Latest news with #NewYorkCityBallet
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Chanel Celebrates Five Years Of The BAAND Together Dance Festival At Lincoln Center
The New York City Ballet for BAAND Together Dance Festival Courtesy of CHANEL The Rite of Spring is one of Igor Stravinsky's greatest legacies, yet that nearly almost wasn't the case. Composed for Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky, when the show debuted in 1913, it was instantly met with controversy. But when Coco Chanel met Diaghilev, she became his friend and costumer designer, and eventually his patron when he was unable to fund the revival of The Rite of Spring , allowing the show to be revived at the end of 1920. Coco Chanel immersed herself in the world of dance beyond providing financial support, taking dance lessons with Isadora Duncan. Her passion for dance lives on through her maison. Today marks the opening night of the BAAND Together Dance Festival, in which five iconic dance companies come together for the fifth year, a famously auspicious number for Chanel. BAAND Together Dance Festival began in 2021 when the New York City arts scene was starting to return to the stage after being ravaged by the pandemic. The festival marked a new form of collaboration to help spark the return of live performances. The American Ballet Theatre for BAAND Together Dance Festival Courtesy of CHANEL 'Five is a very important number for Chanel, but also it represents five years of coming out of this extraordinary time for this city, out of a pandemic, and what was not just a silver lining, but this development of a real relationship that happened in a very dark time for the city,' says Shanta Thake, Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer of Lincoln Center. 'These five incredible, illustrious companies coming together and making something bigger than the sum of its parts is one of the most inspirational events.' The festival is an ongoing reminder of how powerful it can be when people join forces for good. 'These five dance companies in the middle of the pandemic were leaning on each other in new ways, as many of us were, and thinking about how as running companies of dancers when we're not allowed to be together and near each other, sharing ideas practices and how to move through this time, and they formed this camaraderie,' Thake says. 'Jon Nakagawa, who was on the Lincoln Center team, found out about this and reached out and asked, 'could you imagine actually performing together beyond this conversation?' They took that and ran with it. This idea of coming together in this way was important for all of the leaders of these companies to show what was possible when they came together, and to be able to celebrate together.' Running through August 2, each dance company will perform a program curated collaboratively by the artistic directors as part of Lincoln Center's Summer for the City. The Dance Theatre of Harlem will perform 'Nyman String Quartet No. 2' by Robert Garland, New York City Ballet will perform 'After the Rain (Pas de Deux)' by Christopher Wheeldon, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will perform 'Many Angels' by Lar Lubovitch, American Ballet Theatre will perform 'Midnight Pas de Deux' by Susan Jaffe and Ballet Hispánico will perform 'House of Mad'moiselle' by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. BAAND Together Dance Festival has grown and evolved since its inaugural performance, which was held outdoors to accommodate restrictions during the pandemic. 'We're very fortunate to be in the space of our friends at New York City Ballet, at the David H. Koch Theater,' Thake says. 'We moved it indoors because we want to make sure we never have any weather cancelations when we have these companies together. The other thing is the deepening of the relationship with Chanel, who's been supporting this from the very beginning, moving with us—no pun intended—towards all of these choices of how and where we meet the audience. It's become such a fan favorite, staff favorite and dancer favorite, to see all of these companies together because of the depth of these relationships over five years.' Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for BAAND Together Dance Festival Courtesy of CHANEL For the first time, this season the audience can get the behind-the-scenes scoop on the on-stage collaboration between all five dance companies during a free panel discussion on July 29 at 5PM in the David Rubenstein Atrium featuring the artistic leaders of all five companies, moderated by Thake. 