Christopher Wheeldon Chairs vildwerk. Gala

vildwerk., the NYC-based dance company, is the world's first non-profit organization solely dedicated to raising global environmental conservation awareness through dance and the performing arts. vildwerk. is a community of artists, conservationists, writers, thought-leaders, key influencers, business people and philanthropists who want to help make this planet a sustainable home for everyone.

Its mission is to help protect and preserve this beautiful planet by inspiring and educating through the performing arts, to save, rewild and restore biodiversity locally and globally.

The company was founded by lawyer Chiara Gorodesky, who has worked extensively in dance and conservation for many years, including for The Ballet Association in London supporting the Royal Ballet companies, Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet.

On May, 1st 2023, vildwerk. will welcome supporters and friends for a gala dinner at The Bowery Hotel Ballroom, chaired by Christopher Wheeldon, celebrating the beauty of our planet, reminding that each of us needs to help protect it and all its inhabitants.

Joshua Beamish/MOVETHECOMPANY choreographer and Artistic Director, will present a newly created solo at the dinner entitled The Golden Tortoise danced by former Royal Ballet Principal, Mara Galeazzi. The solo will raise awareness about the almost extinct and heavily trafficked Ploughshare Tortoise of Madagascar. Beamish collaborated with conservationists Professor Russell Mittermeier, Chief Conservation Officer at Re:Wild, and Professor James Juvik, Senior Conservation Scientist at Turtle Conservancy, during the creation stage of the work to music by award winning Mexican composer Felipe Pérez Santiago.

Further dinner performances will include performances by Principal Met Opera Orchestra Cellists, Dorothea and Rafael Figueroa, including the world premier of David K. Israel's Windansea, and a special appearance from select children of leading Manhattan choirs singing "Grow Little Tree" by Andrea Ramsey, conducted by Amber Salladin, with choreography by former Alvin Ailey Dance Theater Principal, Briana Reed, danced by Cassandra Longville.

vildwerk.'s inaugural season in 2024 will present a medley of environmentally themed works by various choreographers, including Joshua Beamish, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Yin Yue, Briana Reed and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa in collaboration with leading environmental wildlife conservationists and global NGOs.

Celebrating the beauty and diversity of this fragile planet the audience will be emotionally inspired to help protect earth and support conservation organizations in their efforts to save our planet. Each work will have a different theme, be it oceans, jungles or the stories of individual animals threatened with extinction reminding us that we are all connected.

Photo by Jason Ashwood.

 

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!