Category

Choreographers

Jul 27
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Meet Danielle Diniz

By Choreographers

Danielle Diniz

Ms. Diniz was Artist in Residence at Tribeca BMCC via CUNY Dance Initiative, Co Artistic Director of Jazz Choreography Enterprises and has been commissioned by Jacob’s Pillow, the Ailey BFA program, Stars of American Ballet, Ballet Hartford, Central Utah Ballet, Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, St. Paul’s School ballet program (dir. ABT’s Kate Lydon), Accent Dance NYC and Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, among others. Last spring/summer she choreographed for St. Louis Ballet, AVID Dance, Woman in Motion, East Coast Contemporary Ballet, Chevalier Ballet and Revolve Dance. Upcoming she will choreograph for Jersey City Ballet, Mason Lee Dance Theater, Central Utah Ballet and Ballet Excel Ohio’s gala with a new work for New York City Ballet’s Daniel Ulbricht and Indiana Woodward.

She made her Off-Broadway choreographic debut at the AMT Theatre with ‘An Unbalanced Mind,’ choreographed New York Circus Project’s production of Hamlet, presented work at the McCallum Theatre/Palm Desert Choreography Festival and the New York Theatre Barn Choreography Lab and was awarded a grant from NYFA/City Artist Corps to present a full evening of her choreography. She also choreographed ‘My Way’ at Theatre by the Sea, the Vaudevillian musical ‘On the Air,’ musical theater showcases at AMDA and has served as Associate Choreographer for Broadway’s Lorin Latarro.

She is on faculty at the Steps on Broadway Academy and Manhattan Youth Ballet and enjoys teaching open, professional classes at Steps, Peridance and Mark Morris. She has a B.A. in English from Cornell University (concentration in Shakespearean Studies, minor in Dance). She is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Mount Saint Vincent.

Interview about the creation of Red Rhythm 

Red Rhythm

Red Rhythm, a world premiere choreographed by Danielle Diniz, brings the fire of Portuguese flamenco and the pulse of tango. Diniz combines her musical theater and ballet backgrounds to create a tango riddled with tension and rhythm.
Jul 27
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Meet Avree Walker

By Choreographers

Avree Walker

Avree Walker began his early training at the West Las Vegas Arts Center, under the direction of Dr. Marcia Robinson. Mr. Walker is an alumnus of the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, and attended the University of Nevada Las Vegas, representing the dance department in South Korea, Canada, Europe, and throughout the U.S. Additional training includes Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Ballet Hispanico, and the Katherine Dunham Technique Seminar. Mr. Walker became an artist with the Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theatre (Contemporary West Dance Theatre) touring and performing works by Alvin Ailey, Ulysses Dove, Elisa Monte, Rennie Harris, Milton Myers, Vernard Gilmore, Zane Booker, Hope Boykin, Tommie Waheed Evan’s, Donald Byrd, Don Bellamy, and others. Regional credits include Dreamgirls, Once on This Island, The Color Purple, Black Nativity (Las Vegas and Atlanta), The Music Man, Spamalot, The Wiz, Cinderella, Matilda the Musical(regional premiere), The Prince of Egypt the Musical (Dreamworks) and Stephen Sondheim Follies. Mr. Walker performed in Donn Arden’s Jubilee! at Bally’s Las Vegas and Extravaganza by T&R Entertainment. Mr. Walker is currently a dancer in Vegas! The Show at Planet Hollywood, Directed & Choreographed by Tiger Martina. Mr. Walker served as resident choreographer for Contemporary West Dance Theatre and Program Artistic Director of the CWDT Conservatory & pre-professional program. In 2019, Mr. Walker joined the dance faculty of Las Vegas Academy of the Arts as the first full-time African American dance instructor in the school’s history. Mr. Walker has had the privilege of creating work for universities/conservatory’s, pre professional and professional dance companies including, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Contemporary West Dance Theatre & Studio Company, Nevada Ballet Theatre II, The Ailey School, Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre Summer Institute, Houston Contemporary Dance Company (Institute of Contemporary Dance), Collage Youth Ensemble, St. Louis Dance Theatre II, Alabama State University, University of Nevada Las Vegas and Anthony Burrell Center for Dance. Mr. Walker is currently the Artistic Director of the City of Las Vegas Live Arts Institute.

