“In our 51st season, we are considering what Ballet Idaho is becoming as it enters a new era. As we do this, we are harnessing all of the momentum and vibrancy we experienced this year in celebration of a half-century of Ballet Idaho. Next season will be a fresh chapter of innovative works and reinvigorated traditions. We are planning four extraordinary programs- including 5 world premieres- that will include some of the best classical ballet and contemporary dance being created and performed today.
We are thrilled to welcome several new artists to our roster, and to also introduce our company and audience to celebrated choreographers Johan Inger, James Kudelka, and Joseph Hernandez. Simultaneously, we are deepening relationships with those more familiar to us, like Danielle Rowe, Penny Saunders, Ricardo Amarante, and Alejandro Cerrudo.
Next season, we will continue to refine our classical form, develop our theatrical voice, and explore the reaches of what the human body can communicate through this incredible art form. From the smash hit Dreamland and the international sensation Walking Mad to a new production of Carmen, and of course, our beloved Nutcracker, we are planning an unforgettable season from start to finish.”
-Artistic Director Garrett Anderson
The Gathering Dark- Morrison Center- October 26-28, 2023
This program will offer a chilling and captivating evening of dance just before Halloween. A new work by Penny Saunders will delight audiences as it weaves together movement, character, and narrative in the style of radio dramas from the 1930s and 40s. A world premiere by Dresden-based Joseph Hernandez will explore virtuosic ballet technique imbued with a brooding atmosphere of suspense. Rounding out the evening is Danielle Rowe’s haunting ensemble work, Dreamland, created on Ballet Idaho in 2018. An evening of dance, darkness, and drama that is not to be missed.
The Nutcracker- Morrison Center- December 15-24, 2023
Celebrate the joy of the season in glittering fashion with this beloved holiday classic. Enjoy the playful charm of the mice, the magical transformation of The Nutcracker Prince, and the dreamlike adventure that takes Clara to The Land of Sweets. Children from the Ballet Idaho Academy will enliven the stage with our professional company members and live musical accompaniment will be provided by The Boise Phil and Opera Idaho’s children choruses.
Anthology- BSU SPEC- February 8-11, 2024
Returning to the SPEC theater for the intimacy it provides, we will experience the incredible range of these artists in three distinct dances. Anne Mueller and Garrett Anderson will co-choreograph a new work for the company, exploring composition and celebrating the dancers’ balletic virtues. James Kudelka’s Man In Black, set to the soulful late music of Johnny Cash, is a masterpiece of form, shaded with emotional nuance and the gravitas of Cash’s lyrics. Closing the evening is Alejandro Cerrudo’s Extremely Close, a gorgeous study of contemporary movement and theatrical sleight of hand set to the music of Phillip Glass.
Carmen/Walking Mad- Morrison Center- May 3-5, 2024
Passion. Intrigue. Murder. Madness. What more could you want in an evening at the ballet? After a condensed version created in 2022, Ricardo Amarante returns to create the full Carmen to Rodion Shchedrin’s score for percussion and strings after the well-known Bizet opera. With new scenic designs by Andrew Boyce (Peter and the Wolf), we are thrilled to see this intense narrative brought to life through the lens of Amarante’s seamless and sensual choreography.
Since its 2001 creation for the heralded Netherlands Dance Theatre, Johan Inger’s Walking Mad has been a staple for contemporary dance companies the world over. Set to the well-known music of Ravel’s Bolero and Arvo Pärt’s Für Alina, this intense (and sometimes comical) journey through scenes created by nine dancers and an ever-changing wall is an experience you will never forget.
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