'To actually hear artistic directors in conversation with one another, you see this camaraderie come out in a different kind of way,' Thake says. 'What I love about these artistic directors is that they're also New Yorkers. You also get to see them as people who are so invested in this city, and because dance happens at such a young age, and so many of them grew up here, learning here at these various schools and forums, this idea of what it means to be in New York and dance is going to come through in this panel.' To reach audiences and dance lovers in new ways, free dance workshops will be offered for all ages and abilities. 'Every day of the festival, a different company brings their expertise in education and programming to the David Geffen Hall lobby, where anyone can participate in these dance workshops,' Thake says. 'Another through line of these companies that they all have beautiful, big education programs. It's a large part of what they do. It's not an aside. To be able to make sure that we have room to showcase both of them, and for audience members to be able to come and watch the performance at night, but also be able to dance yourself and join us on the dance floor after the performance, [illustrates] this idea that dance really does belong to all of us. Freedom of movement and the power of being able to use your body in space is one that that we feel is necessary to activate differently in this time.' The performers of the BAAND Together Dance Festival Courtesy of CHANEL A cornerstone of the BAAND Together Dance Festival is making dance more accessible to all, so to honor that effort tickets are available on a choose-what-you-pay basis (the suggested ticket price is $35). 'It's amazing to have audiences walk into that theater and have this experience in one of the best theaters in the world, and choose what you pay ticketing and free tickets, and see these great companies together,' Thake says. 'A lot of people don't think culture belongs to them. It's part of our role as a civic cultural institution to make sure that everyone in the city and beyond knows that art is a public good. We have this opportunity in the summers to open up all of these different culturally rich bridges to anyone that comes through, and to be able to see this height of human expression. We want to make sure everyone has that ability. We also do that through the addition of ASL to performances and performances where we have audio description, making sure that the Lincoln Center is a place for everyone.' Ballet Hispánico for BAAND Together Dance Festival Courtesy of CHANEL As the official partner of the festival, Chanel makes all of this possible. 'Chanel is such an incredibly generous partner for this festival over five years,' Thake says. 'They continue to deepen their relationship to dance and the performing arts, and you see it also in the history of this house, and Gabrielle Chanel's commitment to dance and freedom of movement, and this storytelling around it. When you think of Chanel, you think of this femininity, but also strength. There's a strength associated with the house and you cannot look at the athleticism of the dancers and not think the same thing with these beautiful movements, but also the unbelievable strength of these athletes onstage. Lincoln Center is a long-standing idea and ballet and Chanel is as well, so when you come together around the shared idea of something that's as old as time itself, of people coming together, expressing themselves through movement, it's always a beautiful process.' The Dance Theatre of Harlem for BAAND Together Dance Festival Courtesy of CHANEL Thanks to the BAAND Together Dance Festival, both Chanel and Lincoln Center achieve their shared goal of making dance accessible to all. 'The most rewarding for me is watching this audience come in and maybe they have seen Alvin Ailey before, but they didn't even know that Ballet Hispanico existed, or they are part of the school of Ballet Hispanico, but have never seen ballet with the American Ballet Theater,' Thake says. 'Watching people understand what's available to them in this city, in this world, that there are all of these different forms of expression that are here in this incredible city, I just love that. I love watching somebody come in with a tutu and then stopping by the Alvin Ailey desk on the way out to find out more. The hope is exactly that, that the more people learn about these different forums and companies, the more they continue to expand their own curiosity about humanity at large.'
