Photo: Kolman Rosenberg
1987
2022
Verb engages people through bold performances rooted in contemporary ballet and strives to be a vital community asset by providing access to dance opportunities and education in the Great Lakes region and beyond.
verbballets.org
Dr. Margaret Carlson, Producing Artistic Director Richard Dickinson, MFA, Associate Artistic Director Verb Ballets Dancers Emily Dietz, Sikhumbuzo Hlahleni, Hunter Hoffman, Kelly Korfhage, Lieneke Matte, Liu Mo, Antonio Morillo, Benjamin Shepard, Kate Webb International Cultural Exchange Artist: Bryan Andres Salinas Apprentices: Isaac Hileman, Kia Jimmy Intern: Ashley Forché Trainee: Lily Cole Director of Marketing & PR Jennifer Garlando Promotional Video Watsted Talent Media
Company Administrative Manager Spring Healy
Director Verb Ballets Center for Dance Richard Dickinson, MFA
Videographer John Alexander
Coordinator, Dance For Everyone & Youth Programs Christina Lindhout
Photography Kolman Rosenberg Jackie Sajewski Bill Naiman
Company Teachers Kay Eichman Pam Pribisco DeAnn Sandel
Grantwriter Nakiasha Moore-Dunson Finance Michelle Gregorczyk Education & Outreach Desmond Davis
Board of Directors Robert M. Shwab, President Antwon Duncan-Milczewski, Vice President Frederick Lautzenheiser, Secretary Mary Anne Garvey, Treasurer
Past Presidents* Jeri E. Chaikin David Pierce Ann Ennis
Dr. Margaret Carlson Laura Cleveland Mario Clopton-Zymler Antwon Duncan-Milczewski David M. Dusek* James P. Farley * James D. Graham Leslie Kaufman James F. Koehler^ Debra Light Deborah L. Neale Richard Rinehart Jr. Charles Sheehe Hema Steele Anna Soskic ^Leave of absence
Advisory Board David & Carola Bamberger Deborah Coleman Robert Cutler Ann Elder Deborah Glosserman Carol Griffith Linda Thomas Jones Maressa A. Kuszewski Craig Miller David Pierce Alan Miles Ruben Jeanne Shatten Donna Rae Smith Karin Stone
Proud to be the official Physical Therapy provider for the dancers of Verb Ballets.
Feuding Flavors
Espresso ice cream using Phoenix coffee with notes of lavender, sweet cream and honey. A Romeo & Juliet inspired flavor developed by choreographer Joshua L. Peugh and the company dancers. For a limited time only at the downtown Akron location!
209 S. Main St in Downtown Akron
Dr. Margaret Carlson, Producing Artistic Director Dr. Carlson has worked internationally in performing, teaching, choreographing, and in arts administration. Dr. Carlson was an original member of the Cleveland Ballet, serving as a Principal dancer from 1972-1983. Also a member of Actors Equity, she performed in numerous musical theatre tours throughout the 1970’s, including Sweet Charity, Ballroom, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Brigadoon, Mame, Hello Dolly! and The Merry Widow. For many years, she choreographed for the Cleveland Opera. Dr. Carlson served as Director of the School of Dance at the University of Akron from 1985-1993. In 1993, she became Dean of the School of Dance at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, until she returned to Cleveland in 1999. She then served as the Development and Education Director for the Cleveland San Jose Ballet. She consulted both nationally and locally through her company, Carlson Consulting Group, Inc., with groups that have included The American Dance Guild, Chinese Performing Artists of America, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Ohio Ballet, Dancing Wheels, Ohio Youth Ballet, Ohio Conservatory of Dance, Tom and Susana Evert Dance Theatre, and White Cloud Studios. Dr. Carlson founded the American Alliance of Dance Artists and served as its first President. She has served as a Board member and officer for Fairmount Center for the Arts, Kids on Broadway, DANCECleveland, the Cleveland Ballet Council, the American Dance Guild, the Council of Dance Administrators, the Hong Kong Ballet, the Hong Kong Dance Company and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund. She served as the secretary of the International Organization for Transition for Professional Dancers, a sub-committee of UNESCO, based in Switzerland from 1998-2006, and was a Board member of the American Dance Guild in NYC for 20 years and served as its Treasurer and vice-president for 10 years. Dr. Carlson currently serves on the board of trustees of Cleveland Dance Movement and the Cleveland Chamber Symphony. She is known for her work as the regisseur