COMMONWEALTH BALLET 25 TH SEASON

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1 COMMONWEALTH BALLET 25 TH SEASON Annual Program

2 Spring Repertory Performance Friday March 3rd & Saturday March 4th at 7:00pm Boston University Dance Theater 915 Commonwealth Ave Boston, MA Tickets: CommonwealthBallet.org or

3 F r o m t h e A r t i st i c D i r ec t o r Dear Audience Member, Looking at the cover of the program you are holding brings back a flood of memories - dancers, performances and war stories from Commonwealth Ballet s first twenty-five years. Kathryn Anderson and I set out to build an organization that would bring our love of ballet to new audiences, and to transmit a deep and important art form to future generations. Many of our alumnae have pursued careers in dance, including a principal dancer at Ballet West, professionals in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and elsewhere, or college-level dance instructors. Some have founded their own schools and continue to pass on the tradition. Many have majored or minored in dance in college and then gone on to other careers. Others found their way to Broadway. One is the author of a major book on American dance and editor of a prominent dance magazine. Of course, many alumni have pursued non-dance careers. We have at least one Ph.D. mathematician and one Ph.D. physicist among our ranks, as well as several accomplished engineers, aspiring physicians, and other professionals. One is a well-known international fashion model. In a previous career as a management consultant I had occasion to interview a senior executive at a Fortune 500 company. I came to discover that she had begun her career as a professional ballet dancer. We agreed that any company looking to hire someone who understands the value of preparation, teamwork, focus and extreme dedication would do well to consider a former dancer. This year is a watershed in our production of The Nutcracker. We will be peforming both weekends at the beautiful Casey Theater at Regis College in Weston, MA. More importantly, this year is the first time in the history of our production that the two principal roles, The Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier, will be danced by CBC alumnae, Lindsay Moncrieff and Ben Kuefler. We will be thrilled to have them join us on stage in these key roles as they carry forward our traditions. I view the legacy of these last twenty-five years in contexts both large and the small. In the large I see the art and craft of ballet as developed over almost 500 years. Part of CBC s mission is to preserve and advance this great cultural accomplishment, a serious challenge in this era of ephemeral pop culture. However, in the small I see the invaluable experiences of the dancers, the character that we have encouraged in them with every step, the value we have brought to their lives and, I hope, to you our audience. I give heartfelt thanks to Kathryn, the dancers, their families, and the audience of Commonwealth Ballet for these last twenty-five years. We look forward to many more. Chip Morris To put names to the faces on the front cover, please visit Cover photos: Bob Turner, Liza Voll Photography, Mike Nyman Photography C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

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5 C o mmo n w e a l t h Bal l e t Friends of CBC Members Reception October 15, 2016 Acton School of Ballet Studios A Glimpse Beyond October 21-23, 2016 Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge MA The Nutcracker November 25-27, 2016 December 9-11, 2016 Casey Theatre, Regis College - Weston MA 25th Season Celebration Gala February 25, 2017 The Barn at Gibbet Hill, Groton MA Spring Performance March 3-4, 2017 Boston University Dance Theatre, Boston MA Acton School of Ballet Spring Performance: The Pharaoh s Daughter May 28-29, 2017 Acton-Boxborough Regional High School - Acton MA C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

6 Christmas won t be Christmas without Louisa May Alcott s Home of Little Women 2016 H OLIDAY P ROGRAM An Alcott Christmas Stocking December 3 & 4, 10 & 11, 17 & 18 Also open year-round for... Guided Tours Living History Events Youth Programs Adult & Teacher Workshops 399 Lexington Road Concord, MA C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

