Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami to Open its Sixth Season with an Ode to Cuban Nostalgia at The Moss Center

Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami will open it's sixth season in Miami with an exhilarating evening of dance at The Moss Center on November 12th. This main stage event at The Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center, formerly the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, highlights the company's deep latin roots in our community.

"Latin Voices" brings together four works illustrating the company's past, present, and future; illuminating the individual artistry of choreographers of varying Latin heritage. Closing out the eclectic program, Dimensions presents Septime Webre's "Juanita y Alicia," which received rave reviews for the 2018 performance on tour at The Joyce Theater in New York City. Hailed as "athletic, energetic, sexy" by Alastair Macaulay of the New York Times, Dimensions will fire up the stage once again with this audience favorite, peppered with infectious 'dance-in-your-seat' Latin rhythms, played live by Alain Garcia & his Latin Power band.

Also on the bill, Dimensions presents the South Florida premiere of Jimmy Orrante's entrancing contemporary work, "Balanced." This will be the company's second work choreographed by Princess Grace Choreographic Fellowship awardee, Mr. Orrante. This edgy ballet will invite the audience into a mysterious world, while pushing the boundaries for Dimensions dancers.

Rounding out the evening, are the newest ballets by DDTM Choreographers in Residence Yanis Pikieris, "Lecuona," and Yanis Eric Pikieris, "Hold my Hand." "Lecuona", named in honor of Cuba's own "Gershwin," pianist Ernesto Lecuona, this romantic piece brings Mr. Lecuona's music to life as only Dimensions dancers can. "Hold my Hand," a special commission by DDTM supporter Sharon Asbel, in honor of her late sister, showcases the younger Pikieris' choreographic versatility through this heartfelt, musically inspired tribute.

Celebrating Miami's community and the diverse Latin voices found within it, is an essential part of Dimensions' mission. This evening of dance encapsulates how and why Latinx artists are an important facet of the dance world. See "Latin Voices" one night only: November 12th at The Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center, formerly South Miami- Dade Cultural Arts Center.

Following the performance, audience members may join the company for a 'dance with the band and dancers', during a special VIP reception on stage. Dimensions will also perform an admission-free outreach showing of "Juanita y Alicia" for local school children, on Monday, November 14, 2022 at 11am, in conjunction with The Miss Center's Education and Outreach Department.

Performance Tickets are available on The Moss Center's website: https://bit.ly/3zhf1Vu. Admission starts at $25. VIP admission (with reception) $75. This performance is presented by The Moss Center.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS:

WHAT: Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami: Latin Voices

WHERE: The Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center, formerly South Miami- Dade Cultural Arts Center | 10950 SW 211 St., Cutler Bay, FL 33189

WHEN: Saturday, November 12, 2022 at 8pm.

TICKETS: https://bit.ly/3zhf1Vu or call 786-573-5300

About the Artists

Septime Webre - Septime Webre was Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet from 1999 to 2016, after a six-year tenure as artistic director of American Repertory Ballet in New Jersey. He is now Artistic Director of Halcyon Stage in Washington DC. Much in demand as a choreographer, Webre has created works that appear in the repertoires of many companies in North America, including Pacific Northwest Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Ballet Austin, Atlanta Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet San Jose, Kansas City Ballet and Colorado Ballet, among many others. As a dancer, he was featured in works by George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Antony Tudor, Alvin Ailey and Merce Cunningham, as well as in principal and solo roles from the classical repertoire. Webre has sat on the boards of Dance/ USA and the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington. Among his many awards, Webre received the DC Mayor's Arts Award for Visionary Leadership, Excellence in Artistic Discipline and numerous metro D.C. dance awards. He has been a recipient of a number of fellowships for his choreography. He is the seventh son in a large Cuban-American family and graduated from the University of Texas with a B.A. in history and pre-law.

