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THE COMING SEASON at Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, beginning in September, ushers in a new partnership between LACO and the Colburn School, whose Zipper Hall will become the ensemble’s new downtown home for concerts. The collaboration extends to the Frank Gehry-designed Colburn Center opening in 2027: LACO will perform regularly at its Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall, downtown’s first mid-sized concert hall. This season, LACO music director Jamie Martín leads orchestral and chamber music concerts at Zipper Hall and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills; programs include LACO-commissioned world premieres by composers Juhi Bansal, Christopher Cerrone and Pulitzer Prizewinning Michael Abels. Also on tap: a Baroque series at the Wallis and the Huntington’s Rothenberg Hall in San Marino, and jazz-centric Current programs led by LACO creative partner Lara Downes at Cicada Restaurant downtown. 213.622.7001, laco.org
CHAMBER
The Colburn School’s Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall, designed by Frank Gehry and opening in 2027
WINNER OF THREE Tony Awards and the Olivier Award for Best Play, Life of Pi is an unforgettable and epic tale of adventure told with jaw-dropping visuals, innovative puppetry and exquisite stagecraft. Chakrabarti’s stage adaptation of
Yann Martel’s best-selling novel was a Broadway and West End sensation; now a phenomenon captivating audiences around the globe, it’s at the Ahmanson Theatre May 6-June 1. After a shipwreck in the Pacific Ocean, a 16-year-old
MUSICAL
boy, whose name is Pi, survives on a lifeboat with four companions: a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.628.2772, centertheatregroup.com
SGT. PEPPER MOVES
HAILED AS THE “most successful and influential choreographer alive, and indisputably the most musical” by The New York Times, Mark Morris returns to Los Angeles May 16-18 with Pepperland. The work was a tribute to the 50th anniversary in 2017 of The Beatles’ groundbreaking album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The Mark Morris Dance Group presents it at the Bram Goldsmith Theater at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, accompanied live by an unprecedented chamber ensemble: voice, soprano saxophone, two keyboards, theremin, and percussion. Ethan Iverson’s original score intermingles arrangements of songs including “With a Little Help From My Friends,” “A Day in the Life,” “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Within You Without You” and the title track with Pepperinspired original pieces inspired by classical forms and the blues. 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310.246.3800, wallis.org
Taha Mandviwala in the national tour of Life of Pi. Right: Mark Morris Dance Group, Pepperland
Bill Berloni and Bowdie, Winn Dixie in the stage musical
Sit. Stay. Take a Bow.
A dog’s life on the stage is a tale best told by Broadway’s go-to animal trainer for nearly 50 years. by
HOW WOULD YOU make sure Sandy sits still for a full two and half minutes while Annie belts out “Tomorrow”?
How can you be certain Bruiser barks on cue in “Legally Blonde”?
How do you ensure that Toto doesn’t jump off a bale of hay while Dorothy sings about a dreamy place somewhere over the rainbow?
These are not rhetorical questions when you train and handle dogs for the theater. These are the meat and potatoes—make that chicken
SHERRY STERN
and cookies—of the job.
“This is what the audience should remember: No dog walks up to a trainer and says, I want to be in show business,” explains Bill Berloni, go-to trainer for much of the theater world as well as film and television.
“We’re asking creatures to do something for us, and I believe we should be humane and kind about it and be their advocates,” he says. “I’m their advocate.”
Berloni’s career began serendipitously in 1976 when, as a young
actor, he was promised a role if he could find and train a rescue dog to play Sandy for the original production of “Annie.”
Over the next five decades his work has ranged from casting Toto in 67 productions of “The Wizard of Oz” to handling geese and rabbits for Broadway’s “The Ferryman” to, this week in Manhattan, having his rescue dog play Chowsie in the acclaimed Audra McDonald revival of “Gypsy.”
Up next in Southern California, his
yappy Chihuahua, Ricky, has the indispensable role of Bruiser in “Legally Blonde” at La Mirada Theatre April 25-May 18. Also on the canine horizon in Southern California: The labradoodle Kevin (supplied by a different trainer) is Sandy in the touring production of “Annie,” which recently played at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa and is coming to the Pantages Theater.
Before a curtain rises, before the training even begins, the key to putting an animal (usually a dog) in a show, Berloni says, starts like most stage and screen roles: with casting.
For a Sandy or a Bruiser or a Toto, Berloni and his wife, Dorothy, maintain a menagerie of 27 animals at home on their farm outside New York City; among them are several dogs that can fill those venerable roles and serve as their understudies.
Then there’s the rest of the time.
“Every story that comes across our desk has a different type of dog character,” he says. “It’s not like we keep 50 different breeds and hope that somebody calls and uses
them. We go on a quest to find a dog in a shelter situation, rescue it and train it for that show.”
When visiting shelters, Berloni looks for three traits.
“Theater is a unique situation with what could be stressful situations,” he explains. “First, we look for dogs who can deal with stress. Next, they’ve got to be outgoing and friendly, so they come right up to you, a stranger, and say, ‘Hey, how are you?’ And number three, they have to be food-motivated.”
Once the dog is adopted comes the training. The hardest thing to teach a dog is to sit still, he says.
Not just stay, but
freeze.
“I don’t want an audience snickering because the dog is stealing focus,” Berloni says. “When a little girl is singing the song ‘Tomorrow’ you don’t want the dog looking around. You don’t want him licking his paws.
“You want him down on the floor, head down, motionless, for two and a half minutes. For ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow,’ you want Toto to sit there and not look around.”
During every performance, Berloni or one of his trainers gives cues from the wings, but it’s Annie or Dorothy or Mama Rose who does
Watts and Bing in “The Friend.”
much of the on-stage direction using hand signals and food rewards.
That’s why when shows cast the people, Berloni wants the acting candidates to meet the animals.
“Whenever I do ‘Annie,’ I insist that I come into the final callbacks with the kids, because I can’t teach a child who’s never had a dog how to be a dog person in four weeks.
“I want the creators and the director and everybody to see how natural the child is with the dog and take that into consideration.”
Berloni always hope for actors without allergies; when that’s not the case,
/ CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
Naomi
GALA PERFORMANCE
SATURDAY, MAY 31, 6 PM
SPRING SHOWCASE
SATURDAY, MAY 31, 1 PM AND SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 1 PM
YVONNE MOUNSEY & ROSEMARY VALAIRE
PHOTOGRAPH
A NOTE FROM JAIME MARTÍN ON LACO'S 2025/26 SEASON
Dear Listeners,
It is with great pleasure that I invite you to the 2025/26 season of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra—one that celebrates the timeless beauty of music. Together, we will explore the symphonic echoes of history and the evocative sounds of the future—notes that lead us into uncharted realms of musical wonder.
I look forward to sharing our season with you.
LEARN MORE AT LACO.ORG
Sep 13+14, 2025
Dec 14+16, 2025
Mar 28, 2026
Jaime Martín Music Director Nicolas Altstaedt Cello
Margaret Batjer Director of Chamber Music
Richard Goode Piano
HARMONIC CONVERSATIONS
RICHARD GOODE PLAYS MOZART
Lara Downes Piano
CURRENT: INVENTIONS REIMAGINED
A MUSICAL GENESIS MARTÍN + ALTSTAEDT + SCHUMANN
CURRENT: REFLECTIONS IN SONG
Oct 4, 2025
John Holiday Countertenor
Lara Downes Piano
ROMANTIC RESONANCE MARTÍN + HAMELIN + BRAHMS
Oct 25+26, 2025
Jaime Martín Music Director
Marc-André Hamelin Piano
Pierre Hantaï Leader A GRAND BAROQUE SALON
Jan 17+18, 2026
PASSION + MYSTERY MARTÍN + SAY + BEETHOVEN
TEMPORAL ECHOES MARTÍN + BANSAL + SHOSTAKOVICH
Apr 11+12, 2026
Jaime Martín Music Director
Anne Akiko Meyers Violin
Feb 14+15, 2026
Jaime Martín Music Director Fazil Say Piano
RADIANCE + REVERIE MARTÍN + MARWOOD +
Nov 22+23, 2025
Margaret Batjer Director of Chamber Music A BRAHMSIAN AFFAIR
POINTS FAUST + SOUSA + MENDELSSOHN
Mar 14+15, 2026
Dinis Sousa Conductor
May 16+17, 2026
May 30+31, 2026
Jaime Martín Music Director
Anthony Marwood Violin, Coleman Itzkoff Cello
MOZART
Margaret Batjer Leader
Amanda Forsythe Soprano
BAROQUE IN BLOOM
Isabelle Faust Violin
TURNING
Father. Business owner. Jazz fanatic.
Your unique life, planned.
RACHEL S. MOORE
It is my pleasure to welcome Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater back to The Music Center for its second year of an exclusive Southern California residency, and, with that, to celebrate not only Alvin Ailey’s extraordinary legacy, but also the legendary Judith Jamison, the Ailey company’s artistic director emerita. Though originally considered Alvin Ailey’s muse, Jamison was a trailblazer and icon in her own right, whose artistry continues to inspire generations of dancers and choreographers.
Before she became one of the Ailey company’s great artistic directors —elevating its profile and securing its stature with the development of a world-class rehearsal and administrative building in New York City —Jamison was, first and foremost, a dancer. When she passed away last November, she was lauded by The New York Times as “…a performer of great intelligence, warmth and wit.” Her presence and stature on stage was magnetic, and she transformed all that she performed.
When Alvin Ailey’s Cry premiered at New York City Center in 1971, it was an immediate sensation. It propelled Jamison to international stardom in the dance world with her unparalleled grace and power. Today, we honor her legacy in the way we know best, by presenting this exquisite company that clearly benefited not only from her talents, but also from her leadership.
Beyond the public performances, our Ailey residency includes a number of experiences for students and the public, including a special matinee at The Music Center for more than 3,000 middle school and high school students. We also arranged for the company to visit two middle schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District for a weeklong arts-learning experience based on Ailey’s Revelations, where the students explored the historical impact of Alvin Ailey and held discussions on the choreography of this master work. In addition, we arranged for the company to provide active aging dance workshops for older adults to express themselves through movement in North Hollywood (with partner EngAGE, Inc.), as well as in Los Angeles and in Pasadena (in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Aging and Disabilities) with the latter location also serving seniors from Altadena who were displaced when the Altadena Senior Center burned in the Eaton Fire.
Next up is our presentation from May 2–4, 2025, of Brazil’s Grupo Corpo (meaning “Body Group” in Portuguese), which blends popular Brazilian culture, African rhythms and classical technique. Grupo Corpo’s performances are a masterclass in artistry, athleticism and pure joy, something we could all use a little more of these days.
I hope you will join us. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and Threads (@MusicCenterLA) for information about upcoming programs including the return in June of the much-beloved dancing program The Music Center’s Dance DTLA
My deepest thanks both to the amazing Glorya Kaufman, whose leadership has made it possible for us to experience some of the world’s most talented dance companies, and to the members of Center Dance Arts, founding supporter of Dance at The Music Center, for their passion and dedication to dance in Los Angeles.
Enjoy the performance!
Warmly,
Rachel S. Moore President & CEO, The Music Center
THE MUSIC CENTER 2024/2025 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
Cindy Miscikowski Chair
Robert J. Abernethy Vice Chair
Rachel S. Moore
President & CEO
Diane G. Medina
Secretary
Susan M. Wegleitner
Treasurer
William Taylor
Assistant Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
MEMBERS AT LARGE
Charlene Achki-Repko
Charles F. Adams
William H. Ahmanson
Romesh Anketell
Jill C. Baldauf
Susan Baumgarten
Phoebe Beasley
Kristin Burr
Dannielle Campos
Alberto M. Carvalho
Elizabeth Khuri Chandler
Riley Etheridge, Jr.
Amy R. Forbes
Greg T. Geyer
Joan E. Herman
Jeffrey M. Hill
Jonathan B. Hodge
Mary Ann Hunt-Jacobsen
Carl Jordan
Richard B. Kendall
Terri M. Kohl
Lily Lee
Cary J. Lefton
Keith R. Leonard, Jr.
Kelsey N. Martin
Susan M. Matt
Elizabeth Michelson
Darrell D. Miller
Teresita Notkin
Michael J. Pagano
Karen Kay Platt
Susan Erburu Reardon
Joseph J. Rice
Melissa Romain
Beverly P. Ryder
Maria S. Salinas
Corinne Jessie Sanchez
Mimi Song
Johnese Spisso
Michael Stockton
Jason Subotky
Timothy S. Wahl
Jennifer M. Walske
Jay S. Wintrob
GENERAL COUNSEL
Rollin A. Ransom
DIRECTORS EMERITI
Wallis Annenberg
Peter K. Barker
Judith Beckmen
Darrell R. Brown
Ronald W. Burkle
John B. Emerson **
Richard M. Ferry
Bernard A. Greenberg
Stephen F. Hinchliffe, Jr.
Kent Kresa
Mattie McFaddenLawson
Fredric M. Roberts
Richard K. Roeder
Claire L. Rothman
Joni J. Smith
Lisa Specht **
Cynthia A. Telles
James A. Thomas
Andrea L. Van de Kamp **
Thomas R. Weinberger
Alyce de Roulet
Williamson
** Chair Emeritus
Current as of 3/13/2025
Photo by Mario de Lopez.
TMC ARTS
Arts and Cultural Experiences for All
The Music Center is a cultural anchor in Los Angeles and home to some of the world’s greatest and most highly regarded artistic programs and events. Rooted in a strong commitment to equity, excellence and access, TMC Arts, The Music Center’s programming and producing engine, provides year-round events and activities inside The Music Center’s theatres, outdoors on Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center and at Gloria Molina Grand Park — a 12-acre adjacent green space — and in schools and neighborhoods all over Los Angeles County. From Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center to free and low-cost concerts and events, to learning experiences for all ages and more, TMC Arts’ programs reflect the diverse voices and interests of the many communities in Los Angeles County, bringing Angelenos together in ways that enable them to discover their shared humanity. TMC Arts’ programs connect people, offering participatory and immersive experiences with the chance to get creative and learn.
