Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet
World Premiere Scheduled for Jacob's Pillow
By: Ariel Petrova - Jan 06, 2009
Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet appearing at Jacob's Pillow will perform the highly anticipated world premiere of Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui's Orbo Novo, July 8 - 12 in the Ted Shawn Theatre . Cherkaoui, of Belgium , is one of Europe 's most in demand dancemakers and is known for his intensely eclectic movement style and a unique repertory that deals with connections and divisions among cultures. Cherkaoui's work is rarely seen in the United States and this will be his first work created for an American company. The New York Times anticipates Orbo Novo as "one of the most exciting events of the new season."
Founded in 2003, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet is a relatively young company of unique abilities; its dancers have been called "extraordinarily gifted" by The New York Post and "superb and versatile performers" by The Village Voice. The evening-length Orbo Novo ( New World ) features costumes by Isabelle Lhoas and an original score for piano and strings by Polish composer Szymon Brzóska, which will be performed live at the Pillow. Cherkaoui has stated that the title of the work is inspired by what is believed to be the first reference to North America as 'the New World,' in a 1493 letter by Pietro Martire d'Anghiera, a historian of Spain and its Age of Exploration. Cedar Lake 's engagement at Jacob's Pillow is in lieu of its spring season at its home theatre in New York City .
This is the second early announcement of the 77th annual season; the Pillow's full season, consisting of more than 40 companies presented on three stages and 200 events free and open to the public, is traditionally announced in detail in early February. Earlier this month, the Pillow announced that Pacific Northwest Ballet will perform an exclusive all-Ulysses Dove program August 19 - 23.
"Here we have a perfect confluence: a world premiere by one of the most important choreographers working anywhere today, performed by the especially brilliant dancers of Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, with a new original score by a young composer, performed live at the Pillow. It just doesn't get any better than that," comments Ella Baff , Executive Director of Jacob's Pillow.
Commenting on his forthcoming collaboration with Cedar Lake , Cherkaoui asserts, "There is the excitement of working with a talented and relatively young American company pluckily exploring different styles of dance, which will be a novel experience after my years of working with Europe 's more established companies. It will be, for me, as much about learning as about creating -- learning from the resolve of this company, from the spirit of this great city and also from the contradictions that drive it."
Pillow audiences were introduced to Cherkaoui's work in 2007, when Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève performed the U.S. premiere of Loin during the 75th Anniversary Festival. Recognized as a choreographic prodigy, the 32-year-old Cherkaoui was born to a Flemish mother and Moroccan father and began his dance career at the late age of 16, training at Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker's acclaimed P.A.R.T.S. school in Brussels . Cherkaoui studied the techniques of William Forsythe, Pina Bausch, and Trisha Brown before joining Alain Platel's Les Ballets C. de la B. and becoming one of Europe 's most highly regarded performers. His choreography burst onto the contemporary scene in 2000 with his first work, Rein de Rein, which toured throughout Europe and won him the 2002 Nijinsky Award for best emerging choreographer. Cherkaoui's work is known for its distinct physicality and central themes of equality among all individuals, ethnicities, and means of expression. According to The New York Times, "Mr. Cherkaoui's physical vocabulary is contemporary in its supple, back-bending deployment of the upper body, and the extraordinarily fluid transitions between vertical and horizontal, the ground and the air, that can suggest a kind of transcendental break dance."
In addition to Les Ballets C. de la B. and Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, Cherkaoui has created commissioned works for Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, Sweden 's Cullberg Ballet, and the Royal Danish Ballet. In 2005, he collaborated with British/Bangladeshi dancer/choreographer Akram Khan to create and perform zero degrees, a duet about similarities and differences in culture and behavior. Zero degrees was described by The Village Voice as "deep, soul-shaking performing, in which every move seems to flow from a wellspring of feelings and experiences." In 2006, Cherkaoui was named artist-in-residence at Toneelhuis in Antwerp , the largest municipal theatre in Europe's Flanders region. His most recent work, Sutra, created with the Buddhist monks of the Shaolin Temple in China , opened to critical acclaim last May at Sadler's Wells in London . Cherkaoui will create Orbo Novo at Cedar Lake 's West Chelsea studios during a residency of several months.
This 2009 Festival presentation will mark Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet's first time performing in the Ted Shawn Theatre . The company performed as part of Inside/Out, the Pillow's free performance series in 2006. Based in New York City , Cedar Lake was named one of Dance magazine's "Top 25 to Watch" in 2008 and is quickly becoming one of the United States ' finest mixed repertory companies, and is led by Benoit-Swan Pouffer, who was named Artistic Director in 2005. The company's repertoire currently includes works by Ohad Naharin, Jill Johnson, Stijn Celis, Nicolo Fonte, Crystal Pite, Jacopo Godani, Jo Strømgren, Angelin Preljocaj, Luca Veggetti, Didy Veldman and Pouffer. Two Cedar Lake dancers, Jubal Battisti and Acacia Schachte, are alumni of The School at Jacob's Pillow.
"Larbi's almost untamed eclecticism of movement and his incorporation of spoken words were elements that I'm excited to introduce to our company," comments Pouffer. "Our dancers are extremely athletic and I know they will find qualities of his movement vocabulary that fit them well, but also challenge them."
Performance Information:
Wednesday, July 8 through Saturday, July 11, 8pm
Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12, 2pm
Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob's Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered at Blake's Barn 30 minutes before every performance.
Thursday, July 9, artistic personnel from Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet will participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk, on stage immediately following the performance.
Single tickets go on sale to the public in April 2009. Pillow Members receive exclusive benefits and early ordering privileges. To become a Member call 413.243.9919 x25. Subscribers, seniors, students and youth age 16 and under receive discounts. Jacob's Pillow is located at 358 George Carter Road in Becket , MA , 01223 . The Jacob's Pillow campus and theaters are handicapped-accessible.