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LETTER FROM LEADERSHIP
DEAR FRIEND OF CINCINNATI BALLET,
Welcome to our fascinating production of The Wizard of Oz! We are thrilled to have you with us as we bring this classic tale of adventure, courage, and friendship to life. Through the art of ballet, we invite you to experience the whimsy and magic of Oz in a way that words alone cannot convey.
Choreographer Septime Webre reimagined this beloved tale and honored its timeless themes. Every scene, costume, and step were carefully crafted to immerse you in this production. The Wizard of Oz is a culmination of a tremendous collaborative eff ort. Our dancers, musicians, and production team have dedicated their talent and passion to building a world where every step, gesture, and note invites you to experience Oz in a fresh and vibrant way.
A ballet of this scale would not be possible without the steadfast support of our patrons and community. Your generosity allows us to bring stories like The Wizard of Oz to the stage, providing audiences of all ages with magical, transformative experiences. You make it possible for us to nurture creativity, support talented artists, and continue sharing the beauty of ballet with the community we love. For this, we are deeply grateful.
Thank you for being here and for supporting our vision. May you be swept up in Dorothy’s journey and fi nd yourself transported, even if just for a little while, to a land of possibility and wonder.
CERVILIO MIGUEL AMADOR Artistic Director
A proud sponsor of the musical arts
2024 –2025 SEASON SPONSORS
MARGARET AND MICHAEL VALENTINE
PRODUCTION SPONSORS
PRESENTING SPONSORS
PRODUCTION SPONSORS
DAVID W. COOK AND LORETTA MOTZ COOK
CHOREOGRAPHY SPONSORS
JENNIFER CONKLIN
in memory of Bob Conklin
MICHELE GIULIANI
SUPPORTING SPONSOR
MARY LOU MOTL
PRODUCTION HOST
KATHY KELLY
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Dinsmore attorneys nationwide are driven by an unwavering commitment to empower our clients to accomplish their goals. We’re recognized for our dedication to client service because helping clients is at the center of everything we do.
We are proud to sponsor the Cincinnati Ballet’s production of The Wizard of Oz.
THE WIZARD OF OZ
Original story by L. Frank Baum written in 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
CHOREOGRAPHER Septime Webre
COMPOSER Matthew Pierce performed by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
SCENIC DESIGNER Michael B. Raiford
COSTUME DESIGNER Liz Vandal
LIGHTING DESIGNER Trad A Burns
VIDEO DESIGNER Aaron Rhyne
PUPPET DESIGNER Nicholas Mahon
DESIGN COORDINATOR Trad A Burns
STAGERS Kristi Capps, Erina Noda
PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER Carissa Gandenberger
FLYING EFFECTS PROVIDED BY ZFX
CONDUCTOR ISAAC SELYA
Evening –Friday, February 21; Saturday, February 22
Matinee – Saturday, February 22; Sunday, February 23
CONDUCTOR SAMUEL LEE
Evening – Wednesday, February 26; Thursday, February 27; Friday, February 28; Saturday, March 1
Matinee – Saturday, March 1; Sunday, March 2
Storylines and visual elements from the MGM Motion Picture THE WIZARD OF OZ provided by Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.
The Wizard of Oz was commissioned and created in partnership among Kansas City Ballet, Colorado Ballet, and Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
World Premiere: Kansas City Ballet, October 12, 2018, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City, Missouri.
Children’s roles performed by Cincinnati Ballet’s Otto M. Budig Academy.
SYNOPSIS
KANSAS
It is morning on Uncle Henry and Aunt Em’s farm in Kansas and the farmhands goof off between chores, ignoring Dorothy, who feels unappreciated and dreams of a place far away. Their unpleasant neighbor Miss Gulch arrives to com-
plain about Dorothy’s little dog, Toto, and threatens to take him away. Toto escapes, and Dorothy runs away with him. On the road, Dorothy meets a showman, Professor Marvel, who urges her to return to the farm as a twister approaches.
THE TWISTER & MUNCHKINLAND
Dorothy is lifted into the sky by the twister and travels for what seems like an eternity. Suddenly she plops to the ground with a thud. The twister has taken her to the Land of Oz, where she meets the Munchkins and Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. Dorothy’s bed has fallen upon the Witch of the East, killing her and freeing the Munchkins from her power. As the Munchkins celebrate, the Wicked Witch of
the West arrives to claim her sister’s magical ruby slippers and avenge her sister’s death. But in a fl ash, the ruby slippers appear on Dorothy’s feet, thwarting the Witch…for the moment. Dorothy wants to go home to Kansas. The Munchkins tell Dorothy that surely the Wizard of Oz will help her, and she sets off down the Yellow Brick Road towards the Emerald City to fi nd him.
ALONG THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD
Along the way, Dorothy and Toto meet three new friends who need help: a Scarecrow whose head is full of straw and wants a brain; a Tin Man with an empty chest and pines for a heart and a Lion who is afraid of his own tail, and is desperate for courage. Dorothy invites them to join her to see if the Wizard can help them too. When the Wicked
Witch fails to intimidate Dorothy and her friends, she creates a beautiful fi eld of poppies whose scent is poisonous. Glinda causes it to snow, and the poppies melt away, revealing the gates of Emerald City. Dorothy and her friends boldly knock on the gates, but the Guard with the Green Whiskers and his Assistant send them away.
SYNOPSIS
THE EMERALD CITY
The Guard sees that Dorothy is wearing the ruby slippers and assumes she must be a person of great importance. He welcomes the friends into Emerald City. As they are preparing to meet the Wizard, the Witch fl ies by with another warning to Dorothy: give her those slip-
pers! Unsettled, the group is led into the Wizard’s throne room where they ask for his help. He tells them that to prove themselves worthy of his assistance they must bring him the Wicked Witch of the West’s broomstick.
WINGED MONKEYS AND THE WITCH’S CASTLE
Dorothy and her friends depart hastily, and as they make their way to the Witch’s Castle, they are set upon by the Witch’s Winged Monkeys, who capture Dorothy. The Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion sneak into the castle to try to free Dorothy and Toto, who have been im-
prisoned by the Witch and the Winkies, her slaves. Amid the chaos, the Witch makes a grab for the ruby slippers, and Dorothy defends herself by throwing a bucket of water on the Witch, who melts into nothingness. The friends take her broomstick and return to Emerald City.
THE HUMBUG AND DOROTHY’S RETURN HOME
In the Throne Room, the Wizard is reluctant to help Dorothy and her friends when Toto discovers a befuddled man behind an emerald wall: it turns out that the Wizard is a humbug. He’s not a wizard at all but an ordinary man from Kansas who found himself in Oz after he lost control of his hot air balloon. The Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion impatiently remind him that he promised to help them, but the Wizard points out that they don’t need his help—they have already shown brains, heart and courage beyond measure. As for Dorothy,
he tells her that he will take Toto and her to Kansas himself in his hot air balloon. As they prepare to depart, Toto runs off , and Dorothy chases him, but it’s too late—the wind has already taken the Wizard away in the balloon, leaving Dorothy and Toto behind.
Glinda appears, telling Dorothy that her ruby slippers will take her home. Dorothy says farewell to her friends and with the aid of the slippers wills herself home. Dorothy awakens to fi nd herself at home in Kansas with Toto asleep at her feet.
HIROMI
PROGRAM NOTES
SEPTIME WEBRE CHOREOGRAPHER
My relationship with all things OZ, in four easy steps:
1. I grew up in the Bahamas until I was about twelve, and every Sunday, driving to a small missionary church my family attended we’d pass a tiny greying abandoned house plopped in the brush near a beach. We called it Dorothy’s house and it looked as though a Caribbean hurricane had dropped it there, like Dorothy’s house landing in Munchkinland. My siblings and I were obsessed with the Oz books and read every book in the series multiple times.
2. When I was twelve years old we moved to South Texas, and my brothers and sister and I bought a whole suite of marionettes for 99 cents each in Mexico. We spent the whole summer re-costuming these string puppets to create a full cast of Oz, and we painted elaborate backdrops to fit the fullsized puppet house my parents had ordered for us from FAO Schwartz. We created what we thought was a rather extravagant puppet version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz which we toured all over South Texas—from nursing homes, to orphanages, to church bazaars.
