Ballet BC Launches 2018/19 Season

 

Ballet BC is proud to announce its 2018/19 season marking its 33^rd Anniversary and Artistic Director Emily Molnar’s 10^th year with the company.   Three programs include world premieres and international choreographers showcasing unique artistic voices In dance today. Passionate and distinctly talented, our company of dancers captivate audiences on home, national and global stages. This exciting season opens with returning audience favourite, Petite Cérémonie by Medhi Walerski, Emily Molnar’s new creation for Ballet BC and the Canadian premiere of Enemy in the Figure by the iconic William Forsythe. Program 2 brings you Jorma Elo’s critically acclaimed 1st Flash, the first North American commission by emerging choreographer Adi Salant and the highly anticipated return of Schachmatt by Cayetano Soto. Ballet BC closes the season with the North American premiere of Bedroom Folk by Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar, a world premiere by Vancouver-based dance maker Serge Bennathan and the return of Ohad Naharin’s renowned Minus 16.

 

To celebrate the holidays in December, Ballet BC presents Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Nutcracker. A favourite with Vancouver audiences, Ballet BC is excited for the return of this charming Canadian retelling of this beloved holiday classic.

 

“Entering my 10th year as Artistic Director, we are excited to offer you a season featuring some of today’s most distinctive choreographic voices that celebrate the past decade and propel us forward with new momentum.  In every aspect, we are strengthening our collaborative commitment to how we make and share our work. Reflecting on the change and growth over the last ten years, I feel great pride and gratitude. It is with curiosity and dedication that we strive to cultivate a presence and relevance for dance as a cultural leader in society as we continue our meaningful conversation with you.” — Emily Molnar, Artistic Director

 

In 2018/19 we look forward to deepening our connection and engagement with audiences in Vancouver and around the world. More than ever, our work is the direct result of a collective effort in making art that brings together ideas that are shaping new perspectives on dance. Join us for a season that will bring a sense of wonder and focus to the breadth of Ballet BC’s collaborations and artistic vision.

 

About Ballet BC
Combining classical integrity with a contemporary sensibility, Ballet BC is a creation-based company of talented dancers from Canada and around the world that is committed to exploration and collaboration in contemporary dance. Solidly grounded in the rigour and artistry of classical ballet, with an emphasis on innovation and the immediacy of the 21^st century, the Company presents a distinct and diverse repertoire of the most sought-after Canadian and international contemporary ballet choreography. Ballet BC continues its commitment to perform highly acclaimed productions on regional, national and international tours in addition to its regular performance season at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver.

 

For more information, visit balletbc.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @balletbc.

 

 

BALLET BC’S 2018/19 SEASON

Program 1

Ballet BC

November 1-3, 2018, 8:00pm

“It’s exhilarating to see the confidence with which Vancouver-based Ballet British Columbia takes the stage.” –The Guardian

 

Building on the past decade, we open the 2018/19 season with an evening of riveting works by leading voices in dance. Following the success of Romeo + Juliet, we are delighted to bring you returning favourite, Petite Cérémonie, by Medhi Walerski. Emily Molnar premieres a new work infusing her driving choreographic style with the rhythm of the blues. We close the program with the Canadian premiere of William Forsythe’s ground-breaking Enemy in the Figure.

 

World Premiere – Ballet BC 2011

Humorous and thought provoking, Petite Cérémonie is a dazzling showcase of movement and ideas that features the talents of our company of artists. Commissioned for Ballet BC in 2011, Walerski creates a sensitive and episodic dialogue about relationships inspired by the concept of ‘life in a box.’ He is known for creations that are “out of this world…a dreamlike experience.”

 

World Premiere

To celebrate her 10th season as Artistic Director, Emily Molnar collaborates with the artists of Ballet BC to create a daring yet intimate landscape that brings her signature expressive style in conversation with the rhythm of the blues. With each of her new works there lies a boldness in craft and a deep sense of connection between the idea and the artist: “The choreographic process continues to enthrall and humble me with each and every attempt.”

 

Canadian Premiere

William Forsythe continues to galvanize the dance world with his innovative thinking: “if dance only does what we assume it can do, it will expire.” Created in 1989, Enemy in the Figure pushed 20th century contemporary ballet to new extremes. A dynamic theatrical display, chaos edges on the unknown as shadow images unexpectedly emerge against the driving score by long-time collaborator, Dutch composer Thom Willems. Ballet BC is proud to bring this thrilling masterwork to Vancouver.

