BalletX Nicolo Fonte World Premiereon 2019-02-09
BalletX, Philadelphia's premier contemporary ballet company, returns to Vilar Performing Arts Center in 2019, with a world premiere by renowned choreographer Nicolo Fonte. No stranger to Beaver Creek audiences, BalletX has performed at the Vail Dance Festival six times since 2012, including appearing as the resident dance company in 2016, and at the festival's 30th Anniversary Closing Night Celebration in 2018. BalletX has risen on the national stage since its 2005 inception with close to 70 world premieres in its growing repertory, and high-profile touring engagements at Jacob's Pillow, NYC's The Joyce Theater, and City Center, thanks to Vail Dance Festival's Artistic Director, Damian Woetzel. The New York Times recently named BalletX's dancers "among America's best," and The Boston Globe has included the company in the "top 10 of the year in dance." In 2018, BalletX reaffirmed its commitment to expanding the vocabulary of classical dance for all audiences by opening the Center for World Premiere Choreography – a 5,000 square foot home in South Philadelphia that provides a creative space for the company to enhance its repertory with 40 more world premieres over the next decade. Through the Center, BalletX will continue to open its doors to the local community with innovative, inclusive dance education programs, including classes, open rehearsals, workshops, and artist panels, aimed at cultivating a shared love of contemporary ballet in the next generation.
About Nicolo Fonte: Choreographer Nicolo Fonte is known for his daring and original approach to dance. His work has been noted by critics for a unique movement language as well as a highly developed fusion of ideas, dance, and design. Born in Brooklyn New York, Fonte started dancing at the age of 14. He studied at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York, San Francisco Ballet, and New York City Ballet Schools while completing a Bachelor Degree of Fine Arts at SUNY Purchase. Upon graduation he danced with Peridance in NYC and later Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in Montreal, dancing in the works of Balanchine, Tudor, Kudelka, and Spaniard Nacho Duato. Fonte subsequently joined Duato's Compañia Nacional de Danza in Madrid and forged a strong identity in the Spanish company for seven years – for both his dancing and his choreography. En los Segundos Ocultos, (In Hidden Seconds), one of three ballets Fonte made for the Spanish company, was hailed as a breakthrough work of great impact with the poetic vision of a mature artist, establishing his presence on the European dance scene. In 2000 Fonte retired from performing to devote himself full-time to his choreographic career. Since that time he has created or staged his ballets for The Dutch National Ballet, Houston Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet West, Royal Ballet of Flanders, Stuttgart Ballet, The Australian Ballet, The Göteborg Ballet, The Finnish National Ballet, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, The Perm Tchaikovsky Ballet, The Washington Ballet, Ballett Mainz, Ballett Nürnberg, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, TANZ Ensemble Cathy Sharp, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Tulsa Ballet, Ballet British Columbia, Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal, and Queensland Ballet. Fonte received a Choo San Goh award for his 2002 collaboration with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Almost Tango. Almost Tango was also voted as one of Dance Europe's "Best Premiere's" when it was re-staged for The Australian Ballet in 2004. From 2002 to 2006 Nicolo enjoyed an ongoing creative partnership with The Göteborg Ballet in Sweden, creating and staging numerous works that helped establish the company's distinct profile. Fonte has also played an important role in the ongoing development of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet as one of that company's most popular guest choreographers. Nicolo Fonte is currently the Resident Choreographer for Ballet West, in Salt Lake City, which began with the 2012-2013 season. He also became Resident Choreographer at Oregon Ballet Theatre beginning with the 2016-2017 season.
For more information on BalletX visit, www.balletx.org
Photograph:
Featured dancer: Francesca Forcella
Choreography: Beasts by Nicolo Fonte
Photographer: Alexander Iziliaev
