Pa'lante Scholars Spring Concert
May 6-8, 2022
Eduardo Vilaro
Artistic Director & CEO
Michelle Manzanales
Director, School of Dance
Kiri Avelar
Deputy School Director
Rodney Hamilton
Director, Professional Studies Program
Pa'lante Scholars
Nina Basu
Adam Dario Morales
Daryn Diaz
Deborah de Farias
Javier Granados
Oceana Hinds-Zemanian
Laura Perich
Payton Poole
Kaysha Smith
Arianna Tsivkin
Isabella Vergara
Production
School of Dance Wardrobe Associates
Azael Acosta
Kaileen Langstone
Ali Lane
Diana Ruettiger
School of Dance Production Associates
Jackie Cabrero
Lighting Board Operator and Stage Manager
Becky Nussbaum
Lighting Designer
Jimmy Kavetas
Audio Supervisor
Eli Medina and Alex Basquez Dheming
Electricians
School of Dance Staff
Michelle Manzanales
Director, School of Dance
Kiri Avelar
Deputy School Director
Cecilia L. Cáceres
School of Dance Programs Manager
Rodney Hamilton
Professional Studies Program Director
Rebecca Tsivkin
School of Dance Early Childhood Programs Associate
Victoria Vargas
Program Coordinator
Blythe Drucker
Communications & Engagement Associate
Doreen Miranda
School of Dance Finance Associate
Kiefer Rondina
School of Dance Registrar
Joshua Winzeler
School of Dance Artistic Associate
Georgina Greenleaf
School of Dance Administrative Assistant
Brianna Figueroa
Administrative Assistant
Production Copyright 2022, Ballet Hispánico of New York, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Program is subject to change.
The taking of video, audio and photographs is strictly prohibited.
Program
Friday, May 6 at 7:00pm
Tierra de Nadie (1996)
Excerpt
Choreography by María Rovira
Music by Joan Albert Amargós, Salvador Nieblas, and Maria Rovíra
Original Costume Design by Kasia Walicka Maimone
Original Lighting Design by Maria Rovíra and Roger Morgan
Performed by
Nina Basu, Adam Dario Morales, Daryn Diaz, Deborah de Farias, Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Laura Perich, Payton Poole, Kaysha Smith, Isabella Vergara
Choreographer Maria Rovíra'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."
Si Señor! Es Mi Son! (1994)
Excerpt
Choreography by Alberto Alonso
Assisted by Sonia Calero
Music by Gloria Estefan
Original Costume Design by Randy Barcelo
Original Lighting Design by Donald Holder
Performed by
Javier Granados, Arianna Tsivkin
Choreographer Alberto Alonso brings the spirit of Cuba to life. Elaborately costumed dancers make their way across the stage in a carnival style procession eventually breaking off in pairs, their movement intertwined with the Afro-Cuban rhythms of Gloria Estefan's music from her album, Mi Tierra.
Eyes of the Soul (2000)
Excerpt
Choreography by Ramón Oller
Music by Joquín Rodrigo
Set Design by Eugene Lee
Original Costume Design by Willa Kim
Original Lighting Design by Roger Morgan
Performed by
Adam Dario Morales, Deborah de Farias
Blinded by disease early in 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, Ramón Oller uses dance to reflect the arduous path of this 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 a series of vignettes, as the artist brings his music to vibrant life.
Good Night Paradise (1994)
Excerpt
Choreography by Ramón Oller
Music by Eduardo Rodriguez, Marina Rosell, and Maurici Villavecchia
Original Costume Design by Amanda Gladu
Original Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Performed by
Nina Basu, Daryn Diaz, Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Laura Perich, Payton Poole, Kaysha Smith, Arianna Tsivkin, Isabella Vergara
Haunting tableaus and relationships that stem from the dark side of the heart comprise this powerful, inventive, and highly physical piece of dance theater. Sensuous Spanish and Catalan music set the tone for this piece in an expression of lost love and betrayal. Depicted is a group of individuals in a confined space – but whether to keep others out or hold each other in is not determined.
Sombrerísimo (2013)
Excerpt
Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Music by Banda Ionica featuring Macaco el Mono Loco, Titi Robin, and soundscape by various artists
Original Costume Design by Diana Ruettiger
Original Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Performed by
Nina Basu, Daryn Diaz, Deborah de Farias, Laura Perich, Kaysha Smith, Arianna Tsivkin
Inspired by the surrealist world of Belgian painter René Magritte, famous for his paintings of men in bowler hats, Sombrerísimo references the iconic sombreros (hats) found throughout the world that help to represent culture. Originally choreographed for an all-male cast, Sombrerísimo has evolved into a work that can also be performed by an all-female or mixed-gender cast.
Con Brazos Abiertos (2017)
Excerpts: Desear and I am here, con brazos abiertos
Choreography by Michelle Manzanales
Artistic Collaboration with Ray Doñes
Original Costume Design by Diana Ruettiger
Original Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Desear
Music by Ember Island
Performed by
Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian
I am here, con brazos abiertos
Poem by Maria Billini-Padilla
Soundscape features Gustavo Santaolalla and Michelle Manzanales
Performed by
Daryn Diaz
Michelle Manzanales explores with humility, nostalgia and humor the iconic Mexican symbols that she was reluctant to embrace as a Mexican-American child growing up in Texas. Intertwining folkloric details with a distinctly contemporary voice in dance, set to music that ranges from Julio Iglesias to rock en Español, Con Brazos Abiertos is a fun and frank look at a life caught between two cultures.
Tres Bailes (2008)
Choreography by Jean Emile
Music by Astor Piazzolla, Alberto Iglesias, The Gotan Project
Original Costume Design by Anita Yavich
Original Lighting Design by Donald Holder
Performed by
Nina Basu, Adam Dario Morales, Javier Granados, Laura Perich, Isabella Vergara
Tres Bailes is a rich, abstract work of three powerful dances that display the artistry and athleticism of the dancers, set to the pulsing music of Astor Piazzolla, Alberto Iglesias, and The Gotan Project.
INTERMISSION
Pretty Rose (2022)
Choreography by Juan Rodriguez
Music by My Beautiful Decay 1973 and Nordic String Quartet
Costume Design by Kaileen Langstone and Rodney Hamilton
Lighting Design by Becky Nussbaum
Performed by
Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Laura Perich, Payton Poole, Isabella Vergara
Pretty Rose explores the idea of connecting, whether to something, someone, or ourselves, and discovering the healing capabilities we possess when, and if, we can truly connect.
PAUSE
i (2022)
Choreography by Tsai-Hsi Hung
Music "Pierced" Composed by David Lang and Performed by Gil Rose, Real Quiet, Boston Orchestra Project, Evan Ziporyn, Felix Fan, and Andrew Russo
Costume Design by Tsai-Hsi Hung
Lighting Design by Becky Nussbaum
Performed by
Nina Basu, Adam Dario Morales, Daryn Diaz, Deborah de Farias, Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Laura Perich, Payton Poole, Kaysha Smith, Arianna Tsivkin, Isabella Vergara
i is inspired by Tsai-Hsi Hung's painting series The Face, a sequence of portraits that use abstract techniques to show the inner spirit of each model. Each painting is a separate work yet inextricably connected to the pattern of the series. Likewise, each dancer looks within to find their individuality while fulfilling their role in the ensemble.
