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Choreography by Ramón Oller Music by Joaquín Rodrigo Set Design by Eugene Lee Costume Design by Willa Kim Lighting Design by Roger Morgan
World Premiere: December 5, 2000 at The Joyce Theater |
Blinded by disease in early childhood, the great Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo drew on his inner vision - the eyes of the soul - to create a rich musical landscape. Although internationally renowned at his death in 1999, much of his life was spent in the struggle to communicate in his own singular voice. In honor of Maestro Rodrigo on the centennial celebration of his birth, Ramón Oller and Ballet Hispanico used dance to reflect the arduous path of his creative spirit. Following a lyrical introduction, the ballet's central figure, blind to the external world around him, finds courage and support with a devoted partner. The emotions of longing and despair, joy and fulfillment are portrayed in a series of vignettes, as the artist brings his music to vibrant life.
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Eyes of the Soul was made possible, in part, by the Doris Duke Fund of the National Dance Project, a program administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Philip Morris Companies Inc. Additional funding has been provided by gifts from Jody and John Arnhold, Gaily and John Beinecke and The Prospect Hill Foundation; by grants from AT&T, Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, University of Northern Iowa and UApresents, The University of Arizona; and by commissioning funds from the New York State Council on the Arts.
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Choreography by Alberto Alonso Assisted by Sonia Calero Music by Gloria Estefan (from the album Mi Tierra) Costume Design by Randy Barcelo Lighting Design by Donald Holder
World Premiere: November 29, 1994 at The Joyce Theater |
Translated "Yes, Sir! That's my Son!", this ballet is a paean to Cuban culture. A music form popular in Cuba during the 1920's and '30's, the son (rhymes with "phone") is the ancestor of salsa and epitomizes the Cuban amalgam of Spanish and African roots. In a series of black-and-white snapshots, this work depicts five dances, each evoking a particular period of 20th century Cuban history.
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¡Si Señor! ¡Es Mi Son! was developed through Ballet Hispanico's 1994 Choreographers Workshop, which was made possible, in part, with a Building Ballet Repertory grant from the New York State Council on the Arts and by a gift from Judy and James Dimon.
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Choreography by Talley Beatty Music by Chavez, Fernandez and Revueltas Costume Design by Patricia Zipprodt Lighting Design by Roger Morgan
World Premiere: November 16, 1975 at Hunter College |
The Spanish conquest of Mexico attains a powerful immediacy in Talley Beatty's interpretation, set to three songs - "tres cantos" - by Latin American composers. In its first section, the work portrays an Indian society in possession of its lands. The movements that follow describe the victory of the "conquistadores" and, in a final triumph, the re-emergence of the Indians' unconquered spirit.
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Tres Cantos was made possible, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Choreography by María Rovira Music by Joan Albert Amargós, Salvador Nieblas and María Rovira Set Design by Christopher Barreca and Zhanna Gurvich Costume Design by Kasia Walicka Maimone Lighting Design by Marí¡ Rovira and Roger Morgan
World Premiere: December 3, 1996 at The Joyce Theater |
Choreographer María Rovira's highly physical movement vocabulary, along with the music and dance traditions of her native Spain, create a restless portrait of contemporary life, in which we often find ourselves in a strange environment, a neutral territory, a "tierra de nadie."
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The production of Tierra De Nadie was made possible, in part, by a grant from Philip Morris Companies Inc. to Ballet Hispanico's 25th Anniversary Production Fund and with the support of the Consulate General of Spain in New York.
Tierra De Nadie was commissioned by the American Dance Festival with funding from Philip Morris Companies Inc. and The Rockefeller Foundation. Funding for the commissioned score was provided by the General Society of Authors and Publishers (Spain) and COPEC, Generalitat de Cataluñ¡a; Additional support was provided by Iberia Airlines.
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Choreography by Graciela Daniele Assisted by Willie Rosario Music by James Kowal Set Design by Loy Arcenas Costume Design by Ann Hould-Ward Lighting Design by Donald Holder
World Premiere: November 27, 1990 at The Joyce Theater |
A moving portrait of a performing artist's development from student to dancer to choreographer/director, Stages was created by choreographer Graciela Daniele in celebration of the company's 20th anniversary.
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Stages was made possible, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts and by grants from the Harkness Foundations for Dance and the Metropolitan Life Foundation.
Stages is dedicated to Tina Ramirez.