The Sun
12-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
The ‘WW1 prison workout' that's loved by celebs and promises a ‘new body in 30 days'
IT'S loved by celebrities, yummy mummies and Instagram influencers alike. But Pilates hasn't always been about the latest lycra sets, colour-coordinated water bottles and racking up 'likes'. 26 26 26 In fact, the exercise - which focuses on balance, posture, strength and flexibility - has a dark history. The concept of Pilates was conceived by Joseph Pilates while interned as a German 'enemy alien' during World War One. The former boxer, skier, diver and gymnast believed in 'contrology' - developing control over the body through mindful movement, and the idea that exercising it entirely, as opposed to training individual muscles separately, was the best way to achieve good health. While working as a nurse at Knockaloe prison camp on the Isle of Man, he experimented with attaching springs to hospital beds so that patients could exercise their muscles during treatment. This formed the basis of what we know today as reformer Pilates. After his release, Joseph returned to Germany before moving to the United States, where he opened a fitness studio with his wife Clara Zeuner. There, they helped train young dancers at the New York City Ballet. Several other studios opened, and soon Hollywood discovered Pilates, followed by the masses. Throughout his life, Joseph developed more than 600 exercises for the mat, as well as various apparatus. Many are still around today. 'The Pilates method of body conditioning develops the body uniformly, corrects posture, restores vitality, invigorates the mind and elevates the spirit,' he wrote in 1945. Inside the cat-inspired 'WW1 prison workout' that's loved by celebs and promises a 'new body in 30 days' 'In 10 sessions you'll feel the difference, in 20 you'll see the difference, and in 30 you'll have a new body.' Here, we take a look at Joseph's life, philosophy and lasting impact. THE EARLY YEARS JOSEPH was born in 1883 in Mönchengladbach, Germany, to a working-class family. 'His early years were shaped by both hardship and strength,' Alison Jones, researcher and Knockaloe Isle of Man trustee, tells Sun Health. 'His father was a metalworker who worked long hours. His mother's interest in natural medicine may well have sparked his own lifelong interest in holistic approaches to health.' As a child, Joseph suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever, but reports suggest gymnastics and boxing kept him healthy. 'He transformed his weaker body into one of strength, which would later deeply inform his teachings,' Alison says. LIFE AT KNOCKALOE HE left Germany for England, where he taught self-defence and found work as an acrobat in the circus. But when WW1 broke out, he was interned as a German 'enemy alien' on the Isle of Man. 'He arrived at Knockaloe Internment Camp on September 12, 1915, and left in mid-March 1919,' Alison says. 'It was an expanse of 23 compounds enclosed by 695 miles (1,118km) of barbed wire. 'As you arrived at the camp entrance, you would have seen long rows of dark wooden huts, each housing up to 90 men. 'These were a far cry from comfort - heated by pot-bellied stoves, with the smoke drifting over the camp, adding to the somber atmosphere. 'Joseph was placed in one of these compounds, Camp 4, located directly in front of the Knockaloe Visitors Centre. 'The camp housed more than 23,000 men at its peak, with over 31,000 'enemy aliens' - men born in a country Britain was at war with - spending some time during WW1 at Knockaloe. 26 26 26 26 'Living conditions were tough. The men slept on wooden bunks or beds with straw-filled palliasse mattresses and the food was monotonous - potatoes and herring were staples, especially as the war progressed and food supplies were hit by submarine blockades. 'For many, keeping busy was critical to avoid the depression known as 'barbed wire disease'.' Joseph got involved with many camp activities, from bone carving and woodwork to serving as a boxing referee. But his most important work was carried out while helping at the on-site hospital. The results were remarkable. By the end of the war, many prisoners were in better physical condition than when they had arrived Alison JonesResearcher 'He helped fellow internees maintain their physical and mental health,' Alison says. 'There are records of patients praising him for his unselfishness, and how Joseph's training kept people fit during challenging years. 'While there is no direct evidence of structured 'classes', German 'physical culture' was taught as a continuous part of camp life, and one internee's granddaughter, who visited years later, recalled how her grandfather did exercises every morning that resembled Pilates-style movements.' THE PILATES METHOD AT the time, Joseph referred to his exercise methodology as 'contrology'. 'It was the term he used to describe developing control over the body through mindful movement,' Alison says. 'Joseph had the chance to really dig deep into the connection between body, mind and spirit, and his life behind the wire became a time for him to reflect, read and observe. 'Those moments of self-discovery eventually formed the foundation for what we now know as Pilates.' 26 26 26 In 1962, Joseph told Sports Illustrated that he drew inspiration from the movements of tailless Max cats, which were 'abundant' on the Isle of Man during WW1. 