Program Three
MASTERS OF MOVEMENT
December 19 - 20, 2025 | Sarasota Opera House T H E S A R A S O TA B A L L E T 2 0 2 5 - 2 0 2 6 S E A S O N
Gala
The S ara s ota Ballet
May 3, 2026
For more information and RSVP, contact Sara Kious at skious@sarasotaballet.org or call 941.225.6503
Gala Sponsors
Iain Webb Director
Welcome to Program Three: Masters of Movement. This program reflects the heart of The Sarasota Ballet — our dedication to preserving ballet’s history while continuing to move it forward with purpose and imagination. We open with Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15, set to the masterful music of Mozart. A celebration of clarity and elegance, this ballet embraces refined detail and musicality, allowing our dancers to embody the precision and joy at the core of Balanchine’s style. At the center of the program is the Company Premiere of Mozartiana, set to Tchaikovsky’s soothing and beautiful piece. One of Balanchine’s final works, it carries a sense of reflection and reverence. I'm thrilled to bring this into our repertoire, it's been fortyfour years since I first saw Suzanne Farrell, Ib Anderson, and Jock in his wonderful ballet. We close with Ashton’s Jazz Calendar, set to Bennett’s spirited, character-filled music. Each variation draws on the rhyme “Monday’s Child,” offering wit, charm, and inventive choreography — a vibrant finale to the program. Thank you to Executive Director Joseph Volpe, Assistant Director Margaret Barbieri, our dancers, staff, and generous community whose support makes our work possible. Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season.
December 19 – 20, 2025 | Sarasota Opera House
MASTERS OF MOVEMENT
PROGRAM SPONSOR
Bill and Linda Mitchell
MEDIA SPONSOR This program is funded, in part, by Sarasota County Tourist Development Revenues.
PERFORMANCE SPONSORS Divertimento No. 15
Pat and Ann Kenny
Maureen and Tom Steiner
Mozartiana
Company Premiere
Robert Crandall and Barbara Bankoff
Charmian and Earl Noel
Jazz Calendar
Kimberley A. Pelyk
CO-SPONSORS Divertimento No. 15
Mozartiana
Jazz Calendar
Darlene J. and Richard P. Carroll
Tina and Rick Lieberman
Michael and Barbara Landy
Marilyn and Steve Rothschild
Arthur Siciliano and B. Aline Blanchard
Company Premiere
WEDU Arts Plus is a weekly program devoted to sharing vibrant stories about arts and culture in our community.
Irene Rodriguez Flamenco Dancer Episode 1208 John Costin Printmaker Episode 1307
Watch at wedu.org/artsplus or on the PBS app.
THE SARASOTA BALLET Assistant Director
Director
Executive Director
Margaret Barbieri
Iain Webb
Joseph Volpe
Principals Misa Kuranaga (Resident Guest Principal), Jessica Assef, Marijana Dominis, Ricardo Graziano, Ricardo Rhodes, Luke Schaufuss Junior Principal Sierra Abelardo Character Principal Ricki Bertoni First Soloists Gus Payne Soloists Samuel Gest, Trevor Stalcup Coryphée Kennedy Falyn Cassada, Ze Ellis, Willa Frantz,Mischa Goodman, Dominique Jenkins, Iku Okura, Bel Pickering, Annie Wilson, Paige Young Corps de Ballet Daniel Ayala, Andrew Buckley, Olivia Dugan, Camille Gentes Jonah Glickman, Mark Hare, Ella Lau, Pasha Levy, Andrea Marcelletti, Jordan Micallef, Ben Moss, Alessandra Nova, Gabriella Schultze, Nathan Smith, Emmanuelle Watkins, Brooke Wilson Apprentices Haley Dale, Isabella Damico, Isabella Nova, Simon Plante, Trevin Ralphs, Ella Tuite
COMPANY STAFF Deputy Executive Director
General Manager
Michelle Butler
Jason W. Ettore
Finance Director Amy Miller
Senior Manager of Individual Giving Senior Manager of Donor Engagement Special Events Coordinator
Bryan Lewis Katherine Knowles
Development & Database Administrator Grants Manager
Leslie Van Brink Judi King Joana Mitra
Company Manager HR & Finance Administrator Finance Assistant
Barbara Epperson John Johnson William Ingramm
Executive Assistant IT Consultant Tessitura Database Administrator
Jess Abbott Heyckal Taveras Mikenna Bowers
Marketing Director Graphic Designer Digital Marketing Coordinator
Mia Fisher Zachary Mondres
Publicity & Design Coordinator Video Production & Designer
Rod Kelly
Box Office & House Manager
Maya Collins Doricha Sales Sara Kious
Artistic Staff Victoria Hulland Jessica Lang
Artistic Assistant to the Directors Toulmin & O’Neil Artist in Residence
