Diablo Ballet Announces New Dance Laboratory

Founded in 2022 by Diablo Ballet dancer Felipe Leon, Dance Laboratory is a residency program that has offered four local Bay Area choreographers to have an unconstrained space to dream, develop and express an innovative new work featuring Diablo Ballet dancers.

Choreographers will be provided with the tools to create new work including professional dancers, rehearsal time, studio space, and the opportunity to showcase their creation. One of the works will then be selected to be part of Diablo Ballet's 2022-23 season.

This platform has offered new and experienced choreographers the opportunity to explore their creativity, gain experience and reach their full potential as choreographers and artists. The chosen choreographers for Diablo Ballet's first Dance Laboratory are Milissa Payne Bradley, Marika Brussel, Diablo Ballet dancer Amanda Farris and Nol Simonse. The culmination of their work will be performed on June 5th at 2:00 and 4:00 pm at Diablo Ballet's Studio Theatre in Pleasant Hill. The audience will have the opportunity to vote on which work they like the most and the ballet that is chosen, will be featured in the Company's 2022/2023 at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, California.

Inclusion and diversity are the core principles that drive Dance Laboratory. As such, a percentage of the profit from Dance Laboratory's performances will go torwards The LGBT Asylum Project, the only San Francisco nonprofit organization exclusively dedicated to providing accessible legal representation for LGBT asylum seekers who are fleeing persecution due to their sexual orientation, gender identity and/or HIV status.

The Founder of Dance Laboratory, Felipe Leon states, "Dance Laboratory is a celebration of bringing a proud community together that embraces members from all walks of life through the fine art of dancing."

The First Edition of Dance Laboratory performs June 5th at Diablo Ballet's Studios - 1948 Oak Park Blvd., in Pleasant Hill. Tickets are $20 per person with a portion of the sales going to The LGBT Asylum Project. Please note that Covid protocols are in place. Proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 will be required to attend and will be checked at the door. Also masks are required to be worn indoors by all guests, regardless of vaccination status. Masks must fully cover your mouth and nose.

To purchase tickets, visit www.diabloballet.org/dancelaboratory. For additional information, email diablo@diabloballet.org. Tickets will be limited to 40 guests per show.