Ballet22 to Present MOMENTUM This Month

Ballet22, a groundbreaking dance company presenting works that break gender normative traditions in the classical repertoire, announces Momentum, an evening of mixed repertory, July 28-29 at San Francisco's Z Space.  With a clear mission to create equal representation in the professional ballet field for men, mxn, transgender, and non-binary artists, the program includes excerpts from Petipa's Sleeping Beauty and La Bayadère, Lullaby solo from Blake Works II by William Forsythe, Pink or Blue by Lydia Sakolsky-Basquill, and world premieres by Lorris Eichinger and Thang Dao.

Empowering both LGBTQ+ artists and audiences to feel seen and represented, the season celebrates strength, vulnerability and authenticity with both classical and contemporary works that deconstruct tradition and redefine what it is to be a ballet dancer “en pointe” through a new and progressive lens.  This season's impressive roster of diverse and notable barrier breaking artists add to the authenticity of the company's mission: Daniel R. Durrett, a Boston Ballet artist who transitions seamlessly between princely roles and pointe shoes, Ashton Edwards and Zsilas Michael Hughes, the first non-binary artists to dance traditionally female roles at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Maxfield Haynes who made history as the first male presenting artist to perform en pointe on the Metropolitan Opera stage, Sacramento Ballet's Victor Maguad, Trevor Williams, a former dancer with Charlotte Ballet, and Ballet22's founding member Duane Gosa. The company delves into classical partnering, dynamics, and gender roles through three distinct interpretations of the classical lead role of Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. Alongside this, they incorporate the presence of precious stone fairies—Gold, Diamond, Sapphire, and Emerald—who juxtapose the undulating and contemporary movement style of William Forsythe.

The company will also present The Kingdom of the Shades-- the most celebrated and enduring passage from La Bayadere, while Sakolsky-Basquill 's contemporary duet explores gender roles with a more literal roadmap in Pink or Blue. Dao's new work Etudes is a collection of solos, duets, and larger ensembles focused on movement liberation from the gender framing of ballet, and Eichinger's premiere set to Chopin, depicts a group of queer individuals helping each other to stand, dance, and fly, through tender and playful moments of partnering.

Since its founding, Ballet22 has commissioned eleven new ballets that contribute to representation in the ballet world. Named by Dance Magazine as “25 to Watch,” the company continues to prioritize commissioning works that bring inclusion to the LGBTQ+ community and experience in ballet. Under the leadership of Theresa Knudson and a diverse and dynamic Artistic Advisory Council, the company continues to expand its relationships with queer artists and creatives, marking this season as its largest program yet.

PERFORMANCE and VENUE INFORMATION

 Momentum will take place on Friday, July 28, and Saturday July 29 at 8: 00p.m PST at Z Space, located at 450 Florida Street in San Francisco.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets to Momentum are $35, $50, and $100 and available online at http://www.zspace.org/momentum.

ABOUT BALLET22

Founded in 2020 by Roberto Vega Ortiz and Theresa Knudson, Ballet22 exists to push the boundaries of what is possible in ballet by focusing on producing works that break gender normative traditions, specifically by presenting mxn and non-binary dancers en pointe. Ballet22 focuses on commissioning works that bring LGBTQIA+ experiences and representation to the ballet stage.

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