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Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley recently announced its 200304 season, which offers an eclectic assortment of dance, from modern classics by Martha Graham to company signature pieces by Artistic Director Dennis Nahat—with a premiere, some favorites and some surprises in between.
In fact, the program announcement promises a surprise still in the works that will be revealed at a later date, but the season already offers plenty to tantalize.
The ballet kicks off the new season in October with a program of classics new, old and updated, including Michael Smuin's Stravinsky Piano Pieces, last performed by the ballet (as the San Jose Cleveland Ballet) in 1994. The ballet recently presented The Tempest by Tony- and Emmy-winning Bay Area choreographer Smuin, who served as the director for the San Francisco Ballet before founding his own company, Smuin Ballet.
His Stravinsky Piano Pieces had its premiere in a broadcast from the White House in 1982. Also featured will be the company premiere of Martha Graham's Appalachian Spring, set to Pulitzer Prizewinning music by Aaron Copland and staged by dancer and San Jose native Yuriko, who danced with Graham for more than 25 years. Rounding out the season opener will be US, by Ian Horvath and Dennis Nahat. The piece, set to a selection of music by Irving Berlin, Tommy Dorsey, Herbie Hancock and others, was originally created in 1976 but continues to evolve, with music and moves changing with the times.
December brings the lavish seasonal favorite The Nutcracker, choreographed by Nahat. Later in the month, the dance troupe Ballet Folklórico de México makes a guest appearance, ringing in the new year with a colorful program of Mexican folkloric dance.
The Nutcracker won't be the only tale of loony toymakers and enchanted dolls on the ballet's stage this season. February's program features Coppélia, with music by Léo Délibes and choreography by Nahat. Coppélia concerns a mad inventor and a doll that comes to life—or at least appears to. The plot is based, not coincidentally, on a story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, the same author who wrote the tale that inspired The Nutcracker.
March marks the American premiere of Out of Africa, set to music by Carl Nielsen and choreographed by Flemming Flindt, a frequent collaborator with the ballet. Most recently, the company performed his dramatic The Miraculous Mandarin. Out of Africa is based on Lucifer's Daughter, a modern dance piece Flindt created as an anniversary gift for the Queen of Denmark. Flindt has re-choreographed that work "on pointe" for Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley. The production also adds African music to Nielsen's score and will feature a full chorus onstage.
The season gets a rousing finale in May 2004 with the company premieres of Four Norwegian Moods, with music by Stravinsky and choreography by Lew Christensen, and Frontier, choreographed by Martha Graham, with music by Louis Horst. Four Norwegian Moods was one of the last works by Christensen, who was a major force in the San Francisco Ballet. As with its fall presentation of Graham's Appalachian Spring, the ballet's performance of Frontier will also be staged by longtime Graham collaborator Yuriko. Also on the May program is Nahat's buoyant Go Daddy O!, which features a score by Bill Duncan that draws on the music of the '30s and '40s. Audiences may remember this swingin' piece from the company's 199900 season. The yet-to-be-announced ballet for the season is also planned for the May program.
Also in the works is a new family series designed to whet youthful appetites. The details of the series have not yet been revealed, but it is expected to include a production of The Tales of Hans Christian Andersen, featuring students from the ballet's school performing with company dancers.
For season tickets and more information, call Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley at 408.288.2800 or visit www.balletsanjose.org.
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