Opening the company’s 42nd season, Madison Ballet’s Innovation program offers five world premieres by Alia Kache, Richard Walters, Eric Stith III, Charlotte Junge, and Sarah Minton, promising audiences a fresh perspective on ballet’s timeless art form.
Madison Ballet's Innovation Program
In keeping with their commitment to championing the works of female-identifying choreographers of color, Madison Ballet’s Artistic Director Ja’ Malik invited Kache, a former dancer with Ailey II and the 2021 Choreographic Fellow with BalletX, to create on the company.
Of her work, Kache explains:
“[I] choose to use joy as resistance… It is my sword, so I make dances that are defiant with joy! And I like to bring audiences along for the ride, [ ] to recall a time when we were all free from responsibility, full of hope, and we didn’t know all of our dreams wouldn’t come true.”
Set to music by Shannon Rugani (aka EMPRESS), known for her dual talents as a former San Francisco Ballet dancer and singer/songwriter, Kache’s piece is a whimsical and playful exploration of the unbridled freedom found in childhood games.
Further enriching the program is a world premiere from Rehearsal Director, Richard Walters, his second choreographic work with Madison Ballet following the success of his inaugural Parallax last fall. For his latest piece, Walters is once again teaming up with composer Brandon Lee Alley to delve into the complexities of irregularity and unpredictability within our modern lives.
Madison Ballet Dancers Take Center Stage as Choreographers
In a showcase of artistic versatility, three dancers from the company are stepping into the choreographer’s role, contributing their unique creations to the upcoming program.
Eric Stith III, who joined Madison Ballet in November 2022, will captivate audiences with an intense and physically demanding duet that explores the intricacies of unrequited love, set to a score composed by colleague Alex Vrba.
Charlotte Junge, who came to Madison Ballet in August 2022 from the Boston Ballet School’s Professional Division, is bringing her vision to life through a seven-member ensemble piece who tell a narrative of escaping the confines of reality.
Sarah Minton, a seasoned Madison Ballet artist with six years under her belt, has already made a name for herself as a choreographer for the School of Madison Ballet and outreach performances. Minton’s latest creation, set to the music of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, offers a glimpse into the complex realm of emotions through intricate partnering performed by three dancers, accentuated by meticulous lighting and costume design.
All performances of Madison Ballet’s Innovation to take place at Promenade Hall at the Overture Center for the Arts
- Thursday, October 26 – 7:00pm
- Friday, October 27 – 7:00pm
- Saturday, October 28 – 7:00pm
- Sunday, October 29 – 2:00pm
- Friday, November 3 – 7:00pm
- Saturday, November 4 – 2:00pm
- Saturday, November 4 – 7:00pm
- Sunday, November 5 – 2:00pm
Following opening night, the company invites the audience to a conversation moderated by Malik featuring the choreographers and artists. They will explore the concept of the Artistic Director’s encouragement for the creators to use their toolbox: “music, costume, movement, and beyond.”
Featured Photo for Madison Ballet’s Innovation program of company dancers in Ballet Beyond (from last season). Photo by Becky McKenzie.