3. A few years later, in my late teens, I ran a youth summer program for the local Parks and Recreation Department, in partnership with the Texas School for the Blind and a social service agency which provided support for kids with Down Syndrome. That summer I directed a production of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with the majority of the principal roles played by blind teens and the Munchkins played by youth with Down Syndrome. It was such a celebration of humanity.
4. And now, Oz , the ballet. Over the years I had toyed with working on a ballet adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, but had resisted—both the book and the film are such perfect works of art and I wasn’t quite sure I could illuminate anything about the story that hadn’t been said by the source material. But over time I realized the marvelous characters invented by Frank Baum beg to be danced, and that so much could still be discovered using our metaphorical language of ballet. I’ve been living with this magical tale for so long, working on this ballet has been like coming home. And there’s no place like it...
MUSIC NOTES
MATTHEW PIERCE COMPOSER
Music or choreography, what comes first?
People ask this frequently when they witness a new ballet. Music, the simple answer, has always preceded choreography in the collaboration Septime and I have enjoyed through five full length ballets. Septime crafts a libretto that defines a sequence of storytelling moments and dances and I translate the psychology of the narrative and the muscular movement into music. Dancers need a rhythm to move to and a melody to inspire them. Anything can be an inspiration: a snip of song, a dance step, a simple count, a painting, a tone of voice, an episode from a television series, a character description. Free association and improvisation shape the creative process and this spontaneity is the reason for our success. Studio time with Septime follows where I humbly witness the mysterious kinesthesia and “listen” to the dancer’s moving song. The happiness of the music in this ballet
is a direct reflection of the working relationship Septime and I have. The mélange of influences creating the joy span the decades, 1920’s Big Band, 1950’s Cool Jazz, 1970’s Glam Rock, late 1970’s Disco and 1980’s New Wave. Septime and I examined our collective 20th Century popular music favorites and rendered the memories into a playful aural journey. You’ll hear a reference to screaming electric guitars in the brash and noisy orchestration, Big Band swing in the liberal use of glissandi (slides) in the strings and trombones and cool jazz in the unusual inclusion of a Tenor Saxophone in the orchestra announcing to Dorothy, “We aren’t in Kansas anymore.” L. Frank Baum’s story of Dorothy and the 1939 film spurred the creation of this collaborative project that required an open mind, an open heart, a fantastical spirit and an unrestrained imagination.
Larry, you will be missed.
This season, Cincinnati Ballet celebrates the life and impact of one of our greatest supporters – Larry Kellar. For 50 years, Larry gave his heart and soul to the Company helping transform the organization into a cornerstone in our community’s arts scene. May his memory be for a blessing; an indelible testament to a purpose-driven life.
CINCINNATI BALLET LEADERSHIP
CERVILIO MIGUEL AMADOR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Cervilio Miguel
Amador is the Artistic Director of Cincinnati Ballet.
Cervi is an artist and transformative fi gure in the dance world. He trained at the Vocational Ballet School in Camagüey, Cuba and the National Ballet School of Cuba before joining the National Ballet of Cuba, where he advanced to Corifeo (demi-soloist). In 2004, he joined Cincinnati Ballet as a Soloist, and in 2006, he was promoted to Principal Dancer, becoming one of the youngest in the company’s history.
Over his 16-year career with Cincinnati Ballet, Cervi performed world premieres by choreographers such as Victoria Morgan, Adam Hougland, Travis Wall, Val Caniparoli, Jessica Lang, and Luca Veggetti. He also served as a union delegate for over a decade. Cervi has performed worldwide as a guest artist and taught at various schools. He staged works for Victoria Morgan and Jennifer Archibald and judged prestigious ballet competitions, including UBC, YAGP, and VKIBC.
After retiring as Principal Dancer in the 2019-2020 season, Cervi transitioned to the role of Rehearsal Director, where he focused on coaching and mentoring dancers both inside and outside the studio. He co-founded Moving Arts and served as its Artistic Director from 2018 to 2023. He also collaborated with Cincinnati Opera, performed in Lumenocity, and was featured in an Emmy award-winning PBS documentary about his journey from Cuba.
In September 2023, the Cincinnati Ballet Board appointed Cervi as Interim Artistic Director. In this capacity, he planned repertoire for upcoming seasons, commissioned new works, and collaborated with the leadership team to shape his artistic vision. Cervi has been instrumental in fostering community partnerships and broadening the reach of the art form both locally and internationally. He was a fi nalist for the 2024 CreativeOhio Champion Advocacy Award in the Artist Champion category. The Cincinnati Ballet Board of Trustees appointed Cervi as permanent Artistic Director in December 2024.
DEBORAH S. BRANT PRESIDENT AND CEO
The Board of Trustees appointed Deborah S. Brant President and CEO of Cincinnati Ballet in March 2024. For many years, Brant has fostered a deep and meaningful relationship with Cincinnati Ballet and has been one of the organization’s biggest supporters. Brant is the former Chair of the Cincinnati Ballet Board of Trustees and The Cincinnati Ballet Foundation and led the capital campaign committee that secured funding to construct the 62,000-squarefoot, $32 million Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for
Dance in Walnut Hills.
Ballet has been central to Brant’s life since childhood in Akron, Ohio, where she began lessons at age 9. She stopped dancing after high school and began studying American Studies and Art History at Brandeis University. She went on to create a successful fundraising career that included work in Washington, D.C., and New York City as a fundraiser and grants writer for The Kennedy Center | National Symphony Orchestra, as well as a fundraising consultant for New York City Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Jacob’s Pillow, among others. Brant moved to Cincinnati in 1998 where she
CINCINNATI BALLET LEADERSHIP
continued as a fundraising consultant for Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Prospect House, and the Art Academy of Cincinnati. Philanthropy is a family tradition, one Brant learned from her parents and grandparents who were themselves dedicated volunteers. In addition to her tireless philanthropic work for Cincinnati Ballet, Brant is also a former Board Chair of the Mayerson JCC, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, and Most Valuable Kids of
Cincinnati, Inc. (MVK) and is currently a Trustee of The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati and CreativeOhio. Brant is a past recipient of The Cincinnati Enquirer ’s Women of the Year Award, the 2021 Volunteer of the Year Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Cincinnati Chapter, And Volunteer of the Year Award from the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati.
DALE SHIELDS REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
Dale Shields trained at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and Butler University before joining Indianapolis Ballet Theatre where she rose to principal dancer under artistic director George Verdak. Shields performed principal roles in productions including Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Romeo & Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Coppélia, Night Shadow, The Moor’s Pavane, and many original works. She served as Principal Ballet Mistress for
Ballet Internationale, assisting with the original choreography of full-length ballets by artistic director Eldar Aliev and worked alongside Irina Kolpakova in staging many well-known classics. Accepting Artistic Director John McFall’s invitation to join Atlanta Ballet as Ballet Mistress gave her the opportunity to assist in mounting numerous full-length productions. She assisted on works by inspiring national and international choreographers including Alexander Ekman, Helen Pickett, Twyla Tharp, Liam Scarlett, Alexei Ratmansky, David Bentley, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Amy Seiwert, among others.
HIROMI PLATT PHOTOGRAPHY
CINCINNATI BALLET LEADERSHIP
CARLOS QUENEDIT REHEARSAL
DIRECTOR
Carlos Quenedit is an accomplished artist renowned for his captivating performances in classical and contemporary ballet productions. During his career, Carlos was principal dancer with several companies including San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Houston Ballet, as well as Principal Guest Artist with the Joffrey Ballet, and Soloist with the National Ballet of Cuba. He has graced the stage in a wide array of principal roles, including Albrecht in Helgi Tomasson’s Giselle , Romeo in Romeo & Juliet, and Basilio in Tomasson/Possokhov’s Don Quixote. His repertoire extends to the works of
iconic choreographers, including George Balanchine pieces such as Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux , Divertimento No. 15 , and Jewels and Jerome Robbins’ In the Night (2nd movement) and Dances at a Gathering as the Purple Boy. Quenedit has also collaborated with worldrenowned choreographers such as Helgi Tomasson, Yuri Possokhov, Christopher Wheeldon, and William Forsythe and danced in notable productions such as Jean de Brienne in Rudolf Nureyev’s Raymonda Act III and Ashly Page’s Guide to Strange Places. Throughout his career, Carlos Quenedit has graced stages at venues worldwide, from San Francisco War Memorial Opera House to the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.
