CHICAGO — February 9, 2011 — The Academy Trainees of The Joffrey Ballet perform a riveting, contemporary dance program featuring a collection of inspirational World Premiere works by Francisco Aviña and Amy E. Hallin Creative Force Spring Showcase. Aviña and Hall are winners of Creative Force: The Joffrey’s Choreographers of Color Award, the goal of which was to identify two choreographers of color and offer them the unique opportunity to create a work with the most advanced dancers at the Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet. Three additional stunning works will be performed, each choreographed by Academy Artistic Director, Alexei Kremnev. The Sara Lee Foundation is the sponsor of Creative Force: The Joffrey’s Choreographers of Color Award. Two performances take place at the Harris Theater at Millennium Park, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago, onSunday, March 6 at 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm.
The program for Creative Force Spring Showcase will include the World Premiere of Broken Strings by Aviña, the World Premiere of Breakthrough byHall, the World Premiere of Signature. Solo in Black by Kremnev, as well as Kremnev’s Modern Times and Blue Velvet.
Amy E. Hall is one of America’s most unique and diverse emerging talents. A graduate of the Juilliard School, she has had the privilege of working with several iconic figures of stage and screen, including Ann Reinking, Susan Stroman, Chita Rivera and Savion Glover. For many years, Hall worked as a choreographic assistant with choreographer Darrell Grand Moultrie nationally and abroad at major artistic institutions. Hall has taught on faculty at American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive, Broadway Dance Center, LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, and in 2009 joined the faculty at Rosie O’ Donnell’s Marvel Arts Center. Hall has choreographed, coached and worked as a creative consultant on such projects including Law & Order: Trial by Jury, The Dave Chappelle Show, DRA: Solstice in the Square, andKidz Bop Live! (national tour and QVC telecast). In 2007, she co-choreographed and staged the two-man musical revue Mr. Bojangles: TheUltimate Entertainer, honoring the late Sammy Davis Jr. Hall was selected as one of six emerging Broadway choreographers for DanceBreak 2008, a premier showcase attended by industry professionals held in New York City. Currently Hall’s work can been seen in the theatrical production of The Ohmies at the Daryl Roth Theatre in New York City.
Francisco Aviña has worked as a dancer in such projects as Celine Dion’s A New Day, Newsies, Batman and Robin, Michael Jackson’s Sisterella, Fame L.A the TV series, and The World Billboard Music Awards. Moving to Chicago he began his company career with Hubbard Street 2 for one year, moving on to River North Dance Chicago and subsequently into Hubbard Street Dance Chicago for three years. His choreography credits include a Giannai Versace fashion show in Singapore, the 10th Annual American Choreography Awards in Los Angeles, Nickolodeon’s Kid’s Choice Awards with Justin Timberlake,and three pieces for Hubbard Street 2. Last summer while in Mexico City he choreographed Disney’s High School Musical La Seleccion which led to Disney’s High School Musical Mexico: The Movie. Other choreographic credits include work for Danceworks Chicago, Luna Negra Dance Theater and Thodos Dance Chicago.
Ticket Information
Tickets for either the 4:00 pm or 6:30 pm performance of Creative Force Spring Showcase at the Harris Theater are $10 each, and are available by calling the Harris Theater Box Office at 312-334-7777 or online atwww.harristheaterchicago.org.
The Sara Lee Foundation is the Sponsor of Creative Force: The Joffrey’s Choreographers of Color Award. The Sara Lee Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Sara Lee Corporation and is operated as a separate entity with its own board of directors. Founded in 1981 to formalize Sara Lee’s dedication to community service, it remains committed to strengthening and improving communities where Sara Lee has a presence. Sara Lee takes great pride in its reputation as a leader in corporate citizenship and continues this role by providing strategic support to nonprofit organizations focused on food-related programs (food insecurity, nutrition education, healthy and active lifestyles); women’s self-sufficiency; and diversity through the support of cultural programs. For more information visit www.saraleefoundation.org.
About the Academy Trainees of the Joffrey Ballet
Students are selected to participate in the Trainee Program by invitation from The Joffrey Ballet Artistic Director, Ashley C. Wheater, and Academy Artistic Directors, Alexei Kremnev and Anna Reznik. The Trainee Program is a rigorous two-year program in which students train in ballet and other dance disciplines. Graduates from this program have been accepted into ballet companies around the world, including The Joffrey Ballet, the Berlin Staatsballet and BalletMet. Trainees rehearse and perform classical and contemporary works from The Joffrey Ballet’s extensive repertoire and have the opportunity to work with world-renowned guest choreographers. The Academy of Dance opened in January of 2009 and received the 2010 Youth America Grand Prix Outstanding School Award.
For more information on the Academy Trainees of the Joffrey Ballet, or other programs at the Academy of Dance, Official School of the Joffrey Ballet, please visit joffrey.org/academy