7 C o mmo n w e a l t h Bal l e t Chip Morris, Artistic Director Kathryn Anderson, Artistic Director Emerita Company Louisa Arnold, Rachel Conti, Kayla Edwards, Hannah Graham-Brown, Hannah Holgate, Jennifer Lu, Amelia Maguire, Sam Mayer, Nicole Miller, Megan Muzilla, Isabelle Ortiz, Alyona Osadcha, Ola Patykowski, Maris Ryba, Fiona Stevenson, Cecilia Villaseñor, Kate Zhong Apprentices Stephen Marshall, Una Oljaca, Sadie Webster Board of Directors Martin Stevenson (President), Walter G. Morris (Artistic Director), Patricia M. Wilkey (Treasurer), Martin Arnold (Secretary), Stefano Caprara, Rustin I. Carpenter, Yang Liu, Christine Brault Régisseuse Lindsay Moncrieff Stage Managers Ken Lee Doug Macarthur Scenic Design & Construction Pascale Belin-White Doug Macarthur Ewan Milne Tom Peterman Tom Sikina Eric Solowey Martin Stevenson Commonwealth Ballet Company P.O. Box 892, Acton MA CommonwealthBallet.org Assistant Stage Managers Eric Solowey Geoff Webster Lighting Director Stephanie Howell Administrator Jeri Lee Commonwealth ballet is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization formed in 1992 to develop, foster and promote the performance and appreciation of classical and contemporary ballet. To this end, CBC endeavors to maintain strong ties with the communities it serves, provide a substantial educational opportunity for young dancers, and demonstrate the highest level of artistic quality. C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

8 THANK YOU FOR ENRICHING OUR COMMUNITY H. Ivan Orup, Jr., D.M.D., M.M.Sc., P.C. Specialist in Orthodontics for Children &Adults 290 Baker Avenue, Concord, MA drorup.com 8 C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

9 T h e C o m p a n y Back row, from left: Stephen Marshall, Louisa Arnold, Ola Patykowski, Fiona Stevenson, Megan Muzilla, Ceci Villaseñor, Kayla Edwards, Sam Mayer Middle row: Sadie Webster, Nicole Miller, Hannah Graham-Brown, Jennifer Lu, Amelia Maguire, Kate Zhong, Rachel Conti Front row: Una Oljaca, Maris Ryba, Hannah Holgate, Alyona Osadcha. (Not shown: Isabelle Ortiz) B o a r d o f D i r ec t o r s Standing: Yang Liu, Rusty Carpenter, Christine Brault, Jeri Lee (Administrator) Seated: Martin Arnold, Chip Morris, Martin Stevenson (Not shown: Patricia Wilkey, Stefano Caprara) C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

10 CBC i n t h e C o m m u n i t y Culture4Kidz Within our broader community, we have a commitment to helping the widest possible audience experience the art of ballet. Our Culture4Kidz program enables a diverse range of young people to attend CBC performances. Regional Boys and Girls Clubs and other youth organizations assist by identifying children who would benefit from these donations, and Commonwealth Ballet provides them with tickets. If you are interested in helping the Culture4Kidz cause, donations can be mailed to Commonwealth Ballet, PO Box 892, Acton MA CBC in the Community We are proud to be an active part of the Boston MetroWest community, striving to educate, engage and entertain. We interact with younger audiences during readings at local libraries and museums, provide backstage tours for Girl Scout groups, and present School Lecture demonstrations. In addition, our Outreach programs provide elderly adults and disadvantaged families with free tickets. Last season we distributed over 300 free tickets locally. 10 C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

11 Com m o n w e a l t h B a l l e t Staff Chair Costume Designer Makeup Wardrobe Property Coordinator Volunteer Coordinator Production Yang Liu, Martin Arnold Freda Bromberg, Veronica Diesl, Joanne Hiromura, Eva Macarthur, Jeanne Maguire, Yasuko Graham-Brown Ken Mayer Dorota Patykowski Christine Brault, Yasuko Graham-Brown, Jeanne Maguire, Ken Mayer Geoff Webster Jeri Lee Fundraising Friends of Commonwealth Ballet Martin Stevenson Annual Program Martin Stevenson, Ginnie Webster, Jeri Lee, Sue Peterman Culture4Kidz Jeri Lee Concessions Sharon Berka-Muzilla, Yuan Chen, Joan Miller, Agnes Quisumbing, Neda Oljaca Chair, Website Publicity Graphic Design Photography Videography Marketing Martin Stevenson Christine Brault, Kate Conti, Heather Holgate, Dawn Solowey Sue Peterman Mike Nyman Photography and Liza Voll Photography Spectron A.I C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

