Jumpstart 2022 | Grand Rapids Ballet by Grand Rapids Ballet

James Sofranko, Artistic Director

JUMPSTART 2022

GRB Company dancers, photo by Scott Rasmussen.

MARCH 25-27, 2022 | PETER MARTIN WEGE THEATRE

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ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MESSAGE Dear Friends, Thank you for joining Grand Rapids Ballet in our 50th anniversary year for our production of Jumpstart 2022. This is one of my favorite times of the year, and many audience members tell me that Jumpstart is what they most look forward to every season! I’d like to thank the Rosemary and David Good Family Foundation for their annual support of Jumpstart, and their love of the creative process. One of our biggest assets is the professional group of dancers that call Grand Rapids Ballet their home. We boast 19 company members, plus apprentices and trainees, and we are a family of artists that come together from various backgrounds, locations, and perspectives. Our dancers hail from multiple countries and all across the United States, and they bring with them their individual experiences, training, and ideas for the future of dance. Jumpstart is their chance to create and offer their own personal voice to the conversation. I am so proud of the eight dancers who have chosen to create new works on their colleagues and push themselves into unknown territory. The result is never predictable, but always inspiring! This year’s Jumpstart offers something new: in honor of our 50th anniversary, each new work features a collaboration with a community partner. Grand Rapids Ballet has always been interested in working within the community and finding new ways to combine efforts to promote art and dance. There are six organizations represented in Jumpstart 2022: Opera Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Civic Theater, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Valley State University, Kendall College of Art and Design, and the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra. I wish to thank all of their leaders, staff, and artists for their contributions and willingness to participate in our celebration. They are just some of the entities that we have worked with in the past, and there are countless other ways in which Grand Rapids Ballet can reach out into the community in the future, and I am eager to continue to explore those possibilities. Our final program of the 2021-2022 season features Christopher Stowell’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and George Balanchine’s masterwork Serenade, April 22-May 1. I hope you can join us to enjoy the fun of Shakespeare’s famous comedy, with music by Felix Mendelssohn, featuring the professional company, as well as students from the Grand Rapids Ballet School. We have also announced our 2022-2023 season, and I am so excited to be creating a new full-length production of Romeo and Juliet, to be performed at DeVos Performance Hall in February 2023 with the Grand Rapids Symphony playing Prokofiev’s passionate score. Along with four other programs, including Elemental Movement, The Nutcracker, Jumpstart 2023, and Ballet + Broadway (featuring the choreography of Andy Blankenbuehler, Tony-award winner for Hamilton), it will be a season full of storytelling, innovative new works, and timeless classics. Season subscriptions are available now at grballet.com. Thank you for your support of Grand Rapids Ballet, Michigan’s only professional ballet company. I hope you enjoy Jumpstart 2022, and we are so glad to have you back in the theater for live performances! Sincerely, James Sofranko, Artistic Director

OCT. 14-162022 & 21-23, 2022 OCT. 14-16,

PETER MARTIN WEGE THEATRE

DEC. 9-11 & 16-18, 2022

DEVOS PERFORMANCE HALL

FEB. 17-19, 2023

DEVOS PERFORMANCE HALL

MARCH 24-26, 2023

PETER MARTIN WEGE THEATRE

APRIL 21-23 & 28-30, 2023

PETER MARTIN WEGE THEATRE

GRBALLET.COM/2022-23-SEASON

DANCERS COMPANY

Isaac Aoki

James Cunningham

Ednis Gomez

Yuko Horisawa

Steven Houser

Josué Justiz

Zach Manske

Sarah Marley

Alexandra Meister-Upleger

Yuka Oba-Muschiana

Nigel Tau

Julia Turner

Madison Massara

Branden Reiners

Matthew Wenckowski

Nathan Young

Emily Reed

Adriana Wagenveld

APPRENTICES

Haley Baker

Talia Lebowitz

Ingrid Lewis

Claudia Rhett

Spencer Waldeck

Learn more about Grand Rapids Ballet’s dancers at grballet.com/dancers. Dancer headshots by Isaac Aoki and Jessica Meldrum.

