Digital on-demand viewing May 12 – 26
Tickets are $25 at www.SCFTA.org

ABT and Segerstrom Center created a safe bubble in which 18 dancers developed, rehearsed, and performed works including by Lauren Lovette and Darrell Grand Moultrie

Scene from Lauren Lovette’s La Follia Variations. Photo: Todd Rosenberg Photography.

APRIL 27, 2021 | COSTA MESA, CA – Segerstrom Center for the Arts and American Ballet Theatre have completed an exciting new artistic collaboration titled UNITING IN MOVEMENT, during which 18 dancers and the artistic staff of ABT developed and rehearsed three works that culminated in an exhilarating live performance in Segerstrom Hall and which can be streamed on demand from May 12 – 26 at the Center’s website, www.scfta.org.

Uniting in Movement is comprised of works of contemporary choreographers Lauren Lovette and Darrell Grand Moultrie, each with very personal and unique visions for the future of ballet.  The program also pays homage to ABT’s classical heritage with a virtuosic showcase of ballet technique Grand Pas Classique choreographed by Victor Gsovsky and Swan Lake Act II pas de deux with choreography after Lev Ivanov.

In order to perform Uniting in Movement, ABT, America’s National Ballet Company®, was in residence at the Center beginning March 22, rehearsing this new program that received its world premiere before a live audience on Sunday, April 25 in Segerstrom Hall, followed by this streamed version.  These performances are the first in Segerstrom Hall since the shutdown of all live theater in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, just one week after the world premiere of ABT’s new production of Alexei Ratmansky’s Of Love and Rage.

The choreographers, dancers and ABT artistic staff lived and rehearsed in a quarantined “bubble,” isolating themselves at the Avenue of the Arts Costa Mesa, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel across the street from the Center, venturing out only to rehearse in the Center studios and, ultimately, perform in Segerstrom Hall. All rehearsal and performance activity adhered to strict medical and safety guidelines, with an initial quarantine and testing period prior to the start of ABT’s residency.

Wincome Hospitality CEO Paul Sanford said, “Avenue of the Arts Costa Mesa, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel and Wincome Hospitality, is proud to work with Segerstrom Center for the Arts and be the host hotel for American Ballet Theatre. Their mission of wanting to preserve the classics of the past for modern audiences and foster innovation in the world of ballet should be lauded. We’re excited to help the Center bring ABT to Costa Mesa for Southern Californians to enjoy what will surely be very beautiful, emotionally moving, and entertaining performances.”

Ms. Lovette’s work, La Follia Variations, is set to music of the same name by Francesco Geminiani. With costumes by fashion designer Victor Glemaud, La Follia Variations brims with poetry, wit, nuance, and power. Mr. Moultrie’s Indestructible Light, set to music by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Neal Hefti and Billy Strayhorn, is an expansion of his earlier work for the Company created in an East Coast bubble in fall 2020.  Indestructible Light is a work for eight dancers and celebrates the resilience of artists despite impossible odds.  The pas de deux from Swan Lake, Act II has replaced the previously announced Let Me Sing Forevermore by Jessica Lang.

“These creations reflect a time of recalibration on how we create and deliver new work, reinvent how to gather together to create, and what it means to use this art form to lift us all, artist and audience alike,” said Kevin McKenzie, ABT Artistic Director. “Lauren’s use of classical vocabulary for dynamic effect of empowerment and Darrell’s facile use of classical technique fused with classic jazz are contrasted with two pas de deux.  All of which exemplify the vibrant spirit of American Ballet Theatre.”

Segerstrom Center President Casey Reitz said, “As you can imagine, Uniting in Movement is a complex project requiring the combined, or uniting, resources and experience of both the Center and ABT, particularly during this period of quarantine. The project aligns with the mission of our Center for Dance and Innovation, which was established to support and advance the creative and sometimes even experimental process of developing new works by talented artists. The Center and ABT have a long history of producing extraordinary dance projects, including new productions, world premieres, and two projects that were broadcast on Great Performances: Dance in America. We are especially proud of how Uniting in Movement so beautifully confirms the resilience and indomitable spirit of the arts and artists.”

Uniting in Movement will be available on demand May 12 – 26. Tickets are $25 per household at www.SCFTA,org or by calling the box office at (714) 556-2787 weekdays between 10am and 2pm.

UNITING IN MOVEMENT

LA FOLLIA VARIATIONS
Choreography by Lauren Lovette
Music by Francesco Geminiani
Costumes by Victor Glemaud
Lighting by Brad Fields
Music performed by East Coast Chamber Orchestra
Dancers
Emily Hayes & Jonathan Klein
Abbey Marrison & João Mengussi
Kiely Groenewegen & Tyler Maloney
Chloe Misseldine & Jose Sebastian

“The progression of steps is one of my favorites among the classical ballet style. These dancers give me hope for the future of dance, and this piece of choreography is a celebration of that hope.” – Lauren Lovette

As a Principal Dancer with the New York City Ballet, Lauren Lovette has performed a broad range of repertoire, and that diversity of artistic experience informs her choreography, which covers dizzying swaths of ground. Originally created for the ABT Studio Company and completed on the day the ABT studios closed in March 2020, La Follia Variations is now being set on the main company and having its Company premiere at Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

GRAND PAS CLASSIQUE
Choreography by Victor Gsovsky
Music by Daniel-Francois Auber
Lighting by Brad Fields
Dancers Catherine Hurlin & Sung Woo Han

Grand Pas Classique represents the epitome of classical purity and precision, allowing dancers to demonstrate their energy, endurance, and musicality through Victor Gsovsky’s brilliant and exacting choreography.

