Ohio Contemporary Ballet Performs CLEVELAND INSPIRATIONS Next Month

Ohio Contemporary Ballet presents, Cleveland Inspirations, a program on February 10, 2024, at the Breen Center for the Performing Arts featuring two world premieres based on local Cleveland history plus the last chance to see Gerald Arpino’s, Celebration. Robert Gardner has re-imagined Bacchanale, a work made famous by the great ballerina, Anna Pavlova. While the actual choreography is lost, sculptor Malvina Hoffman preserved much it with 26 friezes of poses from the ballet along with a life-size bronze sculpture that sits in the outdoor gardens of the Cleveland Museum of Art. As it was being sculpted, it was overseen by Pavlova to maintain absolute balletic accuracy. Choreographer Francisco Gella will create a work based on the story of Daisy ‘Hill’, the companion and friend of the Van Sweringen brothers, visionary developers of the Terminal Tower, the RTA system, Shaker Heights and many other Cleveland notables. 
 
Choreographer Robert Gardner was commissioned by Ohio Contemporary Ballet to create a ballet based on Anna Pavlova’s, Bacchanale. Pavlova is known as the world’s prima ballerina assoluta. Hitting her peak in the 1920’s, and forever known for her rendition of The Dying Swan, unknown to many is that she also choreographed. Those few works are lost to history but one, Bacchanale, was preserved by the sculptor, Malvina Hoffman. Pavlova and Hoffman’s friendship and subsequent partnership resulted in the creation of 26 friezes and one life-size sculpture of the ballet. Abraham Garfield, nephew of President Garfield and a Cleveland architect, commissioned Malvina Hoffman to make a life-sized copy of her original 14 inch tall sculpture, Bacchanale Russe for his client business leader and philanthropist, Henry G. Dalton. The original Dalton Bacchanale is currently in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art and is located out of doors on the southeast corner of the museum grounds. Choreographer Gardner reimagined the ballet choreographed by Pavlova referencing the artwork as historical inspiration. He embraced Pavlova's iconic expressive and emotive style of ballet.
 
Award winning choreographer, Francisco Gella, has been commissioned to create a work based on the stories and rumors that surround Daisy (Jenks) Hill. The Van Sweringen brothers were prominent Cleveland developers who eventually resided at their mansion named, Daisy Hill in the Hunting Valley suburb. The estate was named after their friend and neighbor Mrs. Daisy Jenks. The influence she had over the Van Sweringen’s helped shape Cleveland’s architectural scene and transportation system. Their relationship has been shrouded in mystery and rumors of a tunnel connecting their homes and her inclination to dance at social events with wild abandonment. Perhaps she was influenced by the great Isadora Duncan? She and her husband made their fortunes in the South African mining industry and assisted the brothers with their capital investments. Whatever the real truth, Daisy was an independent woman who carved her own way amongst a male dominated world and defied expectations about female behavior.
 
Gella will be in residence January 15-26, 2024. Born in Bacolod City, Philippines, Gella now resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Francisco had a successful performance career with PHILADANCO, Repertory Dance Theater and Ballet Pacifica. He has also been a guest performer with Spectrum Dance Theater, Chamber Dance Company, Seattle Opera, Pennsylvania Ballet and California Ballet. Gella’s choreographic commissions include a long roster of prestigious companies including Ballet Idaho, PHILADANCO, Repertory Dance Theatre, Ballet Pacifica and California Ballet.

This past September Ohio Contemporary Ballet was privileged to have participated in the Gerald Arpino Centennial Celebration in Chicago, amongst the best dance companies of the world. Ohio Contemporary Ballet was honored last season to have been selected by the foundation to mount Arpino’s work, Celebration. Ohio Contemporary Ballet was the first company to ever license and perform the work outside of Joffrey Ballet. Repetiteur Cameron Basden set the ballet on the company in January 2023. This will be the last chance to witness this exhilarating ballet. 
 
Ohio Contemporary Ballet performs on February 10, 2024, at 8:00pm at the Breen Center for the Performing Arts located at 2008 W. 30th St. in Cleveland. Tickets are $10-$40. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite at ocballet.org. For more information, visit www.ocballet.org.
 

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