Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Returns To The Harris Theater 5/24

Currently celebrating its 15th anniversary season, the internationally acclaimed Aspen Santa Fe Ballet (ASFB) returns to the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Dr., to present three Chicago premieres, Tuesday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m. A leader in the next generation of American contemporary ballet, the company presents a highly anticipated, exhilarating program of three contemporary dances exemplifying its commitment to groundbreaking work by world-renowned choreographers. Tickets are currently on sale and available at harristheaterchicago.org or by calling 312.334.7777.

Under the direction of Jean-Philippe Malaty and former Joffrey Ballet principal dancer Tom Mossbrucker, the 15-year old Aspen Santa Fe Ballet (ASFB) has achieved a distinguished level of maturity and maintains a sophisticated repertoire that belies its young age. Upon its Chicago debut in 2007, Sid Smith of the Chicago Tribune raved, "The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet is small in size and young in years, but its lustrous Chicago debut proved it thinks big and deserves everlasting life" and Hedy Weiss of the Chicago Sun-Times hailed, "ASFB deftly showcased the 10 dancers' impressive technical facility, sleek uniformity and flair for eclectic works requiring ballet brilliance."

"As we celebrate our 15th anniversary season, it was important for us to make a stop in Chicago. We were so well received when we debuted in the city four years ago, the company was thrilled at the opportunity to return to share new work with Chicago audiences," said Jean-Philippe Malaty.

The one-night-only Harris Theater engagement features:

•Red Sweet, the company's signature piece set to music by Vivaldi and Biber, created by the celebrated Finnish choreographer Jorma Elo and commissioned by ASFB. The company premiered Red Sweet in 2008 in Santa Fe, N.M. Elo is one of the most sought-after choreographers in the United States and Europe. Over the past five years, ASFB has formed a strong relationship with Elo having commissioned two works thus far and performing several of his groundbreaking ballets.

•Stamping Ground, a rarely seen work by master choreographer Jiri Kylián with music by Carlos Chavez. Kylián has been hailed as one of the world's foremost living choreographers. Stamping Ground premiered in 1983 with the Nederlands Dans Theater at the Circustheater in Scheveningen. The company has two additional Kylián pieces in its repertoire, Petit Mort and Sechs Tanze, and is proud to add a third with Stamping Ground.

•Where We Left Off, an ASFB commissioned work choreographed by Nicolo Fonte with music by Philip Glass. The piece premiered in 2011 in Aspen, Colo. Where We Left Off marks the 8th Fonte piece ASFB has commissioned.

TICKET INFORMATION
The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet engagement will take place Tuesday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park, 205 E. Randolph Dr. Tickets are $32-$72 (does not include handling fees). For tickets or more information, visit harristheaterchicago.org or call 312.334.7777. Tickets can also be purchased at the Harris Theater box office.

PROFILES OF CHOREOGRAPHERS
Jorma Elo, Choreographer. In just a few short years, Finnish-born Jorma Elo has become one of the most sought-after choreographers in the United States and Europe. Elo, who was named Resident Choreographer of Boston Ballet in 2005, was singled out as a "talent to follow" by Anna Kisselgoff in her 2004 Year in Review for The New York Times. Since then Elo has created new works for New York City Ballet (Slice to Sharp), Boston Ballet, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet (Pointeoff), American Ballet Theatre (Glow-Stop), Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Royal Danish Ballet, State Theatre Nuremberg and Norwegian National Ballet. Elo trained with the Finnish National Ballet School and the Kirov Ballet School in Leningrad. Prior to joining Netherlands Dance Theater in 1990, he danced with Finnish National Ballet from 1978 through 1984 and with Cullberg Ballet from 1984 through 1990. Throughout his career as a dancer Elo worked closely with numerous master choreographers, including Ji?í Kylián, Hans van Manen, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, William Forsythe and Paul Lightfoot. Elo has also choreographed for Basel Ballet, Ballet Debrezen (Hungary), Alberta Ballet (Blank Snow and L'Apres Midi d'un Faune/Spectre de la Rose), Norwegian National Ballet (Cut to Drive), Finnish National Ballet (Happy is Happy, Twisted Shadow, Two Fast, Offcore), Stockhom 59° North (in my DREAM team), and Netherlands Dance Theatre 1 (1st Flash and Plan to A). For Boston Ballet, Elo has created three world premieres: Sharp Side of Dark (2002), Plan to B (2004) and Carmen (2006). He is also a skilled designer of costumes, lighting and video effects for his ballets. Elo was awarded the choreographic prize at the 2005 Helsinki International Ballet Competition. Dance Magazine recognized Elo as one of 25 to Watch, and Pointe Magazine named him a VIP of Dance in 2006.

