New York Premiere of Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO Set for Joyce Theater

The Joyce Theater Foundation, Inc. (Linda Shelton, Executive Director) is proud to present the New York premiere of Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO, a program of works featuring an exceptional company of dancers, including Simkiin's fellow American Ballet Theatre members Isabella Boylston, Alexandre Hammoudi, Blaine Hoven, Calvin Royal III, Hee Seo, Cassandra Trenary and James Whiteside and guest artist Céline Cassone. Featuring works by acclaimed choreographers Gregory Dolbashian, Alexander Ekman, Jorma Elo and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, this must-see event will take place from January 5-10 at The Joyce Theater. Tickets range in price from $10-$75 and can be purchased through JoyceCharge at www.Joyce.org, or by calling 212-242-0800. Please note: ticket prices are subject to change. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street.

In one of NYC's most highly anticipated cultural events of the new year, American Ballet Theatre Principal Daniil Simkin, joined by an outstanding collection of dancers, performs Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO, a program of works by four of the world's most acclaimed choreographers working today. During this engagement, audiences will have the rare treat of seeing several ABT artists on The Joyce's intimate stage. Scheduled to appear are celebrated company members Isabella Boylston, Alexandre Hammoudi, Blaine Hoven, Calvin Royal III , Hee Seo, Cassandra Trenaryand James Whiteside, as well as Céline Cassone, a special guest artist from Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal. These renowned dancers will be performing works by choreographers Gregory Dolbashian (the creative work for five dancers, Welcome a Stranger), Alexander Ekman (the biographical Simkin and the Stage), Jorma Elo (Nocturne/Etude/Prelude, a trio set to a combo of classical music by Bach and Chopin) and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (the exciting Island of Memories, set to Max Richter's Four Seasons).

Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO marks the first venture from Joyce Theater Productions, a newly created producing arm of The Joyce Theater developed in partnership with the Toronto-based Sunny Artist Management. Joyce Productions aims to create and tour new projects that feature today's most thrilling and acclaimed choreographers and dancers.

Performances of the New York premiere of Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO will take place from January 5-10 at The Joyce Theater (175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street) according to the following schedule: Tuesday-Wednesday 7:30pm; Thursday-Friday 8pm; Saturday 2pm & 8pm; Sunday 2pm. Curtain Chat, a free post-performance talkback with the artists, will take place on Wednesday, January 6. This enlightening discussion is open to all patrons attending that evening's performance. Tickets range in price from $10 to $75 and can be purchased through JoyceCharge at (212) 242-0800 or online at www.Joyce.org. Please note: ticket prices are subject to change. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street. For more information, please visit www.Joyce.org.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Daniil Simkin (Creator and Dancer) is one of the most accomplished dancers in the world. Born in Novosibirsk, Russia in 1987, Simkin started performing at the age of six. In his early years, he danced with his father in Germany and received professional training from his mother at the age of ten. When he was 12, Simkin began participating in ballet competitions and galas around the world. In 2006, he joined the Vienna State Opera as a demi-soloist. Only one year later, in 2007, he danced his first principal role, Basillo in Don Quixote , as a guest with the Lithuanian National Opera. Simkin went on to join American Ballet Theatre as a soloist in October of 2008, and became a Principal Dancer in 2012. Since joining American Ballet Theatre, Simkin has performed a repertoire that includes the Bronze Idol in La Bayadère, the Ballet Dancer in The Bright Stream, Franz in Coppélia, Ali and Lankendem in Le Corsaire, Basilio and the Lead Gypsy in Don Quixote, Puck in The Dream, the first sailor in Fancy Free, the Flames of Paris pas de deux, the peasant pas de deux in Giselle, Lescaut in Manon, Kolia in A Month in the Country, the Nutcracker Prince in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, Lensky in Onegin, the Son in Prodigal Son, Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, Boy With Matted Hair in Shadowplay , Prince Désiré and the Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty, the pas de deux from Stars and Stripes, Prince Siegfried and Benno in Swan Lake, Gurn in La Sylphide, Eros and a Goat in Sylvia, the Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux and roles in Allegro Brillante, Black Tuesday, The Brahms-Haydn Variations, Company B, Duets, In the Upper Room, The Leaves Are Fading, One of Three, Piano Concerto #1, Sinfonietta and Symphony in C. He created the Chinese Dance in Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, Bluebird in Ratmansky's The Sleeping Beauty, Ariel in The Tempest and roles in Everything Doesn't Happen at Once and Troika. In 2006, Simkin was awarded the Senior Gold Medal at the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson. He was also awarded the Gloria Grand Prix in the International Ballet Competition Helsinki in 2005, First Prize and Gold Medal at the 21st International Ballet Competition in Varna in 2004, and several other awards.