YOSHIHISA ARAI REHEARSAL DIRECTOR/DIRECTOR
SECOND COMPANY – CB2
Yoshihisa Arai began his training at International Ballet Academy in Japan before he joined The Royal Ballet School in London in 2005. After graduating with a honors and receiving an Achievement Award in 2008, Arai joined Northern Ballet in Leeds, UK, where he performed many original ballets by David Nixon. In 2011, Arai joined Tulsa Ballet where he performed several ballets by Forsythe, Kylian, Lee, and Liang. In 2012 Arai joined The Joffrey Ballet Chicago, where he
performed principal roles in world renowned classical and contemporary ballets and several original works, as well as creating many featured roles in world premieres by Arpino, Balanchine, Caniparoli, Nuemeier, Scarlett, Welch, and Wheeldon. Arai has also created several new works as a choreographer for The Joffrey Ballet including Bolero, Elegie , and Afternoon Watch, which premiered at The Lyric Opera House in Chicago, and Appalachian Spring, a collaboration with Illinois Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. In 2023 Arai choreographed and directed his first mini chamber opera, Caraboo.
CREATIVE TEAM
SEPTIME WEBRE CHOREOGRAPHER
Septime Webre is an internationally recognised ballet director, choreographer, educator and advocate. He joined Hong Kong Ballet as its Artistic Director in July 2017 after 17 years as Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet in Washington DC, US. Previously he served as Artistic Director of the American Repertory Ballet, based in Princeton, New Jersey, US for six years. In addition, Webre has served as the Artistic Director of Halcyon, a Washington DC-based foundation standing at the intersection of creativity and social impact. Webre’s tenure at The Washington Ballet ushered in a period of unprecedented growth in the quality and breadth of its work—both onstage and in its engagement and educational initiatives, with its annual budget growing over 500% during that time. In Hong Kong, Webre recently staged a pair of new produc-
MATTHEW PIERCE COMPOSER
Matthew Pierce is celebrated for his new classical scores commissioned and performed by major American ballet companies. Born in Brooklyn in 1968, Pierce grew up in Seattle, studied violin at the Peabody Conservatory in Balti-
tions for HKB: a Romeo + Juliet set in the early 1960’s Hong Kong, and The Nutcracker set in Hong Kong in the early 20th century. In addition, he has staged a number of additional productions for HKB, including new productions of Giselle , ALICE (in wonderland), The Great Gatsby and Peter Pan.
As a dancer, Webre was featured in solo and principal roles from the classical repertoire as well as in contemporary works by choreographers such as Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor and Merce Cunningham. He has served on the juries of a number of international ballet competitions, including those in Varna, Bulgaria, Istanbul, Cape Town, New York, Seoul, and elsewhere. He has served on the board of Dance/USA and his work has received numerous honors, grants and awards. He holds a degree in History/Pre-Law from the University of Texas at Austin, and is the seventh son in a large, boisterous Cuban-American family.
more and moved to New York where he began writing music for the theater. Alice (in wonderland) with choreography by Septime Webre has been produced by 13 companies with more than 100 performances. The Wizard of Oz is the fifth full length production with this longtime collaborator.
CREATIVE TEAM
MICHAEL B. RAIFORD SCENIC DESIGNER
Production Designer from Austin, Texas. He has worked internationally in Ballet, Theatre and Opera. Michael created the designs for “Oz” for the initial North American tour beginning with Kansas City Ballet, then Denver Ballet and fi nally the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. “Oz” was recently seen at Hong Kong Ballet and upcoming at Pittsburgh Ballet. Scenic designs for “The Wizard of Oz” were nominated for the international award “Prix Benois de la Danse” hosted by the Bolshoi Ballet. For Ballet Austin: POE/A Tale Of Madness, Belle, Magic Flute, Mozart Project, Exit Wounds. Additional Ballet: “The Nutcracker” at Oklahoma City and upcoming “The Nutcracker” at Nevada Ballet Theatre. Additional Credits: Opera
Boston, Central City Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, South Coast Repertory Theatre, The Alliance Theatre ( Atlanta), City Theatre (Pittsburgh), Cleveland Playhouse, Geva Theatre Center, Playmakers Repertory Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Ford’s Theatre (Washington, D.C.), New Victory Theatre (New York), Merrimack Repertory Theatre, The Lyric Theatre (Oklahoma City), Antaeus Company (LA), Shelter VG4 Theatre (San Miguel de Allende, Mexico), ZACH Theatre ( Austin), and Actors Theatre of Louisville: 20 productions, 12 world premieres for the Humana Festival. Director of “Blast: The Music of Disney,” Tokyo and National tour of Japan. M.F.A. :The University of Texas at Austin, where he taught for 10 years. He is a Member of United Scenic Artists.
Visit: michaelraiford.myportfolio.com
LIZ VANDAL COSTUME DESIGNER
Liz Vandal began her career as a self-taught fashion designer, quickly gaining recognition for her innovative and original approach to costume design in dance, circus, fi lm, and large-scale events. A passionate educator and speaker, she has shared her expertise with numerous international organizations, inspiring emerging creators worldwide.
Vandal has collaborated with some of the most celebrated choreographers and dance companies globally, including Marie Chouinard, Margie Gillis, the Paris Opera, and the Hong Kong Ballet, showcasing her versatility and creat ive vision. Her dynamic relationship with Cirque du Soleil has resulted in dazzling cos-
tumes for productions such as OVO, Viaggio, Sonor, Cosmos, and Excentick, each reflecting her bold, fl amboyant aesthetic. Beyond the circus, she designed over 3,000 costumes for the closing ceremony of the 2015 European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan, and crafted elegant costumes for the opening ceremony of the Lake Placid FISU World University Games, honoring the spirit of winter sports.
Vandal’s two-decade collaboration with Artistic Director Septime Webre continues to shine, with celebrated productions like The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland. Her exceptional work has earned her the Award for Best Costume Design at the Hong Kong Dance Awards and a nomination for Les Benois de la Danse.
CREATIVE TEAM
TRAD A BURNS
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Since 1989, Trad has been designing scenery and lighting professionally for theatre, dance, and amusement parks. Recent credits include the World Premier of Oklahoma City Ballet’s The Nutcracker, Don Quixote for Kansas City Ballet, Romeo & Juliet for Orlando Ballet, The Wizard of Oz for Hong Kong Ballet, Into the Woods, Midsummer Night’s Dream for Great Lakes Theatre, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure for The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World & Disneyland Park, as well as world premiere ballets for Ma Cong, Andrea Schermoly, and Marika Brussel.
Over the years, Trad has created world-premiere works for such notable choreographers as Trey McIntyre, Val Caniparoli, James Kudelka, Edwaard Liang, Annabelle Lopez Ocha, Kenneth Tindall, Matthew Neenan, Adam Hougland, Garrett Smith, Jessica Lang, Alejandro Cerrudo, Kirk Peterson, Nicola
AARON RHYNE
VIDEO DESIGNER
BROADWAY: Anastasia, for colored girls…, The Sound Inside, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Bonnie and Clyde.
TV: Hasan Minhaj: The King’s Jester (Netflix). DANCE: I AM (Camille A Brown), The Sun Also Rises (Washington Ballet). OPERA: The Thirteenth Child
Fonte, Donald Byrd, Jodie Gates, Gina Patterson, Amy Seiwert, Ma Cong, Andrea Schermoly, Jennifer Archibald, Penny Saunders, Stephanie Martinez, Septime Webre, Devon Carney, Victoria Morgan, Robert Curran, James Sofranko, and Darrell Grand Moultrie.
As a theatre designer, Trad’s designs have been see at New York Theatre Workshop (NYC), The Public Theatre (NYC), La Mama ETC (NYC), HERE (NYC), Classic Stage Company (NYC), North Shore Music Theatre, Great Lakes Theatre, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Cleveland Play House, Cleveland Public Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Cedar Point, Valleyfair, Knott’s Berry Farm, Kings Island, Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland Japan, Disney Sea, Disney Cruise Lines, Carnival Cruise Lines, Universal Studios Florida and Japan, Woodstock Ice Productions, and The Family of Charles M. Schulz.
