Nashville Ballet To Have UK Debut At BALLET NIGHTS In September

NASHVILLE BALLET is to make its highly-anticipated UK debut at Ballet Nights 006 at Cadogan Hall on September 4th.  

A brand new duet, ‘LETO’, created and choreographed by company CEO and Artistic Director, Nick Mullikin, will be performed by two of Nashville Ballet’s most popular dancers, Sarah Pierce and James Lankford (Left: photo by MA2LA) to a score by Maurice Ravel which will be performed live by Ballet Nights’ in-house pianist, Viktor Erik Emanuel.

Says Jamiel Devernay-Laurence, Ballet Nights Founder & Artistic Director said, “It is a huge honour to be entrusted with the very first London staging of a performance by Nashville Ballet; I think Cadogan Hall audiences are going to love Nick Mullikin’s duet ‘Leto’ that will be performed by two of Nashville Ballet’s amazing dancers. Our virtuoso Ballet Nights pianist Viktor Erik Emanuel will accompany the dancers on Cadogan Hall’s Steinway with the lyrical piece, ‘Jeux d’eau’ by French composer Maurice Ravel. 

“This exciting new development in partnering with Nashville Ballet at Cadogan Hall is also a statement of intent for Ballet Nights vision to create a free flowing exchange of essential international voices for our audiences here in the UK, and for our developing audiences globally.”

“Nashville Ballet is incredibly excited to partner with Ballet Nights for our London debut and our first return overseas in over 20 years," says Nashville Ballet Artistic Director and CEO Nick Mullikin. "Hearing Jamiel’s vision to programme ballet and dance, that speaks to everyone and gives people access to the art form we know can inspire our communities, was like hearing our mission reflected back to us. This programme aligns perfectly with what we try to do: tell stories through movement that inspire people to be the best version of themselves. We hope that this is just the start of our partnership.

“’LETO’, which will premiere at Ballet Nights, is inspired by the poem of Henri de Régnier that Maurice Ravel gave homage to when he wrote the magical piece that we’ll be hearing.”

BALLET NIGHTS – THE CADOGAN HALL CONCERT is chockful of the biggest stars from the worlds of ballet, contemporary dance, music, and spoken word.  Not only will the evening present Nashville Ballet’s thrilling UK debut but also the return to the stage of the legendary Royal Ballet Principal, Steven McRae. 

A slew of global superstars and award-winners including Constance Devernay-Laurence, Sangeun Lee, Gareth Haw, Jonzi D, Joy Womack, Pett|Clausen-Knight as well as emerging artists from Rambert School will wow audiences at Cadogan Hall in a programme of classical and contemporary ballet, tap, poetry and live music.

• Steven McRae, (photo left by Mich Rose) Principal of the Royal Ballet will perform his virtuoso tap solo ‘Czárdás’ with the internationally renowned violinist CHARLIE SIEM and pianist CAROLINE JAYA RATNAM
• The award-winning former Scottish Ballet Principal CONSTANCE DEVERNAY-LAURENCE, (photo below by Deborah Jaffe) on a break from filming the new American TV drama series ÉTOILE, will perform a new commission by choreographer JORDAN JAMES BRIDGE
• PETT|CLAUSEN KNIGHT have created a new piece to be danced by JAMES PETT with Company Wayne McGregor star REBECCA BASSETT-GRAHAM
• SANGEUN LEE & GARETH HAW – Principals of ENB – will bring their duet magic to the White Swan Pas de Deux from Swan Lake (photo left by Deborah Jaffe) while ENB colleagues JULIA CONWAY & Miguel Angel MAIDANA will delight audiences with some cha cha cha!  Oh yes!
• BALLET NIGHTS continues its innovative programming with debuts from:
  JONZI D, world renowned MC, dance innovator and spoken word legend
  American ballet and former Bolshoi star JOY WOMACK
  Award-winning contemporary dance company JAMES WILTON DANCE
  Audiovisual artist and singer MADIL HARDIS
• VIKTOR ERIK EMANUEL (Left: photo by Deborah Jaffe) will perform various pieces including Ravel’s ‘Jeux d’eau’ for NASHVILLE BALLET. 
  Says Viktor: “Ravel explores a universe of colour and moods in this joyous work through his incredible pianistic ingenuity.  A quote by the French symbolist poet, Henri de Régnier, on the first page of the score sets the tone: ‘The river god laughing as the water tickles him’.”
• Set in the heart of Chelsea, Cadogan Hall is one of London’s leading venues for music and live performances.  The Hall’s excellent acoustics, superb stage, high-end technical support, exemplary sightlines and all-round luxurious surroundings appealed to Ballet Nights Artistic Director, Jamiel Devernay-Laurence:  “I’m always on the hunt for somewhere different and unexpected for BALLET NIGHTS’ next programme of dance and music.  Following our successful foray to the legendary MINISTRY OF SOUND in May, CADOGAN HALL is absolutely the right venue for our autumn programme and our next step.”

BALLET NIGHTS 006 - THE CADOGAN HALL CONCERT

4th September 2024 - PROGRAMME:

Part 1:

Chopin Ballade No. 1 in G Minor
Pianist: Viktor Erik Emanuel
*****

Ballet Nights New Commission
Danced by Constance Devernay-Laurence
Choreographed by Jordan James Bridge
*****

‘Tanzt’
Danced By Rebecca Bassett-Graham & James Pett
Composer and Singer Madil Hardis
Lyricist Veronica Furman
Choreography by PETT|CLAUSEN-KNIGHT
*****

Ballet Nights New Commission
Danced by Joy Womack
Music by Viktor Erik Emanuel
Choreographed by Constant Vigier
Composer: tbc
*****

‘Set Fast’
Danced by:  Amari Webb-Martin, Evie-Leigh Savage, Lottie Hawkins
Matthew Potulski, Jemima Sparrow, Phoebe Dowglass and Rory Clarke
Choreographed by Grace O’Brien
Composer Zoe Keating
With thanks to Rambert School of Ballet & Contemporary Dance
*****

White Swan pas de deux: Act II, ‘Swan Lake’
Performed by: Sangeun Lee & Gareth Haw
Choreographer: Marius Petipa
Composer: Tchaikovsky
With thanks to English National Ballet
*****

INTERVAL
_________________________________

Part 2

Gaspard De La Nuit, M. 55: I. Ondine
Pianist: Viktor Erik Emanuel
Composer Maurice Ravel
*****

‘Cha Cha and Tiara’
Performed by Julia Conway & Miguel Angel Maidana
Choreographed by Rentaro Nakaaki
Composer Xavier Cugat & His Orchestra 
Costume by Rentaro Nakaaki
*****

‘If’
Performed by Alexander Fadayiro & Jonzi D
Choreographed by Jamiel Devernay-Laurence
Poem by Rudyard Kipling
*****

‘Leto’
Performed by Nashville Ballet
Choreographed by Nick Mullikin
Composer Maurice Ravel
Pianist Viktor Erik Emanuel
Dancers: Sarah Pierce and James Lankford 
*****

‘The Four Seasons/Summer’
Choreographed and Danced by Sarah Jane Taylor and James Wilton
Composed by Max Richter
Design & Costume by Vibeke Andersen
Created with support from Dance East and Arts Council England.
*****

‘Czárdás’
Choreographed & Performed by Steven McRae
Violin Charlie Siem               Piano Caroline Jaya Ratnam
*****

Compère:         Jamiel Devernay-Laurence

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