Saturday, May 7 at 7:00pm
Tierra de Nadie (1996)
Excerpt
Choreography by María Rovira
Music by Joan Albert Amargós, Salvador Nieblas, and Maria Rovíra
Original Costume Design by Kasia Walicka Maimone
Original Lighting Design by Maria Rovíra and Roger Morgan
Performed by
Nina Basu, Adam Dario Morales, Daryn Diaz, Deborah de Farias, Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Laura Perich, Payton Poole, Arianna Tsivkin, Isabella Vergara
Choreographer Maria Rovíra'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."
Si Señor! Es Mi Son! (1994)
Excerpt
Choreography by Alberto Alonso
Assisted by Sonia Calero
Music by Gloria Estefan
Original Costume Design by Randy Barcelo
Original Lighting Design by Donald Holder
Performed by
Javier Granados, Kaysha Smith
Choreographer Alberto Alonso brings the spirit of Cuba to life. Elaborately costumed dancers make their way across the stage in a carnival style procession eventually breaking off in pairs, their movement intertwined with the Afro-Cuban rhythms of Gloria Estefan's music from her album, Mi Tierra.
Eyes of the Soul (2000)
Excerpt
Choreography by Ramón Oller
Music by Joquín Rodrigo
Set Design by Eugene Lee
Original Costume Design by Willa Kim
Original Lighting Design by Roger Morgan
Performed by
Adam Dario Morales, Isabella Vergara
Blinded by disease early in 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, Ramón Oller uses dance to reflect the arduous path of this 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 a series of vignettes, as the artist brings his music to vibrant life.
Good Night Paradise (1994)
Excerpt
Choreography by Ramón Oller
Music by Eduardo Rodriguez, Marina Rosell, and Maurici Villavecchia
Original Costume Design by Amanda Gladu
Original Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Performed by
Nina Basu, Daryn Diaz, Deborah de Farias, Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Laura Perich, Payton Poole, Kaysha Smith, Arianna Tsivkin
Haunting tableaus and relationships that stem from the dark side of the heart comprise this powerful, inventive, and highly physical piece of dance theater. Sensuous Spanish and Catalan music set the tone for this piece in an expression of lost love and betrayal. Depicted is a group of individuals in a confined space – but whether to keep others out or hold each other in is not determined.
Sombrerísimo (2013)
Excerpt
Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Music by Banda Ionica featuring Macaco el Mono Loco, Titi Robin, and soundscape by various artists
Original Costume Design by Diana Ruettiger
Original Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Performed by
Nina Basu, Deborah de Farias, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Payton Poole, Kaysha Smith, Isabella Vergara
Inspired by the surrealist world of Belgian painter René Magritte, famous for his paintings of men in bowler hats, Sombrerísimo references the iconic sombreros (hats) found throughout the world that help to represent culture. Originally choreographed for an all-male cast, Sombrerísimo has evolved into a work that can also be performed by an all-female or mixed-gender cast.
Con Brazos Abiertos (2017)
Excerpts: Desear and I am here, con brazos abiertos
Choreography by Michelle Manzanales
Artistic Collaboration with Ray Doñes
Original Costume Design by Diana Ruettiger
Original Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Desear
Music by Ember Island
Performed by
Adam Dario Morales, Laura Perich
I am here, con brazos abiertos
Poem by Maria Billini-Padilla
Soundscape features Gustavo Santaolalla and Michelle Manzanales
Performed by
Isabella Vergara
Michelle Manzanales explores with humility, nostalgia and humor the iconic Mexican symbols that she was reluctant to embrace as a Mexican-American child growing up in Texas. Intertwining folkloric details with a distinctly contemporary voice in dance, set to music that ranges from Julio Iglesias to rock en Español, Con Brazos Abiertos is a fun and frank look at a life caught between two cultures.
Tres Bailes (2008)
Choreography by Jean Emile
Music by Astor Piazzolla, Alberto Iglesias, The Gotan Project
Original Costume Design by Anita Yavich
Original Lighting Design by Donald Holder
Performed by
Adam Dario Morales, Deborah de Farias, Javier Granados, Kaysha Smith, Arianna Tsivkin
Tres Bailes is a rich, abstract work of three powerful dances that display the artistry and athleticism of the dancers, set to the pulsing music of Astor Piazzolla, Alberto Iglesias, and The Gotan Project.
INTERMISSION
Pretty Rose (2022)
Choreography by Juan Rodriguez
Music by My Beautiful Decay 1973 and Nordic String Quartet
Costume Design by Kaileen Langstone and Rodney Hamilton
Lighting Design by Becky Nussbaum
Performed by
Nina Basu, Adam Dario Morales, Daryn Diaz, Deborah de Farias, Kaysha Smith
Pretty Rose explores the idea of connecting, whether to something, someone, or ourselves, and discovering the healing capabilities we possess when, and if, we can truly connect.
PAUSE
i (2022)
Choreography by Tsai-Hsi Hung
Music "Pierced" Composed by David Lang and Performed by Gil Rose, Real Quiet, Boston Orchestra Project, Evan Ziporyn, Felix Fan, and Andrew Russo
Costume Design by Tsai-Hsi Hung
Lighting Design by Becky Nussbaum
Performed by
Nina Basu, Adam Dario Morales, Daryn Diaz, Deborah de Farias, Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Laura Perich, Payton Poole, Kaysha Smith, Arianna Tsivkin, Isabella Vergara
i is inspired by Tsai-Hsi Hung's painting series The Face, a sequence of portraits that use abstract techniques to show the inner spirit of each model. Each painting is a separate work yet inextricably connected to the pattern of the series. Likewise, each dancer looks within to find their individuality while fulfilling their role in the ensemble.
Sunday, May 8 at 1:00pm
Tierra de Nadie (1996)
Excerpt
Choreography by María Rovira
Music by Joan Albert Amargós, Salvador Nieblas, and Maria Rovíra
Original Costume Design by Kasia Walicka Maimone
Original Lighting Design by Maria Rovíra and Roger Morgan
Performed by
Nina Basu, Adam Dario Morales, Daryn Diaz, Deborah de Farias, Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Laura Perich, Payton Poole, Arianna Tsivkin, Isabella Vergara
Choreographer Maria Rovíra'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."
Si Señor! Es Mi Son! (1994)
Excerpt
Choreography by Alberto Alonso
Assisted by Sonia Calero
Music by Gloria Estefan
Original Costume Design by Randy Barcelo
Original Lighting Design by Donald Holder
Performed by
Javier Granados, Kaysha Smith
Choreographer Alberto Alonso brings the spirit of Cuba to life. Elaborately costumed dancers make their way across the stage in a carnival style procession eventually breaking off in pairs, their movement intertwined with the Afro-Cuban rhythms of Gloria Estefan's music from her album, Mi Tierra.
Eyes of the Soul (2000)
Excerpt
Choreography by Ramón Oller
Music by Joquín Rodrigo
Set Design by Eugene Lee
Original Costume Design by Willa Kim
Original Lighting Design by Roger Morgan
Performed by
Adam Dario Morales, Isabella Vergara
Blinded by disease early in 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, Ramón Oller uses dance to reflect the arduous path of this 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 a series of vignettes, as the artist brings his music to vibrant life.