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Choreography by George Faison Music by Blades and Iglesias Set Design by Pepon Osorio Costume Design by Bernard Johnson Lighting Design by Tim Hunter
World Premiere: November 27, 1990 at The Joyce Theater |
The hope for a better life - the dream that the United States has held out to immigrants for over two hundred years - is reflected in the bright lights of Cafe America.
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Cafe America was made possible, in part, by a generous gift from Dhuanne and Douglas Tansill.
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Choreography by George Faison Music by Palmieri, Selena and the Barrio Boyzz Costume Design by Patricia Zipprodt Lighting Design by Tom Sturge
World Premiere: December 5, 1996 at The Joyce Theater |
The trajectory of the life, singing career and death of pop star Selena is the basis for this work by choreographer George Faison. Religious iconography and images of Mexican folklore are juxtaposed with the lively, upbeat Tejano music, which has come to represent the border culture unique to the American Southwest.
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Idol Obsession was made possible by a grant from AT&T and by gifts from Jody and John Arnhold and Dhuanne and Douglas Tansill. Additional support was provided by commissioning funds from the New York State Council on the Arts.
Idol Obsession was developed through Ballet Hispanico's 25th Anniversary Choreographers Workshop, which was underwritten by grants from the Booth Ferris Foundation and Metropolitan Life Foundation.
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Choreography by Geoffrey Holder Music by Barrajanos, Bey (percussion) and Marks (flute) Costume Design by Geoffrey Holder Lighting Design by Roger Morgan
World Premiere: May 10, 1976 at Henry Street Playhouse |
The joyous, loose-limbed movement of the Caribbean is barely contained in the formal structures of European dance, in Geoffrey Holder's evocation of the historical merging of these cultures. His distinctive costume design, in black and white, includes a flash of red in the darting footsteps of the dancers.
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Danse Creole was made possible, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Choreography by Vicente Nebrada Music by Ginastera Costume Design by A. Christina Giannini Lighting Design by Roger Morgan
World Premiere: October 4, 1983 at The Joyce Theater |
Choreographer Vicente Nebrada explores memory and experience in this dramatic ballet, which depicts a woman who, in reliving the passions of her life, attains both acceptance and awareness of the different selves within her.
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Group Portrait of a Lady was made possible, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Choreography by William Whitener Music by Chesky, Freiberg, Lauro, Abreu and Oliveria, as performed by Paquito D'Rivera Costume Design by Jane Greenwood Lighting Design by James F. Ingalls
World Premiere: October 29, 1991 at The Joyce Theater |
Inspired by Paquito D'Rivera's lilting jazz interpretations of several Latin American classics, choreographer William Whitener deftly blends the flavors of jazz, social, and Spanish dance with the basic ingredients of ballet. There is playfulness and flirtation as well as longing, attention to formal patterns together with a feeling of spontaneity. In Spanish, ola chica refers to the inner curl of an ocean wave. Perhaps one can imagine the dancers on a sun-filled afternoon, meeting on a beach where life flows easily, mirroring in their hand and arm gestures the natural curve of the waves.
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Ola Chica was made possible, in part, by a grant from the Metropolitan Life Foundation, and with commissioning funds from the New York State Council on the Arts.
Ola Chica is dedicated to Julia Cauthorn.
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Choreography by Pedro Ruiz Music by Los Activos, Conjunto Cé³°edes and Jose Maria Vitier Costume Design by Ann Hould-Ward Lighting Design by Jeff Segal
World Premiere: December 1, 1999 at The Joyce Theater |
As a child, the Cuban-born choreographer Pedro Ruiz heard his grandfather's stories about rural life, then experienced it himself working in the fields. His ballet portrays the guajira, the women of the Cuban countryside, who spend their days toiling in the sun beside the men, enjoying a little rest and perhaps a bit of flirtation; and in the evening can forget their day of toil in a rousing guateque (party) with the other laborers. The typical guajiro rhythm is heard here, notably in the second ("Guajira") section. But, like the culture of Cuba itself, the music and the gestural language of the piece hark back both to Africa and to Spain.
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Guajira was made possible, in part, by a gift from Dhuanne and Douglas Tansill, and with commissioning funds from the New York State Council on the Arts.
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Guajira was developed through Ballet Hispanico's 1998/99 Choreographers Workshop, which was made possible by grants from AT&T, Jody and John Arnhold, the National Endowment for the Arts, Philip Morris Companies Inc. and The Greenwall Foundation.
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