Join L.A.’s performing arts center as we bring together artists, children, teachers and people of all ages and backgrounds to make Los Angeles a better place. Your charitable gift to The Music Center’s annual fund will support unforgettable performances, immersive programs that welcome everyone as well as learning opportunities in hundreds of schools and communities.
The Music Center is truly a performing arts center for the 21st century, continually pushing the boundaries to engage communities and further inspire and contribute to the artistic voices of Los Angeles.
Photo by John McCoy for The Music Center.
SCAN TO MAKE A GIFT
The Music Center Board of Directors welcomes six esteemed members of the community.
CINDY MISCIKOWSKI
The Music Center Board Chair
I’m thrilled to introduce our new additions to The Music Center’s Board of Directors. Each Board member has a deep respect for the arts as well as a deep commitment to The Music Center’s mission to enrich the cultural lives of every resident in Los Angeles County. Just as impressive, these six individuals have made their own impact on the communities we serve, forging indelible relationships
Charlene Achki-Repko joins The Music Center’s Board of Directors as a designee of Center Dance Arts (CDA), a community of dance patrons supporting performances, education and outreach. A lifelong dance enthusiast, she trained in ballet, tap and jazz in Fresno, California, and continues honing her tap skills with fellow CDA members. Achki-Repko had a distinguished career in magazine media, holding management roles at Dow Jones, The Wall Street Journal and Hearst Magazines. Now retired, she serves on the boards of USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, Everybody Dance LA!, and SHARE4Children.
LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho grew up in Portugal, where arts education was accessible to all students, shaping his lifelong passion for the arts. In high school, he played percussion and sang in a rock band, covering The Beatles and Queen. As a Music Center Board member, he champions the performing arts for young Angelenos. In June 2022, just months into his role as superintendent, he launched the Cultural Arts Passport, providing TK-12 students with diverse cultural experiences through partnerships with institutions like The Music Center.
with many of the residents who comprise our diverse county. Their expertise will help catapult L.A.’s performing arts center into a future filled with even more unrivaled arts experiences for all Angelenos and high quality, unparalleled programming that can be found only at The Music Center.
I hope you enjoyed these wonderful performances of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater presented by Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center !
Riley Etheridge, retired president of Capital Group’s North American Wealth Management Client Group, eagerly joined The Music Center’s Board of Directors. Both Etheridge and his former company are long-time Music Center supporters, and the arts has been Etheridge’s lifelong passion. An acclaimed musician himself, Etheridge has recorded five albums blending rock, country, blues, soul and folk. Since moving to L.A. in 2018, he has admired The Music Center’s efforts to provide free and low-cost arts programs and outdoor concerts on Jerry Moss Plaza such as Live at The Music Center.
Jonathan Hodge, wealth management manager at Bank of America, joined The Music Center’s Board after witnessing its impact, including the talent showcased at the Spotlight Grand Finale. Drawn to The Music Center’s mission of enriching L.A.’s cultural life, Hodge is committed to expanding BIPOC community engagement. A Connecticut native, Hodge moved to L.A. in 1998, where his early work in ticket brokering deepened his appreciation for the arts, from the LA Phil to Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center
Kelsey Martin, of Goldman Sachs, grew up immersed in the arts, attending an arts magnet school in Cleveland and experiencing musical theatre, the Cleveland Orchestra and local museums. He considers creative expression part of his DNA and is thrilled to join The Music Center’s Board as a designee of The Music Center Foundation. A soughtafter investment expert, he serves on the Foundation’s Board and chairs its investment committee. With a military background and a strong commitment to service, Martin is dedicated to giving back to the community.
Susan Erburu Reardon joins The Music Center’s Board as a designee of the Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC), where she has served since 1992 and became Board Chair in 2024. Principal of True North Charitable Advising, Reardon provides philanthropic guidance to arts and culture nonprofits. Previously, she was LA Phil’s director of gift planning and spent 15 years with KCET. An attorney with over four decades of experience, Reardon also serves on the boards of APTS, Lorelei Ensemble, Idyllwild Arts Foundation, PBS SoCal and the Pfaffinger Foundation.
DANCE NOTES
At a public “dance talk” I had with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Interim Artistic Director Matthew Rushing, I asked him why the audiences in Los Angeles were so enthusiastic about the Company — more so than in any other city. He explained that Alvin Ailey learned how to dance in Los Angeles at the Lester Horton Studio, and Angelenos instinctively recognize Ailey’s work as being rooted in their own community. We are thrilled to welcome the Company back to The Music Center, with two distinct programs: Program A includes the Los Angeles premiere of Sacred Songs, which Matthew Rushing choreographed, and Program B is a special tribute to the legendary Judith Jamison, the company’s artistic director emerita, who passed away last year.
Sacred Songs is set to new arrangements of music that Alvin Ailey included in the original production of his seminal work, Revelations, but subsequently edited out. By creating a new piece with these musical selections, Rushing pays homage to Ailey’s vision while expanding upon Revelations’ themes of faith, resilience and spiritual transcendence. While Revelations presents a sweeping communal journey through suffering and redemption, Sacred Songs offers a more personal meditation on sacred expression, using the previously-excluded music to bring fresh nuance and perspective.
Rushing’s choreography mirrors Ailey’s signature fusion of classical, modern and gospel-inspired movement, infusing it with a contemporary sensibility. The use of these lost musical pieces serves as a bridge between past and present, reinforcing the enduring power of faith and communal strength in overcoming adversity. Through this, Sacred Songs not only honors Revelations, but also revitalizes and extends its legacy for new audiences.
Program B is dedicated to celebrating the immense contributions of Judith Jamison. A legendary performer, her breathtaking performance in Cry (1971) captured the power and resilience of Black women. She was appointed by Alvin Ailey to be the company’s second artistic director, and in this role, she expanded the Ailey company’s artistic legacy, nurtured new talent, introduced innovative works and ensured the company remained a global force in modern dance.
We hope you enjoy these performances as we celebrate both the legacy and the future of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Martin Wechsler Senior Advisor, TMC Arts
Dance Presentations
Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center Presents
Alvin Ailey, Founder
Judith Jamison, Artistic Director Emerita
Matthew Rushing, Interim Artistic Director
COMPANY MEMBERS
Leonardo Brito
Patrick Coker
Shawn Cusseaux
Sarah Daley-Perdomo
Caroline T. Dartey
Isaiah Day
Coral Dolphin
Solomon Dumas
Samantha Figgins
James Gilmer
Vernard J. Gilmore
Ashley Kaylynn Green
Jacquelin Harris
Michael Jackson, Jr.
Yannick Lebrun
Xavier Mack
Renaldo Maurice
Corrin Rachelle Mitchell
Chalvar Monteiro
Jesse Obremski
Kali Marie Oliver
Alisha Rena Peek
Jessica Amber Pinkett
Miranda Quinn
Hannah Alissa Richardson
Deidre Rogan
Constance Stamatiou
Christopher Taylor
Fana Minea Tesfagiorgis
De’Anthony Vaughan
Dandara Veiga
Isabel Wallace-Green
Christopher R. Wilson
Ronni Favors, Rehearsal Director
Clifton Brown, Assistant Rehearsal Director
Kanji Segawa, Assistant Rehearsal Director
Bennett Rink, Executive Director
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s 2024–25 season celebrates the life and legacy of Artistic Director Emerita
Judith Jamison (1943–2024).
Major funding of AILEY is provided by AARP, Anonymous, American Express, Bank of America, Bloomberg Philanthropies, BNY Mellon, Diageo North America, Ford Foundation, Fund II Foundation, The Hearst Foundations, Howard Gilman Foundation, Institute of Museum and Library Services, The Mellon Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, The Prudential Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Southern Company, The Thompson Family Foundation and Verizon Communications.
Support for this presentation is provided, in part, by:
Glorya Kaufman Foundation
Center Dance Arts
Dorothy Buffum Chandler Program Fund
Elisabeth Katte Harris
Moss Foundation
Munger Tolles & Olson LLP
The Music Center Foundation
The Music Center Annual Fund
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Jacquelin Harris.
Photo by
Dario Calmese.
PROGRAM
Wednesday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 5, at 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m.
SACRED SONGS (2024)
Choreography by Matthew Rushing
Assistant to the Choreographer: Alexandria Johnson
Creative Associate and Music by Du’Bois A’Keen
Costumes by Danté Baylor
Lighting by Andre A. Vazquez
Scenic Design by Matthew Rushing and Joseph Anthony Gaito
The creation of Sacred Songs is supported by The Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey — Sara & Bill Morgan New Works Endowment Fund, Tracy Elise Poole, Red Moose Charitable Trust, The Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn & Nicolas Rohatyn New Works Endowment Fund, and Daria L. & Eric J. Wallach
— INTERMISSION —
MANY ANGELS (2024)
Choreography by Lar Lubovitch
Assistant to the Choreographer: Katarzyna Skarpetowska
Music by Gustav Mahler
Costumes by Harriet Jung and Reid Bartelme
Lighting by Clifton Taylor
Scenic Design by Lar Lubovitch
After 60 years as a choreographer, I am still frequently asked “Why do you make dances?” In his writings, the 13th century theologian St. Thomas Aquinas posed a theoretical question about the mysterious behavior of angels to which no actual answer is possible. “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?” is a saying still heard today to illustrate that some questions have no logical answer but may be understood as a matter of faith. Occasionally, something may exist in the world just for the sake of itself. For example, a dance. Many Angels is not really about angels (well, maybe a little). — Lar Lubovitch
The creation of Many Angels is made possible by The Ellen Jewett and Richard L. Kauffman New Works Endowment Fund.
Lar Lubovitch was born in 1943 and founded Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, which tours worldwide, in 1968. Numerous dances of his have been performed by major U.S. and
international companies. Othello—A Dance in Three Acts, created with American Ballet Theatre and San Francisco Ballet, was featured on PBS’ Great Performances (Emmy nomination). Film and television dances include Fandango (International Emmy), My Funny Valentine for Robert Altman’s film The Company (American Choreography Award nomination), and Concerto Six Twenty-two and North Star for BBC. He has created ice dances for many Olympic skaters, as well as TV specials, including The Sleeping Beauty on Ice (PBS), and The Planets on Ice (A&E— International Emmy nomination, Cable Ace Award, Grammy Award). Broadway credits include Into the Woods (Tony nomination), The Red Shoes (Astaire Award) and the Tony Award-winning revival of The King and I. In 1987, he conceived Dancing for Life, the dance community’s first response to the AIDS crisis. In 2007, he founded the Chicago Dancing Festival. In 2016, he premiered the evening-length ballet The Bronze Horseman at the Mikhailovsky Ballet (St. Petersburg, Russia). Recent awards include Chicagoan of the Year; Ford Fellow (U.S. Artists); the Dance/USA Honor; Prix Benois de la Danse for Choreography (Bolshoi, Moscow); America’s Irreplaceable Dance Treasure (Dance Heritage Coalition); and Lifetime Achievement awards from American Dance Guild, ADF/Scripps, Dance Magazine and the Martha Graham Foundation. Lubovitch holds honorary doctorates from Juilliard and Boston Conservatory. Since 2018, he has been Distinguished Professor of Dance at University of California, Irvine.
“Adagietto” from Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor, performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim conducting.
— PAUSE —
TREADING
(1979, New Production 2024)
Choreography by Elisa Monte
Rehearsal Associate: Clymene Aldinger
Music by Steve Reich “Music for Eighteen Musicians”*
Costumes by Marisol
Original Lighting by Tina Charney
Lighting Design by Clifton Taylor
This production of Treading is supported by an Anonymous Donor, Leanne Lachman, and the Pamela D. Zilly and John H. Schaefer New Works Endowment Fund.
Elisa Monte has been widely recognized as an important innovator and contributor to contemporary dance. She is a former principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company and also danced with Lar
Lubovitch Dance Company and Pilobolus. Monte’s signature style—recognized as daring, intense and passionate—is classical and highly athletic. Rooted in sensuality and controlled sustained energy, her work is notable for its expansive range of movement. Hers is a diverse vocabulary that refuses stylistic conformity. Monte founded her company, Elisa Monte Dance, in 1981 and served as artistic director until 2016. She has choreographed more than 50 works danced by countless domestic and international companies, including Boston Ballet, Batsheva Dance Company, Martha Graham Dance Company, San Francisco Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Teatro alla Scala Ballet, PHILADANCO!, and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. She is thrilled to have Treading back in this season’s Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater repertory and thankful to Alvin Ailey for his support and trust in her work.
* Excerpts from “Music for 18 Musicians” used by arrangement with Hendon Music, Inc., a Boosey & Hawkes Company, publisher and copyright owner.
— INTERMISSION —
REVELATIONS (1960)
Choreography by Alvin Ailey
Music: Traditional
Décor and Costumes by Ves Harper Costumes for Rocka My Soul redesigned by Barbara Forbes
Lighting by Nicola Cernovitch
PILGRIM OF SORROW
I Been ‘Buked
Music arranged by Hall Johnson*
Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel
Music arranged by James Miller+
Fix Me, Jesus
Music arranged by Hall Johnson*
TAKE ME TO THE WATER
Processional/Honor, Honor
Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts
Wade in the Water
Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts
“Wade in the Water” sequence by Ella Jenkins
“A Man Went Down to the River” is an original composition by Ella Jenkins
I Wanna Be Ready
Music arranged by James Miller+
MOVE, MEMBERS, MOVE
Sinner Man
Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts
The Day is Past and Gone
Music arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother
John Sellers
You May Run On
Music arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother
John Sellers
Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham
Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts
All performances of Revelations are permanently endowed by a generous gift from Donald L. Jonas in celebration of the birthday of his wife, Barbara, and her deep commitment to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
*Used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.
+Used by special arrangement with Galaxy Music Corporation, New York City.
Thursday, April 3, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 6, at 2:00 p.m.
