World Premiere of Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO Set for Jacob's Pillow, Now thru 7/26

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival presents the highly-anticipated world premiere of Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO, featuring the remarkable talent of eight American Ballet Theatre (ABT) stars and guest artist Céline Cassone of Les Ballet Jazz de Montréal in the intimate Ted Shawn Theatre, today, July 22, through July 26.

INTENSIO, co-produced, directed by, and starring ABT principal dancer Daniil Simkin, features four world premiere contemporary dance works by top-notch international choreographers including Alexander Ekman of Sweden, American dancemaker Gregory Dolbashian, resident Boston Ballet choreographer Jorma Elo of Finland, and Colombo-Belgian artist Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, currently based in Amsterdam.

"This is one of the most creative projects we've undertaken to date," states Jacob's Pillow Executive and Artistic Director Ella Baff. "Four world premieres by international choreographers that a major ballet star has been eager to work with. And Daniil has put together a cast of spectacular dancer colleagues from ABT who will make these new works shine."

Called "a mash-up of high-art with new possibilities" by Simkin, INTENSIO integrates contemporary movement and media with a ballet culture steeped in tradition. The program draws upon the strong classical roots of the ensemble, capitalizing on their technical prowess while exploring contemporary movement in adventurous multimedia contexts. Simkin, "known for his silken technique, arrow-like leaps, and a palpable desire to please the audience" (Marina Harss, The Boston Globe), leads the ensemble in these four world premieres.

The star-studded cast of INTENSIO includes ABT principal dancer Isabella Boylston, whose "ultrafine musicality" and "sparkling turns" were standouts noted by Alastair Macaulay of The New York Times. Other ABT principal dancers include Hee Seo whose "dancing and fluid line exude an unhurried purity" (Gia Kourlas, The New York Times), and the "lean, energetic, tall and confident" James B. Whiteside (Alastair Macaulay, The New York Times). A longtime muse of choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Céline Cassone of Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal serves as a guest artist in the engagement, lauded for her "liquid grace" and "fierce articulation" by Laura Cappelle of Dance Magazine. ABT soloists Alexandre Hammoudi, Cassandra Trenary, and corps de ballet members Blaine Hoven and Calvin Royal III (an alumnus of The School at Jacob's Pillow) will also perform in the ensemble.

Opening the program, Simkin will premiere Simkin and the Stage, a solo work by innovative Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman. Set to a recorded interview between Simkin and Ekman as well as a monologue by dance scholar Jennifer Homans, author of Apollo's Angels: A History of Ballet, the work promises to be both deeply artistic and personal. Alexander Ekman's work is widely known for its relatable wit and reimagined classical tone, and has been commissioned by companies across the globe including Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet (U.S.), Ballet de L'òpera du Rhin (France), Bern Ballet (Switzerland), IT-Dansa (Spain), Iceland Dance Company (Iceland), and Stockholm 59° North (Sweden), among others. Ekman is currently an Associate Choreographer for Nederlands Dans Theater, and has received international acclaim for his consistently ground-breaking works.

Royal, Seo, Trenary, Hoven, and Cassone will premiere Welcome a Stranger by young American choreographer Gregory Dolbashian, set to a score by ambient music innovator Brian Eno and American-Chilean musician Nicholas Jaar. Dolbashian is the founder and Artistic Director of The DASH Ensemble which has presented works at the Skirball Center and The Joyce Theater. His work has received the audience award at NYC's DanceNOW challenge at Joe's Pub and his co-founded choreographic initiative, The Playground, was recognized by Dance Magazine's "Top 25 to Watch" in 2013.

Simkin, Boylston, and Whiteside will continue the program with Nocturne/Etude/Prelude by acclaimed choreographer Jorma Elo, set to a Chopin and Bach medley including Chopin's "Nocturne in F Major, Op. 15, No. 1", performed live by pianist David Friend. One of the most sought-after choreographers in the world, Elo is the resident choreographer for Boston Ballet and has created works for the prestigious companies of American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, New York City Ballet, among others. A Nederlands Dans Theater dancer turned international choreographer, his work has been described as "an exhilarating exercise in flat-out virtuosity" (John Rockwell, The New York Times).

Simkin and the full INTENSIO ensemble will close the program in Islands of Memories by renowned choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, set to a reimagining of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" by prolific composer Max Richter. A collaboration of innovative artists, interactive video projections by Dmitrij Simkin (father of Daniil Simkin) will be utilized in real-time with unique costume design by internationally renowned fashion designer Norma Kamali. An international name in dance, Lopez Ochoa's work has been commissioned for companies domestically and abroad including Jacoby & Pronk, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, the Finish National Ballet, and many others. Accolades for her work include "Best of 2012" and "Best of 2013" by Dance Magazine and a nomination for an Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production for A Streetcar Named Desire (2013).

Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO is a Joyce Theater and Sunny Artist Management Production, and is co-commissioned by Jacob's Pillow and The Joyce Theater.

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