Interview about the creation of Eternal

Enternal

Avree Walker, a dancer, choreographer, and educator from Las Vegas, Nevada, shares his journey and the creative process behind his latest work, Eternal, commissioned by Ohio Contemporary Ballet. Walker discusses how his early fascination with choreography shaped his career, leading to an organic transition into creating his own works. He reveals the inspiration for Eternal, drawing from the skies, stars, sun, and moon to craft an uplifting and atmospheric piece designed to resonate with audiences during challenging times. Walker also reflects on the healing power of dance, emphasizing its ability to serve as a vessel for hope, inspiration, and connection—a bridge for humanity. Eternal is a testament to the transformative power of the arts and a reminder of their role in carrying us through dark times.

Feb 26
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Meet Donald McKayle

By Performances, Choreographers

Donald McKayle

Donald McKayle was a pioneering American modern dancer, choreographer, and teacher whose work profoundly shaped the world of dance. Born in 1930, he was renowned for creating socially conscious pieces that addressed themes of human struggle and the African American experience. His notable works, such as Rainbow ‘Round My Shoulder, are celebrated for their emotional depth and cultural significance. McKayle was one of the first Black men to achieve widespread acclaim in modern dance, breaking racial barriers and paving the way for future generations. His contributions earned him numerous awards, and his legacy continues to inspire dancers and choreographers worldwide.

Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder

The company is proud to present the iconic choreographer Donald McKayle’s Rainbow Suite, featuring excerpts from his 1959 masterpiece, Rainbow ‘Round My Shoulder. Deeply rooted in African American history, these selections explore the harsh realities of social injustice, portraying prisoners yearning for freedom through poignant memories of their loved ones. Set to the evocative melodies of chain gang songs, McKayle’s work emerged during a time of widespread racial discrimination, offering a powerful voice to African American experiences. Through its themes of humanity, identity, and social justice, his choreography masterfully combines narrative storytelling with expressive movement, leaving an enduring impact on the world of dance.

This iconic moving work will be presented by Ohio Contemporary Ballet on the Playhouse Square stage on February 28, 2025. With its striking energy, Echoes & Innovations showcases iconic works from the early explorations of contemporary dance juxtaposed with new 21st-century creations. Get tickets now!

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Interview about restaging of Rainbow Suite

Donald McKayle (1930 - 2018)

Donald McKayle recipient of honors and awards in every aspect of his illustrious career, has been named by the Dance Heritage Coalition as “one of America’s Irreplaceable Dance Treasures: The First 100.” His choreographic masterworks, considered modern dance classics, Games, Rainbow Round My Shoulder, District Storyville, and Songs of the Disinherited are performed around the world. He choreographed over ninety works for dance companies in the United States, Canada, Israel, Europe and South America. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley, the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, and the Lula Washington Dance Theatre serve as repositories for his works. He was the Artistic Mentor for the Limón Dance Company. Ten retrospectives have honored his choreography. In April 2005, Donald McKayle was honored at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and presented with a medal as a Master of African American Choreography.

In 2001, he choreographed the monumental ten-hour production of Tantalus, produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company in collaboration with the Denver Center Theatre Company. Five Tony Nominations have honored his choreography for Broadway musical theater: Sophisticated Ladies, Doctor Jazz, A Time for Singing, and for Raisin, which garnered the Tony Award as Best Musical, and for which he received Tony nominations for both direction and choreography. For Sophisticated Ladies he was also honored with an Outer Critics Circle Award and the NAACP Image Award. His most recent choreography for Broadway was showcased in It Ain’t Nothing But the Blues, that earned a Tony nomination for Best Musical. He received an Emmy nomination for the TV Special, Free To Be You and Me. His work for film included Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Great White Hope, and The Jazz Singer. His other media awards include a Los Angeles DramaLogue Award for Evolution of the Blues and a Golden Eagle Award for On the Sound.