TRAINEES

Katie Aaberg

Mackenzie Davis

Todd Lani

Sofia Striegl

Fiona Dorr

Avery Held

JUMPSTART 2022 By Marketing Director Jessica Meldrum M.S. Grand Rapids Ballet (GRB) continues its 50th anniversary by collaborating with various Grand Rapids-area arts and education institutions to create eight world-premiere performances during Jumpstart 2022 at Peter Martin Wege (PMW) Theatre. “We are an organization dedicated to our community, and I am especially excited this year, in honor of our 50th anniversary, to be able to incorporate collaborations with multiple organizations from around the city, adding yet another layer of creativity and shining a light on how Grand Rapids can come together to create art,” said James Sofranko, artistic director at GRB.

Peri physeōs, by Adriana Wagenveld

In preparation for Jumpstart 2022, GRB’s dancers were challenged to refocus their creative energies, moving into the role of choreographer, building works for other company dancers. Two works also are being revived from GRB’s 2020-21 virtual season, including a reworking of the film, Amiss, choreographed by Resident Choreographer Penny Saunders, and Brothers by Jennifer Archibald. Eight Company dancers are working as choreographers for the world premiere works, collaborating with prominent organizations, including Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM), Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra, Grand Valley State University (GVSU), Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD), and Opera Grand Rapids. “Jumpstart is a program that I look forward to every season because the dancers always astound me with their abundant creativity and talent,” said Sofranko. “In a performance consisting of all world premieres, I never really know what the show is going to look like until opening night, and that makes for a very exciting process!” The Jumpstart choreographers include Isaac Aoki, James Cunningham, Zach Manske, Alexandra Meister-Upleger, Yuka ObaMuschiana, Emily Reed, Nigel Tau, and Adriana Wagenveld. Rehearsals officially began for GRB in early March, however, the works have been well underway for months as the various community partners began their preparations. Students from the Fashion Studies program at No Longer Left Outside, by Emily Reed KCAD’s Pamella Roland DeVos School of Fashion began visiting GRB in January, working in the costume shop, creating custom costumes that will be featured in Adriana Wagenveld’s work, Peri physeōs, based on Empedocles’ poem of the same name, which translates to On Nature and will explore the four elements. “I am excited for our students to be working with GRB again this semester,” said Lori Faulkner, Fashion Studies program chair and associate professor at KCAD. “Collaborations are an important part of our program’s learning environment. They enable Fashion Studies students to use their design techniques in real-life situations, improve creative problem-solving skills, receive critical feedback, and create beautiful work for their portfolios.” In addition to costuming, community partners also lent their talents in production and visual elements ahead of Jumpstart 2022. Eighteen students from GVSU dedicated their time throughout the winter semester learning animation and movement exercises, which are being applied to Emily Reed’s work, No Longer Left Outside, which centers around two pieces of music and includes excerpts from “A Conversation with Myself” by Alan Watts. Moved by the last words of Watts’ lecture, Reed’s work features a backdrop with projections of nature, moss, and birds while each dancer is represented on-screen by the color they are wearing. “The GVSU Department of Visual and Media Arts is thrilled to be partnering with GRB to celebrate their 50th Anniversary,” said Julie Goldstein MFA, assistant professor at GVSU. “The students in our second-level animation class are collaborating with Emily Reed to generate an immersive imaginary landscape for the Jumpstart 8 performance.” Shakespeare in Love, by Zach Manske

BEHIND THE CURTAIN Company dancer Nigel Tau’s work, What Remains, takes inspiration from Hwa-Jeen Na’s photography collection at GRAM, which depicts people in their daily lives, capturing “the fleeting moments of introspection,” explained Tau. In addition to the photographic artwork inspiring GRB’s dancers, the dramatic architectural spaces at GRAM also have shaped inspiration for Isaac Aoki’s work, titled soirée.

What Remains, by Nigel Tau

“Working throughout the pandemic I wanted to do something on a bigger scale that is really joyful and pays homage to GRB and GRAM,” he said. “I’ve been going to the museum ever since I moved here and I am excited to use 28 dancers for this 9-minute piece.” Aoki’s work will incorporate elements from a dance film taking place at GRAM while onstage at PMW.