'Despite being underfed, the cats maintained their agility and strength through stretching and fluid movements,' Alison says. 'Joseph was struck by this observation and began to understand the importance of regular stretching and controlled movement for maintaining vitality. 'His time in internment allowed him hours analysing their movements, which led him to develop a series of exercises aimed at keeping muscles limber and active. I visited the birthplace of Pilates By Alice Fuller, Health Features Editor I'M not your typical health and wellness writer. I don't really take supplements, I can't stand breathwork and you'll almost never catch me doing a guided meditation. However, when the opportunity to go on a 'wellness weekend' presented itself, I thought, 'Why not?' With a high- stress job and some serious back pain, I could probably do with some relaxation after all. Imagine my shock when I discovered that instead of a peaceful few days in the New Forest or a chilled out trip to Ibiza, I was off to the Isle of Man - a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea. I now know it's a wellness warrior's dream, with breathtaking scenery, beach saunas and cold plunges, and some of the best stargazing opportunities in the British Isles. It also happens to be the birthplace of Pilates - where a man named Joseph Pilates (yes, really) developed his 'contrology' approach to exercise while interned as a German energy alien during World War One. It was the perfect place to unwind. For a similar restful wellness weekend on the Isle of Man, why not try… Guided walking meditation through a magical glen or plantation with mindfulness teacher, TEDx speaker and author Mike Kewley Stargazing and a talk on the island's dark skies with local astronomer Howard Parkin MBE Dinner at the Isle of Man's only plant-based cafe, VIBE A hiking and treasure hunt-themed adventure with IOM Quest Breathwork with Kate Bergquist, owner and founder of Soul Adventures, or a yin yoga and relaxation class A full moon sauna experience with a hot tub, cold plunge pools, sauna and the Irish Sea at Kishtey Cheh A guided sound bath experience with Amy Howse from Soundology A Pilates class with Kasey Lach at Reform Wellness Studio GETTING THERE: Fly from London, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Belfast, Dublin or Edinburgh (easyJet, Loganair). STAYING THERE: The Mill House. 'He demonstrated these to fellow internees, and one later noted that the results were remarkable; by the end of the war, many prisoners were in better physical condition than when they had arrived.' She adds: 'While there's no direct evidence in the camp records, Joseph himself mentioned using the springs from the metal hospital beds to provide resistance. 'This idea eventually led him to create a miniature version of what he would later call the Reformer - a key piece of equipment in the Pilates method.' WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? BY 1915, Joseph returned to England to find work. 'He faced financial struggles, briefly settling in London and working in a sanatorium before using his boxing skills and teaching self-defense to the police,' Alison says. 'Following post-war repatriation back to Germany, Joseph was able to emigrate again in search of a better life, this time to America. 26 26 26 26 'It was en route in 1926 that he met his future wife, Clara, on a ship travelling to New York. 'There, the couple built their studio teaching 'Pilates contrology' and began a new chapter of their lives.' Joseph went on to design more equipment, including corrective chairs and beds, trapeze tables, head harnesses and ladder barrels. A GLOBAL PHENOMENON THE unusual approach to exercise became a core element of many dancers' training and rehabilitation. Artists, celebrities and socialites then followed suit. Joseph, who trained a small number of second generation teachers, died in October 1967, but his legacy lives on. New studios began opening and formalised teaching training programs started to appear. 26 26 26 26 The word 'Pilates' then entered dictionaries and at-home equipment started being sold in shops and on TV. Today, there are thousands of Pilates studios worldwide. Like Joseph's approach, they teach classes that focus on core stability, strength, flexibility, muscle control, posture and breathing. It's popular with some of the biggest names in showbiz - including Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga and Harry Styles - as well as footballers, mums and social media stars. 26 26 26 26 26 26 26
Washington Post
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Carnegie honors 20 'Great Immigrants,' including composer Tania León, for 20th anniversary
Tania León , the noted composer and conductor who also co-founded Dance Theatre of Harlem, never planned on emigrating to the United States. She wanted to move to Paris. When León received the opportunity to leave Cuba on a resettlement flight to Miami in 1967, she took it, thinking she would eventually end up settling in France where she would join the Conservatoire de Paris and become a concert pianist. Instead, she moved to New York and within months met Arthur Mitchell , the New York City Ballet dancer who achieved international acclaim and integrated the art form as its first Black star.