for the works of Ian (Ernie) Horvath. She received her doctorate from Durham University in the United Kingdom. Richard Dickinson, MFA, Associate Artistic Director Richard Dickinson, Verb’s Associate Artistic Director, has been with the company in various capacities for over ten years. A former dancer with Ohio Ballet in Akron, OH, he later acted as ballet master and director of the touring company. Dickinson’s extensive dance career includes principal and soloist roles at Ohio Ballet, Boston Ballet, Chicago Ballet, Honolulu City Ballet, and various regional companies. At age fifteen, Richard joined the Pasadena Dance Theatre and was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Emerging Choreographer Award for a work performed by the same company. He performed in the PBS television production of Frankie and Johnny with the Chicago Ballet and danced principal roles in Asian, European, and American tour with Rudolf Nureyev. He has served as Artistic Associate for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and as Artistic Director of Ballet Western Reserve in Youngstown, OH, Chamber Dance Theatre in Milwaukee, WI, and Great Lakes Festival Ballet in Warren, OH. He has also directed Ballet Boston II. Dickinson has adjudicated several regional Dance America festivals held through the country. He received his MFA in Contemporary Dance from Case Western Reserve University in 2005.
ARTISTIC BIOGRAPHIES Joshua L. Peugh, Director and Choreographer Joshua L. Peugh is the Founder and Artistic Director of Dark Circles Contemporary Dance and Co-founder of Fair Assembly. A graduate of Southern Methodist University, he has created work for festivals in Asia, Europe, and North America, winning awards for his choreography in South Korea, Japan, Canada, and the USA. He was the recipient of the Grand Prize at the McCallum Theatre’s 18th Annual Choreography Festival and was chosen as one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch.” Joshua served as choreographer for legendary soprano Kathleen Battle’s concert Underground Railroad—A Spiritual Journey, and was the 2018 recipient of the Natalie Skelton Award for Artistic Excellence. He has created over 40 new works for BalletX, Ballet Memphis, The Big Muddy Dance Company, BODYTRAFFIC, Bruce Wood Dance Project, Company E, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dallas Theater Center, Dance Lab NY, DanceWorks Chicago, Eisenhower Dance, Korea National Contemporary Dance Company, MADCO, METdance, Tulsa Ballet, WaterTower Theatre, and Whim W’Him, among others. Nathan Carterette, Pianist Nathan Carterette, a concert pianist hailed as “wonderfully poetic” (Westfalen Post), and “exuberant yet sensitive” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), has distinguished himself in the concert world by performing a huge range of works from Elizabethan keyboard music to music written today. Carterette began his piano studies with Cleveland’s legendary Birute and Anthony Smetona and continued his education at Yale University, where he studied with Boris Berman, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he studied with Robert Weirich. A chance encounter in 2004 with Welsh composer-pianist Dafydd Llywelyn led to an invitation for intensive private study in Munich, where Nathan studied and performed for three years. As a soloist, Nathan has been presented in such venues as Weill Recital Hall and the Yamaha Piano Salon of New York City, the Gasteig in Munich, the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe of Hamburg, Cleveland’s Trinity Cathedral, and Pittsburgh’s Rodef Shalom; in several universities such as the Berklee School of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, Baldwin Wallace Conservatory, Busan National University of South Korea, and Carnegie-Mellon. Nathan’s recent project ‘Poets of the Piano,’ an innovative, approachable videorecital, has inspired audiences to approach unfamiliar music with open ears, and familiar music with new appreciation. Philista Marie Mills, Costume Designer Philista Marie Mills is a designer and CEO of House of Mills. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) program, Philista worked for Abercrombie and Fitch from 2007-2016, where she climbed from an intern to a senior designer. In 2016, with the encouragement of her family, she decided to create her own line of clothing—House of Mills.
