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It is my sincere pleasure to welcome you to PLAYLIST, an extraordinary production to conclude our 60th Anniversary Season. PLAYLIST is a collection of works all set to lyrical music from Nat King Cole, Annie Lennox, and James Blake from esteemed choreographers William Forsythe and Dwight Rhoden, along with a world premiere from Peter Chu. This work challenges both the athleticism and artistry of our dancers and I am so proud of what they have created for our community. The entire 2023–2024 Season has been a journey through the rich and diverse world of dance. It began with MORE ROOM TO PLAY, Kaplan New Works which featured world premieres from New York City Ballet dancer and choreographer Tiler Peck and Dresden-based choreographer Houston Thomas, David Morse with the energetic title work, along with emotional pieces from choreographers Jennifer Archibald and Amy Seiwert. The Fall was a celebration of our Diamond Anniversary with the exquisite Jewels by famed choreographer George Balanchine. To witness our dancers’ technical prowess for Rubies, Emeralds, and Diamonds demonstrated the high caliber of our Company. They worked so hard on this ballet as did our artistic staff; to watch it come to life was a true labor of love. We welcomed the joy of the holidays in Cincinnati with The Nutcracker presented by Sheakley Family, before heading to sunny Spain with Anna-Marie Holmes’ Don Quixote in February. This production was pure entertainment with wit, color, and jaw-dropping dance that ended in standing ovations at every performance. Spring brought us to Mercurial Landscapes, a visionary world of dance including a world premiere from New York–based artist Rena Butler, the title work from choreographer Jodie Gates, and two works from one of the greatest of all time, Czech choreographer Jiří Kylián. We then shared ballet with our kiddos with a trip under the sea with our Family Series: The Little Mermaid in April.
This season has been an inspiring journey for me as well, both professionally and personally. When I was chosen as the Company’s interim artistic leader in the fall of 2023, I was so honored to be at the helm for a season filled with so much incredible dance. Personally, I truly cherish this new role, as the Company has been my home for many years and has greatly shaped who I am today.
For our upcoming 2024–2025 Season, be prepared to be blown away by what we have in store! From the hauntingly beautiful Giselle to the return of The Wizard of Oz, as well as world premiere contemporary works and innovative ballets from renowned choreographers Alexander Ekman and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, along with David Morse’s incomparable Our Story, which explores the emotional impact of the Holocaust. It will be a season that explores the depth of the art form, immerses you in fantastic stories, and leaves you wanting more!
I look forward to seeing all of you in the theater as we take the next step in the Company’s extraordinary journey.
Sincerely,
Thank you for joining us for PLAYLIST, the final production of our 60th Anniversary Season! It is an honor to have assumed leadership of this esteemed Company at such an auspicious moment in its history. During our 60th Anniversary Season, we have presented a rich tapestry of repertoire that demonstrates the versatility of Cincinnati Ballet which has long been a source of pride. We have gone from world premieres in MORE ROOM TO PLAY, Kaplan New Works to the extraordinary Jewels by choreographer George Balanchine to a witty and colorful full-length ballet Don Quixote to PLAYLIST, the innovative production you are about to enjoy. PLAYLIST features a trio of incredible contemporary works, created by groundbreaking choreographers, all set to lyrical music. Just like my favorite playlist, it features music I have loved for years—like the classic songs of Nat King Cole, which you will hear paired with choreographer Dwight Rhoden’s Evermore, and choreographer Peter Chu’s world premiere which includes well-known songs from the legendary Annie Lennox. It also includes songs that I may have heard on my daughter’s playlist (and immediately added to mine!)—like the song “Lullaby for My Insomniac” from musician and songwriter James Blake, which is one piece of music choreographer William Forsythe chose for BLAKE WORKS II (The Barre Project). Just like the best kind of playlist, this production is one you’ll want to enjoy again and again.
As we prepared for our 60th Anniversary Celebration during the last few months, it has been such a joy to see all the photos and videos from seasons past, to hear from so many Ballet alumni, and to share the wonderful stories of how Cincinnati Ballet has had such a positive impact over the last six decades. I hope those of you who attended the Celebration performance earlier this week loved it as much as I did. More than a few tears were certainly shed! If you have a moment at intermission or after the performance, I encourage you to enjoy the 60th Anniversary costume and video retrospective on display in the lobby. Without you—our community of supporters—these 60 years of world-class dance would not have been possible. We are truly humbled by your enthusiasm for this artform and your continued support. It has also been a pleasure to get to know so many of you this season and I am looking forward to deepening my connection to our Cincinnati Ballet community when we return in the fall for the 2024–2025 Season.
From the entire Cincinnati Ballet family, thank you.
Sincerely,
DEBBIE BRANT President and CEO
SEASON PRESENTER
60 TH DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY PRESENTER
SEASON FUNDER
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPONSOR
LIVE MUSIC SPONSOR
SUSTAINABILITY SPONSOR
ADDITIONAL SEASON SUPPORT
Two of Cincinnati Ballet’s principal dancers, Sirui Liu and Rafael Quenedit, performing Diamonds from George Balanchine’s Jewels. Image credit: Rachel Neville
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PRESENTING SPONSORS
CHOREOGRAPHY SPONSORS
Friends of Joel Stone
INTERIM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
The Cincinnati Ballet Board of Trustees appointed Cervilio Miguel Amador Interim Artistic Director in September 2023. A skilled artist, entrepreneur, and change agent for the world of dance, Amador received his education and training from the Vocational Ballet School in Camagüey, Cuba, and the National Ballet School of Cuba. He danced with the National Ballet of Cuba as a Corps de Ballet dancer and then as a Corifeo (demi-soloist) before joining Cincinnati Ballet in 2004 as a Soloist.
In 2006, Amador was promoted to Principal Dancer, becoming one of the youngest Principals in the history of the Company. He remained a Principal for 15 years and performed in a number of world premieres by renowned choreographers Victoria Morgan, Adam Hougland, Travis Wall, Val Caniparoli, Jessica Lane, Luca Vegetti, and many more. Amador also represented Cincinnati Ballet dancers as a union delegate for more than 10 years. After retiring as a Principal Dancer in the 2019–2020
The Cincinnati Ballet Board of Trustees named Deborah S. Brant Interim President and CEO of Cincinnati Ballet effective January 2024. She will assume the role from Scott Altman, who after more than seven years as the organization’s administrative leader, announced his departure at the end of the calendar year. For many years, Brant has fostered a deep and meaningful relationship with Cincinnati Ballet and has been one of the organization’s biggest supporters. Brant is the current Chair of The Cincinnati Ballet Foundation, former chair of the Cincinnati Ballet Board of Trustees, and led the capital campaign committee that secured funding to construct the 62,000 square foot, $32 million Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance in Walnut Hills.
Ballet has been an important part of Brant’s life since her childhood in Akron, Ohio. She started ballet lessons at age 9, beginning a life-long love of the artform. Brant stopped dancing in high school before attending Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, where she studied American Studies
season, he transitioned to Rehearsal Director for Cincinnati Ballet and participated in the Cincinnati Ballet Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Task Force leading sustainable change for dancers now and future artists.
Amador is very proud to be a part of the vibrant Cincinnati arts community. Over the years, he has collaborated with Cincinnati Opera, performed in the wildly popular Lumenocity events, and since 2018, also served as the Artistic Director/Co-Founder of Moving Arts. Amador was also honored to participate in an Emmy award-winning PBS documentary that chronicled his story of defecting from Cuba to pursue his love of dance.
