TTBInvitationDIGTALProgram

Tyrone Brooks ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Leon Anderson, Jr. CONDUCTOR


2 THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET


2021-2022 CORPORATE SPONSORS
Advanced Drying Systems Bobby Dick/Merrill Lynch LDR Design, Inc.
Capital City Bank Group FSU School of Dance G & G Title Agency
Dina Ivory Photography Smart Choice
NOFRET
PRODUCERS CIRCLE
Mark Webb/Merrill Lynch Prime Meridian Bank Publix Super Markets
Charities
CHOREOGRAPHERS CIRCLE
Graganella Insurance Agency
Mid-America Catastrophe Services
ENCORE CIRCLE
Hilly Fields Florist & Gifts Florida League of Cities
ENSEMBLE CIRCLE
Wild Birds Unlimited
Sundberg, PA WTXL ABC 27
Mom & Dad’s Italian Restaurant
Morningstar Storage TSI Adjusters
Westminster Oaks
Janet Pichard
Chief Executive Officer
Ann Todd
Resident Costume Designer
Carla DeLoach
Development Director
Tyrone Brooks
Artistic Director
Boo Hartsell
Costume Mistress
Kayla Banks
Ticket Office/Community Outreach
PREMIER DANSEUR CIRCLE
The Tallahassee Ballet is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Administrative and Artistic Staff
Kathryn Karrh Cashin
Resident Choreographer
Kayla Banks
Education Director
Meagan Helman
Photographer
AN INVITATION TO THE PARTY 3


2021-2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Carla Hutchinson, PhD, President Trina Searcy, President-Elect
Shelby Augustyniak, Immediate Past President Agatha Muse-Lamb, Treasurer Nancy Fontaine, Secretary
BOARD MEMBERS
Karen Joiner Barineau Betsy Couch LaCoadia Burkes Felicia Leborgne Nowels
COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD
Jack Diestelhorst Dan Hollaway Tom Hunter Jane Marks
Sharon Maxwell-Ferguson Maria Montas
Lori Danello Roberts Richard Sias
4 THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET


PRIMA
Jim & Lisa Graganella
Nancy Carroll & Stuart Abbey
Kathryn Karrh Cashin
PRINCIPAL LEVEL
Ferguson-Yntema Trust— Elizabeth Yntema
SOLOIST
Chris & Kathy Doolin Gregory & Kali Iseman Katie Pernell
Len & Marcia Taliaferro Judy Tyrus
DEMI-SOLOIST
Barbara L. Aguirre Christine Ashburn Karen Joiner Barineau Fred & Sarah Burns Blaine & Nancy Click Cory & Betsy Couch Carla & Greg DeLoach
David & Carol Killeen Fain & Trinia Searcy Dee Ann Smith Bill and Sally Wendt
APPRENTICE
Brenda A. Abstein
Stephanie & Peter Cornais
Michael & Allison Corrigan
Jose & Paola Garces
Frances Johnson
Ramon & Joanna Piris
Jessica Ranjbari
The Shepherd Family
Nick, Becky and Paisley Grace
Jason & Jessica Spurlock
SUSTAINING PATRON
Angela & Byron Burroughs Cindy Hamilton Katherine Hartsell Pamela Marsh
Lori Danello Roberts
2021-2022 DONORS
Eden Desotell
Hae Young Kim
The Nowels Family
John & Billie Papuchis
Janet Pichard
Pam Gibson, Tracie & Morgan Manrique
Agatha Muse-Lamb
Colonel & Mrs. Michael Thornal
Katharyn Richt
Dr. Kenya & Howard Rich
Jonathan Waters
Khanty Xayabouth & Thomas Morton
CORPS DE BALLET
Daniel & Shelby Augustyniak
LaCoadia Burkes Suzanne Eschrich
The Cavano-Fontaine Family
Dr. Cory & Melanie Hill Carla Hutchinson Brooke Kennerly
#everythingdances
TTBallet tallahasseeballet TheTallahasseeBallet tallahasseeballetschool
AN INVITATION TO THE PARTY 5