Isabella Boylston (Dancer) was born in Sun Valley, Idaho. She trained at Harid Conservatory in Florida, before joining American Ballet Theatre's Studio Company. Boylston joined the corps de ballet of ABT in 2007, and was promoted to Soloist in 2011. In 2014, she was promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer. Her repertory with the company includes principal roles in Giselle, Swan Lake, La Bayadère, Don Quixote, The Bright Stream, Firebird, and The Sleeping Beauty, andworks by Balanchine and Robbins. She originated numerous leading roles in works by Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, Benjamin Millepied and Liam Scarlett. Boylston won the 2009 Princess Grace Award and was nominated for the 2010 Prix Benois de la Danse. In 2011, she received the Clive Barnes Award. She is the recipient of the 2014 Annenberg fellowship. Recently, she has appeared as a guest star with the Mariinsky Ballet in St Petersburg, the Royal Danish Ballet, and the National Ballet of China.

Céline Cassone (Dancer) was born in France and began studying dance as a child at the Conservatoire National de Danse d'Avignon. In 1993, she joined the Deutsch Oper Berlin for one year and the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe for four years. She then enrolled in the Béjart Ballet Lausanne, directed by Maurice Béjart, where she performed many solo roles. In 1999, she joined the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève as a soloist. Céline took part in many innovative contemporary productions while also working with internationally renowned choreographers. She performed in several international galas and received the Étoile de Ballet 2000 dance award in 2006. Céline became an independent artist in 2008, willing to accept a variety of new challenges. She was part of Morphoses, Christopher Wheeldon's company, and worked with choreographer Benjamin Millepied. She joined Les Ballets Jazz de Montrèal in 2008 as principal dancer and has been the Artistic Coordinator since 2009.

Gregory Dolbashian (Choreographer) is one of the most accomplished dancers and choreographers of his time. Hewas born and raised in New York City, where he made his professional stage debut at the young age of eight with the Gilmmerglass Opera Company. Shortly after, he was cast in the Phillip Glass/Robert Wilson world tour of Einstein on the Beach. Dolbashian has gone on to win numerous competitions and awards for his work, including the Pretty Creatives Competition for Northwest Dance Project, The Hubbard Street 2 international choreographic competition, and he placed second in the Ballet Austin's New American Talent competition. He has also received commissions from Atlanta Ballet, TU Dance Minnesota, and CityDance Ensemble in Washington, D.C. Dolbashian received his training from the Alvin Ailey School on a fellowship scholarship, and graduated cum laude from the SUNY Purchase dance conservatory where he studied composition with Kazuko Hirabayashi. He has gone on to dance and choreograph with an array of accomplished artists and companies, such as Patrick Corbin, Nelly van Bommel, Sylvain Emard, and the Chicago Ballet.