Ethan Vail Natalie Beckham Glen Edwards Diana Childs
Production Manager & Resident Lighting Designer Wardrobe Assistant Facilities Coordinator Stage Manager
Octavio Martin Roman Rykine
Ballet Master Ballet Master
Doug Nicholson Zara Baroyan Carl Haan
Production Consultant Class Pianist Class Pianist
Production Staff
Education & Community Engagement Staff Christopher Hird Dierdre Miles Burger Isabelle Ball Lauren Avila Risa Kaplowitz Addul Manzano
Education Director Assistant Education Director
Alberto Blanco Bradley Shoemaker-Webster
Community Engagement Manager Community Engagement Administrator Full-Time Faculty Full-Time Faculty
Diana Dizon Diane Partington Maria Ferraro
Principal of The Sarasota Ballet School Education Administrative Manager School Operations Coordinator Full-Time Faculty Full-Time Faculty
Divertimento No. 15 Choreography by George Balanchine
George Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15 is among his purest studies of classical
form, set to Mozart’s radiant score. He arranged five ballerinas and three cavaliers into shifting ensembles and duets, mirroring Mozart’s elegance and inventiveness in choreography that is playful, refined, and surprising. The ballet is especially admired for its Andante, where instead of a single pas de deux Balanchine created a series, each pairing dancers in luminous, fleeting encounters. His musical sensitivity is evident throughout: cadenzas originally intended for improvisation were specially composed for violin and viola, while the score was streamlined for theatrical clarity. Balanchine first used this music in 1952 for Caracole, then reimagined it in 1956 for Mozart’s bicentennial, creating the definitive Divertimento No. 15. Hailed as one of his finest “plotless” ballets, it endures as a jewel of neoclassicism—demanding in technique, exquisite in style, and a celebration of dance as pure musical expression.
George Balanchine Choreographer
George Balanchine (1904–1983), born Georgi Balanchivadze in St. Petersburg, became one of the most influential figures in 20th-century ballet. A graduate of the Petrograd Imperial Ballet School, he also studied piano and composition, joining the Mariinsky Ballet in 1921. In 1924 he left the Soviet Union, and Sergei Diaghilev soon appointed him chief choreographer of the Ballets Russes, where he created Apollo (1928) and Prodigal Son (1929), works that defined his neoclassical style. After Diaghilev’s death, Balanchine worked across Europe before moving to the United States in 1933 with arts patron Lincoln Kirstein. Together they founded the School of American Ballet, from which emerged several companies that culminated in New York City Ballet (1948), where Balanchine served as Ballet Master until his death. Balanchine’s vast output includes collaborations with Igor Stravinsky and other leading composers, blending classical technique with modernist clarity and musical sophistication. His ballets—Serenade, Concerto Barocco, Jewels, Agon, and many more—redefined the art form, emphasizing speed, precision, and musicality over narrative. He also choreographed extensively for Broadway and film during the 1930s and 1940s, including On Your Toes and The Boys from Syracuse. Known as the father of American ballet, Balanchine created a neoclassical aesthetic that gave the United States its own ballet identity. His legacy endures worldwide, his ballets still central to the repertoire of major companies.
Sandra Jennings Répétiteur
Sandra Jennings, born in Boston, began her training with June Paxman, and later studied at Boston Ballet. Her training continued with a Ford Foundation Scholarship to the School of American Ballet (SAB). At SAB, Jennings was trained by such greats as Alexandra Danilova, Felia Doubrovska, and Stanley Williams. In 1974 she was invited by Balanchine to join the New York City Ballet and during her decade with the company, she danced an impressive repertoire, including ballets by Balanchine, Robbins, Taras, d’Amboise, Ashton, Martins, and Bournonville. In 1985 she became a Répétiteur for The George Balanchine Trust and has staged over 30 ballets for companies worldwide. From 1993-2002 she was also Ballet Mistress for Pennsylvania Ballet and from 2002-2006 for the San Francisco Ballet.
