Verbiculture Magazine: February 2022 Issue 6

verbiculture February 2022 | Issue 6

TIMELESS ROMANCE

Photo: Bill Naiman (2021) Dancers: Antonio Morillo, Lieneke Matte

World Premiere and previews of Romeo & Juliet by Joshua L. Peugh

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The Director's Note Timeless Romance Distinguished Pianist Fashion Designer Shifts The Akron Nutcracker 10Q's with Tommie-Waheed Evans From Colombia Meet Lily

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In Maui for the next stage Dancing Letters Spring Gala International Festival A Young Love of Dance Looking Back on 2021 Ways to Support Season Listing

For more content and exclusive videos, visit www.verbballets.org

DIRECTOR'S NOTE We concluded 2021 with a fantastic celebration of the first ever, The Akron Nutcracker, presented by the Dance Institute at The University of Akron. Over 100 dancers, artists, and musicians performed for two sold-out performances at EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall. It was a huge endeavor, and it was an honor to lead a project that celebrated the community such a unique way.

Joshua L. Peugh joined us in January for an eight-week choreographic residency. This is the first time in history that the company has commissioned one choreographer to create a work of this magnitude. Romeo & Juliet is a timeless story that reflects current societal issues and the undertones of tension that differences in beliefs can cause. Although this story is over 400 years old, we still connect to the humanness of the characters’ driving desire for love.

I have been with the company since 2001 in varying capacities and became the Executive Artistic Director in 2010. I am honored to lead an action-oriented company that has a duel mission; to commission and create contemporary dance works while honoring the deep roots of the companies that preceded Verb. This season has given us the opportunity to take risks and explore, create, and collaborate. Verb will continue to follow all recommended state health and Photo: Kolman Rosenberg (2021) Dancer: Benjamin Shepard

COVID-19 guidelines for public performances. This season would not be possible without the tremendous support of YOU, our audience members, patrons, and funders!

Dr. Margaret Carlson Producing Artistic Director

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Photo: Joshua L. Peugh (2022)

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Friar Lawrence, Act 2 Scene 3

NEW BALLET BY JOSHUA L. PEUGH

POETIC FORM OF SHAKE SPEARE TRANSLATED TO DANCE

TIMELESS ROMANCE Joshua L. Peugh is an award-winning choreographer from New Mexico. He is a former dancer with Universal Ballet in South Korea and is the founder and Artistic Director of Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, in addition to his freelance choreography work. He is a choreographer-in-residence at Verb this winter and was commissioned to create a new fulllength ballet, Romeo & Juliet. He has choreographed over 40 new works for major companies including BalletX, Ballet Memphis, and Tulsa Ballet. We sat down with him to talk about his new commission.

You trained as a classical ballet dancer. Tell us about

dancing. I ended up dancing that work for the next

your experience and influence in becoming a

six years—even after I left the company, I would

contemporary dance maker.

come back as a guest and dance just that work.

I graduated from Southern Methodist University in

Ohad [Naharin]’s philosophy and movement really

Dallas. I felt very strongly that I was and should be

shaped and shifted me as an artist.

a classical ballet dancer and I took a job dancing with Universal Ballet in South Korea. On my first

What three words describe your choreographic style?

day of work, we auditioned for and worked on Ohad

I don't know if I can pick three words to describe

Naharin’s Minus 7. As a classical ballet dancer, I

my style. I would say that [my work] is a collage—it

began my career dancing for a very contemporary

is a collection of things in no particular order. I like

choreographer and it completely shifted my mind. It

to take things from here and there with movement

changed how I imagined myself as an artist and as a

styles and blend them, paste them together, order

dancer—and it reminded me of the pleasure that I

them, and reorder them to see what new thing can

had forgotten that comes from movement and

be produced. verbiculture | February 2022

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Joshua L. Peugh is the choreographer-in-residence at Verb this winter in a new fulllength ballet. He has choreographed over 40 new works for major companies including BalletX, Ballet Memphis, and Tulsa Ballet. We sat down with him to talk about the commission.

Tell us about how this opportunity came to be at Verb?