ARTISTIC BIOGRAPHIES Benjamin Gantose, Lighting Designer Benjamin has designed lighting, sets and projections for works spanning ballet and modern dance, scripted and devised theatre, musical theatre, opera, theme parks and immersive installations. He is a Resident Designer at both Cleveland Public Theatre and The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. Benjamin’s work has been seen recently at Cleveland Playhouse, Cincinnati Ballet, Ballet Hawaii, Beck Center For The Arts, Cleveland Musical Theater, Sacramento Ballet, Verb Ballets, Inlet Dance Theatre, Louisville Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and Cain Park. John Ebert, Set Designer For the past three decades John Ebert has enjoyed lighting a multitude of artists and spaces throughout Northeast Ohio. An early career on stage led to a theatre and education major at the College of Wooster, where Ebert dabbled in scenery and lighting for dance, musicals, and light opera. After a few years on the faculty of Cleveland Heights High School, the chance to tour with Ohio Ballet and Cleveland Opera drew him away from the path of tenured security to a far richer path of artistic fulfillment in theatrical lighting design. John’s years working with OB’s Associate Artistic Director Thom Skelton provided an intense understanding in the intricacies of lighting ballet, opera, and theatre. While staying anchored in NE Ohio to raise two wonderful children, Ebert enjoyed a broad range of design opportunities with Magical Theatre Company, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Cleveland Opera, Cleveland Ballet, Dancing Wheels, and Cain Park, in addition to adjunct faculty with The University of Akron, Cleveland State University, and Cleveland Institute of Music. He currently resides in Silver Lake with his wife Joan, while providing production equipment, lighting design, and system installations through his company Monkey Wrench Productions. Christopher J. Ha, Stage Manager From Cleveland to Pasadena, Christopher Ha is recognized for his interdisciplinary expertise in non-profits and the performing arts. An Akron native, Christopher is a graduate of the Dance Institute and received his B.A. in Psychology from The University of Akron (Summa Cum Laude, 4.0). He has served as a production/ stage manager for Dance Institute since 2015, and the UA Dance program since 2018. Christopher has also worked for organizations such as Neos Dance Theatre, I.A.T.S.E. No. 48, the Akron Civic Theatre, Verb Ballets, and the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. In addition, Christopher is an accomplished musician and author on the subject of American theatre pipe organs. He serves as an curator and organist at Playhouse Square, Grays Armory, and the Akron Civic Theatre, performing for thousands of patrons to this day. Christopher is a Fellow of the Honourable Company of Organists (Canada) and board member of the Akron Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. www.ChristopherJHa.com
Choreographing to Prokofiev’s incredibly romantic score for Romeo and Juliet has been a dream of mine since the first time I saw the pas de deux on PBS’ Dance in America as a high school student. The melody and drama, and romance are perfect. When Dr. Carlson asked me to create a production of Romeo and Juliet for Verb, a dream came true. This production is a culmination of all my training and previous work. Each of my teachers and mentors are reflected in this production, particularly Michele Self, Karen Peterson Kriete, Kim Abel, and Ahn Sung-Su. Emily Ernst, Christopher Rutherford, Sara Romersberger, and the rest of our Fair Assembly deepened my knowledge and understanding of Shakespeare’s beautiful, human language. Stephen King, Sanford Meisner, Ohad Naharin, Tarantino, Fosse, Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Michael Jackson, Anne Bogart, Tina Landau, Stephen Graham Jones, and William Shakespeare, I’m jealous of what you’ve made, I admire you, and I’m grateful for the magic you’ve given us. Josh Prince and the DANCE LAB NEW YORK dancers allowed me to dig deeper into a possible movement language for the iconic story. My wonderful supportive parents and sister have always encouraged and supported my dreams no matter what time of day. Chadi El-Khoury is my partner, best friend, editor, and fiercely loyal support system. The artists you see on stage tonight, as well as the ones behind the scenes, found personal ways to connect to this dream and, in doing so, clarified, challenged, and improved it; this production could not be what it is with another group of people. Finally, thank you; more than half of the performance happens on your side of the orchestra pit. We wouldn’t have a purpose without you. Sincerely,
Joshua
Joshua L. Peugh Director/Choreographer
We wan t though to hear your ts on th e show!