6 THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET


Janet Pichard, Chief Executive Officer Welcome to the Party!
The Tallahassee Ballet's “An Invitation to the Party” performance celebrates human diversity through music and dance.
People of all ages and backgrounds tap their feet, sway their hips, and express their emotions through dance!
This performance was inspired by Donna Walker-Kuhne’s book
Invitation to the Party: Building Bridges to the Arts, Culture, and Community.
In it, Walker-Kuhne provides strategies and methods to engage diverse
communities as participants in arts and culture. Inspired by Walker-
Kuhne’s teachings, The Tallahassee Ballet directors, choreographers, and dancers have come together to engage people from different walks of life by featuring music and dance from various backgrounds, including gospel, jazz, R&B, and opera.
But the party does not stop here! The Tallahassee Ballet will continue to celebrate human diversity and community through the artistic expression of dance throughout our 2022-2023 50th Anniversary season. I hope you will join us!
Our history is rich, our outlook is bright, and we need your help to continue to grow. Please become a donor by going to our website at TallahasseeBallet.org.
We are grateful for your support! Janet Pichard
Donna Walker-Kuhne
Nurturing tomorrow’s audiences today
Donna Walker-Kuhne, president of Walker International Communications Group, is acknowledged as the nation’s foremost expert in Audience Development by the Arts &Business Council.
Invitation to the Party: Building Bridges to the Arts, Culture and Community
offers strategic collaborations and efforts to develop and sustain
nontraditional audiences.
Her new book Champions
for the Arts – a guide to creating equitable, inclusive,
and diverse community engagement in the arts –
is set to be released in October of this year.
AN INVITATION TO THE PARTY 7


Bravo Tallahassee Ballet!
HAUTE HEADZ SALON
MASTER STYLIST - SOMKIT THOMPSON
@Somkitthompson ~ 850-224-0414
8 THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET


Tyrone Brooks, Artistic Director
Tyrone Brooks joined The Tallahassee Ballet as the Artistic Director in the 2013-2014 season. He has a wide range of professional experience including 18 years as a Principal Dancer with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, New York
City (DTH). Brooks has been featured in a number of acclaimed performances including Alvin Ailey’s The River, Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free, and John Butler’s Othello. He has also performed internationally in Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Israel, Japan, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela, South Africa, and Russia.
In 1984, Brooks was nominated for the Dancers Choice Award in London for his performance as Alan Strange in Equus. His work has also been in a number of television specials including the NBC presentation of Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Creole Giselle, the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Olympics, the PBS series Dance in America, CBS 60 Minutes with Ed Bradley featuring DTH, the PBS presentation of Live at the Kennedy Center The Making of Firebird, and the 1993 Kennedy Center Honors.
For over 25 years, Brooks served as full-time Ballet Faculty at DTH. During that time he also served as the Associate Director of the DTH community outreach program Dancing Through Barriers Ensemble. As Associate Director, Brooks represented DTH as a teaching artist in New York City Public Schools and created curriculum development workshops for teachers. He also conducted master classes and outreach programs in South Florida, for the Dance Theatre of Harlem-Kennedy Center Residency in Washington, D.C., and the Northern Virginia region.
Mr. Brooks has also taught at the various institutions including Hofstra University, Mary Mount Manhattan College, Florida State University School of Dance, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, New World School of the Arts, Thomas Armour Youth Ballet, Flint Institute of Music- Flint Youth Ballet, Interlochin Center for the Arts, Ballet Hispanico, and Hampton University.
In 2004, Brooks joined the Virginia School of the Arts as the Director of Community Dance and was subsequently appointed as the Executive Director of the Virginia School
of the Arts by the Board of Directors. During his tenure at the Virginia School of the Arts, Brooks became an active member of the Lynchburg community and developed community partnerships. His community engagement extended to service on the advisory panel for the Virginia Commission for the Arts Tour and Performing Arts Directory, James River Diversity Council, and the Board of Directors of the James River Council for the Arts.
Brooks has served on the Florida State University Friends of Dance Board of Directors, The Florida Division for Individual Artist Fellowship Panel, and has choreographed for
The Tallahassee Chapter “Links” Beautillion.
Brooks is featured in Smithsonian Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, D.C., with the Dance Theatre of Harlem and was recently inducted into (MOBB) Museum of Blacks in Ballet.
AN INVITATION TO THE PARTY 9


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10 THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET
PROUDLY SUPPORTING THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET


Leon Anderson, Jr., Conductor
Leon Anderson, Jr., is Associate Professor and Director of
Jazz Studies at FSU. His musical experience includes that
of a classical and jazz percussionist, educator, clinician, and composer. Mr. Anderson earned the B.A. degree in Music Education at Louisiana Tech University and the M.A. degree in Percussion Performance at Southeastern Louisiana University. Mr. Anderson currently teaches drum set, jazz ensembles, jazz combo, and jazz history at the FSU College of Music.
In 1997, Mr. Anderson was a featured soloist with The Marcus
Roberts Trio’s performance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl, and he was the selected
drummer for the “Great Saxophone Legends” concert at the
Jacksonville Jazz Festival, featuring Jimmy Heath, David Sanchez, Javon Jackson and Red Holloway.
Anderson also has performed with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in the roles of drummer and percussionist. Additionally, he has performed with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra with the Ellis Marsalis Trio; National Orchestra de France with the Marcus Roberts Trio conducted by Seiji Ozawa; Umbria Jazz Festival, Perugia, Italy; Ingolstadt Jazztage in Ingolstadt Bavaria; Switzerland Jazz Festival in Basel, Switzerland; North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Ascona Jazz Festival in Ascona, Switzerland.
His professional collaborations include performances with numerous artists: David Sanchez, Red Holloway, Donald Brown, Wynton Marsalis, Mike Wolf, Judy Collins, Henry Mancini, Victor Goines, and many others.
Anderson has also been featured in a review of the jazz composition “Afro Blue” for the text Teaching Music Through Jazz (December 2007) and an article entitled “JazzEd Scene” by Steve MacQueen, published in Research and Review (Vol. XIV, No. III, Fall, 2004). He also occupies the drum chair in The Jazz Orchestra at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando, Florida.
At FSU, Anderson continues to implement innovative ways in an effort to enhance and expand the Jazz Program. Since its inception, the program has grown exponentially and yielded numerous successful students, many of whom have solidified careers nationally in Jazz performance and education.
AN INVITATION TO THE PARTY 11


PROGRAM
Celebration
By Kool & the Gang/Released in 1980 Lead vocalist: Vonzel DeSean
BACKGROUND VOCALS
Avis Berry, Lili Forbes, Kami Hays, Deanna Miller
MUSICIANS
Leon Anderson..................drums Devan Moore..................alto saxophone Reese Cloud..................tenor saxophone Jeremy George..................bass Samuel Hanson..................piano/keyboards Chris Minami..................guitar
Joe Shahady..................trumpet
Kyle Tennyson..................trombone
Vonzel DeSean
Vonzel DeSean, a native born son of Tallahassee, is an overall artist, having honed his talents for the theater
and music on the stages of Florida A&M University
and Tallahassee Community College. As an actor, he’s performed with The Skylight Music Theater of Milwaukee in Smokey Joe’s Cafe, and the title character of The Wiz
at The Southshore Cultural Arts Center in Chicago. Locally he is one third of The Soul Collective, a vocal jazz trio, known for their musical tribute to The Civil Rights Movement ( July 9th) and he is organizer of The Peaches and Sunshine Music Festival set for August 6th, here in Tallahassee. He’s excited for his invitation to the party.
12 THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET


PROGRAM
Every Praise
By Hezekiah Walker and John David Bratton Performed by Bethel Missionary Baptist Choir
MUSICIANS
Leon Anderson..................drums Jonathan Gray..................alto saxophone
Jeremy George..................bass Jaylin Greene..................tenor saxophone Anthony Ingle..................trombone Jianni Lazaga..................trumpet Chris Minami..................guitar
Sopranos: Linda Bond, Denise Brimm, Maxine Butler, Margelet Hamilton, Rebekah Lane, Chelsea Pompey, Stephanie Reaves, Audrey Simmons, Ruby Smith, Julian Bourne Smothers, Wayarne Tolliver, Felicia Taylor
Tenors: Darien Bolden, Claudette Harrell, Marilyn Rahming, Maurice Pompey, Nickie Reddick, Client Taylor, Peggy Wright
Altos: Joy Bowen, Tkeyah Brinson, Elaine Bryant, Elizabeth Graham, Delta Johnson, Adrienne Lucas, Shelia Reddick, Kristee Reese, Brenda Swaine, Mary Williams
Keyboard – Gerald Clay; Percussionist – Anthony Jackson Bethel Missionary Baptist Choir
Under the guidance of Dr. RB Holmes, Pastor, the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church celebrated its 151-year anniversary this past year. Although Bethel celebrated the completion of its first church building in 1870, as the moment of its official origin, the beginnings of this great church trace back to the early 1830’s when enslaved blacks worshipped on John Parkhill’s plantation without the
convenience of a physical structure.
The Bethel Music Ministry under the direction of
Dr. Cassandra J. Poole, is composed of several standing choirs: The Angelic/Youth Choir, Steele Lightsey Choir, Inspirational Choir, The Collegiate/Millennial Young Adult Choir, The Anthony Poole Male Chorus, and Sounds of Bethel Instrument Ensemble (Eugene J. Moore– Piano, Gerald Clay–Organ, Bruce Daniels–Drums, Edgar Jamison–Drums and Anthony Jackson–Percussion).
AN INVITATION TO THE PARTY 13


PROGRAM
Rondo
“Blue Rondo a la Turk” by Dave Brubeck Choreographer: Kathryn Karrh Cashin
DANCERS
Paige Centers, Kelly Chase, Reese Desaulniers, Eden Desotell, Sarah Eschrich, Kara Griffin, Sophia Lutinksi, Morgan Manrique, Bella Rich, Laura Wood
MUSICIANS
Samuel Hanson..................piano Leon Anderson..................drums Jeremy George..................bass Jonathan Gray..................alto saxophone
14 THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET


Kathryn Karrh Cashin
Resident Choreographer
PROGRAM
Kathryn Karrh Cashin has choreographed for The Tallahassee
Ballet for more than 30 years, including The Nutcracker and
numerous chamber works, most notably Boléro. Her full-length
ballets include Beauty and the Beast, A Midsummer Night’s Dream,
Coppélia, Cinderella, and The Sleeping Beauty. She has also
choreographed several children’s ballets. She has served as choreographer for more than 20 Florida State Opera works, most recently The Mikado, Eugene Onegin, Orpheus in the Underworld, and Romeo and Juliet.
Dr. Cashin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Russian/Business Administration, Master of Arts in Slavic and East European Studies and a PhD in Humanities. She is on the faculty of Florida State University’s Program in Interdisciplinary Humanities, supervises the multicultural film course, and frequently teaches in Europe during the summer.
Dr. Cashin, a former president of the Junior League of Tallahassee and graduate of Leadership Tallahassee, serves on the Leadership Council of FSU’s College of Arts and Sciences, and is
a former curriculum and steering chair for Youth Leadership Tallahassee. She serves as vice-president of scholarships for Alpha Delta Pi Sorority National Foundation. She is the 2014 recipient of The Tallahassee Ballet’s Melissa Villella award for volunteer service.
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AN INVITATION TO THE PARTY 15


PROGRAM
Dedicated to the memory of American Opera Singer Jessye Norman
Love Unknown
“O mio bambino Caro” from Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini Choreographer: Allyne D. Gartrell
Vocalist: Dr. Marcía Porter
Pianist: Liliya Ugay
DANCERS
Tomoko Takahashi, Jorge Arceo, Conrad Channell, Christopher Miller
What a Wonderful World
By Bob Thiele and George David Weiss
First recorded by Louis Armstrong/Released in 1967
Choreographer: Tyrone Brooks, TTB Artisitic Director Vocalist: Vonzel DeSean
DANCERS
Mackenzie Ashburn, Martine Bartley, Blake Burns, Eli Burns, Penelope Cornais, Sophia Papuchis, Arianna Spurlock, Helen Piris, Luca Piris
MUSICIANS
Leon Anderson..................drums Samuel Hanson..................piano Jeremy George..................bass
16 THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET


PROGRAM
Allyne D. Gartrell
Allyne Gartrell brings thirty-three years of experience to the art of dance. He attended Florida A&M University and Florida State University where he excelled in Instrumental Music and Dance. While at Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, he performed ballets of Alvin Ailey, Donald McKayle, Talley Beatty, Ulysses Dove, and Donald Byrd to name a few. His Broadway credits include; The Wiz, A Chorus Line, Sophisticated Ladies, National Touring Production of Porgy & Bess. He was also the Assistant
to the Tony Award Winning choreographer Hope Clark for the
production of Porgy & Bess, which premiered at the Kennedy
CenterfortheArts. GartrellisamemberoftheInternationalAssociationofBlacksin Dance and the recipient of the 2009 Presidential Edition of Who’s Who in the Arts, awarded the Dallas Black Dance Proclaimed “Atlanta Dance Connection Day” by the Atlanta City Council. Currently Celebrating 12 Seasons of Artistic Excellence, The “Atlanta Dance Connection Day”, has been selected with 25 Black-run organizations around the country to receive the Influencers Grant from the International Association of Blacks in Dance and the Mellon Foundation.
Dr. Marcía Porter
Dr. Marcía Porter is a Professor of Voice at the Florida State University College of Music. She is a much sought after clinician and has presented masterclasses throughout the mid-western and southeastern United States.
Porter made her New York solo recital debut in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in 2005. The soprano has performed in numerous venues throughout the United States, Italy, Brazil, and the Czech Republic as an active recitalist. In addition, Porter has sung at prestigious international festivals and has performed with national and international organizations.
She has also performed with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Chautauqua Opera, Dayton Opera, and Chicago Opera Theatre. Porter’s discography includes the 2011 world premier recording of Requiem für Mozart, works for soprano and orchestra by Antonio Rosetti, which was released by the German record label Ars Produktion and the 2013 recording, Open Thine Heart, a recording of contemporary American vocal works, which was released by Albany Records.
A Fulbright Scholar and Rotary International Cultural Ambassadorial Scholar, Porter has won several other awards and honors, including the 2004 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Artist Award Competition, the NATS Intern program, finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Central Regional Competition, Jessye Norman Graduate Fellowship in Voice, Opera Carolina Young Artist Recital Program Award, and the Farwell Award. In 2011-2012, Porter was a Fulbright Scholar to Brazil.
AN INVITATION TO THE PARTY 17