(Santa Fe Opera), The Ghosts of Versailles (LA Opera), La Traviata (Wolftrap), Florencia en el Amazonas (Florida Grand, Opera Colorado). DISNEY: Frozen (Disneyland), Beauty and the Beast, Moana, Tangled, and multiple other productions for Disney’s Parks, Resorts, and Cruise Lines. @aaronrhynedesigns www. aaronrhyne.com
CREATIVE TEAM
NICHOLAS MAHON PUPPET DESIGNER
Nicholas Mahon is an Emmy nominated puppet and theatrical designer based in New York City specializing in performer interactive pieces and character creation. Since 2004 he has worked on projects for Michael Curry Design, Walt Disney Entertainment, Universal Studios, The Jim Henson Com-
pany, Blue Man Group and many more. Most recent projects include Sesame Street Television (2013–present), Mother Of The Nation (Abu Dhabi 2016), Islamic Solidarity Games Opening Ceremony (Baku 2017), and 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony (Pyeonchang). His work on the Baku 2015 European Games Opening Ceremony as Scenic Designer was nominated for a Daytime Emmy.
KRISTI CAPPS STAGER
Kristi Capps is currently a rehearsal director for Kansas City Ballet and has been given the opportunity to be the répétiteur for many of the company’s productions including Devon Carney’s Sleeping Beauty on Ballet Hawaii, Cincinnati Ballet, and Grand Rapids Ballet; and Victoria Morgan’s Cinderella , Edwaard Liang’s
Wunderland , and Helen Pickett’s Petal. Additionally, she has staged Septime Webre’s Wizard of Oz on Kansas City Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Nevada Ballet, and most recently Hong Kong Ballet. Previously, Mrs. Capps was a Principal Dancer with Cincinnati Ballet performing leading roles in major classical and contemporary productions both within the company and abroad.
ERINA NODA STAGER
A native of Yokohama, Japan, Erina spent the majority of her performing career with Cincinnati Ballet, where she graced the stage in numerous works by renowned choreographers such as Victoria Morgan, Septime Webre, Val Caniparoli, and George Balanchine. After her time with Cincin-
nati Ballet, she embarked on a seven-year journey as a leading soloist dancer in the Broadway musical Phantom of the Opera. Erina has also made signifi cant contributions to dance education, serving as a faculty member for the academies of Cincinnati Ballet and Nevada Ballet Theatre, as well as various other arts organizations across the country.
CREATIVE TEAM
ISAAC SELYA CONDUCTOR
Isaac Selya is music director of the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, and founder and artistic director of Queen City Opera. His projects combine classical music with community collaborations, including the following:
-Reconstructing Tchaikovsky’s lost Undina as an eco-opera focusing on sustainable energy production, presented in collaboration with Green Umbrella and the Cincinnati Nature Center.
- Defi ant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín, in collaboration with the Nancy and David Wolf Holocaust and Humanity Center, commemorating the musicians of the Terezín Concentration Camp who performed Verdi’s Requiem as an act of defi ance against the Nazis.
He conducted the Los Angeles stage premiere of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta, an opera about a blind princess, in collabora-
SAMUEL LEE CONDUCTOR
Samuel Lee, a rising star in the world of symphonic music, has secured a signifi cant victory by winning the prestigious Malko Competition for Young Conductors 2024 in Copenhagen. This achievement will grant him conducting contracts with 24 leading international orchestras and a three-year mentorship under the Danish National Symphony Orchestra’s chief conductor, Fabio Luisi.
Lee’s impressive career trajectory includes previous wins at the BMI International Conducting Competition in Bucharest and the International Con-
tion with the National Federation for the Blind, and with blind soprano Cristina Jones in the title role.
His guest conducting engagements include the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen in Germany, the Xiamen Philharmonic in China, and the National Symphony of Guatemala.
Committed to ensuring that music education is accessible to everyone, Isaac serves as a Teaching Artist at the MYCincinnati Youth Orchestra in Price Hill.
Isaac’s conducting can also be heard on the soundtrack to the award-winning video game, Masquerada: Songs and Shadows. He works regularly with publishers such as Bärenreiter, Henle, Schott, and the University of Chicago Press/Casa Ricordi editing new scholarly editions of classic works.
Isaac is based in Cincinnati with his wife Pin-Hsuan Chen, a violinist and personal trainer. They have three cats: Tosca, Aida, and Tamino.
ducting Competition in Taipei. He currently serves as the associate conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. His extensive experience has led him to conduct renowned orchestras such as the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Bamberger Symphoniker, and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.
A dedicated advocate for contemporary music, Lee has premiered works by acclaimed composers and participated in prestigious festivals like the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. Before his conducting career, he was a distinguished violist, having been a member of the Novus String Quartet and winning prizes at international competitions.
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WILLIAMS FOUNDATION
SUGAR PLUM SPONSORS
SNOWFLAKE SPONSORS
The Hernandez Family
Peggy Johns Family
Amy Joseph
Frances Lindner
Marsha Lindner
Martha S. Lindner
TEDDY BEAR SPONSORS
Elaine B Jewelry
Vallie C. & Rodney P. Geier Family
Diane & Jerry Govert Family
Kateri Moll Haskett
The Horan Family
Kris Kalnow & Tamela Zimmerman
Susan Kelleher & Sara-Kate DeBord
CUPCAKE SPONSORS
Beth Hudepohl
Jackson Family
Karaivanova Family
Kennedy & Weidner Family
Amelia Margaret and Meg Kohnen
Marian Barrett Leibold
Omnia360 Facility Solutions
The Phillips Family
The Pomeranz Family
The Ragland Family
Anne & Dean Kereiakes Family
Jack Miner & Brian Dozer
Alexa, Jack, & Rip Oliver
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP
Terri & Bill Tobler
Willow Hill Foundation
Sally Applegate Woodward
Wyler Family Foundation
Susan Roberts & Family
Jean Stephens Robson
Shifman Family
Sit Still Kids Salons
Sykes Family
Tempel Family
Amahle White-Dragon
Zureick Family
PaRtY WiThUs
THE COMPANY
PRINCIPAL
MELISSA GELFIN (SHE/HER) PENNSYLVANIA | 2014
ALEJANDRO OLIVERA (HE/HIM) CUBA | 2023
KATHERINE OCHOA (SHE/HER) CUBA | 2022
MAINE CHERNJAVSKY JAPAN | 2023
SIRUI LIU (SHE/HER) CHINA | 2011
RAFAEL QUENEDIT (HE/HIM) CUBA | 2021
CHANDLER PROCTOR (HE/HIM) NORTH CAROLINA | 2021
FIRST SOLOIST SOLOIST
MARCUS ROMEO (HE/HIM) PENNSYLVANIA | 2017
MAIZYALET VELÁZQUEZ (SHE/HER) PUERTO RICO | 2008
STAYTON (HE/HIM) OHIO | 2019
JOSHUA
THE COMPANY
CORPS DE BALLET
NIKITA BORIS (SHE/HER) NEW JERSEY | 2020
AMANDA DE JESUS PÉREZ DUARTE (SHE/HER) CUBA | 2023
GRIFFIN (SHE/HER) NORTH CAROLINA | 2016
CARRASCO (HE/HIM) NEW MEXICO | 2015
LLONNIS DEL TORO CINTRA (HE/HIM) CUBA | 2022
HUNSBERGER NEVADA | 2024
(SHE/HER) FLORIDA | 2023
NEW YORK | 2023
DILLEY (HE/HIM) AUSTRALIA | 2023
(HE/HIM) CALIFORNIA | 2019
(HE/HIM) TEXAS | 2016
SAMANTHA
TAYLOR
KIRSTEN
SASHA CHERNJAVSKY
THOMAS
JHAELIN MCQUAY
TATIANA MELENDEZ
MICHAEL MENGDEN
THE COMPANY
CORPS DE BALLET
SIMON PLANT (HE/HIM) AUSTRALIA | 2022
(SHE/HER) WASHINGTON | 2017
NEW DANCERS
FISK (HE/HIM) MONTANA | 2024
APPRENTICE
MUHAMMAD (SHE/HER) MISSOURI | 2022
ABDUR-RAHMAN (HE/HIM) NEW YORK | 2024
(SHE/HER) MASSACHUSETTS | 2023
(SHE/HER) CALIFORNIA | 2024
(SHE/HER) OHIO | 2023
JOSHUA
BELLA URETA
SIMONE
ANNIE FITZPATRICK
MIA SCHLOSSER
JAMESON KEATING
SALOMÉ TREGRE
NASRULLAH
SECOND COMPANY – CB2
CIARÁN BARLOW ( HE/HIM) PENNSYLVANIA | 2024
AMBER HARPER ( SHE/HER) OHIO | 2023
ISABEL BORGES ( SHE/HER) LOUISIANA | 2024
ISABELLE LAPIERRE ( SHE/HER) OHIO | 2024
CALVIN PETERSON ( HE/HIM) COLORADO | 2024
ANGELINA DE LA NUEZ ( SHE/HER) OHIO | 2024
MAGOLNICK ( HE/HIM) TEXAS | 2024
MADISON TAYLOR ( SHE/HER) TEXAS | 2024
HALKOS GEORGIA | 2024
MOTLEY ( HE/HIM) GEORGIA | 2023
The Artists of Cincinnati Ballet are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO.
