Boulder Ballet -- Les Sylphides, May 17-19, 2024

2023/24 WINTER/SPRING

MINDFIELD

March 8–10

Dairy ARTS Center

BBS STORYBOOK BALLET:

THE WIZARD OF OZ

April 20–21

Dairy ARTS Center

LES SYLPHIDES

May 17–19

Dairy ARTS Center

BALLET IN THE PARK

June 1–2

Boulder Bandshell

May 31

Civic Green Park in Highlands Ranch

Photo: Amanda Tipton

INVITES YOU TO

Dwell in Possibility

Take your mind & heart to new places with BETC’s 18th season of live theatre!

OCT. 26-NOV. 19

NOV. 22-26 by Matt Zambrano & Frank Oden

DEC. 7-31

NOV. 22-26

JAN. 26-FEB. 11 & MAY 3-19

Time Travel Back to the 30’s and 40’s Radio Era Directed by

Libby Zambrano & Matt Zambrano

Welcome to our Season

Dear Boulder Ballet Community,

Boulder Ballet has stepped into our 41st season with a beautiful lineup of programming planned. We are delighted to share the impact of dance with you, our beloved community and audience. Thank you for your ongoing dedication to the arts and for continuing to support live dance!

Our season AMPLIFY, is dedicated to promoting wellness through the transformative lens of dance. Throughout the spring, we are delighted to present a diverse array of programs including classics by internationally acclaimed artists and groundbreaking original works crafted by esteemed choreographers. Boulder Ballet takes pride in curating a season that not only showcases the artistry of dance but also prioritizes and amplifies the importance of wellness, featuring some of the nation’s most influential artists.

Central to our season is the ongoing dialogue surrounding the impact of dance on mental health and wellness. Notably, our receipt of the “What’s Your Peace” award from Mental Health Colorado has been a defining moment, introducing one of the cornerstones of our season, MINDFIELD

MINDFIELD is an exploration into the innovative intersection of arts and neurosciences, with the objective of deepening our understanding of dance’s influence on mental health. Featuring original choreography by Brandon Ragland, Andrea Schermoly, and Ben Needham-Wood, this premiere production, in collaboration with CU Boulder’s Department of Psychology and Mental Health Colorado, seeks to shape policy and advocate for the arts as a direct contributor to mental health support.

Join us in May for the premiere of our classical program, showcasing works by Christopher Wheeldon, Val Caniparoli, and Michael Smuin. This show promises to be one of transcendence, offering a captivating experience for all attendees. Additionally, we welcome you at our annual spring gala, May 2 — an event not to be missed, and lastly Ballet In The Park brings families together to close the season.

Our talented and dedicated students will take the stage in The Wizard of Oz from April 20-21 at The Dairy ARTS Center. This production promises magic and enjoyment for the entire family, as we navigate through the familiar narrative with unique twists and turns, witnessing Dorothy and Toto seek their home while making new friends along the way.

In closing, I would like to take a moment to honor the life and significant contributions of Barbara Demaree, a co-founder of Boulder Ballet. Instrumental in shaping the organization we hold dear today, Barbara’s contributions to the field of dance will be cherished and we celebrate her life and body of work that has touched so many of our lives.

Here’s to the unifying power of dance.

Warmly,

Claudia Anata Hubiak, Executive Director

Photo: Amanda Tipton

Boulder Ballet Presents 23/24 Season

BOULDER BALLET SPRING GALA

May 2, Dairy ARTS Center

Boulder Ballet presents the AMPLIFY Gala, an evening of dance, fundraising, and celebration highlighting: art, wellness, and connection. Enjoy wine, cocktails, deliciously curated small plates, live & silent auctions, and of course DANCE! You won’t want to miss this one-of-a-kind event. Formal attire is encouraged!

LES SYLPHIDES

May 17–19, Dairy ARTS Center

Our spring production will deliver an evening of transcendence. We invite you to enjoy works by world-renown, classically-based choreographers Christopher Wheeldon, Val Caniparoli and Michael Smuin. A special treat –join us for a new take on the classic Les Sylphides by Artistic Director Ben Needham-Wood.

BALLET IN THE PARK

June 1–2, Boulder Bandshell

May 31, Civic Green Park in Highlands Ranch

As we head into the warmer months, Boulder Ballet is excited to revive this family-friendly performance at the iconic outdoor venue, the Glen Huntington Bandshell. Experience a mixed repertoire program, presenting a collection of short works that highlight the diverse range of ballet and showcase the remarkable performances from throughout the season.

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The arts inspire life. And AdventHealth wants you to live a long one. That’s why we provide a connected network of care — from hospitals and urgent care centers to physicians and specialists — close to home and where you work. Because having a healthy body, mind and spirit allows us all to be at our creative best.

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Company & School

2590 Walnut Street, Suite 10 Boulder, CO 80302

303.443.0028

www.boulderballet.org

ARTISTIC STAFF

Ben Needham-Wood, Artistic Director

Melissa Halpin, Rehearsal Assistant

Makaila Wallace, Rehearsal Assistant

Company Class Teachers: Andrea Basile, Ana Claire, Lizanne McAdams-Graham, Makaila Wallace

Samantha Fruhwirth, Interim Costume Shop Manager

Sadie Needham-Wood, Artistic Consultant

COMPANY DANCERS

Kelly Dornan, Gianna Forte, Carly Hambridge, Catherine Lasak, Emma Michaux, Philip Perez, Morgan Rust

BOULDER BALLET SCHOOL

Andrea Basile, School Director

Laura Malpass, Assistant School Director

Faculty: Ana Claire, Celia Grannum Perarnaud, Melissa Halpin, Eva Hegge Wilder, Maddie James, Veronica Lemberger, Emma Michaux, Ben Needham-Wood, Rain Peruggi, Rebeca

Ramirez Vargas, Jarrett Rashad, Lauren Russel, Lauren Saylor, Makaila Wallace.

