The Wheeldon Company Returns to City Center in Fall

New York City Center will present the second annual season of Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company, October 1 – 5, 2008, featuring works by Artistic Director Christopher Wheeldon, including a U.S. premiere co-commissioned by New York City Center and Sadler's Wells Theatre, London.  Also featured will be a U.S. premiere of a new work by Canadian choreographer Emily Molnar as well as works by Lightfoot León and Sir Frederick Ashton.

The company will perform to live music each evening, including performances with full orchestra comprised of members of the Orchestra of St. Luke's. Leading dancers from major U.S. and European ballet companies will once again join the company, including Tyler Angle, Leanne Benjamin, Gonzalo Garcia, Craig Hall, Maria Kowroski, Edwaard Liang, Tiler Peck, Teresa Reichlen, Edward Watson, Wendy Whelan and others.

"We are looking forward to welcoming our newest resident company back to its New York home, following the enormous success of its inaugural season," said Arlene Shuler, President and CEO of New York City Center. "It is with great pride that we continue to encourage the development and talent of this brilliant young choreographer."  

"Morphoses is thrilled to be embarking on its second year as Guest Resident Company of New York City Center with an exciting season of dynamic ballet performances," said Christopher Wheeldon.  "City Center continues to offer us support and guidance, along with the luxury of a New York home, with the possibility to present new work by young dancemakers through its collaboration with Sadler's Wells Theatre, London."   

The U.S. premiere of Christopher Wheeldon's newest work for eight dancers, with music by Igor Stravinsky, will have its world premiere in September at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London. About his new piece, Mr. Wheeldon said, "In anticipation of next year's Ballets Russes centenary, I will create a new ballet to Pulcinella Suite by Igor Stravinsky, with designs by the vibrant and creative Isabel Toledo."

Emily Molnar's new piece is set to the music of Steve Reich's Variations for Winds, Strings and Keyboards (1979) and will also debut in September at Sadler's Wells. Molnar was named as one of Canada's "new generation of ballet sensations" (Maclean's Magazine) and works as both a choreographer and solo artist.  She is a former member of The National Ballet of Canada and Frankfurt Ballet, under director William Forsythe, and was a principal dancer with Ballet British Columbia. 

Two of Sir Frederick Ashton's classic works from the 1960's, The Dream Pas De Deux (1964) and Monotones II (1965), staged by Lynn Wallis, will be performed by Morphoses dancers Leanne Benjamin and Edward Watson (The Dream Pas De Deux), and Wendy Whelan, Adrian Danchig-Waring and Tyler Angle (Monotones II).  

Lightfoot León's Shutters Shut (2003) features two dancers in a four-minute ballet set to a poem by Gertrude Stein. Paul Lightfoot and Sol León met as dancers with Nederlands Dans Theatre in 1987. Since the beginning of their collaboration in 1991, they have created over thirty ballets for NDT. Paul Lightfoot and Sol León were named resident choreographers of the Nederlands Dans Theater in its 2002 season.

Christopher Wheeldon describes Polyphonia, choreographed in 2001 to ten eclectic piano pieces by Ligeti, as "romantic with comic twists." Created for four couples, its brief sections run the choreographic spectrum from the neoclassic to playful duets, anchored by dynamic opening and closing ensembles filled with twisting turns, jabs and quirky hard movements. Fools' Paradise, which premiered during Morphoses' inaugural season in 2007 to great acclaim, is a work for nine dancers set to The Dying Swan score by contemporary composer Joby Talbot.

Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company was formed by Christopher Wheeldon in 2007 to broaden the scope of contemporary classical ballet by marrying dance, music, visual art and design. The company is Guest Resident Company at both New York City Center and at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London. Christopher Wheeldon is Associate Artist of Sadler's Wells Theatre.

American Express is the lead sponsor of Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company at New York City Center and a proud sponsor of the Company's transatlantic season at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London.
 
New York City Center also gratefully acknowledges the generous support of The Rockefeller Foundation for the presentation of Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company at New York City Center.

New York City Center has long been known and beloved by New York audiences not only as one of the City's preeminent performing art institutions but also as an accessible and welcoming venue for dance and theater.  New York City Center produces the Tony-honored Encores! musical theater series and its new Encores! Summer Stars series, and is home to some of the country's leading dance companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, Paul Taylor Dance Company and Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company, as well as Manhattan Theatre Club, one of New York's leading theater companies. Continuing to fulfill its mission to make the arts accessible to the broadest possible audience, in 2004 New York City Center launched the acclaimed Fall for Dance Festival.  In 2006, New York City Center and Sadler's Wells Theatre, London created a partnership to facilitate the exchange of innovative dance works, and new commissions by up-and-coming and acclaimed choreographers and dance companies, both in London and New York City.

Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company will play for six performances, October 1 - 5,  at New York City Center, West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues, according to the following schedule:  Wednesday, October 1 at 7pm (Gala), Thursday, October 2 at 8pm,  Friday October 3 at 8pm, Saturday, October 4 at 2pm and 8pm, and Sunday, October 5 at 3pm. Tickets can be purchased by calling CityTix® at 212-581-1212, online at www.NYCityCenter.org or at the City Center Box Office (West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues).

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