Ballet22
presents
SUMMER SEASON
July 25-26, 2026
Cowell Theater at Fort Mason | San Francisco, CA
About Ballet22
Founded in 2020, Ballet22 exists to push the boundaries of what is possible in ballet by focusing on producing and presenting works that break gender normative traditions, specifically by presenting men, trans, and non-binary artists “en pointe.” The company is also dedicated to commissioning works that bring LGBTQIA+ representation to the art form. The company is directed by Executive Director & Co-Founder Theresa Knudson, and Co-Directors Daniel R. Durrett and Lorris Eichinger and is based in Oakland, CA.
Since its founding, Ballet22 has produced ten full length live productions and has commissioned fourteen new ballet works that contribute to the mission and queer representation in the ballet world. In addition the company has several created digital programs, produced award winning dance films, offered dance workshops, and has toured to Santa Barbara, CA, and Boise, ID.
The company was named Dance Magazine “25 to Watch” in 2022 and received an Isadora Duncan Dance Award Nomination for the 2021-22 season for Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Company.
Summer Season 2026 is Co-Directed by Daniel R. Durrett, Lorris Eichinger, and Theresa Knudson.
Photo: Maximillian Tortoriello
Directors Note
Thank you for joining us for Ballet22’s Summer Season 2026 to celebrate queer, trans, and non-binary ballet dancers and their undeniable contributions to ballet. This Summer Season 2026 is our 10th in-person full length production.
Ballet22 performances show reverence to the classical art form while renouncing the establishment that has upheld toxic standards in the name of tradition. These performances are both a celebration and a protest. You are witnessing ballet history as theses dancers and choreographers blaze a new trail for the future for the craft.
This production was made possible by critical funding from Isaac Hall, Megan Somogyi, The Hestia Fund, and the many donors that have contributed to ensure the artists of Ballet22 are compensated.
Thank you to SF Dance Gear, Suffolk and Bloch for providing pointe shoes to Daniel R. Durrett, Jake Speakman, and Luca Ataíde , and Mark Schreiber for sponsoring pointe shoes for Victor Maguad, Liam Vincent Hutt, Taiyo Makimura, and William Robinson in the memory of Dana Woldow. Thank you to Oscar Perez of Performa Physical Therapy & Pilates for providing physical therapy and care for the dancers during this process. And a big thank you to Alexander Irwin for years of dedication filming the Ballet22 performances, preserving the work the artists have accomplished.
Thank you, always, to the dancers and choreographers for your bravery, your beauty, and for sharing yourselves as artists and humans with the world. You are the heart and soul of Ballet22.
In this program you will see excerpts from the beloved classic Coppélia, La Follia by Durante Verzola, and a world premiere by choreographer Keelan Whitmore.
We want you to enjoy this experience fully. Please clap and cheer for the dancers as they take a bow, enjoy a beverage, and follow us on social media to stay up to date on our upcoming projects. Our next show is July 24 & 25, 2027 here at the Cowell Theater.
Thank you all for being here and supporting the work and mission of Ballet22! Enjoy the show!
With gratitude,
Theresa, Lorris, and Daniel
Photo: Alexis Cuarezma
ACT I
Coppélia
Choreography:
Arthur Saint-Léon, Marius Petipa, and Enrico Cecchetti
Music:
Léo Delibes
Répétiteur:
Daniel R. Durrett
Coaching:
Daniel R. Durrett & Kaori Rendall-Jackson
Program Notes:
Coppélia premiered on May 25, 1870 in Paris with original choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon. Coppélia is a comedic ballet, based on a short story by E.T.A. Hoffmann. The ballet was revived by Marius Petipa for the Imperial Ballet, and then again by Enrico Cecchetti. Petipa and Cecchetti’s versions after Saint-Léon’s have been preserved and used as inspiration for most modern day productions. The story of Coppélia follows a young couple, Franz and Swanhilda, as they navigate their engagement, through themes of seduction, mistaken identity, burglary, and ultimately forgiveness and loyalty.