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13 W h e r e a r e t h e y N o w? Leigh Purtill (1994) Since graduating from Commonwealth Ballet Leigh has moved to the west coast and now teaches ballet to adults in Los Angeles as Leigh Purtill Ballet. She is also an accomplished novelist with three young adult books published by Penguin and HarperCollins under her name and a pen name. A fourth novel will be out in Every year she choreographs a production of The Nutcracker and a story ballet in Spring. She still has her T-shirt from CBC s production of Dracula, and combines all these interests in her ongoing pet project - Sweet Sorrow, a Zombie Ballet, an original full length ballet that picks up where Shakespeare s Romeo and Juliet ends! Alexa Ofori (2007) After graduating from Hofstra University with a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology, Alexa moved on to take a Master s in Public Health at Tulane University. She also served with the Peace Corps in Cambodia as a health sector volunteer, where her work focused on women and girl s empowerment, and she helped run a Camp GLOW program with other Peace Corps Volunteers. While in Cambodia, Alexa met, and was spoken of by First Lady Michelle Obama, who was visiting to promote her Let Girls Learn initiative! C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

14 2 5 t h C e l e b r a t i o n G a l a Join us as we celebrate 25 seasons! Sunday, February 27th, 2017 The Barn at Gibbet Hill Groton, MA Join us for a Convivial Evening, with Hors d Ouevres, Dinner, Dancing and a Performance by Company Dancers. To reserve your seats please contact administrator@commonwealthballet.org 14 C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

15 W h e r e a r e t h e y N o w? Merli Guerra (2005) Merli V. Guerra began her official dance training at the late age of six, and has since become a professional dancer and award-winning interdisciplinary artist with a background in ballet, modern, and classical Indian dance. She is Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Luminarium Dance Company (Boston, MA), and a company member of Nataraj Dancers (Amherst, MA) and Deborah Abel Dance Company (Boston, MA). She has toured internationally and created nnumerous choreographic works, dance-on-camera films, and video art installations. Recently, Guerra s company Luminarium was commissioned by TEDxCambridge to create an opening performance for the largest TED event in the world, performing at the Boston Opera House for 2,600 viewers in June As an artist and writer, Guerra designs the region s leading periodical in contemporary arts and culture as Art Director of Art New England magazine; is Senior Contributor to The Arts Fuse (critiquing and highlighting dance events across New England). She credits much of her success to the strong technical training she received at Acton School of Ballet and Jean D Urbano s School of Ballet Arts. Performing under Chip Morris and Kathryn Andersen as a company member of Commonwealth Ballet Company helped her to grow as a performer while observing the dynamics of a pre-professional company atmosphere. Now, as a professional in the field, Guerra frequently acts as a panelist, judge, guest choreographer, critic, speaker, and advocate for the Boston dance community and New England at large. She welcomes you to contact her at merliguerra.com. C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

16 Frien d s o f C o mmo n w eal t h Bal l e t Friends of Commonwealth Ballet By becoming a Friend of Commonwealth Ballet, you can experience the special feeling that comes from being part of a remarkable artistic venture within our community. You ll help pass on to others the joy that you experience when attending our live performances. From as little as $40 you can become a member and share in the benefits reserved for the Friends of Commonwealth Ballet. All Friends of Commonwealth Ballet receive recognition in our annual program and on our website. Additional membership benefits are available based on your valued donation. Prima ($1,000 or more) Principal ($500 or more) Soloist ($250 or more) Two free reserved tickets to each production in the season, plus ticket exchange privileges and no handling fees. One free reserved ticket to each production in the season, plus ticket exchange privileges and no handling fees. One free reserved ticket to The Nutcracker, plus ticket exchange privileges and no handling fees. Corps de Ballet ($150 or more) Annual Program recognition, plus ticket exchange privileges and no handling fees. Junior Corps ($85 or more) Dancer ($40 or more) Annual Program recognition, plus ticket exchange privileges. Annual Program recognition. Please help us by sending your tax-deductible donation to: Commonwealth Ballet P.O. Box 892 Acton MA Become a Friend of CBC Today! For more information, please contact friends@commonwealthballet.org 16 C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