Good Night Paradise (1994)
Excerpt
Choreography by Ramón Oller
Music by Eduardo Rodriguez, Marina Rosell, and Maurici Villavecchia
Original Costume Design by Amanda Gladu
Original Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Performed by
Nina Basu, Daryn Diaz, Deborah de Farias, Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Laura Perich, Payton Poole, Kaysha Smith, Arianna Tsivkin
Haunting tableaus and relationships that stem from the dark side of the heart comprise this powerful, inventive, and highly physical piece of dance theater. Sensuous Spanish and Catalan music set the tone for this piece in an expression of lost love and betrayal. Depicted is a group of individuals in a confined space – but whether to keep others out or hold each other in is not determined.
Sombrerísimo (2013)
Excerpt
Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Music by Banda Ionica featuring Macaco el Mono Loco, Titi Robin, and soundscape by various artists
Original Costume Design by Diana Ruettiger
Original Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Performed by
Nina Basu, Deborah de Farias, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Payton Poole, Kaysha Smith, Arianna Tsivkin, Isabella Vergara
Inspired by the surrealist world of Belgian painter René Magritte, famous for his paintings of men in bowler hats, Sombrerísimo references the iconic sombreros (hats) found throughout the world that help to represent culture. Originally choreographed for an all-male cast, Sombrerísimo has evolved into a work that can also be performed by an all-female or mixed-gender cast.
Con Brazos Abiertos (2017)
Excerpts: Desear and I am here, con brazos abiertos
Choreography by Michelle Manzanales
Artistic Collaboration with Ray Doñes
Original Costume Design by Diana Ruettiger
Original Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Desear
Music by Ember Island
Performed by
Adam Dario Morales, Laura Perich
I am here, con brazos abiertos
Poem by Maria Billini-Padilla
Soundscape features Gustavo Santaolalla and Michelle Manzanales
Performed by
Isabella Vergara
Michelle Manzanales explores with humility, nostalgia and humor the iconic Mexican symbols that she was reluctant to embrace as a Mexican-American child growing up in Texas. Intertwining folkloric details with a distinctly contemporary voice in dance, set to music that ranges from Julio Iglesias to rock en Español, Con Brazos Abiertos is a fun and frank look at a life caught between two cultures.
Tres Bailes (2008)
Choreography by Jean Emile
Music by Astor Piazzolla, Alberto Iglesias, The Gotan Project
Original Costume Design by Anita Yavich
Original Lighting Design by Donald Holder
Performed by
Adam Dario Morales, Daryn Diaz, Javier Granados, Payton Poole, Arianna Tsivkin
Tres Bailes is a rich, abstract work of three powerful dances that display the artistry and athleticism of the dancers, set to the pulsing music of Astor Piazzolla, Alberto Iglesias, and The Gotan Project.
INTERMISSION
Pretty Rose (2022)
Choreography by Juan Rodriguez
Music by My Beautiful Decay 1973 and Nordic String Quartet
Costume Design by Kaileen Langstone and Rodney Hamilton
Lighting Design by Becky Nussbaum
Performed by
Nina Basu, Adam Dario Morales, Daryn Diaz, Deborah de Farias, Arianna Tsivkin
Pretty Rose explores the idea of connecting, whether to something, someone, or ourselves, and discovering the healing capabilities we possess when, and if, we can truly connect.
PAUSE
i (2022)
Choreography by Tsai-Hsi Hung
Music "Pierced" Composed by David Lang and Performed by Gil Rose, Real Quiet, Boston Orchestra Project, Evan Ziporyn, Felix Fan, and Andrew Russo
Costume Design by Tsai-Hsi Hung
Lighting Design by Becky Nussbaum
Performed by
Nina Basu, Adam Dario Morales, Daryn Diaz, Deborah de Farias, Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Laura Perich, Payton Poole, Kaysha Smith, Arianna Tsivkin, Isabella Vergara
i is inspired by Tsai-Hsi Hung's painting series The Face, a sequence of portraits that use abstract techniques to show the inner spirit of each model. Each painting is a separate work yet inextricably connected to the pattern of the series. Likewise, each dancer looks within to find their individuality while fulfilling their role in the ensemble.
Sunday, May 8 at 6:00pm
Tierra de Nadie (1996)
Excerpt
Choreography by María Rovira
Music by Joan Albert Amargós, Salvador Nieblas, and Maria Rovíra
Original Costume Design by Kasia Walicka Maimone
Original Lighting Design by Maria Rovíra and Roger Morgan
Performed by
Nina Basu, Adam Dario Morales, Daryn Diaz, Deborah de Farias, Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Laura Perich, Payton Poole, Kaysha Smith, Isabella Vergara
Choreographer Maria Rovíra'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."
Si Señor! Es Mi Son! (1994)
Excerpt
Choreography by Alberto Alonso
Assisted by Sonia Calero
Music by Gloria Estefan
Original Costume Design by Randy Barcelo
Original Lighting Design by Donald Holder
Performed by
Javier Granados, Arianna Tsivkin
Choreographer Alberto Alonso brings the spirit of Cuba to life. Elaborately costumed dancers make their way across the stage in a carnival style procession eventually breaking off in pairs, their movement intertwined with the Afro-Cuban rhythms of Gloria Estefan's music from her album, Mi Tierra.
Eyes of the Soul (2000)
Excerpt
Choreography by Ramón Oller
Music by Joquín Rodrigo
Set Design by Eugene Lee
Original Costume Design by Willa Kim
Original Lighting Design by Roger Morgan
Performed by
Adam Dario Morales, Deborah de Farias
Blinded by disease early in 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, Ramón Oller uses dance to reflect the arduous path of this 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 a series of vignettes, as the artist brings his music to vibrant life.
Good Night Paradise (1994)
Excerpt
Choreography by Ramón Oller
Music by Eduardo Rodriguez, Marina Rosell, and Maurici Villavecchia
Original Costume Design by Amanda Gladu
Original Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Performed by
Nina Basu, Daryn Diaz, Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Laura Perich, Payton Poole, Kaysha Smith, Arianna Tsivkin, Isabella Vergara
Haunting tableaus and relationships that stem from the dark side of the heart comprise this powerful, inventive, and highly physical piece of dance theater. Sensuous Spanish and Catalan music set the tone for this piece in an expression of lost love and betrayal. Depicted is a group of individuals in a confined space – but whether to keep others out or hold each other in is not determined.
Sombrerísimo (2013)
Excerpt
Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Music by Banda Ionica featuring Macaco el Mono Loco, Titi Robin, and soundscape by various artists
Original Costume Design by Diana Ruettiger
Original Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Performed by
Nina Basu, Daryn Diaz, Deborah de Farias, Laura Perich, Kaysha Smith, Arianna Tsivkin
Inspired by the surrealist world of Belgian painter René Magritte, famous for his paintings of men in bowler hats, Sombrerísimo references the iconic sombreros (hats) found throughout the world that help to represent culture. Originally choreographed for an all-male cast, Sombrerísimo has evolved into a work that can also be performed by an all-female or mixed-gender cast.
Con Brazos Abiertos (2017)
Excerpts: Desear and I am here, con brazos abiertos
Choreography by Michelle Manzanales
Artistic Collaboration with Ray Doñes
Original Costume Design by Diana Ruettiger
Original Lighting Design by Joshua Preston
Desear
Music by Ember Island
Performed by
Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian
I am here, con brazos abiertos
Poem by Maria Billini-Padilla
Soundscape features Gustavo Santaolalla and Michelle Manzanales
Performed by
Daryn Diaz
Michelle Manzanales explores with humility, nostalgia and humor the iconic Mexican symbols that she was reluctant to embrace as a Mexican-American child growing up in Texas. Intertwining folkloric details with a distinctly contemporary voice in dance, set to music that ranges from Julio Iglesias to rock en Español, Con Brazos Abiertos is a fun and frank look at a life caught between two cultures.
