BALLETNOW Will Showcase 24 Dance Superstars in Iconic and Contemporary Dance Favorites

As The Music Center wraps up its 14th season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, Angelenos have the opportunity to see some of the world's finest dancers perform a mix of iconic ballets and new pieces in The Music Center's BalletNOW. Following the popularity of the first BalletNOW in 2015, The Music Center commissioned this highly innovative three-performance program, featuring international ballet sensation and New York City Ballet Principal Tiler Peck as curator. Peck created a mixed repertory to highlight the versatility and athleticism of today's ballet dancers including pieces that pair classical dancers with their contemporaries in other dance genres.

With BalletNOW, audiences will be treated to the performances of 24 dance superstars, including dancers from New York City Ballet, The Royal Ballet, television's So You Think You Can Dance, Dorrance Dance, American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet and Miami City Ballet, many of whom will be performing on The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion stage for the first time. Each distinct program in the three-performance series features works from varying choreographers. BalletNOW will be presented with a live orchestra conducted by Grant Gershon, Kiki & David Gindler artistic director of The Music Center resident company, Los Angeles Master Chorale, and resident conductor of The Music Center resident company, LA Opera. BalletNOW is produced in association with Lexikat Artists.

A Southern California native who trained in Los Angeles and ascended to ballet stardom, Peck made her Broadway debut at age 11 in The Music Man and was included in Forbes "30 Under 30" in Hollywood Entertainment. She will be joined on stage by Macarthur fellow and tap dancer Michelle Dorrance; hip-hop dancer Lil "O"; New York City Ballet's Daniel Ulbricht, Taylor Stanley and Zachary Catazaro; Macarthur fellow, actor/dancer Bill Irwin; American Ballet Theatre's Marcelo Gomes, Isabella Boylston, James Whiteside and Cory Stearns; Paris Opera Ballet's Marc Moreau; and The Royal Ballet's Lauren Cuthbertson, among others. The programs include a variety of some of the best-known classical and contemporary ballet pieces, such as George Balanchine's Allegro Brillante and Christopher Wheeldon's After the Rain. Peck has included dances choreographed by Jerome Robbins, Justin Peck and Michelle Dorrance to round out the three performances.

"The Music Center is thrilled to provide a platform that fosters creativity and collaboration among some of the most talented dancers who typically don't have the opportunity to work or perform together," said Rachel Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. "Audiences are in for a treat as this year's BalletNOW puts the spotlight on Tiler Peck who has brought together an incredible roster of dance superstars for a one-of-a-kind experience. Dance lovers will enjoy excerpts from some of their favorite ballets and discover new works that are making their West Coast premiere at The Music Center."

"With BalletNOW 2017, The Music Center wants to challenge the preconceptions many have of dance and present a program that blurs the lines between genres, illustrating the artistry of classical and contemporary ballet, tap and hip-hop, and blending techniques to create new and exciting interpretations of works for the 21st century," explained Michael Solomon, vice president of presentations and education, The Music Center. "With Tiler Peck's impeccable curatorial skills and eye for pairing together great artists with distinctive choreography, The Music Center is able to present a true 'taste' of dance that will intrigue audiences and have them asking for more."

"BalletNOW showcases the grit and athleticism demanded of today's ballet dancers along with the elegance and grace manifested through the dancers' artistry," said Tiler Peck, BalletNOW curator. "The three programs I created bring together the best ballet stars from the world's top companies along with iconic artists from other disciplines. These one-of-a-kind partnerships highlight the extraordinary range of repertoire that modern ballet encompasses today. These will be performances to remember," she added.

About the BalletNOW Repertoire*

Curator and Principal Dancer: Tiler Peck, principal dancer, New York City Ballet

Co-Produced by: The Music Center, Lexikat Artists

Music Director and Conductor: Grant Gershon

Production Lighting Design: Brandon Stirling Baker

Dancers:

Isabella Boylston, principal dancer, American Ballet Theatre

Zachary Catazaro, soloist, New York City Ballet

Preston Chamblee, corps de ballet, New York City Ballet

Reece Clarke, soloist, The Royal Ballet

Harrison Coll, corps de ballet, New York City Ballet

Lauren Cuthbertson, principal dancer, The Royal Ballet

Jeanette Delgado, principal dancer, Miami City Ballet

Michelle Dorrance, founder and artistic director, Dorrance Dance

Virgil "Lil O" Gadson, teacher/choreographer/dancer, So You Think You Can Dance

Marcelo Gomes, principal dancer, American Ballet Theatre

Rachel Hutsell, corps de ballet, New York City Ballet

Bill Irwin, actor/dancer

Lauren King, soloist, New York City Ballet

Claire Kretzschmar, corps de ballet, New York City Ballet

Marc Moreau, soloist, Paris Opera Ballet

Lars Nelson, corps de ballet, New York City Ballet

Kleber Rebello, principal dancer, Miami City Ballet

Taylor Stanley, principal dancer, New York City Ballet

Cory Stearns, principal dancer, American Ballet Theatre

Byron Tittle, principal dancer, Dorrance Dance

Daniel Ulbricht, principal dancer, New York City Ballet

James Whiteside, principal dancer, American Ballet Theatre

Indiana Woodward, soloist, New York City Ballet

PROGRAM

Friday, July 28, 2017

1•2•3•4•5•6

Improvography by the artists

Developed by Michelle Dorrance and Damian Woetzel

Music based on a rhythm by Steve Reich

Dancers: Michelle Dorrance, Virgil "Lil O" Gadson, Tiler Peck, Byron Tittle

(Commissioned by the Vail Dance Festival. Damian Woetzel, director. Premiere: August 6, 2016, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. Vail, Colorado.)

Chutes and Ladders

Choreography: Justin Peck (Performed by permission of Justin Peck)

Music: String Quartet No. 1 by Benjamin Britten, by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.

Original Lighting Design: Brandon Stirling Baker

Dancers: Jeanette Delgado and Kleber Rebello

Pas de Deux from Romeo and Juliet

Choreography: Kenneth MacMillan

Music: Romeo and Juliet: Balcony Scene (excerpt) by Sergei Prokofiev, by arrangement with G. Schirmer, INC. publisher and copyright owner.

Original Lighting Design: Mark Stanley

Lighting Design: Recreated by Brandon Stirling Baker

Dancers: Isabella Boylston and James Whiteside

Pas de Deux from After The Rain

Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon

Music: "Ludus" from Tabula Rasa and Spiegel Im Spiegel by Arvo Pärt, used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company, U.S. and Canadian agent for Universal Edition Vienna, publisher and copyright owner.

Original Lighting Design: Mark Stanley

Lighting Design: Recreated by Brandon Stirling Baker

Dancers: Reece Clarke and Lauren Cuthbertson

Allegro Brillante

Choreography: George Balanchine, © The George Balanchine Trust

Music: Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 75 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Dancers: Tiler Peck, Marcelo Gomes, Preston Chamblee, Harrison Coll, Rachel Hutsell, Lauren King, Claire Kretzschmar, Lars Nelson, Taylor Stanley, Indiana Woodward

(The performance of Allegro Brillante, a Balanchine Ballet, is presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style and Balanchine Technique Service standards established and provided by the Trust.)

Fancy Free

Choreography: Jerome Robbins, performed by permission of The Robbins Rights Trust

Music: Fancy Free by Leonard Bernstein, by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner

Set Design: Oliver Smith, scenic supervision by Rosaria Sinisi

Costume Design: Kermit Love

Original Lighting Design: Ronald Bates

Dancers: Marcelo Gomes, Cory Stearns, Daniel Ulbricht, Jeanette Delgado, Tiler Peck, Claire Kretzschmar

Saturday, July 29, 2017

Time It Was/116

Developed by Bill Irwin and Damian Woetzel

Choreography: Bill Irwin, Tiler Peck, and Damian Woetzel

Music: France by Philip Glass and Foday Musa Suso, © 1989 Dunvagen Music Publishers Inc. Used by permission.

Sound Design: Danny Erdberg

Dancers: Bill Irwin and Tiler Peck

(Commissioned by the Vail Dance Festival. Damian Woetzel, director. Premiere: August 7, 2015, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail, Colorado.)

Pas de Deux from Manon

Choreography: Kenneth MacMillan

Music: Manon, music by Jules Massenet, orchestrated and arranged by Martin Yates

Dancers: Lauren Cuthbertson and Marcelo Gomes

Pas de Deux from Rubies

Choreography: George Balanchine, © The George Balanchine Trust

Music: Capriccio For Piano and Orchestra (2nd movement) by Igor Stravinsky, by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.

Original Lighting Design: Mark Stanley

Lighting Design: Recreated by Brandon Stirling Baker

Dancers: Isabella Boylston and James Whiteside

(The performance of Rubies, a Balanchine Ballet, is presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style and Balanchine Technique Service standards established and provided by the Trust.)

Pas de Deux from Carousel

Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon

Music: Rodgers & Hammerstein

Dancers: Zachary Catazaro and Tiler Peck

In Creases

Choreography: Justin Peck, performed by permission of Justin Peck

Music: Four Movements for Two Pianos by Philip Glass, ©2007 Dunvagen Music Publishers Inc., used by permission.