Los Angeles Times
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Women take center stage as Pointeworks aims to ‘bring balance within the ballet world'
Sophie Williams' decade-long dance career has taken her across the globe, from the English National Ballet in London to the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the Texas Ballet Theater, where she's currently a member of the corps de ballet. Yet she can count on one hand the number of works she's performed by a female choreographer. So when Williams started her own nonprofit ballet company, Pointeworks, in 2023, she knew she wanted to spotlight women, whether choreographers, dancers, costume designers or composers. 'Whenever there is an opportunity, I will utilize the platform to try and bring balance within the ballet world, which most of us haven't seen in our careers,' Williams, Pointeworks' artistic director, told The Times. From its inception, Pointeworks has strived to fill in gaps. Williams was inspired to start the company as a way to provide work for professional dancers during their unpaid summer layoffs. With a lack of opportunities and an abundance of talent in the ballet world, Williams decided to create a group that performs during the off-season. '[Pointeworks] is a very artist-forward company. It's creating opportunities for the dancers — giving them new works, collaborations, things that can elevate their careers outside of their structured company season, and be able to provide them a platform during that time as well,' Williams said. 'And also for audiences who don't get to see ballet during the summer because companies are off, they get to see Pointeworks.' Pointeworks debuted last June with a sold-out performance at the 500-seat Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center in Williams' hometown of San Diego. This year, the company expanded to the East Coast with three shows at New York City's Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater in March. After a successful return to San Diego last week, the group is preparing for its first Orange County show Friday at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Before the Irvine show, Pointeworks will host its first mentorship program for local students who intend to pursue a professional dance career. Selected dancers will participate in a Pointeworks class on Friday and be paired with a mentor from the company who will continue to guide them over the next year. As of Wednesday, seven students had applied and been accepted, according to marketing and outreach coordinator AvaRose Dillon. Williams received more than 400 applications from choreographers for this season overall, she said. While her goal is to highlight female creatives, anyone is welcome to submit ideas. Among the pieces commissioned for the New York shows was Laine Habony's 'Chasing Shadows,' choreographed for sisters Claire, Emma and Nicole Von Enck — who had never performed together professionally. Nicole, the eldest sister and Williams' colleague at Texas Ballet Theater, leapt at the opportunity to collaborate with her siblings, who both dance for New York City Ballet. Habony, also from New York City Ballet, wanted the project to be accompanied by an original score. So she enlisted Welsh composer Katie Jenkins, whom she met at Revolve Dance Project in Providence, R.I., last summer. The duo later recruited pianist and recent Juilliard graduate Joshua Mhoon to play the live score. For the Irvine show,Williams, Paige Nyman and Adeline Melcher, all from Texas Ballet Theater, will perform the piece. This will mark the first time that Williams will dance to a composition by a female composer, she said. '['Chasing Shadows'] is just very unique in the sense that it's a female composer behind the music and a female voice behind the choreography, female costume designer behind what we're wearing, female lighting designer behind what's going on the stage,' Nyman said. 'It's just an entirely sisterhood piece.' In addition to 'Chasing Shadows,' the Irvine program includes new commissions from choreographers Reka Gyulai and Heather Nichols; DaYoung Jung's 'It's Deep, It's Dark,' which debuted in New York; and Christopher Wheeldon's 'Carousel,' a 2002 pas de deux set to music from Rodgers & Hammerstein's musical of the same name. 'I think it gives a variety to the audience by commissioning new works, contemporary works, new classical works, but also putting in iconic classics — and 'Carousel' is one of those,' Williams said. Dance careers don't last forever, so it's important to take advantage of every moment, Williams said. That's why she's passionate about maximizing opportunities both on and offstage. In October, Williams hired interns to help with administrative tasks. Among them was Dillon, Pointeworks' marketing coordinator and a corps de ballet member at Texas Ballet Theater. This month, she began dancing with Pointeworks as well. 