GRACE
(1999, New Production 2024)
Choreography by Ronald K. Brown Rehearsal Associate: Arcell Cabuag
Music by Various Artists*
Costumes by Omatayo Wunmi Olaiya
Lighting by Tsubasa Kamei
This new production of Grace is supported by Maury & Joseph Bohan.
The original production of Grace was made possible by Elizabeth Marsteller Gordon and Natasha Leibel Levine, M.D. & Harlan B. Levine, M.D.
The creation of this work was made possible, in part, by AT&T, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Harkness Foundation for Dance.
Ronald K. Brown is an advocate for the growth of the African American dance community and uses movement as a way to acquaint audiences with the beauty of traditional African forms and rhythms. Brown founded Brooklyn-based EVIDENCE, A Dance Company, in 1985 and has also set works on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Cleo Parker Robinson Ensemble, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Jennifer Muller/The Works, Jeune Ballet d’Afrique Noire, Ko-Thi Dance Company, PHILADANCO!, and others. Brown choreographed Regina Taylor’s award-winning play Crowns for which he won an AUDELCO Award. In addition, he has received a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts Choreographers Fellowship, a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship and a United States Artists Fellowship, among others.
* “Come Sunday” by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc. publisher and copyright owner. Composed by Duke Ellington. Performed by Jimmy McPhail. “Gabriel” Performed by Peven Everett and Roy Davis Jr. Published by Studio Confessions (ASCAP) and Warner Chappell Music Ltd (PRS). Licensed exclusively from Large Music, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 1996. “Bless It” by Paul Johnson. Recorded at Undaground Therapy Music Studios Chicago, IL. “Rock Shock” written and produced by Roy Davis, Jr., published by Roy Davis, Jr. Music (ASCAP). Recorded at Undaground Therapy Music Studios, Chicago, IL. “Shakara”
by Fela (Anikulapo) Kuti. Copyright Shanachie
Entertainment Group. “Come Sunday” by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc. publisher and copyright owner. Composed by Duke Ellington. Performed by Jennifer Holliday.
— INTERMISSION —
AILEY EXCERPTS
Choreography by Alvin Ailey
Excerpt from PAS DE DUKE (1976)
Music by Duke Ellington
Costumes by Rouben Ter-Arutunian
Lighting by Chenault Spence
“Such Sweet Thunder” used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.
Excerpt from MASEKELA LANGAGE (1969)
Music by Hugh Masekela
Scenic Design by William Hammond
Costumes by A. Christina Giannini
Lighting by Chenault Spence
Morolo
“Morolo” composed by Hugh Masekela.
Excerpt from OPUS McSHANN (1988)
Music composed by Jay McShann and Walter Brown
Performed by Jay McShann
Sets and costumes by Randy Barcelo
Lighting by Timothy Hunter
Doo Wah Doo
Excerpt from LOVE SONGS (1972)
“A Song for You,” music and lyrics by Leon Russell
Sung by Donny Hathaway
Costume by Ursula Reed
Lighting by Shirley Prendergast
“A Song for You” used by arrangement with Universal Music Corp.
Excerpt from FOR ‘BIRD’—WITH LOVE (1984)
“Bird Lives” music by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson
Set and costume design by Randy Barcelo
Lighting by Timothy Hunter
Original music composed, assembled and conducted by Coleridge Taylor Perkinson
— INTERMISSION —
A TRIBUTE TO
JUDITH JAMISON
CRY (excerpt) (1971)
Choreography by Alvin Ailey
Music by Chuck Griffin
Costume by A. Christina Giannini
Lighting by Chenault Spence
For all Black women everywhere
— especially our mothers.
In 1971, Alvin Ailey choreographed Cry as a birthday present for his mother. Created on the legendary Judith Jamison, it went on to become an enduring work of American art.
Cry was made possible with generous support from Judith McDonough Kaminski and Joseph Kaminski. The original production of Cry was made possible, in part, by a grant from the Ford Foundation.
“Right On, Be Free” written by Chuck Griffin and performed by The Voices of East Harlem, is used with permission of the publisher, Really Together Music.
— PAUSE —
REVELATIONS (1960)
Choreography by Alvin Ailey
Music: Traditional
Décor and Costumes by Ves Harper
Costumes for Rocka My Soul redesigned by Barbara Forbes
Lighting by Nicola Cernovitch
PILGRIM OF SORROW
I Been ‘Buked
Music arranged by Hall Johnson*
Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel
Music arranged by James Miller+
Fix Me, Jesus
Music arranged by Hall Johnson*
TAKE ME TO THE WATER
Processional/Honor, Honor
Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts
Wade in the Water
Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts
“Wade in the Water” sequence by Ella Jenkins
“A Man Went Down to the River” is an original composition by Ella Jenkins
I Wanna Be Ready
Music arranged by James Miller+
MOVE, MEMBERS, MOVE
Sinner Man
Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts
The Day is Past and Gone
Music arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers
You May Run On
Music arranged by Howard A. Roberts and Brother John Sellers
Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham
Music adapted and arranged by Howard A. Roberts
All performances of Revelations are permanently endowed by a generous gift from Donald L. Jonas in celebration of the birthday of his wife, Barbara, and her deep commitment to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
*Used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.
+Used by special arrangement with Galaxy Music Corporation, New York City.
DANCE NOTES: URBAN BUSH WOMEN ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER WHO’S WHO
ALVIN AILEY FOUNDER
Alvin Ailey was born on January 5, 1931, in Rogers, TX. His experiences of life in the rural South would later inspire some of his most memorable works. He was introduced to dance in Los Angeles by performances of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, and his formal dance training began with an introduction to Lester Horton’s classes by his friend Carmen de Lavallade. Horton, the founder of one of the first racially integrated dance companies in the United States, became a mentor for Ailey as he embarked on his professional
MATTHEW RUSHING INTERIM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Matthew Rushing was born in Los Angeles. He began his dance training with Kashmir Blake in Inglewood, CA, and continued his training at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. He is the recipient of The Music Center’s Spotlight Award and a Dance Magazine Award and was named a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. He was a scholarship student at The Ailey School and later became a member of Ailey II. During his career, Rushing has performed as a guest artist for galas in Vail, Colorado, as well as in Austria, Canada, France, Italy and Russia. He has performed for Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, as well as at the 2010 White House Dance Series. During his time with the Company, he has choreographed five ballets: Acceptance In Surrender (2005), a collaboration with Hope Boykin and Abdur-Rahim Jackson; Uptown (2009), a tribute to the Harlem Renaissance; ODETTA (2014), a celebration of “the queen of American folk music”; Testament (2020), a tribute to Alvin Ailey’s Revelations created in collaboration with Clifton Brown and Yusha-Marie Sorzano; and this season’s Sacred Songs. In 2012, he created Moan, which was set on PHILADANCO! and premiered at The Joyce Theater. Rushing joined the Company in 1992. He became rehearsal director in 2010, associate artistic director in 2020 and interim artistic director in 2023.
career. After Horton’s death in 1953, Ailey became director of the Lester Horton Dance Theater and began to choreograph his own works. In the 1950s and 60s, Ailey performed in four Broadway shows. In 1958, he founded Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to carry out his vision of a company dedicated to uplifting the African American experience while enriching and preserving the legacy of modern dance. The creation of his masterpiece Revelations in 1960 cemented his reputation as a choreographer of unique vision, with the ability to transcend racial barriers and connect deeply to people’s humanity.
Ailey established the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (now The Ailey School) in 1969 and formed the Alvin Ailey Repertory
JUDITH JAMISON ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EMERITA
Judith Jamison joined Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1965 and quickly became an international star. Over the following 15 years, Alvin Ailey created some of his most enduring roles for her, most notably the tour-de-force solo Cry. During the 1970s and 80s, she appeared as a guest artist with ballet companies all over the world, starred in the hit Broadway musical Sophisticated Ladies and formed her own company, The Jamison Project. She returned to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1989 when Ailey asked her to succeed him as artistic director. In the 21 years that followed, she brought the Company to unprecedented heights—including two historic engagements in South Africa and a 50-city global tour to celebrate the Company’s 50th anniversary. Jamison was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, among them a Primetime Emmy Award, an American Choreography Award, a Kennedy Center Honor, a National Medal of Arts, a Bessie Award, the Phoenix Award and the Handel Medallion. She was also listed in The TIME 100: The World’s Most Influential People and honored by First Lady Michelle Obama at the first White House Dance Series event. In 2015, she became the 50th inductee into the Hall of Fame at the National Museum of Dance. In 2016, she received the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award from the Fred and Adele Astaire Awards. As a highly regarded choreographer, Jamison created many celebrated works, including Divining (1984), Forgotten Time (1989), Hymn (1993), HERE... NOW. (commissioned for the 2002 Cultural Olympiad), Love Stories (with additional choreography by Robert Battle and Rennie Harris, 2004), and Among Us (Private Spaces: Public
Ensemble (now Ailey II) in 1974. He was also a pioneer of programs promoting arts in education. Throughout his lifetime he was awarded numerous distinctions, including the Kennedy Center Honor in 1988 in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to American culture. In 2014, he posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his contributions and commitment to civil rights and dance in America. Following Ailey’s death on December 1, 1989, The New York Times said of him, “you didn’t need to have known [him] personally to have been touched by his humanity, enthusiasm, and exuberance and his courageous stand for multi-racial brotherhood.”
Places) (2009). Jamison’s autobiography, Dancing Spirit, was edited by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and published in 1993. In 2004, under Jamison’s artistic directorship, her idea of a permanent home for Ailey was realized and named after beloved Chairman Emerita Joan Weill. Following her retirement from the helm of the Company in 2011, Jamison continued to dedicate herself to asserting the prominence of the arts, and she remained committed to promoting the significance of the Ailey legacy—using dance as a medium for honoring the past, celebrating the present and fearlessly reaching into the future. Her death on November 9, 2024, prompted an outpouring of love and admiration around the world from those who were touched by her magnificent artistry and extraordinary spirit.
RONNI FAVORS REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
Ronni Favors began dancing as a child in Iowa City. After studying at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, MI, as recipient of the Camp Scholarship, she continued her training at The Ailey School as a Fellowship student. Favors was a member of Ailey II, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, and has received the Min-On Art Award. Favors was the ballet instructor at the 1989 inaugural session of AileyCamp in Kansas City and served as artistic director of the Camp. She is the Founding Director of Children’s Aid AileyCamp New York and provided guidance in the national implementation of the AileyCamp program. In 1997, Favors was named assistant rehearsal director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and was its rehearsal director from 1999 to 2010. She worked with local dance students who performed in Alvin Ailey’s Memoria in Johannesburg, South Africa,
as well as in Seattle, Copenhagen, Los Angeles, Chicago, Kansas City, New York and, most recently, Edinburgh, Scotland. She set Alvin Ailey’s Night Creature on TU Dance and Oregon Ballet Theatre. Favors rejoined the Company as rehearsal director in 2019.
CLIFTON BROWN ASSISTANT REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
Clifton Brown, from Goodyear, AZ, began his dance training at Take 5 Dance Academy and continued in the first class of the Ailey/Fordham BFA in Dance program. Brown began his professional career when he joined the Ailey company in 1999 and served as choreographic assistant to Judith Jamison. He has also danced with Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, and was a founding member and rehearsal director for Jessica Lang Dance. He was nominated in the U.K. for a Critics Circle National Dance Award for Best Male Dancer and received a Black Theater Arts Award as well as a New York Dance and Performance (“Bessie”) Award. As a guest artist, Brown has performed with Miami City Ballet, Rome Opera Ballet, Nevada Ballet and Parsons Dance. He has set the work of Alvin Ailey, Earl Mosley and Jessica Lang on various companies around the world. Television appearances as a guest artist include So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With The Stars. He has had the privilege of performing at The White House for President Obama. Brown became assistant rehearsal director in 2019.
KANJI SEGAWA
ASSISTANT REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
Kanji Segawa, originally from Kanagawa, Japan, began his dance training with his mother Erika Akoh, studying ballet with Kan Horiuchi and Ju Horiuchi in Tokyo. Segawa was awarded the Japanese Government Artist Fellowship in 1997 to train at The Ailey School. A former member of Ailey II and Battleworks, Segawa danced extensively for Mark Morris and performed as a principal dancer in John Adams’ Nixon in China at The Metropolitan Opera. Since 1999, Segawa has been creative associate for Jessica Lang, assisting her creations for companies worldwide including American Ballet Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Royal Ballet and The National Ballet of Japan. With Lang, Segawa co-choreographed the world premiere production of Turandot for The Washington National Opera, directed by Francesca Zambello. He was a dancer
with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater under the direction of Robert Battle from 2011–2023 and became assistant rehearsal director in 2024.