I ended up at Verb by sending an email. I sent some samples to Verb and said I'd love to create something for your company. I was fortunate enough that that Dr. Carlson called me and said, “how do you feel about doing “Romeo and Juliet”? I said: “Let's make it happen.” I've always wanted to do Romeo and Juliet. It's a big leap of faith and I'm really grateful for the opportunity. One of the special things about this company is there's an adventurous nature here about the work and what it can be. It’s not easy to let someone into your company and give them the reins to create something that takes this much time and resources.

How did you prepare for this residency?

I did a lot of preparation for this project. I studied the script and the music and a did a lot of dreaming. Once I got here, I decided what to hold on to and what to let go of so that all of us the artists involved in the project could make something unique, alive and explosive.

How did you build the framework of the ballet?

This dance production is based on the Shakespeare text. A few years back I had the opportunity to co-direct the play Romeo and Juliet with some friends from college. Working with them and building that production really helped me understand the language in a new way and clarified a lot of things for me about Shakespeare. It made me fall in love with that work again. We’ve taken speeches and text from the play and used them to essentially build an interpretive dance.

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Tell us about your process working with the dancers?

As a rule, I don't generate movement before I get in the studio with the people that I'm creating for because I think it's important to get information from their bodies. When I start choreographing, I begin in a circle so that I can see everybody and see the choices that they're making. It allows me to see everyone and how their bodies guide their intuition. I really try to create a space that feels safe enough for people to be curious and make big choices.

These dancers helped me shape and build this production.

Once we finish, it will belong to them—it'll be a house that they have to live in and decorate after we've built the structure together with the set design and the costume designer and all those other people.

What has been the biggest challenge on this project?

A challenge on this project is that the shape of the ballet and the play don't match. Theatre people can do in language that we can't do with the body and there are body stories that don't come through in language. The great thing is that Shakespeare is so poetic and dance is a poetic form. They're similar in a lot of ways. There are certainly parts of the play that have to go out the window because this is a ballet and does not translate into movement. It’s been challenging but exciting to find interesting ways to solve those kinds of problems.

Do you have a favorite quote from Romeo and Juliet?

My favorite quote from is Friar Lawrence's line, which turns out to be really ironic later on. He says, Photos: Kolman Rosenberg (2022)

“Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast.” That line in particular sticks with me because that's the story. Romeo and Juliet happens so quickly —everything rushes towards the end and with that impatience, passion, desire, and in some characters’ cases thoughtlessness. I think that line sums up the whole story pretty well.

What do you hope the audience will take away from the show?

You want it to lobby in people's minds. I hope that we'll be able to share these human stories. This play is over 400 years old and somehow, we still care about this story. I think that's the beautiful part about this story—that it erupts from the inside out and everything rushes to the tragic end. Even though it ends poorly, the thing we remember about Romeo and Juliet is the romance.

What do you think of Ohio?

I’m having a really nice time being in Ohio. The snow has certainly been something. I’m a snow shoveler now, so that's new. I’ve enjoyed making this work while it's snowing outside and there's some frostiness in the air. Romeo and Juliet takes place in the summer, but there's something about making it now that feels right.

Don't miss Romeo & Juliet!

Previews February 17-19, 2022 7:00pm Cleveland Public Theatre World Premiere February 26, 2022 7:30pm EJ Thomas Hall

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Photos courtesy of Nathan Carterette

DISTINGUISHED PIANIST JOINS THE STAGE Originally from Shaker Heights, this modern classical pianist now tours the world

Nathan Carterette Nathan Carterette, a concert pianist hailed as “wonderfully poetic” (Westfalen Post), and “exuberant yet sensitive” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) joins the stage alongside the Verb dancers for Romeo & Juliet at EJ Thomas Hall on February 26, 2022 at 7:30pm. He 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 at the age of eleven 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, together with organist Edward Alan Moore, from The Arsenal Duo, have performed many concerts throughout the country. Nathan’s recent project ‘Poets of the Piano,’ an innovative, approachable video-recital, has inspired audiences to approach unfamiliar music with open ears, and familiar music with new appreciation.