EJ Thomas Hall February 26, 2022 7:30pm Romeo and Juliet (2022 World Premiere) Based upon the play by William Shakespeare Directed and Choreographed by Joshua L. Peugh Music by Sergei Prokofiev Music Performed and Arranged by Nathan Carterette Juliet Lieneke Matte Romeo Sikhumbuzo Hlahleni Montague / Mercutio Benjamin Shepard Tybalt Antonio Morillo Benvolio Bryan Andres Salinas Juliet’s Nurse Kate Webb Peter / Friar Laurence Liu Mo Lady Capulet Emily Dietz Escalus, Prince of Verona / County Paris Isaac Hileman Capulet Hunter Hoffman Rosalind Kelly Korfhage Ensemble Kia Jimmy, Ashley Forché, Lily Cole Tonight’s program is approximately 70 minutes without an intermission.
Montague (Benjamin Shepard) confronting Capulet (Hunter Hoffman) while Prince Escalus (Isaac Hileman) keeps the peace Prince Escalus has at the seat of political power in Verona, he is concerned about maintaining the public peace at all costs.
Juliet (Lieneke Matte) with the Nurse (Kate Webb) The Nurse is a secondary mother of Juliet, daughter of Capulet and Lady Capulet, and is the only character who explicitly wishes for her happiness. She is both playful and affectionate with her surrogate daughter and oftentimes repeats herself with enthusiasm.
Photos: Kolman Rosenberg
Romeo (on left Sikhumbuzo Hlahlen) with Benvolio (Bryan Andres Salinas) Romeo’s cousin and thoughtful friend, Benvolio, makes a genuine effort to defuse violent scenes in public places
Tybalt (Antonio Morillo) A Capulet, Juliet’s cousin on her mother’s side, has a strong sense of family honor. He is fashionable, aggressive, and quick to draw his sword when he feels his pride has been injured. Characters like Tybalt are classical representatives of the old order of heroism and revenge in Shakespeare’s work - courageous but unable to function in a world of politics and compromise.
Photos: Kolman Rosenberg
Lady Capulet (Emily Dietz) in Juliet’s (Lieneke Matte) bedroom with the Nurse (Kate Webb) As Juliet’s mother she is eager to see her daughter marry Paris, the suitor most preferred by Capulet. She is an ineffectual mother, relying on the Nurse for moral and pragmatic support.
Friar Laurence (Liu Mo) A friend to both Romeo and Juliet. Kind, civic-minded, a proponent of moderation, and always ready with a plan, Friar Lawrence secretly marries the impassioned lovers in hopes that the union might eventually bring peace to Verona.
