By WKTV Staff
Grand Rapids Ballet artistic director James Sofranko and his troupe of dancers, after the cancellation of the remainder of their 2019-20 season, are abiding by the state’s “stay at home” restrictions like most of the rest of us.
But dancers will be dancers, everybody needs a hug every now than then, and the 2020-21 season is not far away. (And, BTW, season subscriptions are available now.)
So in the short term, the ballet team has produced a virtual hug video “to honor and salute our healthcare and essential workers for all they’re doing to keep us safe,” according to an email from the ballet.
“It’s our hope this special message will offer them — and you — a healthy dose of strength and encouragement. The dancers (who are all wearing blue in a sign of solidarity with healthcare workers) volunteered their time and talents for the cause.”
The piece was produced by James Sofranko and Cindy Sheppard Sofranko, and edited by Joe Sofranko and Lili Fuller.
The dancers are Jimmy Cunningham, Steven Houser, Ingrid Lewis, Celeste Lopez-Keranen, Madison Massara, Alexandra Meister-Upleger, Yuka Oba-Muschiana, Emily Reed, Gretchen Steimle, Nigel Tau, Julia Turner, Adriana Wagenveld, Matthew Wenckowski and Nathan Young.
Cellist Jeremy Crosmer of Grand Rapids’ ESME (Eclectic String Music Ensemble) appears on the video playing the prelude from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major.
“Our mission is to uplift the human spirit through the art of dance and we hope you’ll keep the momentum going by sharing this video with your friends and family, too,” the email concludes.
And about that 2020-21 season …
“The 2020-21 season (our 49th) will take Grand Rapids Ballet to a new level of artistry and production,” James Sofranko says of the coming season on the ballet’s website. “In addition to The Nutcracker, I am proud to be returning the company to DeVos Performance Hall a second time in the year for Ben Stevensen’s Cinderella, featuring grand sets and costumes and live music from the Grand Rapids Symphony.”
Other programs include works by Andy Blankenbuehler, the 3-time Tony Award winning choreographer of Hamilton, and Christopher Wheeldon, also a Tony Award winner and former resident choreographer of New York City Ballet.
For more information on Grand Rapids Ballet visit here.