BENNETT RINK
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Bennett Rink became executive director of Ailey in 2013. He first joined the organization as manager of special events in 1994, became development director in 1998, and served as senior director of development and external affairs from 2007 to 2012. In his tenure overseeing Ailey’s development and fundraising efforts, Rink led a major capital campaign to establish the organization’s first permanent home, The Joan Weill Center for Dance, which opened in 2005 and attracts more than 200,000 visitors each year. Rink also oversaw the campaign to build the organization’s endowment, which provides vital ongoing support for programmatic initiatives. When the Company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008, Rink supervised an 18-month celebration including events, promotions, collaborations and special performances, bringing public awareness of the Ailey organization to new heights. During his time as executive director, the Company has deepened its presence in New York City by establishing an annual spring season to complement its New York City Center winter season, while also extending its role as America’s “Cultural Ambassador to the world” with tours to Africa, Europe and South America. To reach audiences beyond live performances, Rink broadened the organization’s commitment to creating film and digital content. He has also extended the reach and impact of Ailey’s educational offerings, including the creation of new curricula and programs that reach across generations, from elementary school children to older adults. In 2017, the organization unveiled the Elaine Wynn and Family Education Wing, providing muchneeded additional studios and classroom space. The building now comprises 87,000 square feet and is the largest destination for dance in New York City. In recent years, Rink has overseen a branding initiative to express the totality of Ailey’s offerings, creating greater connectivity among Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, The Ailey School, Ailey Arts in Education & Community Programs, and Ailey Extension. Most recently, he led the organization’s collaboration with the Whitney Museum on “Edges of Ailey,” the first large-scale museum exhibition celebrating the life, dances, influences and enduring legacy of Alvin Ailey. Rink is a graduate of Syracuse University and holds a B.F.A. in theater.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Founded by Alvin Ailey on March 30, 1958, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is one of the most acclaimed dance companies in the world. With a repertory that boasts close to 300 works by more than 100 choreographers, it has performed in more than 70 countries on six continents and has been designated a “vital American Cultural Ambassador to the world” by a U.S. congressional resolution. Forged during a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater was established to uplift the African American experience while transcending boundaries of race, faith and nationality with its universal humanity. Ailey invited dancers of all backgrounds to be a part of his vision while reimagining his company as a “library of dance,” a home for a wide range of choreographers’ works that might otherwise be lost. Before his untimely death in 1989, Ailey named Judith Jamison as his successor, and for 21 years she brought the Company to unprecedented success. In 2011, she selected Robert Battle as her successor; he stewarded the Company until 2023. Today, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater continues to bring joy to audiences around the globe, while expanding its repertory with works by new choreographers and upholding Ailey’s legacy for future generations.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater gratefully acknowledges The Joan & Sandy Weill Global Ambassador Fund, which provides vital support for Ailey’s national and international tours.
The Ailey dancers are supported, in part, by The Judith McDonough Kaminski Dancer Endowment Fund
ALVIN
DANCE
AILEY
NOTES: URBAN BUSH WOMEN
AMERICAN DANCE THEATER WHO’S WHO
LEONARDO BRITO
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) began his training with Projeto Primeiro Passo and later studied at Escola Estadual de Dança Maria Olenewa, Centro de Arte Nós da Dança, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and The Ailey School. He danced with Ailey II and then with Ballet Hispánico for five seasons. Brito has performed with the Mariinsky Ballet, Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro and Focus Cia de Dança. In 2015, he received the III Brazilian Modern Dance Congress Award. He has performed works by Robert Battle, Cassi Abranches, Jae Man Joo, Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, Marcelo Misailidis, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Eduardo Vilaro and Anabelle Lopez Ochoa. Brito is also proficient in capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art. He has appeared in the FX series POSE, Willy Chavarria’s film Safe From Harm, Out Magazine, Hong Kong Dance Magazine, on the covers of Made in Brazil and SSAW, and in many other campaigns. He joined the Company in 2024. Instagram: @leonardobrittom
PATRICK COKER (Chester, VA) began dancing at Jessica Morgan’s School of Dance in Midlothian, VA, and later the Eastern Virginia School for the Performing Arts. He graduated from The Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance in 2014. He has performed with Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Jessica Lang Dance, the Mark Morris Dance Group and BODYTRAFFIC. Coker has also danced with Jamar Roberts, The Verdon Fosse Legacy, Joshua Beamish’s MOVE: The Company, HopeBoykinDance and Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance. In 2018, he was an assistant to Jessica Lang as she choreographed EN on Ailey, and he joined the Company in 2019. Instagram: @pcoke
SHAWN CUSSEAUX
(St. Petersburg, FL) began his training at the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School where he trained in ballet, modern and jazz. In 2020, Cusseaux received his B.F.A. in Modern Dance at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, under the direction of Garfield Lemonius. After graduation he joined BalletX, Philadelphia’s premier contemporary ballet company, where he
spent three seasons. During that time, he had the privilege of dancing at the Vail International Dance Festival and Ballet Sun Valley. Cusseaux has performed work by Jae Man Joo, José Limón, Edwaard Liang, Camille A. Brown, Matthew Nenan, Jamar Roberts, Dwight Rhoden, Hope Boykin, Amy Hall Garner, Jennifer Archibald and Nicolo Fonte. He joined the Company in 2023.
SARAH DALEY-PERDOMO
(South Elgin, IL) began her training at the Faubourg School of Ballet in Illinois under the direction of Watmora Casey and Tatyana Mazur. She is a 2009 graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance and trained at institutions such as the Kirov Academy, National Ballet School of Canada, The San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, and intensives at Ballet Camp Illinois and Ballet Adriatico in Italy. DaleyPerdomo was honored to be highlighted in Dance Magazine’s “On the Rise” feature in 2014, and to perform in Wayne McGregor’s Chroma for the filming of Lincoln Center at the Movies: Great American Dance. She is a recipient of a Youth America Grand Prix Award and an ARTS Foundation Award. She was a member of Ailey II and joined the Company in 2011.
CAROLINE T. DARTEY
(Geneva, Switzerland) trained in rhythmic gymnastics in her hometown from the age of five, rising to national and international levels and becoming the Swiss champion in her category from 2009 to 2011. She later began dancing at the Conservatoire Populaire de Musique, Danse et Théâtre of Geneva. Dartey also trained at The Ailey School as a scholarship student and performed in Alvin Ailey’s Memoria during the Company’s 2017 New York City Center season. She was a member of Ailey II from 2018 to 2020 and has performed works by Darrell Grand Moultrie, Uri Sands, Bradley Shelver, Troy Powell, Robert Battle, Amy Hall Garner, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Andrea Miller, Alia Kache and Yannick Lebrun. Dartey’s commercial work includes Vogue World New York and performances with music artists Omah Lay and Pheelz on Late Night with Seth Meyers. Dartey joined the Company in 2021. Instagram: @caroline_dartey
ISAIAH DAY (Chicago) began his dance training with Yielded Vessel Dance Ministry at New Life Covenant Southeast. He also studied at Hubbard Street Youth Dance Center and The Chicago Academy for the Arts. He graduated in 2024
from The Juilliard School under the direction of Alicia Graf Mack. While at Juilliard, Day performed works by Jamar Roberts, Tiler Peck, Justin Peck, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Rena Butler and Ohad Naharin. He was named a YoungArts winner in Modern/Contemporary dance in 2019. Day joined the Company in 2023.
CORAL DOLPHIN (Los Angeles) studied modern, West African, flamenco, ballet, hip hop, tap, aerial silk, salsa and acting under the mentorship of Debbie Allen. Dolphin began her professional career in New York as a founding member of BHdos, the second company of Ballet Hispánico. She later spent four years with Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE. She has worked with artists Madonna, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Cardi B and more. In 2019, she performed the Dream Ballet solo in the Broadway musical Oklahoma! She has choreographed for Miguel, Lauren Jauregui, Kali Uchis and Lenny Kravitz and for international brands such as Citibank and i-D. In 2020, Dolphin made her directorial debut with a short film in collaboration with renowned composer Raven Bush. Through her art, she aims to magnify universal truths, aspiring for her creations to ignite the remembrance of the divine and higher consciousness that is within us all. Dolphin joined the Company in 2023.
SOLOMON DUMAS (Chicago) was introduced to dance through AileyCamp. He later began his formal training at The Chicago Academy for the Arts and the Russell Talbert Dance Studio, where he received his most influential training. Dumas studied at New World School of the Arts and was a Fellowship Level 1 student at The Ailey School. He has performed with companies including Garth Fagan Dance; Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, A Dance Company; and Labyrinth Dance Theater and was a member of Ailey II. Dumas joined the Company in 2016.
SAMANTHA FIGGINS (Washington, D.C.) began dancing at Duke Ellington School of the Arts under the tutelage of Charles Auggins and Sandra Fortune-Greene and attended summer intensives at Dance Theatre of Harlem under the direction of Arthur Mitchell. She continued her education at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance. There, she performed works by George Balanchine, Bill T. Jones, Paul Taylor and Twyla Tharp. Upon graduating cum laude,
Figgins became a member of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, performing works by Dwight Rhoden, Jae Man Joo and Camille A. Brown. She also performed at the 2014 DanceOpen Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia. Figgins was featured on the cover of Dance Spirit magazine and in Pointe magazine’s “10 Careers to Watch” in 2013. She has worked with Beyoncé and can be seen in the film Enemy Within alongside Tiler Peck and Matthew Rushing. Figgins joined the Company in 2014.
JAMES GILMER (Pittsburgh) trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School. After graduating, he performed with Texture Contemporary Ballet and joined Cincinnati Ballet in 2011. While dancing with the Cincinnati Ballet for six seasons, Gilmer was promoted to soloist in 2015 and performed works by Victoria Morgan, Amy Seiwert, Septime Webre, Ohad Naharin, Val Caniparoli, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Edwaard Liang, Jennifer Archibald and George Balanchine, to name a few. Gilmer was also a member of Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, performing during the summer seasons since 2013, and ODC/dance, performing works by Brenda Way, KT Nelson, and Kate Weare. Gilmer performed in New York City Center’s 2021 and 2022 Twyla Tharp celebrations and in Fall for Dance, where he was featured in choreography by Jamar Roberts. He joined the Company in 2019. Instagram: @james.agilmer
VERNARD J. GILMORE (Chicago) began his training at Curie Performing and Creative Arts High School in Chicago under Diane Holda. He later studied at the Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theater with Harriet Ross, Marquita Levy and Emily Stein. He received first place in the all-city NAACP ACT-SO competition in 1993. He attended Barat College under scholarship and tutelage of Rory Foster and Eileen Cropley. He then studied as a scholarship student at The Ailey School and was a member of Ailey II. In 2010, he performed as part of the White House Dance Series. Gilmore is a choreographer whose work has been a part of the Ailey Dancers Resource Fund, Fire Island Dance Festival 2008 and Jazz Foundation of America Gala 2010, and he produced the Dance of Light project in 2010 and 2015. An excerpt of Gilmore’s work La Muette was performed in 2017 as part of the “Celebrating the Men of Ailey” program at New York City Center. Nimbus Dance Works performed a new work by Gilmore in 2018. He is a certified Zena Rommett Floor-Barre
instructor and teaches workshops and master classes around the world. Gilmore joined the Company in 1997.
ASHLEY KAYLYNN GREEN (Charleston, SC) began her training at Columbia City Jazz where she found her love for dance. She trained in a variety of styles including ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and hip hop. In 2020, Green received her B.F.A. in Dance from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, under the direction of Garfield Lemonius. There, she performed works by Peter Chu, Aszure Barton, Kyle Abraham and Darrell Grand Moultrie. After graduation she joined Whim W’Him Seattle Contemporary Dance where she received a Princess Grace Award in Dance. Green joined the Company in 2021 and that year was named one of “25 to Watch” by Dance Magazine.
JACQUELIN HARRIS (Charlotte, NC) began her dance training at Dance Productions Studios under the direction of Lori Long. Harris received a silver ARTS award from the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts and was a Presidential Scholar in the Arts semifinalist. She graduated with honors from the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance. In 2016, Harris was named one of “25 to Watch” by Dance Magazine. She received a 2017 dance fellowship from the Princess Grace Foundation-USA. Harris has performed as a guest artist with Twyla Tharp, the Merce Cunningham Trust and Roderick George. She was a member of Ailey II and joined the Company in 2014.
MICHAEL JACKSON, JR. (New Orleans) began his dance training at age 14 at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C., under the direction of Charles Augins. He became a member of Dance Theatre of Harlem Dancing through Barriers Ensemble in 2005. In 2006, he joined Dallas Black Dance Theatre, and, in 2008 joined PHILADANCO!, where he also worked as artistic director of D3. Jackson joined the Company in 2011 and rejoined in 2015.
