About Ballet22

Founded in 2020 by Roberto Vega Ortiz and Theresa Knudson, Ballet22 exists to push the boundaries of what is possible in ballet while focusing on producing and presenting works, ranging from classical to contemporary ballet, that break gender normative traditions, specifically by presenting men, mxn, and non-binary artists "en pointe." The company is committed to commissioning ballet works that bring inclusion and representation to the LGBTQ+ experience on stage. Ballet22 is a member of Intersection for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

The Company

Ballet22's cast includes dancers from all around the world, each chosen for their brilliant pointe work and performance abilities.

These mxn are challenging gender stereotypes and rebuilding what it is to be a ballet dancer en pointe.

Artistic Director & Co-Founder | Roberto Vega Ortiz

Executive Director & Co-Founder | Theresa Knudson

The Artists

Evan Ambrose

Kike Cessa

Carlos Hopuy

Philip Joseph Sicat

Roberto Vega Ortiz

Trevor Williams

Ballet22 Winter Gala Performances

A special thank you to:

Megan Somogyi

for sponsoring the 2022 Winter Gala Performances.

Thank you for believing in us and making this program possible!

Special thank you to: Isaac Hall, David Meders, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Durante Verzola

ACT I

Act III Swan Lake Suite

Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Staged by: Roberto Vega Ortiz

The Unannounced Guests - Evan Ambrose and Roberto Vega Ortiz

Pas de Trois - Kike Cessa, Philip Jospeh Sicat, and Trevor Williams

Black Swan Grand Pas de Deux - Carlos Hopuy and Roberto Vega Ortiz

Ballet22 pays homage to one of the most iconic classical ballet in this suite of excerpts from the Act III of Swan Lake. Costumed by Chris Dunn, the cast tackles this incredible ballet, exhibiting technical prowess and artistry. Be swept away by the unique presentation of this beloved ballet classic.

INTERMISSION

Symbiotic Twin

Music: Broken Rosary by Kate Moore

Choreography by: Annabelle Lopez Ochoa

Dancers: Carlos Hopuy and Roberto Vega Ortiz

Costume Design: Marc Happel based on paintings by Kathleen Werner

Costumes courtesy of Ballet Austin

Symbiotic Twin centers on the themes of the male and female energy that live within each of us. A symbiotic relationship is that of two different components that need each other to survive. The pas de deux reflects this concept through the use of partnering, particularity the use of shared weight and counter balance. Symbiotic Twin was originally created for Ashley Bouder and Taylor Stanley in 2018 for The Ashley Bouder Project, and extended for Ballet Austin in 2019 on Oliver Greene-Cramer and Grace Morton. Annabelle Lopez Ochoa created a new edition of the pas de deux for Carlos Hopuy and Roberto Vega Ortiz while she restaged the ballet in person this February 2022. Enjoy the premiere of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s latest rendition of her ever morphing Symbiotic Twin.

Dream of Fish

Music: Marina Rossell and Olafur Arnalds

Choreography by: Ramón Oller

Staged by: Roberto Vega Ortiz and Carlos Hopuy

Dancers: Evan Ambrose, Kike Cessa, Philip Jospeh Sicat, and Trevor Williams

Created for Ballet22 by Ramón Oller in September 2021, Dream of Fish centers takes the audiences to a dreamlike, underwater world, and explores themes of war, and the struggle of birth, life, and death.

PAUSE

La Libertà

Music: Carl Philip Emmanuel Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Frederic Chopin

Choreography by: Durante Verzola

Dancers: Evan Ambrose, Kike Cessa, Carlos Hopuy, Philip Jospeh Sicat, Roberto Vega Ortiz, and Trevor Williams

Durante Verzola’s new work for Ballet22, La Libertà, is set to the piano compositions of Carl Philip Emmanuel Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach and Frederic Chopin. Through movement, Verzola hopes to articulate the power and passion of the music using the individuality of the dancers. His choreographic style emphasizes musical clarity and expansive dancing. Verzola explores the expressiveness of the pointe shoe to create a pure dance work that allows the artists to take the audience on a balletic journey. Above all, Verzola believes ballet and dance should unlock one’s freedom and allow spontaneity. In the words of dance historian and writer, Jennifer Homans, “[ballet] was also…full of emotions and the feelings that come with music and movement...If the coordination and musicality, muscular impulse and timing were exactly right, the body would take over. I could let go. For all its rules and limits, [ballet is] an escape from the self. Being free.”