Tres Bailes (2008)
Choreography by Jean Emile
Music by Astor Piazzolla, Alberto Iglesias, The Gotan Project
Original Costume Design by Anita Yavich
Original Lighting Design by Donald Holder
Performed by
Nina Basu, Adam Dario Morales, Javier Granados, Laura Perich, Isabella Vergara
Tres Bailes is a rich, abstract work of three powerful dances that display the artistry and athleticism of the dancers, set to the pulsing music of Astor Piazzolla, Alberto Iglesias, and The Gotan Project.
INTERMISSION
Pretty Rose (2022)
Choreography by Juan Rodriguez
Music by My Beautiful Decay 1973 and Nordic String Quartet
Costume Design by Kaileen Langstone and Rodney Hamilton
Lighting Design by Becky Nussbaum
Performed by
Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Laura Perich, Payton Poole, Isabella Vergara
Pretty Rose explores the idea of connecting, whether to something, someone, or ourselves, and discovering the healing capabilities we possess when, and if, we can truly connect.
PAUSE
i (2022)
Choreography by Tsai-Hsi Hung
Music "Pierced" Composed by David Lang and Performed by Gil Rose, Real Quiet, Boston Orchestra Project, Evan Ziporyn, Felix Fan, and Andrew Russo
Costume Design by Tsai-Hsi Hung
Lighting Design by Becky Nussbaum
Performed by
Nina Basu, Adam Dario Morales, Daryn Diaz, Deborah de Farias, Javier Granados, Oceana Hinds-Zemanian, Laura Perich, Payton Poole, Kaysha Smith, Arianna Tsivkin, Isabella Vergara
i is inspired by Tsai-Hsi Hung's painting series The Face, a sequence of portraits that use abstract techniques to show the inner spirit of each model. Each painting is a separate work yet inextricably connected to the pattern of the series. Likewise, each dancer looks within to find their individuality while fulfilling their role in the ensemble.
About the Pa'lante Scholars Professional Studies Program
The Pa’lante Scholars initiative is an innovative, tuition-free professional studies program designed to bridge the gap between the pre-professional and professional stages of a dancer’s career. Ballet Hispánico is answering the need for more career centered programs that build artistry and leadership for our communities, without the financial burden often tied to professional development. We believe that a talented young dancer should never be held back by financial strain. Removing the financial barrier to professional training will in turn ensure young dancers can pursue artistic careers without the burden of debt. The impact of this vision will be reflected as dancers are better able to flourish in their artistic careers, ultimately strengthening recognition and representation of Latinx dancers in the field.
Empowering Youth
Ballet Hispánico's School of Dance serves members of its community through formative dance training, reaching children to young adults across the socioeconomic spectrum and at all levels of training. At the heart of its mission, Ballet Hispánico provides dozens of young dancers with merit and need-based scholarships that are individually tailored to fit the needs of each students. Scholarships are critical to filling the gap in dancers of color on the world's stages, creating not only a pipeline of talent for the professional dance sector, but also infusing long-neglected communities with artistic resources ensuring underserved voices are both celebrated and magnified. Together with your support, Ballet Hispánico can continue providing excellent dance education to countless young people for years to come.
SUPPORT OUR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS
or text Give2BH to 91999
Bios
Leadership
EDUARDO VILARO (Artistic Director & CEO) is the Artistic Director & CEO of Ballet Hispánico (BH). He was named BH's Artistic Director in 2009, becoming only the second person to head the company since its founding in 1970, and in 2015 was also named Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Vilaro has infused Ballet Hispánico’s legacy with a bold brand of contemporary dance that reflects America’s changing cultural landscape.
Mr. Vilaro’s philosophy of dance stems from a basic belief in the power of the arts to change lives, reflect and impact culture, and strengthen community. He considers dance to be a liberating, non-verbal language through which students, dancers, and audiences of all walks of life and diverse backgrounds, can initiate ongoing conversations about the arts, expression, identity, and the meaning of community.
Born in Cuba and raised in New York from the age of six, Mr. Vilaro’s own choreography is devoted to capturing the Latin American experience in its totality and diversity, and through its intersectionality with other diasporas. His works are catalysts for new dialogues about what it means to be an American. He has created more than 40 ballets with commissions that include the Ravinia Festival, the Chicago Sinfonietta, the Grant Park Festival, the Lexington Ballet and the Chicago Symphony.
A Ballet Hispánico dancer and educator from 1988 to 1996, he left New York, earned a master’s in interdisciplinary arts at Columbia College Chicago and then embarked on his own act of advocacy with a ten-year record of achievement as Founder and Artistic Director of Luna Negra Dance Theater in Chicago.
The recipient of numerous awards and accolades, Mr. Vilaro received the Ruth Page Award for choreography in 2001; was inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame in 2016; and was awarded HOMBRE Magazine’s 2017 Arts & Culture Trailblazer of the Year. In 2019, he received the West Side Spirit’s WESTY Award, was honored by WNET for his contributions to the arts, and was the recipient of the James W. Dodge Foreign Language Advocate Award. In August 2020, City & State Magazine included Mr. Vilaro in the inaugural Power of Diversity: Latin 100 list. In January 2021, Mr. Vilaro was recognized with a Compassionate Leaders Award, given to leaders who are courageous, contemplative, collaborative, and care about the world they will leave behind. He is a well-respected speaker on such topics as diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts, as well as on the merits of the intersectionality of cultures and the importance of nurturing and building Latinx leaders.
MICHELLE MANZANALES (Director, School of Dance) is a choreographer, dedicated dance educator of 30 years, and co-founder of the Latinx Dance Educators Alliance. The Director of Ballet Hispánico’s School of Dance since December of 2016, Michelle previously led the organization’s professional company as Rehearsal Director & Artistic Associate for seven seasons. Ms. Manzanales is committed to creating an environment where all students are inspired to explore movement, feel supported in their individual dance journeys, and draw meaningful connections between dance and their lives.
Manzanales has co-presented at the New York State Dance Educators Association, ARTs + Change, and the National Dance Education Organization conferences, “Questioning TODO: A Latinx Inquiry of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy”, a direct response to the historical and continued exclusion of Latinx contributions and experiences in the dance field. A current faculty member of the Ballet Hispánico School of Dance, she has also served on the faculties of the University of Houston, Rice University, Lou Conte Dance Studio (former Home of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago), and the Houston Metropolitan Dance Center. She has been a guest artist for the Professional Work Sessions at STEPS on Broadway, the Joyce Master Class Series at Gibney, the Taylor School, New Orleans Ballet Association, the Puerto Rico Classical Dance Competition, Generation Dance Festival Houston, Artisan Ballet Company, Regional Dance America, Festival de Danza Cordoba-Youth America Grand Prix, Houston’s Kinder High School for the Performing & Visual Arts, along with numerous other dance studios, schools, and college dance programs nationwide and internationally.
A member of the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance, Michelle has served on the National Association of Schools of Dance’s (NASD) Committee on Ethics, juror for the Nebraska Arts Council - Individual Artist Fellowships, a panelist for Dance/NYC's #ArtistsAreNecessaryWorkers Facebook Live Series: Arts Educators Leading the Charge, adjudicator for the Independent Study in Choreography Showing for Ailey’s BFA program, and was honored to be part of a round table planning dialogue supporting Carnegie Hall’s education project ‘All Together: A Global Ode to Joy.’ Ms. Manzanales is currently on the selection panel for 92Y’s Future Dance Festival for emerging choreographers and was a past panelist for Ballet Hispánico’s Instituto Coreográfico and the Houston Arts Alliance grants program.