In dance he received the Capezio Award, the Samuel H. Scripps/American Dance Festival Award, the American Dance Guild Award, a Living Legend Award from the National Black Arts Festival, the Heritage Award from the California Dance Educators Association, two Choreographer’s Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Dance/USA Honors, an Irvine Fellowship in Dance, the Martha Hill Lifetime Achievement Award, the Annual Award from the Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival, the Black College Dance Exchange Honors, the Dance Magazine Award, and the American Dance Legacy Institute’s Distinguished and Innovative Leadership Award. In May 2008, Cornish College of the Arts conferred an honorary Doctorate Degree on him. On May 22, 2009, the Juilliard School awarded Donald McKayle an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts. On May 20, 2011, California Institute of the Arts presented him with an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts.

For his work in education, he has earned the Balasaraswati/Joy Ann Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching, UCI’s Distinguished Faculty Lectureship Award for Research, and he is a recipient of the UCI Medal, the highest honor given by the University of California, Irvine. At the University of California, Irvine he has also been awarded the title of Claire Trevor Professor in Dance, an endowed chair, and is a Bren Fellow. Mr. McKayle has served on the faculties of numerous international forums and many prestigious national institutions including the Juilliard School, Bennington College, Bard College, Sarah Lawrence College, the American Dance Festival, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and was the Dean of the School of Dance at the California Institute of the Arts.

His autobiography, Transcending Boundaries: My Dancing Life, published by Routledge was honored with a Society of Dance History Scholar’s de la Torre Bueno Special Citation. A television documentary on his life and work, Heartbeats of a Dance Maker, was aired on PBS stations throughout the United States.

Feb 26
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Meet Gerald Arpino

By Performances, Choreographers

Gerald Arpino (1923-2008)

Gerald Arpino was the Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer of The Joffrey Ballet, the company he co-founded with Robert Joffrey in 1956. Born on Staten Island, New York, he met Robert Joffrey while stationed in Seattle with the Coast Guard. He studied with Mary Ann Wells, at the School of American Ballet, danced with Graham dancers May O’Donnell and Gertrude Schurr, and was a principal dancer with the original Joffrey company. As resident choreographer, Arpino created over one third of the commissioned repertory for the Joffrey Ballet, including Sea Shadow, Viva Vivaldi, Olympics, The Clowns, Trinity, Kettentanz, Suite Saint-Saens, and Light Rain. He also had wide experience in Broadway musicals, on television, in opera, and staged musicals for the country’s leading festivals. Arpino’s ballets have been performed at the White House on several occasions, as well as around the world, to critical acclaim as well as controversial appraisal. So varied was his output, that one critic commented, “He’s not a single artist. He must be an alliance.” As one of the recipients of the 1974 Dance Magazine Award, his citation read: “To Gerald Arpino – more than any other choreographer, he has recognized the spirit of the times. His work speaks clearly of the anguish and the joy of being young in America today.” Upon Robert Joffrey’s passing, Arpino directed the Joffrey Ballet from 1988 until 2008, continuing Joffrey’s vision for the company by restaging important dance historical works, such as Léonide Massine’s symphonic ballet Les Presages (1933), and Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella (1948), as well as taking risks with new commissions such as the rock ballet Billboards (1993) to music by Prince. In 1995, Arpino moved the Joffrey Ballet to Chicago, where he established the Joffrey as a world-class company in the heart of the American Midwest, which continues to thrive today.

Light Rain

Light Rain, a captivating duet from the Joffrey Ballet’s renowned repertoire, promises to enchant audiences with its irresistible charm. Created in 1981 by the visionary choreographer Gerald Arpino, this ballet is set to a hypnotic score by Douglas Adamz and Russ Gauthier, blending Eastern and Western musical influences. The piece serves as a testament to Arpino’s groundbreaking style, pushing the boundaries of traditional ballet with its innovative and daring approach.

This alluring work returns to the Playhouse Square stage on February 28, 2025. With its captivating charisma, Echoes & Innovations showcases iconic works from the early explorations of contemporary dance juxtaposed with new 21st-century creations. Get tickets now!

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Interview with Cameron Basden about the restaging of Light Rain

Feb 26
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Meet Stephanie Martinez

By Performances, Choreographers

Stephanie Martinez

Stephanie Martinez, a Chicago-based choreographer, takes audiences on dynamic journeys driven by the kinetic energy of her award-winning works spanning 15+ years. Her creations have been commissioned by top companies including Joffrey Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Ballet Hispánico, BalletX, Bruce Wood Dance, Kansas City Ballet, South Chicago Dance Theatre and Milwaukee Ballet, with theater credits at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and American Repertory Theatre. Martinez’s bold, contemporary voice pushes the boundaries of ballet, crafting over 70 works for professional and collegiate programs nationwide. Recognized for her contributions as a female artist of color, she has received numerous grants and acclaim, with the Chicago Tribune hailing her as a “chameleon” of choreography.
Martinez is the founder and artistic director of PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, established in July 2020.