“It’s a pleasure for the Grand Rapids Art Museum to collaborate again with GRB in celebration of their 50th Anniversary,” said Dana Friis-Hansen, director and CEO at GRAM. “Looking back, the company has enriched the cultural scene in so many ways through its performances, artistic innovation, dance school, and public education programs. GRAM is thrilled to offer collaborative opportunities to two young choreographers, Nigel Tau and Isaac Aoki, who are shaping the future of dance. Partnerships like this are what Grand Rapids does well, and I hope it will continue for another fifty years and far beyond!” Christine Amon, mezzo-soprano with Opera Grand Rapids shared that while working with company dancer Yuka Oba-Muschiana, the pair collaborated to create a story that would be told through music and dance. “It was a fun task to find a piece of music for Yuka and me. We thought about what kind of story we wanted to tell, and what elements of the music spoke to each of us artistically. I cannot wait until it all comes together!” Oba-Muschiana’s work is based on a poem that showcases a woman going through different stages in a relationship. “I always love listening to opera so I was very excited,” Oba-Muschiana said. GRB company dancers, Zach Manske and Alexandra Meister-Upleger are working with Civic Theatre for separate pieces, each incorporating Chansons de Bilitis, by Yuka Oba-Muschiana actors into their works. “Civic is honored to be collaborating on two pieces for Jumpstart,” said Allyson Paris, artistic director at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. “Manske’s beautiful and romantic piece features GRB dancers and actors from our recent production of ‘Shakespeare in Love’ with music by local composer Todd Lewis, and Alexandra Meister-Upleger’s thought-provoking work explores two poems from ‘The Spoon River Anthology.’ It’s a delight to merge these two approaches to storytelling to create something unique and memorable for our community!” Meister-Upleger’s piece, Das ist mein Sohn, takes inspiration from a book of poetry that focuses on a town of people who reflect on their lives after their physical bodies left earth. “I came to find out it’s a popular collection for actors to use in auditions and monologues,” she explained. Manske’s work features two dancers performing a pas de deux that intertwines dance and acting. “It’s based on the text ‘Shakespeare in Love’ and Viola reading the pages for the first time,” Manske shared. “It’s a mirror reflection of their relationship and the story of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ that is multi-layered and explores the telling of a love story.” The final work, Zazous du Jour, by company dancer James Cunningham, works in collaboration with Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra. It features five musicians performing alongside dancers portraying the Zazous subculture in Paris who epitomized the idea of quirky individuality and self-expression by integrating big band music of the early 1940s. “I hope to celebrate the idea of these independent free spirits and incorporate a message of acceptance toward all types of people who walk their own unique path in life.” 9 Zazous Du Jour, by James Cunningham

GRAND RAPIDS BALLET IS CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF LIFTING THE HUMAN SPIRIT THROUGH THE ART OF DANCE.

Yuka Oba-Muschiana, photo by Ray Nard Imagemaker.

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DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION OUR PLEDGE

Grand Rapids Ballet is dedicated to expanding the experience of world-class dance and artistic excellence. Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Committee, comprised of board members, staff, and dancers, is committed to examining our efforts, seeking out all voices in our community, and creating actions to be a more inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible cultural organization.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT As a first important step in our ongoing mission for social justice, Grand Rapids Ballet would like to recognize the People of the Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potowatomi peoples on whose land we are gathered. The Three Fires People are indigenous to this land which means that this is their ancestral territory. The Grand Rapids Ballet is built on native land. As such, we are guests on their land, and one way to practice Right Relations is to develop genuine ways to acknowledge the histories and traditions of the people who originated here first, who are still here, and who tend to the land always. As we take this step, we understand that there are many more ahead as we continuously advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in our community.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream grballet.com/adult

GRBALLET.COM/GRB50

Yuka Oba-Muschiana, photo by Ray Nard Imagemaker.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream features Shakespeare’s comedic tale of whimsy and love choreographed by Christopher Stowell with music by Felix Mendelssohn. The performance also includes George Balanchine’s classic ballet Serenade, with music by Tchaikovsky.