BOULDER BALLET ADMINISTRATION

Claudia Anata Hubiak, Executive Director

Leah Woods, Grants Manager

Leah Colby Alexis, Development Director

Wendy Timmermans, Marketing Director

Beth Litz, Office Manager & BBS Registrar

Kelly Dornan, Marketing Associate

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Emily Greenberg (Chair)

Stacy Gilbert (Treasurer)

Adriana Llewellyn

Brittany Ceres

Brandon Lundell

Veronica Lemberger

Alyah Baker

Vivian Kim

Claudia Anata Hubiak (ex-officio)

Ben Needham-Wood (ex-officio)

Andrea Basile (ex-officio)

Leah Colby Alexis (ex-officio)

ADVISORY BOARD

Kathleen Alt

Amy Britton

Kylie Crandall

PARTNERS OF BOULDER BALLET

Jeff Rushnak, Technical Director (on Tour)

Craig Bushman, Technical Director (Dairy ARTS Center)

Heather Karimi, Jennifer Ford Dorish, Julia Weidle, Boulder Ballet Guild

Amy Kenney, Boulder Body Wear

Lynn Flynn, CPA, Accounting

Mental Health Colorado

Photo by Amanda Tipton

About Boulder Ballet

We believe dance offers a life-altering impact on those who engage with its expressive depth and experience its transformative power.

Boulder Ballet, a classical and contemporary ballet company with a uniquely theatrical approach, has entertained Boulder audiences for 41 years. Devoted to celebrating the artistry, passion and joy of dance, Boulder Ballet is Boulder County’s foremost professional dance company and ballet school.

Since its founding, the professional company has been led by notable former dancers, including Miljenko Banovic (formerly of Zagreb Ballet), Robin Haig (formerly of the Royal Ballet), John Prinz (formerly of American Ballet Theatre), Peter Davison, Ana Claire, and Lance Hardin. In the 2022-23 season, we warmly welcomed Ben Needham-Wood, as our Artistic Director, marking an exciting new chapter in our commitment to artistic excellence.

Photo by Amanda Tipton

Support Boulder Ballet

in 2024 and beyond as we celebrate our 41st Season

Whether you are an individual, associated with a small business or with a large corporation, Boulder Ballet values your support! We are raising funds to support our mission of delivering excellence in artistic expression, igniting a passion for dance through cutting-edge performance, high-caliber training, inclusivity, and community outreach.

Will you help Boulder Ballet build the foundation of our next great chapter so that we can keep bringing the art of dance to our community?

When you give, your generous and tax-deductible donation to Boulder Ballet directly impacts our school, programs, and dancers.

For more information on ways to support Boulder Ballet, planned giving or corporate sponsorship please contact: Leah Colby Alexis, Development Director, leah@boulderballet.org or 303-443-0028 ext 2

*Please Note: We are happy to customize your support opportunities. All can be billed monthly, quarterly or annually.

Contact us to have an arborist come out to consult with you about your trees (and other plant life).

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Welcome

Thank you all for joining us for Boulder Ballet’s final performances of our 2023/24 season! It has been an incredible year, and this program feels like the perfect way to celebrate the artistry and athleticism that has blossomed here in Boulder. Featuring a series of duets from some of the world’s most iconic choreographers, live music, the historic ballet Les Sylphides, and special guest performances - it’s a truly unique program with something special for everyone.

Before moving to Colorado I was proud to enjoy a fulfilling performance career with Smuin Contemporary Ballet in San Francisco, CA. We performed many of Michael Smuin’s works during my time in the company, and one of them was Bouquet. The pas de deux is tender, yet demanding, and gives our artists space to connect to one another with sensitivity. Another choreographer heavily featured in our repertoire at Smuin was Val Caniparoli. His duet, Double Stop, is an intense duet that pushes the athleticism of our dancers. It requires precision while stretching artists beyond their comfort zones into something exciting and new.

After a momentary pause the performance continues with two duets by Christopher Wheeldon, both of which will be accompanied by live music. Wheeldon is one of the most iconic choreographers of our time, and I could not be more grateful to Mark and Jamie Ragan for helping to bring these works to Boulder. The first duet is from a wonderfully theatrical ballet, Carousel, highlighting the character and nuance of Boulder Ballet’s dancers. The second work, After the Rain, is arguably one of Wheeldon’s most celebrated creations. We are honored to have internationally celebrated guest artists Victoria Jaiani and Dylan Gutierrez share this work with us.

The final ballet on our program is the historic, Les Sylphides. There are few ballets that really capture a moment in time and preserve the artistic ideals that made that moment so compelling. Originally created in 1909, this was a time of artistic exploration that allowed people to dream simply for the sake of dreaming. Les Sylphides centers on a poet in the woods surrounded by sylphs, and we, the audience, get to feel that dream-like quality without the need to define it. It’s a beautiful journey that the Boulder Ballet dancers have embodied with tremendous care and reverence.

It has been a joy to share another wonderful season with you all here in Boulder. I hope you’ll join us for Ballet In the Park as we close out our 2023/24 season at the Boulder Bandshell, and I can not wait to continue celebrating the awesome athletic art of dance with you all in 2024/25. Cheers, and enjoy the performance!

