Fall Ballet

White Shadows
Christian Claessens

Longtime Jacobs faculty member Christian Claessens teams up with the Jacobs Percussion Department to create this world premiere based on the last three movements of Steve Reich’s Sextet, employing marimbas, vibraphones, bass drums, and more. The eight dancers embody movement from pulsations to melodic patterns to rhythmic ambiguity.

Christian Claessens, Choreographer

Joseph Gramley, Conductor and Chamber Music Coach

Blake Kile, Lighting Designer

Valse-Fantaisie
George Balanchine

Attended by their single partner, five ballerinas move in a whirl of perpetual motion to Mikhail Glinka’s waltzing rhythms. Although it was popularly called “the Melancholy Waltz,” this 1967 rendering is fast and light and was originally presented as the second section of Glinkiana, which featured former IU Distinguished Professor Violette Verdy in its New York City Ballet premiere.

George Balanchine, Choreographer

Kyra Nichols, Stager

Blake Kile, Lighting Designer

Dignity in Restraint
Caili Quan

Born to a Chamorro Filipino family in Guam, Caili Quan created this punchy work on New York City Ballet dancers to Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 12. Her love for “showing people the music” is on full display as she corresponds five major chords to the five core emotions of anger, fear, disgust, joy, and sadness.

Caili Quan, Choreographer

Andrea Yorita, Stager

Blake Kile, Lighting Designer

World Premiere
James Whiteside

A principal dancer and choreographer with American Ballet Theatre, James Whiteside is also a pop music performer, model, drag queen, podcast host, and author. He brings his wildly eclectic style to Jacobs for several weeks as he creates his latest work, with the students of the Ballet Department.

James Whiteside, Choreographer

Michael Breeden, Stager

Blake Kile, Lighting Designer