Her current choreography commissions set to premiere in Spring 2022 include new works for the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Oregon Ballet Theater, and Montclair State University. Her choreography for Ballet Hispánico, Con Brazos Abiertos, described as a “savvy but deeply sincere meditation on her Mexican American background” (-Marina Harss, New York Times) and “an exceptional, heart-tugging beauty” (LA Times), premiered in 2017, and has since toured worldwide to critical acclaim including its feature at New York City Center’s 2018 Fall for Dance Festival. CautivadX, a dance film she choreographed, edited, and directed for Noche Unidos, A Ballet Hispánico Night of Dance and Unity was presented in June 2020. If by Chance... which she created for the Jerome Robbins Dance Division at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts 75th Anniversary Gala in December 2019, “unspooled dreamily atop and between the tables” (-Courtney Escoyne, Dance Magazine).
Other acclaimed works by Manzanales include her 2010 homage to Frida Kahlo, Paloma Querida, which was hailed a "visual masterpiece" by Lucia Mauro of the Chicago Tribune and was described by the Chicago Sun-Times as a “gorgeously designed, richly hallucinatory, multi-faceted vision of the artist.” Her 2007 choreography for Luna Negra Dance Theater, entitled Sugar in the Raw (Azucar Cruda), was applauded by the Chicago Sun-Times as "a staggering, beautiful, accomplished new work." Five of her works have been recognized by the American College Dance Festival, of which two were presented at the Kennedy Center (Washington, DC), for their National Gala; Pour Me Out in 2006 and The Letting Go in 2008. Manzanales’ choreography has also been presented by Texas Contemporary Weekend (Houston, TX), Spring to Dance (St. Louis, MO), Festival de Danza Córdoba (Veracruz, Mexico), Capital Fringe Festival (Washington D.C), and Fort Worth Dance Festival (Fort Worth, TX).
KIRI AVELAR (Deputy School Director) is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and scholar based in New York City. Fronteriza de El Paso, TX/Cd. Juárez, Chih., México, her teaching philosophy employs an intersection of teaching practices through a Latinx inquiry of translanguaging, sentipensante (sensing/thinking), and critical dance pedagogies, centering Chicana/Latina Feminist methodologies and pedagogies of testimonio and plática. The movement between her cultures in the borderlands, and time lived away from the area, has shaped her interest in accessible, inclusive dance practices anchored in Chicana/Latina feminist theories and frameworks.
An NYU Teaching Fellow for the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, her decolonial curriculum praxis asserts transnational, interdisciplinary, and Chicana/Latina feminist interventions that both disrupt and reimagine our American modern dance histories, engaging students through an in-between space of embodied research and creative practice to further understand and challenge the notion of Latinidad that has been absorbed, often unnamed/unacknowledged, into the historical and contemporary accounts of dance histories. The curriculum builds on her scholarly research Descubriendo Latinx: The Hidden Texts in American Modern Dance, developed through a 2020 Jerome Robbins Dance Division Research Fellowship for the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Her correlating artistic practice provokes thought around the experiential borderlessness of Latinx artists in the United States in artistic, physical, and cultural terms, immersed in themes of ruido, mestiza consciousness, intersectionality, migration, and Latinidades through film, embodied oral history performances, interactive screendance, and soundscapes.
She is the Founding Director of La Academia de Ballet Emmanuel, a dance program she established for the Hogar de Niños Emmanuel orphanage in Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, where she has worked with her family since 1999. Her advocacy continues through her current projects: co-curating the exhibition, The Mestizo as Ambassador: José Limón and the Transculturation of American Modern Dance for the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts; scholarly research in collaboration with the José Limón Dance Foundation; co-founding the Latinx Dance Educators Alliance, a resource site for dance educators centering Latinx/a/o/e/Hispanic contributions; and serving on the Research Committee for the National Dance Education Organization. Holding an MFA in Dance from Rutgers University, and a BA in Dance with honors from New Mexico State University, she has spent the last decade honing her craft as an educator, cultural community organizer, social justice advocate, and arts administrator at Ballet Hispánico, where she currently serves as Deputy School Director and teaching faculty.
RODNEY HAMILTON (Director, Professional Studies Program) began his training in his native St. Louis at several schools including Carr Lane V.P.A., the Center of Contemporary Arts, and Alexandra School of Ballet. He also studied with Ms. Katherine Dunham and joined the chorus at the MUNY where he performed for seven years. After arriving in New York City, he graduated with a BFA in Dance from the Juilliard School and joined Ballet Hispánico where he was a principal dancer and assistant rehearsal director for 10 years. During this time, he performed works by José Limon, Paul Taylor, Hans van Manen, Robert Battle, Ohad Naharin, David Parsons, William Whitener, Ann Reinking, Ramón Oller, Sergio Trujillo, Trinette Singleton, Agnes DeMille, Talley Beatty, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Vicente Nebrada, and numerous other well-known choreographers. Mr. Hamilton was part of the national touring cast of Hello Dolly with Carol Channing and worked with the Broadway cast of Tarzan during its workshop process. In 2012, Mr. Hamilton became the Resident Choreographer for the Saint Petersburg City Theater in Florida where he choreographed Hello Dolly, Footloose, and Memphis. In 2019, Mr. Hamilton became the Associate Choreographer for a new version of the musical Evita that will premiere at New York’s City Center, Encores! series this fall. Mr. Hamilton holds an MFA in Dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. He has taught ballet, modern, and Dunham technique all over the world.
Pa'lante Scholars
NINA BASU hails from Tampa, Florida. She began her dance career at the age of 13 under the tutelage of Paula Nunez and Osmany Montano at America’s Ballet School. She primarily trained in ballet, dancing in roles such as Clara in the Nutcracker, Paquita in Paquita, and Little Red in Sleeping Beauty. In 2016, ballet took Nina to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she attended The Rock School for Dance Education’s 2013 Summer Intensive, ultimately performing as a soloist in the Ballet, Symphony in C. Although ballet has been her primary interest, she attended The Alonzo King Lines Ballet workshops from 2013-2015. After HS graduation, Nina completed her BA in Anthropology-Sociology in Baltimore, Maryland, and continued ballet as a teacher at Baltimore Ballet. Nina is currently a Pa’lante Scholar in Ballet Hispánico’s first pre-professional training program, and is excited by these newly afforded opportunities.
ADAM DARIO MORALES was born and raised in Englewood, New Jersey. Adam is a Colombian-American who began his training at The Ailey School under the direction of Tracy Inman and Tiffany Barnes on a full merit scholarship at the age of four years old. During his training, he was awarded the Alvin Ailey Athletic Boy’s Scholarship. In 2019, Adam was selected to be a recipient of the New York Community Trust Van Lier Fellowship as a student at the Ailey School. Adam has performed at the 95th Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in 2021, and most recently Adam starred in HBO’s Legendary Season 3 which premieres on May 19th, 2022.