Dancer: Liam Vincent Hutt Photo: Alexis Cuarezma
Coppélia Suite Order of Appearance
Swanhilda’s Friends
Lucas Ataide, Daniel R. Durrett, Liam Vincent Hutt, Victor Maguad, Taiyo Makimura, William Robinson
Swanhilda Act I Friends Variation
Jake Speakman
Dawn Variation
Daniel R. Durrett
Swanhilda Act I Waltz Variation
Victor Maguad
Swanhilda Act II Spanish Variation
Lucas Ataide
Spinner Variation
Taiyo Makimura
Prayer Variation
Liam Vincent Hutt
Swanhilda Act III Wedding Variation
William Robinson
Swanhilda & Franz Wedding Pas de Deux
Jake Speakman and Daniel R. Durrett
Coda
All Dancers
Intermission
(20 minutes)
ACT II
La Follia
Choreography:
Durante Verzola
Music:
Arcangelo Corelli
Répétiteur & Coaching:
Michael Holden
Dancers:
Daniel R. Durrett, Victor Maguad
Program Notes:
Ballet22 is proud to bring back rising star choreographer Durante Verzola to present the San Francisco premiere of La Follia. Ballet22 first worked with Durante Verzola in 2022, premiering Verzola’s La Libertà, and then again in 2023 with Pass Me By, when Ballet22 toured to Boise, ID. The work you will see this evening, La Follia, was originally created in 2021 through an Artistic Partnership Initiative residency at New York University’s Center for Ballet and the Arts and first presented with Miami City Ballet through the Guggenheim’s Works & Process series. Set to Arcangelo Corelli’s celebrated score, the work reexamines the traditional structure of the classical pas de deux. La Follia explores connection, longing, and partnership through dancers who never touch, creating a powerful sense of intimacy through movement, musicality, and emotional presence. For this new staging, Verzola adapts the work for two male dancers performing en pointe, further expanding the ballet’s original exploration of nontraditional partnering.
“As a huge lover of classical ballet, but also a queer biracial man, it is important to me that new stories are being told on a ballet stage. I care so much for this art form, but it is imperative that we drive it forward and make it meaningful and relevant for our audiences. The art must reflect our world.”- Durante Verzola
Dancers: Victor Maguad & Daniel R. Durrett Photo: Alexis Cuarezma
The Fifth Point
(World Premiere)
Choreography:
Keelan Whitmore
Original Music:
Ben Juodvalkis
Rehearsal Director & Coaching:
Meredith Webster
Dancers:
Lucas Ataide, Taiyo Makimura, Liam Vincent Hutt, William Robinson, Jake Speakman
Program Notes:
The Fifth Point is a world premiere work choreographed by Keelan Whitmore. Inspired by Pas de Quatre, one of ballets most celebrated historical works, Whitmore’s contemporary reimagining expands the original structure from four dancers to five, transforming a landmark ballet into an exploration of visibility, individuality, belonging, and collective identity. Keelan Whitmore uses the original ballet as a point of departure, examining how artistic traditions evolve when new voices and experiences are welcomed into the conversation. Through shifting relationships and evolving stage pictures, The Fifth Point considers how individuals navigate being seen as distinct from, and connected to, the communities around them.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that traditions survive not because they remain unchanged, but because each generation finds new meaning within them. The Fifth Point began as a response to Pas de Quatre, but it ultimately became an exploration of how we honor history while making room for new voices, perspectives, and possibilities. For me, the work is both a gesture of reverence and an invitation towards transformation.”- Keelan Whitmore
Dancers: William Robinson, Taiyo Makimura, Liam Vincent Hutt, Jake Speakman, and Lucas Ataíde Photo: Alexis Cuarezma
The Dancers
-
Lucas Ataíde (he/him)
DANCER
Joined Ballet22 in 2021
From Mogi Guaçu, Brazil
Currently a dancer with City Ballet of San Diego
-
Daniel R. Durrett (he/him)
CO-DIRECTOR & DANCER
Sponsored by Megan Somogyi
Joined Ballet22 in 2021
From Cincinnati, OH
Currently a Soloist with Boston Ballet
-
Liam Vincent Hutt (they/he)
DANCER
Joined Ballet22 in 2026
From Fort Myers, FL
Currently a dancer with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
-
Victor Maguad (he/him)
DANCER
Sponsored by Lena Chang
Joined Ballet22 in 2022
From Manila, Philippines
Currently a dancer with Sacramento Ballet
-
Taiyo Makimura (he/him)
DANCER
Joined Ballet22 in 2026
From Scotch Plains, NJ
Currently a dancer with Oakland Ballet