DIVERTIMENTO NO. 15, CHOREOGRAPHY GEORGE BALANCHINE © THE GEORGE BALANCHINE TRUST. THE PERFORMANCES OF DIVERTIMENTO NO. 15, BALANCHINE® BALLET, ARE PRESENTED BY ARRANGEMENT WITH THE GEORGE BALANCHINE TRUST AND HAS BEEN PRODUCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BALANCHINE STYLE ® AND BALANCHINE TECHNIQUE®. SERVICE STANDARDS ESTABLISHED AND PROVIDED BY THE TRUST.
Company Premiere
Mozartiana Choreography by George Balanchine
Set to Tchaikovsky’s Suite No. 4—his orchestration of Mozart’s short works—
Balanchine’s Mozartiana bridges centuries of homage. Tchaikovsky’s reverence for Mozart resonated deeply with Balanchine, who first choreographed to the suite in 1933 and returned in 1981 to create one of his final masterpieces. The ballet opens with the solemn Preghiera (“Prayer”), a hushed meditation that sets a spiritual tone. Variations follow, showcasing brilliance and sensitivity as dancers trace intricate patterns to Mozart’s themes refracted through Tchaikovsky’s lush orchestration. The work culminates in a buoyant Gigue, its sparkling rhythms translated into exhilarating movement. More than illustration, Mozartiana becomes an exploration of spirit—Mozart’s clarity transformed by Tchaikovsky’s Romantic voice, reimagined in Balanchine’s neoclassicism. Prayerful, joyous, and luminous, the ballet reveals the “inner sadness and delicate harmony” of the music. It endures as Balanchine’s profound farewell to the composer he revered above all others.
George Balanchine Choreographer
George Balanchine (1904–1983), born Georgi Balanchivadze in St. Petersburg, became one of the most influential figures in 20th-century ballet. A graduate of the Petrograd Imperial Ballet School, he also studied piano and composition, joining the Mariinsky Ballet in 1921. In 1924 he left the Soviet Union, and Sergei Diaghilev soon appointed him chief choreographer of the Ballets Russes, where he created Apollo (1928) and Prodigal Son (1929), works that defined his neoclassical style. After Diaghilev’s death, Balanchine worked across Europe before moving to the United States in 1933 with arts patron Lincoln Kirstein. Together they founded the School of American Ballet, from which emerged several companies that culminated in New York City Ballet (1948), where Balanchine served as Ballet Master until his death. Balanchine’s vast output includes collaborations with Igor Stravinsky and other leading composers, blending classical technique with modernist clarity and musical sophistication. His ballets—Serenade, Concerto Barocco, Jewels, Agon, and many more—redefined the art form, emphasizing speed, precision, and musicality over narrative. He also choreographed extensively for Broadway and film during the 1930s and 1940s, including On Your Toes and The Boys from Syracuse. Known as the father of American ballet, Balanchine created a neoclassical aesthetic that gave the United States its own ballet identity. His legacy endures worldwide, his ballets still central to the repertoire of major companies.
Maria Calegari Répétiteur
Maria Calegari is an international ballet instructor and former Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet. A native New Yorker, she was personally selected by George Balanchine at age 17 to join NYCB, where she worked closely with both Balanchine and Jerome Robbins from 1974–1994. During her two decades with the Company, she performed and originated more than 40 roles, including leading parts in Agon, Apollo, Serenade, Dances at a Gathering, Jewels, and Mozartiana. She appeared frequently on national broadcasts such as Dance in America and Great Performances. Since 1998, Calegari has staged ballets worldwide for The George Balanchine Trust and The Robbins Rights Trust, earning recognition including the Olivier Award and the Jerome Robbins Award. She is also co-founder of the Apollo Arts Initiative and an exhibited watercolorist and writer.
MOZARTIANA, CHOREOGRAPHY GEORGE BALANCHINE © THE GEORGE BALANCHINE TRUST. THE PERFORMANCES OF MOZARTIANA, BALANCHINE® BALLET, ARE PRESENTED BY ARRANGEMENT WITH THE GEORGE BALANCHINE TRUST AND HAS BEEN PRODUCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BALANCHINE STYLE ® AND BALANCHINE TECHNIQUE®. SERVICE STANDARDS ESTABLISHED AND PROVIDED BY THE TRUST.