World of Another

During the pandemic, Ohio Contemporary Ballet commissioned a new work by choreographer Stephanie Martinez. This work–World of Another–was created entirely through Zoom, and premiered through our live streamed performances, reaching audiences in 26 states and 5 countries. This must-see piece offers a poignant reflection on the importance of human connection. A vibrant blue coat is passed among the performers and when they receive it, we get a glimpse into their private lives. Don’t miss this piece that critics described as “pure gold”!

This revived work returns to the Playhouse Square stage on February 28, 2025. With its striking energy, Echoes & Innovations showcases iconic works from the early explorations of contemporary dance juxtaposed with new 21st-century creations. Get tickets now!

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Interview about the creation of World of Another by Zoom in 2021

Feb 18
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Meet Tommie-Waheed Evans

By Performances, Choreographers

Tommie-Waheed Evans

2021 Guggenheim Fellow Tommie-Waheed Evans is a queer black dance maker, born and raised in Los Angeles, California, amidst racial divide, gang warfare, and earthquakes. His work explores blackness, spirituality, queerness and liberation. He began his formal training with Karen McDonald before receiving a fellowship at the Ailey School, and a Master of Fine Arts in Choreography from Jacksonville University. He has toured and performed nationally and internationally as a company member of Lula Washington Dance Theater, Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Philadanco. Since 2004, he has created more than 50 original dance works that range widely in scope, length, tone and subject matter. waheedworks, his Philadelphia based dance company, is the primary vehicle for his creative research. The company’s mission is to create a radically collaborative body of work that speaks to the human condition. His work brings together urban street dance styles and contemporary dance vocabulary through bold and raw movements propelled by gospel music and polyrhythmic sounds. He has also been commissioned to create works for BalletX, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, PHILADANCO, Ohio Contemporary Ballet formerly Verb Ballets, Ballet Memphis, The University of the Arts, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Lula Washington Dance Theatre, Louisville Ballet, among others. He has received accolades and honors including Resident Fellow at the Center for Ballet and the Arts at New York University, Princess Grace Honoraria Award in Choreography, New Music Project Grant, Howard Gilman Foundation Fellowship, Joffrey Ballet Winning Works, and recently a Dance Research Fellowship at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Dark Matter

Tommie-Waheed Evans’ relationship with Ohio Contemporary Ballet spans more than a decade and we have commissioned four works from him. Dark Matter premiered in 2013 and quickly became an audience favorite. It is a striking example of Evans’ unique artistic voice that seamlessly blends the dynamic energy of urban street dance with the fluidity of contemporary movement. The dancers embody chaos, beauty and resilience against the interplay of polyrhythmic music and mesmerizing lighting.v

This celebrated work returns to the Playhouse Square stage on Febraury 28, 2025. With its striking energy, Echoes & Innovations showcases iconic works from the early explorations of contemporary dance juxtaposed with new 21st-century creations. Get tickets now!

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Interview about the creation of Dark Matter in 2013

Excerpts from Commissions by Tommie-Waheed Evans

Surge. Capacity. Force. (2017)
Choreographed by Tommie-Waheed Evans
Commissioned by Ohio Contemporary Ballet

Dark Matter (2013)
Choreographed by Tommie-Waheed Evans
Commissioned by Ohio Contemporary Ballet

Interview from Verbiculture Magazine

 Tommie-Waheed Evans talks about his commission Anti/gone (2021)

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!

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.

Mar 18
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Meet Matthew Roberts

By Choreographers

Matthew Roberts

Akron, native, Matthew Roberts’ latest creation is the signature blend of movement and storytelling in the exploration of addiction and relapse. Drawing from emotional depth, the performance seeks to offer a poignant reflection on how relapse affects both those battling addiction and their loved ones. Watch the video for the the insight into the work and rehearsal process. Catch the premiere at the Emerging Choreographers Showcase on March 22 & 23, 2024.