Alexander Ekman (Choreographer) is an internationally sought after choreographer producing entertaining works of artistic integrity within the contemporary and classical dance world. Mr. Ekman has created 35 works to date that have been performed worldwide by companies such as Boston Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, Norwegian National Ballet, Sydney Dance Company, Dresden Semperoper Ballet, Wiener Staatsballett, São Paulo City Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet and Les Ballets de Monte Carlo. Mr. Ekmans's works are known for their clever ideas, fast-paced choreography, and abundance of humor. He also composes music and creates set and costume designs for his own pieces. Mr. Ekman also creates unique performances that integrate different artistic disciplines. In 2012, he incorporated pop singer Alicia Keys into his choreographic work Tuplet for her annual Black Ball event in New York City. This work was originally made for Cedar Lake Dance Company and utilized a score that was created with the dancers' own rhythmic impulses and employed their bodies as percussion instruments. In 2014, Mr. Ekman made his debut on the main stage of the Norwegian Opera House with a surrealist interpretation of the classic ballet Swan Lake. During this groundbreaking performance, with design by Hendrik Vibskov and a new musical score by composer Mikael Karlsson, Mr. Ekman transformed the stage into an actual lake.

Jorma Elo (Choreographer) is Finnish-born andis one of the dance world's most sought-after choreographers. He was named Resident Choreographer of Boston Ballet in 2005. Mr. Elo trained with the Finnish National Ballet School and the Kirov Ballet School in Leningrad. Prior to joining Nederlands Dans Theater in 1990, he danced with Finnish National Ballet and Cullberg Ballet. Mr. Elo has created more than 60 ballets for over 30 companies worldwide, including, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, America Ballet Theatre, Bolshoi Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater. Mr. Elo was awarded the 2011 Benois de la Danse prize and the Helsinki International Ballet Competition's choreographic prize in 2005. He was the recipient of the Prince Charitable Trust Prize and the Choo-San Goh Choreographic Award in 2006.

Blaine Hoven (Dancer) was born in Mobile, Alabama andbegan his training at Mobile Ballet under the direction of Winthrop Corey and Ann Duke. During his high school years, he trained at the North Carolina School of the Arts with Melissa Hayden, Warren Conover, Fanchon Cordell, Nina Danilova and Susan McKee McCullough. Hoven received American Ballet Theatre's National Training Scholarship from 1999 through 2002 and attended ABT's Summer Intensive for five summers. Hoven joined ABT's Studio Company in September 2003 and the main Company as a member of the corps de ballet in April 2004. His repertoire with the Company includes the Lead Mazurka/Czardas inCoppélia, Bottom in The Dream, the peasant pas de deux in Giselle, the Standard Bearer in The Green Table, Known by Heart pas de deux, Des Grieux in Lady of the Camellias, Cassio in Othello, Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, the Russian Dance in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, Lensky in Onegin, the Bluebird, Bluebird and a Fairy Cavalier inThe Sleeping Beauty, the Neapolitan Dance in Swan Lake, Caliban in The Tempest and roles in Airs, Bach Partita, Baker's Dozen, Brief Fling, C. to C. (Close to Chuck), Clear, Désir, In the Upper Room, Mozartiana, One of Three, Overgrown Path, Private Light, Raymonda Divertissements, Sinfonietta, Thirteen Diversions and Troika. He created the Spanish Dance in Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, the Italian Prince in Ratmansky's The Sleeping Beauty and roles in Aftereffect, Citizen, Everything Doesn't Happen at Once, From Here On Out, Glow - Stop andPretty Good Year. Hoven was a recipient of the 2008 Princess Grace Award as well as receiving a specially designated award, the Chris Hellman Dance Award, awarded to one recipient in the dance category each year.

