Ballet in Cleveland Presents: The Ashley Bouder Project
Sat, Oct 25, 2014 8:00 PM
Ohio Theatre
Ballet in Cleveland presents a premiere production with some of the finest dancers and choreographers in the world with The Ashley Bouder Project: An Exposé on Ballet Style. Ashley Bouder, Principal Dancer with The New York City Ballet, and Phil Chan, General Manager of Youth America Grand Prix, the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition, have partnered with Ballet in Cleveland to present a performance of the highest caliber of professional ballet today. The first act features grand classical and neoclassical works by ballet legends Marius Petipa and George Balanchine. The second act boasts a world premiere to the music of Shostakovich, performed by soloists from the Cleveland Institute of Music, costumes by B Michael America, and choreography created for the project by Joshua Beamish, artistic director of MOVE: the company. Don't miss this incredible performance which is a historic event for Cleveland.
About Ballet in Cleveland
Ballet in Cleveland highlights the unique, elegant, and powerful qualities of ballet, thus cultivating its culture in the city of Cleveland, the results of which carry nationwide. Through the presentation of performances by professional ballet companies, ballet master classes and programming with nationally recognized dancers, and ballet-centric events that break boundaries, Ballet in Cleveland is revolutionizing ballet in Cleveland and beyond.
About Jessica Wallis
Jessica Wallis is the founding director of Ballet in Cleveland. Since beginning this company in 2012, she has presented world class ballet dancers such as Ashley Bouder, Carlos Lopez, and Allison DeBona. Jessica is a co-producer of The Ashley Bouder Project, and is currently developing curriculum for Cuyahoga Falls High School's Arts Media and Design Den. Ms. Wallis is an honors graduate with both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Education from The University of Akron. She is a former third grade teacher in the Solon City Schools, and an adjunct faculty member of both The University of Akron and Kent State University. Jessica has collaborated on programming for The Foundation Center, Great Lakes Theater, and Cleveland Play House, and in 2014 spoke at The City Club of Cleveland. She was selected as one of the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club's 'Top 25 Under 35' for its Northeast Ohio Movers & Shakers award, and a Cleveland Women's Journal 'Woman to Know' in 2013.
About Ashley Bouder
Ashley Bouder was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and began her ballet training at the age of six at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet with Marcia Dale Weary. After attending the 1999 Summer Program at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, she was invited by SAB to continue her training during the Winter Session. As a student, Ms. Bouder performed featured roles in Balanchine's Dances Concertantes and Stars and Stripes for the School of American Ballet's 2000 Annual Spring Workshop. Ms. Bouder was named an apprentice with New York City Ballet in June 2000 and became a member of the corps de ballet that October. She was promoted to the rank of soloist in February 2004, and in January 2005, Ms. Bouder was promoted to principal dancer.
About Josh Beamish
Josh Beamish, Artistic Director of MOVE: the company, began dancing under the direction of his mother Loretta Lachner in Edmonton, Alberta and continued his training in Kelowna, BC. Outside of MOVE: the company, his works have recently been performed by Toronto Dance Theatre, Sylvain Brochu, Halifax Dance, Ballet Kelowna, Dance Saskatchewan, the Universities of Alberta and Missouri, Ballet Jorgen, the Bellingham Repertory Company and Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance in Kansas City. He is the recipient of a 2009 City of Vancouver Mayor's Arts Award, a 2008 Globe and Mail Dance Award and of artistic residencies at the Dance Centre, Drive Dance Centre, the Shadbolt Centre, the Sunshine Coast Dance Society, the University of Alberta, the Norman Rothstein and Clarke Theatres, Odyssey Dance Theatre in Singapore, the Djerassi Program in San Franciso and the Banff Centre. Josh also recently participated in a choreographic session at the New York Choreographic Institute, an affiliate of New York City Ballet, collaborating with the students of the School of American Ballet. His work with MOVE: the company has recently toured to the 15th Anniversary of the International Ballet Festival in Miami, the Quinzena de Danca Festival in Portugal, the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC and to WORLD EXPO 2010 in Shanghai, China, performing the Closing Gala of the Canadian Pavillion with Cirque du Soleil. Most recently, Josh choreographed the 2011 International Children’s Winter Games Opening Ceremonies event and in Fall 2011 he will premiere work for MOVE: the company at the Bangkok International Festival for Dance.