CLEVELAND, OH (December 17, 2019) – Verb Ballets, Northeast Ohio’s premiere contemporary ballet company, presents an evening performance titled 4X4: Four Works by Female Choreographers on February 8, 2020 at the Breen Center for the Performing Arts. This performance features the works of four female choreographers, each bringing their distinctive style to this diverse repertory program. It includes a company premiere by sought-after dancemaker Stephanie Martinez titled Wandering On, a classical variation favorite by Agrippa Vaganova, a new work by company dancer Kate Webb, and the return of Mendelssohn Italian Symphony by Kay Eichman.
Martinez was named by The Chicago Tribune as “Dancer to Watch” in 2004. Since then, she has created works on dance companies including Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Charlotte Ballet and Ballet Memphis. In 2014, Martinez received a “Winning Works: Choreographers of Color” award from The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. As a Latina Artist she grew up in El Paso, Texas. She seeks to create original choreography and expand traditional vocabularies in classical dance to include new ideas that reflect the fire of her heritage. Martinez will mount Wandering On, on the company originally commissioned by Eugene Ballet in 2017. The work is inspired by the Sanskrit word Samsara that translates as “wandering through the constant cycle”.
As part of the Cleveland Havana Ballet Project, Laura Alonso restaged Diana y Acteon. This thrilling excerpt epitomizes the fierce goddess Diana to highlight the dancers’ immense strength and technical confidence. Alonso, daughter of world-famous ballerina Alicia Alonso, is known as teacher, coach and an expert at re-staging the classics. Last season, Alonso returned to Cleveland to reunite with the dancers of Verb Ballets for the third year of the project exchange.
Inspired by celestial life cycles, company dancer Kate Webb’s new work, Stellar Syncopations is set to an improvisational jazz score by Akron musician, Pat Pace, mirroring the voracious piano to the unexpected growth of stars. This ballet premiered with live accompaniment by The Chamber Music Society of Ohio (CMSO) at Tuesday Musical’s Fuze series this past October.
Eichman joined the original Cleveland Ballet directed by Ian Horvath and Dennis Nahat, in 1976. A distinguished 15-year career ensued, including principal roles in numerous traditional and contemporary works. She also danced with Giessen Ballet in Germany as a principal guest artist. She is now the ballet mistress for the Tri C Arts Academy is addition to teaching regionally. Debuting last season on the evening honoring Ian Horvath as her tribute to dancing to the same score, this full ensemble classical ballet will bring quick musical visualization to this well-loved score by German composer Felix Mendelssohn.
Verb Ballets’ performance on February 8, 2020 at 8:00 pm will take place at the Breen Center for the Performing Arts (at St. Ignatius High School), 2008 W. 30th St. in Cleveland. Single tickets are $10-$35. Student ticket discount are available. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at verbballets.org. For more information, visit www.verbballets.org.
Wandering On (2017, Verb Ballets Premiere 2020), Stephanie Martinez
Diana y Acteon Pas de Deux, (Verb Ballets Premiere 2020) Agrippa Vagonova restaged by Laura Alonso
Stellar Syncopations (2019 Premiere), Kate Webb
Mendelssohn Italian Symphony (2019), Kay Eichman
February 8, 2020 8:00PM
4×4: Four Works by Female Choreographers
Breen Center for the Performing Arts, 2008 W. 30th St., Cleveland, OH 44113
Tickets: $10-$35 Student discount available on select seats