'I want to make sure that Pointeworks is for the dancers first,' Williams said. 'So by having dancer perspectives in just every angle — whether that's marketing, administration, development — if you know what it is to be a dancer and you have been a dancer, I think that it's a lot more cohesive, putting those interests first.' In addition to dancing professionally, Dillon takes online classes at Texas Tech University, where she studies public relations and strategic communications. 'I feel like [Pointeworks has] been the perfect supplement to my education, because I'm taking classes on how to write press releases and then I'm writing press releases for Pointeworks,' Dillon said. 'I could have never comprehended such a perfect opportunity to align with my goals as an artist and future arts leader and an arts advocate.' While Dillon is just starting her career, Pointeworks also provides opportunities for more seasoned dancers. For instance, retired dancer Christian Griggs-Drane — previously with the Royal New Zealand Ballet — is the company's development and fundraising coordinator. Three years after retiring as a ballerina, Jung continues to work as a choreographer, rehearsal director and dance educator. She and Williams met at Oklahoma City Ballet about nine years ago and reconnected at last year's National Choreographers Initiative in Irvine. Even though Jung created 'It's Deep, It's Dark' with her dancers in just 10 days, she said she appreciated the opportunity to work with such a professional, open-minded group of individuals. '[Pointeworks] is not just about giving artists a platform. It's about reshaping the dance landscape, ensuring women's voices are heard and their vision brought to life,' Jung said. 'I feel like I could really take risks, experiment and develop my own artistic language without the limitation in traditional structure. And I think Pointeworks was perfect at it, that I could really explore myself as an artist and as a choreographer.'
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Miami Herald
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Meet Miami City Ballet's new artistic director, the third in the company's history
When Lourdes Lopez, Miami City Ballet's artistic director, announced last February that the 2024-25 season would be her last with the company, one of the reasons she cited for stepping down was to help usher in a new chapter for the 40 year old company. 'A company needs new energy, a new way of looking at the dancers, a new way of looking at the community.' The venerable organization may have found just that with Gonzalo Garcia, 45, who has been named MCB's new artistic director effective Aug. 11. He will be only the third artistic director since the ballet was founded in 1985 with Edward Villella, who helped launch the company, being the first. Garcia's has spent most of his career as a principal dancer —first with the San Francisco Ballet and then New York City Ballet, where he was a principal dancer until announcing his retirement in 2022. He was appointed Repertory Director for the company and was on the faculty of the School of American Ballet at the Lincoln Center, co-founded by George Balanchine. He'll leave those two positions to lead MCB. At 15, the native of Zaragoza, Spain, was the youngest dancer to receive a gold medal at international dance competition the Prix de Lausanne (Switzerland) in 1995. At 17, he was offered a contract to join San Francisco Ballet but decided to study one more year, joining the company in 1998. He was promoted to principal dancer at 22, one of the youngest dancers in the company to reach the status. He arrived at New York City Ballet as a principal dancer in 2007. Garcia's known for his strong dance repertoire, which included works by Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, and for creating original roles in works by two of the contemporary choreographic masters, Justin Peck, resident choreographer and artistic advisor of New York City Ballet, and choreographer Alexei Ratmansky. For his farewell performance with NYCB in February of 2022 he danced works by Balanchine, Robbins and Peck. It is this pedigree that led to MCB's board of directors choosing Garcia as the right fit to take the reins. Villella, MCB's founding artistic director, worked with Balanchine as a principal dancer from 1957 to 1979 at NYCB. Legendary changemaking choreographer Jerome Robbins created his 1976 ballet 'Watermill' to be danced by Villella, among other dance partnerships with Villella. Shortly after Lopez's 16th birthday, while attending the School of American Ballet, Balanchine invited her to join the corps of NYCB, and she became principal in 1984, playing numerous roles in choreographies created by Balanchine and Robbins. 'The two artistic directors we've had both were with Balanchine and Robbins and they had that pedigree about them,' said Jeff Davis, MCB's chair of the board of trustees. 