DARYN DIAZ was born and raised in Tampa, Florida of Cuban and Spanish descent. She began training seriously at the Patel Conservatory at an early age, where she explored music, theater and vocal arts, but her passion was dance. While there, she earned her way into the pre-professional ballet company of the Straz Center - Next Generation Ballet. Diaz has received additional training and mentoring from other summer programs including: Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Victor Ullate in Madrid, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet Hispánico’s ChoreoLab, and Gaga Homelab NYC. After auditioning for Ballet Hispánico's second company in the summer of 2019, she moved at age 17 to train as a member of BHdos, under the direction of Rodney Hamilton. Due to the pandemic, she was afforded the opportunity to teach at Patel Conservatory in her hometown for the 2020-2021 school year. In her personal home studio, she was also able to teach private lessons for grades K-12. She now continues her training with both Ballet Hispánico and Rodney Hamilton in their Pa’lante Scholar Program. Diaz was inducted into the National Honor Society in high school, graduated a year early, and is currently working towards her Bachelors degree in Marketing Analytics at New York University.
DEBORAH DE FARIAS grew up in Lubbock, Texas as a first generation immigrant from Brazil. She has trained at Ballet Lubbock under the guidance of Yvonne Racz-Key and is a former Ballet Lubbock instructor. She has taught students between the ages of 3-13, and has spent a majority of her time with their Community Outreach Program. She has attended Texas Tech University as a Dance and Russian Language double major. She has trained with scholarship at the following summer intensives: Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Ballet Dalal Achcar (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil), Petite Danse (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil), Bolshoi Ballet Academy (New York City), and Texas Ballet Theatre. She is continuing her professional training at Ballet Hispánico as part of the inaugural Pa'lante Scholars Program and is ecstatic to train under the mentorship of Rodney Hamilton.
OCEANA HINDS-ZEMANIAN is a movement artist and dance filmmaker. She was raised in Cape May, New Jersey where she began training at Joanne Reagan Dance for fifteen years. She graduated high school from Gloucester County Institute of Technology where she furthered her dance education in modern and ballet under the direction of Norman Taylor and Marissa Stahl. During her summers, Hinds-Zemanian attended intensives from David Dorfman Dance, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Mark Morris Dance, Bates Dance Festival, Paul Taylor, and Ballet Hispánico. She studied at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts where she performed in works by Bill T. Jones, John Heginbotham, Dawn Marie Bazemore, Chien-Ying Wang, Ananya Chatterje, and Pam Tanowitz. This is Hinds-Zemanian’s first season with Ballet Hispánico’s Pa’lante Scholars under
direction of Rodney Hamilton.
LAURA PERICH was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela where she began her dance training at Academia Sol with Marisela Riera. She then moved to Houston, Texas where she continued her training with Catriona Steel at Allegro West Academy of Dance. Laura completed Ballet exams from Grade 1 through Advanced 2 from the Royal Academy of Dance. She received Distinctions all throughout her training which led her to be certified to teach RAD technique by the age of 16. While dancing with Allegro West, she also competed for Youth America Grand Prix, New York City Dance Alliance and other competitions. After graduating High School, Laura joined Texas Ballet Theater’s Studio Training Company under Kathy Warakomsky-Li and Leticia Oliveira. Laura has had the opportunity to work with artists such as Ben Stevenson, Kiki Lucas, Suzi Taylor, Andre Silva, Joe Lanteri, Sean Carmon, Vincent Hardy, Richard Freeman and Dorrel Martin. This is Laura’s first season with Ballet Hispánico’s Professional Studies Program (Pa’Lante Scholars) under the direction of Rodney Hamilton and is honored to be part of this program.
PAYTON POOLE is from Tucson, Arizona and began her training at Tucson Dance Academy under Tammy Booth. She was introduced to many styles including ballroom, tap, hiphop, acro and musical theater but fell in love with ballet, modern, contemporary and jazz. Payton has attended Modas Dance, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Protégé, SpringboardX Revolutionary Clash, and ChuThis intensives. Upon graduating highschool, she was accepted on scholarship to Point Park University with a concentration in modern dance where she learned from Garfield Lemonius, Jason McDole, Kiesha Lalama, Crystal Frazier, Kiki Lucas, and Dan Karasik. She has received additional training from Stacey Tookey, Peter Chu, Alexandra Damiani, Rodger Van Der Poel, Omar Rivéra, Desmond Richardson, Laja Martin, Raja Feather Kelly, Johannes Weiland and Duncan Cooper. Payton is now attending Ballet Hispánico’s Pa’lante Scholars Program on full scholarship under direction by
Rodney Hamilton where she will continue her professional dance education.
JAVIER ROCHEL was born and raised in the border town of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. He received a Bachelor in Dance from Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Hidalgo, graduated with honors. Rochel started to dance when he was 11 in Mexican Folklorico with Ballet Folklorico Pumas, Lol-Be and Ballet Folklorico del Norte, afterward he did Musical Theatre in Mexico City and his hometown with Line Teatro and a national tour with Fundación por la Paz, Educación y Valores leading The Lion King. He has trained in classical and modern/contemporary dance with Marco Garcia, Rodolfo Sanchez, Victoria Reynoso, Thelma Flores, Alfonsina Treneman, Ceyhun Oszoy, and Leslie Hale, to name a few. In 2013, he was an apprentice with Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernández and a figurant with Compañía Nacional de Danza of INBAL in the Swan Lake 2018 season. He has done summer intensives with Joffrey Ballet School NY and Texas, Complexions Dance Academy, and ChoreoLab with Ballet Hispánico. Rochel was a trainee with JBS TX from 2019-2021 where he also worked as Resident Administrator of Housing and Program Coordinator for the Summer Intensive in Mexico. He also has taught in different public and private dance schools within the United States and Mexico. Rochel is very proud to be part of the first class of Pa’lante Scholars.
KAYSHA SMITH began her training at Rockford Dance Company where she primarily trained in ballet. As a full company member, she performed various lead roles. She has also attended summer intensives at The Ailey School, Ballet Chicago and Milwaukee Ballet on scholarship. Kaysha graduated from the Certificate Program at The Ailey School in 2020, and was a member of the Ailey
Student Performance Group (ASPG). She has had the opportunity to work with artists such as Darell Moultrie, Matthew Rushing, Milton Myers, and Freddie Moore. This is Kaysha’s first season with the Pa’lante Scholars program under the direction of Rodney Hamilton, and she is very proud to be a part of this amazing program. Kaysha is also currently dancing with Alison Cook Beatty Dance Company.
ARIANNA TSIVKIN is from New York City, she received her early dance training at the School of American Ballet where she performed with New York City Ballet in productions of The Nutcracker and Firebird. She trained at the JKO School of American Ballet Theatre where she performed in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker. Arianna has also studied at French Académie of Ballet, has received scholarships to dance at Belvoir Terrace Performing Arts Camp, and has studied under Mignon Furman, Merle Sepel, and her mother Rebecca Tsivkin. She graduated from Laguardia High School of Performing Arts as a dance major, during her time there she expanded her ballet training with the addition of modern studies with Blakeley White-McGuire, Chanel DaSilva, and Greg Sinacori, was the dance captain of multiple Broadway Sing-Along Benefit performances, and performed her original choreography for Concerts in Motion at Merkin Hall. Arianns is now honored to be a part of the inaugural class of Pa’lante Scholars at Ballet Hispánico under the direction of Rodney Hamilton.
