Alonzo King LINES Ballet Announces 42nd Annual Fall Season, October 12-15

Alonzo King LINES Ballet, the internationally acclaimed contemporary ballet company, has announced its 42nd Annual Fall Season, October 12–15, at the Blue Shield of California Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

 

Alonzo King LINES Ballet will present captivating moments from its diverse repertoire, highlighting the breadth and depth of choreographer Alonzo King's vision. The Fall Season features pieces from six of King's works: Following the Subtle Current Upstream, Dust and Light, Writing Ground, Resin, Suite Etta, and Child of Sky and Earth. These works embody the full spectrum of the human experience - from the contemplative and heart-wrenching to the joyful and cathartic. 

 

LINES Ballet is widely recognized for its singular and boundary pushing artistry, its extraordinary dancers, and longstanding collaborations with some of the world's musical talents. The season seeks to answer the very basic question of what it means to be human through movement, music, and the power of sharing space and experiences.

 

The musical landscape this season will span a range of traditions, including blues, Italian baroque, pop, and jazz, as well as music from Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Tibetan Buddhist influences. Following the Subtle Current Upstream (2000) originally commissioned by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, is described by King as a “piece about how to return to joy” and features a score by tabla master Zakir Hussain and South African singer Miriam Makeba. King's ethereal Dust and Light (2009) is set to concerti by prolific Baroque composer Arcangelo Corelli and religious chants by Francis Poulenc. Writing Ground (2010), originally commissioned by the Monaco Dance Forum, draws inspiration from a poem by award-winning writer Colum McCann and features sacred early music from Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. King's 2013 work Resin is set to music by Jordi Savall and various Sephardic field recordings. Suite Etta (1997) pays homage to the musical legacy of Etta James and Child of Sky and Earth (2021), a solo originally choreographed for NYC Ballet principal dancer Tiler Peck, and commissioned by the Kennedy Center, features a score by jazz pianist Jason Moran and vocals by Gregory Porter.

 

"We've been fortunate to work with some of the greatest musicians on the planet during the past 41 years. And if you could choose masterful composers from around the world, why would you limit yourself to one genre?” says Alonzo King. “A lament is a lament, regardless of its place of origin. I simply want to work with tuning forks that vibrate truth, for movement and sound are both vibrations; they are inextricably linked." 

 

In addition to the four performances, on Sunday, October 15, at 2:30pm LINES Ballet will host a Family Experience, an immersive dance workshop designed for the whole family. Guided by LINES Ballet Teaching Artists, families will connect with Alonzo King's work and philosophy while moving, grooving, and collaborating to create a dance all their own. Families also get a sneak peek of the LINES Ballet Company Dancers in rehearsal before they take the stage for the Sunday evening performance. The cost for the Family Experience is $20, and participants will receive $5 off tickets for the performance. 

 

Alonzo King LINES Ballet, established in 1982, is a pioneering contemporary ballet company that continuously redefines the art form with innovative choreography, remarkable dancers, and groundbreaking collaborations. Under the artistic leadership of Alonzo King, the company embodies a philosophy that movement is a universal language that has the power to connect, inspire, and transform. With a rich history of acclaimed performances and influential collaborations, LINES Ballet remains committed to pushing artistic boundaries and creating transcendent experiences for audiences worldwide.

 

*photo of Shuaib Elhassan and Madeline DeVries by RJ Muna 

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