NICHOLAS
MADELINE
ZANDER
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING DIVISION
TRAINEES
Rebecca Banig, Frankie Bennett, Gianna Brace, Sanaa Brown, Sydney Caggiano, Kaytlan Carvajal, Claire Daley, Julia Fanazini, Maile Fitzgerald, Madeline Flythe, Andrew Fung, Noah Gnes, Engler Gonzalez, Trea Hultgren, Cailyn Jackson, Elizabeth Jacobson, Taylor Johnson, Zooey Kraemer, Brighid McGahran, Julian Nejezchleb, Grace Nelson, Hannah Newman-Williams, Piper Panek, Eli Petraccia, Rebecka Rundkvist, Gracie Salkowski, Sofia Sanchez, Zoe Shemet, Scarlett Starkey, Katie Stuckenschneider, Elizabeth Swisher, Graciela Urdaneta, Sierra Wilkerson
CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
CRISTIAN MĂCELARU, MUSIC DIRECTOR DESIGNATE
LOUISE DIETERLE
NIPPERT & LOUIS
NIPPERT CHAIR
JOHN MORRIS
RUSSELL, CINCINNATI POPS CONDUCTOR
LOUISE DIETERLE
NIPPERT & LOUIS
NIPPERT CHAIR
Matthias Pintscher, CSO CREATIVE PARTNER
Damon Gupton, POPS PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR
Samuel Lee, ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR
ASHLEY AND BARBARA FORD CHAIR
Daniel Wiley, ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR ASHLEY AND BARBARA FORD CHAIR
FIRST VIOLINS
Stefani Matsuo CONCERTMASTER
ANNA SINTON TAFT CHAIR
Felicity James ASSOCIATE CONCERTMASTER
TOM & DEE STEGMAN CHAIR
Philip Marten
FIRST ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER
JAMES M. EWELL CHAIR++
Eric Bates
SECOND ASSISTANT CONCERTMASTER
SERGE SHABABIAN CHAIR
Kathryn Woolley NICHOLAS
TSI MARAS–PETER G. COURLAS CHAIR++
Anna Reider
DIANNE & J. DAVID ROSENBERG CHAIR
Mauricio Aguiar§ ANNE G. & ROBERT W. DORSEY CHAIR
Minyoung Baik
JO ANN & PAUL WARD CHAIR
James Braid
MARC BOHLKE CHAIR GIVEN BY KATRIN & MANFRED BOHLKE
Rebecca Kruger Fryxell
CLIFFORD J. GOOSMANN & ANDREA M. WILSON CHAIR
Elizabeth Furuta
Gerald Itzkoff
JEAN TEN HAVE CHAIR
Joseph Ohkubo
Luo-Jia Wu
Jonathan Yi
SECOND VIOLINS
Gabriel Pegis PRINCIPAL
AL LEVINSON CHAIR
Yang Liu*
HAROLD B. & BETTY JUSTICE CHAIR
Scott Mozlin** HENRY MEYER CHAIR
Kun Dong
Cheryl Benedict
Evin Blomberg§ SHEILA AND CHRISTOPHER COLE CHAIR
Rose Brown
Rachel Charbel
IDA RINGLING
NORTH CHAIR
Chika Kinderman
Charles Morey
Hyesun Park
Paul Patterson
CHARLES
GAUSMANN CHAIR++
Stacey Woolley
BRENDA & RALPH
TAYLOR CHAIR++
VIOLAS
Christian Colberg PRINCIPAL
LOUISE D. & LOUIS NIPPERT CHAIR
Gabriel Napoli
ACTING ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
GRACE M. ALLEN CHAIR
Julian Wilkison**
Rebecca Barnes§
Christopher Fischer
Stephen Fryxell
MELINDA & IRWIN SIMON CHAIR
Caterina Longhi
Denisse Rodriguez-Rivera
Dan Wang
Joanne Wojtowicz
CELLOS
Ilya Finkelshteyn
PRINCIPAL
IRENE & JOHN J.
EMERY CHAIR
Lachezar Kostov *
ONA HIXSON
DATER CHAIR
Norman Johns** KARL & ROBERTA SCHLACHTER
FAMILY CHAIR
Drew Dansby§
Daniel Kaler
PETER G. COURLAS–NICHOLAS TSIMARAS CHAIR++
Nicholas Mariscal
MARVIN KOLODZIK & LINDA S. GALLAHER
CHAIR FOR CELLO
Hiro Matsuo
LAURA KIMBLE MCLELLAN CHAIR++
Alan Rafferty
RUTH F. ROSEVEAR CHAIR
Tianlu (Jerry) Xu
BASSES
Owen Lee PRINCIPAL
MARY ALICE
HEEKIN BURKE CHAIR++
Luis Arturo Celis Avila* THOMAS VANDEN EYNDEN CHAIR
Stephen Jones** TRISH & RICK BRYAN CHAIR
Boris Astafiev§
Gerald Torres
Rick Vizachero
HARP
Gillian Benet Sella PRINCIPAL CYNTHIA & FRANK STEWART CHAIR
FLUTES
Randolph Bowman PRINCIPAL CHARLES FREDERIC GOSS CHAIR
Henrik Heide*
Haley Bangs
JANE & DAVID ELLIS CHAIR
PICCOLO
Rebecca Pancner PATRICIA GROSS LINNEMANN CHAIR
OBOES
Dwight Parry PRINCIPAL JOSEPHINE I. & DAVID J. JOSEPH, JR. CHAIR
Lon Bussell* STEPHEN P. MCKEAN CHAIR
Emily Beare
ENGLISH HORN
Christopher Philpotts PRINCIPAL
ALBERTA & DR. MAURICE MARSH CHAIR++
CLARINETS
Christopher Pell PRINCIPAL
EMMA MARGARET & IRVING D. GOLDMAN CHAIR
Joseph Morris* ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL AND E-FLAT CLARINET
ROBERT E. & FAY BOEH CHAIR++ Ixi Chen
VICKY & RICK REYNOLDS CHAIR IN HONOR OF WILLIAM A. FRIEDLANDER
BASS CLARINET
Ronald Aufmann
BASSOONS
Christopher Sales PRINCIPAL
EMALEE SCHAVEL CHAIR++
Martin Garcia* Hugh Michie
CONTRABASSOON
Jennifer Monroe
FRENCH HORNS
Elizabeth Freimuth PRINCIPAL
MARY M. & CHARLES F. YEISER CHAIR
David Alexander
ACTING ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL ELLEN A. & RICHARD C. BERGHAMER CHAIR
Molly Norcross** ‡ SWEENEY FAMILY CHAIR IN MEMORY OF DONALD C. SWEENEY
Lisa Conway
SUSANNE & PHILIP O. GEIER, JR. CHAIR
Duane Dugger
MARY & JOSEPH S. STERN, JR. CHAIR
Charles Bell
DONALD & MARGARET
ROBINSON CHAIR
CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
TRUMPETS
Anthony Limoncelli PRINCIPAL
RAWSON CHAIR [OPEN]
JACKIE & ROY
SWEENEY
FAMILY CHAIR
Alexander Pride† OTTO M. BUDIG
FAMILY FOUNDATION CHAIR++
Christopher Kiradjieff
TROMBONES
Cristian Ganicenco PRINCIPAL
DOROTHY & JOHN HERMANIES CHAIR
Joseph Rodriguez** SECOND/ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL TROMBONE
SALLIE ROBINSON
WADSWORTH & RANDOLPH L.