Warmest regards,

Ben Needham-Wood

Photo: Maximillian Tortoriello

Program Credits

Friday at 7:00 PM, Saturday at 2:00 PM*

Saturday at 7:00 PM Sunday at 2:00 PM**

Artistic Director: Ben Needham-Wood

Executive Director: Claudia Anata Hubiak

Rehearsal Assistant: Sadie Brown, Melissa Halpin, Makaila Wallace

Company Class Teachers: Andrea Basile, Ana Claire, Lizanne McAdams-Graham, Makaila Wallace

Artistic Consultant: Sadie Brown

Boulder Ballet is grateful to Maiqui Minosa for supporting this production as a special guest teacher and coach.

Bouquet

Music Dmitri Shostakovich “Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Major, Op. 102: II. Andante Choreography by Michael Smuin

Staged by Ben Needham-Wood

Original lighting design by Sara Linnie Slocum Costumes by Willa Kim

EMMA MICHAUX JONAH DELGADO* KELLY DORNAN MARK KRIEGER**

World Premiere 1981 by San Francisco Ballet.

Program Credits

Double Stop

Composer Philip Glass

Choreography Val Caniparoli

Lighting Design adapted by Ben Needham-Wood with Craig Bushman

Staging Ben Needham-Wood and Joanna Berman

MORGAN RUST

PHILIP PEREZ*

EMMA MICHAUX JONAH DELGADO**

World Premiere January 26, 2011

San Francisco Ballet 78th Anniversary Gala

War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, California

– SHORT PAUSE –

After

the Rain

Music Arvo Pärt “Spiegel Im Spiegel”

Performed live by Jaime Shaak (piano) and Jean Hatmaker (cello)

Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon

Lighting Design by Mark Stanley Costumes by Holly Hynes

Performed by guest artists from the Joffrey Ballet

World Premiere January 22, 2005, New York State Theater, New York, NY

After the Rain is sponsored by Mark Ragan, Managing Director of BETC (Boulder Ensemble Theater Company)

VICTORIA JAIANI DYLAN GUTIERREZ

Program Credits

Carousel

Music “Carousel Waltz”, “If I Loved You” (1945) Arranged and orchestrated by William David Brohn. Performed live by Angelique Scully

Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon

Lighting Design by Mark Stanley

Staging by Michele Gifford

Costumes by Holly Hynes

CARLY HAMBRIDGE MARK KRIEGER*

CATHERINE LASAK

PHILIP PEREZ**

World Premiere November 26, 2002, New York City Ballet, New York State Theater

– INTERMISSION –

Les Sylphides

Music by Alexander Glazunov “Chopiniana, Suite on Chopin’s Music, OP 46: II-VIII

Choreography by Ben Needham-Wood after Michel Fokine

PHILIP PEREZ GIANNA FORTE* with

Kelly Dornan, Catherine Lasak, Emma Michaux, and Morgan Rust

Boulder Ballet School dancers: Kailey Goldstrohm, Emily Madden, Gabby Muxima, Charlotte Stachniak *

JONAH DELGADO MORGAN RUST** with

Kelly Dornan, Gianna Forte, Carly Hambridge, and Catherine Lasak

Boulder Ballet School dancers: Kailey Goldstrohm, Emily Madden, Gabby Muxima, Charlotte Stachniak**

Choreographers

Michael Smuin

An American master, the late Michael Smuin began his career as a dancer performing with San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and on Broadway. A Tony and Emmy award-winning choreographer, Smuin brought a signature style to his work on stage, in film, and on television. A maverick, he fearlessly blended the theatrical with classical and popular styles, combining elements drawn from his vast stage experience. Smuin’s works continue to dazzle and entertain contemporary audiences. His company, Smuin, was founded in 1994 to showcase his creative versatility and unique vision. Smuin Contemporary Ballet maintains his legacy today.

Val Caniparoli

Val Caniparoi’s versatility has made him one of the most sought-after American choreographers internationally.

He is most closely associated with San Francisco Ballet, his artistic home for over 50 years. He first worked under the artistic directorship of Lew Christensen, and in the early 1980s, was appointed Resident Choreographer. He was appointed as a Ballet Master and Principal Character Dancer under Helgi Tomasson’s Artistic Directorship and continued to create such internationally performed works such as Lambarena, Ibsen’s House, Connotations, Aria, Double Stop, Hamlet & Ophelia and Pulcinella and is currently working with the company under the new Artistic Director leadership of Tamara Rojo.

Caniparoli has contributed to the repertoires of more than 60 companies, including Joffrey Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Scottish Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Kansas City Ballet, Boston Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Smuin Ballet, Alberta Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Northern Ballet Theatre, Pennsylvania Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Ballet West (resident choreographer 1993-97), Washington Ballet, Israel Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Singapore Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, State Theatre Ballet of South Africa, Alberta Ballet, and Tulsa Ballet (resident choreographer 2001-06). He has also choreographed for the Chicago Lyric Opera, San Francisco Opera, and The Metropolitan Opera and several occasions with the San Francisco Symphony. Choreography for the esteemed American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.), include A Christmas Carol, A Doll’s House, A Little Night Music, Arcadia, and the creation, with Carey Perloff, of a new movement-theater piece, Tosca Cafe. One of his most popular

ballets, Lambarena, was nominated for the Prix Benois de la Danse in 1997 for Best Choreography and was also featured on Sesame Street with dancers Lorena Feijoo and Lorna Feijoo. In 2015, Caniparoli co-choreographed, with Helgi Tomasson, a commercial for the 50th Anniversary Super Bowl with dancers from San Francisco Ballet.