Photos: Kolman Rosenberg
DANCER BIOGRAPHIES Emily Dietz, Company Dancer Emily Dietz grew up in Mountain View, California, receiving most of her training at Western Ballet under Alexi Zubiria. She attended summer programs with ABT, Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet, Colorado Ballet, and American Repertory Ballet. She continued her dance education at Butler University, graduating with a BS in Dance Arts Administration in 2016. During her time at Butler, she performed in ballets such as Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake and toured with Butler Ballet to Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Following graduation, she has danced professionally with City Ballet of San Diego and American Contemporary Ballet, where she danced in repertoire such as Betsey Wistrich’s Raymonda, Balanchine’s La Source, and Geoff Gonzalez’s Four Seasons. Emily joined Verb Ballets in 2018 and has been featured in works such as Rococo Variations and Triptych. Sikhumbuzo Hlahleni, Company Dancer Sikhumbuzo Hlahleni is from South Africa and began his training at Cape Academy of Performing Arts and then later participated in an intensive at South Africa International Ballet. He studied in the United States, training in California at Dance for All and went to Kaatsbaan International Dance Center under the guidance of Stella Abrera. Professionally, he has danced with the Joburg Ballet and Mzansi Ballet. Sikhumbuzo joined Verb Ballets in 2021 as a part of Verb’s International Cultural Exchange Program. He will be sharing South Africa’s dance traditions with Verb Ballets. Hunter Hoffman, Company Dancer Hunter Hoffman is a first generation Cuban-American born and raised in Miami, Florida where he trained at the Mencia Pikeiris School of Dance and New World School of the Arts. He continued his studies on scholarship receiving his B.F.A. in Dance Performance from Mercyhurst University. He has appeared in leading roles with Verb Ballets, Lake Erie Ballet, New World Connection, Ballet Concerto and The Mercyhurst Dancers. Hunter’s classical performance experience includes Raymonda Wedding, the Cavalier in The Nutcracker, and Benvolio in the Cleveland Havana Ballet Project’s Romeo and Juliet in Cuba staged by ballet icon Laura Alonso. Hunter joined Verb Ballets as an apprentice in 2019 and was promoted to company dancer for the 21-22 season, and has danced in works by Stephanie Martinez, Christopher Huggins, and Heinz Poll. Kelly Korfhage, Company Dancer Kelly Korfhage, a native of Cleveland, began her training at age 10 under Joanne H. Morscher and Ana Lobe. She attended summer intensives at ABT Detroit, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, BalletMet, Cincinnati Ballet, and North Carolina Dance Theatre. She furthered her dance education at the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music as a Corbett Award scholarship recipient and graduated cum laude with a BFA in ballet performance. Following graduation, Kelly became a member of Kansas City Ballet’s second company, KCB2, for two seasons where she had the opportunity to perform with the company in repertoire such as Septime Webre’s Alice (In Wonderland) and Adam Hougland’s Rite of Spring. Kelly
DANCER BIOGRAPHIES joined Verb Ballets in 2016 and has been featured in works such as Andante Sostenuto and Schubert Waltzes. Lieneke Matte, Company Dancer Lieneke Matte grew up in the Bronx and received her early training at Ballet Tech and the School of American Ballet. She then attended Fiorello H. La Guardia High School for the Performing Arts in New York. Lieneke studied for a semester at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and graduated summa cum laude with a B.F.A in dance from SUNY Purchase College in May of 2013. There she also received the President’s Award for the dance conservatory. She has performed in works by George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Lar Lubovitch, Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, Nicolo Fonte, Nicholas Villeneuve and Xiao-Xiong Zhang. Lieneke was also a dancer in the documentary No Dominion: The Ian Horvath Story which included re-stagings featuring dancers from Verb Ballets, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, Boston Ballet and Ballet Tucson. Lieneke joined Verb Ballets in 2013 and has been featured in works such as Duet and Laura’s Women. Liu Mo, Company Dancer From Xi’an, China, Liu Mo trained at the renowned Beijing Dance Academy from middle school through college. He received a degree in Classical Chinese dance with a focus in performance and education. During this time, he received 3rd place for his solo at the prestigious Taoli Bei dance competition and had the opportunity to work with many choreographers, such as Shen Wei for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Following