WADSWORTH JR. CHAIR
BASS TROMBONE
Noah Roper
TUBA
Christopher Olka PRINCIPAL
ASHLEY & BARBARA FORD CHAIR
TIMPANI
Patrick Schleker PRINCIPAL
MATTHEW & PEG WOODSIDE CHAIR
Joseph Bricker*
MORLEEN & JACK ROUSE CHAIR
PERCUSSION
David Fishlock PRINCIPAL
SUSAN S. & WILLIAM A. FRIEDLANDER CHAIR
Michael Culligan*
Joseph Bricker
MORLEEN & JACK ROUSE CHAIR
Marc Wolfley+
KEYBOARDS
Michael Chertock
JAMES P. THORNTON CHAIR
Julie Spangler+
JAMES P. THORNTON CHAIR
CSO/CCM DIVERSITY FELLOWS~
Lucas Braga, violin
Melissa Peraza, viola
Manuel Papale, cello
Caleb Edwards, double bass
Wendell Rosa, double bass
LIBRARIANS
Christina Eaton
Principal Librarian LOIS KLEIN JOLSON CHAIR
Elizabeth Dunning
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL LIBRARIAN
Cara Benner
ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN
STAGE MANAGERS
Brian P. Schott
Phillip T. Sheridan
Daniel Schultz
Mike Ingram
Andrew Sheridan
§ Begins the alphabetical listing of players who participate in a system of rotated seating within the string section.
* Associate Principal
** Assistant Principal
† One-year appointment
‡ Leave of absence
+ Cincinnati Pops rhythm section
++ CSO endowment only
~ Funded by The Mellon Foundation
IN-SCHOOL RESIDENCIES
Focus: Second Grade
Available: September - December
The CincyDance! program starts in the classroom using a combination of physical education curriculum and dance training to activate a student’s desire to express themselves through movement. Following the residency, students are invited to audition for scholarships to continue their training at Cincinnati Ballet.
Focus: Pre-K
Available: January - April
The CincyDance! Pre-K program activates a student’s imagination while introducing them to the joy of creative movement and ballet. Students will explore locomotor movement, balance and other key coordination skills with highly skilled Cincinnati Ballet teaching artists.
Photo Credit: Mikki Schaffner
2024–2025 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
2024-2025
GO VERNING BOARD
Emerson Moser CHAIR
Sergio Arreola
Smokey Clay
David Cook
Andrea Costa
Judy Dalambakis
Zahki Davis
David Freitas
Jodi Geiser
Michael Bailes
Bernie Calonge
Fran Carlisle
Sheila Cohen
Connie Dow
Sandra Eisele
Jerry Ewers
Kathryn Harsh
Edmond Hooker
Daphne Jurgensen
Kelly Brown
Laura Brunner
Trish Bryan
Otto Budig
Nancy Clagett
William Cordes
Jen Stein CHAIR
Debbie Brant
Jennifer Damiano
Joe Dehner
* Ex Officio + In Memoriam
Faith Whittaker VICE CHAIR
Rico Grant
Linda Greenberg
Kateri Moll Haskett
Patti Heldman
Lydia JacobsHorton
Marcie Kinney
Kristin Fishbaugh TREASURER
Jeanie Knuth
Peter Laffoon
Kei Lawson
Jack Miner
Shekhar Mitra
Alexandra Ollinger
2024–2025 SUSTAINERS
Beth Levy
Leon Loewenstein
Madelynn Matlock
Larry McGruder
Skip Merten
Alex Munoz
Cathy Nwankwo
Jim Papakirk
Joselyn Pfeil
Julie Richardson
Kitty Rosenthal
Morleen Rouse
Diane Rumpke
Keke Sansalone
Tom Schiff
Beth Snyder
Chris Sprecher
Brett Stover
Mary Talbott
Heather Theders
2024–2025 E MERITI
Sarah Frank-Fogarty
Lynn Good
Lorrence Kellar+
Charles MacDonnell
Richardson McKinney
Tom Neyer
Carol Duane Olson
Paul Ose T. Quinn
Melody Sawyer Richardson
Michael Rozow
James Sammarco
Kathleen Selker
2024–2025 FOUNDATION BOARD
Madelynn Matlock TREASURER
Kristin Fishbaugh
Jodi Geiser
Emerson Moser
Alex Munoz
T. Quinn
Rhonda Sheakley
HONORARY TRUSTEES
Lisa Riccardi SECRETARY
Lisa Sampson
Todd Schild
Joel Stone
Toilynn O’Neal Turner
Brenden Zenni
Brandon Zureick
Pamela Thompson
Serena Tsuang
Kelly Vanasse
Catherine Vernon
Gary West
Barbara Weyand
George Wilkinson
Rhonda Sheakley
Russell Shelton
Shelly Sherman
Julie Shifman
Linda Smith
Ronna Willis
Kelly Brown SECRETARY
Joel Stone
Joe Carolin*
Craig F. MaierRhoda Mayerson+
ACADEMY AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS
With a mission to enrich lives, inspire excellence, and cultivate community through the power of dance, Cincinnati Ballet’s Otto M. Budig Academy serves the greater Cincinnati area through world-class dance education programs and unparalleled student performance opportunities.
CHILDREN’S CLASSES
Ages 2 – 7
Introductory classes in ballet and creative movement designed to inspire a lifelong love of dance.
Preparatory through advanced
ADAPTIVE DANCE
Ages 4 and up
CB Moves, developed in collaboration with Cincinnati Children’s, fosters a love of movement and creative expression for individuals with physical and
Photography: Angie Lipscomb
Photography: Mikki Schaffner
Photography: Angie Lipscomb
Professional Training Division | Photography: Aaron M. Conway
CINCINNATI BALLET STAFF
Debbie Brant PRESIDENT AND CEO
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCE
Joe Carolin VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE AND CFO
Melissa Santomo CONTROLLER
Tiffany Whitcomb, SHRM-SCP VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Tyler Parker SENIOR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND BOARD LIAISON
Chuck Beatty DIRECTOR OF EVENTS
Mary French ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF DATA SERVICES
Thomas E. Johnston, CCI, CHI™ INTERPRETER
ARTISTIC
Dale Shields
Carlos Quenedit REHEARSAL DIRECTORS
Yoshihisa Arai REHEARSAL DIRECTOR/ DIRECTOR SECOND COMPANY – CB2
Allison Evans YOUNG PERFORMERS COACH
Nicholas Motley
Calvin Peterson
Angelina de la Nuez
Madison Taylor REHEARSAL ASSISTANTS
Angelika BonyhatiKovacs
Brian Cashwell
Janet Langhorst
Ted Seaman BALLET ACCOMPANISTS
PHILANTHROPY
Adrijana Kowatsch VICE PRESIDENT OF PHILANTHROPY
Katharine Nemeth MAJOR GIFTS OFFICER
Ilona Piaskowy
ASSOC. DIRECTOR, INDIVIDUAL GIVING AND SIGNATURE EVENTS
Payton Field DONOR RELATIONS MANAGER
MARKETING AND BRAND STRATEGY
Nicole Doll VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND BRAND STRATEGY
Louanna Wyatt ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PATRON EXPERIENCE
Nicholas Peltz
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND CONTENT MANAGER
Dan Wood VIDEOGRAPHER
Kennedy Dudley MARKETING ASSOCIATE
Pam Taylor PATRON EXPERIENCE SUPERVISOR AND MARKETING PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Brandi Botkin
Ja’Nay Brown
Reed Carter
Butch Hamm
Sam Johnson
Natalie Lindsey
Brian Miller
Camden Scarborough PATRON EXPERIENCE ASSOCIATES
OTTO M. BUDIG
ACADEMY AND EDUCATION