 

Program 2

Ballet BC

February 28 – March 2, 2019, 8:00pm

 

“Cultivating a new landscape of ballet.” –New York Times

 

Come and experience a captivating night of dance. Jorma Elo’s gripping 1st Flash returns to Vancouver, followed by a world premiere by the fresh choreographic voice of Adi Salant. The evening ends with Schachmatt—a whimsical game between the mind and the heart—by critically acclaimed choreographer, Cayetano Soto.

 

Ballet BC Premiere – 2011

Originally commissioned for Nederlands Dans Theater in 2003, we are excited to bring back Jorma Elo’s riveting sensory experience 1st Flash. This “virtuosic mind-blower” premiered in Vancouver in 2011 and was an immediate success. An ambitious piece set to Jean Sibelius’ inspired violin concerto, six dancers create harmony of sound and movement as the music interrupts their silence and charges it with beauty and musicality.

 

World Premiere

Former Co-Artistic Director of Batsheva Dance Company, Adi Salant, delivers a mesmerizing world with her choreography. Anchored by a deep sense of presence, her compelling work balances explosive physicality and a delicate sensibility of the unpredictable. Ballet BC is honoured to be the first company in North America to commission a new creation by this powerful, emerging dance maker.

 

World Premiere – Ballet BC 2016

Wonderfully amusing, Schachmatt builds on Soto’s applauded Conrazoncorazon, created in 2015 for the Theaterhaus Stuttgart/Gauthier Dance Company. Filling the senses with delight, vibrant movement along with eccentric jockey-esque costumes, a nostalgic score and inspired lighting integrate his vision and talents as choreographer, costume and lighting designer. An undeniable “nonstop parade of fun” from an important voice in international dance.

 

Program 3

Ballet BC

May 9 -11, 2019, 8:00pm

 

“Ballet BC is physically rigorous, dramatically solid, and truly contemporary.” –Dance Magazine

 

Revel in spring with an evening of dynamic works for our season closer. Collaborators Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar return to captivate audiences with the North American premiere of Bedroom Folk, an electric mix of music, dance and light. The program continues with a world premiere by Vancouver-based artist Serge Bennathan—a significant voice in Canadian dance. We end this celebratory season with the much-anticipated return of Ohad Naharin’s playful Minus 16.

 

North American Premiere

From collaborators Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar, Ballet BC is eager to bring the North American premiere of Bedroom Folk to Vancouver. Intensely cool, a house beat pulses through an intoxicating space as dancers move in hypnotic synchronicity. Bedroom Folk showcases the raw and absorbing choreographic vision of these talented international collaborators.

 

World Premiere

Vancouver-based Serge Bennathan has made an indelible mark on Canadian dance with his commitment to making work that goes “back to a rougher artistry.” Set to an original score by Montréal-based composer and collaborator Bertrand Chénier, this world premiere fuses music and movement into an intricate conversation of poetic depth. With two previous commissions for Ballet BC, we are thrilled to once again collaborate with this extraordinary creator.

 

Ballet BC Premiere – 2017

An instant sensation with Ballet BC audiences in 2017, Minus 16 by acclaimed choreographer and Artistic Director of Batsheva Dance Company, Ohad Naharin, has been enthralling audiences around the globe since 1999. With an eclectic score ranging from Dean Martin to mambo to techno to traditional Israeli music, each evening will bring a surprising originality that makes each performance unique—an unforgettable work to close a remarkable season.

 

Guest Performance

Royal Winnipeg Ballet

Nutcracker

December 7 -9, 2018:  Dec 7, 7:30pm; Dec 8 & 9. 6:30pm; Dec 8 & 9, 1:00pm

 

To celebrate the holidays, Ballet BC presents Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Nutcracker. A favourite with Vancouver audiences, Ballet BC is excited for the return of this charming Canadian retelling of this beloved holiday classic. Set in 1913 and danced to Tchaikovsky’s glorious music, this heart-warming ballet is full of surprises, including a snowy pond hockey game and a battle on Parliament Hill. Enchanting costumes and set design will delight audiences with its sparkle, beauty and endearing Canadiana. Treat your family to the joy, excitement and unforgettable adventure of Nutcracker this festive season!

 

All performances are at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Season subscriptions will be on sale soon, and single tickets go on sale September 4, 2018. For more detailed information, visit balletbc.com.