17 Fr ien d s D o n o r s We wish to thank the following private and public donors for their generous support of CBC s season. P r i m a Becky and Nicholas Smith P r i n c i p a l Ralph & Elizabeth Aarons Yang and Yingmu Zhong s o l o i s t Robert & Gabriella Feldman Kenneth Lee and Diana Yee Judith Grant Long The Lu Family The Macarthur Family Sue & Ian Moncrieff Craig and Sharon Muzilla Neda and Miki Oljaca Patricia O Toole David and Karen Sirois The Solowey Family Martin Stevenson and Tess O Toole Guilin Wang C o r p s d e B a l l e t Jennifer Ablard The Edwards Family Alexandra Ganss Jeanne and Mark Maguire Shelley and Aaron Moore Quisumbing-Villasenor Family Aidan and Ellen Smith Amy and Ewan Milne J u n i o r c o r p s Joan and Andy Miller Georgiana Gagnon Kelly Kolodny Liu/Horton Family The Lyman-Feit Family In honor of Megan Muzilla Tina Brown Tim Laurion Debby Lee Rheta A. Roeber d a n c e r Gonca Sonmez-Poole Cecilia Lardizabal Fiona Stevenson John and Kelly Benkert Jennifer Lu Katherine Macarthur C u l t u r e 4 K i d z Megan Muzilla Boxborough Insurance Agency C.E. Floyd Company Friends list reflects donations received from November 12, 2015 through November 5, C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

18 residential education performing arts historic preservation PetermanArchitects.com Concord, MA Thomas E. Sartini, III Attorney at Law (978) Great Road, Suite 212 P..O. Box Acto n, MA Acton Orthodontic Associates Margherita Santoro, DDS. MA Orthodontics for Children, Teens & Adults 418 Massachusetts Avenue, Acton, MA ActonOrthodonticAssociates.com Invisalign Certified since C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

19 W h e r e a r e t h e y N o w? Margaret Fuhrer (2002) After dancing with CBC and graduating from Acton-Boxborough Regional High School in 2002, Margaret went on to receive a B.A. from Princeton University in 2006 and a M.A. in Journalism from New York University in She is now the editor-in-chief of Dance Spirit magazine in New York City. In 2014 her book American Dance: The Complete Illustrated History was published by Voyageur Press described as the most comprehensive, beautiful book ever to be published on dance in America. Photo: Erin Baino Jessica Clements (2010) Even if you ve never met Jessica, there s a good chance you ve seen her face she s now a top model, appearing in photography for mainstream clothing and cosmetics companies. She s also active and popular on social media her YouTube channel has (at the time of printing) nearly 10 million views. Photo: Elite Model Management C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

20 Acton School of Ballet Chip Morris, Director Classical Ballet Training for All Levels Pre-Ballet for Kindergarten & 1st Grade First Steps for Four-year-olds Creative Dance for Three-year-olds Pre-professional Program for the Serious Dancer Warm, Nurturing Environment Internationally Trained Faculty Beginning and Intermediate/Advanced Ballet for Adults Photos by Mike Nyman 3 SPRUCE STREET, ACTON, MA ActonSchoolof Ballet.com 20 C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

