Aspen Santa Fe Ballet to Play the Joyce Theatre, 10/16-21

The highly acclaimed Aspen Santa Fe Ballet will present a program of three NYC premieres, at The Joyce Theater (175 Eighth Avenue at 19th street) from October 16 - 21. Tickets range in price from $10-$59 and can be arranged online at www.Joyce.org or by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800.

Under the direction of Jean-Philippe Malaty and Tom Mossbrucker, formerly of the Joffrey Ballet, the 17-year old Aspen Santa Fe Ballet (ASFB) has achieved a distinguished level of maturity and maintains a sophisticated repertory that belies its young age. During this 2012 Joyce engagement, the company’s sixth, ASFB performs an exhilarating program of three contemporary dances exemplifying its commitment to commissioning groundbreaking work by both world renowned and emerging choreographers.

The program includes an evening of three NYC premieres of contemporary ballets, all commissioned by Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and all three are recipients of prestigious foundation support including the introduction of Norbert de la Cruz whose new ballet, Square None (2012), was underwritten in part by The Jerome Robbins New Essential Works grant. ASFB was the first company to commission a work by this recent Princes Grace Award recipient. Second on the program is Last (2012) by Spanish choreographer, Alejandro Cerrudo (resident choreographer of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago). Last was underwritten in part by The Joyce Theater Foundation. OVER GLOW (2011), by Jorma Elo, will close the program. This is ASFB's fourth work by this popular Finnish choreographer. OVER GLOW was underwritten in part by the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts.

Performances at The Joyce Theater are Tuesday-Wednesday at 7:30pm, Thursday-Saturday at 8:00pm and Sunday at 2:00pm. Dance Chat, a free post-performance talkback with the artists, will take place on Wednesday, October 17, and is open to all attending that evening’s performance. Tickets range from $10-$49 ($10-$37 for Joyce members) and are available by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800 or at www.Joyce.org. Please note: Ticket prices are subject to change. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s founder, Bebe Schweppe, was visionary when, in 1996, she invited Tom Mossbrucker and Jean-Philippe Malaty to create a company that residents in the Aspen valley could call their own. Initially based solely in Aspen, Colorado, a second home for the company was created in 2000 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In sync with the world-class artistic activities in each of these beautiful communities, ASFB has helped strengthen the cultural fabric of both cities.

With its sophisticated repertoire and broad appeal, combined with a successful blend of entertaining and engrossing contemporary dance, ASFB is one of the great success stories in American dance today. Audiences locally, nationally, and internationally have embraced this vibrant company on stellar stages such as The Joyce Theater in New York City, the famed Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, The Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, The Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago, and in foreign venues including Canada, France, Italy, Greece and Guatemala.

Over the years, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet has grown to become a multi-faceted entity, as both an internationally recognized dance company and one of the largest dance presenters in the country. As the company travels to cities far and wide, ASFB also presents leading dance companies at home in Aspen and Santa Fe throughout the year. The umbrella of ASFB extends equally to education. With a thriving dance school and an award winning Mexican folk dance outreach program, ASFB serves over 500 children in Colorado and New Mexico. In 2010, ASFB directors Tom Mossbrucker and Jean-Philippe Malaty were honored by The Joyce Theater Foundation in New York City for creating this innovative model for an American dance institution.

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet appeals, with its adventurous repertoire and the inspiring landscapes of its home communities, as a gathering place for the finest dancers and choreographers in the world. Never forgetting its deep roots in the creative and historic wealth of these majestic and awe-inspiring communities, the organization remains deeply committed to expanding and enriching the world of dance. With its fusion of classical good sense and western ingenuity, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet blends the best of both worlds to create a dance company that is truly unique.

TOM MOSSBRUCKER (Artistic Director) has been artistic director of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet since 1996. For the past sixteen years Tom has built a prestigious arts/dance organi­zation sharing two homes in Aspen and Santa Fe. Not being a choreographer himself has freed Tom as an artistic director to cultivate highly refined and challenging works of con­temporary ballet. His shining achievement is a roster of 24 ballets created on commission for ASFB by leading global choreographers. Tom began dance training at age four, study­ing tap in his hometown of Tacoma, Wash­ington. He studied ballet in New York City at the School of American Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet School. His twenty years as a principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, performing in over 70 ballets, coincided with a period of high artistic achievement for the company. Tom danced in creations by the world’s great choreographers: Fredrick Ashton, George Balanchine, Laura Dean, William Forsythe, Jiri Kylián, Mark Morris, Paul Taylor and Twyla Tharp. Signature roles included Iago in Jose Limon’s The Moor’s Pavane; Cham­pion Roper in Agnes DeMille’s Rodeo; Billy in Eugene Loring’s Billy the Kid; and Romeo in Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet. All of this rich and diverse dance background Tom brings to his coaching of young dancers today. In 2010, Tom, along with Executive Director Jean- Philippe Malaty, was honored with The Joyce Theater Foundation Award for contribution to the field of dance. A former board member of Dance USA, Tom currently serves on the board of The Gerald Arpino and Robert Jof­frey Foundation.