Leon Anderson...............drums Steven Blake...............trombone Reese Cloud...............tenor saxophone Jeremy George...............bass
Jaylin Jonathan Gray.........alto saxophone Jaylin Greene...............baritone saxophone Samuel Hanson...............piano
Anthony Ingle............trombone Jianni Lazaga..................trumpet Devan Moore...............alto saxophone Thana Rangsiyawaranon............trumpet Joe Shahad..................trumpet Grant Teeple..................tenor saxophone Kyle Tennyson..................trombone
PROGRAM
Such Sweet Thunder
By Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn Choreographer: Christopher L. Huggins
DANCERS
Jorge Arceo, Conrad Channell, Christopher Miller, Hoke Payne
MUSICIANS
**INTERMISSION**
Just Another Step
“Symphony in C” by Georges Bizet Choreographer: Tyrone Brooks, TTB Artistic Director
DANCERS
Carri Britt & Conrad Channell
Aileen Bae, Martine Bartley, Jasmine Burelsmith, Logan Click, Bailey Corrigan, Amalia Garces, Reagan Hill, Kristin Javate, Malia Morton, Adriana Ranjbari, Katie Rolph, Taylor West
18 THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET


PROGRAM
Christopher L. Huggins
Christopher L. Huggins is a visionary dance innovator. He is an Alvin Ailey disciple and historian, developing multilayered storytelling through dance. Christopher attended Purchase University, the Julliard School, and was a merit scholar at the Ailey School. He’s a former soloist of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Aterballetto of Reggio Emilia, Italy. His work is rooted in research that memorializes our darkest history: this is found in his ballet THE LIST, a story about the systemic genocide of a Jewish family and those in concentration camps, and in his ballet NEW FRUIT, inspired by Nina Simone’s music, documents terror lynching.
Through his dance initiative, he provides access to emerging dancers and choreographers to study abroad with him. He works around the globe and held residencies at over 25 universities and colleges.
Christopher is a multi-award winner, including the 2021 Guggenheim Award Winner
for Choreography, two Alvin Ailey Awards from Black Theater Alliance, a Walt Disney Diversity award, a Critics Choice award, and silver medalist of the International Dance Competition in Seoul, Korea. In addition, he holds the distinction of being “repetiteur” of Mr. Ailey’s ballets. Learn more about Christopher’s artistry here. Christopher wants his work to heal, entertain, and inspire mankind as he continues his dance legacy.
AN INVITATION TO THE PARTY 19


PROGRAM
Respect
Composed and originally recorded by Otis Redding in 1965 Made legendary by Aretha Franklin in 1967
Choreographer: Millicent Johnnie
DANCERS
Jorge Arceo, Martine Bartley, Paige Centers, Kelly Chase, Reese Desaulniers, Eden Desotell, Kristin Javate, Sophia Lutinski, Christopher Miller, Hoke Payne, Taylor West, Lauren Wood
MUSICIANS
Lead vocalist: Avis Berry
BACKGROUND VOCALS
Vonzel DeSean, Lili Forbes, Kami Hayes, Deanna Miller
Musicians
Leon Anderson..................drums Stephen Blake..................trombone Jeremy George..................bass Samuel Hanson..................piano/keyboards Chris Minami..................guitar Devan Moore..................alto saxophone Thana Rangsiyawaranon..................trumpet Grant Teeple..................tenor saxophone
20 THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET


PROGRAM
Millicent Johnnie
Millicent Johnnie is Chief Executive Officer of Millicent Johnnie Films LLC and Chief Visionary Producer of 319 Productions. She is also a choreographer and collaborator with Mondo Bizarro. A native of Lafayette, Louisiana, she received both her BFA and MFA in dance at Florida State University.
She toured as resident choreographer and rehearsal director of the Urban Bush Women in New York City, and served as
a choreographer for the New York City Opera, US Cultural Ambassadors of Music, The Krannert Performance Arts Center, Grammy Award-winner Bill Summers, Los Hombres Caliente, and notable directors Peter Sellars, Rhodessa Jones, and Chey Yew, to name a few.
Millicent’s choreography has been featured by Cleo Parker-Robinson Dance, Hubbard Street II, The Alternate ROOTS Cultural Tour (Uprooted: The Katrina Project) and ESPN. Her work has been presented at venues such as Danspace Project, DANCENOW NYC, Dance Harlem, Joyce Soho, Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, The Yard at Lincoln Center, International Association for Blacks in Dance Conference (2000-02), and The New Orleans Jazz Dance Project. Johnnie teaches on the dance faculty at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
Avis Berry
Avis Berry is a three-time Florida State alumna with degrees
in voice performance, elementary education, and library & information studies. And she does it all—she is a talented singer, a teacher in Leon County Schools, and a librarian at FSU’s College of Music library.
Berry has recorded with various artists, shared the stage with
such greats as Dave Brubeck, Robert Shaw, the Berlin Radio
Choir under the direction of Dr. Andre Thomas, various FSU
ensembles, FSU jazz faculty, and the Tallahassee Symphony
Orchestra. Additionally, music has taken her around the
globe performing on every continent except Antarctica and
Australia. She continues to collaborate artistically with various local organizations, such as her inaugural role as Nana Grace in Crossing Jordan with Young Actors Theater, her role in the recording and production of Voices: A Folk Opera written by Kathryn Belle Long and Michael Abraham, and as a singer and songwriter in her band Revival. Berry was recently a guest vocalist with the Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Scotty Barnhart and as part of the tribute to Nat and Cannonball Adderley.
AN INVITATION TO THE PARTY 21