the completion of his degree, Liu Mo served as an instructor in the foundations of Classical Chinese dance at the Beijing Dance Academy until 2011. From 2012 to 2019, He danced with Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers in Philadelphia, PA. Liu Mo has choreographed commissioned works for Ballet 180, Hua Hua Zhang, Hua Xia, and Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers. Antonio Morillo, Company Dancer Antonio is a first-generation Cuban American born in Corral Springs, Florida. He received his Associate of Arts in Dance Performance from Valencia College and his BFA in Dance Performance from the University of South Florida. Antonio has performed with the Patel Conservatory’s Next Generation Ballet as well as Tampa City Ballet and Hudson Conservatory of Ballet. He has performed works by Jon Lehrer, José Limón, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Robert Moses’ Kin, and Maurice Causey. Antonio joined Verb Ballets in 2016 and has been featured in works such as Andante Sostenuto, Aposiopesis, World of Another, and Bolero. Bryan Andres Salinas, International Cultural Exchange Program Dancer Bryan Andres Salinas began his dance studies at the age of 10 at the Colombian Institute of Classical Ballet (Incolballet). In addition to studying ballet at Incolballet, he studied Colombian dances, contemporary dance, jazz, and salsa. After graduating high school, he participated in programs at Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, Joffrey Ballet School in New York City, and Manhattan Youth Ballet. In 2015,
DANCER BIOGRAPHIES he joined the Incolballet classical ballet company under the directorship of Jose Manuel Ghiso, where he danced in regional festivals and toured both nationally and internationally. During his time with the company, he worked with choreographers Anabelle Lopez Ochoa, Tatiana Martinez, Ruben Bañol, Viviana Hurtado, and Marcos Rodriguez. He was also a founding member of the Fundación Ballet Capital company under the direction of Julian Garay. Bryan joined Verb Ballets in 2022 as a part of Verb’s International Cultural Exchange Program. He will be sharing South America’s dance traditions with Verb Ballets. Benjamin Shepard, Company Dancer Benjamin Shepard began dancing in Annapolis, Maryland and trained with Ballet Theater of Maryland, as well as attending summer programs at The Washington School of Ballet, The Kirov Academy, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. He then continued his training and education on a full tuition scholarship at Butler University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Arts Administration and Dance. He had the privilege of performing as a guest artist during his time at Butler with Ballet Theater of Indiana; he performed the role of Gurn in La Sylphide as well as Dr. Seward in Dracula. While performing with Butler Ballet, his favorite roles were Rothbart in Swan Lake, The Flower Cavalier in the Nutcracker, a soloist in Viva Vivaldi by Gerald Arpino, and the Second Movement Soloist in George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments. Benjamin joined Verb Ballets in 2018 and has been featured in works such as Paganini Rhapsody. Kate Webb, Company Dancer Kate Webb grew up in Richmond, Virginia where she danced both as a student and as a trainee with Richmond Ballet. She trained around the country at numerous intensive programs such as Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Upon graduating from Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts, she attended Butler University on both dance and academic scholarships. While dancing with Butler Ballet, she performed in Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. After fulfilling her degree in three years, she graduated magna cum laude in May of 2015 with a BS in Dance-Arts Administration and high departmental honors. Kate joined Verb Ballets in 2015 and has been featured in works such as Aposiopesis and Eight by Benny Goodman. Isaac Hileman, Apprentice Isaac Hileman was born and raised in Dallas, Texas where he began his dance training with the Dallas Ballet Center. Attending summer intensives such as Ballet Chicago, Miami City Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet allowed him to deepen love for performative dance and envision a professional dance career. He continued his dance training at the University of Oklahoma, where he graduated in the Spring of 2021 with a BFA in Ballet Performance. While at OU, he loved getting to explore a wider variety of dance styles and techniques and was privileged to perform repertoire by Alejandro Cerrudo, Nilas Martins, Willam Christensen, Marianna Oliviera, and Gerald Arpino, as well as classical pas de deux and original choreography set by the faculty. Isaac is very excited to be joining Verb Ballets for the 2021-22 season.