Jazz Calendar Choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton
When an opera production of Aïda was abruptly canceled in 1968, Sir
Frederick Ashton was asked to create a new ballet on short notice. Inspired by the nursery rhyme “Monday’s Child,” he crafted Jazz Calendar, a witty suite of dances reimagining each day of the week through a 1960s jazz lens. Ashton collaborated with designer Derek Jarman, who created candy-colored unitards, skull-caps, and bubble wigs that critics likened to “moving liquorice all-sorts.” Composer Richard Rodney Bennett supplied a vibrant jazz suite, scored for saxophones, trumpets, piano, and bass, whose styles ranged from waltz to slow blues. Each rhyme became a vignette—vanity for Monday, a lyrical trio for Tuesday, while Wednesday’s woe appears in a pastiche of the adagio from his Sinfonietta, playful group dances, blues duets, and a finale nodding to television variety shows. Premiered with Merle Park, Rudolf Nureyev, and Antoinette Sibley, Jazz Calendar dazzled with humor, style, and Ashton’s impeccable timing.
Sir Frederick Ashton Choreographer
Sir Frederick Ashton (1904–1988) was born in Ecuador and resolved to dance after seeing Anna Pavlova perform in Lima in 1917. In London he studied with Léonide Massine and later with Dame Marie Rambert, who encouraged his first choreographic ventures, including A Tragedy of Fashion (1926). After dancing briefly with Ida Rubinstein’s company, he accepted Dame Ninette de Valois’ invitation in 1935 to join her Vic-Wells Ballet as both dancer and choreographer, beginning a lifelong association with what would become The Royal Ballet. His career extended beyond the company to opera, film, revues, and international commissions, but it was at Covent Garden, after wartime service in the RAF, that he created Symphonic Variations (1946), affirming a new postwar spirit. Over the following decades he choreographed ballets often tailored to individual dancers, among them Cinderella (1948), Daphnis and Chloe (1951), Romeo and Juliet (1955), Ondine (1958), La Fille mal gardée (1960), The Two Pigeons (1961), Marguerite and Armand (1963), and The Dream (1964). Ashton was appointed Associate Director of The Royal Ballet in 1952 and succeeded de Valois as Director from 1963 to 1970, during which time he also created works such as Monotones II (1965), Enigma Variations (1968), A Month in the Country (1976), and the film The Tales of Beatrix Potter (1971), in which he performed as Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle. Knighted in 1962 and later named Founder Choreographer of The Royal Ballet, Ashton left a body of work distinguished by versatility, musical sensitivity, and theatrical imagination.
Margaret Barbieri Répétiteur
Having spent 20 years as a Principal Dancer with The Royal Ballet, Margaret Barbieri’s wealth of knowledge and experience has enabled her to give back to the dance community through her years as a teacher and Répétiteurs. During the last 13 years, Barbieri has staged productions for The Sarasota Ballet by some of the most important names in ballet, including Ashton, de Valois, Wright, and Fokine. In addition to staging ballets for the Company, Barbieri is also Assistant Director. Her other staging credits include Iñaki Urlezaga Company (Argentina), K-Ballet (Japan), Oregon Ballet Theatre, Scottish Ballet, and Tbilisi Ballet Theatre. Part of Ashton Worldwide Festival 2024 - 2028
JAZZ CALENDAR IS PERFORMED BY ARRANGEMENT WITH THE FREDERICK ASHTON FOUNDATION AND ARE THREE OF OVER 100 BALLETS CREATED BY FREDERICK ASHTON (1904 – 1988). THESE PERFORMANCES ARE PRESENTED AS PART OF THE ASHTON WORLDWIDE 2024-2028 FESTIVAL. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, VISIT FREDERICKASHTON.ORG.UK
Monday’s Child Nursery Rhyme Monday’s child is fair of face, Tuesday’s child is full of grace, Wednesday’s child is full of woe, Thursday’s child has far to go. Friday’s child is loving and giving, Saturday’s child works hard for a living, But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day Is bonny and blithe and good and gay.