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FASHION DESIGNER SHIFTS FROM THE RUNWAY TO THE STAGE Philista Marie Mills, designer and CEO of House of Mills, recently joined Verb as a costume designer for Romeo & Juliet.

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.

How did you start in fashion?

Looking back, I realize my passion for fashion came from something much bigger than me. I grew up surrounded by beautiful brown women that walked confidently in their own skin. From my grandmother's style and her incredible sewing skills, to my aunties, cousins, mother, and sisters, I was influenced by it all! My relationship with creativity started as a young child when I imagined and created my own Barbie clothes. I also reworked pieces for my sister and me.

My grandmother's sewing box and sewing machine went from tools I used to play with to something I wanted to use to express myself. I'm blessed with the role she played in turning my basement dreams into reality.

Tell us a little about your philosophy as an artist?

I realized at an early age that I felt most comfortable telling my story by crafting and creating fabrications into garments that I could not find nor afford. In doing this, I understood that I could also make others feel the confidence I felt when wearing something that fit just me. I was excited to share that energy with anyone that was interested. I feel most comfortable helping women feel like they can tackle the world whether it's through comfort or feeling sexy and confident. When you wear the right garment, you feel like you are unstoppable.

What are your aspirations beyond the runway?

My goal as a fashion designer is to have my pure energy pieces to be seen and shared on a larger scale such as a stage, whether it be a ballet, concert, opera, or museum exhibition.

Photos courtesy of House of Mills

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THE AKRON NUTCRACKER HIGHLIGHTS

Photo: Bill Naiman (2021)

Photo: Kolman Rosenberg (2021)

Photo: Bill Naiman (2021)

THE AKRON NUTCRACKER HIGHLIGHTS

Photo: Kolman Rosenberg (2021)

Photo: Bill Naiman (2021)

World of Another (2021) Photo: Kolman Rosenberg (2021)

Dancers: Kelly Korfhage, Benjamin Shepard

Tommie-Waheed Evans will be Verb’s choreographer-in-residence this spring and will create a powerful new work based on the ancient Greek tragedy Antigone. Using his driving urban contemporary ballet movement aesthetic, he will synthesize the current political climate with the classical world of Antigone.

Photo: German Ayala Vazquez

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QUESTIONS WITH TOMMIE-WAHEED EVANS

When did you start dancing?

I started dancing at 15 years old at a small family studio called Dance Connection in Los Angeles. A couple months later I joined the dance department at Alexander Hamilton High School.

How did your experience dancing at PHILADANCO! impact your journey to be a choreographer?

My time at PHILADANCO! was very important because I got to work with so many choreographers—learning about process, composition, structure, and coaching. Every year we would have a weekend of shows called “Danco on Danco” where we would get the chance to choreograph.

After one particular year, the founder, Joan Myers Brown, told me I had a great future as a choreographer and encouraged me to take it more seriously. Having that space and such high-quality dancers who believed in me was invaluable.

In three words describe your choreographic style: Driving, Physical, Moving, Emotional, Freeing, Spiritual.

I said more than three!

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What was the first work of art that really mattered to you?

My first self-produced concert for my company Waheedworks, Meetings Along the Edge.

How many pieces have you choreographed for the company?

This production will be the fourth I have created on the of Verb.

Every morning I have to _________ before I start my day: Listen to music loudly and have a cup of coffee or tea.

What community do you call home?

Of course, my family in Los Angeles. But also all the organizations I work with regularly including University of the Arts, PHILADANCO!, and Verb.

Who are some of your major influences?

Alonzo King, Rennie Harris, Dwight Rhoden, Ronald K. Brown, Kanye West, Carrie Mae Weems, and Anne Teresa de Keersmaker What is your favorite book or magazine? All About Love by Bell Hooks and Last Night on Earth by Bill T. Jones.