22
THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET
PROGRAM
One Note Samba
By Antonio Carlos Jobim Vocalist: Avis Berry
MUSICIANS
Leon Anderson..................drums Jeremy George..................bass Samuel Hanson..................piano Chris Minami..................guitar
Chaos – Day of Wrath
“When the saved will be delivered, and the unsaved cast into eternal flames”
“Requiem” Dies irae & Rex Tremendae, by Karel Jenkins Choreographer: Christopher L. Huggins
DANCERS
Jorge Arceo, Martine Bartley, Carri Britt, Jasmine Burelsmith
Paige Centers, Aleck Condon, Conrad Channell, Kelly Chase, Reese Desaulniers, Eden Desotell, Sarah Eschrich, Kara Griffin, Reagan Hill, Emma Iseman, Kristin Javate, Sophia Lutinski, Christopher Miller, Morgan Manrique, Hoke Payne, Bella Rich, Katie Rolph, Madison Ryan, Taylor West, Lauren Wood


AN INVITATION TO THE PARTY 23


24 THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET


Ann Todd, Resident Costume Designer
With Boo Hartsell, Costume Mistress
Ann Todd became involved with The Tallahassee Ballet in 1988 when her daughter, Julie, was in the Company. She immediately found a creative outlet on the costume committee and began creating her own designs. In 1990, she became the Resident Costume Designer, and this will be her 28th season of costuming at Tallahassee Ballet.
Her original costumes include the ensemble pieces of An Evening of Music and Dance productions, such as Boléro, Malachite, and the gypsy costumes of Madeline’s Gypsy Adventure. She also designed the Company’s 2002 production of the full-length The Sleeping Beauty, and the premiere costumes of Coppélia, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Beauty and the Beast. In 2005, Ann was commissioned by the FSU Dance Department to design the costumes for the premiere of Aqueous Myth. Over the next two years, Ann and her staff added costumes for two new premiere ballets, Henry Hernandez’s Alice In Wonderland and Peter Pan. The following years brought us Story Book Ballet, Tallahassee Rocks, Snow White, Rapunzel, Carnival of Animals, In Performance with The Tallahassee Ballet, and the 2016 productions of Firebird and La Bayadère, all with new designs. This season will bring more wonderful costumes.
The Ballet is also indebted to Boo Hartsell, our Costume Mistress, and all those who have dedicated years of time, talent, and energies to the costume department, such as Yenna Colvin. The current team, which includes Laurie Molina, Sue Kay, and Brenda Huang, has mastered the art of constructing tutus, and through these many years, have assisted Ann in the costume shop with countless hours of hard work and dedication.
Scott M. Freese, Stage Manager
Scott is pleased to again be serving as stage manager for The Tallahassee Ballet, having stage managed for the Florida State University Opera and Palm Beach Opera. He is the president, a founding board member, and technical director for the local community theatre group New Stage Theatreworks, as well as a former board member for Tallahassee Little Theatre (now Theatre Tallahassee). Other credits include lighting design, sound design, master electrician and light/sound board operator for Theatre A La Carte, New Stage Theatreworks, Theatre Tallahassee, Brookwood School (Thomasville, Georgia), Element 3 Church, Quincy Music Theatre, Community Christian School (CCS), Young Actors Theatre, and A Christmas Carol on the Air. In addition, he is a stagehand at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall and the FSU School of Dance, and a scenic carpenter at the FSU Opera scene shop.
Katie Redd, Lighting Designer
Katie is delighted to return for her 13th season as Lighting Designer with The Tallahassee Ballet. Favorite past designs with the company are An Evening of Music and Dance, Peter Pan, and Snow White. Other favorites include Le Jongleur of Notre Dame and The Old Maid and the Thief for Florida State University Opera. She has worked as Lighting Designer for Trumpet in the Land and Electrician for the American Repertory Theatre, as well as The Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, Massachusetts. Katie is currently the Associate Director of Operations for Ruby Diamond Concert Hall at Florida State University.
AN INVITATION TO THE PARTY 25