Friday and Saturday Evening
Divertimento No. 15 Choreography by George Balanchine Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Costume Design by Peter Farmer Lighting Design by Ethan Vail Staged by Sandra Jennings Conducted by Ormsby Wilkins Premiered by New York City Ballet | May 31, 1956 First Performed by The Sarasota Ballet | November 28, 2008
Sierra Abelardo
Ricardo Rhodes
Kennedy Falyn Cassada
Jonah Glickman
Marijana Dominis
Pasha Levy
Samuel Gest
Dominique Jenkins
Annie Wilson Camille Gentes Gabriella Schultze Emmanuelle Watkins
Paige Young Haley Dale Ella Lau Alessandra Nova
Friday and Saturday Evening
Mozartiana Choreography by George Balanchine Music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky Costume Design by Rouben Ter-Arutunian Lighting Design by Ethan Vail Staged by Maria Calegari Conducted by Ormsby Wilkins Premiered by New York City Ballet | June 4, 1981 First Performed by The Sarasota Ballet | December 19, 2025
Jessica Assef
Ricardo Rhodes
Gus Payne Willa Frantz
Brooke Wilson
Ella Tuite
Olivia Dugan
Katherine Palka*
Qwynn Dureska*
Aurora Shifrin*
Charlie Barron*
*Students of The Margaret Barbieri Conservatory
Friday and Saturday Evening
Jazz Calendar Choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton Music by Sir Richard Rodney Bennet Costume Design by Derek Jarman Lighting Design by Ethan Vail Staged by Margaret Barbieri Conducted by Ormsby Wilkins Premiered by The Royal Ballet | January 9, 1968 First Performed by The Sarasota Ballet | February 27, 2015 MONDAY’S CHILD Iku Okura TUESDAY’S CHILD Jordan Micallef
Pasha Levy
Samuel Gest
WEDNESDAY’S CHILD Brooke Wilson Trevor Stalcup
Trevin Ralphs
Mischa Goodman
Nathan Smith
THURSDAY’S CHILD Jonah Glickman Annie Wilson
Camille Gentes
Isabella Damico
Gabriella Schultze
Paige Young
Emmanuelle Watkins
FRIDAY’S CHILD Marijana Dominis Ricardo Graziano SATURDAY’S CHILD Ricki Bertoni - Ballet Master Gus Payne Andrew Buckley
Ben Moss
Mark Hare
Daniel Ayala
Ze Ellis
Simon Plante
Andrea Marcelletti SUNDAY’S CHILD Kennedy Falyn Cassada ALL CAST
UPGRADE YOUR EXPERIENCE
WITH A SEASON SUBSCRIPTION.
INTRINSIC | PROGRAM ONE October 24 - 26, 2025 | FSU Center for the Performing Arts Michel Fokine's Les Sylphides Jessica Lang's The Lorenz Butterfly World Premiere Will Tuckett's Changing Light
WRITTEN MOTION | PROGRAM TWO November 21 - 22, 2025 | Sarasota Opera House Sir Frederick Ashton's Valses nobles et sentimentales Mark Morris' The Letter V Ashley Page's Scorched Sky World Premiere
MASTERS OF MOVEMENT | PROGRAM THREE December 19 - 20, 2025 | Sarasota Opera House George Balanchine's Divertimento No. 15 George Balanchine's Mozartiana Company Premiere Sir Frederick Ashton's Jazz Calendar
NOTES UNSPOKEN | PROGRAM FOUR January 30 - February 2, 2026 | FSU Center for the Performing Arts Gemma Bond's World Premiere Antony Tudor's Lilac Garden Ricardo Graziano's Valsinhas
MARTHA GRAHAM DANCE COMPANY | PROGRAM FIVE February 27 - March 2, 2026 | FSU Center for the Performing Arts Presented by The Sarasota Ballet
LIFE & LIBERTY | PROGRAM SIX March 27 - 28, 2026 | Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall George Balanchine's Stars and Stripes Sir David Bintley's ‘Still Life’ at the Penguin Café
FOUNDATIONS OF ROYALTY | PROGRAM SEVEN May 1 - 2, 2026 | Sarasota Opera House Sir Frederick Ashton's Birthday Offering Dame Ninette de Valois' Checkmate Sir Peter Wright's Summertide
941.359.0099 | SarasotaBallet.org
Saturday Matinee
Divertimento No. 15 Choreography by George Balanchine Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Costume Design by Peter Farmer Lighting Design by Ethan Vail Staged by Sandra Jennings Conducted by Ormsby Wilkins Premiered by New York City Ballet | May 31, 1956 First Performed by The Sarasota Ballet | November 28, 2008
Iku Okura
Trevor Stalcup
Annie Wilson
Ze Ellis
Ella Lau
Pasha Levy
Nathan Smith
Dominique Jenkins
Noa Dean Camille Gentes Gabriella Schultze Isabella Damico
Paige Young Haley Dale Ella Tuite Alessandra Nova
