FALL CONCERT

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!

(Subject to change)

ABOUT GEORGE BALANCHINE

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, George Balanchine (1904-1983) is regarded as the foremost contemporary choreographer in the world of ballet. He came to the United States in late 1933, at the age of 29, accepting the invitation of the young American arts

patron Lincoln Kirstein (1907-96), whose great passions included the dream of creating a ballet company in America. At Balanchine’s behest, Kirstein was also prepared to support the formation of an American academy of ballet that would eventually rival the long-established schools of Europe. This was the School of American Ballet, founded in 1934.

With a performance on October 11, 1948, the New York City Ballet was born. Balanchine served as its ballet master and principal choreographer from 1948 until his death in 1983, creating over 400 works. He also choreographed for films, operas, revues, and musicals.

A major artistic figure of the twentieth century, Balanchine revolutionized the look of classical ballet. With classicism as his base, he heightened, quickened, expanded, streamlined, and even inverted the fundamentals of the 400-year-old language of academic dance. This had an inestimable influence on the growth of dance in America. At first his style seemed particularly suited to the energy and speed of American dancers, but now his ballets are performed by all major classical ballet companies throughout the world.

ABOUT ANDREA GISELLE SCHERMOLY

Andrea (Andi) Giselle Schermoly was born in South Africa.  She trained at the National School of the Arts, Johannesburg and on full scholarship at Rambert Ballet and Contemporary School, and full scholarship at The Royal Ballet School, London.  She competed internationally as a member of The South African National Rhythmic Gymnastics Team.  She danced professionally for Boston Ballet Company and the Netherlands Dance Theater (1&2).  

She is the resident choreographer at Louisville Ballet Company.

She has choreographed for Ballet Met, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Cape Dance Company, Kansas City Ballet Company, State Street Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet Company, Louisville Ballet Company, Santa Barbara Dance Theater, Festival Ballet Theater, Ballet Theatre Afrikan, Quixotic Cirque Noveau, Boston Ballet 2, Joffrey Ballet Concert Group, The Juilliard School solos evening and directed and choreographed a dance narrative film for The Ashley Bouder Project presented at The Joyce Theater, NYC, which went on to be presented by San Francisco Dance Film Festival.  She was awarded the “Outstanding Choreographer” award in 2012, 2013, and 2017 at Youth America Grand Prix.  In 2014 she choreographed at Lincoln Center for YAGP’s 15th anniversary gala evening on dancers Maria Kochetkova (principal San Francisco Ballet) and Joaquin de Luz (principal New York City Ballet). The piece has since been re-staged at ‘Buenos Aires International Dance Gala' Argentina and ‘Stars of the 21st Century Gala’ in the Champs Élysées, Paris. Andi has choreographed for feature films, commercials, and music videos including ‘Beautiful Now’, 'Bunheads', Justin Bieber/Poo Bear, and Deorro music video, and choreographically assisted on projects such as 'Budweiser Superbowl Commercial’ and ‘Star Trek into Darkness’.  She's created work for principal dancers attending international galas, most recently for Sarah Van Patten/Wei Wang of San Francisco Ballet for Tahoe Dance Camp.  

Andrea has created 7 original works for Louisville Ballet, including having the honor of recreating two iconic Martha Graham works in collaboration with Louisville Ballet and Louisville Orchestra.  “Appalachian Spring” and “Judith”.  “Appalachian Spring” will be performed at Carnegie Hall in an upcoming season.  She has upcoming work with Royal New Zealand Ballet and Compania Nationala de Danca, Spain, amongst others.  Her most recent dance film ‘Rite of Spring’ for Louisville Ballet received outstanding reviews including “the best pandemic film produced in the US”  by ARTS AIR.