Appassionato
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast—A Gothic Romance
Photo: Ron Lessard
As reward for his lack of compassion and love, an enchantress casts a spell over a wealthy land owner bringing all the beastliness carried deep inside him to the surface for all to see. Only by finding true love can he be set free. Set in the mysterious Pine Barrens in early 19th century, a Narrator in the persona of the original author, Madam Le Prince de Beaumount, guides us through this magical tale of second chances and the transformative powers of love. Danced to the string sonatas composed in 1804 by a 12 year old Rossini, this ballet also features bone playing.
Introduced by Irish immigrants, the bones are a rhythm instrument made of a pair of animal bones or pieces of wood. A happily-ever-after tale that shows the meaning of true beauty in a place where things are not always as they appear.
Dialogues
Evening
Fanfare
Invisible Fields
Oblivion
Pulcinella
Shake Down The Stars
Simple Gifts
Truth and Grace
Photo: Ron Lessard
Truth and Grace is the first professional ballet choreographed by company member Laney Engelhard. It is danced by four couples to the “Chaconne” for violin and piano by Vitali and is performed with live musical accompaniment.
“…“Truth and Grace” proved to be a tautly constructed ensemble in which two extroverted soloists were naturally drawn to each other. The opening and closing segments, with most of the dancers turned upstage, made the intervening action seem like a secret that the soloist shared with the audience.”
—Robert Johnson, The Star Ledger
Wingéd
Wordswithinwords
Wordswithinwords combines the spoken word and dance to bring to life the elegiac poem “Often I am Permitted to Return to a Meadow” by Oakland-born poet Robert Duncan.