Photo by Jingzi-Zhao, courtesyand of Oregon Ballet Theaterphoto: Damion Van Slyke Yuka Oba-Muschiana Josue Justiz,

April 22-May 1, 2022 at Peter Martin Wege Theatre 13

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GRAND RAPIDS BALLET STAFF COMPANY Artistic Director James Sofranko Executive Director Glenn Del Vecchio Marketing Director Jessica Meldrum M.S. Development Director Julie Lesniak Production Stage Manager Megan Marie Thompson Costume Shop Manager Ronald Altman Costume Shop Assistant Nancy Greiner Company/Facilities Manager John Ferraro Artistic Coordinator/Ballet Master Dawnell Dryja Black Asst. Ballet Master Steven Houser Trainee Program Teacher Cynthia Sofranko Guest Services Manager Errol Shewman Box Office Associate: Marie Braun Pianists Ryan Blok, Justin Gray, Margi Peterson

Yuka Oba-Muschiana, Taryn Ortega-Furgeson, Nigel Tau, Jessica Winter-Troutwine Pianists Ryan Blok, Idalmira Lopez, Mark Moran Receptionists Mary-Ann Carpenter, Audrey Walker, Arianna Wisniewski PRODUCTION CREW Production Carpenter Andrew Steers Production Electrician Matt Taylor Asst. Production Electrician Glenn Gould Production Properties Ben Knudstrup Projectionist Marc Savage Assistant Stage Manager Maragaret Peterson

SCHOOL Director & Junior Company Artistic Director Attila Mosolygo Curriculum Coordinator Mindy Mosolygo Administrator SarahJean Bos Faculty Melanie Anderson Brossiet, James Cunningham, Steven Houser, Jillian Gasper, Nicholas Gray, Katherine Koning, Sarah Marley, Kate Matlack,

Grand Rapids Ballet’s Virtual Season, in partnership with SALT Creative Production Studio, offers a unique perspective to our performances, streaming digitally from anywhere. You are invited to tune in and enjoy Grand Rapids Ballet’s Virtual Season when it fits your schedule. Explore the other benefits below: scan to learn more!

- Stream our virtual programs multiple times while available. - Enjoy the remaining Virtual Season for only $30. - Subscribers will receive access to performances for two weeks. - Individual virtual programs are available for $18.

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IN MEMORIAM/ IN HONOR OF Mary Ann Adams Stephanie Burr Carilon Carr Molly Irwin Charles Dianne Hillman Garone Susan Graalman Wes & Judy Harpold Norman E. Horne Gabriela Iriarte Margy Jones Todd Lani Al McQueen Emily Reed Len Robinson Cyndi Ruffer Ronald Savage Kim Schmidt Sally Seven Pauline Eade Sheppard Clare D. Snyder John Tully Julia Turner Robert Wepman Stephen Wert Joe Wojczynski Rebecca Woods Be a part of the art! To make a gift, please contact Development Director Julie Lesniak at 616.454.4771 ext. 22 or juliel@grballet.com.

Scan to read a more complete history!

2007 | Meijer-Royce Center for Dance

2000 | GRB Finds Permanent Home

1991-92 Season | Professional Dancers Contracted

1987 | Charthel Arthur Artistic Director

1983 | Summerfest Program Expanded

1973 | Operational & Executive Management Established

1972 | Nonprofit Corporation Formed

2000-2010 | Artistic Director Gordon Peirce Schmidt & Associate Artistic Director Laura Berman

1997 | 25th Anniversary Silver Season

1988 | Grand Rapids Ballet School Formed

1987 | “Civic” Removed From Title

1987 | Cinderella at Civic Theatre

1973 | GRB Moves Locations

1972 | Established partnership with Grand Rapids Public Schools

1960s | The Spirit of Ballet is Born

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

2022 | 50th Golden Anniversary

2020-Present | COVID-19 Pandemic

2018-Present | James Sofranko Artistic Director

2016-Present | Penny Saunders Resident Choreographer

2012 | Present-Day Junior Company Established

2010-17 | Patricia Barker Artistic Director

2009-10 | Adaptive Dance Program Established

2021 | Named Creative Business of the Year

June 2019 | Record-Breaking Festival Performance

2017-Present | School Continues to Grow

2014 | Nutcracker Reimagined

2012 | Attila Mosolygo Junior Company Artistic Director

2010 | Dance Immersion Program Created

2009-Present | Glenn Del Vecchio Exective Director

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JUNIOR COMPANY 2022-23 SEASON