ISABELLA VERGARA is a dancer, yoga instructor, dance filmmaker, and dance educator from Westfield, New Jersey. Isabella graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.F.A. in dance from Mason Gross School of The Arts at Rutgers University where she received the Marjorie J. Turner Choreography Prize in 2018. She has performed nationally at the Kennedy Center, Jacob’s Pillow, The Joyce Theater, and The Apollo, as well as internationally in the Philippines, China, and Taiwan. Throughout her career she has performed work by artists such as Yvonne Rainer, Martha Graham, Lar Lubovitch, Pam Tanowitz, and Maxine Doyle. Currently, Isabella is a freelance dance artist in the greater New York area, performing regularly with Calpulli Mexican Dance Company, OCA Dance, and DzulDance. She is also on faculty at Ballet Hispánico’s School of Dance. Isabella is honored to be a part of the inaugural Pa’lante Scholars cohort.
Choreographers
MARIA ROVIRA is a choreographer, dancer, and the founder of Trànsit Dansa. As a choreographer, she has worked in Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, The United States, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela. She has also collaborated in both national and international companies and productions, she has promoted dancers and companies exchange projects, and finally, she has been guest teacher in conservatories and ballets worldwide.
ALBERTO ALONSO was born in Havana, Cuba and spent his life as a dancer, ballet master, and choreographer. Alonso founded the National Ballet of Cuba with his brother and sister-in-law in 1948. He became the master artist in residence at Santa Fe Community College. Alonso is best known internationally for his work Carmen Suite, in 1967, which remains one of the world's most famous ballets. His Carmen was the first role choreographed specifically for Bolshoi Ballet dancer Maya Plisetskaya, and the first role choreographed by a foreigner in the former Soviet Union. He received asylum from the United States in 1993 and remained in Gainesville, Florida until his death.
RAMÓN OLLER is the Founder and Artistic Director of Metros Dansa Contemporania in Barcelona. He trained in Barcelona, Paris and London, and has choreographed numerous works for his own company and others, including Compañía Nacional de Danza under the direction of Nacho Duato, Ballet Nacional de España, Ballet de Cristina Hoyos, Introdans, Festival Aix-en Provence, and Festival Avigonon. Mr. Oller was the Artistic Coordinator of the Andalusian Dance Center and is now the Director of the Professional Conservatory of Dance of Institut del Teatre de Barcelona.
ANNABELLE LOPEZ OCHOA has been choreographing since 2003 following a twelve-year dance career in various contemporary dance companies throughout Europe. She has created works for sixty dance companies worldwide including Ballet Hispánico, Atlanta Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Compañía Nacíonal de Danza, Dutch National Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Royal Ballet of Flanders, Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, Göteborg Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, BJM-Danse Montréal, New York City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, English National Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, to name a few. In 2012, her first full length work, A Streetcar Named Desire, originally created for the Scottish Ballet, received the Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for “Best Classical Choreography” and was nominated for the prestigious Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production the following year. Annabelle was the recipient of the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award 2019.
MICHELLE MANZANALES is a choreographer and dance educator originally from Houston, TX. Before being named Director of the School of Dance in December of 2016, Ms. Manzanales was in the midst of her seventh season as the Ballet Hispánico Company Rehearsal Director & Artistic Associate. Her choreography, Con Brazos Abiertos, premiered during Ballet Hispánico’s 2017 spring season at the Joyce Theater. This “savvy but deeply sincere meditation on her Mexican-American background” (-Marina Harss, New York Times) has since toured extensively to critical acclaim, including its inclusion in New York City Center’s 2018 Fall for Dance Festival. “This dance isn’t just about one girl’s experience; it applies to everyone, of any gender, and of any culture,” said CriticalDance. Other acclaimed works by Manzanales include her 2010 homage to Frida Kahlo, Paloma Querida, which was hailed a "visual masterpiece" by Lucia Mauro of the Chicago Tribune and was described by the Chicago Sun-Times as a “gorgeously designed, richly hallucinatory, multi-faceted vision of the artist.” Her 2007 choreography for Luna Negra Dance Theater, entitled Sugar in the Raw (Azucar Cruda), was applauded by the Chicago Sun-Times as "a staggering, beautiful, accomplished new work."
JEAN EMILE is a product of the New York City dance scene. After finishing off his training at the former High School of Performing Arts as well as the Alvin Ailey and the School of American Ballet, he went directly into the second company of the Netherlands Dance Theater. After his second year at NDT2, he joined the main company where he danced for five years working with choreographers such as Mr. Kylian, Nacho Duato, Mats ek, Hans Van Maanen, Billy Forsythe, and Ohad Naharin, among others. In 1996 Jean left NDT to begin his transition into choreography and teaching. From '96-'09 he moved to Vegas to be a dancer and dance captain in the hotel Notre Dame de Paris while serving as a dance evaluator and talent scout for Cirque du soleil and Dragone while teaching ballet and choreographing. A year later he moved to Oakland, California to serve as ballet master for the Oakland Ballet. He has choreographed for companies including Ballet Hispánico and Ailey 2 as well as musicals and cabarets in Europe.
JUAN RODRÍGUEZ is a native New Yorker and received his training at The Ailey School under the direction of Denise Jefferson where he was the recipient of The Donna Wood Award. He furthered his studies at The Juilliard School graduating with a BFA under the direction of Benjamin Harkarvy. He danced professionally with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. His teaching credits include The Ailey School, Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway, Complexions Ballet Intensives, Peridance, Dance Theater of Harlem, French Academie of Ballet, Ballet Academy East, Ellison Ballet, Adelphi University and Barnard College.
TSAI-HSI HUNG graduated from Taipei National University of the Arts 2011. In 2009, she traveled to Australia as an exchange student for the Dance at Queensland Technology University Dance Department. She has worked with the Australian Dance Theater, Tasdance, Expressions Dance Company, and Chunky Move Dance Company Dancers. In 2020, Hung received a Choreography Fellowship from the New Jersey Council on the Arts. Shortly after, Hung’s work was selected by the Joffrey Academy of Dance for their Spring 2020 Winning Works performance in Chicago.Hung was invited to Taipei National Dance Theater to perform New work this July 2020. Hung's most recent work will be featured in Ballet X's 2020-2021 season. In 2021, Hung won Western Michigan University’s National Choreography Competition and will premiere a new work in 2022. For Ballet X’s 2022 Season, Hung will create a new work for their dancers through the Ballet X Choreographer Fellowship. Battery Dance Company of New York will also premiere an original work in the summer of 2022, inspired by the paintings of Hans Hofmann. Hung will be in residence at Kennesaw State University, Georgia, in the summer of 2022 to create new work for the students of their dance department. Hung will premiere a new work in the Spring of 2022 with the Ballet Hispánico Professional Studies dance students. Hung teaches the open class at the Peridance Capezio Dance Center and NYU Tisch Dance and /MOVE|NYC|.
Designers
RANDY BARCELO was a multi-talented Cuban-born designer and artist. He was the first Hispanic person to be nominated as best costume designer for a Tony Award for his designs for Jesus Christ Superstar in 1972. Barceló designed costumes for many other Broadway productions including Lenny, The Magic Show, and Ain’t Misbehavin’ among others. He also worked with several dance companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ballet Hispánico, where he worked on his final project in 1994, Alberto Alonso’s Si Señor! Es Mi Son!.
DONALD HOLDER has worked extensively in theater, opera, dance architectural, and television lighting in the US and abroad for over 25 years. He has designed more than 50 Broadway productions, has been nominated for 11 Tony awards, winning the Tony for Best Lighting Director for The Lion King and the 2008 revival of South Pacific. Holder was head of the lighting design program at the Californian Institute of the Arts from 2006-2010, was the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Muhlenberg College, and is a graduate of the University of Maine and the Yale University School of Drama.