Alexandre Hammoudi (Dancer) was born in Paris, France and began his training at age seven with Max Bozzoni of the Paris Opera Ballet. He continued his training at the Academy of Dance Salle Pleyel in Paris from 1996-1999, received further training at the English National Ballet School in London, and most recently, at the School of American Ballet. Hammoudi has won numerous international competitions, including, the Trophee Arabesque and the Biarritz Dance Competition. At 16, Hammoudi became a member of the National Ballet of Cuba and toured South America with that company. Hammoudi joined ABT's Studio Company in 2002, joined the main Company as an apprentice in April 2003, and became a member of the Company's corps de ballet in April 2004. He was appointed a Soloist in July 2012. His repertory with the Company includes the Rajah in La Bayadère, Pyotr and the Lead Highlander in The Bright Stream , a Cavalier in Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, Lead Mazurka/Czardas in Coppélia, Espada in Don Quixote, Duo Concertant, Ivan in Alexei Ratmansky's Firebird, Albrecht in Giselle, The Man She Must Marry in Jardin aux Lilas, the Jailer in Manon, The Moor in The Moor's Pavane, the Nutcracker Prince in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, Olga's Fiancé in On the Dnieper, Friend of the Family in Pillar of Fire, Romeo and Paris in Romeo and Juliet, Prince Désire in The Sleeping Beauty, Prince Siegfried and von Rothbart (Ballroom) in Swan Lake, Orion and Apollo in Sylvia, a featured role in Brief Fling and roles in Black Tuesday, The Brahms-Haydn Variations, Clear, Continuo, Désir, Glow-Stop, The Leaves Are Fading, Overgrown Path, Private Light, Raymonda Divertissements, Symphony #9 andSymphony in C. He created the Spanish Dance in Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, the Spanish Prince in Ratmansky'sThe Sleeping Beauty and roles in Everything Doesn't Happen at Once, From Here On Out, Pretty Good Year, Seven Sonatas, Sinfonietta and Thirteen Diversions. Hammoudi has been dancing all over Spain as a guest artist with Angel Corella and Stars of American Ballet.

Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (Choreographer) is Colombo-Belgian and, since 2003, has been active as a freelance choreographer. She was hailed "rising star of the Dutch dance scene" (NRC) and only 7 years later the Temecula Performing Arts Examiner wrote: "Ochoa is truly a masterful choreographer with an edge for what dance can and should be in this constantly changing industry." Annabelle is a sought-after choreographer who has created works for many companies around the globe such as the Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, Dutch National Ballet, Djazzex, Ballet de Genève, Royal Ballet of Flanders, Gothenburg Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, BalletX, BJM-Danse Montreal, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Ballet National de Marseille, Saarbrucken Ballet, Jacoby & Pronk, Chemnitzer Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, Whim W'Him, IncolBallet de Colombia, Finnish National Ballet, CND Madrid, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Scottish Ballet, Washington Ballet, Ballet Nacional Dominicano, Ballet Saarbrucken, Augsburg Ballet, Ballet Austin, Atlanta Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, Ballet Moscow, Ballet Nacional de Cuba, West Australian Ballet, Danza Contemporanea de Cuba, Ballet Nacional Chileno, Ballett am Gartnerplatz, Ballet Manila and Joffrey Ballet. Ms. Ochoa has won several awards, among them "Best classical choreography" by the National Dance Award UK, the South Bank Sky Arts Award and a nomination for the prestigious Olivier Award for her production, A Streetcar named Desire, created for the Scottish Ballet.

Calvin Royal III (Dancer) began his formal training at the Pinellas County Center for the Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida. He was a finalist at the Youth America Grand Prix Competition NYC in April 2006, and joined the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at ABT in September as the recipient of the Ethan Stiefel Scholarship. Royal joined ABT II (now the ABT Studio Company) in December 2007, and the main Company as a corps de ballet member in April 2011. His repertoire with the Company includes, Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, the Recruit in Alexei Ratmansky's TheNutcracker , the Spanish Prince and Prince Fortune in The Sleeping Beauty, Benno in Swan Lake, Jaseion in Sylvia, and principal and soloist roles in Bach Partita, Black Tuesday, Clear, Duets, Piano Concerto #1, Raymonda Divertissements, Seven Sonatas, Sinfonietta and Thirteen Diversions. He created a role in Marcelo Gomes' Aftereffect. In January 2014, Royal was nominated for the Clive Barnes Award, and named one of Dance Magazine's "Top 25 to Watch." In addition, Royal was the winner of a grant from the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship Fund.