Saturday Matinee
Mozartiana Choreography by George Balanchine Music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky Costume Design by Rouben Ter-Arutunian Lighting Design by Ethan Vail Staged by Maria Calegari Conducted by Ormsby Wilkins Premiered by New York City Ballet | June 4, 1981 First Performed by The Sarasota Ballet | December 19, 2025
Marijana Dominis
Samuel Gest
Ricardo Graziano Willa Frantz
Brooke Wilson
Ella Tuite
Olivia Dugan
Katherine Palka*
Qwynn Dureska*
Mia Miersch**
Adelyn Melhorn**
*Students of The Margaret Barbieri Conservatory **Students of The Sarasota Ballet School
Saturday Matinee
Jazz Calendar Choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton Music by Sir Richard Rodney Bennet Costume Design by Derek Jarman Lighting Design by Ethan Vail Staged by Margaret Barbieri Conducted by Ormsby Wilkins Premiered by The Royal Ballet | January 9, 1968 First Performed by The Sarasota Ballet | February 27, 2015 MONDAY’S CHILD Iku Okura Kennedy Falyn Cassada
TUESDAY’S CHILD Daniel Ayala
Andrea Marcelletti
WEDNESDAY’S CHILD Brooke Wilson Trevor Stalcup
Trevin Ralphs
Mischa Goodman
Nathan Smith
THURSDAY’S CHILD Gus Payne Olivia Dugan
Haley Dale
Ella Lau
Isabella Nova
Ella Tuite
Alessandra Nova
FRIDAY’S CHILD Sierra Abelardo Ricardo Graziano SATURDAY’S CHILD Ricki Bertoni - Ballet Master Max Berg Andrew Buckley
Ben Moss
Mark Hare
Gavin Talbot
Jonah Glickman
Simon Plante
Christopher McGowan SUNDAY’S CHILD Dominique Jenkins ALL CAST
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PERFORMANCES December 21 - 23 Sarasota Opera House S A R A S OTA MEDIA SPONSOR
941.359.0099 | SarasotaBallet.org
VIOLIN Daniel Jordan
OBOE Bobby Nunes
PERCUSSION Marcelina Suchocka
Christopher Takeda
Nicholas P. Arbolino
Hanna Kim
Jennifer Best Takeda
CLARINET Bharat Chandra
HARP Phoebe Powell
concertmaster
associate concertmaster assistant concertmaster
Michael Turkell principal second
Meghan Jones
assistant principal second
principal
principal
Daniel Parrette assistant principal
Katherine Baloff Felicia Brunelle Anne Chandra Carlann Evans ChungYon Hong Milene Rossato Moreira Sean O’Neil Shawna Trost Margot Zarzycka Whitelaw
BASSOON Fernando Traba
VIOLA Stephanie Block
HORN Hugo Bliss
principal
Matt Pegis
assistant principal
Peter Ayuso Nathan Frantz CELLO Natalie Helm principal
Christopher Schnell assistant principal
Isabelle Besançon Chizuko Matsusaka DOUBLE BASS John Miller principal
Samuel Dugo
assistant principal
FLUTE Betsy Hudson Traba principal
Carmen Newell Bannon
principal
Mathew Matheny SAXOPHONE Tamara Danielsson Craig Christman David Pate
co-principal
Joshua Horne co-principal
Melvin Jackson Shea Kells-Murphy TRUMPET Robby Garrison co-principal
Chris Pate
acting co-principal
TROMBONE Brad Williams principal
TUBA Nate Seman principal
TIMPANI Yoko Kita principal
principal
principal
KEYBOARD Per Danielsson acting principal
LIBRARY Katie Knox principal
Paul Greitzer
assistant principal
The Musicians of the Sarasota Orchestra are proudly represented by the American Federation of Musicians, Gulf Coast Local 427-721
Ormsby Wilkins Guest Conductor
A native of Sydney, Australia, Ormsby Wilkins joined American Ballet Theatre as its Music Director in November 2005. After taking his music studies at the Conservatories of Sydney and Melbourne, Wilkins joined The Australian Ballet and became Resident Conductor in 1982. Moving to Europe in 1983, he was appointed Conductor with England’s Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet (now called the Birmingham Royal Ballet). Wilkins continued his association with The Australian Ballet, having been invited to guest on many occasions for its extensive engagements, which have included those in the United States, Russia, and London, England. Other international engagements have included La Scala, Milan, the Rome Opera Ballet, the Ballet of Teatro San Carlo of Naples, and the Royal Swedish Ballet. In 2001, he spent three months in Italy