National Choreographers Initiative

National Choreographers Initiative (NCI)[1] is a non-profit dance organization based in Irvine, California, that promotes the development of choreographers from all over the United States[2] in the professional ballet world. NCI hosts a three-week workshop with selected professional dancers, who have auditioned from various ballet companies throughout the United States. The choreographers each produce a work in progress, which are then showcased at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. These performances are open to the public and are held every year in late July. National Choreographers Initiative was founded in 2004 by Molly Lynch. The rehearsals and dancer accommodations are hosted by the Claire Trevor School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine campus.

Past dancers have been from companies such as: Boston Ballet, Nevada Ballet Theatre, BalletMet, Ballet Austin, Kansas City Ballet, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.[3]

10th anniversary celebrations edit

In honor of NCI's 10th successful season, there were two performances at the Barclay Theatre in Irvine, California. NCI highlights will feature excerpts from works from the past decade on July 13, 2013, and NCI Discovery will showcase the work done by Fernandez, McCullough, McNamee, and Zahradnicek on July 27, 2013.[4][5][6]

10th anniversary facts edit

  • Each year four choreographers are invited to participate in the project. 20 to 55 choreographer submissions are entered annually. NCI has worked with 37 different choreographers, including 14 women.
  • 16 professional dancers are hired from companies throughout the United States, including BalletMet, Nashville Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Richmond Ballet, and Smuin Ballet. There have been 30 companies represented by 88 dancers who have participated. The 16 are selected from a pool of 78 dancers who auditioned and/or applied.
  • 22 ballets developed at NCI have gone on to be premiered or performed by other companies: including Grand Rapids Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Smuin Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Morphoses Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, Carolina Ballet, River North Dance Chicago, and Barak Ballet.
  • Two choreographers are now artistic directors of companies: Edwaard Liang – BalletMet and Melissa Barak – Barak Ballet
  • Three choreographers have participated in the project twice: Ann Marie DeAngelo, Peter Pucci, and Melissa Barak
  • Four University of California, Irvine dancers have participated as apprentices in the project
  • Choreographers have used their work at NCI to gain other choreographic projects
  • Dancers have changed company employment based on contacts made at NCI

Dancers edit

The 2018 NCI Dancer Cast:[7] Women:

Men:

Choreographers edit

Artistic Director Molly Lynch accepts choreographer applications throughout the year, and then selects four choreographers to be participate in the annual National Choreographers Initiative.

2018 edit

[8]

  • Kevin Jenkins
  • David Justin
  • Ilya Kozadayev
  • Mariana Oliviera

2017 edit

[8]

  • Suzanne Haag[9]
  • Robert Mills
  • Penny Saunders[10]
  • Christopher Stuart[11]

2016 edit

[8]

  • Tom Gold
  • Nicole Haskins[12]
  • Stephanie Martinez[13]
  • Ben Needham-Wood[14]

2015 edit

[8]

  • Nicolas Blanc
  • Norberto De La Cruz
  • Jimmy Orrante
  • Sarah Tallman

2014 edit

[8]

2013 edit

[8]

  • David Fernandez
  • Susan McCullough
  • Kitty McNamee
  • Petr Zahradnicek

2012 edit

[15]

2011 edit

[16]

  • Brian Enos
  • Heather Maloy
  • Peter Pucci
  • Paula Weber

2010 edit

[17]

2009 edit

[18]

2008 edit

[19]

2007 edit

[20]

2006 edit

[21]

2005 edit

[22]

2004 edit

[23]

References edit

  1. ^ "Welcome to National Choreographers Initiative". www.nchoreographers.org.
  2. ^ Category:American choreographers
  3. ^ "NCI - Choreographers and Dancers". Nchoreographers.org. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  4. ^ Irvine Barclay Theatre. "National Choreographers Initiative Celebrates A Decade: Irvine Barclay Theatre". New.pitchengine.com. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  5. ^ "Irvine Barclay Theatre & Cheng Hall". Thebarclay.org. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  6. ^ "Home". Archived from the original on 2011-10-09.
  7. ^ "NCI - Choreographers and Dancers". Nchoreographers.org. Retrieved 2017-05-10.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "NCI - Choreographers and Dancers". Nchoreographers.org. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  9. ^ "About".
  10. ^ "Penny Saunders Choreography". Penny Saunders.
  11. ^ "About".
  12. ^ "Nicole Haskins".
  13. ^ "Stephanie Martinez Choreography". Stephanie Martinez Choreography.
  14. ^ "Ben Needham-Wood". Ben Needham-Wood.
  15. ^ "NCI - Choreographers and Dancers". Nchoreographers.org. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  16. ^ "NCI - Choreographers and Dancers". Nchoreographers.org. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  17. ^ "NCI - Choreographers and Dancers". Nchoreographers.org. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  18. ^ "NCI - Choreographers and Dancers". Nchoreographers.org. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  19. ^ "NCI - Choreographers and Dancers". Nchoreographers.org. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  20. ^ "NCI - Choreographers and Dancers". Nchoreographers.org. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  21. ^ "NCI - Choreographers and Dancers". Nchoreographers.org. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  22. ^ "NCI - Choreographers and Dancers". Nchoreographers.org. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  23. ^ "NCI - Choreographers and Dancers". Nchoreographers.org. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  24. ^ "Official Site of Ann Marie DeAngelo". Annmariedeangelo.com. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  25. ^ "Peter Pucci - Choreographer and Movement Director". Pucciplus.com. 2007-10-18. Retrieved 2017-02-28.

External links edit