Caniparoli’s full evening-length ballets include Lady of the Camellias, five different productions of The Nutcracker for Royal New Zealand Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and Tulsa Ballet (co-created with Ma Cong), Jekyll & Hyde for Finnish National Ballet and Val Caniparoli’s, A Cinderella Story choreographed to music of Richard Rodgers for Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

Born in Renton, Washington, Caniparoli opted for a professional dance career after studying music and theatre at Washington State University. He received a Ford Foundation Scholarship to attend San Francisco Ballet School. He performed with San Francisco Opera Ballet before joining San Francisco Ballet in 1973, where he continues to perform as a Principal Character Dancer.

Christopher Wheeldon

Christopher Wheeldon, OBE (Director & Choreographer) trained at The Royal Ballet School and joined The Royal Ballet in 1991. In 1993, he joined New York City Ballet and was promoted to Soloist in 1998. He was named NYCB’s first Resident Choreographer in July 2001. Since then, Mr. Wheeldon has created and staged productions for many of the world’s major ballet companies, San Francisco Ballet, The Bolshoi Ballet, The Mariinsky Ballet, The Paris Opera Ballet and Hamburg Ballet among others.

In 2007, Mr. Wheeldon founded Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company and was appointed an Associate Artist for Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London. Mr. Wheeldon now serves as Artistic Associate of The Royal Ballet. Mr. Wheeldon has created many works for the company, including the full-length Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Winter’s Tale, both of which were co-productions with The National Ballet of Canada. Like Water for Chocolate is his latest full-length ballet for The Royal Ballet which had its premiere in June 2022.

In 2012, his ballet Cinderella premiered at Het Nationale Ballet and is making its way to audiences worldwide. For the Metropolitan Opera, he choreographed Dance of the Hours for Ponchielli’s La Gioconda (2006) and Richard Eyre’s production of Carmen (2012)

Photo: Chris Hardy

Photo: Angela Sterling

Choreographers

as well as ballet sequences for the feature film Center Stage (2000) and the musical Sweet Smell of Success on Broadway (2002). Mr. Wheeldon created a special excerpt for the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics, and in April 2016, he was the Artistic Director for the Fashion Forward exhibition in Paris at La Musee Arts et Decoratif.

In 2014, Mr. Wheeldon directed and choreographed the Broadway musical version of An American in Paris, which had productions in Paris, New York, and London and has toured extensively through America, China, Japan and Australia. The Joffrey Ballet presented the world premiere in 2016 of The Nutcracker reimagined by Mr. Wheeldon and in 2017 he directed and choreographed Lerner & Loewe’s Brigadoon starring Kelli O’Hara and Patrick Wilson at New York City Center. 2019 saw the premiere of Corybantic Games at The Royal Ballet and a re-staged version of Cinderella for the English National Ballet at Royal Albert Hall. Most recently, MJ The Musical opened on Broadway winning four Tony Awards, including Best Choreography. It’s soon to begin its US Tour.

Among Mr. Wheeldon’s other awards are a Tony Award for Best Choreography for An American in Paris, an Outer Critics Award for Best Choreography and Direction for An American in Paris, the Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center, the American Choreography Award, the Dance Magazine Award, South Bank Show Award, multiple London Critics’ Circle Awards, and the Léonide Massine Prize for new choreography. Mr. Wheeldon’s

productions of Cinderella and The Winter’s Tale received the Benois de la Danse, and he is an Olivier Award winner for his ballets Aeternum for The Royal Ballet and Polyphonia for Morphoses. In 2016, Mr. Wheeldon was named an O.B.E. and was made an Honorary Fellow of American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Christopher is a dual citizen of the United States and the United Kingdom and resides in New York City with his husband, Ross Rayburn, and their dogs, Hattie and Theo.

Ben Needham-Wood

Ben Needham-Wood is an award-winning choreographer and nationally recognized dance educator. His creations have been presented nationally by professional companies, TV networks, commercial airlines, film festivals, and galas. In 2018, Ben and his long-time collaborator, Weston Krukow, co-created the dance film BaseBallet: Into the Game, which was awarded four regional EMMY Awards and recognized by film festivals across the country. This feature was preceded by the short film, BaseBallet, which was also recognized with a regional EMMY Award and was later exhibited at the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, NY. Ben has created works for such companies as Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, Bruce Wood Dance, Dance Aspen, Dance Theatre of San Francisco, Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami, Kansas City Ballet, the Louisville Ballet, National Choreographer’s Initiative, and Smuin Contemporary Ballet.

Company Dancers

KELLY DORNAN received early her training in central Maryland. In 2011, she attended The Washington School of Ballet on scholarship under the direction of Kee Juan Han. After graduation, Kelly trained on scholarship at Texas Ballet Theater School under Ben Stevenson, Charmaine Hunter, and Kathy Warakomsky, where she performed Ben Stevenson’s Dracula and Harald Lander’s Etudes with the company. In 2014, she joined Colorado Ballet’s Studio Company, where she performed in Christopher Wheeldon’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Balanchine’s Serenade, Derek Deane’s Romeo and Juliet, and Swan Lake. After joining Boulder Ballet, Kelly’s notable roles include Clara in The Nutcracker; Fast/Slow Duet in Paul Taylor’s Airs; Sidra Bell’s Developing Tongue; Amy Seiwert’s The Devil Ties My Tongue; Swan Lake’s Pas de Trois; Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Kelly joined Boulder Ballet in 2019. @kelly_dornan