21 A r t i s t i c D i r e c t i o n Artistic Director Chip Morris began his training in modern dance and ballet while pursuing his Ph.D. in Mathematics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. While in Madison he taught advanced ballet classes at the Wisconsin School of Ballet, directed the Jazzworks Dance Company, co-founded the Choreographer s Consortium, and choreographed for the Madison Savoyards. Since coming to Boston, Mr. Morris has danced with Choreo Dance Company and as a soloist for the Dance Prism. He has choreographed for the Harvard-Radcliffe Dance Company, the Dance Prism, and Peanut Butter & Jelly Dance Company. He also choreographed The Winged Joy for the Wellesley College Choir, and was a guest performer and choreographer for the Wheaton College Dance Company. He was commissioned by them in 1994 to stage Hear Ye, Hear Ye, based on a score by Aaron Copeland. He has choreographed six original full-length ballets for Commonwealth Ballet, including its first major production, Dracula; its first story ballet with accompanying new music composition, Rappaccini s Daughter; the full length family ballets Beauty and the Beast, The Nightingale and The Secret Garden; and CBC s own production of The Nutcracker (with Kathryn Anderson). Other dances he has choreographed include Ta Voix dans la Nuit, Le Papillon, Chance Encounters, Shattered Ritual, Lost Concerto, Lunar Tides, Farewell, Three Brahms Intermezzi, Orton Dances and, most recently, a suite of dances to contemporary music: The Night Has Many Houses, This Marriage, The Handmaid s Dream and Night Terror. Mr. Morris is the Director of the Acton School of Ballet, a past member of the Board of Directors of the Boston Dance Alliance, and co-founder of Commonwealth Ballet Company. Artistic Director Emerita Kathryn Anderson trained at American Ballet Theatre in New York City, where she began her professional ballet career. As a soloist with the Boston Ballet Company, Ms. Anderson danced leading roles in such ballets as The Sleeping Beauty, Les Sylphides, Cinderella, The Nutcracker and The Four Temperaments. She toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and Israel, and had the honor of dancing with Boston Ballet when it became the first American ballet company to visit, and perform in, the People s Republic of China. Ms. Anderson choreographed many ballet works for Commonwealth Ballet, including At the Waterfall, The Fated, Icare, Rachmaninoff Opus #43, Hajamari-sozo and Countdown, and collaborated with Chip Morris on the full-length ballets Dracula, Beauty and the Beast and The Nutcracker. Ms. Anderson taught at the Boston Ballet School and was guest instructor at Alabama Dance Theater, the Walnut Hill School of Performing Arts, the Worcester Performing Arts Center and the Dance Complex in Cambridge. She also starred in the nationally acclaimed educational video Ballet for Children and Adults. She was co-founder of Commonwealth Ballet Company and is currently its Artistic Director Emerita. Ms. Anderson was the director of Acton School of Ballet from 1983 until her retirement in C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

22 G u e s t A r t i s t s James Kopecky (Snow King) Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, James grew up dancing at Dancenter North in Libertyville, IL. He trained in ballet, jazz, tap, modern and musical theater. After high school, James studied at Butler University under Marek Cholewa, Susan McGuire, Derek Reid, Cynthia Pratt, Tong Wang, Stephan Laurent and Michelle Jarvis. In 2010, he graduated with a BFA in Dance and was offered an apprenticeship at Ballet San Jose under the artistic leadership of Dennis Nahat. In his second season, James was promoted to Corps de Ballet. During his five years with Ballet San Jose, he was featured in a number of works including Paul Taylor s Piazzolla Caldera, Twyla Tharp s In The Upper Room and Jorma Elo s Glow/Stop. Last year, James moved to Charlotte to be a part of the Charlotte Ballet, where he has enjoyed dancing numerous Principal roles. This will be James s second season with the company. Michael Johnson (Snow King) grew up in Richmond, Virginia and studied dance at Richmond Ballet. He further studied at Butler University s dance department, earning a degree in Arts Administration with a Concentration in Dance. Michael was a member of Boston Ballet from 1996 to 2006, performing many soloist and principal roles. Michael danced the classics with world-renowned dancers like Carlos Acosta and Sarah Lamb of the Royal Ballet and performed pieces by choreographers such as Rudi Van Dansig, Bruce Marks, Nacho Duato, Mark Morris and Christopher Wheeldon. Michael has been studying salsa and ballroom and performed jazz and jive in Los Angeles. Michael helped develop Boston Ballet s outreach program called CitiDance thus spreading the opportunity and education of dance throughout all of Boston. He is currently Professor of Dance at Butler University in Indianapolis. This is Michael s 9th year as the Snow King in The Nutcracker. 22 C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