During his professional career, he has also performed as a guest artist in productions and galas all over the world as well as teaching for numerous schools. He has staged pieces for Victoria Morgan and Jennifer Archibald and judged several international ballet competitions such as Universal Ballet Competition (UBC), Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), and Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition (VKIBC).
and Art History. She went on to create a successful fundraising career that included work in Washington, D.C., and New York City as a fundraiser and grants writer for The Kennedy Center | National Symphony Orchestra, as well as a fundraising consultant for New York City Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Jacob’s Pillow, among others. Brant moved to Cincinnati in 1998 where she continued as a fundraising consultant for Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Prospect House, and the Art Academy of Cincinnati. As much as Brant loves the arts, she also values the Cincinnati community. Philanthropy is a family tradition, one Brant learned from her parents and grandparents who were themselves dedicated volunteers. In addition to her tireless philanthropic work for Cincinnati Ballet, Brant is also a former Board Chair of the Mayerson JCC and Jewish Federation of Cincinnati and Member of the Board and Executive Committee for Most Valuable Kids of Cincinnati, Inc. (MVK). Brant is a past recipient of The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Women of the Year Award, the 2021 Volunteer of the Year Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Cincinnati Chapter, and Volunteer of the Year Award from the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati.
Dale Shields trained at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and Butler University before joining Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, where she rose to principal dancer under Artistic Director George Verdak. Shields performed principal roles in productions including Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Romeo & Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Coppelia, Night Shadow, The Moor’s Pavane, and many original works. She served as Principal Bal-
let Mistress for Ballet Internationale, assisting with the original choreography of full-length ballets by Artistic Director Eldar Aliev and worked alongside Irina Kolpakova in staging many well-known classics. Accepting Artistic Director John McFall’s invitation to join Atlanta Ballet as Ballet Mistress gave her the opportunity to assist in mounting numerous full-length productions. She assisted on works by inspiring national and international choreographers including Alexander Ekman, Helen Pickett, Twyla Tharp, Liam Scarlett, David Bentley, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Amy Seiwert, among others. She is now in her third season with Cincinnati Ballet.
REHEARSAL DIRECTOR/DIRECTOR SECOND COMPANY – CB2
Yoshihisa Arai began his ballet training at the International Ballet Academy in Japan before he was accepted to The Royal Ballet School in London in 2005. After graduating with honors and receiving the Achievement Award in 2008, Arai joined Northern Ballet in Leeds, UK, under the direction of David Nixon CBE and Ballet Mistress Yoko Ichino. He began his professional career performing in many original ballets by David Nixon. In 2011, Arai joined Tulsa Ballet where he performed works by William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Douglas Lee, and Edwaard Liang. The following year Arai joined The Joffrey Ballet Chicago under
the leadership of Ashley Wheater MBE. As a choreographer, Arai created several successful new works for The Joffrey Ballet such as Boléro, Élégie, and Afternoon Watch, which premiered at The Lyric Opera House and Auditorium Theater in Chicago. He has also choreographed a new Appalachian Spring for The Joffrey Ballet Studio Company in collaboration with the Illinois Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. In 2023 Arai choreographed and directed his first mini chamber opera Cåraboo: A Chamber Opera, composed by James M. Stephenson and librettist Matt Boresi and performed by International Chamber Artists. Arai joins the leadership team as a Rehearsal Director of Cincinnati Ballet and Director of Second Company – CB2.
GUEST REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
Carlos Quenedit is an accomplished artist renowned for his captivating performances in classical and contemporary ballet productions. During his career, Quenedit was principal dancer with several companies including San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Houston Ballet, as well as Principal Guest Artist with the Joffrey Ballet, and Soloist with the National Ballet of Cuba. He has graced the stage in a wide array of principal roles, including Albrecht in Helgi Tomasson’s Giselle, Romeo in Romeo & Juliet, and Basilio in Tomasson/ Possokhov’s Don Quixote. His repertoire extends
to the works of iconic choreographers, including a variety of George Balanchine pieces, Jerome Robbin’s In the Night (second movement), and Dances at a Gathering as the Purple Boy. Quenedit has also collaborated with world-renowned choreographers such as Helgi Tomasson, Yuri Possokhov, Christopher Wheeldon, Alicia Alonso, Justin Peck, Alexei Ratmansky, and Liam Scarlett, and danced in notable productions such as Rudolf Nureyev’s Raymonda Act III and Ashly Page’s Guide to Strange Places. Throughout his career, Quenedit has graced stages at venues worldwide, from San Francisco War Memorial Opera House, The Kennedy Center, and Lincoln Center to Sadler’s Wells and the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, among others.
The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation is a proud season partner of Cincinnati Ballet
CHOREOGRAPHY, STAGE, AND COSTUME DESIGN William Forsythe
MUSIC James Blake: Buzzard & Kestrel, Lullaby For My Insomniac,200 Press
STAGING Noah Gelber and Chyrstyn Mariah Fentroy
LIGHTING DESIGN Tanja Ruehl, based on original design by Brandon Stirling Baker
SOUND SUPERVISOR Benjamin Young
Premiere: March 4, 2022, Tiler Peck, Lex Ishimoto, Brooklyn Mack, and Roman Mejia, City Center, New York, NY
Originating from The Barre Project (Blake Works II), created and filmed in 2020 with Tiler Peck, Lex Ishimoto, Brookly Mac, and Roman Mejia for its first broadcast on March 25, 2021, on the CLI Studio Digital Platform. www.clistudios.com
CHOREOGRAPHY Peter Chu
MUSIC Annie Lennox: Cold, Why, You Placed a Chill in My Heart, Soundscape by Djeff Houle (contains samples from “Cold” composed by Annie Lennox)
ASSISTANT TO THE CHOREOGRAPHER Erina Noda
COSTUME DESIGN Linda Chow
LIGHTING DESIGN Tanja Ruehl
ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGN Rachael N. Blackwell
CHOREOGRAPHY Dwight Rhoden
MUSIC Nat King Cole: Stardust, Let’s Face the Music and Dance, Can’t I, The VeryThought of You, Straighten Up and Fly Right, Just One of Those Things, Smile, L-O-V-E
STAGING Clifford Williams
COSTUME DESIGN Brooke Arthur
LIGHTING DESIGN Tanja Ruehl
ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGN Rachael N. Blackwell
Premiere: March 2013, Peridance Contemporary Dance Company at the Salvatore Capezio Theater, New York, NY
The featured works are listed in alphabetical order by title.
CHOREOGRAPHY, STAGE, AND COSTUME DESIGN
William Forsythe
MUSIC
James Blake: Buzzard & Kestrel, Lullaby For My Insomniac, 200 Press
STAGING
Noah Gelber and Chyrstyn Mariah Fentroy
LIGHTING DESIGN Tanja Ruehl, based on original design by Brandon Stirling Baker
SOUND SUPERVISOR Benjamin Young
WILLIAM FORSYTHE
CHOREOGRAPHY, STAGE, AND COSTUME DESIGN
William Forsythe has been active in the field of choreography for over 50 years. His work is acknowledged for reorienting the practice of ballet from its identification with classical repertoire to a dynamic 21st century art form. Forsythe danced with the Joffrey Ballet and later the Stuttgart Ballet, where he was appointed resident choreographer in 1976. In 1984, he began a 20-year tenure as director of the Ballet Frankfurt after which he founded and
directed The Forsythe Company until 2015. Forsythe’s deep interest in the fundamental principles of organization of choreography has led him to produce a wide range of projects including installations, films, and web-based knowledge creation. While his work for the stage resides in the repertoire of ensembles worldwide, his installations are presented internationally in exhibitions and museums. Forsythe has been the recipient of numerous awards which include the Golden Lion of the Venice Biennale and Der FAUST German Theatre Award, both for lifetime achievement.
Los Angeles native Chyrstyn Mariah Fentroy is a principal dancer with Boston Ballet. A graduate of the Joff rey Ballet School in New York City, she received her early training from her mother, Ruth Fentroy. Prior to joining Boston Ballet, Fentroy was a leading dancer with Dance Theatre of Harlem, under the direction of Virginia Johnson, where she gained national and international touring experience.
Fentroy’s performance repertoire is rich and diverse, including leading roles in ballets by George Balanchine, Jiří Kylián, Rudolph Nureyev, Jorma Elo, among many others. Her extensive collaborations with William Forsythe in ballets like Blake Works I, Blake Works 3, In the Middle Somewhat Elevated, +Pas/Parts 2018, and Playlist (EP) have
distinguished her as a ballerina who adds to the “palette of what is possible.” (Brian Seibert, The New York Times.)
As a choreographer, her work for stage and film has been commissioned by Boston Ballet and Boston Ballet School. She has also worked as a stager for choreographer Helen Pickett.
Fentroy was featured on the March 2023 cover of Dance Magazine and in January 2015 as a “25 to Watch.” She received the Princess Grace Honoraria Award in dance in 2016. In 2018, she was recognized as one of WBUR’s “Artery 25,” which highlights influential artists of color in the Boston area. Other artistic collaborations include the development of the Color Our Future Mentorship Program at Boston Ballet School, a limited edition shoe design for Rothy’s, and a marketing partnership with OOFOS.
Noah Gelber was born in New York City. He studied 11 years at the School of American Ballet, becoming a principal dancer at 16 with the American Ballet Company. He toured the U.S. and Mexico as a principal guest-artist before moving to Europe. He was a soloist with the Royal Ballet of Flanders before William Forsythe invited him to join the Frankfurt Ballet. Over nearly a decade as one of William Forsythe’s featured artists, Gelber performed the greater portion of the company’s repertoire, notably premiering in the original cast of “The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude.”
Gelber was active in the choreographic processes at the Frankfurt Ballet, creating considerable solo
and pas de deux material contained in some Forsythe pieces. His first story ballet for the Kirov/Mariinsky Ballet, The Overcoat after Nikolai Gogol, won three major awards including St. Petersburg’s Golden Sofit for Best Ballet of the Year and Russia’s highest theatrical prize, the Golden Mask. His choreographic works have been presented in Moscow, St. Petersburg, New York, London, Montreal, Tel Aviv, and Frankfurt. Since 1997, while still dancing, Gelber has maintained the responsibility of choreographic assistant for 14 different ballets from William Forsythe’s repertoire, working with over 50 different ballet companies in major theaters around the world. He is often invited to perform in international Galas, dancing solos and duets created especially for him by William Forsythe and other choreographers.
Brandon Stirling Baker’s lighting can be seen in the repertories of New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Penn-
sylvania Ballet, Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance, Berlin Staatsballet, Semperoper Dresden and many others. Since 2010, Baker has been a frequent collaborator with choreographer Justin Peck of the New York City Ballet. His work has been presented internationally by major ballet companies in Europe, South America, Cuba, Jamaica, Israel, United Kingdom, and Canada. www.stirlingbaker.com
CHOREOGRAPHY Peter Chu
MUSIC Annie Lennox: Cold, Why, You Placed a Chill in My Heart, Soundscape by Djeff Houle (contains samples from “Cold” composed by Annie Lennox)
ASSISTANT TO THE CHOREOGRAPHER Erina Noda
COSTUME DESIGN Linda Chow
LIGHTING DESIGN Tanja Ruehl
ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGN Rachael N. Blackwell
Inspired by the iconic voice of Annie Lennox, CONSTRUCTive SOUND embraces the art of construction, enriching the physical realm with a touch of architectural finesse. As architects lay foundations and shape structures, dancers and choreographers mold movements and rhythms, weaving a tapestry of beauty and grace. The word “construct” encapsulates the essence of action, establishing a solid base and giving form to our creative endeavors. With a constructive mindset, I approach our craft with proactivity and transparent communication, nurturing growth and fostering a supportive environment. Throughout this creative process, I relish the opportunity to start anew, delicately reshaping the contours of the physicality with gentle precision. I find comfort in the guidance of an inner voice, a mentor that resonates with unwavering support and encouragement. Annie Lennox’s voice provided this guiding light during the dance-making journey. CONSTRUCTive SOUND showcases the power of expression, capturing the raw emotions we feel when bringing something new into existence.
PETER CHU
CHOREOGRAPHER
Peter Chu (he/him) is an award-winning multi-faceted movement artist, director, choreographer, stager, mentor, educator, and performer. Chu’s passion for the arts and entertainment drives his vivid imagination and creativity throughout his work. Born in the Bronx and raised in Cocoa Beach, Peter’s interest in Traditional Chinese Medicine was a gateway to a deeper understanding of his Chinese identity. Chu began his dance training as a competitive gymnast and nurtured his artistry at Dussich Dance Studio. As a BFA student at The Juilliard School, he further developed his skills as a technical mover and embarked on a journey into choreography. Chu was awarded the Hector Zaraspe Prize for Choreography upon graduation.
Chu’s career spans over three decades across
both concert and commercial dance industries, nationally and internationally. He has performed with renowned dance companies such as Ballet Jazz de Montreal, Crystal Pite’s Kidd Pivot, EZdanza, Aszure Barton and Artists, and Celine Dion’s A New Day. Chu has also choreographed for Ballet Augsburg, Backhaus Dance, Charlotte Ballet, Cirque du Soleil, DART Dance Company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) Summer Intensive, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and more. In 2008, Chu formed his project-based company, chu this., which combines innovative lighting and sound with live contemporary movement. In 2018, Chu received the Harvard Blogett Award for Distinguished Artist for his creative process and piece at the Theater, Dance, and Media Department at Harvard University. Chu has also served as Rehearsal Director for Nederlands Dans Theater 2 and Guest Rehearsal Director for NDT1.
ASSISTANT TO THE CHOREOGRAPHER
Native of Yokohama, Japan, Noda spent the majority of her performing career with Cincinnati Ballet, where she danced many works of Victoria Morgan, Septime Webre, Val Caniparoli, and George Balanchine. After leaving Cincinnati Ballet, she was engaged to dance with Broadway musical
LINDA CHOW
COSTUME DESIGN
Based out of Vancouver, Canada, Linda Chow has collaborated with Peter Chu on Rhythmic Identities, Smile Masking, and Nothing Sticks for Chuthis, and Right(s) for Charlotte Ballet. Recent works include Passing with Johan Inger for
Phantom of the Opera as a leading soloist dancer for seven years. Noda was a faculty member for the academy of Cincinnati Ballet and academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre, as well as many other arts organizations throughout the country. She served as artistic director for an annual benefit gala, Hope, in Las Vegas, Nevada, from 2008 to 20016. She is currently a stager for Septime Webre’s The Wizard of Oz.
Ballet BC, Barocco Rave with Wen Wei Wang and Francesca Lettieri for Wen Wei Dance, and Adarte Compagnia The Wolf of Lafontaine with Wen Wei Wang for Ballet Edmonton. She has also collaborated with Aszure Barton, Crystal Pite, Emily Molnar, Gio Barbuto, José Navas, Medhi Walerski, Serge Bennathan, Shawn Hounsell, and Simone Orlando.
Ruehl is a freelance lighting designer and lighting supervisor. She was born and resides in Germany. In 1999 she began her theatrical engineering apprenticeship at Frankfurt Opera House. After completion of the apprenticeship with distinction, Ruehl joined Ballet Frankfurt under the artistic direction of William Forsythe in 2002 as Assistant to the Lighting Supervisor. She was then appointed Lighting Supervisor with the newly founded Forsythe Company in 2005. In 2006 she completed her master of theatrical engineering majoring in lighting. Since 2007 Ruehl has been acting as the company’s lighting designer, mostly in cooperation with her mentor Forsythe
as well as with her colleagues in the company’s lighting department. Being a member of Forsythe Productions, Ruehl acts as technical and design consultant, collaborating with ballet and dance companies in matters of Forsythe licensed works. Since 2014 she has worked full-time as a freelance lighting designer, collaborating with choreographers, companiesm and artists throughout the world. As a designer she is still working with William Forsythe on his new works and on recreations of his existing repertoire. Productions she has created the original design for have been performed at Opéra Garnier, Paris; Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York; Tate Modern, London; Kawasaki Arts Center, Japan; Ruhrtriennale Jahrunderthalle, Bochum and Taichung National Theater, Taiwan. www.tanjaruehl.com
Rachael N. Blackwell is a native of the Hampton Roads area of Virginia but now calls Atlanta, Georgia, home. She received her B.A in Theatre Arts with an emphasis on Technical Theatre from Alabama State University in 2016 and her MFA in Lighting Design & Technology in 2020 from CCM-University of Cincinnati. Blackwell’s main interests lie in working collaboratively with other creatives across the many different mediums of art.
She enjoys working on original and new works as well as opportunities that allow her to stay connected to her African American roots. Blackwell was the 2020 recipient of both the Gilbert Hemsley Lighting Internship and the Judy Dearing Design Competition for Lighting, presented by the Black Theatre Network (BTN) and in 2021, Rachael received an Off Broadway nomination for her NY lighting design of new musical _Rathskeller: A Musical Elixir. Blackwell currently works full-time at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta as Lighting & Projections Director.
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CHOREOGRAPHY Dwight Rhoden
MUSIC Nat King Cole: Stardust, Let’s Face the Music and Dance, Can’t I, The VeryThought of You, Straighten Up and Fly Right, Just One of Those Things, Smile, L-O-V-E
STAGING Clifford Williams
COSTUME DESIGN Brooke Arthur
LIGHTING DESIGN Tanja Ruehl
ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGN Rachael N. Blackwell
DWIGHT RHODEN
CHOREOGRAPHER
Dwight Rhoden has established a remarkably wide-ranging career, earning distinction from The New York Times as “one of the most sought out choreographers of the day.” A native of Dayton, Ohio, Rhoden began dancing at age 17 and has performed with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Les Ballet Jazz De Montreal, and as a principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In 1994, Rhoden and Desmond Richardson founded COMPLEXIONS Contemporary Ballet. They have brought their unique brand of contemporary dance to the world for over two decades.
Under Rhoden’s direction, COMPLEXIONS has become a dance institution high in demand, as a center for innovation and cutting-edge programming. Rhoden’s choreography has been the lynchpin of the development of COMPLEXIONS
repertory. Since 1994, Rhoden has created over 80 ballets for COMPLEXIONS, as well as for numerous other companies.
Rhoden has also directed and choreographed performances for shows across a range of media, including So You Think You Can Dance, E! Entertainment’s Tribute to Style, Amici, and Cirque Du Soleil’s Zumanity, and he appeared in the feature film One Last Dance. He has collaborated with, or created work for, a number of celebrated artists, including Prince, Lenny Kravitz, Kelly Clarkson, The Drifters, Paul Simon, Billy Strayhorn, Nina Simone, Marvin Gaye, and U2. Rhoden is a recipient of various honors and awards including The New York Foundation for the Arts Award, The Choo San Goh Award for Choreography, and The Ailey School’s Apex Award. Rhoden received an honorary doctorate degree from the Boston Conservatory in recognition of his extensive contributions to the field of dance.
Clifford Williams began his dance training at F.H. LaGuardia High School of Art and the Performing Arts. He attended The Ailey School and The School of American Ballet, both on scholarship. He was a first-level recipient of a National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts award in 1998. In 1998, he attended The Juilliard School, where he danced works by many choreographers including Lar Lubovitch, Igal Perry Hans Van Manen, Jose Limon, and Mauricio Wainrot. In 2001, he was invited to join the Dance Theatre of Harlem, where he danced until 2003. In 2004, Williams joined Complexions Contemporary Ballet (New York, NY). He has danced works by Dwight Rhoden, William Forsythe, Nicolo Fonte, Jae Man Joo, and many others Since 2004, Mr. Williams has assisted Director/Choreographer Dwight Rhoden on numerous projects including ballets for Peridance (PCDC), North Carolina Dance Theater,
Brooke Arthur is a native of Cincinnati and a B.F.A. graduate of the College-Conservatory of Music’s Costume Design and Technology Program at the University of Cincinnati. She has
Pittsburgh Ballet, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, The Diana Vishneva Project, San Francisco Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet as well as for the television show So You Think You Can Dance. In 2008, Williams left Complexions to dance as a Principal dancer with Compañia Nacional De Danza under the Direction of Nacho Duato. Williams rejoined Complexions from 2009 to 2012. In 2014, Williams was featured in Debbie Allen’s The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, which aired on BET. In 2020 Williams was featured in Netflix’s Debbie Allen’s Nutcracker Dreams as well as In The Heights. Between 2018 and 2022 Williams began a more in-depth role with Complexions Academy serving as the Director of the Pre Pro Division as well as being one of few certified in teaching “Nique,” the official Contemporary Ballet technique of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. From 2020 to 2022 Williams served as Rehearsal Director for Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Williams continues to teach and choreograph, in addition to staging Rhoden works all over the world.
designed for Florida Repertory Theatre, Queen City Opera, and Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. Arthur has design assisted for Tuacahn Center for the Arts and Arizona Opera as their Shop Assistant. In 2020 Arthur returned to Cincinnati and in 2023 joined Cincinnati Ballet as the Costume Manager.
Melissa Gelfin De-Poli
PRINCIPALS
Sirui LiuAlejandro Olivera Rafael Quenedit
FIRST SOLOISTS
Chandler ProctorMinori SakitaMaizyalet Velázquez
SOLOISTS
Maine ChernjavskyKatherine OchoaMarcus RomeoJoshua Stayton CORPS DE BALLET
Nikita Boris
Taylor Carrasco
Sasha Chernjavsky
Luca De-Poli
Thomas Dilley
Samantha Griffin
Jhaelin McQuay
Tatiana Melendez
Michael Mengden
Amanda de Jesus
Pérez Duarte
Caroline Perry
Llonnis del Toro CintraJulia Gundzik
APPRENTICES
Simone MuhammadScott Reed
SECOND COMPANY – CB2
Simon Plant
Bella Ureta
Lenai A. Wilkerson
Annie Fitzpatrick
Giovanny Garibay
Kannen Glanz
Amber Harper
James Jobson-Larkin
Eileen Kim
Ramsay Miller
The Artists of Cincinnati Ballet are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO.
Nicholas Motley
Gavin Nicholson
Salomé Tregre
MELISSA GELFIN DE-POLI (SHE/HER) PENNSYLVANIA | 2014
ALEJANDRO OLIVERA (HE/HIM) CUBA | 2023
CHANDLER PROCTOR (HE/HIM) NORTH CAROLINA | 2021
SIRUI LIU (SHE/HER) CHINA | 2011
RAFAEL QUENEDIT (HE/HIM) CUBA | 2021
FIRST SOLOISTS
MINORI SAKITA (SHE/HER) WASHINGTON, D.C. | 2019
MAIZYALET VELÁZQUEZ (SHE/HER) PUERTO RICO | 2012
SOLOISTS
MAINE CHERNJAVSKY JAPAN | 2023
MARCUS ROMEO (HE/HIM) PENNSYLVANIA | 2017
NIKITA BORIS (SHE/HER) NEW JERSEY | 2020
LUCA DE-POLI (HE/HIM) FLORIDA | 2014
KATHERINE OCHOA (SHE/HER) CUBA | 2022
JOSHUA STAYTON (HE/HIM) OHIO | 2019
CORPS DE BALLET
TAYLOR CARRASCO (HE/HIM) NEW MEXICO | 2015
THOMAS DILLEY (HE/HIM) AUSTRALIA | 2023
SASHA CHERNJAVSKY NEW YORK | 2023
SAMANTHA GRIFFIN (SHE/HER) NORTH CAROLINA | 2023
JHAELIN MCQUAY (HE/HIM)
CALIFORNIA | 2019
AMANDA DE JESUS PÉREZ DUARTE (SHE/HER)
CUBA | 2023
TATIANA MELENDEZ
FLORIDA | 2023
CAROLINE PERRY (SHE/HER)
CALIFORNIA | 2022
BELLA URETA (SHE/HER)
WASHINGTON | 2017
MICHAEL MENGDEN (HE/HIM)
TEXAS | 2016
SIMON PLANT (HE/HIM)
AUSTRALIA | 2022
LENAI A. WILKERSON (SHE/HER)
WASHINGTON, D.C. | 2022
CUBA | 2022
SIMONE
The upcoming 2024-2025 Season is dedicated to Larry Kellar, longtime Cincinnati Ballet champion and patron of Cincinnati arts. Larry’s leadership and passion continue to be an inspiration to the entire Cincinnati Ballet family.
By subscribing, you become an integral part of our Cincinnati Ballet family, enjoying a range of exclusive benefits and privileges.
Enjoy priority access to our upcoming shows, securing the best seats before they’re available to the public.
Unlock exclusive savings of up to 25% OFF single tickets.
Enjoy free and early access to events including Ballet & Beer, Trick or Treat at the Ballet, among others.
Experience peace of mind with free ticket exchanges within a production.
Unlock additional discounts on extra tickets and share the joy of live performances with your friends and family and save on tickets.
Our convenient payment options, make it easy to manage your subscription and enjoy the season’s performances hassle-free.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2024-2025 SEASON
Joel Stone CHAIR
Sergio Arreola
Fran Carlisle
Smokey Clay
David Cook
Andrea Costa
Judy Dalambakis
Zahki Davis
Michael Bailes
Bernie Calonge
Sheila Cohen
Connie Dow
Sandra Eisele
Jerry Ewers
Kathryn Harsh
Edmond Hooker
Beth Levy
Debbie Brant
Kelly Brown
Laura Brunner
Trish Bryan
Otto Budig
Nancy Clagett
William Cordes
Jen Stein INTERIM CHAIR
Debbie Brant
Jennifer Damiano
Joe Dehner
Emerson Moser VICE CHAIR
Sarah Frank Fogarty
Jodi Geiser
Rico Grant
Linda Greenberg
Kateri Moll Haskett
Patti Heldman
Lydia Jacobs-Horton
Kristin Fishbaugh TREASURER
Marcie Kinney
Peter Laffoon
Megan McCarthy-Wolf
Jack Miner
Shekhar Mitra
Katy Moeggenberg
Leon Loewenstein
Madelynn Matlock
Larry McGruder
Skip Merten
Alex Munoz
Cathy Nwankwo
Jim Papakirk
Joselyn Pfeil
Julie Richardson
Kitty Rosenthal
Morleen Rouse
Diane Rumpke
Keke Sansalone
Tom Schiff
Beth Snyder
Chris Sprecher
Brett Stover
Mary Talbott
Lynn Good
Larry Kellar+
Charles MacDonnell
Richardson McKinney
Tom Neyer
Carol Duane Olson
Paul Ose
Melody Sawyer Richardson
Michael Rozow
James Sammarco
Kathleen Selker
Rhonda Sheakley
Madelynn Matlock TREASURER
Kristin Fishbaugh
Emerson Moser
Alex Munoz
Rhonda Sheakley
Craig F. Maier
Rhoda Mayerson+
Faith Whittaker SECRETARY
Alexandra Ollinger
Alandes Powell
T. Quinn
Lisa Riccardi
Toilynn O’Neal Turner
Brenden Zenni
Heather Theders
Pamela Thompson
Serena Tsuang
Kelly Vanasse
Catherine Vernon
Gary West
Barbara Weyand
George Wilkinson
Russell Shelton
Shelly Sherman
Julie Shifman
Linda Smith
Ronna Willis
Kelly Brown SECRETARY
Joel Stone
Joe Carolin*
Cincinnati Ballet’s Otto M. Budig Academy serves the greater Cincinnati area through world-class dance education programs and unparalleled performance opportunities. Whether students aspire to dance as a profession or pursue it as a personal passion, we believe dance training allows them to unleash potential that proves impactful in all aspects of their lives. Led by nationally recognized faculty, our guiding principles are to teach, challenge, and inspire the whole student to achieve their
Enrollment based on age with beginning and progressing levels
Designed to inspire a lifelong love of dance, the Academy’s Children’s and Community Divisions offer entry-level and advancing classes in creative dance, ballet, and a wide array of
Ages 8 – 18
Enrollment based on experience with an accelerating curriculum
Our highly regarded ballet training, coupled with well-rounded
Ages 4 – Adult
Placement determined by student support resources
Cincinnati Ballet’s CB Moves program, developed in partnership with Cincinnati Children’s Department of Physical Therapy, fosters a love of dance and creative expression for students with specific needs.
Ages 16 and Up Enrollment by invitation
For students on the cusp of careers in dance, the Professional Training Division provides dancers with a full-day immersive training program and opportunities to perform alongside Cincinnati Ballet’s professional Company.
For more information or to register connect with us at: Email: cbacademy@cballet.org | Phone: 513.562.1111 | Website: cballet.org/academy
Debbie Brant PRESIDENT AND CEO
ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE
Joe Carolin VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE AND CFO
Melissa Santomo CONTROLLER
Tiffany Whitcomb, SHRM-SCP VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Tyler Parker SENIOR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND BOARD LIAISON
Laura Linneman FINANCE (SPECIALIST) AND ACADEMY COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Chuck Beatty DIRECTOR OF EVENTS
Mary French ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF DATA SERVICES
Thomas E. Johnston, CCI, CHI™ INTERPRETER
ARTISTIC
Dale Shields REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
Carlos Quenedit GUEST REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
Yoshihisa Arai REHEARSAL DIRECTOR / DIRECTOR SECOND COMPANY – CB2
Allison Evans YOUNG PERFORMERS COACH
Annie Fitzpatrick
Nicholas Motley YP REHEARSAL ASSISTANTS
Angelika Bonyhati-Kovacs
Brian Cashwell
Janet Langhorst
Ted Seaman BALLET ACCOMPANISTS
PHILANTHROPY
Adrijana Kowatsch VICE PRESIDENT OF PHILANTHROPY
Katharine Nemeth MAJOR GIFTS OFFICER
Payton Field DONOR RELATIONS MANAGER
Ilona Piaskowy INDIVIDUAL GIVING MANAGER
MARKETING AND BRAND STRATEGY
Nicole Doll VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND BRAND STRATEGY
Louanna Wyatt ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PATRON EXPERIENCE
Nicholas Peltz SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND CONTENT MANAGER
Dan Wood VIDEOGRAPHER
Eli Frances SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Pam Taylor
PATRON EXPERIENCE SUPERVISOR AND MARKETING PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Ja’Nay Brown
Reed Carter
Butch Hamm
Lisa Malsom
Ethan Mann
Brian Miller
Da'Shawn Mitchell
Neehar Phadke
PATRON EXPERIENCE ASSOCIATES
Francine Kellar MARKETING INTERN
OTTO M. BUDIG ACADEMY AND EDUCATION
Ginger Johnson VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMY AND EDUCATION
Blanca Huertas-Agnew ACADEMY DIRECTOR
Maura Korn STUDENT SERVICES MANAGER
Elizabeth Metz REGISTRATION SERVICES MANAGER
David Morse PRINCIPAL, PROFESSIONAL TRAINING DIVISION
Carolyn Guido Clifford EDUCATION COORDINATOR
Sirui Liu
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL, ENSEMBLE
Cervilio Miguel Amador
INTERIM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Kate Stark
CB MOVES COORDINATOR
Kelly Daley
Emily Schau YOUNG PERFORMERS COORDINATORS
Donna Anderle
Oliver Arana
Ja’Nay Brown
Alison Cole
Rosa Compostella
Jacqueline Damico Amador
Kiersten Edwards
Isabele Elefson
Kerry Enders
Jackie Engelkamp
Jeri Gatch
Donna Grisez
Sasha Hart
Nicole Hershey
Andrew Hubbard
Helen Jardon
Julius Jenkins
Mary Kamp
Eileen Kim
Christina LaForgia Morse
Sirui Liu
Kara Louis
Daimy McInroe
Mae Miller
Victoria Morgan
Shane Ohmer
Patty Pille
Carlos Quenedit
Jennifer Rutherford
Rowan Salem
Joshua Stayton
Cassidy Steele
Shauna Steele
Kimberley Stewart
Rose Sunila
Rebecca Walther
Michelle Ziegler
Missy Lay Zimmer ACADEMY AND EDUCATION INSTRUCTORS
Frankie Bennett
Finlay Hinkle
Iliana Rich
Sierra Severt STUDENT EXPERIENCE REPRESENTATIVES
PRODUCTION
Brian R Sherman VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCTION
Carissa Gandenberger PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER
Dena D’Andrea COMPANY MANAGER
Brooke Arthur COSTUME MANAGER
Laura Hofmann WARDROBE SUPERVISOR
Cherl Beyersdoerfer FIRST WARDROBE ASSISTANT
Jackie Andrews
SECOND WARDROBE ASSISTANT
Scott Berkley MASTER CARPENTER
Kevin Barth PROPERTY MASTER
Chanelle Dau Pino MASTER ELECTRICIAN
Mary Comtois
ASSISTANT ELECTRICIAN
James Geier
WIG AND MAKE-UP CONSULTANT
Annalee Crosser
Morgan Piper
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS
Jules Cabrera CCM LIGHTING INTERN
SPORTS MEDICINE
Kelly Jo Rodrigo, MS, LAT, ATC COURTESY OF TRIHEALTH AND BEACON ORTHOPAEDICS & SPORTS MEDICINE
ARTISTIC EMERITI
Victoria Morgan
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EMERITA
Carmon DeLeone
MUSIC DIRECTOR EMERITUS
Space reservation is happening now!
Support the local arts community as it takes the stage this fall and reach an engaged, affluent audience.
Fran and Dan Bailey
Eileen and John Barrett
Don Beck and Lawrence E. Eynon MD
Trish and Frederick Bryan
David W. Cook and Loretta Motz Cook +
Dianne Dunkelman and Peter Schwartz
Anonymous
Anonymous in Honor of Victoria Morgan
Debbie and Jody Brant
Susan Brenner and Steven A. Mombach
Bret and Alison Caller
Susan Domonkos
Connie and Leslie Dow
Jerry S. Ewers and Brian L. Tiffany
Sergio Arreola
Elaine and David Billmire
Debbie and Jody Brant
Kelly J. Brown
James H. Brun
Fran and Wayne Carlisle
Jennifer Conklin
Linda and Harry Fath
Susan Friedlander+
Lynne S. Friedlander
Linda and Gary Greenberg
Karen F. Maier and Delane Starliper
Debby and Jim Mason
Kristin and Chris Fishbaugh
Lane and Skip Merten
Halle and T. Quinn
Julie and John Richardson
Dianne and J. David Rosenberg
Kitty and Richard Rosenthal
Rhonda and Larry Sheakley
Patti and Fred Heldman
Arna and Bobby Fisher
Sarah Frank Fogarty and Timothy Fogarty
Jodi M. Geiser and James Miller III
Arielle Goldberg
Suzanne and J. Frank Hall
Kateri Moll Haskett
Andrea Costa
Christine and Terence Horan
Lydia Jacobs-Horton and Jeff Horton
John and Peter Laffoon
Elizabeth and John LaMacchia
Madelynn and Raymond Matlock
Bobbi and Aaron Crary
James Crosset
Judy and Christopher Dalambakis
Maureen and John Doellman
Peter M. Frey
Jennifer and John Stein
Susan and John Tew
Heather and Jonathan Theders
Judith B. Titchener+
Margaret and Michael Valentine
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Heidt
Sally D. Hernandez
Peggy Johns
Zofeen Khan
Jeffrey and Jody Lazarow
Martha and Carl Lindner
Frances and Craig Lindner
Megan McCarthy and Steve Wolf
Mitzie and Emerson Moser
Barbara K. Myers
Kristen and Scott Oyler
Julie and Steven Shifman
Lisa and Joel Stone
Dr. William and Therese Tobler
Anne and Craig Maier
Jack Miner and Brian Dozer
Anu and Shekhar Mitra
Mary Lou Motl
Anne and Charles Pierce
Lisa M. Riccardi
Alice Schneider
Gayle and William Sherman
Valerie L. Newell and Timothy Smith
Susie Tweddell
Laurie and John Acklen
Amy and Michael Bailes
Pam and Bernard Barbash
Flavia C. Bastos and Larry Huston
Bonnie and Charles Bensonhaver
James H. Brun
Mary Kay and Bernardo Calonge
Daniel Cifuentes
Paula and William Cordes
Cindy Crilley
Jennifer W. Dakers
Lisa and Richard Damico
Marianna B. Bettman
Ruth E. Bley
Jacklyn and Gary Bryson
Otto M. Budig Jr.
Louise and Lanthan Camblin
Debbie Campbell
Michael L. Cioffi
Ariella and Andrew Cohen
Kelly and Guy Vanasse
Diane and Gary West
Faith Whittaker
Noël Julnes-Dehner and Joseph Dehner
Martha and Stuart Dornette
Vallie and Rodney Geier
Louis and Beth Guttman
Kathryn and Keith Harsh
Lauren Hannan Shafer
Genita and Rob Heidenreich
Karlee Hilliard
Theresa and Edmond Hooker
Jane Hopson
Esther and Steven Johnson
Renee Combs
Paula I. Comisar
Peggy Dossman
Greta Elenbaas
Joyce Elkus
Jennifer and Ron Erdmann
Jack Fogarty
Tom Fogarty
Valerie Folger
Daphne and Jason Jurgensen
Kristin and Carl Kalnow
Barbara Kellar and Larry Kellar +
Anne and Dean Kereiakes
Katherine and Robert Lawrence
Christine and Rick Lefever
David Martin
Stacey and Mark Miller
Susan Murray
Susan and Joseph Pichler
Penny and Stephen Pomeranz
Claire Frank
Kristine and David Freitas
Ralph Ginocchio
Ricardo Grant
Bill and Christy Griesser
Margaret and Edmund Hess
Sally Kelsall
Marcene Kinney
Jeanie Knuth
Jo Ann Wieghaus
Michael G. Williams
Marilyn and Paul Porcino
Martha and Nick Ragland
Amy and Bradley Resch
Jack Rouse
Dawn and Robert Schiff
Susan and Russell Shelton
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Schlagheck
Barbara M. Weyand
Kathy and George Wilkinson
Ronna and James Willis
Ann B. Wissman
Jaclyn and Brenden Zenni
Sara and Alex Muñoz
Carol and Robert Olson
Lois and Steve Oyler
Andrew Quinn
Jennifer and Jake Ragland
Rachel and Luke Robinson
Rosemary and Mark Schlachter
Susan and David Smith
Gale D. Snoddy and Alan
L. Margulies
Anonymous (2)
Lois and Ken Allen
Jane S. Anderson
Carolyn Barham
Carrie and Michael Barron
Charlotte Brooks
Angelia and Gary Butterbaugh
Shannon and Lee Carter
Tracy D. Cheever
Kathleen A. Compton and Raymond C. McNeil
Kristin and David Coppage
Sarah Corathers and James Anthony
Robert Corgan
Natalia Cristo
Michael Currey
Jennifer and Vito Daminano
Mark Dauner
Zahki Davis
Cynthia and Stephen DeHoff
Amy and Andrew DeWitt
Brian A. Doyle
Merry Ewing
Evelyn and Marc Fisher
Mary Kate Vanderglas
Christine and John Willig
Jennifer Yeung and John Gould
Barbara and Ashley Ford
Courtney Fox
Michael Frabetti
Catherine Hamilton
Eloise and Howard Hamilton
Amy Hanley
Becky Hogya
Linda Holthaus
Beth Hudepohl
Laura Hurley
Valerie Jacobs
Elaine Jaeger
Brenda Jones
Steven Kenat and Heidi Jark
Carol L. Kruse
Kristin and Tom Lamarre
Joanie and Louis Lauch
Susan Lauf
Geoffrey Leder
Becky and Thomas Long
Sean Luther
Sherie Marek
Emily Mathews
Sophia McAllister
Kim and Barbara McCracken
Jill and Larry McGruder
Cassie and Lachlan McLean
Emily and Steven Morgan
Holly and Mike Mott
Leslie and Larry Newman
Mardie and Robert Off
Alexandra and S. Cole Ollinger
Nan L. Oscherwitz
Sandy and Gregg Pancero
John Pape
The Patel-Curran Family
Kathy Perry
Joselyn Pfeil
Julia and Daniel Poston
Beth Plummer
Ellen Rieveschl
Carole and Edwin Rigaud
Jean S. Robson
Priya and Dave Rolfes
Elyse M. Roth
Judith Roth
Janet and William Sarran
Julie and Charles Scheper
Thomas Schiff
Martha and Lee Schimberg
Marianne Schwab and George Stricker
Karen Zaugg Ph.D.
Susan Zaunbrecher
Stephen Schwartz
Elizabeth Shaughnessy and James Stapleton
Ruth and John Sikorski
Joanne and John Smale
Debbie and Michael Snyder
Paul Spitz
Diane M. Spitznagel
Dee and Thomas Stegman
Elena Stein
Sandra Stern
John U. Tan
Amy and William Thaman
Rob Thornton
Heather and Andrew Vecellio
Nancy and Christopher Virgulak
Elizabeth B. Vollmer
Barbara Wagner
Kim A. Walker
Tiffany and John Whitcomb
Angela J. White
Andrea Wilson and Clifford Goosmann
Anne Warrington Wilson
Cincinnati Ballet is delighted to provide elementary schools in the greater Cincinnati area with FREE residency experiences sure to inspire your students to move and to develop an appreciation for the art of dance.
Focus: Second Grade
Available: September - December
The CincyDance! program starts in the classroom using a combination of physical education curriculum and dance training to activate a student’s desire to express themselves through movement. Following the residency, students are invited to audition for scholarships to continue their training at Cincinnati Ballet.
Focus: Pre-K
Available: January - April
The CincyDance! Pre-K program activates a student’s imagination while introducing them to the joy of creative movement and ballet. Students will explore locomotor movement, balance and other key coordination skills with highly skilled Cincinnati Ballet teaching artists.
Photography: Hiromi Platt
Anonymous
Janice M. Amatulli
Pamela Ashmore
Pam Biederman
Pamela and Robert Bosley
Chris Bowling
Dawn and Douglas Bruestle
Dr. Onassis Caneris
Anne Charles
Phil and Katharine Clayton
Lisa Cohen
Kate Costlow and John D’Amore
Candace Crouse
Madison and Yvonne Cuffy
Patricia and William Culp
Regina Daily
April and Harry Davidow
Thomas M. Deutsch
Barbara Doviak
Kenneth Frey
Mary Ann Gardner
Judith and Samuel Gilardi
Beverly Grant
Pamela Heydt
Bridget and Brian Hoffman
Nelson Horseman
Francy Hughes
Kara and Guido Jackson
Jan and Randy Johnson
Patricia Joseph
Crystal L. Kendrick
Kathryn E. Kipp
Mary and John Kmet
Jacqueline Mack and Dr. Edward Silberstein
Anne Maddox and John Berninger
Janet McDaniel
Alice Palmer
Patricia and Michael Rozow
Gabriella Scacchetti
Vivian and Jim Schwab
Barbara Sferra and Herbert Robinson
Philip Smith
Linda and Nicholas Spadaccini
Robert W. Strauss and Phyllis G. Bossin
Jennifer and Chad Taylor
Claire and Zachary Tempel
Torey and Tom Torre
Elizabeth and Chad Warwick
Sarah L. Weiss
Sandra Wittman-Shell and Keven Shell
Gregory and Deborah Wright
Lisa Zaring
Marcia and Robert Ziek
Robert and Lindsay Zierolf
Tamela and Tim Zimmerman
*Funds held at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation + In memoriam
Thank you to the donors whose gifts we received by March 13, 2024. The above donor pages represent the information available at the time of print. If you find that you are listed incorrectly or we did not recognize you appropriately, we apologize and want to include you. Please contact our Donor Relations Manager, Payton Field, at pfield@cballet.org or 513.562.1136.
June 17 – 28 and July 8 – 19, 2024
Ages 9 – 14 Summer Dance Workshop
June 3 – 7, June 10 – 14 and July 29 – August 2, 2024
Ages 8 – 11
Dance Camp
June 3 – 7, June 10 – 14 and July 29 – August 2, 2024
Ages 4 – 8
$100,000+
$50,000–$99,999
$25,000–$49,999
$10,000–$24,999
$5,000–$9,999
$2,500–$4,999
$1,000—$2,499
Thank you to the donors whose gifts we received by March 13, 2024. The above donor pages represent the information available at the time of print. If you find that you are listed incorrectly or we did not recognize you appropriately, we apologize and want to include you. Please contact our Donor Relations Manager, Payton Field, at pfield@cballet.org or 513.562.1136.
$100,000 +
$50,000–$99,999
$15,000–$49,999
Bailey Lamson Family Trust Building Healthy Lives Foundation
Chemed Foundation Crosset Family Foundation
Edelweiss Foundation
Joni Herschede Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Fdtn
$5,000–$14,999
Morgan Judd Memorial Fund Parkinson's Support and Wellness
Charles Scott Riley III Foundation
$1,000–$4,999
Ez & Lynn Housh Family Foundation
Andrew Howe Scholarship Foundation
Johnson Foundation
Schwab Charitable Fund Wohlgemuth Herschede Foundation
Peter T. Joseph Foundation
Lewis and Marjorie Daniel Foundation Innovative Worthy Projects Foundation
Nabama Foundation
Willow Hill Foundation
OFFICIAL SPORTS MEDICINE PARTNER
OFFICIAL IT PROVIDER
Cincinnati Ballet acknowledges the following partner companies, foundations, and their employees who generously participate in the annual ArtsWave Campaign at the $100,000+ level.
Thank you!
$2 MILLION + P&G
$1 MILLION –$1,999,999
Fifth Third Bank and Fifth Third Foundation
$500,000–$999,999
altafiberGE Aerospace
$250,000–$499,999
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation
Cincinnati Business Courier
Cincinnati Reds
Duke Energy
The E.W. Scripps Company and Scripps Howard Foundation
The Cincinnati Insurance Companies
$100,000—$249,999
The Enquirer|Cincinnati.com
Great American Insurance Group
Greater Cincinnati Foundation
The H.B., E.W. and F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, N.A., Trustee
Western & Southern Financial Group
The Kroger Co.
Messer Construction Co.
PNC
U.S. Bank
Cincinnati Ballet is pleased to offer Meet the Artist, a pre-performance discussion series connecting audiences to select dancers, choreographers, and members of the creative team who bring our performances to life. Admission to Meet the Artist is included in your ticket to the current production.
Throughout the year Cincinnati Ballet offers dynamic and interactive experiences to deepen your love of the art form. This season, we are pleased to present family-friendly activities at the Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance, including Trick or Treat at The Ballet and Nutcracker Sampler. Please check cballet.org for details.
Ballet & Beer is an event series providing an insider’s view into Cincinnati Ballet while enjoying drinks, light bites, and socializing. This season we will host these happy hour–style events at the new Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance in Walnut Hills. Due to space limitations for the rehearsals, advanced reservations are necessary. Events include a cash bar.
Cincinnati Ballet is excited to open the Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance to the community for an inviting introduction to ballet and dance performance. These performances are designed to welcome new audiences to dance through accessible storytelling, relatable themes, fun choreography, and community partnerships. Join us at the new Center for Dance on select Sunday afternoons with your family and friends for these hour-long performances.
Cincinnati Ballet offers a variety of volunteer opportunities. Get involved and support Cincinnati Ballet while meeting new people and learning more about ballet. Volunteering for Cincinnati Ballet is fun, educational, and a great way to support the arts. Volunteers are vital in supporting the mission of Cincinnati Ballet.
FOOD AND BEVERAGES are available at various lobby locations throughout the Aronoff Center. For many performances, a selection of the concessions we sell, including most drinks, may be taken into the theater. Our concessions staff and ushers can indicate whether or not you may take your snacks and beverages into the theater.
ALL RESTROOMS in the Aronoff Center are accessible to people with disabilities. Restrooms in the Procter & Gamble Hall are located in the side corridors on both sides of the lobbies (except Balcony—restrooms located on the north side of the lobby only).
COAT CHECK can be found on the street level of the Aronoff Center.
IF YOU LOSE AN ITEM while attending an event at the Aronoff Center, check with one of our ushers before leaving the building. If they are unable to locate the item, call the Security Desk at (513) 9774128 during regular business hours, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM, Monday-Friday.
YOUR PARTICIPATION IN OUR RECYCLING effort is appreciated! Blue or silver recycling containers are located near every concession stand. If you don’t want to keep your program, you may recycle it in the program bins in the lobby at the Aronoff Center.
THE LOBBY at the Aronoff Center opens one hour prior to curtain and you may enter the theater 30 minutes prior to the start of the performance.
LATE SEATING is at the discretion of the Front of House Manager. For many events, there may be a seating hold for latecomers. These holds vary in length depending on the show. Should you need to leave the auditorium during the performance, readmittance and seating will also be at the discretion of the house manager.
PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO of Cincinnati Ballet performances is strictly forbidden.
SMOKING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED at the Aronoff Center.
FREE TOURS OF THE ARONOFF CENTER are available for groups up to 50 people and are typically off ered Monday – Friday between the hours of 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, pending theater availability. Weekend or early evening tours also may be possible and can be discussed with a representative. The Aronoff Center tour lasts approximately one hour. To schedule a tour, call (513) 977-4117, ext. 3 and leave a message with the date(s) and time(s) you are interested in attending. An Aronoff Center representative will respond within 2 business days.
All theaters and meeting spaces within the Aronoff Center are accessible to patrons with physical disabilities. Once inside the building, all levels are accessible by elevator. The Jarson-Kaplan Theater is equipped with one elevator for patron use. Automatic accessible doors are located on the south end of the building near Sixth and Walnut Streets.
A COURTESY WHEELCHAIR IS AVAILABLE upon request on a first-come, first-served basis for patrons needing assistance from the lobby to their seats. Patrons can ask any staff member or volunteer usher for assistance.
ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES for the hearing impaired are available at the coat room in the lobby of the Jarson-Kaplan Theater. These assistive listening devices operate on an infra-red system and are not compatible with other frequency-based units.
ACCESSIBLE SEATING is available in all theaters for patrons not able to transfer out of their wheelchairs or with other seating needs. Please contact the Ticket Office at (513) 621-2787 in advance to discuss your needs.
SERVICE ANIMALS are always welcome at the Aronoff Center in order to accommodate patrons with disabilities.
For more information about Cincinnati Ballet please visit our website www.cballet.org, call (513) 621-5282, or visit us at 1801 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45202.
