –itier (Composer), born in 1954, is one of Cuba's best-known musicians. A remarkable composer and pianist, his compositions for piano, orchestra, chamber, and jazz ensembles have invented a unique and original form of music--a blending of traditional and popular forms of Cuban instrumental themes. He has composed for film, television, theatre, ballet, and concertos for symphony orchestra, chamber, and choral music.

Eugene Lee (Set Designer) is the recipient of many awards, including the Tony Award, The American Theatre Wing Design Award, The Drama Desk and The Outer Critics Circle Award. He has a BFA from the Art Institute of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon University, and an MFA from Yale. He holds Honorary PhD's from DePaul University and Rhode Island College.

Neil Patel (Set Designer) has received two Drama Desk nominations, numerous Dramalogue Awards, an OBIE award for sustained excellence in both 1996 and 2001, and an EDDY award for his work with the SITI Company. He has worked on the Tony Award winning Side Man and designed the Pulitzer Prize winning Dinner With Friends. Mr. Patel was educated at Yale College and the University of California at San Diego.

Paul Tazewell (Costume Designer) Broadway: Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam on Broadway; Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk (Tony Nomination); The Gershwin's Fascinating Rhythm; Elaine Stritch At Liberty. The Public: Boston Marriage; One Flea Spare; Henry V; Off-Broadway: Dinah Was; Lil Abner; Playboy of the West Indies (Lincoln Center Theater). Helen Hayes Award: Outstanding Costume Design, The African Company Presents Richard III and Peer Gynt .

Austin K. Sanderson (Associate Costume Designer) and Paul Tazewell have collaborated for almost 15 years as classmates and colleagues on eight productions. As set designer as well, Mr. Sanderson has designed for most regional theatres across the US and created the look for many commercials and industrials.

Candice Donnelly (Costume Designer) designed costumes on Broadway for Our Country's Good, Fences and Hughie, among others. Off-Broadway, she designed Roundabout Theater's Hurrah at Last and Public Theater's Fires in the Mirror, Skin of Our Teeth and Love's Fire. Opera credits include Glimmerglass' Central Park and Virginia Opera's Porgy and Bess. Previously, she designed Somethin' From Nothin' and Avenida Brazil for Ballet Hispanico.

Ann Hould-Ward (Costume Designer) designed costumes for Disney's Beauty and the Beast on Broadway, earning her a Tony Award. Other Broadway credits include Little Me, Dream, On The Waterfront, The Moliere Comedies, Falsettos, Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George, as well as Timon of Athens and Saint Joan for National Actor's Theater, and In the Summerhouse for Lincoln Center Theater.

Willa Kim (Costume Designer) has received Tony Awards for Sophisticated Ladies and The Will Rogers Follies, an Emmy for San Francisco Ballet's The Tempest, Drama Desk Awards for Promenade, The Screens and Operation Sidewinder and an Obie for The Old Glory. Ms. Kim has also designed for San Francisco Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera and Lincoln Center Theater, and for Jiri Kylian, Robert Joffrey, Glen Tetley, Michael Smuin and Eliot Feld, among others.

Emilio Sosa (Costume Designer) was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in the South Bronx. He toured as a costumer for two years with Alvin Ailey and recently designed Double Exposure for the company. His company, Emilio Style, has created the signature looks of such stars as Mc Lyte, Salt 'N' Pepa, Kid ÔŽ' Play and Ce Ce Penniston. He has designed costumes for television, off-Broadway and has worked with Spike Lee on several projects, including Bamboozled.

Patricia Zipprodt (Costume Designer) was elected to the Theatre Hall of Fame in 1992. She received three Tony and five Drama Desk awards for Shogun, Sweet Charity, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Pippin, 1776, Chicago and Alice in Wonderland. Among her other credits are The Sleeping Beauty for NYCB, Coppelia for ABT, and Tannhauser and The Barber of Seville for the Metropolitan Opera. Ms. Zipprodt designed eight ballets and a performance work for children during her 23-year association with Ballet Hispanico.

Peggy Eisenhauer (Lighting Designer) is partner to world-renown Lighting Designer, Jules Fisher. In 1996 they received the Tony Award for Bring In 'Da Noise, Bring In 'Da Funk. Her other Tony-nominated designs include Ragtime, Cabaret, Marie Christine, The Wild Party and Jane Eyre.

Howell Binkley (Lighting Designer) has designed for such Broadway shows at Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony Nominations), The Full Monty, Parade (Drama Desk Nomination), Look of Love, and Hollywood Arms. . Off-Broadway: Batboy, the Musical, and New York Shakespeare Festival. Dance: ABT, Hubbard Street and Pucci Plus. Awards include the Sir Laurence Olivier Award, Canadian Dora, Helen Hayes Award.

Donald Holder (Lighting Designer) served as Ballet Hispanico's Lighting Supervisor from 1986-89, and designed several works for the company including Inez De Castro and Stages. Broadway: The Lion King (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critic Circle Awards, Olivier Award nominee), The Green Bird, Hughie, Voices in the Dark, Eastern Standard, Holiday. Off Broadway: Jitney, Saturday Night, Jar the Floor, Sight Unseen, Three Days of Rain, After Play, All My Sons, and many, many others.

Vivien Leone (Lighting Designer) is pleased to be working with choreographer Ann Reinking once again. Previous work with Ms. Reinking was on Fosse, the Broadway show that has had numerous productions around the world. Other credits include Associate Lighting Designer for The Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard, Saturday Night Fever and Titanic.

Roger Morgan (Lighting Designer) is the Tony Award-winning designer of over 200 Broadway, regional and international shows, including a long collaboration with Tina Ramirez and Ballet Hispanico. His most recent work includes Cy Coleman's new musical Grace in Amsterdam. He is founder of Sachs Morgan Studio, Theatre Design Specialists in New York City (www.sachsmorganstudio.com) and co-author for the NEA of Space for Dance, a classic in the architectural profession.

Jeff Segal (Lighting Designer) created the lighting for Ballet Hispanico's Ritmo y Ruido, Guajira, Avenida Brasil, Poema Infinito, Una Mujer Llorando, Patria and Crossing Borders. He has also worked with Straight Jacket Dance Company, Elisa Monte Dance and Creach and Koester Dance Company. His theatre credits include many off and off-off Broadway productions.