Emerging Choreographers Showcase

March 22 & 23, 2024

Matthew Roberts

Matthew Roberts

Matthew Roberts is an Akron native who, at the age of 10, discovered he was bilingual and his real native language was dance. After studying at the University of Akron’s Dance Institute, he moved to New York looking to become more fluent and graduated from Marymount Manhattan College in 2013 with a B.F.A. in Dance with a concentration in Choreography. There he performed works by Lar Lubovitch, Robert Battle, Jessica Lang, and Shen Wei. He has danced with Lustig Dance Theatre, Oakland Ballet Company, Awakening Movement, Molissa Fenley, Tami Stronach Dance, Neos Dance Theatre, Bruce Wood Dance, Zion Dance Project, Pegasus Contemporary, Osage Ballet, Ballet Papillon, Störling Dance Theater and MooreDunson Co. He now freelances and teaches Choreography and Modern at the University of Akron, while he forges Frtrss Dance Theatre. He enjoys teaching dance, discussing movement, and leading worship jams, but his love for storytelling, choreography, and sharing the human experience are what fuel his passion to create.

Mar 05
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Meet Richard Oaxaca

By Choreographers

Richard Oaxaca

Richard Oaxaca’s work Ebb & Flow is a harmonious marriage of movement and music, set to the timeless work of Johann Sebastian Bach. The dancers weave a tapestry of precise and fluid motion, embodying the dualities that resonate within the stirring tones of the harpsichord. Watch the video below for the the insight into the work and rehearsal process. Catch the premiere at the Emerging Choreographers Showcase on March 22 & 23, 2024.

Emerging Choreographers Showcase

March 22 & 23, 2024

Richard Oaxaca

Richard Oaxaca

Richard Oaxaca is originally from Texas where he grew up competing in gymnastics and cheerleading and was named “America’s Number One Male Cheerleader” four times by the National Cheerleaders Association. He was an original member of the now Netflix Famous, Navarro College Cheer team, from Corsicana Texas. He graduated from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio with a Master of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance. Upon graduating he studied at the Martha Graham School of Dance in New York City, where he was accepted into their teacher training program and had the honor of performing for the Next@Graham Studio Series. After that Oaxaca joined Kanopy Dance Company of Madison WI. In 2015, he performed as a member of the Los Angeles based dance company Diavolo: Architecture in Motion Company B. Notably, he was invited to perform at the 2012 World Expo in Yeosu, Korea and appeared on Season 7 of America’s Got Talent. He has danced for Princess, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and was a principal acrobat and dancer for Norwegian Cruise Lines. . In 2011, Oaxaca choreographed for Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. In 2017 Oaxaca performed as a mainstage dancer and performer in Disney’s Aladdin, A Musical Spectacular, on board the The Disney Fantasy Cruise Ship portraying the part of The Magic Carpet. He was nominated for a Broadway World Award for Best Choreography for his regional work in Boston, MA. While in Boston Oaxaca was the Director of Dance for Dance With Energy in Weymouth, MA. Most recently Oaxaca performed as a guest artist for Dancing Wheels Dance Company in Cleveland, OH. He has taught at Case Western Reserve University, University of Wisconsin, and is the former Assistant Director of Dance at Notre Dame College, in South Euclid, OH. Oaxaca is currently the Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance for the Case Western Reserve University Dance Department

Jan 27
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Meet Choreographer Robert Gardner

By Choreographers, Performances

Meet Choreographer

Robert Gardner

Robert Gardner was commissioned to re-imagining of Anna Pavlova’s, Bacchanale. While the actual choreography is lost, sculptor Malvina Hoffman preserved much it with 26 friezes of poses from the ballet along with a life-size bronze sculpture that sits in the outdoor gardens of the Cleveland Museum of Art. As it was being sculpted, it was overseen by Pavlova to maintain absolute balletic accuracy. This new company work will appear on the February 10th show at The Breen Center for the Performing Arts.