Bryan Andres Salinas joined Verb Ballets in 2022 as a part of Verb’s International Cultural Exchange Program, which elevates different creative voices and allows for an exchange of dance styles. Bryan began dancing salsa at the age of eight in his home country of Colombia. At the age of ten he began studies in folkloric dance at the Colombian Institute of Classical Ballet (Incolballet) then turned to rigorous studies in ballet. After graduating high school, he came to United States to study at Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, Joffrey Ballet School in NYC, and Manhattan Youth Ballet. In 2015, he joined the Incolballet classical ballet company where he danced in regional festivals and toured both nationally and internationally. He was also a founding member of the Fundación Ballet Capital company under the direction of Julian Garay. Although he thinks Ohio is “cold” and still very new, he has enjoyed exploring the area through restaurants, getting to know the local flavors. Bryan is looking forward to embracing Verb’s full repertory and connecting with audiences through movement. He will be sharing South America’s dance traditions with Verb Ballets.

AKRONITE JOINS AS TRAINEE Meet Lily Cole —Verb’s 2021-22 season trainee! Lily is from Richfield, Ohio and has been dancing since the age of 2 and has always dreamed of being a ballerina. She trained with Inna Stabrova of Ohio Conservatory of Ballet and won recognition awards at national and international ballet competitions. Since joining Verb, her favorite experience has been being able to take class from Laura Alonso, who she says, “imparted so much wisdom in the short time she was here.” Lily is motivated by her 3-year-old self who had a dream of becoming a “big, beautiful ballerina” and is happy to

Photo: Chipper Central

Photo: Kolman Rosenberg (2021)

FROM COLOMBIA TO CLEVELAND

be pursuing her lifelong dream. She has two dogs: a 5-yearold Frenchton named Yoda and a 3-month-old French Beagle named Lola.

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IN MAUI FOR THE NEXT STAGE Special fact about my family names...

My parents named each one of us kids with some connection to light in Hebrew, very creative and optimistic.

My name "Or" simply means light.

At what age did you begin dancing?

I began studying dance in Israel at the Bat dor School of Dance and Shahar Ha Negeve Dance School then went on to train in New York at the American Academy of Ballet.

How did you come to the United States to dance ballet?

I came to dance in the states by chance.

Before coming to Verb danced for eight

What did you most enjoy about

My daddy managed the dairy farm

working with Verb Ballets?

of the kibbutz and my mom was the

What I enjoyed the most was it was

kindergarten teacher. It is very

very different from my previous

peaceful, there is no car traffic

company. There was constantly

through the kibbutz, only on the

new work created for the company.

surrounding. I have a lot of good

I liked that we had a wide range of

memories spending time at my

styles from contemporary ballet to

daddy’s dairy farm, in the stables,

modern pieces. It was nice to

and at the fields. There was

recognize fans of the company

something very carefree living in the

coming to see us performing over

kibbutz, you knew that the

and over again.

community had your back, only at my teenage years we started locking

You grew up in Israel. Talk about your

the house when we for example. I

experience and family.

come from a big family—I have four

I grew up in Israel in a small

siblings—today I have nieces and

agricultural community that in

nephews from all of my siblings.

Israel we called a ‘Kibbutz’. My

They all live in Israel in a kibbutz

parents’ oldest brother and younger

community.

sister still live there with their families.

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years with Les Ballets Trackadero de Monte Carlo and in Israel with Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company and Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company 2 under the direction of Rami Be’er. I have had the honor to perform all over Asia, Europe, Australia, and America. I have performed for the prime minister and president of Israel, as well as the Thai royal family, and the prince and princess of Monte Carlo.

Where are you living and working now?

I am now living in Maui, Hawaii with my husband, Leon. After retiring for as a professional dancer with a 15-year career, I went on to get my Pilates certification. I experienced first-hand how Pilates changed my life for the better and want to help others experience what I call, “the Magic of

Photo: JAlecxander Leopoldd

Or Sagi-Woodson is originally from Israel. He danced for two seasons with Verb Ballets and prior to that, as a guest artist. After Verb, he went on to receive his certification in Pilates. He and his husband, Leon, currently live in Hawaii with their dog, Lilu. We caught up with him to see where the next stage of his career path took him.

Pilates.” I was grateful to teach Pilates island wide before opening Maui Pilates Studio in January 2019.