GIANNA FORTE is originally from Easton, CT, and began her training with Connecticut Dance, New England Ballet Company, and the Studio at Ballet Etudes. In 2015, she began training privately with Christina Fagundas, former soloist with American Ballet Theatre. Gianna spent summers at ABT, Ballet West, Kaatsbaan, and The Washington School of Ballet where she joined The Professional Training Division under the direction of Xiomara Reyes in 2016. In 2018, Gianna was promoted to Trainee at The Washington Ballet and performed in Septime Weber’s The Nutcracker, John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet, Julie Kent’s The Sleeping Beauty, and rehearsed Julie Kent’s Swan Lake in April 2020. In her two seasons with the company, Gianna has enjoyed performing works by Ben NeedhamWood, Amy Seiwert, Gregory Dawson and Caili Quan. Gianna joined Boulder Ballet in 2021. @giannaforte

Photo: Maximillian Tortoriello

Company Dancers

CARLY HAMBRIDGE began dancing at age seven in Charlotte, NC and graduated from Butler University in 2014 with a BA in Dance Pedagogy with honors. Upon graduation, Carly joined Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s Graduate Program on scholarship, performing alongside the company. In 2015, she joined Nevada Ballet Theatre and then BalletMet 2 in 2016 performing works by George Balanchine, Edwaard Liang, James Canfield, and Michael Pink. Now, in her 7th season with Boulder Ballet, Carly has been featured in roles including Giselle, Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in works by Twyla Tharp, Christopher Wheeldon, Paul Taylor, Amy Seiwert, Gregory Dawson, Sidra Bell, Amy Hall Garner, Caili Quan, and Ben Needham-Wood. Additionally, Carly teaches ballet to dancers of all levels and is working towards her certification in the GYROTONIC® Method. Carly joined Boulder Ballet in 2017. @carly.sage

CATHERINE LASAK began dancing at the age of nine at the Judith Svalander School of Ballet in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Throughout high school she trained at Ballet Chicago and spent two summers at the School of American Ballet. Catherine received a full scholarship to study at Pacific Northwest Ballet in their Professional Division for the 2016–2017 season. She accepted an Apprentice position the following year at Grand Rapids Ballet. In 2018, she joined Cincinnati Ballet’s Second Company and, after two years, joined the main Company until the end of their 2022–2023 season. Mentionable roles include Val Caniparoli’s Ibsen’s House, Ohad Naharin’s Minus 16, and George Balanchine’s Square Dance and Who Cares?. She has always dreamed of living in Colorado and is delighted to call Boulder Ballet her home. Catherine joined Boulder Ballet in 2023. @_catlas

EMMA MICHAUX is a Colorado based ballet dancer. Emma has performed works including Christopher Wheeldon’s The American, and 5 movements 3 Repeats, Amy Seiwert’s The Devil Ties my Tongue, and Airs by Paul Taylor. In addition, she has premiered roles in works by Caili Quan, Amy Hall-Garner, Sidra Bell, Gregory Dawson, and Makino Hayashi. Some classical highlights include Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Sugarplum Fairy and Clara in The Nutcracker, Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, the Black Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake and the Diana and Acteon pas de deux. She has been a guest artist with BalletNEXT, Zikr Dance Ensemble, and Thomas Dance

Project. Michaux received her training with Colorado Ballet Society in Colorado Springs and attended programs at San Francisco Ballet, Kaatsbaan Extreme Ballet, and Texas Ballet Theatre. Emma joined Boulder Ballet in 2019. @emmamichaux

PHILIP GABRIEL PEREZ was born in Colombia, and raised in New York City. At age seven, he began classes at The JKO School of ABT, under Franco De Vita & Raymond Lukens. In 2010, Alexei Ratmansky cast him as the Young Prince in ABT’s new production of The Nutcracker, a role he reprised for three years. In 2015 he continued his training at Boston Ballet School under Peter Stark & Margaret Tracey. He then joined Nashville Ballet II under Paul Vasterling and danced company repertoire, including Balanchine works. In 2017 he joined Colorado Ballet’s Studio Company, dancing in company productions including works by Tharp & Tudor. At Miami IBC 2019, he was awarded second-place. He regularly appears as a guest artist with companies across the country. In addition, he’s ABT NTC certified, & enjoys teaching & sharing dance. Philip joined Boulder Ballet in 2018.

@philipgperez

MORGAN RUST began her training with the faculty of Indiana Ballet Conservatory and, after receiving multiple scholarships and winning Gold/ Silver medals at prestigious international ballet competitions, she completed her training at The Washington Ballet (TWB) on full scholarship. There, Ms. Rust had the privilege to dance with the company in The Sleeping Beauty, Serenade, Les Sylphides, and Giselle as well as perform numerous principal roles in TWB’s school performances. In 2021, Morgan joined Sarasota Ballet and danced Corps de Ballet and featured roles in many iconic works by George Balanchine, Frederick Ashton, Johan Kobborg, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, and had new works set on her and the company by esteemed choreographers. Ms. Rust is certified in the ABT® National Training Curriculum Pre-Primary through Level 5 and is a Certified Personal Trainer. Morgan joined Boulder Ballet in 2023. @morganpointeshoes

GUEST ARTISTS

GUEST DANCERS

JONAH DELGADO began his training at the Academy of Dance Arts in Chicago, IL, under the directorship of Ricky Ruiz. Prior to attending college, Jonah participated in summer intensives with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, American Ballet Theater, and River North Dance Chicago. He also guested with Visceral Dance Chicago under the guidance of Nick Pupillo. As a newly graduated alumnus of Marymount Manhattan College in New York City, he embarked on his professional journey with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet in Aspen, Colorado. In 2021, Jonah joined Ballet X in Philadelphia, PA, spending two seasons under the directorship of Christine Cox. Jonah’s most recent engagement was with Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin in Germany for the 2022/2023 season, where he performed numerous new works. In the fall of 2023, Jonah is excited to return to Aspen, CO, to join Dance Aspen.