Anna Pavlova is known as the world’s prima ballerina assoluta. Hitting her peak in the 1920’s, and forever known for her rendition of The Dying Swan, unknown to many is that she also choreographed. Those few works are lost to history but one, Bacchanale, was preserved by the sculptor, Malvina Hoffman. Pavlova and Hoffman’s friendship and subsequent partnership resulted in the creation of 26 friezes and one life-size sculpture of the ballet. Abraham Garfield, nephew of President Garfield and a Cleveland architect, commissioned Malvina Hoffman to make a life-sized copy of her original 14 inch tall sculpture, Bacchanale Russe for his client business leader and philanthropist, Henry G. Dalton. The original Dalton Bacchanale is currently in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art and is located out of doors on the southeast corner of the museum grounds. Choreographer Gardner reimagined the ballet choreographed by Pavlova referencing the artwork as historical inspiration. He embraced Pavlova’s iconic expressive and emotive style of ballet.

The work of sculptor Malvina Hoffman

Prima ballerina assoluta, Anna Pavlova

Robert Garder

Robert Gardner began his dance training in his hometown of Roanoke, Virginia. He furthered his training under scholarship at the North Carolina School of the Arts and at the School of American Ballet. He began his professional career in New York with the Eglevsky Ballet, the Joffrey II Dancers, then performed with the Joffrey Ballet where he danced works by Frederick Ashton, Anthony Tudor, Ruthanna Boris, and Choo San Goh throughout the United States, as well as internationally. His career moved him west, where with the San Jose/Cleveland Ballet he danced principal and soloist roles in works by George Balanchine, Agnes De Mille, Lar Lubovitch, Jose’ Limon, Dennis Nahat, and others. He appeared as a guest artist with the Houston Grand Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, and Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown, New York. His world dance experience has enriched his vision, choreography, and teaching.

Most recently, as Artistic Director of the Rochester City Ballet, Robert successfully led the company thorough the challenges of the pandemic, creating virtual performances, presenting programming such as his acclaimed “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in outdoor arenas and creating virtual educational outreach programming. While building the artistic excellence of the company through his original choreography, such as his contemporary retelling of “Carmen,” he helped to promote diversity through commissions of emerging artists.

Prior to moving to New York, he served as the Artistic Director of the Minnesota Ballet for 12 years, where he choreographed over 40 works, including his original versions of “Sleeping Beauty,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Dracula,” “Firebird, and “Swan Lake,” described as a “lush dance epic.” His work has been hailed as having a “meticulous use of contrasting imagery, emotions and energy that make each dance moment exquisitely unique,” and has been presented to acclaim nationally and internationally. He has choreographed for opera and orchestra, as well as musical theater. His national connections have enabled him to bring masterworks by George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp, Agnes DeMille, Anthony Tudor, and Salvatore Aiello to the companies he has led, as well as promoting emerging regional and national choreographers, composers, and designers. His teaching career is wide ranging, from master classes at universities such as Yale and Park Point, to professional companies, dance schools and academies throughout the United States.

Jan 15
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Meet Choreographer Francisco Gella

By Choreographers, Performances

Meet Choreographer

Franciso Gella

Award winning choreographer, Francisco Gella, was commissioned to create a new ballet based on the stories and rumors that surround Daisy (Jenks) Hill. The Van Sweringen brothers were prominent Cleveland developers responsible for the Terminal Tower, the RTA system, Shaker Heights and many other Cleveland notables. They resided in their mansion, Daisy Hill, in Hunting Valley. The estate was named for their friend and neighbor Mrs. Daisy Jenks. The influence she had over the Van Sweringen’s helped shape Cleveland’s architecture, social scene and mysteries. This piece will premiere on February 10, 2024 at The Breen Center for the Performing Arts.

Interview with Francisco Gella about the commission

Francisco Gella

Francisco Gella’s distinguished thirty-year career as a compelling dancer, award-winning choreographer, and widely recognized dance educator, began when he took his first formal dance class during his freshman year at the age of nineteen. His innovative choreography and highly effective teaching methods are sought after by professional companies, universities, arts high schools, ballet conservatories, and studios across North America and around the globe.

A 1996 graduate with a BA in dance from the University of Washington, Francisco is a past company member with the Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO); Repertory Dance Theater; and Ballet Pacifica. He has been a guest performer with Spectrum Dance Theater; Chamber Dance Company; Seattle Opera; Pennsylvania Ballet; California Ballet; Laguna Dance Festival; and National Choreographers Initiative. In 1998, Francisco performed as a principal soloist at the Closing Ceremonies in the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics in Japan and was featured in a PBS Dance in America Special in Daniel Ezralow’s holiday satirical work entitled the X-mas Philes.

