Live, Life, Love – Choreographed by Charles Askegard

This ballet uses the expressive qualities of William Grant Still’s music to explore Life in all its grounded, deeply felt complexities, joys, and enduring experiences.

Suite for Violin and Piano by William Grant Still

Performed by Jenny Chen (Piano), Tess Varley (Violin)

Movement I • Kyleigh Johnson

Movement II • Oksana Maslova, Yuval Cohen

Movement III • Siobhan Howley, Jorge Garcia

Inspired by Florence Price’s piano compositions, this work draws on the lyrical and expansive qualities of her music to explore the many forms of Love.

Music by Florence Price

Performed by Jenny Chen (Piano)

Andante • Charlotte Erickson - Jorge Garcia, Yuka Iseda - Federico D’Ortenzi, Oksana Maslova - Yuval Cohen, Sophie Savas-Carstens - Nicholas Patterson

Valsette Mignon • Sophie Savas-Carstens, Nick Patterson

Scherzo in G • Charlotte Erickson, Jorge Garcia

Song Without Words (Pleading) • Oksana Maslova, Yuval Cohen

Song Without Words in A • Yuka Iseda, Federico D’Ortenzi

Waltz of the Spring Maid • Charlotte Erickson & Jorge Garcia, Yuka Iseda & Federico D’Ortenzi, Oksana Maslova & Yuval Cohen, Sophie Savas-Carstens & Nicholas Patterson

Dream Boat • Charlotte Erickson & Jorge Garcia, Yuka Iseda & Federico D’Ortenzi, Oksana Maslova & Yuval Cohen, Sophie Savas-Carstens & Nicholas Patterson

Costume Designer • Jennifer Tierney

Dancers Live on the edge, like the firmament separating the physical from the spiritual. This ballet channels the energy, passion, and pursuit of life as it reaches into the spiritual realm. It is a tribute to dancers—their sacrifice for the art form and the love they share with us all.

Sonata for Violin and Piano by Philip Glass

© 2008 Dunvagen Music Publishers Inc. Used by Permission.

Performed by Jenny Chen (Piano), Tess Varley (Violin)

Movement I • Charlotte Erickson, Jorge Garcia, Siobhan Howley, Kyleigh Johnson, Sophie Savas-Carstens

Movement II • Yuka Iseda, Federico D’Ortenzi

Movement III • Nicholas Patterson, Sophie Savas-Carstens, Siobhan Howley, Charlotte Erickson, Kyleigh Johnson, Jorge Garcia, Yuka Iseda, Federico D’Ortenzi

Costume Designer • Jennifer Tierney

Dancers courtesy of Philadelphia Ballet: Yuka Iseda (Principal Dancer), Oksana Maslova (Principal Dancer), Yuval Cohen (Soloist), Nicholas Patterson (Soloist), Federico D’Ortenzi (Demi Soloist), Charlotte Erickson, Jorge Garcia Alonso, Siobhan Howley, Kyleigh Johnson, Sophie Savas-Carstens

Choreographer: Charles Askegard

Musicians: Jenny Chen (Piano), Tess Varley (Violin)

Music: Florence Price, William Grant Still, Philip Glass

• VIP ticket holders are cordially invited to a preview reception in the adjacent Bethany Mission starting at 6:00 pm, and meet with the DanceVisions Artist in Residence and choreographer Charles Askegard.
• Special reserved performance seating.
• Post-performance meet and greet reception with the dancers and musicians.
• Invitation to the dress rehearsal on Thursday, May 14 at 2:00 pm.
• A portion of the ticket price is tax deductible.

Charles Askegard is a world renowned dancer, teacher and choreographer. Growing up in Minnesota gave him the opportunity to study with Loyce Houlton, the choreographer and founder of the Minnesota Dance Theatre. His training there enabled him to attend many ballet summer intensives with the San Francisco Ballet, School of American Ballet, and the American Ballet Theatre. At age sixteen he moved to New York to further his studies where he trained with famed teacher Maggie Black.

Mikhail Baryshnikov, who was then directing the American Ballet Theatre, hired Askegard when he was eighteen years old as a member of the corps de ballet. He performed with the ABT for ten years rising to the rank of soloist and performing many lead roles in both full length and repertory ballets. He was appreciated for both his technical prowess, as well as his dramatic and artistic skills starring in ballets by Agnes de Mille, Glen Tetley, Twyla Tharp, Antony Tudor, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Natalia Makarova and more. He left ABT to join the New York City Ballet as a soloist, and the following year was promoted to Principal Dancer. There he worked with Jerome Robbins on several of his ballets, created roles in ballets by Peter Martins, Christopher Wheeldon, along with other emerging choreographers, and also performed a large part of the Balanchine repertory, dancing many of the most demanding male roles.

When he retired from the stage, he co-founded his own company “Ballet Next,” which had successful seasons at the Joyce Theatre, BAM Fishman in NYC, and toured to the British Virgin Islands, Syracuse University, and the Lensic Theatre in New Mexico. During this time, Askegard was sought after as a guest dancer, teacher, and choreographer. Choreography was always a passion, and he has continued to pursue that aspect of his artistry for many years, commissioned for work by the Columbia Ballet Collective, the Minnesota Dance Theatre, Philadelphia Ballet II, and the main company of Philadelphia Ballet.

DanceVisions began in 2017 with the aim of developing more seasoned work from the selected choreographers by having the time, space, and support for thoughtful and mentored creation.

The Performance Garage provides the DanceVisions Resident Artist with mentorship, marketing, publicity, box office, and a $10,000 stipend. Included in their support is video documentation, photography, and light design for their three-performance season when they premiere their new residency choreography.

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