For Immediate Release
Contact: Mona Baroudi
415.615.2735
Alonzo King LINES Ballet presents its Fall Home Season 2013
Featuring the San Francisco premiere of Writing Ground, a collaboration with award-winning author Colum McCann; the world premiere of a new work set to music by Bach; and the release of LINES Ballet’s luxurious new dance photography book
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Lam Research Theater, San Francisco
October 25 - November 3, 2013
Tickets: $30-$65, www.linesballet.org, 415.978.2787
Yujin Kim, photo by RJ Muna
SAN FRANCISCO, CA—September 12, 2013—Alonzo King LINES Ballet is pleased to announce the program for its fall season, October 25 - November 3, 2013 at the Lam Research Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.
This season the company brings Writing Ground home for its San Francisco premiere. Commissioned in 2010 by Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, King’s masterful work draws inspiration from writings by Colum McCann, winner of the National Book Award. An emotionally searing and lyrical work, set to a collection of sacred early music from the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Tibetan Buddhist traditions, Writing Ground challenges the Company to explore new physical territory. Writing Ground“illustrates the power of Alonzo King’s story-telling at its height” (Huffington Post).
Of working with McCann, King says, “Colum’s words made me think of the endless trillions of thoughts that proceed from humanity in our unanimous quest to avoid suffering and attain some ever interesting joy, and how ultimately those words become sacred texts which design our lives.”
The fall season also features the world premiere of a highly physical full-company work set to Johann Sebastian Bach’s Double Violin Concerto. One of the composer’s most famous pieces, the Double Violin Concerto has been used in seminal works by a number of American choreographers – including George Balanchine and Paul Taylor.
In tandem with its 2013 fall home season LINES Ballet is also pleased to announce the publication of a luxurious new dance photography book. The book includes never before published photos of the company created by photographer RJ Muna as well as several by Marty Sohl. Designed by Company Co-Founder and Creative Director Robert Rosenwasser, the book includes text by Alonzo King. A discussion and book signing with King, Rosenwasser and Muna will follow the performance on Sunday, October 27.
Alonzo King LINES Ballet’s fall home season will feature the company’s 11 dancers: Robb Beresford, David Harvey, Courtney Henry, Ashley Jackson, Babatunji Johnson, Yujin Kim, Michael Montgomery, Caroline Rocher, Jeffrey Van Sciver, Meredith Webster, and Kara Wilkes.
About Alonzo King
Alonzo King is a visionary choreographer who collaborates with noted composers, musicians, and visual artists, creating works that draw on diverse sets of deeply rooted cultural traditions and imbue classical ballet with new expressive potential. King has been commissioned to create works for the repertories of companies throughout the world including the Swedish Royal Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Dance Theater of Harlem, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, North Carolina Dance Theatre, and Washington Ballet. He has worked extensively in opera, television, and film, and has choreographed works for prima ballerina Natalia Makarova and film star Patrick Swayze. Mr. King has also collaborated with artists such as actor Danny Glover, legendary jazz saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, and the Shaolin Monks of China. Renowned for his skill as a teacher, King has been the guest ballet master for National Ballet of Canada, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, San Francisco Ballet, Ballet Rambert, Ballet West and others.
In 1982, King founded Alonzo King LINES Ballet, which has developed into a world-renowned touring company. Seven years later, he inaugurated the San Francisco Dance Center, which has grown into one of the largest dance facilities on the West Coast. In 2001, King started the LINES Ballet School to nurture and develop the talents of young dancers. Expanding the scope of his educational visions to the college level in 2006, King and LINES Ballet embarked on a partnership with the Dominican University of California, creating the West Coast’s first Joint BFA program in Dance. It is the only Joint BFA program in the country to be led by a living master choreographer.
Alonzo King is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Dance Masters of America, President Award, and the first ever Barney Choreographic Prize from White Bird Dance, which King received in July 2013 and April 2013 respectively. In October 2008 King was honored to receive the 2nd Annual Mayor’s Arts Award by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. In June 2008, King received the Jacob’s Pillow Creativity Award, in recognition of his contribution to “moving ballet in a very 21st-century direction.” In 2006, he was recognized as one of the fifty outstanding artists in America by the United States Artists organization, and in 2005, received the Bessie Award for Choreographer/ Creator. He is also the recipient of the NEA Choreographer's Fellowship, Irvine Fellowship in Dance, National Dance Project and the National Dance Residency Program, as well as five Isadora Duncan Awards. He has also received the Hero Award from Union Bank, the Lehman Award, and the Excellence Award from KGO, and was chosen as the recipient of the San Francisco Foundation’s 2007 Community Leadership Award.
About Colum McCann
Colum McCann was born in Ireland in 1965. He is the author of six novels and two collections of stories. He has been the recipient of many international honors, including the National Book Award, the International Dublin Impac Prize, a Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from the French government, election to the Irish arts academy, several European awards, the 2010 Best Foreign Novel Award in China, and an Oscar nomination. His work has been published in over 35 languages. He lives in New York with his wife, Allison, and their three children. He teaches at the MFA program at Hunter College.
CALENDAR EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:
WHAT:
Alonzo King LINES Ballet Fall Home Season featuring the San Francisco premiere of Writing Ground in collaboration with writer Colum McCann and the world premiere of a new work set to music by Bach.
WHEN:
October 25 – November 3, 2013
Dates, times, events:
Friday, October 25, 8 pm, Opening Night Party
Join Alonzo King, LINES dancers, and special guests for LINES Ballet's Opening Night After Party at the St. Regis Hotel, just steps away from Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Tickets to this exclusive event are limited and can be purchased with the opening night performance ticket for an additional $100.
Saturday, October 26, 8 pm
Sunday, October 27, 5 pm
Post-Performance Discussion and Book Signing with Alonzo King and RJ Muna
Wednesday, October 30, 7:30pm
Pre-Performance Talk with Alonzo King, 6:30 pm
Thursday, October 31, 7:30 pm
Post-Performance Talk with Alonzo King
Friday, November 1, 8 pm
Saturday, November 2, 8 pm
Sunday, November 3, 5pm
TICKETS:
General Admission Tickets: $30, $45, $55, $65
Student Tickets: $20 – October 30 & October 31 performances only. ID required
Groups: 20% discount for 10 or more tickets. Call 415.978.2787
For more information: visit www.linesballet.org
The fall home season is sponsored by Bank of the West, BNP Paribas.