YANNICK LEBRUN (Cayenne, French Guiana) began training in his native country at the Adaclam School under the guidance of Jeanine Verin. After graduating high school in 2004, he moved to New York City to study at The Ailey
School as a scholarship student. Lebrun was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” in 2011, and in 2013, France-Amérique magazine highlighted him as one of the 50 most talented French people in the United States. In November 2016, Lebrun was a guest performer with The Royal Ballet in Wayne McGregor’s Chroma. In 2019, he choreographed Saa Magni, his first work for Ailey II, and in 2021, he created Lora for ABT Studio Company. In 2024, he was a nominee for the UK Critic’s Circle National Dance Award for outstanding male modern performance in Dancing Spirit. Lebrun was a member of Ailey II and joined the Company in 2008. Instagram: @yannicklebrun
XAVIER MACK (Washington, D.C.) began his dance training at Divine Dance Institute in Capitol Heights, MD. He went on to earn his BA in Modern Language & Linguistics from the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. After graduation, Mack spent five seasons with Dallas Black Dance Theatre. In 2018, he had the pleasure of performing alongside legendary soprano Kathleen Battle in her concert Underground Railroad: A Spiritual Journey. Mack has performed as a guest artist in benefit galas and festivals for CityDance, TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND, FINTDAZ, Jacob’s Pillow and Dance Fest Skopje. He has performed works by Norbert De La Cruz III, Hope Boykin, Hans van Manen, Aszure Barton and Darrell Grand Moultrie. He joined the Company in 2022. Instagram: @x.mack
RENALDO MAURICE (Gary, IN) began his training with Tony Washington and graduated from Talent Unlimited High School. He attended Emerson School for Visual and Performing Arts, studying with Larry Brewer. Maurice was a scholarship student at The Ailey School, Ballet Chicago, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater and Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. He received second place in modern dance from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts and received the Dizzy Feet Foundation Scholarship. In 2012, he was honored with the key to the city of his hometown. Maurice has choreographed and performed with Grammy® nominated artists Jazzmeia Horn, KEM and Grammy® Award winner Madonna. He has also incorporated his passion for the
DANCE NOTES: URBAN BUSH WOMEN ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER WHO’S WHO
arts with social responsibility by becoming the co-artistic director of Indiana’s South Shore Dance Alliance. He was a member of Ailey II and joined the Company in 2011. Facebook: @Maurice Gardner Instagram: @mauricerenaldo
CORRIN RACHELLE
MITCHELL (Baltimore) began her dance training in her hometown at LeRe’s Performing Arts Center, owned by her mother and father. She attended Baltimore School for the Arts where she trained with Norma Pera and Linda-Denise FisherHarrell. Mitchell graduated in 2017 with a B.F.A. in Dance from Point Park University where she worked with choreographers Troy Powell, Garfield Lemonius and Debbie Allen. After completing one year of apprenticeship, Mitchell joined Ailey II in 2017, performing works by Uri Sands, Bradley Shelver, Troy Powell, Robert Battle, Darrell Grand Moultrie and Amy Hall Garner. She joined the Company in 2019. Instagram: @_slimrin_
CHALVAR MONTEIRO
(Montclair, NJ) began his training at Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts and studied at The Ailey School before receiving his B.F.A. from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance. Monteiro has worked with Sidra Bell Dance New York, Elisa Monte Dance, Keigwin+Company, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, BODYTRAFFIC and GALLIM. In 2019, Monteiro performed in Merce Cunningham Trust’s Night of 100 Solos: A Centennial Event and joined the faculty at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2020. His choreography has been presented in numerous festivals and institutions across the United States, including Ailey’s 2021 Virtual Spirit Gala, Fire Island Dance Festival, Fordham University and SUNY Purchase. Monteiro has been featured in Vogue Beauty, Document Journal for Moncler, and fashion campaigns for Uniqlo and Lululemon. He was a member of Ailey II and joined the Company in 2015. Instagram: @chlvrmntro
JESSE OBREMSKI (New York City) began his studies at The Ailey School and continued at Jacob’s Pillow, Springboard Danse Montreal and Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance. He graduated from LaGuardia High
School and Juilliard. Obremski performed with the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, The Limón Dance Company and Gibney Company, among others. He is a soughtafter educator, choreographer and restager of José Limón’s works. He received the Asian American Arts Alliance’s 2016 Jadin Wong Award and achieved Eagle Scout rank in the Boy Scouts. Obremski has been mentioned in The New York Times, on NY1, and was featured in Dance Magazine’s “On the Rise” in 2019. He performed at the FINA World Championships in 2019 and at the White House for President Obama. Obremski is the founder/artistic director of Obremski/Works, which has been presented internationally, including by the Kennedy Center. He joined the Company in 2024. Website: jesseobremski.com Instagram: @jesse_obremski
KALI MARIE OLIVER
(Akron, OH) began her dance training with her mother and went on to train at Nan Klinger’s Excellence in Dance. She attended summer intensives at Chautauqua Institution, Alonzo King LINES Ballet and The Ailey School. Oliver graduated magna cum laude from the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance. Upon graduating, she worked closely with Karole Armitage as a guest artist with Armitage Gone! Dance. Oliver spent three seasons in Ailey II under the direction of Francesca Harper, during which time she performed in the Holland Dance Festival. She has had the privilege of performing works by Alvin Ailey, William Forsythe, Robert Battle, Andrea Miller, Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish, William Isaac, Baye & Asa and Maurya Kerr. She was honored to be a guest artist during Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s 2023 New York City Center season and was thrilled to officially join the Company in 2024. Instagram: @kmo_98
ALISHA RENA PEEK
(Upper Marlboro, MD) is a graduate of the Ailey/ Fordham B.F.A. Program in Dance and recently earned her M.B.A. from the University of Maryland Global Campus. Peek began her formal dance training at the Washington School of Ballet and continued at the Kirov Ballet Academy, Dance Theatre of Harlem Kennedy Center Residency and The Art of Technique. Professionally, Peek has danced in Ailey II, taught Horton in The Ailey School’s Junior Division, served as an assistant to Milton Myers and Hope Boykin, participated in the HopeBoykinDance Bubble Residency and performed in both An Evening Of Hope and Moments By Hope Peek appeared in the hit FX series POSE and
choreographed a short film produced by BEATS by Dre. This is her fourth season with the Company. Instagram @alishapeek
JESSICA AMBER PINKETT (Baltimore) began her dance training at Baltimore Dance Tech under the direction of Stephanie Powell. She graduated from George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology and earned a B.F.A. with honors in Dance Performance and Choreography from Towson University. She has had the privilege of performing works by Alvin Ailey, Judith Jamison, Tally Beatty, Camille A. Brown, Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell, Jamar Roberts and others. She has performed as a guest artist with The Black Iris Project and was a member of Ailey lI from 2016 to 2018. Pinkett made her New York choreographic debut and performed alongside Madison McFerrin in OPEN AIR. In 2023, she led the world premiere of HopeBoykinDance’s States Of Hope at The Joyce Theater. She was a member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 2018 to 2021 and rejoined the Company in 2024. She continues exploring the depths of her artistry as a freelancer, teacher, choreographer and filmmaker. Instagram: @jessica.a.pinkett
MIRANDA QUINN (Baltimore) trained in various genres of dance from ages 2 to 18 at Mid-Atlantic Center for the Performing Arts under the artistic direction of Shannon McHale. Quinn graduated from The Juilliard School in 2019 under the direction of Alicia Graf Mack. Her attendance at the school was made possible by the Jerome L. Greene Fellowship. She joined the Company in 2019. Quinn is beyond thrilled and honored to be a part of the Ailey community and legacy. Instagram: @mirandaming4
HANNAH ALISSA
RICHARDSON (Toronto, Canada) graduated with honors from The Ailey School Certificate Program. Richardson has performed works by choreographers including Ray Mercer, Bradley Shelver, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Earl Mosley, William Forsythe and Robert Battle. She has been a featured dancer in festivals including Jacob’s Pillow and the Holland Dance Festival and had the honor of performing the world premiere of Grace and Mercy choreographed by Ronald K. Brown at Bard’s SummerScape festival. Some of her film and television credits include Orion Pictures’ Every Day and Disney Channel’s Backstage
Richardson was a proud member of Ailey II for one season before joining the Company in 2022. She is also a guest artist with Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, A Dance Company. Richardson is thrilled to be part of Ailey and is grateful for all those who have continued to support her along her journey. Instagram: @hannahxrichardson
DEIDRE ROGAN (Fort Myers, FL) began her dance training in Fort Myers under Melinda Roy, Roberto Munoz and Cheryl Copeland. Rogan graduated with honors from the Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. Program in Dance in 2015. She is a YoungArts scholarship winner, performed as a United States Arts Ambassador for President Barack Obama during the Opening Ceremony of the Hannover Messe and was the associate choreographer under choreographer Hope Boykin for the City Center Encores Off-Center production of Promenade in 2019. Rogan danced with Ailey II from 2014 to 2016 and with Parsons Dance from 2016 to 2022. This is her third season with the Company. Instagram: @deidre_rogan
CONSTANCE STAMATIOU (Charlotte, NC) began her dance training at Pat Hall’s Dance Unlimited and North Carolina Dance Theatre. She graduated from Northwest School of the Arts and studied at SUNY Purchase and as a Fellowship student at The Ailey School. In 2009, Stamatiou received the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship. In 2022, she was one of Sports Illustrated’s “Top 100” and, in 2023, she was nominated for the UK Critic’s Circle National Dance Award for outstanding female modern performance in Cry. She has performed at the White House, in a TED Talk with Judith Jamison and has appeared on So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, Logo’s Trailblazer Honors, Elle’s movement series, Good Morning America and TODAY. Stamatiou has danced in the films Shake, Rattle & Roll, Bolden and the commercial I Love NY. She is a mother of two. Stamatiou was a member of Ailey II and joined the Company in 2007. Instagram: @constance.stamatiou
CHRISTOPHER TAYLOR (Newark, NJ) started his dance training at The Ailey School when he was 11. He later attended Arts High School in Newark. During his training, he attended AileyCamp Newark, performing numerous times at The Apollo Theater and Lincoln Center in works by Rennie Harris, Robert
Battle and other choreographers. After graduating from Arts High School, Taylor received a scholarship to The Ailey School’s Professional Division. In 2022, he joined Ailey II under artistic director Francesca Harper and went on to perform works by Harper, William Forsythe, Andrea Miller and Robert Battle. This is his third season in the Company.
FANA MINEA
TESFAGIORGIS (Madison, WI) is an artist, actor and dancer. She is an alumna of Ballet Madison, Interlochen Arts Academy, and the Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. Program in Dance where she graduated with a major in dance and a minor in journalism. Professionally, Tesfagiorgis has danced with Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance and The Black Iris Project, among others. Since shifting into acting, she has studied at The Freeman Studio, The Kimball Studio and Lesly Kahn Acting Studio. She appeared in the film In the Heights, the first national tour of My Fair Lady, the opening of The 73rd Annual Tony Awards, POSE, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, and in the short films Booked, Date Nights, Love on Speed and the EMMY Award-winning WILD. She was previously a member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 2013 to 2019. Follow her journey on FanaMinea.com as well as Instagram and TikTok: @fanaminea
DE’ANTHONY VAUGHAN (Kansas City, MO) was introduced to dance at age three by his grandmother. He received his training from AileyCamp, Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey and Kansas City Ballet School. He continued his training in New York City at The Ailey School as a scholarship student. In 2014, Vaughan joined Dallas Black Dance Theatre where he performed works by Matthew Rushing, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Alvin Ailey, Elisa Monte, Donald McKayle and many more. This is Vaughan’s second season with the Company. Instagram: @leedeevaughan
DANDARA VEIGA (Alegrete, Brazil) began her dance training at Social Project Primeiros Passos before receiving a scholarship to her hometown school Escola de Danca Ballerina. She also studied at Studio Margarita Fernandez in Argentina, Opus Ballet in Italy, Annarella Academia de Ballet e Dança in Portugal, and as a scholarship student at The Ailey School in 2016. From 2017 to 2023,
Veiga danced with Ballet Hispánico. From 2023–2024, she performed with The Metropolitan Opera and projects including Site-Specific Dances, Opus Ballet, Noname and the Black Iris Project. Veiga was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” in 2023. She has worked with artists including Charla Gen, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Noah Gelber, Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, Edwaard Liang, Christopher Huggins and Ray Mercer. This is her first season with the Company. Instagram: @Iamdandaraveiga
ISABEL WALLACE-GREEN (Houston) began her dance training at Houston Ballet Academy. She graduated summa cum laude from the Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. Program in Dance with a dual degree in Dance and African/African American Studies. She performed with New Chamber Ballet, Urban Souls Dance Company, and was an ensemble member of The Radio City Christmas Spectacular Wallace-Green was a company member with DBDT: Encore before joining Dallas Black Dance Theatre in 2021. While in Texas, she partnered with University of Houston and Texas Southern University art museums to premiere her first solo show, Resilience Wallace-Green joined the Company in 2023.
CHRISTOPHER R. WILSON (Augusta, GA) is a graduate of John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School and graduated cum laude from the Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. Program in Dance. He trained at Colton Ballet School, Alonzo King LINES Ballet and The School at Jacob’s Pillow before beginning his professional career with BHdos, the second company of Ballet Hispánico. He has performed for Queen Sofía of Spain and Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands and has had the privilege of performing on the main stage of the 2017 Essence Festival in New Orleans. Wilson has performed works by Judith Jamison, Alonzo King, Wayne McGregor, Camille A. Brown, Kyle Abraham and Hans van Manen, among others. He has been a guest artist for the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and with The Black Iris Project, starting in the Emmy-nominated film, A Mother’s Rite. Wilson was a member of Ailey II and joined the Company in 2018. Instagram: @christopher.r.wilson
DANCE NOTES: URBAN BUSH WOMEN ALVIN AILEY DANCE FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Daria L. Wallach, Chairman
Anthony S. Kendall, President
Sela Thompson Collins, Jaishri Kapoor, Stephen J. Meringoff, Arthur J. Mirante II, Vice-Chairmen
Jolen V. Anderson
Eleanor S. Applewhaite
Laura D. Corb
Suzan Kereere
Anthony A. Lewis
Jack Pitts
Muhammad Qubbaj
Lata N. Reddy
Bennett Rink
Oti Roberts
Cara Robinson
Danielle M. Robinson, Ph.D.
Tara L. Smith
Joan H. Weill
Edna Kane Williams
DeJuan V. Wilson
Jean-Rene Zetrenne
Pamela D. Zilly
Philip Laskawy, Stanley Plesent, Esq.*, Joan H. Weill, Chairmen Emeriti
Debra L. Lee, Henry McGee, Presidents Emeriti
Gina F. Adams, Simin N. Allison*, Anthony M. Carvette, Kathryn C. Chenault, Guido Goldman*, Bruce S. Gordon, John H. Schaefer, Lemar Swinney, Honorary Trustees
*In Memoriam
ALVIN AILEY DANCE FOUNDATION
Recipient of the National Medal of Arts
Bennett Rink, Executive Director
Pamela Robinson, Chief Financial Officer
Eric D. Wright, General Manager
Isabelle Mezin, Director of Company Business Affairs
Gregory Stuart, Company Manager
Joseph Anthony Gaito, Technical Director
HaeJin Han, Production Stage Manager
Yi-Chung Chen, Lighting Director
Jon Taylor, Wardrobe Supervisor
Jorge Lanuza, Master Carpenter
David Trudeau, Master Electrician
Michel Harruch, Sound Engineer
Jason Rosenberg, Property Master
Justin Coffman, Assistant Company Manager
Kait Mahoney, Assistant Stage Manager
Natalia Carlson, Assistant Lighting Director
Danté Baylor, Wardrobe Assistant
Katie Chihaby, Wardrobe Assistant
TOURING CONTACT
OPUS 3 ARTISTS
Tel: (212) 584-7500
opus3artists.com
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Myles Fowler, Flyman/Assistant Carpenter
Jameson Bernhagen, Assistant Electrician
Amadea Edwards, Director of Administration
Chelsea Gillespie, Licensing & Clearance Manager
Michelle Grazio, Company Business Affairs Manager
Ebonie C. Pittman, Managing Director of Development
Christopher Zunner, Director of Public Relations
Lynette P. Rizzo, Associate Director of Marketing
Donald J. Rose, M.D., Director of the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries, NYU Langone Orthopedics
Sheyi Ojofeitimi, PT, D.P.T., O.C.S., C.F.M.T., Director of Therapy Services / Health & Safety Advisor
Jessi Patz, PT, D.P.T., C.K.T.P., Physical Therapis t
Touring sound system provided by Gibson Entertainment Services. Domestic trucking services provided by Stage Call Corporation.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is a proud member of Dance/USA, the national service organization for professional dance.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater dancers appear courtesy of the American Guild of Musical Artists. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater crew members belong to the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.