Ginger Johnson VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMY AND EDUCATION
Elizabeth Metz REGISTRATION SERVICES MANAGER
David Morse
PRINCIPAL, PROFESSIONAL TRAINING DIVISION
Jackie Smith STUDENT SERVICES MANAGER
Cervilio Miguel Amador
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Sierra Severt ACADEMY OPERATIONS COORDINATOR
Sirui Liu
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL, ENSEMBLE
Kate Stark
CB MOVES COORDINATOR
Kimberley Stewart CINCYDANCE COORDINATOR
Eline Bauwens ACADEMY CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPPORT
Kelly Daley
Emily Schau YOUNG PERFORMERS COORDINATORS
Frankie Bennett
Courtney Keesee
Iliana Rich STUDENT EXPERIENCE REPRESENTATIVES
Donna Anderle
Oliver Arana
Nikita Boris
Ja’Nay Brown
Alison Cole
Rosa Compostella
Jackie Courchene Spayd
Jacqueline Damico Amador
Kiersten Edwards
Isabele Elefson
Kerry Enders
Megan Flynn
Jeri Gatch
Sienna Glaze
Donna Grisez
Sasha Hart
Ayako Hasebe Lloyd
Nicole Hershey
Julius Jenkins
Mary Kamp
Christina LaForgia
Morse
Kara Louis
Daimy McInroe
Mae Miller
Victoria Morgan
Patty Pille
Simon Plant
Carlos Quenedit
Jennifer Rutherford
Rowan Salem
Joshua Stayton
Cassidy Steele
Shauna Steele
Rose Sunila
Daniel Wagner
Sierra Wilkerson
Michelle Ziegler ACADEMY AND EDUCATION INSTRUCTORS
PRODUCTION
Brian R Sherman VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCTION
Carissa Gandenberger PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER
Dena D’Andrea COMPANY MANAGER
Brooke Arthur COSTUME MANAGER
Morgan Piper ASSOCIATE STAGE MANAGER
Laura Hofmann WARDROBE SUPERVISOR
Cherl Beyersdoerfer FIRST WARDROBE ASSISTANT
Jackie Andrews SECOND WARDROBE ASSISTANT
Gabe Horan HEAD CARPENTER
Kevin Barth HEAD OF PROPERTIES
Chanelle Dau Pino HEAD ELECTRICIAN
Emily Hetzer ASSISTANT ELECTRICIAN
Ben Niemczyk
CCM LIGHTING INTERN
Hannah Kate Hawver CCM STAGE MANAGEMENT INTERN
SPORTS MEDICINE
Kelly Jo Rodrigo, MS, LAT, ATC
Liz Ebbeler, MPA, ATC COURTESY OF TRIHEALTH AND BEACON ORTHOPEDICS & SPORTS MEDICINE
ARTISTIC EMERITI
Victoria Morgan ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EMERITA
Carmon DeLeone
MUSIC DIRECTOR EMERITUS
PHOTOGRAPHY: Feinknop
Mikki Schaffner
Anonymous
DONOR HONOR ROLL
Susan Brenner and Steven A. Mombach
Trish and Frederick Bryan
Manuel Chavez
David W. Cook and Loretta Motz Cook +
Dianne Dunkelman and Peter Schwartz
Sarah Frank Fogarty and Timothy Fogarty
Donald Beck and Lawrence Eynon
Debbie and Jody Brant
Kelly J. Brown and Family
Alison and Bret Caller
Lucy Chu
Jennifer and Bob Conklin + James Crosset
Judy and Christopher Dalambakis
Kelly M. Dehan and Rick Staudigel
Anonymous
Sergio Arreola
Pam and Bernard Barbash
Eileen and John Barrett
Mary Kay and Bernardo Calonge
Smokey J. Clay
Noël Julnes-Dehner and Joseph Dehner
Connie and Leslie Dow
Helen Dupree
Kristine and David Freitas
Lauren Hannan Shafer
FOUNDER
Lynne S. Friedlander
Lynn and Brian Good
Linda and Gary Greenberg
Stephanie L. Hogue
Christine and Terence Horan
Barbara and Larry Kellar +
Elizabeth and John LaMacchia
Anne and Craig Maier
Karen F. Maier and Delane Starliper
Sherie Marek
Laura E. Dickey
Debby and Jim Mason
Madelynn and Raymond Matlock
Mitzie and Emerson Moser
Julie and John Richardson
Dianne and J. David Rosenberg
Kitty and Richard Rosenthal
Rhonda and Larry Sheakley
DIRECTOR
Susan Domonkos
Jerry Ewers and Brian Tiffany
Kristin and Chris Fishbaugh
Jodi M. Geiser and James Miller III
Arielle Goldberg
Kateri Moll Haskett
Lucy and Craig Joffe
John and Peter Laffoon
Gloria Lipson
Leslie and Timothy Maloney
Megan McCarthy and Steve Wolf
Lane and Skip Merten
Barbara K. Myers
Elizabeth and Petersen Niehoff
Martha+ and Nick Ragland
John and Lisa Riccardi
Keke and Tony Sansalone
Alice Schneider
Gayle and William Sherman
PRINCIPAL
Kathryn and Keith Harsh
Julia and Robert Heidt
Paul and Debbie Heldman
Patti and Fred Heldman
Javier and Sally Hernandez
Barbara and Guy Hild
Theresa and Edmond Hooker
Sandra and Steve Joffe
Peggy and Gary Johns
Amy and George Joseph
Jeanie Knuth
Marsha and Brad Lindner
Martha and Carl Lindner
Frances and Craig Lindner
Danyel and Adam Mayerson
Lauren and James Miller
Jack Miner and Brian Dozer
Anu and Shekhar Mitra
Mary Lou Motl
Jennifer and Bradley Mottier
Valerie L. Newell and Timothy Smith
Susan and Joseph Pichler
Julie and Steven Shifman
Jennifer and John Stein
Susan and John Tew
Heather and Jonathan Theders
Geraldine and David Warner
Barbara M. Weyand
Margaret and Michael Valentine +
Ronnie and John Shore
Dr. Peter and Sandy Stern
Barbara and Ronald Stern
Lisa and Joel Stone
Therese and William Tobler
Barbara and Daman Turner
Susie Tweddell
Kelly and Guy Vanasse
Diane and Gary West
Faith Whittaker
Anne and Charles Pierce
Courtney and Eric Ragland
Amy and Brad Resch
Jack Rouse
Bill and Lisa Sampson
Amy and William Thaman
Jo Ann Wieghaus
Kathy and George Wilkinson
Michael G. Williams
Christine and John Willig
Kelley and Brandon Zureick
DONOR HONOR ROLL
Sarah J. CherotAbercrombie and Daniel Abercrombie
Jeanette M. Altenau
Flavia Bastos and Larry Huston
Bonnie and Charles Bensonhaver
Elaine and David Billmire
Sue and Ben Blaney
Betsy and Robert Brokamp
James H. Brun
Daniel Cifuentes
Michael L. Cioffi
Paula and William Cordes
Andrea Costa
Bobbi and Aaron Crary
Sarah Corathers and James Anthony
Marianna B. Bettman
Ruth E. Bley
Charlotte Brooks
SOLOIST
Cindy Crilley
Jennifer and Vito
Damiano
Maureen and John Doellman
Martha and Stuart Dornette
Valerie Folger
Vallie and Rodney Geier
Kay and Jack Geiger
Ann and Jeff Gibson
Ralph Ginocchio
Diane and Jerry Govert
Christy and Bill Griesser
Beth and Louis Guttman
Karlee Hilliard
Jane Hopson
Jacklyn and Gary Bryson
Evelyn and Marc Fisher
Jack Fogarty
Tom Fogarty
Flavia C. Bastos and Larry Huston
Elaine Jaeger
Esther and Steven Johnson
Susan B. Kelleher
Kathy Kelly
Anne and Dean Kereiakes
Zofeen Khan
Jim and Marcene Kinney
Katherine and Robert Lawrence
Lizbie and Lynn Lin
David Martin
Stacey and Mark Miller
Susan Murray
Patricia and H.C. Niehoff
CORPS
Barbara and Ashley Ford
Claire Frank
Margaret and Edmund Hess
Emmy Hobson
Linda Holthaus
Alexa and Jack Oliver
Carol and Robert Olson
Kristen and Scott Oyler
Dawn and Robert Schiff
Todd Schild
Mrs. Jerry Schlagheck
Susan and Russell Shelton
Elizabeth B. Vollmer
Ronna and James Willis
Sally and Anthony Woodward
Karen Zaugg Ph.D.
