FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAY 7, 2015

CONTACT: René Murphy

817.529.6426

713.591.0435 cell

TEXAS BALLET THEATER ENDS SEASON WITH WORLD PREMIERE

Mixed-rep Features Jonathan Watkins Exclusive

Fort Worth and Dallas, TX (May 7, 2015) –Texas Ballet Theater (TBT) closes the 2014-2015 season at Bass Performance Hall on May 29-31, with a mixed-rep program featuring the critically-acclaimed, Petite Mort, Crash from British choreographer Jonathan Watkins, and George Balanchine’s Rubies.

PETITE MORT

Jiří Kylián’s Petite Mort is a sensuous take on the juxtaposition between pleasure and death. According to TBT Dancer Carl Coomer, “Kylián uses little subtleties and certain imagery to portray this sensuality.” Set to Mozart’s first two piano concertos, the-18-minute work features six men, six women and six foils.

Kylián requires a Company to audition in order to perform his work. TBT’s performance of Petite Mort is a testament to versatility and artistic growth of TBT dancers.

Crash

Acclaimed British Choreographer Jonathan Watkins, is choreographing a world premiere exclusively for TBT. Dancerswill spend about six hours per day for 10 days in-studio auditioning for this piece. Once Watkins selects the dancers, he will create and teach the choreography. Crash will explore the ebb and flow caused by the challenges of modern life, with choreography that draws inspiration from everyday movement and blurs it with the classicism of modern ballet. Kari Perkins, Texas-based costume designer for the recent award-winning film, Boyhood will create the costumes and Dallas-based composer Ryan Cockerham will compose the score.

“The work will take a journey towards a metaphysical crash point and will look at how we pick up the pieces and lay the foundations to begin again,” said Watkins.

RUBIES

Ruby-red costumes and an upbeat score from Igor Stravinsky accompany George Balanchine’s Rubies, which is the second movement of the three-act ballet, Jewels.

“The music is a real challenge in this piece,” says TBT Dancer Robin Bangert. TBT Dancer Carolyn Judson adds, “Rubies really does feel like one big party. It’s very musical and you can’t help but to have some sort of personality when you’re dancing it, no matter what your role.”

Tickets are now available and can be purchased at www.texasballettheater.org, or, by calling the ticketing office at 817.763.0207, extension 101.

Subscriptions for the 2015-2016 season are on sale now with single tickets becoming available on July 1.

-More-

Texas Ballet Theater Ends Season with World Premiere/ Page 2 of 2

Texas Ballet Theater Presents: Artistic Director’s Choice

Bass Performance Hall

525 Commerce St., Fort Worth 76102

Friday, May 29, 8PM

Saturday, May 30, 2PM and 8PM

Sunday, May 31, 2PM

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1540 Mall Circle, Fort Worth, Texas 76116 ~ 817.763.0207 ~ texasballettheater.org