The 2021 ABT Incubator features six new works created in ballet bubbles, choreographed by Zhong-Jing Fang, Joseph Markey, Sung Woo Han, Luciana Paris, Luigi Crispino, Sung Woo Han, and Melvin Lawovi.
This is American Ballet Theatre dancer Jose Sebastian’s first year directing the program, taking over the reins that David Halberg left upon becoming Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet in October of 2020.
ABT Incubator provides a focused lab to inspire new choreographic voices and generate ideas for the creation of new work. The process of this year’s ABT Incubator began in Spring 2020, as Jessica Lang, mentor for the program, provided composition workshops for ABT dancers wanting to explore choreography.
Due to the studio shutdown forced by the pandemic, ABT Incubator participants adapted to unprecedented circumstances to create new work on their colleagues over Zoom and in isolated “ballet bubbles,” while following strict health and safety protocols.
Each final work was filmed for presentation.
2021 ABT Incubator Schedule
Monday, March 29
The Unforseen
Choreography by Zhong-Jing Fang
Music by Camille Saint-Saëns (Danse Macabre)
Costumes by Sylvie Rood
Cast: Andrii Ishchuk, Fangqi Li
Created at Long Island City School of Ballet
Filmed at ABT Studios in New York City
Monday, April 5
She didn’t
Choreography by Joseph Markey
Music by John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (My One and Only Love) and Taylor Deupree (Seep)
Lighting by Oleg Balitskiy
Cast: Kanon Kimura, Javier Rivet
Created and filmed at PS21, Chatham, New York
Monday, April 12
Death and Life
Choreography by Sung Woo Han
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach (Adagio from Concerto No. 3 in D Minor performed by Alessandro
Marcello)
Cast: Joo Won Ahn, SunMi Park
Created in Seoul, South Korea.
Filmed in Lakai Sandpine Resort in South Korea
Monday, April 19
Nunanu
Choreography by Luciana Paris
Music by Future Natives Project (Erial featuring Rodrigo Aranjuelo & Federico Diaz)
Lighting by Oleg Balitskiy
Cast: Isadora Loyola, Michael de la Nuez
Created and filmed at PS21, Chatham, New York
Monday, April 26
Thread of Memories
Choreography by Luigi Crispino
Music by Joe Hisaishi (Howl’s Moving Castle Theme, Etude, A Wish to the Moon, One Summer’s Day).
Performed by Michael Scales
Costumes by Paola Salvi
Cast: Virginia Lensi, Rachel Richardson and Nathan Vendt
Created and filmed at ABT Studios in New York City, and in Milan, Italy
Monday, May 3
Soirée Nocturne
Choreography by Melvin Lawovi
Music by Frédéric Chopin (Nocturne No. 20 in C# Minor, Op. Posth.)
Lighting by Oleg Balitskiy
Cast: Leah Baylin, Cameron McCune
Created in Silver Bay, New York
Filmed at PS21, Chatham, New York
Featured Photo for 2021 ABT Incubator © American Ballet Theatre