AILEY TOUR MERCHANDISE
Ailey Tour Merchandise and AileyShop.com are managed by The Araca Group | AileyShop.com
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater | The Joan Weill Center for Dance 405 West 55th Street, NY, NY 10019-4402 | Tel: (212) 405-9000 | ailey.org Facebook: @AlvinAileyAmericanDanceTheater | Instagram: @alvinailey | Tiktok: @AlvinAileyOfficial
Headshots: Alvin Ailey photo by Jack Mitchell. Matthew Rushing, Clifton Brown, Patrick Coker, Solomon
Constance Stamatiou and Fana
Corrin Rachelle
Tesfagiorgis
by Andrew
Christopher
Shawn
Dumas, Vernard J. Gilmore, Renaldo Maurice,
Minea
photos
Eccles.
Cusseaux photo by German Vazquez. James Gilmer photo by Michael Jackson, Jr. Ronni Favors, Sarah Daley-Perdomo, Isaiah Day, Coral Dolphin, Samantha Figgins, Ashley Kaylynn Green, Michael Jackson, Jr., Yannick Lebrun,
Mitchell, Chalvar Monteiro and
R. Wilson photos by Dario Calmese. All other photos by Nir Arieli.
June 26–29, 2025
Enter the enchanting world of Swan Lake, where romance and betrayal unfold through breathtaking choreography and Tchaikovsky’s timeless score. Boston Ballet’s exquisite production brings this iconic masterpiece to life with dazzling precision, evocative storytelling and stunning design.
The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion musiccenter.org/bostonballet | (213) 972-0711
BRING A GROUP AND SAVE! Contact marketing@musiccenter.org for more information. TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Boston Ballet in Mikko Nissinen’s Swan Lake; photo by Rosalie O’Connor; courtesy of Boston Ballet.
Center Dance Arts (CDA) is a dynamic community of patrons with a passion for dance. CDA brings dance to life in Los Angeles by promoting The Music Center’s world-class dance performances, extensive arts learning, as well as local and free and low-cost dance and dancing experiences, helping ensure that all may know and savor the transformative power of this incredible art form.
CONNECT
with arts patrons and dance enthusiasts in a variety of fun social settings around Los Angeles.
CELEBRATE
dance and enjoy behind-thescenes access such as salons, receptions and artist talks featuring dance luminaries.
INSPIRE
thousands of people with extraordinary performances, groundbreaking new works, innovative dance learning in schools and community dancing experiences.
CDA dance season preview brunch at the Jonathan Club. Photo by Michelle Shiers.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Caroline T. Dartey. Photos by Dario Calmese.
The Music Center Thanks Center Dance Arts
From all of us at The Music Center, we thank Center Dance Arts members for their unwavering support of dance. We welcome you and look forward to many seasons of dance ahead!
Center Dance Arts Board of Directors
Charlene Achki-Repko President
Jane Jelenko*
Founding President
Liane Weintraub*
Founding Chair
Mattie McFadden
Lawson Chair Emerita
Catharine Soros
Chair Emerita
Jane ArnaultFactor, Ph.D.*
Susan Baumgarten
JoAnn Bourne
Robert Braun
Terri Childs
Brian Duck
Mira Hashmall
Joan Herman
Liz Levitt Hirsch* In memoriam
Edward Lazarus
Judith Reichman, M.D.
Julia Strickland
Sue Tsao
Ana T. Valdez
* Founding Member
Center Dance Arts
Center Dance Arts Members
DANCE SPONSOR
($25,000+)
Estate of Liz Levitt
Hirsch
Allen and Anita Kohl
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DANCE AMBASSADOR
($10,000 – $24,999)
Charlene Achki-Repko
Jane Arnault-Factor
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JoAnn and Wayland Bourne
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Brian Duck and Chad Olsen
Lisa Field
Joan A. Friedman, Ph.D. and Robert N. Braun, M.D.
Mira Hashmall, Esq.
Joan Herman and Richard Rasiej
Jane Jelenko
Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles
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MaddocksBrown Foundation
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Judith Reichman, M.D.
Catharine and Jeffrey Soros
Use your camera to scan QR code to join today. Membership benefits start immediately.
Julia Strickland and Timothy Wahl
Sue Tsao
Cynthia Watson M.D. and David B. Katzin M.D., Ph.D.
Alyce Williamson
DANCE ADVOCATE
($5,000 – $9,999)
K&F Baxter Family Foundation
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Norman and Sadie Lee Foundation
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DANCE ENTHUSIAST
($2,500 – $4,999)
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DANCE PATRON
($1,000 – $2,499)
Laura and Kenneth Adler
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David Shaw and Sheila Blackwell Dr. Judith Flinder Blumenthal
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Judy and Arnie Fishman
Tony Foster
Susan Friedman
Paul Greenberg Household
Penny Haberman
Claire and Robert Heron
Christine M. Hessler
AC Hoffing
Mary Ann HuntJacobsen
Harold Huttas and Scott McPhail
Linda and David Kagel
Barbara and Richard Kernochan
Vivian Krepack
Carl Large
Rhonda Leal
Deborah B. Lewis
Stephen and Jennifer Maguire Household
Paula Marcus
Kim Margolin
Julie McDonald
Sara Jane McKernan
Vibiana Molina
Diane Morton
Beatrice H. Nemlaha
Steven Neu
David Richard Pullman
Nan Rae
Kathleen Reiss
Koni and Geoffrey Rich
Hadley and Lee Rierson
Ricki and Marvin Ring
Richard Rho and Steven DeMille
Helene Rosenzweig, M.D.
Desiree Samuels
Kirsten Sarkisian
Maxine Savitz
Bob and Helene
Schacter
Sherie and Alan Schneider
Sabrina Heron Strong
Joanne Takahashi
Roni Tunick
Leon and Stephanie Vahn Household
Laurie Vender and Stephen Halper
Daniel and Janice
Wallace
Laura Wallace
Marcia and Charles
Wasserman
Karen and Les
Weinstein
Dianna Wong
Photos (left to right): Guests enjoying a Meet the Artists reception. Rachel S. Moore interviewing artists during Meet the Artists Reception, Artists speak with CDA members at a Meet the Artists reception.
Join us for a grand evening celebrating The Music Center’s Spotlight. This unforgettable evening will begin with an elegant dinner at 5:00 p.m. followed by the Spotlight Grand Finale performance at 8:00 p.m.
HONORARY CO-CHAIRS
Teresita and Shelby Notkin
HONORARY COMMITTEE
Pamela and Dennis Beck
Judith and Thomas Beckmen
Merle Mullin
Fredric Roberts
To learn more, contact Serena Bernolak at (213) 972-3315 or specialevents@musiccenter.org musiccenter.org/spotlightgala
Photo: John McCoy for The Music Center.
We invite you to consider a legacy gift that will create inclusive arts and cultural experiences for Angelenos for generations to come.
Imagine a child experiencing a live performance for the first time, a teacher discovering new ways to inspire students, a couple enjoying a worldrenowned dance company or a family learning new dance moves together. Know that it is your generosity that allows The Music Center to provide these meaningful experiences that enrich the lives of all Angelenos. Imagine the impact your legacy gift can make!
WAYS TO GIVE:
• Include a gift in your will or living trust
• Designate The Music Center as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, life insurance policy or donor advised fund
“It’s very gratifying to know I am doing something now and for the future.” — Mimi Rotter, Dorothy Chandler Society member
• Receive income during your lifetime, with the remainder supporting The Music Center, via a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust
• Create an estate note, which is an irrevocable pledge against one’s estate
• Create a named, endowed fund — providing lasting support in perpetuity
To learn more, contact Becky Birdsong at (213) 972-3358, legacy@musiccenter.org or visit musiccenterlegacy.org
PLANNED GIFTS AND ENDOWMENT GIFTS
$1,000,000 AND ABOVE
The Ahmanson Foundation
The Ashkenas and Fabian Family Bank of America Foundation
The Blue Ribbon
Terri and Timothy Childs
David Conlon
Jill and Curtis Kaufman
Diane and Leon Morton
Merle and Peter Mullin
National Endowment for the Arts
Estate of Robert W. Olsen
Fredric M. Roberts
Estate of Frank J. Sherwood
Estate of Dorothy C. Waugh
PLANNED GIFTS AND ENDOWMENT GIFTS
UP TO $999,999
Anonymous (4)
Phyllis Abrams and Jules Smith
Caroline L. Ahmanson
The Annenberg Foundation
Kathryn A. Ballsun
Pamela and Dennis Beck
Judith and Thomas Beckmen
Estate of Miriam Birch
Judith Blumenthal
Borden-Rozner Trust
Linda and Maynard Brittan
Estate of Maurice and Jane Cattani
Club 100
Margaret Sheehy Collins
Estate of Dorothy and Sherrill Corwin
Mary Levin Cutler
James A. Doolittle Foundation
Kimberly Marteau and John Emerson
Estate of Sylvia Kunin
Eben
Carolyn Dirks/Joseph B.
Gould Foundation
Estate of Thomas F. Grose
William Randolph Hearst Foundation
Joan E. Herman and Richard M. Rasiej
Ann and Steve Hinchliffe
Joan E. and John Hotchkis
Freya and Mark Ivener
Robert Jesberg and Michael J. Carmody
Carrie and Stuart Ketchum
Joyce and Kent Kresa
Estate of Helen Lamm
Dr. Stephen Lee
Mrs. J. Hart Lyon
Rachel S. Moore and Robert Ryan
Stephen D. Moses
Robin and Gerald Parsky
James B. Pendleton Foundation
Barbara and Sheldon Pinchuk
Nan Rae
Estate of Lee and Larry Ramer
Penelope C. Roeder
Estate of Constance E. and Edward Ropolo
Mimi Rotter
Estate of Barbara and Charles Schneider
Estate of Mary Shambra
Howard Sherman and J. Gregg Houston
Lisa Specht
I.H. Sutnick
Gretchen Valentine
Andrea and John
Van de Kamp
Dietrich Eugene Wagner
Washington Mutual
Students enjoy The Music Center’s 45th Annual Very Special Arts Festival.
THE MUSIC CENTER THANKS ITS SUPPORTERS
INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILY FOUNDATIONS
Donors from 3/1/2023—1/5/2025
$1,000,000 AND ABOVE
Robert J. Abernethy
In Memory of Jacqueline and Arthur Burdorf
Terri and Timothy Childs
Glorya Kaufman Foundation
Cindy Miscikowski / The Ring-Miscikowski Foundation / The Ring Foundation
Moss Foundation
Fredric Roberts
Mimi Song
$100,000–$999,999
Helen and Peter Bing
Sascha Brastoff Foundation
Dorothy B. Chandler Program Fund
Helen Funai Erickson
Mary Ann Hunt-Jacobsen and Eric Jacobsen
Anita Mann Kohl and Allen D Kohl
Terri and Jerry Kohl
Lily Lee and Tom Chang
Marla and Cary Lefton
Marie H. Song
Estate of Rosalind Wyman
$50,000–$99,999
Gregory Adams
Margaret Sheehy Collins
Robert L. Gold
Edgerton Foundation
Marcia Israel Foundation
Alfred E. Mann Charities
Teresita and Shelby Notkin
Ann A. Park
Julia Strickland and Timothy Wahl
Jennifer and Steven Walske
Kurt and Susan Wegleitner
Alyce de Roulet Williamson
$25,000–$49,999
Kathy and Charles Adams
William and Karla
Ahmanson
The Estate of Martin Balser
Pamela and Dennis Beck
Claire and Brad Brian
Kristin Burr
Walter and Sara Chameides
Otis and Elizabeth Chandler
Faith Childs-Davis
Brian Duck and Chad Olsen
Maria and Riley Etheridge
Johnese Spisso and Ross Hartling
Erika and Jeff Hill
Lisa See and Richard Kendall
Susan and Steven Matt
Beth and Leslie Michelson
Darrell Miller
The Estate of Robert W. Olsen
Rose and Michael Pagano
Joan Herman and Richard Rasiej
Melissa and Alex Romain
LSMK Investments
Wendy Ruby
Marc and Eva Stern Foundation
Julie and Michael Stockton
Hope Landis Warner
Wendy and Jay Wintrob
$10,000–$24,999
Charlene Achki-Repko
Donna Altmann
Jane Arnault-Factor
Barnard College
Susan Baumgarten
Estate of Herbert Mayer Berk
JoAnn and Wayland
Bourne
Louise and John Bryson
Joan A. Friedman, Ph.D. and Robert N. Braun, M.D.
MaddocksBrown Foundation
Estate of Elizabeth H. Dailey
Richard Ferry
Lisa Field
Bruce Goldsmith
Jill Baldauf and Steven Grossman
Mira Hashmall, Esq.
Jane Jelenko
Soo-Kyong Jo
Cynthia Watson, M.D. and David B. Katzin, M.D., Ph.D.
Jacqueline Kehle
Carol and Patrick Kinsella
Kent Kresa
Amanda Moose and Edward Lazarus
Olivia and Anthony Neece
The Parvin Foundation
Karen Kay Platt and Lawrence B. Platt
Judith Reichman, M.D.