WILLA KIM was a Korean-American costume designer for ballet, stage, film and opera. She studied art at Los Angeles City College and received a scholarship to the Chouinard Art Institute (now the California Institute of the Arts). After graduating, she worked with costume designers Barbara Karinska and Raoul Pène Du Bois at Paramount Studios. Kim worked on a number of successful Broadway productions with Du Bois, including Gypsy, The Music Man, and Bells are Ringing. Kim began her solo designing career in the 1960s and over the course of her life received numerous Drama Desk awards, Tony nominations and awards, Emmys, and Obies. Toward the end of her career, she was honored with numerous awards. In 1999 she won the TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award, in 2003 FIT's 2003 Patricia Zipprodt Award for Innovative Costume Design, in 2005 the United States Institute for Theater Technology distinguished Achievement Award, and in 2007 she was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.
ROGER MORGAN is a pioneer in the world of theatre design consulting and the Founder of Sachs Morgan Studio where he has directed the department of design for 35 years. Mr. Morgan received his training in scenic design and stage lighting at Carnegie-Mellon University, and he is the Tony Award-winning lighting designer of over 200 plays On Broadway, and in our country’s finest resident theatres. He is co-author of Space for Dance, a book commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts on design of dance facilities. He was honored by USITT with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
AMANDA GLADU is a New York City based costume designer. She recently received her MFA in Stage (Costume) Design from Northwestern University in Chicago, IL. Originally from Texas, Amanda holds dual BA degrees in Dance and Art History from the University of Texas at Austin. Designs at Northwestern University include Equivocation, Anna in the Tropics, Sweet Charity, selected pieces in Danceworks and Danceworks: Current Rhythms, and Stick Fly. Other design credits include Thrones! The Musical Parody at the Apollo Theater in Chicago and the Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles. Recent work with Ballet Hispánico includes 3.Catorce Dieciséis, choreographed by Tania Pérez-Salas. Amanda received the 2017 Michael Merritt Academic Award for Collaborative Design for Northwestern University. She lives in Brooklyn with her partner, Logan, and her chihuahua, Daisy.
JOSHUA PRESTON joined Ballet Hispánico as the Lighting Designer and Technical Director in 2009. Over the past 11 years Mr. Preston has served many roles and is currently the organization’s Chief Operating Officer. Preston is a member of the Chief Executive Program through the National Arts Strategies and Harvard Business School. He graduated from Columbia College Chicago with degrees in Theatrical Lighting Design and Photography. In addition to designing 17 works for Ballet Hispánico, Mr. Preston’s lighting design can be seen with works by The Washington Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, BalletMet, Ballet Austin, Luna Negra Dance Theater, The Julliard School, Ensemble Español and Chamber Opera Chicago. His work has taken him throughout the world, and he has traveled to 31 countries throughout 6 continents. Mr. Preston is particularly fond of The Edinburgh International Festival Fringe, where he has participated in various capacities over the past 22 years. He also serves as a trophy artist/husband to his ever-patient wife, Chloé.
DIANA RUETTIGER has served as wardrobe supervisor for Luna Negra Dance Theater and Costume Designer for Dance for Life Chicago, Columbia College, and The Chicago Academy for the Arts. She has worked as stitcher and crew for The Joffrey Ballet and numerous Broadway touring shows. Ms. Ruettiger owned and operated a costume shop for 25 years before moving to New York to begin her tenure supervising wardrobe for Ballet Hispánico.
ANITA YAVICH has designed costumes for theater, opera, and dance across the US and internationally. Her costume designs for Broadway include: Fool for Love, Venus in Fur, Chinglish, and Anna in the Tropics. Anita has received numerous awards for her designs: the Ovation Award, Drama Desk Award, Lucille Lortel Award, IRNE award, Obie award, Henry Hewes Award, and Irene Shariff Young Master Award. In 2001, as the recipient of a NEA TCG career development grant, she traveled to India for three and a half months observing theater, dance, textile, and crafts traditions. She holds an MFA in costume design from Yale School of Drama.
Production
JIMMY KAVETAS is an Audio Engineer and Musician based in New York City, who's love for sound knows no bounds. He's worked on musicals, albums, festivals and now dance. Wherever there is sound, there's Jimmy.
Ballet Hispánico Staff
Executive
EDUARDO VILARO, Artistic Director & CEO
Grace Azmitia, Executive Assistant
Company
Johan Rivera, Associate Artistic Director
Amy Page, Wardrobe Director
Glenn Sims, Company Manager
S. Watson, Production Manager
Caitlin Brown, Lighting Supervisor
Morgan Lemon, Stage Manager
School of Dance
Michelle Manzanales, Director, School of Dance
Kiri Avelar, Deputy School Director
Cecilia L. Cáceres, School of Dance Programs Manager
Rodney Hamilton, Professional Studies Program Director
Rebecca Tsivkin, School of Dance Early Childhood Programs Associate
Victoria Vargas, Program Coordinator
Blythe Drucker, Communications & Engagement Associate
Doreen Miranda, School of Dance Finance Associate
Kiefer Rondina, School of Dance Registrar
Joshua Winzeler, School of Dance Artistic Associate
Georgina Greenleaf, School of Dance Administrative Assistant
Brianna Figueroa, Administrative Assistant
Community Arts Partnerships
Tamia Santana, Chief Engagement and Inclusion Officer
Natalia Mesa, Community Engagement Director
Mariana Ranz, CAP Program Manager
Marisabel Vasconez, CAP Administrative Assistant
External Affairs
Lorraine A. LaHuta, Chief Development & Marketing Officer
Emily Mathis Corona, Assistant Director of Institutional Relations
Ashley Heckstall, Event Manager
Ellie Craven, Manager of Individual Giving
Mary Lintott, Development Assistant
Rolando G. Reyes Mir, Director of Marketing
Kelly Ireland, Content Marketing Manager
Julio Carrillo, Digital Marketing Manager
Vincent Creer, Marketing Assistant
Finance
Fredrick V. Pandian, Chief Financial & Administration Officer
Nora Perez, Assistant Finance Manager
Mary Burns, Controller
Operations
Joshua Preston, Chief Operating Officer
Victor Millan, Facility Manager
Lynn Shipley, Operations Associate
Alexa Racioppi, Front Desk Receptionist
Jonathan Duvelson, Front Desk Receptionist
Dustin James, Front Desk Rececptionist
Daniel Chico, Handyman
Eric Gonzalez, Porter
MIL GRACIAS
Support for the Ballet Hispánico School of Dance is provided by the Jerome L. Greene Foundation. Funding for Ballet Hispánico School of Dance scholarships is provided by the New York Community Trust and the Ted Snowdon Foundation. Generous support for School of Dance scholarships is provided by James F. McCoy & Alfio J. Hernandez, The Rogers Family Foundation, Nam Tsou, Gigi Chavez de Arnavat & Gustavo Arnavat, and Maritza & Richard Williamson.
Transformational funding for Ballet Hispánico is provided by MacKenzie Scott, the Ford Foundation America’s Cultural Treasures program, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Major support is provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Miranda Family Fund, the Scherman Foundation, the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation, the Tatiana Piankova Foundation, the Prospect Hill Foundation, and the Harkness Foundation for Dance. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Ballet Hispánico programming is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.