First row: Luke Skrycki, Emily McCarty, Ella Fix, Elise Peters, Elle Boehringer, Vivian Mosolygo, Violette Cooper, Samantha Storms, Minka Dunahee, Elliot Schulz, Second row: Caleb Oldenberg, Gwen Sumners, Allison Skwarek, Fiona Overdevest, Emma Christy, Grace DeJonge, Morgan Snider, Ellery Dahl, Lyric McPhee, Christopher Karhunen, Third row: Edwin Klein, Madelyn Bird, Adelina Berzins, Grace Heins, A’Marri CannonMelton, Clare Nicklow, Gabrielle Shook, Hannah Jo Ten Elshof, Isabel Case, Fourth row: Bre’asia Rosado, Mia Storteboom, Maya Olthouse, Elin Escobar Forsberg, Micah Jones, Nina Richardson, Serafina Wagenveld, Fifth row: Alexandra Hodge, Anna Sumners, Alyssa Pitsch, Liam Dunahee, Olivia Borgula, Violet Ottenwess, Hailee Jarchow, Not pictured: Evangeline Czurak, Reese Graalman, Lucia Jacques, Zooey Kraemer, Phoebe Oldenberg, Aleksandra Theule, Mariana Topie, Eliana Tucker.

OCT. 28-30, 2022

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SUMMER 2022 INTENSIVES GRBS students, photo: Jessica Meldrum

2022 SUMMER CAMPS GRBALLET.COM/SCHOOL

MOVING WITH PARKINSON’S At Grand Rapids Ballet School, we believe in the therapeutic power of dance. Our Moving with Parkinson’s is a dance therapy class made specifically for people with Parkinson’s Disease, geared towards mobility. GRBS is proud to continue to partner with the Parkinson’s Association of West Michigan to offer free weekly classes throughout the year for adults in the West Michigan community with Parkinson’s Disease. We offer classes at our Grand Rapids facility as well as satellite classes in Holland. Moving with Parkinson’s dancers enjoy spending time in a supportive community, focusing on holistic and restorative movement. “The Moving with Parkinson’s class helps me walk with a more even gait; improves my balance; strengthens cognitive skills and provides a much-needed social outlet.” - Sharon S. “I have been attending the Moving with Parkinson’s class for 8 years. It is one of the most positive activities I have participated in. It lets me slow down, forget the challenges I face each day, and enjoy being mindful of that moment. Attila is a wonderful teacher and the piano music adds to the joy of being part of something freeing. It is a special part of my week.” - Mary B. “Attila is our wonderful, patient teacher. He makes us all feel comfortable, no matter what our movement skills are, and he pushes us to do more. I love that he calls us all dancers!” - Amy S. 34

GRBALLET.COM/PARKINSONS

2021–2022 SEASON

THEATRE AT GRAND VALLEY GVSU.EDU/THEATRE GVSU Opera Theatre presents

SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM

OCTOBER 8, 9, 15, 16 AT 7:30 PM OCTOBER 10 & 17 AT 2 PM LOUIS ARMSTRONG THEATRE, HAAS CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS

Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival presents

MAC BETH

NOVEMBER 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 AT 7:30 PM NOVEMBER 14 AT 2 PM

Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival presents

ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD JANUARY 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 AT 7:30 PM JANUARY 23, 30 AT 2 PM LINN MAXWELL KELLER BLACK BOX THEATRE, HAAS CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS

Theatre at Grand Valley presents

MR. BURNS: A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY APRIL 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 AT 7:30 PM APRIL 3 AND 10 AT 2 PM LINN MAXWELL KELLER BLACK BOX THEATRE, HAAS CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS

TICKETS AND INFORMATION

(616) 331-2300 // GVSU.EDU/THEATRE

LINN MAXWELL KELLER BLACK BOX THEATRE, HAAS CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS

presents

APRIL 29 - MAY 22

grct.org/tickets

JUST ANNOUNCED: THE 2022-23 SEASON Visit grct.org/season97 to see the exciting lineup and purchase your tickets today!

GRAND RAPIDS CIVIC THEATRE 36

30 N DIVISION GRAND RAPIDS 616.222.6650

PHOTO: SAINT

ON SALE NOW MARCH 29 – APRIL 3, 2022 • DEVOS PERFORMANCE HALL The Grand Rapids engagement is welcomed by: Autocam Medical; Barnes & Thornburg, LLP; BISSELL, Inc.; Mercy Health Saint Mary’s; National Heritage Academies; Wolverine Worldwide.

Babatunji Johnson – Alonzo King LINES Ballet

THE NATION’S LARGEST STAGE FOR THE ARTS WGVU.ORG 40