FEATURING A HEATH GILL WORLD PREMIERE; STEPHANIE MARTINEZ’S “DOS LADOS” & JORDEN MORRIS’ DEVERELL
Mixed repertory is always a high point in the season because the artistic director has constructed a menu of shorter programs that offer a lot of something for everyone.
Stephanie Martinez’s “Dos Lados“, (which translates to Two Sides) a powerful, 13-person ensemble that performs to Spanish guitar in exploration of the idea of duality. Martinez, founder and artistic director of PARA.MAR Dance Theatre in Chicago, is recognized for her focus on diversity and her ability to quickly connect the energy of her contemporary choreography with the audience. This is a premiere performance in Central Florida. Martinez has created more than 60 ballets for companies across the country including Joffrey Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, Kansas City Ballet and National Choreographers Initiative, to name a few.
The production will close with Deverell, yet another of Jorden Morris’ dynamic creations which premiered in 2005 in his native Canada and now will have its Central Florida premiere. Deverell is Gaelic for “on the riverbank” and is one of his most popular works. Morris describes this production as his version of “Riverdance” and notes that he created it as an ode to his own Celtic roots.
Founded in 1974, Orlando Ballet is Central Florida’s only fully residential professional ballet company. Orlando Ballet produces main stage productions at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and Harriett’s Orlando Ballet Centre, featuring timeless masterpieces and innovative contemporary world premieres, achieving the highest level of professionalism and artistic excellence. Orlando Ballet promotes dance education through community enrichment programs, performance lecture demonstrations, the renowned Orlando Ballet School, and Orlando Ballet II, a second pre-professional company to train and support dancers as they approach the start of their dance careers.