23 G u e s t A r t i s t s Lindsay Moncrieff (Sugar Plum Fairy) Lindsay is a graduate of Butler University with a B.S. in Dance Arts Administration and a Marketing minor. While at Butler she performed soloist and principal roles including Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, as well as in George Balanchine s Walpurgisnacht Ballet and Nacho Duato s Por Vos Muero. She received four different performance awards during her time at Butler in addition to the Eileen Poston Dance Scholarship given to one ballet student each year. She also had the opportunity to study and perform internationally at the Polish National Ballet School in Warsaw, Poland and at the Rimsky-Korsakov Music Conservatory in St. Petersburg, Russia. Upon graduation, she joined Colorado Ballet where she performed several Corps de Ballet roles and worked with world-renowned choreographer Steven Mills on Light, The Holocaust and Humanity Project, as well as Glen Tetley s Rite of Spring, and George Balanchine s Theme and Variations. Lindsay was a member of the Commonwealth Ballet Company from and returned as a Guest Artist in the role of Sugar Plum Fairy with American Ballet Theatre s Vitali Krauchenka for CBC s production of The Nutcracker. Lindsay worked for several years in Donor Relations at Walnut Hill School for the Arts and has now returned to the dance field full time. She joined North Atlantic Dance Theater as a company member this summer where she performed in Bournonville s Napoli and continues to teach at several local studios throughout the area. Ben Kuefler (Cavalier) Ben began studying at Acton School of Ballet in 2005 and joined Commonwealth Ballet Company in Over this time, he performed in Don Quixote, Nightingale, Enchanted Toyshop, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. In the CBC Nutcracker, he has performed key roles from Fritz to Snow King. Over the past 5 years he has been directed by renowned performers Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Patricia McBride of (formerly of New York City Ballet), Ilya Ryzhakov and others. For the past 2 years he has spent considerable time with the Bolshoi Ballet Academy through their NYC programs. Ben is currently working under the direction of Alex Lapshin and Alexandra Koltun and plans to further his career in C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

24 T h e C ompan y LOUISA ARNOLD lives in Westford and joined the Company in She has enjoyed summer programs at Boston Ballet, Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater, Kaatsbaan and Ellison Ballet, and during the year she studies with Acton School of Ballet. Since the age of nine she has danced non-company roles in Commonwealth Ballet's production of The Nutcracker; since joining the Company she has also performed in A Glimpse Beyond and The Nightingale. RACHEL CONTI resides in Boylston and started training with the Acton School of Ballet in 2007; she joined the Company for the season as an apprentice. Rachel has attended summer programs at the Acton School of Ballet and Ballet Arts Worcester. In addition to dancing with this year s company, Rachel also dances with the Graceful Dancers, the worship dance team at Grace Baptist Church in Hudson, Massachusetts. She has performed non-company roles in The Nutcracker, Beauty and the Beast, and The Secret Garden, in which she performed the role of Mary Lennox. With Commonwealth Ballet she has danced in The Nutcracker and The Nightingale. KAYLA EDWARDS lives in Concord and has been training at Acton School of Ballet since She has attended summer intensive programs at Houston Ballet, Next Generation Ballet, Burklyn Ballet Theatre, Walnut Hill School for the Arts and Acton School of Ballet. Kayla joined Commonwealth Ballet in 2014 and has performed in The Nutcracker, Circadian Rhythm and The Nightingale. HANNAH GRAHAM-BROWN currently resides in Westford and began her ballet studies in Sweden with the Ekeby Dansstudio. She has continued her training at Acton School of Ballet since 2007, where she is currently a teaching assistant for a Pre-Ballet class. Hannah s summer intensive programs include Bolshoi Ballet Academy in both Connecticut and New York, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and Acton School of Ballet. Since joining Commonwealth Ballet in 2015, she has performed company roles in The Nutcracker and The Nightingale. 24 C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