JEAN-PHILIPPE MALATY (Executive Director) was born in the Basque region of France. After receiving his baccalaureate in dance, he accepted scholarships to study at Mudra, Maurice Béjart’s school in Brussels, and at John Cranko’s ballet academy in Stutt­gart. Invited by acclaimed instructor David Howard to study in New York, Jean-Philippe traveled to America under Howard’s tutelage. Jean-Philippe’s performance career began with Joffrey II. He also danced as a guest art­ist with Los Angeles Classical Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. While still in his twenties Jean-Philippe seg­ued from the stage to an administrator role. A key member of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s start-up team, Jean-Philippe has been central to developing the company’s unique hybrid business model. He directs operations in two locations, overseeing a $3.2 million budget that he allocates to two schools, an esteemed presenting series, and an award-winning folk­loric outreach program. Jean-Philippe’s first love is teaching and when his schedule per­mits, he conducts master classes at schools and universities. In 2010, The Joyce Theater Foundation recognized Aspen Santa Fe Ballet for its contribution to the field of dance, honor­ing Jean-Philippe and Artistic Director Tom Mossbrucker with The Joyce Theater Foundation Award. In 2012, the Denver Bonfils-Stanton Foundation granted Jean- Philippe a Livingston Fellowship in recogni­tion of his significant leadership role in Col­orado’s non-profit sector. A naturalized U.S. citizen, Jean-Philippe is proud to have forged a company alive with American ideals of en­ergy, invention, popularity, and eclecticism.

ALEJANDRO CERRUDO (Choreographer). Born in Madrid, Spain, received his training at the Real Conser­vatorio Professional de Danza de Madrid. After becoming a professional dancer in 1998, Cerrudo’s dance career has been shaped and enriched by various dance companies including Vic­tor Ullate Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater 2 and, since 2005, by Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. In 2008 Cerrudo was named Hubbard Street Choreographic Fel­low and became the company’s first Resident Choreographer in 2009. Cerrudo has creat­ed several works for Hubbard Street and for the company’s unique collaborations with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Ned­erlands Dans Theater. Cerrudo’s works are performed by dance companies around the U.S. and the world, including Germany, Den­mark, The Netherlands and Australia. Always dancing and constantly creating, Cerrudo was honored with an award from The Boomerang Fund for Artists in 2011.

NORBERT DE LA CRUZ III (Choreographer), born in the Philippines and raised in Los Angeles, CA, began his artistic journey at 13 years of age. He trained at the Gabri­ella Axelrad Foundation, studied at The LA County High School for the Arts, American Ballet Theatre NYC, San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Lines Ballet, Northwest Professional Dance Project, Netherlands Dans Theatre Dance Course, and graduated from The Juilliard School in 2010 with a BFA in dance. Norbert has danced professionally with Aszure Barton & Artists, Balletto Teatro di Torino, Gallim, Sydney Skybetter & Asso­ciates, Lustig Dance Theatre, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, and is now a current company mem­ber with Complexions Contemporary Ballet. As an emerging choreographer and perform­ing artist, Norbert was awarded the Jerome Robbins Foundation’s NEW Essential Works Grant, the finalist winner of Hubbard Street 2’s National Choreographic Competition, and has recently received the 2012 Princess Grace Foundation Award under choreogra­phy - premiering his first commission with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. He continues to pur­sue his passion in choreography and move­ment invention and thrives to continue danc­ing with a high emphasis on his artistry as a means to manifest progressive change in the dance world.

JORMA ELO (Choreogra­pher). Finnish-born Jorma Elo is one of the most sought-after choreographers in the world. Elo, who was named Resident Choreographer of Boston Bal­let in 2005, was singled out as a “talent to follow” by Anna Kisselgoff in her 2004 Year in Review for The New York Times. It was an astute observation. He has since created numerous works in the US and internation­ally, including Slice to Sharp for New York City Ballet, Glow-Stop and C. to C. (Close to Chuck) for American Ballet Theatre, Dou­ble Evil for San Francisco Ballet, Carmen for Boston Ballet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Vienna State Opera Ballet, Pur ti Miro for National Ballet of Canada, 10 to Hyper M for Royal Danish Ballet, and Offcore for Finnish National Ballet. His From All Sides debuted in 2007 for Hubbard Street Dance Chica­go, to a commissioned score from Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Mead Composer-in- Residence, Mark Anthony Turnage, and the piece was conducted by Maestro Esa-Pekka Salonen. Elo trained with the Finnish Na­tional Ballet School and the Kirov Ballet School in Leningrad. Prior to joining Nether­lands Dance Theater in 1990, he danced with Finnish National Ballet from 1978 through 1984 and Cullberg Ballet from 1984 to 1990. For Boston Ballet, Elo has created six world premieres: Sharp Side of Dark (2002), Plan to B (2004), Carmen (2006), Brake the Eyes (2007), In On Blue (2008), and Le Sacre du Printemps (2009). Elo has received com­missions from Netherlands Dance Theatre 1, Basel Ballet, Houston Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, Norwegian National Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Royal Ballet of Flanders, Stockholm 59° North, Alberta Ballet, Sta­atstheater Nurnberg, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet and Ballet X. He is also a skilled designer of costumes, lighting and video effects for his ballets. The 2005 Helsinki International Bal­let Competition awarded Elo a choreograph­ic prize and he is the recipient of the Prince Charitable Trust Prize and the Choo-San Goh Choreographic Award in 2006. Dance Maga­zine (April, 2007) featured Elo on their cover with a corresponding article, Pointe Maga­zine named him a Dance VIP of 2006, and Esquire Magazine named him a “Master Art­ist” in 2008.