San Francisco, CA, August 4, 2015 - Artistic Director and choreographer Charles Anderson's award-winning Company C Contemporary Ballet will present the world premiere of his new, evening-length story ballet, Arcane: A Tale of All Hallows' Eve in seven performances October 24-31 at the Cowell Theater in San Francisco. The production features an original story and choreography by Anderson, a commissioned musical score by Mike Krisukas of Zen for Primates, steam punk-inspired set and lighting designs by Patrick Toebe and the costumes by Laura Hazlet and will be performed by a company of 16 dancers, 9 musicians and narrator. Performances will be given Saturday, October 24, 2015 at 7:00 pm; Sunday, October 25, 2015 at 1:00 pm; Sunday, October 25, 2015 at 7:00 pm; Friday, October 30, 2015 at 11:00 am; Friday, October 30, 2015 at 8:00 pm; Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 1:00 pm and Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 7:00 pm. There will be receptions for the audience and artists after the opening night and closing night performances with no-host bar. Tickets are priced $25-$55 and may be purchased at http://www.CityBoxOffice.com/CompanyC. For more information, visit www.companycballet.org .
According to Anderson, the ballet, suitable for families and kids, tells the original story of Arcane, the star that sits at the hip of the harvest moon. This allegorical muse of autumn comes to earth each year to animate the dead and bring voice to the voiceless. All those that are awakened for this one night have left something undone or something unsaid and this is their chance to do and say their piece.
Anderson and company mine a wide field of traditional, narrative and production inspirations from the Day of the Dead, outlandish Rube Goldberg kinetic sculpture, Pacific Islander poi ball spinners, scratch-and-sniff technology to add a sensory dimension and lots of stage magic and effects to bring the story to life and augment the dancing.
About Company C Contemporary Ballet
Beauty, passion, wit, and drama converge in the acclaimed performances of California's Company C Contemporary Ballet. Dynamic, adventurous, contemporary choreography is the hallmark of the Company led by founder and Artistic Director Charles Anderson, a former member of the New York City Ballet. As an ensemble company of classically trained dancers, it performed a diverse repertoire of moving, provocative, sensual, and entertaining contemporary choreography. This repertoire includeed master works by some of the most accomplished contemporary choreographers of today, including Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor, Antony Tudor, David Parsons, Lar Lubovitch and Daniel Ezralow as well as new works commissioned from talented choreographers such as former New York City Ballet Soloist Alexandre Proia, former Paul Taylor Dancer Patrick Corbin, former Frankfurt Ballet principal dancer Maurice Causey and Gregory Dawson, formerly of Alonzo King LINES Ballet. The Company's work has been nominated for seven Isadora Duncan Awards and has been named Best in the East Bay by Diablo Magazine five times. In 2010, the Company was named one of "25 to Watch" by
Dance Magazine and returned to New York for its third season there at the Joyce Theater August 9 and 10, 2013. The Company was re-formed by Anderson following its 2013-2014 season, letting go of its annual winter and spring seasons in San Francisco and the East Bay to become more flexible and able to pursue a variety of projects such as the October 2015 premiere of the Halloween ballet,
Arcane: A Tale of All Hallows' Eve.
Charles Anderson danced with the New York City Ballet from 1985 - 1993, where he worked with Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins and many other notable choreographers. Anderson began studying dance at an early age and later trained at and received full scholarships to the San Francisco Ballet School, the Joffrey Ballet School, the American Ballet Theatre School, and the School of American Ballet. He began his choreographic career while still a dancer with the New York City Ballet. In 1990 he co-founded Ballet, Inc. in New York with longtime friends Patrick Corbin and John Selya. He later co-founded Company C Contemporary Ballet in 2002 with Elizabeth Reed, where he currently serves as Artistic Director. Anderson's works are included in the repertories of professional dance companies throughout the country. He has been a prominent ballet teacher in the Bay area and has been a guest teacher for Smuin Ballet, Matthew Bourne, Oakland Ballet, Twyla Tharp Dance, Hubbard Street Dance, the North Carolina School of the Arts, and the Henny Jurriëns Foundation in Amsterdam. In addition to his work as a dancer, choreographer and teacher, Anderson has served on the board of governors for the American Guild of Musical Artists, created costumes for the New York City Ballet's Diamond Project, been an adjudicator and instructor for the Bob Fosse Scholarship Program, and served as a panelist for the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Grant. He is the recipient of the 2014 Live Blessay Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2015 Izzie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Restaging/Revival/Reconstruction.
Michael Krisukas, Composer
In the course of his 35-year career, Krisukas has written music for folk, big band, rock, punk, blue grass, jazz, new age, and percussion ensembles as well as for orchestras. He has also written film and video scores, advertising jingles, and composed for many theater and dance productions. He is also the guitarist, composer and founding member of the acclaimed cabaret ensemble, Zen for Primates. Krisukas is keenly interested in promoting the regional music scene through recording and helping to promote area artists and has engineered, produced and mixed over 30 CD releases. He has also released six CDs with his band, Zen for Primates, the latest including jazz greats Bob Dorough, Bill Goodwin, and Bruce Kapler. Krisukas studied theory and composition at Penn State University and continued private studies in advanced harmonic theory with Dennis Sandole and arranging and orchestration with Evan Solat. His own recent private teaching has centered on jazz theory and improvisation for classical orchestra musicians.
Patrick Toebe, Scenic and Lighting Designer
Toebe has designed lighting and scenery for over 200 productions across the United States and internationally. Toebe's work includes design for dance, theater, film, and performance art events. Clients include DawsonDanceSF, Center Repertory Theater, Woodminster Theatre, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Theatre of Yugen, Lorraine Hansbury Theatre Company, Theatre Flamenco, A Traveling Jewish Theatre, Sacramento Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Knoxville City Ballet and Alabama Ballet. Awards include two Dean Goodman Choice Awards, A Shellie Award, and an Isadora Duncan Award. He holds an MFA in Lighting & Scenic Design from San Francisco State University and teaches Technical Theater at City College San Francisco, where he is also Theater Manager.
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