-
William Robinson (they/them)
DANCER
Joined Ballet22 in 2026
From Nashville, TN
Currently a Soloist with Indianapolis Ballet
-
Jake Speakman (he/him)
DANCER
Joined Ballet22 in 2025
From Philadelphia, PA
Currently a dancer with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
The Choreographers
-
Arthur Saint-Leon
CHOREOGRAPHER- Coppélia
Paris, France (1821-1870)
Coppélia 1870- world premiere
-
Marius Petipa
CHOREOGRAPHER- Coppélia
Marseille, France (1818-1910)
Coppélia 1884 - Revival
-
Enrico Cecchetti
CHOREOGRAPHER- Coppélia
Rome, Italy (1850-1927)
Coppélia 1894- Revival
-
Durante Verzola
CHOREOGRAPHER- La Follia
Lansing, Kansas, USA
Currently Resident Choreographer for Miami City Ballet School
-
Keelan Whitmore
CHOREOGRAPHER- The Fifth Point
Rockford, Illinois
Currently Rehearsal Director of BalletX in Philadelphia, PA
Répétiteurs & Coaches
-
Michael Holden
RÉPÉTITEUR -Durante Verzola’s La Follia
Falmouth, Maine
Freelance Dancer based in NYC & Répétiteur for Verzola Ballet
-
Meredith Webster
REHEARSAL DIRECTOR- Keelan Whitmore’s The Fifth Point
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Dancer, Choreographer, and Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet Rehearsal Director
-
Kaori Rendall-Jackson
COACHING- Coppélia
Tokyo, Japan
Bay Area based teacher and Rehearsal Director of Berkeley Ballet Theater
Leadership
-
Daniel R. Durrett (he/him)
Co-Director, Dancer, Board Secretary
Joined Ballet22 in 2021
Appointed Co-Director 2023
-
Lorris Eichinger (he/they)
Co-Director, Choreographer, Board Vice President
Joined Ballet22 in 2021
Appointed Co-Director 2023
-
Theresa Knudson (she/her)
Co-Founder, Executive Director, Board Treasurer
Founded Ballet22 in 2020
-
Megan Somogyi (she/her)
Board President
Joined Ballet22 in 2022
The Team
Ballet22 Organizational Team
Executive Director & Co-Founder:
Theresa Knudson
Artistic Co-Directors:
Daniel R. Durrett
Lorris Eichinger
Theresa Knudson
Board of Directors:
Megan Somogyi, President
Lorris Eichinger, Vice President
Daniel R. Durrett Secretary
Theresa Knudson, Treasurer
Development: Lorris Eichinger & Theresa Knudson
Social Media & Digital Content: Daniel R. Durrett
Lawyer: Megan Somogyi
Accountant: Shelby Malvoso
Public Relations: Kimberly Giannelli
Ballet22 Summer Season 2026 Team
Company Teachers and Coaches: Daniel R. Durrett, Theresa Knudson, Kaori Rendall-Jackson, Meredith Webster, Lorris Eichinger, Michael Holden
Costumes: Ballet22
Program Notes: Kimberly Giannelli & Theresa Knudson
Videography: Alexander Irwin
Photography: Alexis Cuarezma & Maximillian Tortoriello
Physical Therapy: Oscar Perez, Performa Physical Therapy & Pilates
Stage Manager: Byron Roman
Lighting Designer: Daniel Weiermann
Production Support: Roger Albanes & Ryan Rouland Smith
Studio space provided by: BlackBox Studios, Oakland
Technical Director of the Cowell Theater: Christine Cochrane
Audio Engineer, Cowell Theater : Rain Masand
Cowell Theater Administrative Team: Amanda Matthews and Kelli Westad
Volunteers: Daniel Aydelott, Rebecca Huang, Laura Marmolejo, Jon Kim, Brandi Williams, D Calhoun, LizAnne Roman Roberts
Thank you!
Sustaining Patrons $20,000+
Isaac Hall
Megan Somogyi
Patrons $10,000+
Hestia Fund
Sponsors $3,000+
Lena Chang
Judy Flannery
Adrienne Foley
Doug and Jean Knudson
David Meders
Supporters $1,000+
Larry Baker
Karen Rosenberg
Patrick Rosvall
Mark Schreiber in Memory of Dana Woldow
WealthBoost Advisors
Contributors $100 +
Martha Arnaud, Claire Callahan, Susan Campbell, Dedra Chamberlin, Lauren Clark & John Oberbeck, Degenkolb Engineers, Benita Ward Jarrett, Shaila Kotadia, Nancy Eichinger Lamory, Karen Muschenetz, Peter Nye, Selina Shek, Atul Teckchandani, Donna Une
Special Thank you!
SF Dance Gear, Bloch, Suffolk, BlackBox Studios, Alexander Irwin, Gregory Dawson, Rose Kirshner, Benita Ward Jarrett, Cher Dubbink, Roger Albanes, and Ryan Rouland Smith, Amy Schoening, Philip Perkins
TICKETS ON SALE FOR
JULY 24-25, 2027
Cowell Theater | Fort Mason Center for the Arts & Culture
Step, leap, and slay into the spotlight with our Ballet22 Pride Socks.
Gender-defying, toe-pointing, arch-hugging goodness – because your feet deserve to feel as proud as your heart.
One size fit all
Step, leap, and slay into the spotlight with our Ballet22 Pride Socks.
Gender-defying, toe-pointing, arch-hugging goodness – because your feet deserve to feel as proud as your heart.
One size fit all
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