Monica and Joseph Rice
Cynthia Patton and Patrick Robison
Beverly Ryder
Catharine and Jeffrey Soros
Lisa Specht
Cathy Stone
Sue Tsao
Alexandra Seros and Bruno Ulloa
Paul and Liza Wachter
Lynne Silbert and Seth Weingarten
$5,000–$9,999
Lucy Farber and James Bright
Maynard and Linda Brittan/Traub-Brittan Family Foundation
Lynne and James DeWitt
Mark Dipaola
Michael Dreyer
Gary Duck
Elizabeth and Brack Duker
Gerry Friedman
Laura C. Guthman
Karen Molleson and Lowell Hill
Paul James
Lisa and Howard King
Linda and William Krantz
Corinne Sanchez and Efren Cruz Manjarrez
Diane Wittenberg and David Minning
Cynthia Monaco and Daniel Jaffe
June Li
Anslyene Lloyd
Anita Lorber
De Marchena-Huyke Foundation
Mary Ann Weisberg and Bryce Perry
David and Janet Polak
Phyllis Present
Audrey Prins and Josh Trachtenberg
Robert Ronus
Fran and Ray Stark Foundation
Rubin and Elinor Turner
Leslie Vermut and Thomas Weinberger
The Wetsman Foundation/Janis Wetsman
Iris M. Whiting
Laura-Lee Woods
$1,000–$4,999
Gay and Harry Abrams
Laura and Kenneth Adler
Robert Attiyeh
Joanne Baizer
Howard Banchik
Paul N. Barkopoulos, M.D.
Josephine Baurac
Frank and Kathy Baxter
David Bender
Joni and Miles Benickes
Susan and Jeffrey Berman
Beverlee Bickmore and Jim Kelly
Leigh Lindsey and Andrew Blaine
Judith Flinder Blumenthal
Irene and Stuart Boyd
Geri Brawerman
Cheryl and David Brickey
Darrell R. Brown
Mary Lou Byrne and Gary Kearney
Diane Buck
Reynolds Cafferata
Fanya Carter
Marlene Chavez
Karla and Richard Chernick
Lillian Chin
Allison Clago
J.Renée Cline
Jacqueline Cochran
Jane and Lawrence Cohen
Mel and Renate Cohen
Don and Marilyn Conlan
Janet Cooper
Nancy Cotton
Aviva Covitz
Alison Bryan Crowell and Richard Crowell
Nadine and Harold Davidson
Nancy Neal Davis
Sharon and Gray Davis
Sherwin Dela Cruz
Dr. Richard Rho and Steven DeMille
Laura Donnelley
Constance B. Elliot
Don and Jackie Feinstein
Jerrold and Judith Felsenthal
Judy and Arnie Fishman
Sandra Krause and William Fitzgerald
Christopher Forman
Malsi Doyle and Michael R. Forman
Susan Friedman
Diane Futterman
Christina Garcia
George and Mary Garvey
Constance Gavin
Leslie and Frederick
Gaylord
Carol S. Gee
Matthew Gelfand
Roslyn and Abner
Goldstine
Kelly and Louis Gonda
Helen Gordon
Diane Green
Adrienne and Stuart Green
Paul Greenberg
Cynthia Griffin
Marcy Gross
Cornelia HaagMolkenteller, M.D.
Penny Haberman
Laurie Vender and Stephen Halper
Nancy and Michael Harahan
Sylvia and Steven Harrison
Betty Hayman
Diane J. Henderson
Claire and Robert Heron
Christine M. Hessler
David and Susan Hirsch
Jonathan B. Hodge
Fritz Hoelscher
AC Hoffing
Greg Holcomb
Katinka and Eugene Holt
Bonnie Oda Homsey and Philip R. Homsey II
Monique Gingold and Douglas Honig
Virginia Huey
Ana Iglesias
William H. Isacoff, M.D.
Jody Isenberg
Tomoko Iwakawa
Maria Rosario Jackson,
Ph.D.
Judith Jenkins
Ruth Jervis
Nikil and Ela Jhaveri
Paul Johnson
Randi and Richard Jones
Linda and David Kagel
Jill and Curtis Kaufman
Natsuo Kawada
Kenneth and Stefanie Kay
James Kelly
Dr. Susan Kendall
Barbara and Richard Kernochan
Jules Vogel and Jay Kinn
Michael and Patricia Klowden
Vivian Krepack
Debi and Scott Kroman
Kathleen and John Lacey
Rosanne Lapan
Rhonda Leal
Ellen and David Li Lee
Samantha Leddel
Norman and Sadie Lee
Foundation
Stephen Lee
Aliza Lesser
Deborah B. Lewis
Dr. Melvyn Lewis
Claudia Lin
Ellyn and William Lindsay
Mark and Helaine Lipis
Anslyene Lloyd
Mary Looker
Marlene and Sandy Louchheim
Rose Chan and Warren Loui
Helen Lowy
Maureen and Robert Lucas
Nigel Lythgoe
Stephen and Jennifer
Maguire
Ruth Flinkman-Marandy and Ben Marandy
Megan Marcus
Paula Marcus
Kim Margolin
Pauline Marks
Barbara Marshall
Nancy and Patrick McCabe
Peter and Kathleen McCoy
Julie McDonald
Harold Huttas and Scott
McPhail
Sara Jane McKernan
Diane G. Medina
Linda and Sheldon Mehr
Jodie Mendelson
Vibiana Molina
Kathy and Michael Moray
Judge Judson W Morris, Jr.
Patricia Glaser and Sam Mudie
Shaun Murdock
Beatrice H. Nemlaha
Steven Neu
Chris and Richard
Newman
Renae Williams Niles and Greg Niles
Michael I. Nissman
Frank O’Dea
Margaret O’Donnell
Alan Oppenheimer
Ellen Pansky
Susan and Michael Patzakis
Nina and Leo Pircher
Steve Pomeroy
Lawrence Post
Debbie and Rick Powell
Marilyn and Allen Pucket
David Richard Pullman
Justine Quinones
Nan Rae
Rollin A. Ransom Esq
Sandra Rapke
Paula Reach
Ellen Regenstreif
Kathleen Reiss
Jennifer Revit
Geoffrey and Koni Rich
Hadley and Lee Rierson
Rick and Marvin Ring
Sharon Rising
Rosemary and Robert Risley
Julia M. Ritter
Henry Robles
Jaclyn Rosenberg
Laura and James Rosenwald
Helene Rosenzweig, M.D.
Mimi Rotter
Special thanks to our donors who wish to remain anonymous. The Music Center strives to acknowledge all our supporters appropriately. If your name has been misspelled or omitted from this list in error, please contact the Advancement Office at (213) 972-3333.
Linda and Tony Rubin
Nancy Lee Ruyter
Carol Saikhon
Maria Salinas
Denise Samuels
Kirsten Sarkisian
Ariane and Lionel Sauvage
Maxine Savitz
Mariette and Alexander Sawchuk
Helene and Bob Schacter
Sherie and Alan Schneider
Joan Seidel
SF & RL Pepper Family Foundation
Kimberly Shah
Deena Sharp
Sheila Blackwell and David Shaw
William Shipman
Jennifer Diener and Eric Small
Lucerne Snipes
Joan Snyder
Sabrina Heron Strong
Kristan and Philip A. Swan
Joanne Takahashi
Clare Phillips Tayback and Christopher Tayback
Peter Taylor
Barbara Augusta Teichert
Roni Tunick
Jessica and William Turner
Stephanie and Leon Vahn
Scott Vandrick and Tony Foster
Andrea Van de Kamp
Janice and Daniel Wallace
Laura Wallace
Marcia and Carles Wasserman
Karen and Les Weinstein
Leslie Raffel and Robert Wemischer
Susan and Josh Wieder
Hashim Williams
Leilani J. Wilmore
Bonnie Nash and Donald Wing
Dianna Wong
Gillian Wynn
Beth McGlynn and James Zapp
Susan Zolla
THE MUSIC CENTER THANKS ITS SUPPORTERS
CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS AND GOVERNMENT
$1,000,000 AND ABOVE
County of Los Angeles
$100,000–$999,999
The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation
The Ford Foundation
The Getty Foundation
Max H. Gluck Foundation
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
The Music Center Foundation
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
$50,000–$99,999
The Ahmanson Foundation
Bank of America
California Arts Council
Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture
Superior Grocers
$25,000–$49,999
CA Office of the Small Business Advocate
City of Los Angeles
Department of Cultural Affairs
The Capital Group Companies / Michael Stockton
Dwight Stuart Youth Fund
The Rosalinde & Arthur Gilbert Foundation
Honda
KPMG LLP/Greg Geyer
National Endowment for the Arts
The Robert Nelson Foundation
Munger Tolles & Olson LLP
Perenchio Foundation
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Edward A. and Ai O. Shay
Family Foundation
I.N. and Susanna H. Van Nuys Foundation
U.S. Bank / Carl Jordan
$10,000–$24,999
Colburn Foundation
Edison International
David Geffen Foundation
HUB International Insurance Services, Inc.
Insurance Brokers
The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation
The Korea Foundation
The Liberty Company
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation
The Louis and Harold Price Foundation
The Sidley Austin Foundation
The Lucille Ellis Simon Foundation
Sony Pictures Entertainment
UCLA Health
U.S. Bank Foundation
U.S. Venture-Schmidt
Family Foundation
Villa Gardens
$5,000–$9,999
Kaiser Permanente
KLM Foundation
Morrison & Foerster Foundation
Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts
Sidney Stern Memorial Trust
$1,000–$4,999
Anthem Blue Cross
Barr Foundation
Bessemer Trust Company, N.A. Burnand-Partridge Foundation
Curtis Vanterpool Logistics and Scheduling Manager
THE BLUE RIBBON
Suzy Boyett Director
Cinda Rosenberg Senior Coordinator
TMC ARTS
Julia Diamond Vice President
CIVIC STRATEGIES,
PARTNERSHIPS & IMPACT
Caroline Chang Program Manager
Letitia Fernandez Ivins Senior Director
Cristina Lucio Program Manager
Victoria Perera Rojas Associate Director, Evaluation & Learning
DANCE & DANCING PROGRAMS
Jocelyn Garcia Program Manager
Martin Wechsler Senior Advisor
DIGITAL INNOVATION
Kamal Sinclair Senior Director
Beata Calinska Associate Director
EDUCATION/SCHOOLS AND NEIGHBORHOODS
Keith Wyffels Associate Vice President
Patrice Cantarelli Associate Director, School Programs
Ebony Ruffin Manager, Professional Development
Monk Turner Director, The Music Center On Tour
Sydney Ko Coordinator
Vincent Lopez Coordinator
Juan Sanchez School Programs Coordinator
Jill Sowell Program Manager
GLORIA MOLINA GRAND PARK
Cristabel Campos Ruiz Marketing Manager
Cara Delaporta Lease Events & Location Coordinator
Adam Epelbaum Senior Digital Marketing Coordinator
Brian Foreman Production Manager
Robert Gonzalez Director
Anna Morrison Events Promotion Coordinator
Angela Tsai Business Manager
Carolina Xique Program Coordinator
PRODUCING & CONCERTS
Taylor Comen Senior Director, Producing
Lauren Evans Business Manager
U-Jung Jung Coordinator
Patrick Traylor Producing Production Manager
SPOTLIGHT & CREATIVE WORKFORCE READINESS
Jeri Gaile Fredric Roberts Director, Spotlight program
Monique Carroll Program Manager
Corisa Moreno Program Manager
Jordan Adelman Coordinator
BUSINESS RESOURCES
ADVANCEMENT
Belby Aguillon Manager, Advancement Business Operations
Serena Bernolak Director, Events and Stewardship
Becky Birdsong Director, Legacy Giving
Colleen Blackler Membership Manager, Center Dance Arts
Cheryl Brown Vice President, Advancement
Corinne Burch Coordinator, Advancement Services
The stage crew, wardrobe crew and box office staff are represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States of America and Canada, AFL-CIO, CKC, Local Numbers 33, 768 and 857, respectively.
The house managers employed by The Music Center are represented by the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers.
Sofia Saenz Coordinator, Marketing & Brand Communications
Marielle Shrock Marketing Specialist
Melissa Tan Assistant Vice President, Ticketing and Marketing Strategy
PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
Susan Hutcheon Executive Assistant to the President & CEO
CREATIVE SUPPORT
Keith & Co. Graphic Design
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Support from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors plays an invaluable role in the successful operation of The Music Center.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
As a steward of The Music Center of Los Angeles County, we recognize that we occupy land originally and still inhabited and cared for by the Tongva, Tataviam, Serrano, Kizh and Chumash Peoples. We honor and pay respect to their elders and descendants — past, present and emerging — as they continue their stewardship of these lands and waters. We acknowledge that settler colonization resulted in land seizure, disease, subjugation, slavery, relocation, broken promises, genocide and multigenerational trauma. This acknowledgment demonstrates our responsibility and commitment to truth, healing and reconciliation and to elevating the stories, culture and community of the original inhabitants of Los Angeles County.
We are grateful to have the opportunity to live and work on these ancestral lands. We are dedicated to growing and sustaining relationships with Native peoples and local tribal governments, including (in no particular order) the:
• Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians
• Gabrielino Tongva Indians of California Tribal Council
• Gabrieleno/Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians
• Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians-Kizh Nation
• San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
• San Fernando Band of Mission Indians
Janice Hahn Supervisor, Fourth District
Lindsey P. Horvath Supervisor, Third District
Kathryn Barger Chair, Fifth District
Holly J. Mitchell Supervisor, Second District
Hilda L. Solis Chair Pro Tem, First District
(From left to right)
This acknowledgment, however, is empty without our efforts to counter the effects of structures that have long enabled injustice against Native Americans. The Music Center is committed to working with First Peoples to build and sustain partnerships and grow collaborations that engage and respect the knowledge, expertise and agency of First Peoples, past, present and future. The Music Center strives to be a champion of the arts in Los Angeles for all people. We are listening, learning, unlearning, and will evolve in the work ahead.