conducting once again at La Scala and making his debuts in both Genoa and at the Teatro Comunale in Florence. Most recently, Wilkins has also made guest appearances with The Sarasota Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and Miami City Ballet. Wilkins has conducted many orchestras around the world, both in association with ballet and in concert. They include the Philharmonia and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras of London, the Royal Opera House Orchestra, Winnipeg Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Edmonton Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Melbourne Symphony, Tokyo Philharmonic, and National Arts Centre Orchestra, Ottawa.
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Pat and David Goldrich Charles Hamilton and Miriam Lockhart Moira Hintsa Anne E. Jones Ronald and Rita Karns
Gifts are current as of December 11, 2025
Maryann Kolb and Greg Goebel Dr. Bart and Joan Levenson Meg Maguire Bonnie McIntyre In Loving Memory of Bill Noonan
Margaret Melun and Lt. Col. Ky L. Thompson Tara Olson and Will Dunkak Roxanne Permesly Jeffrey Peterson Megan Powers Victor and Joyce Rendano Susan L. Robinson Dona and Sam Scott Noreene Storrie and Wesley G. McCain Charlotte and John Suhler Jacqueline and John Thompson Emily Walsh The Sarasota Ballet gratefully acknowledges the following individuals for their generous support for the performance, education, and community programs of The Sarasota Ballet.
Institutional Support Public Support $100,000 + Tourist Development Council of Sarasota County
Foundation Support $100,000+
$1,000 - $2,499 Cousins Laning Foundation Fay A. Schweim Memorial Children's Dance Fund Gulf Coast Italian Culture Society, Inc. The Johnson Singer Arts and Education Fund
Phillip & Janice Levin Foundation William A. Farber, Trustee
Corporate Support
$75,000 - $99,999
Gold Coast Eagle Distributing
Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation
$50,000 - $74,999 Jean Allenby Goldstein Touring Fund Muriel O'Neil Fund for the Performing Arts at CFSC Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation Shubert Foundation, Inc. Community Foundation Sarasota County Gulf Coast Community Foundation Jean Weiller Foundation Charitable Fund
$25,000 - $49,999 Bank of America Client Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation The Exchange
$15,000 - $24,999 Lela D. Jackson Foundation for the Arts
$15,000 - $24,999 $10,000 - $14,999 Northern Trust Michael's On East Palm Printing
$5,000 - $9,999 1st Source Bank Beneva Cumberland Advisors Circus Arts Conservatory Fifth Third Bank Freed of London Laughlin Tanner Group McCarver & Moser Jewelers The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota Bay Club
$2,500 - $4,999
Charles Henry Leach II Fund at Duquesne University Jerome Robbins Foundation Suncoast Credit Union Foundation
Concierge Medical Services Eurotech Cabinetry, Inc. Morton’s Gourmet Market & Catering Plymouth Harbor on Sarasota Bay Rugs as Art Sarasota Polo Club Selva Grill Senior Friendship Centers Wear Moi Williams Parker Attorneys at Law
$2,500 - $4,999
$1,000 - $2,499
$10,000 - $14,999 Bishop-Parker Foundation Cordelia Lee Beattie Foundation Roberta Leventhal Sudakoff Foundation
$5,000 - $9,999
Gilbert Waters Charitable Fund II Publix Super Markets Charities, Inc. Women's Outreach Ministry Church of the Redeemer Gifts are current as of December 11, 2025
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The Sarasota Ballet’s performances, education programs, and community
engagement are made possible each year through the generosity of foundations, corporations, and individuals like you. Ticket sales alone cover only a portion of the cost of producing the extraordinary ballets you see on stage. It is through philanthropic support that we are able to preserve ballet’s greatest legacies, commission innovative new works, and bring accessible arts education to people of all ages in our community.