25 T h e C ompan y HANNAH HOLGATE lives in Boylston, MA. She started training with the Acton School of Ballet in 2013 and joined the Company in She is also an assistant teacher in the Pre-Ballet class at Acton School of Ballet. Hannah has attended summer programs at the Charlotte Ballet, Acton School of Ballet, and Ballet Arts Worcester. Prior to attending the Acton School of Ballet, Hannah was a member of the Arts Movement Company where she performed a lead role in the Soul Cry production in New York and Massachusetts. She has performed Company roles in The Nutcracker and The Nightingale, and non-company roles in The Nutcracker and The Secret Garden. JENNIFER LU lives in Acton and has studied ballet at Acton School of Ballet since She is currently a teaching assistant for the Level 2 class. Her summer intensive programs include American Repertory Ballet's Princeton Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet (New York City and Connecticut), Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Acton School of Ballet, and Angel Dance Company where she was a member from 2006 to She joined Commonwealth Ballet in 2013 and has performed company roles in The Nutcracker, The Secret Garden, Circadian Rhythm, and The Nightingale. AMELIA MAGUIRE lives in Groton and has studied ballet at Acton School of Ballet since 2004, where she is currently a teaching assistant for Level 2. Her summer intensive programs include Bolshoi Ballet Academy NYC, American Repertory Ballet s Princeton Ballet School, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and Acton School of Ballet. She joined Commonwealth Ballet in 2012 and has performed Company roles in The Nutcracker, Intrigue, The Secret Garden, Adjustable Wrench, Circadian Rhythm and The Nightingale. SAMUEL MAYER lives in Acton and began studying at Acton School of Ballet in His summer intensive programs include Ballet Austin, American Repertory Ballet s Princeton Ballet School, Burklyn Ballet Theatre, Walnut Hill School for the Arts and Acton School of Ballet. Joining Commonwealth Ballet in 2014, he has danced roles in The Nutcracker, Circadian Rhythm and The Nightingale. C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

26 T h e C o m pan y NICOLE MILLER lives in Acton and began dancing at the age of three. Since 2005, Nicole has studied ballet at Acton School of Ballet where she is currently a Teaching Assistant for Pre-Ballet. She has attended Summer intensive programs at Festival Ballet Providence, The American Repertory Ballet at Princeton Ballet School, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, American Academy of Ballet, Briansky Ballet Center, Southern New Hampshire Dance Theatre, and Acton School of Ballet. Nicole joined Commonwealth Ballet in 2015 and has performed company roles in The Nutcracker and The Nightingale. MEGAN MUZILLA resides in Acton and since 2004 has studied at the Acton School of Ballet, where she is currently a teaching assistant. Megan has attended summer intensive programs at Miami City Ballet, Boston Ballet, The School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre in New York, Walnut Hill Summer Youth Dance and Acton School of Ballet. Megan joined Commonwealth Ballet in 2013 and has performed company roles in The Nutcracker, Adjustable Wrench, The Secret Garden, Circadian Rhythm, and The Nightingale. ISABELLE ORTIZ lives in Sterling and joins the Company for the season. She began dancing at Acton School of Ballet in 2011 and has enjoyed non-company roles in Commonwealth Ballet s Beauty and the Beast, The Secret Garden, The Nightingale, and The Nutcracker including the role of the Lieutenant. Isabelle began her training at Metrowest Ballet and has attended summer programs at Acton School of Ballet, Ballet Arts Worcester, and Brookline Ballet School. ALYONA OSADCHA lives in Acton and began dancing with Commonwealth Ballet in She had attended summer intensives at the Acton School of Ballet, Koltun Ballet, American Repertory s Princeton Ballet, and Charlotte Ballet. Alyona has performed in several Commonwealth Ballet productions including; The Nutcracker, Circadian Rhythm and The Nightingale, along with non-company roles in The Secret Garden. 26 C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