26th Annual
Lisa C. Graganella NUTCRACKER
Lisa C. Graganella
NUTCRACKER GOLF CLASSIC
GOLF CLASSIC
2022 SPONSORS
LUNCH SPONSOR
EAGLES
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TEAMS
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Graganella Appraisal Group Hotworx FSU
IMS Catastrophe Services In Memory of Mr. & Mrs. Lt. Col. C.T. Chapman Janet Pichard
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26 THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET


#everythingdances
RESIDENT COSTUME DESIGNER
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Tyrone Brooks, Artistic Director
In the almost five decades since its inception, The Tallahassee Ballet company has evolved alongside our city, becoming an integral part of Tallahassee culture with a repertoire of both classical and contemporary works. Live orchestras, original hand-crafted costumes, and in- novative choreography make every production a complete sensory experience.
TTB was originally created to provide a venue for amateur emerging dancers from throughout the community to perform. Through the years, renowned professionals became guest artists to perform with the company, allowing young dancers to share the stage with elite professionals from companies such as New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and National Ballet of Canada. Today’s TTB company is comprised of both professional and emerging professional dancers selected annually through auditions, who train at the dedicated studios of The Tallahassee Ballet School. Additionally, critically acclaimed guest artists representing major ballet companies from across North America are brought in to dance, teach, and choreograph. Over the years, our dancers have had the opportunity to study under and perform with more than 500 guest choreographers, artists, teachers, and musicians.
The vision of Artistic Director Tyrone Brooks, who spent 18 years as a Principal Dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem in New York City, is the foundation for TTB’s productions, in conjuction with his creative team, featuring Resident Choreographer Kathryn Karrh Cashin. The Tallahassee Ballet strives to present quality ballet productions that stimulate the community’s appreciation of dance and cultural arts. Our productions truly have some- thing to offer everyone, from first-time attendees to veteran ballet fans.
Learn more about the 2021-22 TTB Company members on the following pages. Company photos by Anthony Ivory.
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PRINCIPAL DANCERS
Jorge Arceo is in his
eighth season with
The Tallahassee
Ballet. He has starred in performances such as The Nutcracker, In Performance with The Tallahassee Ballet, and An Evening of Music and Dance performances from 2014-2019.
Born in Havana, Cuba, Jorge began dancing at age nine at the academy of Cuban dancer Narciso Medina. He completed his studies
at Escuela Provincial de Ballet and
then attended The National Ballet School. At 19, he joined the Contemporary Dance of Cuba company, where he danced for three years and became the first soloist. Jorge has toured nationally and internationally with Contemporary Dance
of Cuba and worked with various world-renowned choreographers.
After arriving at the U.S. in 2009, he danced with the Cuban
Classical Ballet of Miami and joined Las Vegas’ Rio Hotel show ND’S FUEGO. In 2010, Jorge moved to Los Angeles, where he danced as a Principal for various companies, including Pasadena Dance Theater, City of Angels
Ballet, California Riverside Ballet, and the production Silent
Roar, choreographed by Zina Bethune.
Carri Britt is in her seventh season with The Tallahassee Ballet; fourth as a principal dancer. She has danced soloist and lead roles in classical works including The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, La Bayadère,
and Paquita, as well as original works by Kathryn Karrh Cashin, Ilana Goldman, Christopher Huggins, Katy Cashin, Anjali Austin, and Gabriel Williams.
Britt trained in the Vagonava method at the Academy of Ballet Internationale in Indianapolis, where she toured
The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty with the professional company in residence. She later graduated from the Louisville Ballet School. Britt has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from Florida State University.
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PRINCIPAL DANCERS
Paige Centers joined The Tallahassee Ballet in 2009, became a Soloist
in 2013, and a Principal in 2017.
She has received the Joyce Straub Fausone Scholarship and the Ken Cashin Scholarship awarded by
The Tallahassee Ballet Board of Directors. Centers has performed in productions of Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, An Evening of Music and Dance, In Performance, The Nutcracker, Paquita and
Other Works, Rapunzel, Swan Lake and Other Works, Bernstein and Gershwin, The Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Her lead and feature roles include Arabian, Mirliton, Spanish, and Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker; Variation II from Paquita; Princess Florine from The Sleeping Beauty; Annette Barcelona’s Reminiscence; Joyce Fausone’s Tango; Tango Pas de Deux from Kathryn Cashin’s Three Dances; Julie Opiel’s Toccata
and Nocturne; and Dance of the Big Swans from Swan Lake. Centers has attended intensives at Orlando Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Florida State University School of Dance, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and for two consecutive summers she
was privileged to attend Exploring Ballet with
Suzanne Farrell—a three-week intensive at the
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
in Washington, D.C. She has worked as a resident assistant for the Orlando Ballet School, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and the Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet in New York City.
Support
THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET
The Tallahassee Ballet is a not-for-profit institution. It is through corporate partnerships with local businesses that The Tallahassee Ballet continues to expand our programming and successfully reach our goals of providing excellent training, discipline, direction and leadership for our community’s most talented young artists. For further information on how your company can contribute, please contact...
Carla DeLoach
850-591-2271
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PRINCIPAL DANCERS
Tomoko Takahashi began dancing at the age of eight in Nagano, Japan. At age 15, she was awarded the Special Judge Prize and Chacott Scholarship from the NBA All Japan Ballet Competition, and went to The Hungarian Dance Art Academy, Budapest as a scholarship student.
Upon graduation in 2007,
Takahashi started her professional career at companies including Columbia Classical Ballet, South
Carolina (2007-2008), Singapore Dance Theatre (2011-2014), and The Israel Ballet (2014-2017). At the Israel ballet, she joined as a principal dancer.
Takahashi hasdancedprincipalrolesofMadameButterfly,Cinderella,
Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Raymonda, The Nutcracker, La Corsaire, La Sylphide, and Robin Hood. She also performed in George Balanchine’s Serenade, Concerto Barocco and Divertimento No.15; Val Caniparoli’s Lambarena and Chant; Edwaard Liang’s Age of Innocence and The Winds of Zephyrus; Natalie Weir’s 4 Seasons; and Nils Christe’s Organ Concerto.
Takahashi won 3rd place in All Japan Ballet Union competition (2002),
1st place in The Tokyo Paper All Japan Ballet Competition (2003), and
2nd place in Educational Ballet competition, Japan (2008). Tomoko is also a momoftwoyoungdaughters.Takahashi joinedTheTallahasseeBalletin 2019 as a Principal Dancer.
Mindful
M vement
Moving for Better Balance
Moving for Better Balance
with Lori Danello Roberts
Gather with friends at least once a week for a joyful class that promotes health and well-being through movement & music
Find classes at: www.talgov.com/seniors/seniors-health.aspx 30 THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET


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SOLOISTS
Conrad Channell began his devotion to dance at the age of 10 at New Tampa Dance Theatre in Tampa, Florida. After training in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and hip hop that first year, Channell moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and continued dancing under
the direction of
Cindy Monaco
at Heart Of
America Dance Centre. Channell
enjoyed performing as a company member
of Heart of America Youth Ballet and on the competition team. Additionally, he received training from Kansas City Ballet, Orlando Ballet, and Sarasota Ballet, and performed with Texas Ballet Theater on scholarship. Channell is currently a Senior at Florida State University studying Public Health and Business Analytics in pursuit of a career in Medical Sales. This is Channell’s third season with The Tallahassee Ballet under the direction of Tyrone Brooks. He was cast as Nutcracker Prince, Russian, and Harlequin Doll in TTB’s past production of The Nutcracker. Channell is very excited to be back on the stage performing the roles of Nutcracker Prince and Russian in The Nutcracker this year.
Christopher Miller
began performing around
the age of 10. He attended the Florida State University School
of Dance. He transferred from the dance program at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida. Alongside ballet, Chris finds interest in many other forms of performing. He has performed in musicals, such as West Side Story, and even spent a year and a half
in a hip hop crew called The Levitations. In the future, Chris sees himself using dance as a way to travel, meet new people, and gain new life experiences.
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THROUGH THE ARTS
Capital City Bank has proudly delivered tailored financial solutions and exceptional client experiences for more than 125 years. Our loyal clients make it possible to support community arts organizations, like The Tallahassee Ballet, that make our hometown an even better place to live, work and play.
www.ccbg.com
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CORPS DE BALLET
Martine Bartley Jasmine Burelsmith Carolina Cavano
Kelly Chase
Reese Desaulniers Sarah Avery Eschrich
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Kara Griffin
Kristin Javate
Sophia Faith Lutinski
Hoke Payne
Katie Rolph
Taylor West
CORPS DE BALLET
Lauren Wood
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CORPS DE BALLET APPRENTICES
Eden Desotell Reagan Hill Emma Isemen
Morgan Manrique Bella Rich
Madison Ryan
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SENIOR APPRENTICES YOUTH COMPANY
Aileen Bae Logan Click Bailey Corrigan Amalia Garces
Malia Morton Adriana Ranjbari
JUNIOR YOUTH COMPANY
Mackenzie Ashburn Blake Burns Penelope Cornais Sophia Papuchis
Helen Piris Arianna Spurlock
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40 THE TALLAHASSEE BALLET