DYLAN GUTIERREZ grew up in Van Nuys, California, and received his training at the Los Angeles Ballet Academy under the direction of his mother Andrea-Paris Gutierrez. In 2006, he was awarded a full scholarship to train at The Royal Ballet School in London. With the guidance of Gailene Stock, Gary Norman, and Meelis Pakri, he was offered a job as an apprentice with the San Francisco Ballet where he danced ballets such as The Four Temperaments and West Side Story Suite.

Since joining The Joffrey Ballet, Gutierrez has danced many roles in the Joffrey’s extensive repertory. Favorite roles danced include Death in The Green Table, Basilio in Don Quixote, Prince Siegfried in Christopher Wheeldon’s Swan Lake, Prince Albrecht in Giselle, Main Pas de Deux couple from Wayne McGregor’s INFRA, Sanguinic in George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments, and Justin Peck’s Year of the Rabbit and the Pas de Deux in The Times Are Racing.

Gutierrez has also been a part of several Joffrey world premiere roles including Buffalo Bill, and The Great Impresario in Christopher Wheeldon’s The Nutcracker, Vronsky in Yuri Possokhov’s Anna Karenina, Stone Furies in John Neumeier’s Orpheus and Eurydice, and most recently the role of Lennie in Cathy Marston’s Of Mice and Men, set to premiere in 2022.

Gutierrez is 1/3 part of the production company Action Lines, alongside fellow dancer Xavier Núñez and friend/writer Eric Grant.

Action Lines has created several original dance films for The Joffrey Ballet, including their inaugural project, an original installation for the 150 Media Stream titled Interim Avoidance.

VICTORIA JAIANA was born and raised in Tbilisi, Georgia, and began her training at the age of ten at V. Chabukiani Ballet School. She continued her studies in New York and in June 2003 was awarded a Bronze Medal at the New York International Ballet Competition.

Since joining the Joffrey, she has danced leading roles in many ballets, including Christopher Wheeldon’s Swan Lake (Odette-Odile), Stanton Welch’s La Bayadère (Nikia, Gamzati), Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella (Cinderella), Giselle (Giselle), John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet (Juliet), Yuri Possokhov’s Don Quixote (Kitri), Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow (Henna Glawari), Lar Lubovitch’s Othello (Desdemona), and the Sugar Plum Fairy in Robert Joffrey’s The Nutcracker

Jaiani originated the lead pas de deux in Edwaard Liang’s Age of Innocence and Woven Dreams; Possokhov’s Bells; Welch’s Son of Chamber Symphony; and James Kudelka’s Pretty BALLET. Other significant performances include George Balanchine’s Apollo (Terpsichore), Stravinsky Violin Concerto Aria II; Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain, Carousel (A Dance) (Julie); Wayne McGregor’s INFRA; Jiří Kylián’s Forgotten Land (Black pas) and Return to a Strange Land; William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated; Possokhov’s RAkU; Jerome Robbins’s In the Night (3rd pas) and Ballerina in The Concert (or, The Perils of Everybody); Justin Peck’s In Creases; Welch’s Maninyas; Antony Tudor’s Lilac Garden, Dark Elegies, and Operetta Star in Offenbach in the Underworld; Lar Lubovitch’s …smile with my heart; Frederick Ashton’s Monotones II; Gerald Arpino’s Sea Shadow, Round of Angels, Reflections, Kettentanz, Birthday Variations, and Viva Vivaldi; Nicolas Blanc’s Evenfall; and Alexander Ekman’s Tulle.

In 2010, Jaiani was featured on the cover of Dance Magazine and was named “Chicagoan of the Year” by the Chicago Tribune Arts Critic. In 2012, Today’s Chicago Woman named her one of Chicago’s top women in the arts. In 2013, Chicago Magazine named her “best dancer.”

Jaiani is married to retired Joffrey dancer Temur Suluashvili.

Guest appearances sponsored by BETC.

GUEST ARTISTS

MARK KRIEGER, a Virginia native, studied dance under Jefferson Baum at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. In 2004, Mark joined Ballet Tucson where he danced for two seasons before joining Columbia City Ballet. He spent the last five years with the Columbia City Ballet as a Principal Dancer. Mark has been a member of Louisville Ballet since 2012.

GUEST MUSICIANS

JAMIE SHAAK a pianist and Colorado native, has shared her “finely textured playing” (Chicago Tribune) in Boulder, CO at the Chautauqua Auditorium with the Boulder Ballet in 2021 and in cities around the world. Her concert hall appearances include the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and Lincoln Center in New York City, and in Thailand, Laos and India she toured as a Musical Ambassador with the United States Information Service.

Shaak has released two albums: The Sun is Love with soprano Michelle Areyzaga, and The Romance of Spain with Maria Lagios. Jamie has been a soloist with the Denver Symphony Orchestra, the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, The Arapahoe Philharmonic, National Repertory Orchestra, the Centennial Orchestra, The Waukegan Symphony and most recently performed the world premiere of William Hill’s Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra with the Evergreen Chamber Orchestra in April of 2024.