27 T h e C o m pan y OLA PATYKOWSKI lives in Stow and began her ballet studies in 2004 at Acton School of Ballet, and later at Boston Ballet School. She now studies ballet at Acton School of Ballet. Her summer intensive programs include Ballet Summer School in Poland, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Chautauqua School of Dance, and Acton School of Ballet. She joined Commonwealth Ballet in 2013 and has performed in The Nutcracker, The Secret Garden, Circadian Rhythm, and The Nightingale. MARIS RYBA lives in Acton and began training at Acton School of Ballet in She joins Commonwealth Ballet for the season. She has attended summer ballet intensives at Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Kaatsbaan, and Acton School of Ballet. Maris has performed in non-company roles in Commonwealth Ballet s productions of The Nightingale, The Secret Garden, Beauty and the Beast and The Nutcracker, in which she appeared as Clara in FIONA STEVENSON Fiona Stevenson lives in Acton and began her ballet training at the age of four. She has attended summer ballet programs at Ballet Austin, American Repertory Ballet in Princeton, Burklyn Ballet Theatre, Summer Stages: The Apprentice Program, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and Acton School of Ballet. Fiona joined Commonwealth Ballet Company in 2014 and has performed in productions of The Nutcracker, Circadian Rhythm, and The Nightingale. CECI VILLASEÑOR resides in Acton and began studying ballet at Acton School of Ballet in She has attended summer intensive programs at Bolshoi Ballet, Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and Acton School of Ballet. Ceci joined Commonwealth Ballet in 2014 and performed in productions of The Nutcracker, Circadian Rhythm, and The Nightingale. KATE ZHONG lives in Acton and started to dance at the age of three. She has studied at Acton School of Ballet since Her summer intensive training includes: Bolshoi Ballet in NYC, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Kaatsbaan Extreme Ballet, Walnut Hill School of Arts, Back to Ballet Boot Camp, and Acton School of Ballet. Kate joined Commonwealth Ballet Company in 2014, and has performed in The Nutcracker, Circadian Rhythm, and The Nightingale. C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

28 T h e C o mpan y A p p r e n t i c e s STEPHEN MARSHALL started dancing with Acton School of Ballet in January of 2015, and joins the company as an apprentice for the season. Prior to his time at Acton, he danced as an apprentice with the Dance Prism Company in West Concord. Stephen spent time at The Broadway Dance Center in New York City during the summer of 2014, and during the summers of 2015 and 2016 he danced in Texas at the Ballet Austin Summer Intensive. Following his time in Texas during 2016, Stephen trained in Seattle at The Pacific Northwest Ballet School. UNA OLJACA lives in Concord and joins the company as an apprentice for the season. She has attended summer intensive programs at Acton School of Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet in Connecticut, Back to Ballet Boot Camp, and American Repertory Ballet s Princeton Ballet. Una began her training in New Mexico before Acton School of Ballet in 2014, and she has performed non-company roles in The Nutcracker and The Nightingale. SADIE WEBSTER resides in Sudbury and began her ballet studies with the Washington School of Ballet in Alexandria, Virginia. She has continued her training at Acton School of Ballet since Sadie has attended summer intensives at Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Chautauqua Institute, and the School of American Ballet. Sadie joins the Company for the season as an apprentice. She has performed non-company roles in The Nutcracker and The Secret Garden, in which she performed the role of Mary Lennox. Carla Stover Branch Relationhsip Manager II 340 Great Road Acton, MA Direct: Main: Fax: Carla.Stover@ebtc.com EnterpriseBanking.com Create 28 C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

29 Dance Way 650 Massachusetts Avenue Boxborough, MA Phone: (978) Fax: (978) H. Thomas Babaianan Certified Public Accountant (978) Powder Mill Rd. Maynard, MA C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

30 I n d e x t o Ad ve r t i s e r s Please join CBC in thanking our Annual Program advertisers, whose sponsorship enables us to tell our audience members about the dancers, volunteers and work of the Commonwealth Ballet Company. We encourage your patronage of these generous businesses and cultural organizations. ABRHS Proscenium Circus Acton Orthodonic Acton School of Ballet Boxborough Insurance Agency Caprara Law C.E. Floyd, Dance This Way Enterprise Bank H. Ivan Orup, D.M.D H. Thomas Babaian Huntington Learning Center Louisa May Alcott s Orchard House..6 Mane+Mani Peterman Architects, Inc Spark Co-Work Space Top Dog Design Sven Supplies Thomas Sartini PROUDLY PROVIDING GRAPHIC DESIGN SERVICES TO THE COMMONWEALTH BALLET COMPANY CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 25TH SEASON! Sue Peterman sue@topdogdesign.com Liza VoLL PhotograPhy 30 C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

31 G r a d u a t i n g S e n i o r s At the end of the season six seniors will graduate from Commonwealth Ballet. Photo: Mike Nyman Photography Back row, left to right: Jennifer Lu, Megan Muzilla, Fiona Stevenson Front row: Hannah Graham-Brown, Hannah Holgate, Amelia Maguire C O M M O N W E A L T H B A L L E T

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