OCT. 23 (8pm) and OCT. 24: (2pm & 8pm):) GRAVITY & OTHER MYTHS…TEN THOUSAND HOURS
Vivo Preforming Arts brings to the Boston Arts Academy, 174 Ipswich St., in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood the Australian contemporary circus group GRAVITY & OTHER MYTHS. They are bringing their latest production of jaw-dropping human agility. It is a tale of impassioned dedication that puts a spotlight on the unwavering perseverance required to achieve greatness. Nine world-class acrobats and their muscians will show how physical skill is obtained, perfected, and can transform lives. Through breathtaking acrobatics, they pay tribute to the countless hours of practice behind every perfected movement while offering audiences a deeper appreciation of the spectacular feats they witness. Ten Thousand Hours is both a love letter to the human body and an invitation to watch it work—an acknowledgment of the beauty in the process as much as the outcome. The company has been widely recognized by the circus industry, the broader arts community, and audiences worldwide for its unique playfulness, honesty, and physical mastery. Beyond the stage, they are deeply committed to engaging with both their immediate and global communities through workshops and educational programs. Set to a driving musical score using live percussion/drums, Ten Thousand Hours is a love letter to human bodies and the amazing things they do. Tickets may be obtained at www.vivoperformingarts.org
NOV 21 & 22 – BALLET BC BRINGS – “SWAY” / “OBSIDIAN” / “BOLERO X”
Under Artistic Director Medhi Walerski, a veteran of the legendary Nederlands Dans Theater, Ballet BC’s 22 dancers bring precision and a rare openness to Boston’s Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre at 219 Tremont Street in Boston. Three stunning dances are on the program: Walerski’s showstopping chamber work SWAY; Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber’s OBSIDIAN; and Sahhar Binyamini’s BOLERO X, which will include 18 student dancers from Boston Conservatory onstage. Vivo Performing Arts President and CEO Thor Steingraber has enjoyed a long working relationship with Walerski and with Ballet BC, in his previous role as Executive and Artistic Director at the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (“The Soraya”) in Los Angeles. Steingraber says Ballet BC’s Vivo debut is expected to be a highlight of the regional dance season, and offers insights on the works that comprise the program in Boston.
Medhi Walerski’s SWAY (2019) captures the delicate yet resilient nature of hope. A chamber dance inspired by the work of Amherst, Mass. poet Emily Dickinson, this intimate and mysterious piece demands precision from the dancers as they create fluid movement and repetitions that evoke the spirit of collective optimism. “Medhi is one of the most important voices in dance today,” says Thor Steingraber. “I’ve had the privilege of being with him at key moments of his career…I’ve watched him grow from an internationally acclaimed choreographer into an extraordinary artistic leader at Ballet BC. It’s a remarkably special company that I’ve come to know very well through its residency at The Soraya. Medhi has shaped its dancers into one of the most disciplined and exciting ensembles working today.”
Choreographer Shahar Binyamini’s epic BOLERO X is set to Maurice Ravel’s 1928 orchestral masterpiece composition, and is a bold exploration of unity, individuality and power. Like its musical inspiration, the dance work culminates in a breathtaking crescendo of sound and movement. Since its 2023 World Premiere in Korea, BOLERO X has proven to be a wildly popular work seen on stages around the world. The work’s momentum will be enhanced by students from Boston Conservatory at Berklee, who bring the total number of dancers in the piece to 40. Binyamini first joined professional track dance students and company dancers when BOLERO X premiered in South Korea. While not seen in every Ballet BC tour stop, Vivo Performing Arts President & CEO Thor Steingraber felt strongly about adding impact by adding dancers onstage. Boston Conservatory’s high level of training was approved by Ballet BC Artistic Director Medhi Walerski, and 22 students (including 4 alternates) were cast in an audition in early September. Company repetiteur Sarah Pippin comes to Boston in October to teach the choreography and lead a week of student rehearsals. “BOLERO X is one of those pieces that grabs you,” Steingraber says. “We’ve all experienced the music of “Boléro” in so many different forms, but Shahar’s choreography is completely original—it doesn’t lean on what’s come before. There’s an infectious quality to this work: the dancers move almost like creatures in a hive…as the piece builds and more dancers fill the stage, the impact grows and grows. It’s fresh, visceral and incredibly exciting. I think Boston audiences are going to respond very strongly to it.”
Batsheva Dance Company alumni Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber’s OBSIDIAN (2025) is their first work created for Ballet BC (where they are Resident Choreographers). Featuring six dancers the work was created to the early 20th Century music of teacher/composer George Ivanovich Gurdjieff and Ukraine-born composer/pianist Thomas de Hartmann, who were bonded through Gurdjieff’s spiritual teachings. (The music is performed live on stage by pianist Perri Lo.) Smith shares Costume Design with Kate Burrows and Scenography & Light Design with Schraiber. Tickets for this exciting evening of dance may be obtained at www.vivoperformingarts.org
NOV. 27 – DEC. 31: THE NUTCRACKER
Boston Ballet returns to stage of the Citizens Bank Opera House at 539 Washington Street with this treasured holiday tradition. The Nutcracker is based on the libretto by Alexandre Dumas père, titled The Tale of the Nutcracker, which is adapted from E. T. A. Hoffmann’s story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.
This grand production is set in 1820’s where the stage is transformed into a glittering dreamscape filled with the elegant warmth of the Silberhaus’ Christmas party. Guests, dressed in their finest suits and gowns dance about. There is then the excitement of the children as they open their gifts, especially the Nutcracker doll that Clara’s mysterious godfather Herr Drosselmeier has brought her. The mischievous boys begin to tease the girls and Clara’s brother Fritz damages the nutcracker. Drosselmeier consoles her and wraps the nutcracker with his handkerchief. The festivities conclude and all go to bed. Clara sneaks down to check on her Nutcracker and falls asleep on the couch. The clock strikes 12 and the magic begins to unfold as the Christmas tree grows to a massive height. The Mouse King and his army of mice mount an attack but the Nutcracker comes to the rescue along with the toy soldiers.
With the Mouse King slain, the Nutcracker turns into a live prince. Together he guides Clara through a Magical Forest, where they meet the Snow King and Queen and watch the Snowflakes dance while snow actually flows continuously down and around the dancers.
Clara and the Nutcracker Prince arrive at the cloud-covered gates of the Kingdom of the Sweets, where the Sugar Plum Fairy reigns. The Nutcracker Prince tells the court how Clara saved his life, so In gratitude, the Sugar Plum Fairy presents Clara with a crown, and festivities commence in Clara’s honor. Showcasing international flair, Spanish Chocolate performs with passion and flourish. Arabian Coffee mesmerizes the court, followed by the playful Chinese Tea, and a sweet French Marzipan. The spectacular Russians Troika entertain and Dewdrop and her Flowers dance a lilting waltz. The Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker Prince honor Clara with a grand pas de deux.
The pages for the Sugar Plum Fairy escort Clara home where she awakens, disoriented, on the her couch. Cradling her Nutcracker doll, she remembers, and wonders…was it all a dream? The dancers bring extraordinary skill, precision, and artistry to every role within the tale as they transform this family favorite into a dazzling display of technical excellence. The theater is filled with the sweeping melodies of Tchaikovsky’s iconic score expertly performed live by the Boston Ballet Orchestra. The dancers extend exuberant energy recreating this classic tale of the young Clara and the Nutcracker prince. The Nutcracker has become a staple in New England’s holiday season, and it continues to enchant devoted patrons and first-time attendees alike as it embodies the enduring power of live performance. Tickets for this memorable production may be obtained at www.bostonballet.org