SWAN LAKE (ACT II PAS DE DEUX)
Choreography after Lev Ivanov
Music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky
Costumes by Zack Brown
Lighting by Brad Fields
Dancers Devon Teuscher & Cory Stearns

In this beloved pas de deux from Act II of the full-length ballet Swan Lake, Prince Siegfried falls in love with Odette, a beautiful princess who has been transformed into a swan by an evil sorcerer.

INDESTRUCTIBLE LIGHT
Choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie
Music by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Neal Hefti and Billy Strayhorn
Songs: “Battle Royal,” “Little Pony,” “Tricky’s Licks,” and “The Star-Crossed Lovers”
Costumes by Mark Eric
Lighting by Brad Fields
Dancers
Betsy McBride & Jacob Clerico
Anabel Katsnelson & Melvin Lawovi
Hannah Marshall & Duncan McIlwaine
Scout Forsythe & Joseph Markey

“Indestructible Light is inspired by where we are now in our lives and how important it is to stay connected to hope, love, and joy. I wanted the great music of American composers Duke Ellington, Neal Hefti, Billy Strayhorn, and Count Basie to serve as the foundation to take the dancers on an exciting, physical  journey that resonates with audiences. I’m always excited about finding ways to use great music and the dancers’ bodies to bring inspiration to people. No matter what’s happening around us, we must always remember here’s a light within that can never be shut off.”

Indestructible Light is Darrell Grand Moultrie’s first work for American Ballet Theatre. He began work on the piece this past fall in a quarantined bubble at PS 21 in Chatham, New York. Having premiered on the screen in November 2020 with six dancers, Indestructible Light is being reimagined for the stage for the first time at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Its dynamism and undeniable energy will delight audiences.

CHOREOGRAPHERS

Lauren Lovette
Lauren Lovette was born in Thousand Oaks, California and began studying ballet at the age of 11 at the Cary Ballet Conservatory in Cary, North Carolina. She attended summer courses at the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet, during the summers of 2004 and 2005. She enrolled at SAB as a full-time student in 2006. In October 2009, Ms. Lovette became an apprentice with NYCB and joined the company as a member of the corps de ballet in September 2010. She was promoted to soloist in February 2013 and to principal dancer in June 2015.

She has choreographed two works for New York City Ballet: For Clara (2016) and Not Our Fate (2017). Ms. Lovette has also created two works for ABT Studio Company: Le Jeune (2017) and La Follia Variations (2021).

Lovette received the Clive Barnes Award for Dance in December 2012 and was the 2012-2013 recipient of the Janice Levin Award.

Darrell Grand Moultrie
A recipient of the Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship Award, Darrell Grand Moultrie has established himself as one of the most diverse and sought-after choreographers and master teachers.

Recently, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater premiered Moultrie’s work Ounce of Faith during their engagement at New York’s Lincoln Center Theater. The company also performed the work as part of their Fall European Tour and engagement at New York City Center.

Moultrie has created and staged works for Atlanta Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Cincinnati Ballet, BalletMet Columbus, Ailey 2, Milwaukee Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Smuin Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, The Juilliard School, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, and NBA Ballet in Japan.

On stage, Moultrie has provided Movement and choreography for the world premiere of Jeremy O. Harris’s off-Broadway play Daddy, Witness Uganda at American Repertory Theater directed by Tony Award® winner Diane Paulus, Sugar in Our Wounds at Manhattan Theatre Club, the off-Broadway musical Invisible Thread at Second Stage, the world premiere of Redwood at Portland Center Stage Theater, and Evita and Pride and Prejudice at Kansas City Repertory Theatre. He has collaborated with Tony Award®-winning dancer Savion Glover and provided choreography for Beyoncé’s Mrs. Carter World Tour. Moultrie also choreographed El Publico, a new opera at the world-famous Teatro Real in Madrid, Spain, directed by Robert Castro and conducted by Robert Heras-Casado.

Moultrie is a proud New Yorker, born and raised in Harlem, and a graduate of P.S. 144, The Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts, LaGuardia High School, and The Juilliard School.