'Gonzolo was heavily trained in the Balanchine technique [and] in Jerome Robbins.' The company's repertoire includes more than 100 ballets, with significant works by Balanchine and Robbins. It has expanded its repertoire to include contemporary choreographers including Peck and Ratmansky. 'Gonzalo is in tune with the next wave of choreographic voices,' said Davis. 'He has great connections with Justin Peck, Patricia Delgado [a former Miami City Ballet principal, she won the 2025 Best Choreography Tony Award along with husband Peck for Broadway's 'Buena Vista Social Club'], and [British choreographer] Wayne McGregor.' Garcia mentions 'destiny' when it comes to his appointment. 'It was meant to happen. The more I went through the process, the more I felt energized and more comfortable with the idea that it was me. I kept thinking, 'that's me. I speak Spanish. I'm an immigrant. I can relate to so many people that represent the community. I also have this incredible trajectory with the Balanchine and the Robbins and these American companies that have been represented in Miami City Ballet's history. I feel like it's been like almost every step and every skill that I have acquired through my life has brought me to this place and I do believe that strongly.' While the 40th anniversary season is already programmed, Garcia will begin working on what's next for the company, including the following season but also using his skills as 'a great collaborator.' 'I love being in the studio with dancers, I'm a teacher and an educator. I understand the different needs and technical abilities, but I also understand emotional abilities because I have danced a lot of the repertoire. I think [the company} needs someone that is going to get in there and really inspire them, reenergize them.' Garcia also sees MCB becoming more a part of what he says is the culture that is Miami. 'The stories that are happening in Miami, maybe that can be represented on stage. And who can be the right dance maker that can bring those stories to life? That's something that I want to invest in. Miami is just simmering with potential from all areas and parts of the world and the country. I don't seek to change what's already been created, but how do we make that bigger and better and how do we add things that are representative of the community we are dancing for?' With his background working with the School of American Ballet, he's also hoping to tap into the potential at the Miami City Ballet School. 'I want to continue teaching. How do we prepare those dancers to be future dancers not only for Miami City Ballet but also internationally to carry on the legacy,' he said. 'Who knows? We might have new choreographers there, perhaps the next Alexei Ratmansky.' The search, according to Davis, was led by Phillip DeBoer of executive search firm DHR Global. 'We started first with surveying all of our stakeholders –our dancers, our board, community members, our funders – asking them what their vision was for the next artistic director. We also contacted artistic directors of other ballet companies, choreographers and presenters. So out of that whole process, we had about 70 prospective names.' It considered 40 applicants. Garcia was one of two final candidates. The new artistic director begins his role in the midst of a precarious state of the arts both in support from the state of Florida and in the federal government. 'The Miami City Ballet has a strategic plan to build an endowment, and it is a very ambitious five year plan. I am going to be very much a part of that and trying to find places that we haven't previously found support. The reality is that in order to move the company forward without certain economic support, it will be very hard to do. So we'll need to be more strategic and conservative, but still ambitious,' said Garcia. He'll move to Miami with husband Ezra Hurwitz, an Emmy Award winning film director (he won the award for his short film 'Inside and Outwards' that was narrated by Sarah Jessica Parker and dealt with mental health during COVID), he's also worked with Tiffany & Co., Dior, Apple and Netflix. Prior to his film career, he was a professional dancer and spent eight years with the Miami City Ballet. He's looking forward to Hurwitz helping the company to expand its digital presence. 'That's something incredibly important for us to be relevant.' Garcia says he met Hurwitz during his last year with MCB. 'I remember going to visit him in Miami and taking class with the company. I've become close with the friends he made there so I have been surrounded with these conversations and his historical knowledge around my living room in New York many times through many years. I have worked with Edward Villella and Lourdes Lopez in different capacities in my life so with all of that, I feel emotionally connected to the company in so many ways.' is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don't miss a story at