DANCING LETTERS In early December, Verb Ballets’ Education and

Outreach Coordinator Desmond L. Davis brought WiggleWords to McKinley Early Learning Center in Akron. The amazingly simple WiggleWords program utilizes the four basic shapes—straight, angular, curved and twisted—to physicalize each letter of the alphabet and uses movement games and dance choreography to enhance a wide range of literacy skills, including spelling, phonics rules, identification of vowels and consonants, reading, writing and rhyming/storytelling. WiggleWords was created by Pamela Pribisco. This exciting program especially supports kinetic learners and reinforces the need for a healthy diet and physical exercise to support healthy living. This opportunity was made possible by the Children’s Society of Akron (CCS). CCS partners with area arts organizations and artists to provide free in-school programs to schools in Summit County and surrounding areas.

Courtesy of Children's Concert Society

SPRING GALA

Photos courtsey CAL

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL International Cultural Exchange Artist, Sikhumbuzo Hlahleni shares West African culture with students Verb Ballets participated in the

Students explored the culture, politics,

The students were also introduced to a

International Festival at Open Doors

music, language, food, and

popular West African dance called

Academy (ODA) for the second year this

accomplishments of the Republic of

Ndombolo and worked together to

past November. The long-standing

Côte d'Ivoire, a small coastal West

choreograph their own interpretation

family event gives ODA students the

African country. The country

—Hlahleni even surprised them with

opportunity to learn about and

overcame French rule and a reputation

his own Ndombolo dance moves.

participate in the world by exploring

as the “teeth coast” for its rigorous

Finally, the students learned

diverse cultures. Students work with

ivory trade to become the “jewel of

movements inspired by Côte d'Ivoire’s

roster artists from the Center for Arts-

West Africa” and the largest exporter

national anthem “L'Abidjanaise” which

inspired Learning (CAL) in after-school

of cocoa.

means “The Song of Abidjan.”

Davis and Hlahleni led sessions that

The collaboration culminated in a

programming for over six sessions at ten sites.

focused on music and movement.

presentation by all participating

Verb’s Education and Outreach

Students learned drumming basics and

schools at Monticello Middle School.

Coordinator, Desmond L. David, and

were inspired to create their own

Students, teachers, family, and friends

company dancer, Sikhumbuzo Hlahleni

rhythms and to follow Hlahleni in

joined ODA and CAL staff for a night of

worked with students at Euclid Middle

making African polyrhythms.

art, food and performances celebrating

School.

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cultures around the world.

T E A C H E R

S P O T L I G H T

A YOUNG LOVE OF DANCE Andrea McCormick is a performing and teaching artist from Cleveland. She has a BA degree in Theater Studies with an emphasis in Dance and Applied Voice from Wright State University. Andrea has taught for all ages and abilities throughout Northeast Ohio, including but not limited to Playhouse Square, Dancing Wheels, Cleveland PlayHouse, and DANCECleveland. Under the stage name Andrea Belser, she also continuously works on and off stage as an actor, dancer, singer, choreographer, stage manager, and dresser. Andrea's awards include 2008 Best Actress in Cleveland for her role as Juliette in I Have Before Me a Remarkable Document Given to Me by a Young Lady from Rwanda at Dobama Theater, and a nomination for 2012 Best Actress in Cleveland for her role as Pecola in The Bluest Eye at Karamu House. Her passion for the performing arts shines through when she is teaching! We sat down with her to talk about her experience teaching young children.

How long have you been involved in dance?

I started dancing when I was about 3, so, 35 years.

What draws you to teaching?

The learning: helping others learn, but also learning myself.

What do you enjoy about teaching pre-ballet?

They're so cute! They’re so excited and ready to learn.

Why is pre-ballet/dance important for young children?

Dance helps with coordination, being safe with your body while taking risks, following directions, and working as a team and an individual with goals.

What do you think is special about Verb's Youth program?

Quality instruction that can take you far in any industry,

Quality

not just dance.

An interesting fact about you?

instruction can

I'm involved in all kinds of performing arts (acting, dance,

take you far in

any of them—even with 13 years of teaching experience!

any industry,

singing), yet have a difficult time teaching my 4-year-old

Anything else you'd like to add?

I love what I do and wouldn't change it for anything.

Photo: Bill Naiman

not just dance.