SPONSORS
Avenue of the Arts Hotel Costa Mesa, a Wincome Portfolio Hotel, is the Hospitality Sponsor for Uniting in Movement. Segerstrom Center for the Arts applauds The Segerstrom Foundation, Ann Conway Family, Mary and Richard Cramer, Kling Family Foundation / Jackie Glass, Dr. and Mrs. Walter Parsadayan, Stewart R. Smith and Robin A. Ferracone, Connie and Dr. Peter Spenuzza and Jaynine and Dave Warner for their support of Uniting in Movement. The Center’s International Dance Series is made possible by the Audrey Steele Burnand Endowed Fund for International Dance and The Segerstrom Foundation Endowment for Great Performances. The ABT cast and company will travel to Costa Mesa via United Airlines, the Official Airline of the Center.

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE
American Ballet Theatre is one of the great dance companies in the world. Few ballet companies equal ABT for its combination of size, scope, and outreach. Recognized as a living national treasure since its founding in 1940, ABT annually tours the United States, performing for more than 300,000 people, and is the only major cultural institution to do so. Over 81 years, the Company has appeared in a total of 132 cities in 45 countries and has performed in all 50 states of the United States. ABT has recently enjoyed triumphant successes with engagements in Paris, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Oman. On April 27, 2006, by an act of Congress, American Ballet Theatre became America’s National Ballet Company®.

AVENUE OF THE ARTS COSTA MESA, A TRIBUTE PORTFOLIO HOTEL
Awarded “Hotel of the Year” in both 2017 and 2018 by Marriott for their distinctive premium hotels, The Avenue of the Arts Costa Mesa, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel offers a world-class luxury experience in the heart of Orange County, California. As Costa Mesa’s only AAA recognized Four Diamond hotel, this 238- room boutique hotel provides stylish accommodations with unparalleled amenities and an award-winning restaurant, Silver Trumpet, serving contemporary Californian cuisine. Less than 3 miles from John Wayne Airport, the hotel’s central Costa Mesa location offers a tranquil oasis just steps from an array of the world’s finest shopping and cultural centers for the arts.

For more information about Avenue of the Arts, visit AvenueOfTheArtsHotel.com.

SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Segerstrom Center for the Arts is an acclaimed arts institution as well as a beautiful multi-disciplinary cultural campus. It is committed to supporting artistic excellence, offering unsurpassed experiences and to engaging the entire community in new and exciting ways through the unique power of live performance as well as a diverse array of inspiring arts-based education and community engagement programs. Previously called the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Segerstrom Center is Orange County’s largest non-profit arts organization. In addition to its six performance venues, Segerstrom Center is also home to the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School and Studio D: Arts School for All (previously named School of Dance and Music for Children with Disabilities).

The Center presents a broad range of programming for audiences of all ages, featuring international ballet and dance companies, national tours of top Broadway shows, jazz and cabaret, contemporary artists, classical music performed by renowned chamber orchestras and ensembles, family-friendly programming, and free performances on its plaza, such as outdoor movie screenings, concerts, community and cultural festivals.

Segerstrom Center is a leader among the nation’s performing arts centers for providing education programs designed to inspire young people through the arts. The Center’s programs reach hundreds of thousands of students each year in five Southern California counties. The CDI supports flagship artistic programming and a wide range of projects that celebrate innovation, nurture creativity, and engage audiences of the future. The Center Without Boundaries develops partnerships with non-cultural organizations to help them in their own efforts to respond to the ever-changing needs of the community.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts is also proud to serve as the artistic home to three of the region’s major performing arts organizations: Pacific Symphony, Philharmonic Society of Orange County and Pacific Chorale. Each contributes greatly to the artistic life of the region with annual seasons performed at the Center.

In addition to Segerstrom Center for the Arts as a presenting and producing institution, it also identifies the beautiful 14-acre campus that embraces the Center’s own facilities as well as two independently acclaimed organizations: Tony Award®-winning South Coast Repertory and the Orange County Museum of Art.UNITING IN MOVEMENT
American Ballet Theatre Residency
On-demand viewing May 12 – 26, 2021

La Follia Variations
Choreography by Lauren Lovette
Music by Francesco Geminiani
Music performed by East Coast Chamber Orchestra
Costumes by Victor Glemaud
Lighting by Brad Fields

Grand Pas Classique
Choreography by Victor Gsovsky
Music by Daniel-Francois Auber
Lighting by Brad Fields

Swan Lake (Act II pas de deux)
Choreography after Lev Ivanov
Music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky
Costumes by Zack Brown
Lighting by Brad Fields

Indestructible Light
Choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie
Music by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Neal Hefti and Billy Strayhorn
Songs: “Battle Royal,” “Little Pony,” “Tricky’s Licks,” and “The Star-Crossed Lovers.”
Costumes by Mark Eric
Lighting by Brad Fields

Tickets –         On-demand digital access: May 12 – 26, 2021
Tickets: $25 per household

Online –          SCFTA.org
Phone –          (714) 556-2787
Open 10 a.m. – 2pm Monday – Friday
Group
Sales –            (714) 755-0236

Information provided is accurate at the time of printing but is subject to change. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is a public, non-profit organization. “Segerstrom Center for the Arts” is a registered trademark.

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