To learn more about the First Peoples of Los Angeles County, please visit the Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission website at lanaic.lacounty.gov
Photo Credit: David Franco, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Photographer.
WATER WORKS
and below:
Kallista balances elegant aesthetics
and craftsmanship to create elevated fixtures for kitchen and bath. by ROGER GRODY
IN FEBRUARY, MORE than 100,000 people gathered in Las Vegas for the annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, where manufacturers debut products accommodating the latest trends. Among the exhibitors was Kallista, one of the companies transforming kitchens and bathrooms into showplaces for innovative design.
Founded in San Francisco in 1979, Kallista was acquired a decade later by industry leader Kohler Co., and
remains the parent company’s more exclusive luxury label.
Along with other high-end manufacturers, Kallista has been instrumental in elevating utilitarian products such as free-standing tubs, introducing a sense of glamour to residential plumbing.
According to Kallista managing director Alexander Dornbracht— whose family founded a prestigious faucet brand in Germany—the
Here
Kallista faucets in diverse finishes and colors complement bold design.
pandemic interrupted new product development for much of the kitchen and bath industry. Meanwhile, his creative staff continued to focus on the future, just as Americans discovered a newfound appreciation for their homes.
“Consumers now define luxury through multisensory and emotional engagement in personal spaces,” Dornbracht says.
“The rooms in which we spend the most time, and the activities that occur in those spaces, are not just viewed as utilitarian, but as opportunities
to have more enriching human experiences.”
The result: a demand for distinctive design, high-quality materials and artisanal craftsmanship.
“We don’t design around engineering, we engineer around design,” says Dornbracht of Kallista’s approach to luxury fixtures. “For both kitchen and bath, customi-
zation and unique materials are in demand.”
Consumers currently favor a less austere approach to modern design and are willing to inject kitchens and bathrooms with more color.
“Even in contemporary spaces, designers are moving away from minimalistic design styles— there’s a demand for a
softer contemporary look.”
The Guise collection of bath faucets and the Vir Stil line for the kitchen reflect Kallista’s warmer brand of minimalism.
The latter, a Bauhausinspired collection by designer Laura Kirar, features vertical fluting accents that contribute both visual and tactile interest. In the bathroom,
Clockwise from top: Brushed French gold, blue chrome, and assorted handle colors enhance Kallista hardware.
SPRING ‘ 25 SEASON
Make 2025 a year filled with the art of performance.
Experience work by visionary artists, including:
> Andy Akiho Trio > Eiko Otake and Wen Hui
> Miguel Gutierrez > Elevator Repair Service
> Cécile McLorin Salvant > Quetzal > Rianto
IGNITE YOUR CURIOSITY
RIANTO
Photo by Bernie Ng, courtesy of Esplanade — Theatres on the Bay
the Argile freestanding tub provides a textural experience, its minimalist aesthetic enhanced through a decorative raised relief.
Dornbracht reflects on the greater consum-
er interest iin color for both kitchen and bath.
“Kallista’s role in satisfying the color trend is mostly about our ability to bring a designer’s or consumer’s vision to life,” he says.
Colored handle upgrades, and the capability to customize products with almost any finish or material, further satisfies the trend. Textured, hand-painted blue enamel levers for Kallista’s Script Decorative faucets are an ideal example.
Regarding smart-home advances, Dornbracht
feels that “in a world that is overwhelmed with technology, designers and consumers frequently experience luxury in simplicity.
“Yes, tech has a place in interiors,” he continues. “But it should be supportive, in the background, rather than a front-facing experience.”
Consumers appreciate designs with an understated sophistication, Dornbracht reiterates.
“Luxury is tactile,” he says. “People want to feel the luxury, they want a
quiet engagement with products.”
Favored among discerning homeowners and designers, Kallista products are available throughout Southern California, notably at Kohler showrooms in Culver City and West Hollywood.
Kallista; kallista.com
Kohler Signature Store, 3250 Helms Ave., Culver City, 310.597.4550
Kohler Experience Center, 8955 W. Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, 424.281.3802
Textured Argile tub and, below, Kallista managing director Alexander Dornbracht
Miracle Mile Mexican
IN A CITY revered for its endless takes on Mexican cuisines, newcomer Descanso brings something unexpected to the party: plancha dining.
Imagine your favorite street vendor elevated to elite status. Instead of peeking through a truck window on a busy corner, you sip a vibrant cocktail while comfortably seated around a vast plancha grill, your bespoke meal sizzling.
Some liken the format to Benihana, but don’t expect onion volcano antics. Plancha feasts are unabashedly upscale, starring contemporary entrees such as Mexican white
New Descanso debuts upscale and festive plancha dining. by GRETCHEN KURZ
Alambre with tres quesos and, below, plancha action at Descanso
seabass with lemon beurre blanc, and center-cut ribeye with charred onions and fingerling potatoes. Crispy-skinned Atlantic salmon, pork loin al pastor,
and a duo of three-cheese Anaheim chile rellenos are also offered. The classic street-food elote gets an upgrade, stripped off the cob for drip-free eating.
It’s veteran restaurateur Rob Arellano’s elevated take on his original Descanso in Costa Mesa.
After two years searching for a neighborhood where locals and visitors intersect, he transformed the defunct Callender’s Grille into a showpiece worthy of fronting the dynamic SAG-AFTRA Plaza. It’s in walking dis-
tance of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and La Brea Tar Pits.
A soaring washed brick arcade welcomes Descanso visitors into a vast space anchored by a glittering two-story tower bar with 360-degree seating. Wildly colorful works by local artists, and heritage imagery spanning Aztec mythology to Frida Kahlo, fill the space.
The setting is a culinary village of sorts, with options for every craving, crowd and occasion.
Seeking a quick taco
At Descanso: elote asada, stripped off the cob, and, above, the 360-degree tower bar
The Soraya proudly showcases Los Angeles’ rising local talent while celebrating the ongoing contributions of the region’s beloved artists with LA SEEN—our first monthlong series dedicated to the performing arts in Los Angeles.
Terence Blanchard
Champion and Fire Shut Up In My Bones
Terence Blanchard
Promotional Partner:
Featuring The E-Collective and Turtle Island Quartet
Visuals by Andrew F. Scott
Justin Austin, baritone
Adrienne Danrich, soprano
The Colburn Orchestra Stéphane Denève, conductor
The Soraya & ArtDontSleep present Jazz Is Dead with Adrian Younge
LA Dances Graham100
Martha Graham Dance Company, Lula Washington Dance Theatre, USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, CSUN Dance, and Los Angeles County
LA Dances Graham100
langosta and pork-belly gordita plus contemporary creations such as birria empanadas and arroz con leche cheesecake.
or two made while you watch? A taquero mans a corner counter grill, filling just-made blue-corn tortillas with your choice of starring ingredients.
Find dishes for lunch, dinner, brunch and kids on a sweeping menu of classics including seasonal oysters, enchiladas
Executive chef Jose Angulo’s expansive menu includes all the categories that matter most to fans of Mexican fare—ceviches, soups, tacos, enchiladas, grilled steaks and fresh fish—plus savory starters and lush desserts that bookend the feast.
Midweek happy hour,
4 to 6 p.m., is kind to the cocktail budget and adds snacks ideal after work or before a show. You won’t find a better cucumber black-salt margarita in this zip code and still have dinero left for a crispy carnitas bean dip.
Working with a cache of 150 agave spirits, Descanso mixologists create alluring mezcal and tequila cocktails as well as Mexico-inspired libations using aged rums,
rye whiskey, vodka and gin. Tequila tasting trios and margaritas celebrate Mexico’s heritage spirit.
The communal nature of plancha grills makes Descanso an inventive choice for memorable group meals and celebrations. A party of eight fits a single grill, creating an intimate party that’s as easy as making a reservation. For a top-tier VIP vibe, there’s a private plancha room for a
Clockwise from left: rib-eye tacos made while you watch, vibrant mural by Danial Felechner, and agave-spirit cocktails
Planchero Chef’s Table experience for up to 10.
Passionate fans of Mexican spirits can join Descanso’s Casillero Club for access to rare tequilas and mezcals and on-site lockers. Perks include priority reservations and extras from the kitchen or bar on every visit.
When mind, body, soul, and senses all play together, you’re living the creative life. At our communities, you’ll encounter fascinating neighbors, stylish ambiance, chef-crafted cuisine, and a tantalizing array of creative activities and clubs to embrace. If the dance of life has a hub, this is it. Book a tour and see for yourself.
he says, “it diminishes how much I can work with them.” This year he’s been fortunate to work on Broadway with two animal lovers.
Actress Julianna Margulies was happily kissed on the face by Charlie, a Havanese mix, for 138 performances of the recent comedy “Left on Tenth.”
“Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill.”
McDonald, herself a dog advocate, had a say in Tana June’s casting and has bonded so much with the rescue that they sometimes nap together in her dressing room between performances.
The actress has posted photos smiling with her co-star on Instagram.
“Just me and Tana June. Chillin on a two-show day,” she wrote recently.
ferocious that he scared the workers.
Clearly Chico had the temperament to fearlessly walk onto a stage. But he / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12
In the case of “Gypsy,” Berloni supplies Chowsie, played by Tana June, for Audra McDonald’s Mama Rose. He and McDonald had worked together previously, in 2014, on the Billie Holiday bio play
Tana June, who came from an Indiana shelter, was a smooth adoption. Finding the first Bruiser was a different story.
When Berloni was asked to cast a Chihuahua for the original 2007
production of the musical “Legally Blonde,” the play’s director Jerry Mitchell asked for what was seemingly impossible: to give lines to Bruiser.
Berloni had no idea how to make that happen—but began to look at shelters and came across Chico, a blonde Chihuahua so
“He was a tough little street dog from Newark who just barked all the time, which is probably why he ended up in the shelter,” Berloni says.
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Audra McDonald and Tana June on Instagram
woofed nonstop.
The problem proved to be the solution. As Berloni attempted to get the dog to stop barking, a light bulb went off. The key: allowing him to bark, then training him to stop on cue. It worked and that’s why Chico’s successor is played by the yappy Ricky.
When Ricky flies to Southern California for La Mirada’s “Legally Blonde,” he’ll come with Rochelle Scudder, an actress who is one of Berloni’s handlers.
Scudder’s first work with an animal was as an actor playing the role of Margot, the sorority sister who talks with Bruiser. Years later, after an injury slowed her career, she remembered how much she enjoyed working with the dog and approached Berloni about a job.
Nowadays she regularly appears in the cast or ensemble of “Annie,” “Legally Blonde” or “The Wizard of Oz,” while also taking care of the animal actor. She’s sort of a twofor-one that Berloni offers the production companies.
Scudder’s prime responsibility is the care and feeding of the animal, who must be rested and hungry before a show begins, so it has energy and will respond to food rewards. Also fundamental to her job, as her bio states, is “teaching dozens of human actors to handle their animal co-stars.”
As Scudder explains, “A theater can be a danger-
A culinary
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Beethoven “Pastoral” Symphony
ous place. There’s a lot of moving parts and it goes dark sometimes—and things can happen with a live audience.
“Training an actor to stay in character, while at the same time constantly monitoring the dog’s well-being, is what we do.”
“Annie” provides the best example, she says.
“A child is alone on stage with a dog. We train the girl to notice when the dog starts paying attention to something else that isn’t her. We train her to be acutely aware of what the dog is thinking and feeling, and she has to do it while staying in character and singing.”
In “Legally Blonde,” it’s all about the talking scene. “That first cue between Margot and Bruiser has to come from the actor,” Scudder says. “So I have to train her to be as competent as I would be.”
The actor’s relationship with the animal builds in the theater, where scenes can be rehearsed, and the actor and dog can bond.
For Berloni’s film projects, it’s generally a quicker experience: He shows up the day of filming and gives signals from behind the camera.
One exception was “The Friend,” a new movie starring Naomi Watts, Bill Murray ... and Bing, a towering 160-pound harlequin Great Dane, found in Ohio after an extensive search.
Because the Great Dane has such a pivotal role in the story, Berloni pushed hard for Watts to spend time with Bing before filming began.
“She jumped into prepping for that character. She said, ‘Guys, if you can come to my house, I can work with you three or four times a week,’ which is what we did,” he says.
As Watts said at the Toronto Film Festival, “We had to create an unbelievable level of trust between us all and between the trainers—and Bing had more than one.
“You know,” she added with a laugh, “Bing had a much bigger entourage than me.”
REPROGRAMMED!
Performances Magazine unveils a digital program platform for shows and concerts
DROP DOWN MENU Table of app contents.
REGISTER
Stay arts-engaged, access past programs.
THE ESSENTIALS
Acts, scenes, synopses, repertory and notes.
CONTRIBUTORS
Donors and sponsors who make it all possible—you!
NO RUSTLING PAGES, no killing trees . . . the digital Performances program platform has proved to be one of the more enduring recent theater innovations.
The touchless platform provides the programs for 20 Southern California performing-arts organizations, from the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Ahmanson Theatre to San Diego Opera, where the app made its debut.
Among a variety of features, it provides cast and player bios, donor and season updates, and numerous
other arts-centric features.
Audiences receive a link and a code word that instantly activate the app; QR codes are posted, too.
Screens go dark when curtains go up and return when house lights come back on.
Updates—such as repertory changes, understudy substitutions and significant new donations —can be made right up to showtime, no inserts necessary.
Other plusses include video and audio streams, translations and expanded biographies.
SEARCH
Find whatever it is you want to know—easily.
SIGN IN
Link to your performing-arts companies and venues.
THE PLAYERS
Bios and background for cast, crew and creators.
WHAT’S ON
What’s coming at a glance and ticket information.
For those who consider printed programs to be keepsakes, a limited number, as well as commemorative issues for special events, continue to be produced. Collectibles!
Meanwhile, there is less deforestation, consumption of petroleum inks and programs headed for landfills.
For the ecologically minded, the platform gets a standing ovation.
The digital Performances is but one more reason for audience excitement. Activate your link and enjoy the shows. CALEB