DANCER BIOGRAPHIES Kia Jimmy, Apprentice Kia Jimmy is of the Canadian Thunderchild First Nation which is of the Plains Cree Tribe and is equally proud of her Japanese heritage. She began her dance training at the age of seven and has done many summer intensives including Royal Winnipeg Ballet. At age 16 she was accepted to Alberta Ballet School’s Professional Division and continued her training in their Post-Graduate Program under the direction of Murray Kilgour, Janet Tait and Edmund Stripe. Following graduation in 2019, Kia joined US International Ballet as a trainee for two seasons where she had the opportunity to perform Giselle and Alice in Wonderland. Kia is excited to join Verb Ballets 2021-2022 season as an apprentice. Ashley Forché, Intern Originally from Pickerington, Ohio, Ashley received her dance training from BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio. She has trained with several other companies including Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, Festival Ballet Providence, Orlando Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and BalletMet. In December 2019, Ashley graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in business from Belmont University. Professional experience includes traineeships with Nashville Ballet and Oklahoma City Ballet. Works she has performed include The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake. Ashley joined Verb Ballets as a trainee in 2019 and was promoted to intern in 2021. Lily Cole, Trainee Lily grew up in Richfield, Ohio where she studied at the Ohio Conservatory of Ballet under the leadership of her teachers and mentors Inna Stabrova and Dmitriy Tuboltsev. At the age of 15, Lily was accepted into the Joffrey Academy of Dance in Chicago and danced as a trainee with the Pre-Professional Academy. Her summer intensive training has included American Ballet Theater (New York), Chautauqua Institute of Dance, Miami City Ballet, Ballet West, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Joffrey Ballet Chicago, Ballet Arizona, Master Ballet Academy, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. She has received recognition including Top 12 from Youth American Grand Prix, Top 12 at the Washington Grand Prix, 8th Place at the Universal Ballet Competition, and 2nd Place at the Allegretto Grazioso Arts Festival in Moscow. Lily also had the opportunity to work with former Boston Ballet principal Dusty Button, former Alvin Ailey dancer Riccardo Battaglia, and choreographer Stephanie Martinez.
VERB BALLETS GENEROUS SUPPORT
Eric & Marian Klieber
The Carlson Trust
Kenneth Milder
The Laub Foundation
This project was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Verb Ballets is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. CORPORATE SPONSORS
VERB BALLETS GENEROUS SUPPORTERS Impresarios $45,000+ The Cleveland Foundation Presidents Club $20,000-$44,499 Cuyahoga Arts & Culture The George Gund Foundation Ohio Arts Council Eric & Marian Klieber Peg’s Foundation The Carlson Trust The Director’s Circle $10,000-$19,999 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. The Char & Chuck Fowler Family Foundation James D. Graham & David M. Dusek The Donald M. and Mary E. Jenkins Family Trust John P. Murphy Foundation Underwriters $5,000-$9,999 J.P. Farley Corporation Robert & Tuya Shwab Akron Community Foundation GAR Foundation Benefactor’s $ 1,000-$4,999 Dr. John Bergfeld Laura Cleveland and Eric Stimpert Kristine Elliot Ann & Charles Ennis Mary Anne Garvey & Dr. A.J. Cianflocco Jane Sembric Leslie Kaufman and Scott Cowen Koehler Fitzgerald LLC Frederick Lautzenheiser Anonymous Troy McCarty & Raudel Napoles Ken Milder Deborah Neale Anonymous Judith Wolfe & Robin Richmond Charitable Fund Richard Rinehart