Verb Ballets Center for Dance Youth Division provides dance classes for children ages 3-14. Classes will help them build a strong foundation for dance by improving coordination, strength, flexibility, musicality and good teamwork!

View classes for children at verbballets.org/youthclasses verbiculture | February 2022

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LOOKING BACK ON

2021 DANCING THROUGH TH E PANDE M IC WITH COMPANY DANCER EM ILY DIETZ

AND SO BEGAN 2021...

Based on the written experiences of Emily Dietz

JAN

The year began in quarantine with my fiancé and fellow company member, Ben, in our apartment after road tripping back from visiting my family in California. We had left

I was grateful to be

the day after Christmas to make it back to

working during a

Cleveland with time to complete our work-

time when most

mandated quarantine. I kept our Christmas decorations up well into January, not ready to face the bleakness of a Cleveland winter.

Soon we headed back into the studio to start

dance companies remained closed.

rehearsing for next virtual show Going Solo and filmed the Rockcracker with Neil Zaza.

the experience of going to that space of deep, emotional grief was artistically enriching.

MARCH

March went by in a blur. We hosted several choreographic residencies with Stephanie Martinez, Mo Lui and Christopher Huggins for our next virtual show. Towards the end of the month, Ben and I were both able to get our first doses of the vaccine! To say we were thrilled would be an understatement.

FEBRUARY

February was focused on learning new rep to be filmed and aired for virtual performance. I was lucky enough to be coached by Robert Carter for the principal Paquita variation and was also cast in the Niobe solo from Jose Limón’s Dances for Isadora. I did research on the tragic loss of Isadora Duncan’s children, which is what inspired the solo. I relied heavily on reading the book Isadora by Amelia Gray. I was grateful for the caring guidance of our Límon repetiteur Natalie Desch, over Zoom, who skillfully communicated the details needed to dance the work accurately, while still giving me freedom to interpret the solo from my own soul. Two days before the show, I tripped and sprained a joint capsule in my big toe. Thankfully it was minor, but I felt frustrated because it made my performance feel less stable. Ending on a good note I celebrated my 27th birthday and we celebrated the 3rd birthday of our dog, Helen.

APRIL

Since I was trained primarily in classical ballet, doing floor work in contemporary pieces last month left me with bruises. On April 12th, I got my second dose of the vaccine and was ecstatic! The excitement faded a little when my arm felt like it was going to fall off during dress rehearsal, but the show must go on! We had a goodbye party for Bobby, a dancer who had joined us as a guest during the pandemic from Ballet Trockadero. There was excitement in the air as the arts world seemed to be in the beginning stages of reopening. Everyone in the company had received both doses of the vaccine. To celebrate, I was finally able to throw my annual Oscar’s party!

MAY

VACCINATED TIMES May brought a much-needed layoff month off from Verb. Ben had guest dancing performances lined up, so he stayed back in Cleveland while I headed to California to do wedding planning! We also went and visited family and got to go on the Shepards’ new boat, Jolene. Lastly, I met up for fellow company dancer and great friend Kate Webb’s bachelorette party!

JUNE

It was one of those

vaccinated! We hadn’t seen each other’s faces at work in a whole year! On the

moments that you

first day of rehearsal, I missed one of my entrances because I was so overjoyed

want to stay in forever

In June we were able to return to work without masks because everyone was

watching my colleagues leap across the studio with huge smiles on their faces. I hadn’t realized how much wearing a mask was separating me from my love of dance. We prepared to return to The Breen Center with a LIVE AUDIENCE and we would be dancing MASKLESS. I looked out into the audience for the first time in what felt like forever to see PEOPLE in the seats rather than a video

or somehow press pause so you can take it all in fully.

camera staring back at me.

July was the start of a new season with new company

JULY

members. Dancing at outdoor venues always brings a mix of challenges and unpredictability. We arrived at our first outdoor stage rehearsal to find that the stage was tilted backwards on a slight angle. I rolled my left ankle during dress rehearsal then hit a slick spot because it had reached dew point outside. The dancers of Verb have a pre-show ritual of circling before a show for encouragement. With the particular challenges of this show, “Do your best, and forget about the rest.” And that is what we did.