Jirí Kylián, Choreographer. Hailed as one of the world's foremost living choreographers, Jirí Kylián was born in Prague, and studied at the city's Conservatory and London's Royal Ballet School before joining the Stuttgart Ballet (Germany) under John Cranko in 1968. In 1973 he was invited by the Nederlands Dans Theater in Den Haag as a guest choreographer. By 1975, he was
appointed the company's Artistic Director. Kylián achieved his international breakthrough with Sinfonietta in 1978, set to music composed by his compatriot Leoš Janá?ek. His international reputation kept growing with such works as Symphony of Psalms (1978), Forgotten Land (1981), Svadebka (1982), Stamping Ground (1983) and L'Enfant et les Sortilèges (1984). Apart from developing choreographic works, Kylián has also built up a unique organizational structure for and within the Nederlands Dans Theater, adding two new dimensions to the Dutch ballet company. The world-famous Nederlands Dans Theater I has been expanded by Nederlands Dans Theater II (‘The Young and Dynamic Company' of dancers between the age of 17 and 22) and Nederlands Dans Theater III (dancers/performers beyond the age of 40) - each company with a distinctively individual repertoire. In April 1995, Kylián celebrated 20 years directing the Nederlands Dans Theater by mounting the large-scale dance production Arcimboldo, which involved all the dancers of Nederlands Dans Theater I, II and III. On that occasion, he received one of the Netherlands' highest honors, becoming Officier in de Orde van Oranje Nassau. As of August 1999 Ji?í Kylián retired from the position of the Artistic Director of Nederlands Dans Theater. However, with respect to the future development of the company, he maintains the essential roles as a resident choreographer.

Nicolo Fonte, Choreographer. Nicolo Fonte was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. and started dancing at the age of 14. He studied at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York as well as at the San Francisco Ballet and New York City Ballet Schools while completing a Bachelor Degree of Fine Arts at SUNY Purchase. Upon graduation he danced with Peridance in NYC and later joined Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in Montreal, dancing in the works of Balanchine, Tudor, Kudelka and Spaniard Nacho Duato. Fonte subsequently joined Duato's Compañia Nacional de Danza in Madrid and forged a strong identity in the Spanish company for seven years - for both his dancing and his choreography. "En los Segundos Ocultos," ("In Hidden Seconds"), one of three ballets Fonte made for the Spanish company, was hailed as a breakthrough work of great impact with the poetic vision of a mature artist and indeed this ballet established his presence on the European dance scene. In 2000, Fonte retired from performing to devote himself full-time to his choreographic career. Since that time he has created or staged his ballets for The Dutch National Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Royal Ballet of Flanders, Stuttgart Ballet, The Australian Ballet, The Göteborg Ballet, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, The Washington Ballet, Ballett Mainz, Ballett Nürnberg, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, TANZ Ensemble Cathy Sharp, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Tulsa Ballet, Ballet British Columbia and Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal.

ABOUT ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet's founder Bebe Schweppe was visionary when, in 1996, she invited Tom Mossbrucker and Jean-Philippe Malaty to create a company that residents in the Aspen valley could call their own. Initially based solely in Aspen, Colo., a second home for the company was created in 2000 in Santa Fe, N.M. In sync with the world-class artistic activities in each of these beautiful communities, ASFB has helped strengthen the cultural fabric of both cities.

With its sophisticated repertoire and broad appeal, combined with a successful blend of entertaining and engrossing contemporary dance, ASFB is one of the great success stories in American dance today. Audiences locally, nationally, and internationally have embraced this
vibrant company on stellar stages such as The Joyce Theater in New York City, the famed Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, The Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, The Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago, and in foreign venues including Canada, France, Italy, Greece and Guatemala.

Over the years, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet has grown to become a multi-faceted entity, as both an internationally recognized dance company and one of the largest dance presenters in the country. As the company travels to cities far and wide, ASFB also presents leading dance companies at home in Aspen and Santa Fe throughout the year. The umbrella of ASFB extends equally to education. With a thriving dance school and an award winning Mexican folk dance outreach program, ASFB serves more than 500 children in Colorado and New Mexico. In 2010, ASFB directors Tom Mossbrucker and Jean-Philippe Malaty were honored by The Joyce Theater Foundation in New York City for creating this innovative model for an American dance institution.