The Sarasota Ballet Company • Repertoire Spanning from Beloved Classics to World Premieres • Live Music Accompaniment and Guest Conductors • National and International Company Tours • Guest Choreographers and Répétiteurs • Presenting Dance Companies
Dance Education • The Margaret Barbieri Conservatory • The Sarasota Ballet School • Summer Intensive • Summer Camps • Adult Workshops
Community Engagement • Dance – The Next Generation • School Performances and Programs • Community Experiences • Joyful Movement Through Parkinson’s • Silver Swans®
Every gift to The Sarasota Ballet helps inspire, preserve, and impact.
SCAN HERE TO LEARN ABOUT OUR GIVING CIRCLES
T H E SA R A S OTA BA L L E T B OA R D O F D I R EC TO R S 2025 - 2026 S eason Board Chair Board Vice Chair Treasurer Secretary
G i n g e r Ca n n on B ai l e y Wi lli a m E. Chap man I I Wa r re n R . Col b er t , S r. Pa tr i c i a A . G ol em m e R o bi n G ros s man Ju l i e A. H ar r i s R i c h a rd S . J ohns on
Founder / Chair Emerita Chair Emerita Honorary Trustees
Sandra DeFeo Charles Wilson Pat Kenny Maureen Steiner
Fr ank M ar tucci Li nd a M itchell R os em ar y O ber ndor f M erced i ta O Connor Au d re y R obbi ns J an S i rota H i l l ar y S teele
Jean Weidner Goldstein Sydney Goldstein Mark Famiglio Dr. Bart Price
A DV I S O RY C O U NC I L
J a n Fa r b er M a r y a n n A r m ou r L a u r a A. Fed er Fr a n c e s D. Ferg u s s on D r. A my L . H ard i ng C h a r l i e H u i s k i ng R o bi n K le i n - S t r au s s Pe te r E. K ret zm er K a re n Li cht i g
Ti na L i eber m an R i chard M arch J oan M athe w s H ow ard Noble Gi ni Peltz K i mb er l e y A nne Pely k J ef f re y Peter son R i cha rd S egall Loi s S tulberg
Program Four
January 30 – February 2, 2026 | FSU Center Gemma Bond’s World Premiere Antony Tudor’s Lilac Garden Ricardo Graziano’s Valsinhas
PROGRAM SPONSOR
941.359.0099 | SarasotaBallet.org The Sarasota Ballet in Antony Tudor's Lilac Garden | Photo by Frank Atura
THE SARASOTA BALLET
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL TOURS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF IAIN WEBB JACOB’S PILLOW DANCE FESTIVAL JULY 2025 Ted Shawn Theatre, Becket, Massachusetts ASHTON CELEBRATED JUNE 2024 The Royal Opera House, London, UK THE JOYCE THEATER AUGUST 2022 Joyce Theater, New York, US THE JOYCE THEATER AUGUST 2018 Joyce Theater, New York, US GUGGENHEIM WORKS & PROCESS NOVEMBER 2017 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City NATIONAL CHOREOGRAPHIC FESTIVAL MAY 2017 Eccles Theater, Salt Lake City, Utah, US ARCADIA CENTENNIAL AUGUST 2016 Criterion Theatre, Bar Harbor, Maine, US THE JOYCE THEATER AUGUST 2016 Joyce Theater, New York, US FALL FOR DANCE FESTIVAL OCTOBER 2015 New York City Center, New York City JACOB’S PILLOW DANCE FESTIVAL AUGUST 2015 Ted Shawn Theatre, Becket, Massachusetts FALL FOR DANCE FESTIVAL OCTOBER 2014 New York City Center, New York City BALLET ACROSS AMERICA III JUNE 2013 John F. Kennedy Center, Washington DC THE SUZANNE FARREL BALLET OCTOBER 2011 John F. Kennedy Center, Washington DC
941.359.0099 | SarasotaBallet.org