Benefactor’s cont. Hema & Shaylor Steele Anonymous Stephen & Rita Todd Vocon Design The Laub Foundation Margaret W. Wong Sponsors $500-$999 Karen Carcione Jean Frank Jim & Marilyn Furry Carol J.P. Griffith Louis & Sylvia Rosenblum Memorial Philanthropic Fund Emily Koritz The Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation Cleveland-Cliffs Legal Dept. in honor of James Graham Debra Light & Bruce Sherman Robert and Johanna Matte Robert S. Perry Richard & Alita Rogers Family Foundation Kathy Moses Salem Barbara & John Schubert Marianne Lax & Charles Sheehe Kim Marie White in memory of Nan Klinger Brian Wynne & Pat Cozzens Patrons $250-$499 The Alexander Family Phil & Debra Canuto Anndria Ciabattoni Mario Clopton-Zymler & Ryan Zymler Audrey DeClement Kathy Bogue Harris Kathryn Karipides Tredegar Corporation Paul Secunde Lorraine Szabo Bob and Susan Webb
As of February 17, 2021 - February 17 2022
VERB BALLETS GENEROUS SUPPORTERS Friends $100-249 Christine Anthony in memory of Robert Anthony Victoria Baldwin-Bauer Lynda Bender Kate Webb Berk and Alex Berk Jeffrey & Antje Bogart Jeri Chaikin Chung-Fu Chang in honor of Ming-Fe Chang Pauline Chen in honor of Richard Dickinson & Antonio Morillo Mimi Davisson in honor of Ben Shepard David M. Douglass Michael Fleenor & George Graham in honor of James D. Graham & David M. Dusek Stephen and Kathryn Fellman Jeannie Fleming-Gifford David V. Foos Robb Forward Nancy Hartman Stephen Kadish Sandi and Mike Hurley Fran Jacobs Lois Jeavons Mamie Johnson Martin Kohn & Marcia Silver Kelly Korfhage Marie & Gary Korfhage Marcia & Terry Madden Yolanda Maddox Tricia and Mark Mallett Charlene & Marv Nevans Elissa & Gary Okin Joanne Poderis John & Norine Prim Albert Reid in honor of Jeannette Leentvaar David Reithoffer William B. Watterson and Melissa Richmond
Peggy and Mike Saxon Toni & Donald Scherzer Anonymous Denise Seyranian Cathy Sheehe and Mark Butler in honor of Chuck Sheehe and Marianne Lax John F. Shelley Sarah and Frank Shepard Christine Skalko Carol Spackey Karin Stone Jeffrey and Rebecca Talbert Carole Walters Mary Warren Jorene Whitney Paulette Ziegfeld Supporters Up to $99 David & Carola Bamberger Emma Petrie Barcelona Patricia Cangelosi-Williams Mary & Martin Chang Barbara Conforti in honor of Richard and Denver Carolyn and Marj Craft Robert Cutler Barbara Danforth Kimara & Robert DiSalvo David Gannon Joan Grace Debra Gressel Elizabeth Gruber Beth and Keith Hileman Erin Hopkins Melissa Jones Janice B. Jones Cindy Kennedy in honor of Pam Pribisco Helen Liggett MaryLou Marek and Ray Miller in memory of Robert Anthony Dianne McIntyre Eberhard & Denise Molesch Deborah Monaco
Marla Mulkey in honor of Emily Dietz Frances & Derek O’Brien Roger A Olsen Anonymous Allen and Lynn Pfenninger Catherine Puckett Chris Rander Dr. Bradford & Margaret Richmond Barbara Robinson Brian Robinson Kolman Rosenberg Arlene Rosenberg Thomas Sabella Wilma Salisbury Fran & Louis Schaul Luke Secosky Michael J. Seider Dale Shirer Janus Small and Associates Pamela Strang in memory of Robert Anthony Cheryl Stump Steve Szilagyi and Jodi Kanter Janice Terradotter Peggy Thompson Karin Tooley Ellen & Andy Webb Laura Whalen Verb Endowment Fund $10,000+ Ken Milder Below $10,000 Dr. Margaret Carlson Robert & Tuya Shwab James Koehler Mary Anne Garvey & Dr. A.J. Cianflocco Leslie Kaufman & Scott Cowen Frederick Lautzenheiser
As of February 17, 2021 - February 17 2022
WORLD PREMIERE
CH OR EOG RAPH E D B Y TOMM IE -WAHEED EVANS
“passionate, wild... she hasn’t learned to bend before adversity” April 8-9, 2022
LaSalle Theatre in Cleveland verbballets.org/performances
Photo: Bill Naiman
-Antigone