Throughout his twelve-year professional performance career, Francisco was privileged to dance in the works of world-renowned choreographers including William Forsythe, Dwight Rhoden, Milton Myers, Talley Beatty, Anthony Tudor, Alwin Nikolais, Gene Hill Sagan, David Parsons, Ronald K. Brown, Bebe Miller, Jawole Zollar, George Faison, Murray Louis, Zvi Gotheiner, Lucinda Childs, Shapiro & Smith, Bill Evans, Laura Dean, Daniel Ezralow, Barak Marshall, Sophie Maslow, Viola Farber, Ford Evans, Susan McClain, Elisa Monte, Stephen Mills, Sarah Slipper, Ann Marie D’Angelo, Shaun Hounsell, Choo San Goh, Luca Vegetti, and Christopher D’Amboise.

Francisco’s choreographic commissions include Ballet Idaho, PHILADANCO, Repertory Dance Theatre, Ballet Pacifica, California Ballet, Ballet West Trainee Company, Pennsylvania Ballet’s Shut-Up and Dance Production, PHILADANCO’s Danco on Danco program, Laguna Dance Festival, art´Emotion Choreographic Workshop, Palm Springs International Dance Festival, Palm Desert Choreography Festival, Tucson Regional Ballet, Harvard Ballet Company, University of Utah Ballet Ensemble, Brigham Young University Contemporary Ensemble, Utah Valley University Synergy Dance Company, University of Washington Faculty Concert, Irvine Valley College, Ballet East, DANCO/II, South Bay Ballet (now Ballet California), Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts, Orange County School for the Arts and Douglas Anderson School of the Arts.

Among the recognition he has received includes numerous choreography awards at the Youth America Grand Prix International Ballet Competition including Outstanding Choreographer, and the Outstanding Choreography Award at the National Regional Dance America Conference in 2007. In 2013, Francisco premiered ‘Concentric Harmonies’ at Celebrate Dance in Los Angeles, a work that went on to receive the Grand Prize at the McCallum Theatre Choreography Festival in 2014. In 2014 and 2015, his work ‘Solstice’, performed by the Phoenix Ballet had its world premier at the 60th Anniversary Gala of the Beijing Dance Academy and its European premiere at Poland’s prestigious Lodz International Ballet Festival. In May 2016, his work ‘Souvenirs de Mouvement’ was selected as a featured performance at the nationally recognized Booker T. Washington High School of the Performing & Visual Arts’ annual ‘Flying Horse Gala’. In 2018, Francisco’s work ‘Timelapse’, performed by the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, was selected for the gala performance at the National High School Dance Festival.

Francisco’s commission ‘Between the Lines’, set on PHILADANCO (The Philadelphia Dance Company) and which premiered at the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts and at the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival in 2015, was selected by PHILADANCO’S Artistic Director Joan Myers Brown as the company’s sole performance at the opening to the Democratic National Convention in 2016. In the spring of 2019, Francisco was invited to be the resident artist at the Palm Springs International Dance Festival where his new work ‘Particles’ had its world premiere. In the spring of 2020, Francisco was invited back to the festival in Palm Springs to premiere another original work. Prior to its live premiere, Francisco’s ‘Particles’ was produced as a dance on film and in 2018, was selected for inclusion in the San Francisco Dance Film Festival and the LA Dance Shorts Film Festival.

In addition to a successful performance and choreographic career, Francisco is a renowned educator, artistic director, and arts entrepreneur. He is the founding co-artistic director of Zeitgeist Dance Theatre launched in January of 2020. He is also the founding artistic director of NUEVO School of Contemporary Dance and COLABO Youth Dance Collective (2008-2015). As Chief Creative Officer of Francisco Gella Dance Works, he has created numerous influential educational programs; Ballet+ (beyond technique) workshops, the Preprofessional Dancer Institute, New Year’s Training Camp, Seattle Dance Advance, the New Century Dance Project (a festival for choreography and performance) and the College Dance and Career Prep program. Additionally, Francisco is the lead ballet and modern faculty member, and adjudicator for the 24 Seven Dance Convention. Born in Bacolod City, Philippines, Francisco now resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico.