About Ballet22
Founded in 2020 by Roberto Vega Ortiz and Theresa Knudson, Ballet22 exists to push the boundaries of what is possible in ballet while focusing on producing and presenting works, ranging from classical to contemporary ballet, that break gender normative traditions, specifically by presenting men, mxn, and non-binary artists "en pointe." The company is committed to commissioning ballet works that bring inclusion and representation to the LGBTQ+ experience on stage. Ballet22 is a member of Intersection for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
The Cast
Ballet22's cast includes dancers from all around the world, each chosen for their brilliant pointe work and performance abilities.
These mxn are challenging gender stereotypes and rebuilding what it is to be a ballet dancer en pointe.
Evan Ambrose
Kike Cessa
Carlos Hopuy
Philip Joseph Sicat
Roberto Vega Ortiz
Trevor Williams
Act III Swan Lake Suite
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Staged by: Roberto Vega Ortiz
Pas de Trois - Kike Cessa, Philip Jospeh Sicat, and Trevor Williams
Black Swan Grand Pas de Deux - Carlos Hopuy and Roberto Vega Ortiz
Ballet22 pays homage to one of the most iconic classical ballet in this suite of excerpts from the Act III of Swan Lake. Costumed by Chris Dunn, the cast tackles this incredible ballet, exhibiting technical prowess and artistry. Be swept away by the unique presentation of this beloved ballet classic.
Symbiotic Twin
Music: Broken Rosary by Kate Moore
Choreography by: Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Dancers: Carlos Hopuy and Roberto Vega Ortiz
Costume Design: Marc Happel based on paintings by Kathleen Werner
Costumes courtesy of Ballet Austin
Symbiotic Twin centers on the themes of the male and female energy that live within each of us. A symbiotic relationship is that of two different components that need each other to survive. The pas de deux reflects this concept through the use of partnering, particularity the use of shared weight and counter balance. Symbiotic Twin was originally created for Ashley Bouder and Taylor Stanley in 2018 for The Ashley Bouder Project, and extended for Ballet Austin in 2019 on Oliver Greene-Cramer and Grace Morton. Annabelle Lopez Ochoa created a new edition of the pas de deux for Carlos Hopuy and Roberto Vega Ortiz while she restaged the ballet in person this February 2022. Enjoy the premiere of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s latest rendition of her ever morphing Symbiotic Twin.
Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
The Belgian-Colombian Annabelle Lopez Ochoa is an award-winning and sought-after choreographer that has created works for 70 dance companies around the world such as the Dutch National Ballet, English National Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, West Australian Ballet, Ballet Nacional de Cuba, San Francisco Ballet, New York City Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, Dance Theater of Harlem, among others. A versatile choreographer, Lopez Ochoa creates within the dance field but also for theatre, opera, musical theatre. Her wide-ranging body of work includes short conceptual pieces, full-length narrative ballets, and dance films. In 2012, she was awarded UK Dance Award Best Classical choreography for A Streetcar Named Desire, created for the Scottish Ballet. That same year the work was nominated for an Olivier Award. In 2016, Broken Wings, choreographed for the English National Ballet was nominated for numerous awards and reworked into a full-length ballet FRIDA for the Dutch National Ballet in 2020.
In 2019, Annabelle became the recipient of the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award as well as the program director of the Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Ballet Summer Course.
This year Annabelle will premiere her 9th narrative ballet “Doña Peron” for Ballet Hispanico.
La Libertà
Music: Carl Philip Emmanuel Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Frederic Chopin
Choreography by: Durante Verzola
Dancers: Evan Ambrose, Kike Cessa, Carlos Hopuy, Philip Jospeh Sicat, Roberto Vega Ortiz, and Trevor Williams
Durante Verzola’s new work for Ballet22, La Libertà, is set to the piano compositions of Carl Philip Emmanuel Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach and Frederic Chopin. Through movement, Verzola hopes to articulate the power and passion of the music using the individuality of the dancers. His choreographic style emphasizes musical clarity and expansive dancing. Verzola explores the expressiveness of the pointe shoe to create a pure dance work that allows the artists to take the audience on a balletic journey. Above all, Verzola believes ballet and dance should unlock one’s freedom and allow spontaneity. In the words of dance historian and writer, Jennifer Homans, “[ballet] was also…full of emotions and the feelings that come with music and movement...If the coordination and musicality, muscular impulse and timing were exactly right, the body would take over. I could let go. For all its rules and limits, [ballet is] an escape from the self. Being free.”
Durante Verzola
Durante Verzola has choreographed works for Miami City Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet II, Joffrey Studio Company, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Ballet Chicago, Columbia Ballet Collaborative, School of Pennsylvania Ballet, and Princeton University Ballet, among others. Mr. Verzola has led Miami City Ballet School's Choreographic Intensive since its inception and has participated in CPYB's ChoreoPlan. He is a winner of Joffrey Ballet's Winning Works, which recognizes emerging ALAANA choreographers and was invited to the Center for Ballet and the Arts at NYU for an Artistic Partnership Initiative Fellowship. Most recently, his work was shown at Guggenheim's Works & Process and he was selected to make new work on the dancers of New York City Ballet at the New York Choreographic Institute.
His work has been described as "sharp and witty...so vibrant it is like a celebration of classicism and vitality…he continues to present classical ballet vocabulary in unfussy, thrilling ways," by Philadelphia Dance. Explore Dance said, "For a 20-something choreographer, Verzola startled with his inventiveness via straightforward balletics."
Mr. Verzola trained with Kansas City Ballet School and Kansas School of Classical Ballet before being accepted to Miami City Ballet School on full scholarship. He has attended summer courses at School of American Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. Verzola danced with Pennsylvania Ballet and The Suzanne Farrell Ballet.
Q&A with the Artists & Directors
Followed by drinks and mingling
Ballet22 Crew
Ballet22 Artistic Director & Co-Founder: Roberto Vega Ortiz
Ballet22 Executive Director & Co-Founder: Theresa Knudson
Marketing & Production: Joanne Kim
Special Thank You to The Midway:
Peter Glikshtern, Dustin Raphael, Brendan Ward, Andrea Kirk
Lights:
Sound:
Bartending: Ryan Rouland Smith
Costumes: Chris Dunn
Thank You to our 2022 Sponsors
Patrons $2,201 and beyond
Artist Sponsor $2,200
Lena Chang, sponsor for Carlos Hopuy Gala 2022
Supporter $1,000-$2,199
Karen Rosenberg
Contributor $100-$999
Christina Knudson & Cheonho Yoon
Gregg Mattner
David Meders
Jose Rivera Lluberas
If you would like to support Ballet22, please click the DONATE button below to make a tax-deductible donation!
Donations help cover artist payments, theater & venue rental, costumes, and travel.
SAVE THE DATE
July 29th at 7:00pm & July 30th at 7:00pm
at the Cowell Theater in San Francisco
Ballet22 pointe shoes are sponsored by Nikolay