At The Juilliard School, Jamie worked with John Browning as a Vladimir Horowitz scholar and at The Eastman School of Music, Jamie worked with the renowned pedagogue Nelita True.

Jamie Shaak’s compositions and piano arrangements are being performed throughout the country as a member of the National Federation of Music Clubs’ Festival of American Composers.

JEAN HATMAKER is a cellist who is known for her soulful, expressive playing style. She is one of the most versatile musicians in the Chicago area with a diverse portfolio of solo and collaborative projects across a wide range of musical and interdisciplinary settings. Her engaging and intuitive demeanor has made her a sought-after collaborator for chamber, orchestral, musical theater, dance, and choral/ baroque continuo playing. Ms. Hatmaker is a founding member of

the Chicago-based Kontras Quartet, and has an extensive background of orchestral playing as former principal cellist of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Western Piedmont Symphony, and other regional orchestras throughout the Midwest. She is currently principal cellist with Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, and plays with the Illinois Philharmonic, Chicago Philharmonic, and the Madison Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Hatmaker teaches private lessons at Grace Lutheran School and at her home; she was on faculty at Elmhurst University from 2013-2023 and frequently teaches as a guest clinician at schools all across the country. She received both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Cello Performance from Indiana University, where she studied with Helga Winold and Janos Starker, and plays a modern cello by Lawrence Wilke.

ANGELIQUE SCULLY, born and raised in Massachusetts, studied at the Sharon Music Academy under the direction of Tanya Schwartzman from 2002-2015 She graduated Magna cum Laude with her B.M in piano performance from Ithaca College, studying under the tutelage Dr. Charis Dimaras. During her training, she has had the opportunity to work with numerous piano masters including Alex Korsantia, Max Levinson, Konstantinos Papadakis, and most recently, Nikolai Luganksy, Kirill Girstein and Angela Chang.

Scully recently debuted her professional duo, Duo Merté, captivating audiences with violinist Laura Grube at Phillip Exeter Academy. Angelique also has a passion for ballet and danced for companies such as Festival Ballet and Ballet Theatre of Maryland before continuing her studies in music. She is currently completing her masters degree in piano performance under Dr. Jennifer Hayghe at CU Boulder and is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Boulder Ballet in their spring program.

Sponsors

The Boulder Ballet graciously thanks our season sponsors! The Boulder Ballet graciously thanks our show sponsor!

We express our sincere appreciation to the following donors who supported Boulder Ballet from January 2023 through February 13, 2024.

$30,000+

Anonymous

Jamie & Mark Ragan

Scientific and Cultural Facilities District

$10,000+

Anonymous

Boulder Arts Commission

Denver Ballet Guild

Suzanne and Thomas S Murphy Foundation

Interconnected Technologies

Radical Waves Project

Shubert Foundation

$5,000+

Amy & Terence Britton

Colorado Creative Industries

Community First Foundation

Alyssa & Doug Graham

HMH Architecture + Interiors

YogaPod

$2,500+

Anonymous

The Academy Boulder

Alpine Bank

Andy Bachmann

Boulder Body Wear

Boulder Periodontics & CARE

Esthetics

Jennifer & Sterling Dorish

Holland & Hart LLP

Terry & Jon Larson

Krista Marks & Brent Milne

Ellie & Harry Poehlmann

Todd Reed, Inc.

Schramm Foundation

gReg Silvus

$1,000+

Andrews Family Charitable Fund

Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti LLP

Lewis Biscamp

Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau

Charles Schwab of Boulder

Chicago Trading Company

Coburn Development

Kylie & Zachary Crandall

The Dance Archive

Joshua Davidson

Emily Tucker Design, Inc.

