Raymond Rodriguez News

Ashley Wheater, The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, is pleased to announce the addition of four dancers to the Joffrey roster for the 2019-2020 season: Joseì Pablo Castro Cuevas (Queretaro, Mexico), Jonathan Dole (Sacramento, California), Hyuma Kiyosawa (Nagano, Japan) and Miu Tanaka (Chiba, Japan). With these new company members, The Joffrey Ballet totals 45 dancers representing 13 countries.

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet presents four world premieres in the culmination of Joffrey's national call for ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit applications for the Joffrey Academy's Ninth Annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition. This year's Competition winners-Tommie-Waheed Evans, Marissa Osato, Xiang Xu and Edgar Zendejas-each have choreographed an original work created on the Joffrey Academy Trainees and Studio Company. Winning Works returns to the Museum of Contemporary Art's Edlis Neeson Theater (220 E. Chicago Avenue) for three performances, Saturday, March 9 at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM and Sunday, March 10 at 2:00 PM. Tickets for Winning Works are $25 and now available for purchase at joffrey.org/winningworks.

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, announces the recipients of the ninth annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition: Tommie-Waheed Evans, Marissa Osato, Xiang Xu and Edgar Zendejas. This announcement follows a national call for ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit applications, which began in June. The choreographers' world premiere works will be showcased on the members of the Joffrey Studio Company and the Joffrey Academy Trainee Program.

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, announces a national call for ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit applications for The Joffrey Academy's Ninth Annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition. The goal of the award is to recognize talented and emerging ALAANA choreographers whose unique perspective will ignite creativity in the form of original works of dance. The deadline for application is September 1, 2018.

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet presents four world premieres in the eighth annual Winning Works program, the culmination of Joffrey's national call for ALAANA (African, Latino(a), Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit applications for the Joffrey Academy's Eighth Annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition. This year's Competition winners-Telmo Moreira, Omar Roman De Jesus, Claudia Schreier and Luis Vazquez-each have choreographed an original work created on the Joffrey Academy Trainees and Studio Company. Winning Works returns to the MCA's Edlis Neeson Theater (220 E. Chicago Avenue) for three performances, Saturday, March 3 at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM and Sunday, March 4 at 2:00 PM. Tickets for Winning Works are $25 and now available for purchase at joffrey.org/winningworks.

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, announces the recipients of the eighth annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition: Telmo Moreira, Omar Rom n De Jes s, Claudia Schreier and Luis Vazquez.

???????The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, announces a national call for ALAANA (African, Latino(a), Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit applications for The Joffrey Academy's Eighth Annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition. The goal of the award is to recognize talented and emerging ALAANA choreographers whose unique perspective will ignite creativity in the form of original works of dance.  The deadline for application is September 1, 2017.

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet in collaboration with Chicago Public Library present four world premieres in the seventh annual Winning Works program, the culmination of Joffrey's national call for ALAANA (African, Latino(a), Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit applications for the Joffrey Academy's Seventh Annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition.

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet in collaboration with Chicago Public Library present four world premieres in the seventh annual Winning Works program, the culmination of Joffrey's national call for ALAANA (African, Latino(a), Asian, Arab and Native American) artists to submit applications for the Joffrey Academy's Seventh Annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition.

The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, announces the recipients of the seventh annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition: Shannon Alvis, Sean Carmon, Karen Gabay and Jimmy Orrante.

When the Cleveland Ballet left this area for San Jose, California, in 2000, it is rumored that the organization was over one-million dollars in debt. Lots of fingers were pointed as to why the deficit existed, but one thing is for sure, there will always be, it the minds of those who saw it, one lasting legacy of Dennis Nahat and his reign as the company's Artistic Director. From its 1979 debut, when it sold out every night of its two-week run, until its escape to the west coast, Nahat's THE NUTCRACKER reigned supreme.

The Joffrey Ballet is pleased to announce a major leadership reorganization for the Joffrey Academy of Dance featuring a new team comprised of respected dance industry veteran Raymond Rodriguez as Head of Studio Company and Trainee Program, effective late October, and Joffrey Ballet's Karin Ellis-Wentz as Head of Pre-Professional Programs, effective immediately. Both of these newly created director-level positions will report to Karine Provost, who will serve in a newly elevated role as Academy Director. Additionally, Joffrey Ballet's Artistic Director Ashley Wheater will now serve as Artistic Director of both the Academy and the Company - assuming creative leadership across the organization. 

The words, 'Cleveland Ballet' to many locals means Dennis Nahat, Ian Horvath Karen Gabay, Raymond Rodriguez, impressive sets and costumes, a union with the Silicone Valley's San Jose. And, poof, in 2000...they were gone to the west coast, leaving a hole in the local arts offerings.

From 1981 until about 2000, Cleveland audiences were enchanted with Dennis Nahat, the then artistic-director of Cleveland Ballet, later the Cleveland San Jose Ballet' s version of 'The Nutcracker.' Often starring the wunderkinds of the company, Karen Gabay and Raymond Rodriguez, the production was filled creativity, gorgeous costumes and scenery, enveloping story telling, and general wonder.

Ballet San Jose will conclude its 2014 repertory season-the first under the leadership of new Artistic Director José Manuel Carreño-with Roland Petit's iconic story ballet, Carmen, and Twyla Tharp's masterful In the Upper Room in three performances this weekend, May 9-11 at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.

Ballet San Jose Artistic Director José Manuel Carreño has announced that the Company has been invited to tour with celebrated former Bolshoi Ballet starsNatalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in performances in Southern California, Moscow and London this summer. The tour repertoire will feature Osipova and Vasiliev's debuts in Roland Petit's Carmenwith Ballet San Jose with the balance of the program comprising pas de deux to be performed by the former Bolshoi artists. Performances will be given July 25-27 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, CA; July 31 and August 1-3 at the Stanislavsky Theatre in Moscow, Russia; and August 6-9 at the London Coliseum in London. The tour is presented by Ardani Artists. For more information, visit www.balletsj.org or www.ardani.com.

Ballet San Jose Artistic Director and former star of American Ballet Theatre, English National Ballet and the Royal Ballet José Manuel Carreño will take the stage for the first time in more than a year for his debut in the role of Don José in Roland Petit's Carmen, partnering Ballet San Jose Principal Dancer Alexsandra Meijer in the title role, in two performances: Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10, at 8 pm. The roles will be performed by Ommi Pipit-Suksun and Rudy Candia for the Sunday, May 11 ,1:30 pm performance, and the program also features the Company premiere of Twyla Tharp's In the Upper Room. All performances of Carmen will feature full orchestral accompaniment by Symphony Silicon Valley under the baton of Paul Polivnick and there will be a pre-performance talk free to all ticket-holders 45-minutes prior to each performance. Tickets are priced $30-$105 and may be purchased at www.balletsj.org or by calling 408-288-2800.

Ballet San Jose will conclude its 2014 repertory season—the first under the leadership of new Artistic Director José Manuel Carreño—with Roland Petit's iconic story ballet, Carmen, and Twyla Tharp's masterful In the Upper Room in three performances May 9-11 at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. Considered one of Twyla Tharp's most accomplished and striking works, In the Upper Room features a commissioned score by Philip Glass that both propels and liberates the dancers in Tharp's physically demanding choreography. Since its premiere in 1949, Carmen has remained one of inventive French choreographer Roland Petit's most popular ballets for its keen character studies, theatrical staging and soaring dances. Performances will be given Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10, at 8 pm and Sunday, May 11, at 1:30 pm. For more information about Ballet San Jose, visit www.balletsj.org .