Original Lighting Design: Mark Stanley

Lighting Design: Recreated by Brandon Stirling Baker

Dancers: Preston Chamblee, Harrison Coll, Rachel Hutsell, Lauren King, Claire Kretzschmar, Marc Moreau, Taylor Stanley, Indiana Woodward

Pas de Deux from After The Rain

Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon

Music: "Ludus" from Tabula Rasa and Spiegel Im Spiegel by Arvo Pärt, used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company, U.S. and Canadian agent for Universal Edition Vienna, publisher and copyright owner.

Original Lighting Design: Mark Stanley

Lighting Design: Recreated by Brandon Stirling Baker

Dancers: Reece Clarke and Tiler Peck

Pas de Deux from Romeo and Juliet

Choreography: Kenneth MacMillan

Music: Romeo and Juliet: Balcony Scene (excerpt) by Sergei Prokofiev, by arrangement with G. Schirmer, INC., publisher and copyright owner.

Original Lighting Design: Mark Stanley

Lighting Design: Recreated by Brandon Stirling Baker

Dancers: Lauren Cuthbertson and James Whiteside

Who Cares? (concert version)

Choreography: George Balanchine, © The George Balanchine Trust

Music: The Man I Love, I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise, Embraceable You, Fascinatin' Rhythm, Who Cares, My One and Only, Liza, Finale by George Gershwin, edited by Hershy Kay

Original Lighting Design: Mark Stanley

Lighting Design: Recreated by Brandon Stirling Baker

Dancers: Isabella Boylston, Zachary Catazaro, Harrison Coll, Jeanette Delgado, Marcelo Gomes, Tiler Peck, Taylor Stanley, Indiana Woodward

(The performance of Who Cares? (concert version), a Balanchine Ballet, is presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style and Balanchine Technique Service standards established and provided by the Trust.)

Sunday, July 30, 2017

In Creases

Choreography: Justin Peck, performed by permission of Justin Peck

Music: Four Movements for Two Pianos by Philip Glass, ©2007 Dunvagen Music Publishers Inc., used by permission.

Original Lighting Design: Mark Stanley

Lighting Design: Recreated by Brandon Stirling Baker

Dancers: Preston Chamblee, Harrison Coll, Rachel Hutsell, Lauren King, Claire Kretzschmar, Marc Moreau, Taylor Stanley, Indiana Woodward

Pas de Deux from Romeo and Juliet

Choreography: Kenneth MacMillan

Music: Romeo and Juliet: Balcony Scene (excerpt) by Sergei Prokofiev, by arrangement with G. Schirmer, INC. publisher and copyright owner.

Original Lighting Design: Mark Stanley

Lighting Design: Recreated by Brandon Stirling Baker

Dancers: Marcello Gomes and Isabella Boylston

Pas de Deux from Stars and Stripes

Choreography: George Balanchine, © The George Balanchine Trust

Music: Stars and Stripes by Hershy Kay, by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.

Dancers: Tiler Peck and Cory Stearns

(The performance of Stars and Stripes, a Balanchine Ballet, is presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style and Balanchine Technique Service standards established and provided by the Trust.)

Méditation from Thaïs

Choreography: Frederick Ashton

Music: Thaïs by Jules Massenet

Dancers: Reece Clarke and Lauren Cuthbertson

Red Angels

Choreography: Ulysses Dove

Music: Maxwell's Demon by Richard Einhorn

Original Lighting Design: Mark Stanley

Lighting Design: Recreated by Brandon Stirling Baker

Costume Design: Holly Hynes

Dancers: Isabella Boylston, Preston Chamblee, Tiler Peck, Taylor Stanley

(First performed May 19, 1994, The Diamond Project II, by New York City Ballet, New York State Theater)

Fancy Free

Choreography: Jerome Robbins, performed by permission of The Robbins Rights Trust

Music: Fancy Free by Leonard Bernstein, by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.

Set Design: Oliver Smith, scenic supervision by Rosaria Sinisi

Costume Design: Kermit Love

Original Lighting Design: Ronald Bates

Dancers: Jeanette Delgado, Marcelo Gomes, Claire Kretzschmar, Tiler Peck, Cory Stearns, Daniel Ulbricht

(Costumes and scenery courtesy of stars of American Ballet.)

*Dancers and program subject to change.

Tickets for BalletNOW performances at The Music Center start at $34 and are available online at musiccenter.org/balletnow; at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Box Office, 135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90012; or by calling (213) 972-0711. For groups of 10 or more, call (213) 972-8555 or email mcgroupsales@musiccenter.org.

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