Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Event created by Leslie Campbell
Event details
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Royal Theatre, November 15 + 16, 2019, 7:30 pm
Single tickets for Dance Victoria’s 2019/20 Dance at the Royal Series are on sale now through the Royal Theatre and McPherson Playhouse Box Offices. Act now to get the best seats at the best prices.
“Aspen Santa Fe Ballet accompanied by Grammy nominated pianist Joyce Yang on stage; Kidd Pivot’s bold physicality in Revisor; Ballet BC’s fresh retelling of Romeo + Juliet; and Tania Pérez-Salas Compañía de Danza’s sensitive aestheticism invite us to experience dance in unexpected and innovative ways,” says Dance Victoria’s Executive Producer Stephen White.
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s (ASFB) contemporary ballet mixed program on November 15 and 16, 2019 at the Royal Theatre is an unforgettable mix of live dance and piano virtuosity with classical pianist Joyce Yang performing live on stage to works by renowned choreographers Fernando Melo, Jorma Elo and Nicolo Fonte.
Nicolo Fonte’s Where We Left Off created for nine dancers reflects on the decade-long dance between the company and guest choreographer. The dance is a product of Fonte’s experiences – his anxieties, and ultimately, his trust – with ASFB.
Melo’s Dream Play invites the audience to experience a constantly shifting theatrical experience and to consider contemporary dance from a different angle. Dreamlike scenes emerge as the dancers lie on the floor (their feet never touching the ground) while their movements are filmed from above and projected on a screen in real-time.
Jorma Elo’s Half/Cut/Split to Robert Schumann’s Carnaval is at times joyful, and has notes of humour in it, but it’s reminiscent of Schumann’s struggle with mental illness. The composer suffered from multiple personality disorder and composed as various personalities. The music has been called “unchoreographable,” but Elo captures that duality in the dancers’ movement, aiming to find the tension between joy and madness.
“This program with Joyce Yang has been one of the most rewarding projects of our company’s history,” said Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s Artistic Director Tom Mossbrucker. “Joyce explained that although she has been playing these pieces for many years, after working with the company, she sees them in a completely different way, and it’s really changed the way she plays. It was the same for our dancers.”
Joyce Yang is an Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient. Praised by the Los Angeles Times for her “compelling virtuosity and sensitivity,” she came to international attention in 2005 when she won the silver medal at the 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. The youngest contestant at 19 years old, she took home two additional awards: the Steven De Groote Memorial Award for Best Performance of Chamber Music (with the Takàcs Quartet) and the Beverley Taylor Smith Award for Best Performance of a New Work. Since her spectacular debut, she has blossomed into an “astonishing artist” (Neue Zürcher Zeitung), who captivates audiences all over the world with her virtuosity, lyricism, and interpretive sensitivity.
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet has fostered a jewel of a dance company in the American West. A deep commitment to curating new ballets while cultivating choreographic talent has resulted in a catalogue of adventurous repertoire. European sensibility glossed with American ebullience forges ASFB’s aesthetic, as the company has come to epitomize the contemporary-classical genre. Dance education is a priority with well-established ballet schools training children and adults in both markets. An outreach program steeped in Mexico's rich folkloric culture fortifies community connections.
Pre-Show Chat: Join us for a free, pre-show chat with a member of the company at 6:45 pm in the West (Blanshard Street) Lobby of the Royal Theatre prior to both performances on November 15 and 16, 2019.
Check the Royal and McPherson Box Offices for ticket availability and visit DanceVictoria.com for complete details on our ticket options. Single tickets are from $29 to $95.