Hee Seo (Dancer) was born in Seoul, South Korea andbegan her ballet training in her hometown at the Sunhwa Arts Middle School. She was awarded a three-year full scholarship to continue her training at the Universal Ballet Academy in Washington, D.C. In 2003, Seo won a scholarship to train at the John Cranko Ballet Academy in Stuttgart. She is the recipient of the 2003 Prix de Lausanne Award and the 2003 Grand Prix at the Youth American Grand Prix in New York. Seo joined the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company in 2004 and the main Company as an Apprentice in May 2005 and the corps de ballet in March 2006. Her repertoire with the Company includes Polyhymnia in Apollo, Nikiya, Gamzatti, the Lead D'Jampe and a Shade in La Bayadère, Cinderella in Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, Twig in James Kudelka's Cinderella, Prayer in Coppélia, Mercedes and a flower girl in Don Quixote, the Glove Seller in Gaîté Parisienne, Giselle and Zulma in Giselle, Olympia in Lady of the Camellias, The Moor's Wife in The Moor's Pavane, Natalia Petrovna in A Month in the Country, Clara, the Princess and one of the Nutcracker's Sisters in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, Natalia in On the Dnieper, Tatiana in Onegin, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Princess Aurora, the Lilac Fairy, the Fairy of Sincerity and Princess Florine in The Sleeping Beauty, Odette-Odile, the pas de trois, the Polish Princess and a big swan in Swan Lake, the Sylph in La Sylphide, the Prelude in Les Sylphides, Ceres in Sylvia, Thaïs Pas de Deux and roles in Ballo della Regina, Birthday Offering, The Brahms-Haydn Variations, Chamber Symphony, Dark Elegies, Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes, Duets, From Here On Out, The Leaves Are Fading, Overgrown Path, Raymonda Divertissements, Seven Sonatas and Thirteen Diversions. She also created a leading role in With a Chance of Rain. Seo was appointed a Soloist in August 2010 and a Principal Dancer for American Ballet Theatre in July 2012.

Cassandra Trenary (Dancer) began her dance training in Lawrenceville, Georgia under the direction of Phyllis Allen at Lawrenceville School of Ballet. She received additional training at the Regional Dance America conventions and Brookwood High School's dance department. From 2007-2010 Cassandra received a full scholarship to attend the American Ballet Theatre's Summer Intensive in NY where she was invited to join the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of ABT. She went on to tour with the ABT's studio company in 2011 and upon her return became an Apprentice with ABT that same year. Since beginning her professional career, Cassandra has had the honor of performing Corps, Solo and Principal roles in both contemporary and full length Ballets with ABT. Trenary has also guested in various galas and companies internationally. Some notable roles include Princess Florine in ABT's Sleeping Beauty, Demis Volpi's Private Light and Little Sister in Antony Tudor's Pillar of Fire. Also included in her repertoire is the Sugar Plum fairy in The Nutcracker, the Diana and Acteon pas de deux and the Flames of Paris pas de deux. She is a YoungArts winner, a Presidential Scholar in the Arts Nominee and was named one of DANCE Magazine's "Top 25 to Watch" in 2013. Currently touring with Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO, Cassandra is excited to continue exploring different vocabularies of movement and pushing herself artistically.

James Whiteside (Dancer) was born in Fairfield, Connecticut. He began his training at the D'Valda & Sirico Dance and Music Centre, and continued his studies at the Virginia School of the Arts. In 2002, Whiteside joined Boston Ballet II where he rose through the ranks and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2009. Whiteside joined American Ballet Theatre as a Soloist in 2012, and was named a Principal Dancer in 2013. Highlights of Whiteside's repertoire include male leads most performed in the classical ballet canon, such as works by George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Jirí Kylián, Alexei Ratmansky, Jerome Robbins, and Twyla Tharp. He has originated roles in many works, including Jorma Elo's Brake the Eyes and Plan to B, Pontus Lidberg's Written On Water, Mark Morris's Up & Down, Justin Peck's Year of the Dog, and Liam Scarlett's With a Chance of Rain. Recently he performed as a guest star with The National Ballet of Canada.