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet appeals, with its adventurous repertoire and the inspiring landscapes of its home communities, as a gathering place for the finest dancers and choreographers in the world. Never forgetting its deep roots in the creative and historic wealth of these majestic and awe-inspiring communities, the organization remains deeply committed to expanding and enriching the world of dance. With its fusion of classical good sense and western ingenuity, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet blends the best of both worlds to create a dance company that is truly unique.

Bebe Schweppe, Founder. Schweppe grew up in Augusta, Ga., and started dancing at the Georgia Dance Theatre, under Frankie Levy at the age of seven. She was invited by Robert Joffrey to study at his school in New York on a full scholarship at age eleven. Schweppe moved to Aspen in 1975 and fifteen years later founded the Aspen Ballet School. Her presence was a catalyst in the region. In 1996, she invited Jean-Philippe Malaty and Tom Mossbrucker to develop a small professional company in Aspen. Through their combined energies, the Aspen Ballet Company was born a year later. Shortly after, new performing opportunities beckoned in Santa Fe, upon which the company was renamed Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. Schweppe speaks with pride when she considers the changes that have occurred over the years to her "baby". "The Company has evolved to having earned a name of its own - ASFB. It is recognized by other artists and respected by all. This is of course due in large part to Jean-Philippe and Tom." She cites that "their strength has been in their unique ability to perceive and design a repertoire that entertains all parts, whether it's the audience or the dancer." Tom and Jean-Philippe have ‘greatly succeeded' in realizing her dreams for the company, she says. "I am thankful that I had the dream and was lucky and persistent enough to convince JP and Tom to relocate from New York City. Never did I imagine that one day the company would be performing nationally and internationally and never did I imagine that one day they would be performing works by internationally famous choreographers. Although I had the dream, I never imagined so much. I feel very lucky."

Jean-Philippe Malaty, Executive Director. Malaty has been instrumental in building Aspen Santa Fe Ballet from the ground up. He was born in the Basque region of France, and is now a United States citizen. After receiving his degree in dance, he accepted scholarships to train at Europe's prestigious Mudra (Maurice Béjart's school in Brussels) and John Cranko's ballet school in Stuttgart. At the invitation of David Howard, Jean-Philippe traveled to America to train at the David Howard Dance Center in New York City. He then performed soloist roles as guest artist with various companies throughout the U.S., including Joffrey II, Los Angeles Classical Ballet, Ballet Hispanico of New York, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. He is in great demand as a guest teacher and has taught at schools and universities throughout the country. Malaty is dedicated to asserting the prominence of the arts in the West, spearheading initiatives to bring dance into the community, and fostering programs that introduce children to the arts. He continues to provide invaluable creative assistance in all facets of the company's operations. Malaty is equally proud to have forged a company based on an American ideal of energy, invention, popularity, eclecticism, and precision in what's been called the "all star, no star" system. "Dance is a celebration of the human spirit, and not a celebration of steps. Here at Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, we foster the spirit and the love of dance." In 2010, Malaty received Joyce Theater Foundation award in recognition of his contribution to the field of dance.

Tom Mossbrucker, Artistic Director. Mossbrucker began his dance training at age four, studying tap in his hometown of Tacoma, Wash. He studied ballet in New York City at the School of American Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet School. He began his career dancing with Joffrey II before
joining the main company, The Joffrey Ballet, where he performed as principal dancer to great acclaim in over 70 ballets. He has danced ballets by some of the world's greatest choreographers including Twyla Tharp, William Forsythe, Ji?í Kylián, John Cranko, Fredrick Ashton, Agnes De Mille, Jose Limon, Paul Taylor and George Balanchine, and was lauded for his work in Moor's Pavane, in which he played Iago, and Billboards, a full-length rock ballet set to music by Prince. He also danced with the Atlanta Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Mossbrucker serves on the boards of Dance/USA, and The Gerald Arpino and Robert Joffrey Foundation. In 2010 Mossbrucker received The Joyce Theater Foundation award in recognition of his contribution to the field of dance. Following in the tradition of Robert Joffrey, Mossbrucker is dedicated to presenting an eclectic repertoire, and committed to acquiring new works that persistently challenge, enliven and educate both audiences and the company dancers. Building relationships with choreographers has become a hallmark of the company. "We strive for continuity and enjoy bringing choreographers back to create second and third works...to us that is success."

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