Jimmy Orrante - A native of Los Angeles, he attended The Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and continued his training at The North Carolina School of The Arts. He has danced with Nevada Ballet Theatre, Memphis Ballet and 20 years with BalletMet where he had the opportunity to choreograph 15 premieres for the company. In addition to BalletMet, he has created ballets for Ballet Austin, Motion Dance Theatre, Rochester City Ballet, Ballet Arkansas, Atlanta Ballet's Wabi Sabi and UC Irvine's National Choreographers Initiative.

Yanis Pikieris - Dancer, Director, Choreographer, was the recipient of the silver medal at the first Jackson International Ballet Competition in 1979. In 1981 he was the first dancer from the western hemisphere to win the prestigious gold medal at Moscow's International Ballet Competition, launching an international career that would take him to over 50 countries around the world as one of his generations' premier dancers. He has been a principal dancer with the International Ballet of Caracas, Bavarian National Ballet-Munich, Deutsche Oper am Rhein-Dusseldorf, Miami City Ballet and Ballet du Nord-France. In 1986 Artistic Director Edward Villella invited him to join a new company; Miami City Ballet. As a founding member he astounded with his power and passion on stage and was instrumental in the initial success of the company. Along with David Palmer, Mr. Pikieris co-founded and directed Maximum Dance Company from, 1996 to 2005, and together with his wife Marielena Mencia he founded the Mencia-Pikieris School of Dance. He previously served as Artistic Director for Ballet du Nord, Juegos Dance Ensemble and the Ballet Metropolitano de Medellin. During the 06/07 season, he served as Program Director for Miami City Ballet's Contemporary Dance Series and Young People's Programming. Also in 2006 he founded the Miami Youth Ballet, a non-profit organization with the mission of providing opportunities for local young artists. He serves as National Dance Panel Chair for the YoungArts and is a member of the jury for the World Ballet Competition in Orlando, Florida. Mr. Pikieris also serves as Executive Director of the Nebrada Foundation, whose mission is to oversee the licensing and production Vicente Nebrada's choreographic works. He currently directs the Mencia-Pikieris School of Dance, the Miami Youth Ballet and works as a freelance master teacher and choreographer. He is excited to be a Founding Artistic Member of Dimensions Dance Theatre, as well as serve as a member of the company's esteemed Advisory Council.

Yanis Eric Pikieris

Yanis Eric Pikieris is a native of Miami, Florida and began his dance training with his parents, Marielena Mencia and Yanis Pikieris, at the Miami Youth Ballet. He also trained at Miami City Ballet School and with Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Patricia McBride at Charlotte Ballet Academy. As a choreographer, he has created several new works for Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami's mainstage series; including a commission for their sister company, Ballet Vero Beach, and an upcoming collaboration with Miami-based IlluminArts and Philadelphia-based acapella group, Variant 6. Pikieris is now Dimensions Dance Theatre's Artist in Residence and is a recipient of the 2021 Dance Miami Choreographers' Program award - which will help fund a major mainstage premiere in Summer 2022.

About Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami:
Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami (DDTM) was founded in 2016 by Jennifer Carlynn Kronenberg and Carlos Miguel Guerra, formerly starring principal dancers with Miami City Ballet. DDTM's mission is to connect with residents of South Florida by familiarizing them with the ever-evolving ballet art form, and enriching their lives through easily accessible performances of the highest quality. Following an "exuberant debut" (The Miami Herald) in 2016, DDTM has quickly made a name for itself as a promising young contemporary ballet company, offering a dazzling repertory catalogue often reflective of the vibrant Latin culture of its home city, Miami. Currently in residence at South Miami Dade Cultural Arts Center, the company has also performed by invitation at The Joyce Theater in NYC, Jacob's Pillow in Massachusetts, and most recently for The Kennedy Center's Arts Across America digital performance series. DDTM is funded in major part by The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, The Joselow Foundation, and South Arts. For more info please visit us at dimensionsdancemia.com.