Jaclyn and Brenden Zenni
Sally Kelsall
Steven Kenat
Susan and Andrew Krott
Kei and Shannon Lawson
Hiromi Platt Photography
DONOR HONOR ROLL
Christine and Rick Lefever
Cassie and Lachlan
McLean
Sara and Alex Muñoz
Marilyn and Paul Porcino
Lori Rappold
Jackie and Mike Alf
Lois and Ken Allen
Carolyn Barham
Carrie and Michael Barron
Andria Berry
Shan Bhati
Kristina M. Blum
Nick and Kristin
Bohlke
Robert Broderick Selker
Otto M. Budig Jr.
Debbie Campbell
Tracy D. Cheever
Ariella and Andrew Cohen
Paula I. Comisar
Rachel and Luke Robinson
Julia J. Sawyer
Julie and Charles Scheper
Rosemary and Mark Schlachter
Tatyana Skorobogat and Anthony Khaskelis
Gale D. Snoddy and Alan L. Margulies
Jennifer and Chad Taylor
THIRD POSITION
Kathleen A. Compton and Raymond C. McNeil
Kristin and David Coppage
Madison and Yvonne Cuffy
Michael Currey
Lisa and Richard Damico
Mark Dauner
April and Harry Davidow
Zahki Davis
Cynthia and Stephen DeHoff
Amy and Andrew DeWitt
Steven J. Dreyer
Joyce Elkus
Jessica Eno-Idem
Michele and Garth Finch
Thomas and Janice Forte
Michael Frabetti
Sherri and Tedd Friedman
Shelly Gerson
Judith and Samuel Gilardi
Charlotte and Robert Goering
Madeleine Gordon
Ricardo Grant
Theodore J. Grassmick
VitaMarie and Marc Greenberg
Hillary Weidner
Tiffany and John Whitcomb
Angela J. White
Michelle and Nick Ziegler
Tamela and Tim Zimmerman
Jo and Byron Gustin
Catherine Hamilton
Eloise and Howard Hamilton
Genita and Rob Heidenreich
Becky Hogya
Beth Hudepohl
Laura Hurley
Kevin and Lisa Jackson
Brenda Jones
Daphne and Jason Jurgensen
Anna Kallmeyer
Kristin and Carl Kalnow
Tsvetoslava
Karaivanova
Mary and John Kmet
DONOR HONOR ROLL
Mary Ann and Jeff Knoop
Meg and Chris Kohnen
Carol L. Kruse
Joanie and Louis Lauch
Susan Lauf
Geoffrey Leder
Marion and John Leibold
Dr. Suzanne Lekson
Becky and Thomas Long
Amanda Louis
Amy Magenheim
Sophia McAllister
Kim and Barbara McCracken
Anthony McIntire and Robert C. Hodges
Leslie Mcintosh
Michelle and Dave Meyer
Linda and Jim Miller
Amanda Nelson
Leslie and Larry Newman
Nan L. Oscherwitz
Patel-Curran Family
Joselyn Pfeil
Penny and Stephen Pomeranz
Julia and Daniel Poston
Alexandra and Andrew Quinn
Ellen Rieveschl
Susan and John Roberts
Jean S. Robson
Priya and Dave Rolfes
Elyse M. Roth
Missie and Arthur Santomo
Janet and William Sarran
Rhoda Schneider
Janet Schultz and Russell Lascelles
Kathy Selker
Sandra WittmanShell and Keven Shell
Jacob Shifman and Laura Houston
Ruth and John Sikorski
Joanne and John Smale
Susan and David Smith
Elizabeth A. Snyder
Debbie and Michael Snyder
Linda and Nicholas Spadaccini
Paul Spitz
Diane M. Spitznagel
Elizabeth Shaughnessy and James Stapleton
Dee and Thomas Stegman
Elena Stein
Mary M. Stein
Sandra Stern
Robert W. Strauss and Phyllis G. Bossin
Marianne Schwab and George Stricker
Tiffany Sykes
John U. Tan
Claire and Zachary Tempel
Torey and Tom Torre
Barbara Wagner
Kate K. Wagner
Kim A. Walker
Elizabeth and Chad Warwick
Andrea Wilson and Clifford Goosmann
Anne Warrington Wilson
Blythe and Tyler Winslow
Nancy and David Wolf
Susan and Don Zaunbrecher
Marcia and Robert Ziek
Nancy Zimpher
THE CURTAIN IS RISING
Jennifer Ahoni
Pam Biederman
DONOR HONOR ROLL
Pamela and Robert Bosley
Andrew Boviak
Chris Bowling
Edwin Brott
Dawn and Douglas Bruestle
Vicki and Allan Calonge
Diane Carney
Candace Crouse
Kevin J. Crowley
Sarah E. Dial
Barbara Doviak
Cynthia Dozier
Kenneth Frey
Mark Gandenberger
SECOND POSITION
Mary Ann Gardner
Alexander Glaser and Stephanie Ikedo
William Gracie
Beverly Grant
Teresa and Michael Haught
Pamela Heydt
Bridget and Brian Hoffman
Nelson Horseman
Benjamin Houck
Sandra Houck
Jan and Randy Johnson
Patricia Joseph
Jacqueline Mack and Dr. Edward Silberstein
Anne Maddox and John Berninger
Alice Palmer
Julianne Pekel
Kathleen Polivka
Jennifer and Brad Reed
Barbara Sferra and Herbert Robinson
Patricia and Michael Rozow
Martha and Lee Schimberg
Vivian and Jim Schwab
Jennifer and Woody Sherwood
Barbara Simon
Philip Smith
Phillip and Rosalind Smith
Marcia and Robert Togneri
Nancy and Christopher Virgulak
Meg Walters
Kathryn and Anthony Woods
Helen and Thomas Yocum
Susan & Jeff Zakem
Every child, 18 months to 18 years, will be known, nurtured, and inspired here. We connect students both academically and personally, whether in the classroom or on our 60-acre campus. Innovative learning, independent thinking, and self-discovery guide students to be scholars, athletes, artists, leaders, and inventors.
MAY 1 – 4, 2025
MICHAEL MENGDEN, MAIZYALET VELÁZQUEZ, TAYLOR CARRASCO,
FOUNDATION, GOVERNMENT, AND INSTITUTIONAL DONORS
$ 100,000+
$50,000–$99,999
Kaplan Foundation
$15,000–$49,999
Building Healthy Lives Foundation
Chemed Foundation
Cincinnati Parks Foundation
Edelweiss Foundation
Gardner Family Foundation
Williams Foundation
Wohgenmuth Herschede Foundation
$5,000–$15,999
Crosset Family Foundation
Elsa Heisel Sule Foundation
Harold C. Schott Foundation
Jack J. Smith Jr. Charitable Trust Lubrizol
Jewish Home of Cincinnati, Inc.
The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
The Ladislas and Vilma Segoe Family Foundation
Mueller Family Foundation
Ohio History Connection
Ohio Holocaust and Genocide
Memorial and Education Commission
Parkinson Support and Wellness
$1,000—$4,999
Andrew Howe Scholarship Foundation
Bahl Family Foundation
Charles Scott Riley Foundation
Saenger Family Foundation
Wyler Family Foundation
OFFICIAL IT PARTNER OF CINCINNATI BALLET
OFFICIAL SPORTS MEDICINE PARTNER
BUSINESS CIRCLE
$ 100,000+
$50,000–$99,999
$25,000–$49,999
$10,000–$24,999
$5,000–$9,999
E.W. Scripps Company shop 5 scenic Bahl and Gaynor
$2,500–$4,999
$1,000—$2,499
Still Kids
Thank you to our Business Circle, Foundation, Government, and Institutional donors who supported us through cash and in-kind contributions received by December 13, 2024. The above donor pages represent the information available at the time of print. If you find that you are listed incorrectly or we did not recognize you appropriately, we apologize and want to include you. Please contact our Donor Relations Manager, Payton Field, at pfield@cballet.org or (513) 562-1136.
ARTSWAVE PARTNERS
Cincinnati Ballet acknowledges the following partner companies, foundations and their employees who generously participate in the annual ArtsWave Campaign at the $100,000+ level.
P & G
Fifth Third Bank and Fifth Third Foundation
GE Aerospace altafiber
Cincinnati Children’s
Hospital Medical Center
The Cincinnati Insurance Companies
Great American Insurance Group
The H.B. E.W. F.R Luther Charitable Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, N.A Trustee
Western and Southern Financial Group
Cincinnati Open
Cincinnati Reds
Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
Duke Energy
*Listed in order of size of donation
The EW Scripps Company and Scripps Howard Foundation
