Festival Ballet Providence to Present Works by Balanchine and Plotnikov

Festival Ballet Providence's (FBP) acclaimed Black Box Theatre series Up Close on Hope will feature one of the most popular works by iconic choreographer George Balanchine, in addition to two vastly different works by resident choreographer Viktor Plotnikov. The program will also include a pair of works by former Boston Ballet principal dancer Yury Yanowsky and a new collaboration between company dancer Ty Parmenterand storyteller Valerie Tutson. This popular Black Box series gives audiences a perspective on dance unlike any other, providing an experience that is both intimate and breathtaking. The first of two unique programs in the company's 2016-2017 Season runs November 4-6 and 11-12, 2016.

Allegro Brillante, a fast-paced, intricately designed work, is a delightfully energetic exploration of movement and musicality, inspired by and set to the last completed composition of Tchaikovsky's lifetime, the single-movement Piano Concerto No. 3. George Balanchine-one of the most prolific and influential choreographers in the history of Ballet-said this 1956 tour de force is a "concentrated essay in the extended classical vocabulary, in which a maximum amount of choreographic development is contained within a rather restricted area of time and space. It contains everything I know about the classical ballet in 13 minutes."

The ballet is being reconstructed for the company under the guest direction of Elyse Borne, a répétiteur with the George Balanchine Trust and a former soloist with New York City Ballet. "I'm pleased that the Balanchine Trust sent Elyse to re-stage this for the company," said Mihailo Djuric Artistic Director, noting that she previously set Allegro for FBP in 2006. "She knows this ballet intimately and is precise and demanding with this work," Djuric said. FBP is one of only two companies in New England with the artistic talent and resources to regularly earn the permission of the Balanchine Trust to perform his works (Boston Ballet is the other).

The program will also feature two vastly different works by Viktor Plotnikov, FBP's resident choreographer, which taken together illustrate his choreographic range and depth. Swan is a contemporary reimagining of the early 20th century solo Dying Swan, made famous by iconic ballerina Anna Pavlova. Plotnikov's version is also set to Saint-Saëns's cello solo Le Cygne, but reinterprets the piece for two dancers who together represent the body and soul of the dying Swan. In stark contrast is Plotnikov's eccentric ensemble work Sharps & Flats, first premiered in 2014 at The Vets. The ballet illustrates and exploits the eccentricities of classical music and musicians, replete with a scatterbrained composer, egocentric musicians, and an overbearing conductor trying to hold his/her orchestra together.

The diverse program will also feature innovative new works including a collaboration between choreographer Ty Parmenter and acclaimed Rhode Island storyteller Valerie Tutson. The new piece will fuse Tutson's captivating energy with Parmenter's complex and grounded style. Parmenter has previously choreographed for Up Close on Hope though this will be the first collaboration with Tutson. Former Boston Ballet principal dancer Yury Yanowsky will contribute a pair of works to the program. Yanowsky previously choreographed for FBP between 2006 and 2009 and also performed with the FBP company on tour in 2011; he retired from Boston Ballet in 2015.

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