Cristian Laverde König to Appear as Guest Artist in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet

Cristian Laverde König, former principal dancer of the Milwaukee Ballet, will appear as a guest artist in the Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet's production of Beauty and the Beast on April 6 and 7, 2024 at the Riverview Theatre in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Cristian Laverde König was born in Colombia and received his early ballet training at the Incolballet (Colombian Institute of Ballet) in Cali, Colombia. Mr. König pursued his studies at the National School of Ballet in Havana, Cuba, where he was given a full scholarship for two consecutive years. He was a finalist at the first and second International Ballet Competition for students held in Havana, Cuba. Upon graduation, in 1996, he joined the National Ballet of Cuba as a member of the corps de ballet.

Mr. König joined the Ballet de Cali as a soloist in 1997. Upon pursuing his career in the United States, Mr. König joined the Hartford Ballet as a soloist in 1998, and in 1999, joined Ballet Internationale as a soloist.

In 2000 Mr. König joined the Maximum Dance Company as a principal dancer.

Mr. König's repertoire includes principal roles in Don Quixote, Le Corsaire, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, La Bayadere, and Coppelia, The Flames of Paris Pas de Deux, Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, Diana and Acteon Pas de Deux, Flower Festival At Genzano Pas de Deux, Napoli Act III, Raymonda Pas de Dix, Pas de Deux from Romeo and Juliet, La Bayadere, and Spartacus, and George Balanchine's Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, Valse Fantaisie, Agon, and Rubies, Antony Tudor's The Leaves Are Fading Pas de Deux, Twyla Tharp's Sinatra Suite, Martha Graham's Diversion of Angels, Natalya Kasatkina and Vladimir Vasilyov's Creation of the World, Alberto Mendez's Munecos (Dolls), Nacho Duato's Por vos Muero, Spencer Gavin Hering's Dichotomy, Andrea Dawn Shelley's Invonice, and Ivan Tenorio's Cantata.

With the Maximum Dance Company Mr. König danced principal roles in David Palmer's Bound for Brubeck, Yanis Pikieris' and David Palmer's elements and Adiemus, KT Nelson's Below The Rim, Ivonice Satie's Arroq, and Yanis Pikieris' Imagined Notions and Lecuna Passion.

Mr. König has created roles in David Palmers' Einsled, Passing Through, and Mist, Yanis Pikieris' and David Palmer's Follow Me, Spectrum, Random Studies, Romantic Interludes, and The Rite of Spring, Yanis Pikieris' The Four Seasons, Paolo Mohovich's Hotel Presidente, Ruslan Gawriljuk's O Encontro, and Jean Christophe Blavier's Sky Is The Limit.

In 2005 Mr. König joined the Milwaukee Ballet as a principal dancer. Mr. König expanded his repertoire to include the role of Jonathan Harker in the Christopher Gable/Michael Pink production of Dracula.

In 2007 Mr. König left the Milwaukee Ballet to pursue a career as a freelance guest artist, and in 2009 he appeared with the National Ballet of Slovakia as a guest soloist. He also participated in the creation of Infinite Movement Ever Evolving (iMEE) and O Dance. Mr. König has also appeared as a guest artist with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, the Oakland Ballet, and Armitage Gone! Dance.

In 2002 Mr. König was a finalist at the USA International Ballet Competition. The Governor of his home state in Colombia honored him in 2003 with an award for “Outstanding Achievements in the Arts Abroad”. He was invited by the Consulate General of Colombia in Houston to be featured in the gala, “Talento Inspirado”, showcasing important Colombian artists widely recognized.

Mr. König has toured extensively throughout many countries and has appeared as a guest artist in Japan, Brazil, and Guatemala. He has also appeared as a guest artist in the National Ballet of Panama's production of The Sleeping Beauty, the Ballet de Cali's production of The Nutcracker, Ballet Anna Pavlova's Don Quixote, and the Yung Ballet of Costa Rica's premiere of The Sleeping Beauty.

Mr. König has also appeared as a guest artist with many regional ballet companies in the United States including Ballet Florida and the Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre. He has also worked with Karol Armitage's company and appeared with the company during its American and international tours.

He has also taken great pride in representing his country dancing in international ballet festivals in Italy, Hungary, Scotland, and Cuba.

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