Mary Eaton Fairfield

Elfriede Gamow

Hanson Charitable Foundation

Harmony Healing Center

Eyal Kaplan

Kenneth and Myra Monfort Foundation

Eric Knutson & Oliver Retzloff

Catherine & Jonas Leuenberger

Jessica Link

Lynn McGowin

Elizabeth & Brandon Lundell

Carissa Mina

Nita June College Counseling

Phyllis & Chuck Palmer

Anna & Daniel Rahe

Charles & Ruth Anne Rahe

Rent Boulder Now

Lawrence Robins

Simms Family Foundation

Stout Street Foundation

TDA_Boulder

Jennifer Thompson

Annie Toan

500+

Susan & Andy Aust

Andrea Basile & Paul Perez

Halie Behr

Rylie Behr

Lori Benjamin

Burrell Family Foundation

Stephanie Bingham

Martin Bloch

Boulder Plastic Surgery

Julia Buonanno & Michael Brown

Kathleen & Richard Carande

Laurie Clark

Sarah Cottingham

Margot Crowe

Marla & Dick Gentry

Stacy & Brian Gilbert

Eric Goodman

Tara Hefty

Claudia Hubiak & Fabio Stefani

Adriana Llewellyn & Michael LaVilla

Deborah Malden &

Michael Donovan

Cindy & Mark Meyer

Jennifer Norton & Mark Vick

Otter Island Foundation

Patty Pacey & Chuck Neinas

Pamela Pavco & James Thompson

Firuzeh Saidi

Georgia Schmid

Alison Shetter

Jessica & Jeff Speer

Topher Straus

Christopher Wilson

250+

Kathleen & Michael Alt

Amgen Foundation

Ryan-Ashley & Michael Anderson

Arlette Barlow

Abbi & Ryan Boyd

Margaret & Mark Carson

Brittany Ceres

Christina & Steve Chao

Kelsey & Keith Connaghan

Carol Core

Susanna & Matt Danaher

Rebekah Dumouchelle

Kellie Fisher

Joseph Francisco

Francesca & Andrew Gettelman

Susan Goodnature & Joel Montbriand

Google Matching program

Sarah Hatcher & Christopher Myatt

Yinghua Jin

Heather & Stan Karimi

The Kroger Company

Veronica Lemberger

Susan & Tom McGuire

Elizabeth Mulhern

Microsoft Matching

Gifts Program

Julia Ogden

Rocky Mountain Systems

Courtney Rowe

Jackie Schaible

Jill & Jim Seigfried

Deirdre Weidle

Rochelle & Lee Woods

Jacqueline Marie Young

Boulder Ballet would like to thank the many individuals and corporations that supported us with smaller donations this past year. To see a more detailed list of donors visit boulderballet.org Please report any errors or omissions to Leah Colby Alexis, Development Director at leah@boulderballet.org

23/24

SPRING GALA

MAY 2, Dairy ARTS Center

Boulder Ballet presents the AMPLIFY Gala, an evening of dance, fundraising, and celebration highlighting: art, wellness, and connection.

Enjoy early bird pricing if you purchase your

Enjoy early bird pricing if you purchase your tickets before March 11 tickets before March 11

Spring Gala Presenting Sponsors

Boulder Ballet School Presents

Storybook Ballet: The Wizard of Oz

April 20, 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM April 21, 2:00 PM

Step into the enchanting world of The Wizard of Oz as our talented students bring this timeless tale to life! Join us for an unforgettable journey down the yellow brick road, where Dorothy, Toto, and their beloved companions embark on a whimsical adventure filled with courage, friendship, and the power of believing in oneself.

Summer Programs

Boulder Ballet offers comprehensive and rewarding dance experiences for those interested in developing their technique and artistry in classical ballet as well as other dance forms. Our summer programs are ideal for those looking to become diverse movers with rigorous training and a good dose of fun. Our classes offer top-quality instructors dedicated to the learning process of each individual student. We will offer a variety of programs over the summer of 2024.

Photo by Lexi Evans

Summer Classes

June 4 – August 3

Spend your summer dancing! BBS offers classes in a nine-week summer session for students ages 2 and up. Visit Boulderballet.org for more information and the class schedule.

BBS Summer Camp

Fantasy Adventure Camp

June 24–28

July 29–Aug 2

Daily from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Join us at The Dairy Arts Center for a dance journey like no other – where imagination meets movement in the most extraordinary way! In our week-long summer camp, you’ll dance, do crafts, and best of all, you’ll create your adventure character to bring to life through dance, art, and music. Suitable for ages 5–10.

Ballet Workshops

Advanced Ballet Mini-Series with Pointe Focus (June 4-7)

Group 1 - BBS levels 5-7

Group 2 - BBS level 4

Prep for summer intensives! Advance your ballet technique with a pointe focus to start your summer training feeling healthy and strong! Dancers outside of BBS are welcome! Please contact our School Director so we can get to know you before registering. (video audition may be requested)

Tuesday - Friday

9:30 - 11:00 am - Ballet Technique (Studio 2)

11:15 - 12:30 - Pointe (Studio 1)

BBS Intermediate/Advanced Intensive (August 5–9)

Keep an eye out for more information about our Intermediate/Advanced Intensive at Boulderballet.org

Photo by Lexi Evans

Adaptive Dance

Boulder Ballet School offers Adaptive Dance

Boulder Ballet is partnering with Children’s Hospital Colorado to offer a medically-supervised Adaptive Dance program designed for youth with cognitive and physical challenges. The Adaptive Dance program provides up to ten special needs students the chance to be in dance classes that teach a creative and contemporary style of dance for students to explore. The children perform to their own abilities and enjoy the physical and emotional freedom of movement to music. Physicians and instructors assist the students in each class. Adaptive Dance classes take place in the Boulder Ballet studios in the Dairy ARTS Center, 2590 Walnut Street, Boulder.

Join us for our Spring Session starting March 10th through May 19th. Classes are from 1:30-2:30 pm. For more information and registration, please visit boulderballet.org/adaptive-dance

Go Silk

Johnny Was • Porto

Photo by KT Kim

LES SYLPHIDES

MAY 17–19, Dairy ARTS Center

This spring, join us for an evening of transcendence. We invite you to enjoy works by world-renown, classically-based choreographers Christopher Wheeldon, Val Caniparoli and Michael Smuin.

ADULT SUMMER PROGRAMS

Beginner Ballet Basics

July 22–25

Boost your training with this back-to-basics deep-dive workshop. Explore bodymind connection and hone your ballet technique through somatic awareness, experiential movement, and an anatomyfocused approach to learning.

Ballet & Repertory

June 10–14

Expand your knowledge of dance and cultivate your artistry with this adult summer workshop focused on ballet technique, and classical repertoire from Giselle with Ana Claire.

Learn more at boulderballet.org

This is what award-winning care looks like.

Whether you have cancer, chest pains, or you were born just a little too soon, we have the high quality care you need.

Good Samaritan, now part of Intermountain Health, has consistently ranked as one of the best hospitals in the country. We received five stars from CMS. We are a designated baby-friendly hospital. We have a level II trauma center. And, we are a primary stroke and chest pain center. Despite all our awards and accreditations, there is only one reason we do what we do - You.