AUGUST

Work kept us busy preparing for the Tremont show which unfortunately got rained out. We were so excited for Kate to finally be able to celebrate her marriage after three COVID postponements. Legendary Cuban Maestra Laura Alonso came back to Verb to teach class and coach us in classical variations.

SEPT

& THE MASKS RETURN September began with the Cain Park show because the venue opened late due to COVID closures. I got to dance a duet with Isaac Hileman in Heinz Poll’s Eight by Benny Goodman to the song How High the Moon. This piece reminded me of my grandparents. They took ballroom lessons together and my grandad was a hilarious and spirited dancer. I just know they would have loved it and I felt their presence with me onstage. The next week, Verb did three shows in one day on the Westside of Cleveland!

OCT

Kate threw a belated engagement party for us. It was nice to get to celebrate with our friends, since that celebration was not possible in November of 2020.

Rehearsals geared up for a Halloween endeavor with rock guitarist Neil Zaza. I had quite a time navigating coffins and other stage accoutrements in a wide tutu. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and I was very excited to not be celebrating it in quarantine this year.

NOV

It was a Nutty November almost entirely eaten up by Nutcracker rehearsals. Ben and I were cast as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier and rarely get to dance together at Verb, so I could barely believe it!

In order to put the production together, the company spent several weekend days in Akron. Since we weren’t working normal weekly schedules, everything felt a bit discombobulated. It was nice to have the whole week of Thanksgiving off and spend the holiday with my brother Martin, his girlfriend Daniela, and my parents in NYC.

DEC

We began rehearsing in masks for the first time since May to keep everyone in the production safe. Dancing the challenging grand pas with a mask on made me feel like I was going to die. By the week of the show, the threat of the Omicron variant loomed heavily, and I was hoping it wouldn’t get cancelled. I

It was a huge gift to get through both shows, and I will cherish those memories of performing as we head into this next stage of the pandemic.

soaked up every moment on that stage, realizing there was no way to know the next time I’d be dancing on a stage maskless to live music in front of a live audience. Nonetheless, I’m grateful to have had a 2021 that, despite everything, was so full of love and time spent with the people I care about. It was a huge privilege to be able to do what I love last year (dance!!!) and feel fleeting moments of freedom from the pandemic.

Photo Kolman Rosenberg (2021) Dancers: Antonio Morillo, Kate Webb

WAYS TO SUPPORT Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to support Verb Ballets' operations and dancers. Your contribution will help us move into this new season and a new reality with confidence. Together we can build community through dance. All donations are fully tax-deductible.

To make a donation online by credit card visit verbballets.org/donate or call 216-397-3757 ext 2.

To make a donation by check, please mail to Verb Ballets 3558 Lee Rd. Shaker Heights, OH 44120.

For details on how to contribute gifts of stock or securities contact Dr. Margaret Carlson at 216-3973757 ext 3.

For details on how to contribute to the Verb Ballets Endowment Fund at the Cleveland Foundation contact Dr. Margaret Carlson at 216-397-3757 ext 3.

To make a contribution in honor, memory or as a gift contact Spring Healy at 216-397-3757 ext 2.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Robert M. Shwab, President Antwon Duncan-Milczewski, Vice President Frederick Lautzenheiser, Secretary Mary Anne Garvey, Treasurer 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 Past Presidents* Jeri E. Chaikin David Pierce Ann Ennis ^Leave of absence Dr. Margaret Carlson Producing Artistic Director Richard Dickinson, MFA Associate Artistic Director Verb Ballets 3558 Lee Rd. Shaker Heights, OH 44120 216-397-3757 | info@verbballets.org www.verbballets.org ©2022

Photo Bill Naiman (2021) Dancers: Kelly Korfhage, Benjamin Shepard

3558 Lee Rd. Shaker Heights, OH 44120 216-397-3757 l verbballets.org

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The Akron Nutcracker Photo: Bill Naiman(2021) Dancers: Lieneke Matte, Sikhumbuzo Hlahleni, Kia Jimmy, Lily Cole, Emily Dietz, Kelly Korfhage