Deep River
World Premiere May 13, 2022

Choreography: Alonzo King
Original Music: Jason Moran, Lisa Fischer
Music: Pharoah Sanders, Maurice Ravel, James Weldon Johnson
Vocals: Lisa Fischer
Lighting Design: Jim French
Costume Design: Robert Rosenwasser
Sound Design: Philip Perkins

Dancers: Adji Cissoko, Madeline DeVries, Shuaib Elhassan, Joshua Francique, James Gowan, Ilaria Guerra, Maya Harr, Marusya Madubuko, Tatum Quiñónez, James Kirby Rogers

This performance will run approximately 65 minutes, with no intermission.

INSPIRATION FOR DEEP RIVER

Over the first two years of the pandemic, Alonzo King and the artists of LINES worked in confined bubbles at their studios, in outside grassy areas of Golden Gate Park, on a farm in the isolated desert of Wickenburg, Arizona, and in other locales in order to build work and not be halted or harmed by the pandemic. Deep River is the result of three years of working in designated time periods in unusual settings.

Along with the compositions of Jason Moran, and the remarkable voice of Lisa Fischer, the use of spiritual music from the Black and Jewish traditions was selected to address the power of inspiration during difficulty and hope and determination against seemingly impossible odds. Deep River is the call to be fanatically positive regardless of circumstance. To bloom the lotus in the muck. And to look at one another as a family of souls. It points to the imbalance of the intellect without a heart, and the necessity to feel for others as we do for ourselves. It is a love letter to a world writhing in pain. The majority of the company is predominantly on stage, sewn through solos and pas de deux.

Alonzo King LINES Ballet is a celebrated contemporary ballet company that has been guided since 1982 by the artistic vision of acclaimed choreographer Alonzo King. Collaborating with extraordinary composers, musicians, writers, and visual artists from around the world, King draws on a diverse set of deeply rooted cultural traditions, imbuing classical ballet with new expressive potential. He has been heralded as a visionary and thought leader on topics that reach far beyond dance, receiving numerous accolades such as a such as a 2020 Dance Magazine Award. The company brings new works of illuminating beauty to Bay Area audiences in biannual home seasons. LINES Ballet's national and international tours allow the company to share its vision of transformative, revelatory dance through performances worldwide.

LINES Ballet is dedicated to training the next generation of artists through its pre-professional Summer Program, Training Program, and Bachelor of Fine Arts Program with Dominican University of California. LINES also makes dance accessible to Bay Area adults and youth through world-class, affordable classes open to the community and free in-school education programs.

After San Francisco's stay-at-home order began in March 2020, all of LINES Ballet's programs transitioned into the online space. The company also produced a new film series, There Is No Standing Still, which The New York Times and The Guardian included in their respective "Best Dance of 2020" lists.

“The term LINES alludes to all that is visible in the phenomenal world. There is nothing that is made or formed without a line. Straight and circle encompass all that we see. Whatever can be seen is formed by a line. In mathematics it is a straight or curved continuous extent of length without breadth. Lines are in our fingerprints, the shapes of our bodies, constellations, geometry. It implies genealogical connection, progeny and spoken word. It marks the starting point and finish. It addresses direction, communication, and design. A line of thought. A boundary or eternity. A melodic line. The equator. From vibration or dot to dot it is the visible organization of what we see.”
—Alonzo King

ALONZO KING (Co-Founder, Artistic Director & Choreographer) has been called a visionary choreographer, who is altering the way we look at ballet. King calls his works "thought structures" created by the manipulation of energies that exist in matter through laws, which govern the shapes and movement directions of everything that exists. Named as a choreographer with "astonishing originality" by The New York Times, Alonzo King LINES Ballet has been guided by his unique artistic vision since 1982.

King has works in the repertories of the world's leading ballet and modern companies and has collaborated with distinguished visual artists, musicians, and composers across the globe. His work has been recognized for its impact on the cultural fabric of the company's home in San Francisco, as well as internationally by the dance world's most prestigious institutions.

King was honored with a Dance Magazine Award in 2020. He received honorary doctorates from The Juilliard School, Dominican University of California, and California Institute of the Arts in recognition of his significant contribution to the field of dance. Renowned for his skill as a teacher, King was also honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Corps de Ballet International Teacher Conference in 2012. Joining historic icons in the field, King was named one of America's Irreplaceable Dance Treasures by the Dance Heritage Coalition. An internationally acclaimed guest ballet master, his training philosophy undergirds the educational programming at LINES Dance Center in San Francisco, which includes the pre-professional training program, summer program, and the BFA program at Dominican University of California.

ROBERT ROSENWASSER (Co-Founder, Executive Director & Creative Director) shapes the aesthetic and artistic direction of each project at the company, including conceptual design and production. In addition to his work with Alonzo King LINES Ballet, he has designed for American Ballet Theater, Ballet de Monte Carlo, Ballet Bejart, the Royal Swedish Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Alvin Ailey American, Dance Theater of Harlem, Ballet Rambert, Joffrey Ballet, and Frankfurt Ballet. Working with Kelsey St. Press, Mr. Rosenwasser has collaborated with artists and poets Richard Tuttle, Kiki Smith, Cecilia Vicuna, Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, and Barbara Guest. This work can be found at the New York Museum of Modern Art in the Department of Books and Illustrated Prints, at the Whitney Museum, and at the Spencer Collection of the New York Public Library. He has been executive director of LINES since 2019. Mr. Rosenwasser grew up in New York and attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Cooper Union, and California Institute of the Arts.

DANCER BIOS

ADJI CISSOKO was born and grew up in Munich, Germany where she trained at the Ballet Academy Munich and graduated with a diploma in dance. Cissoko attended the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre in New York City on full scholarship, before joining the National Ballet of Canada in 2010. In 2012, she was awarded the Patron Award of Merit by the Patrons' Council Committee of The National Ballet of Canada. Cissoko joined LINES Ballet in 2014. Since then she's originated many central roles and guested for galas worldwide. Cissoko has given multiple master classes and taught classes around the world as part of the company's outreach program. In 2020, she became certified in health/life coaching and ABT's National Training Curriculum. Cissoko choreographed her first piece, AZIZ, for Ballet X in 2021. She is also a 2022 recipient of the Toulmin fellowship.

MADELINE DeVRIES grew up in Southern California studying at the Santa Clarita Ballet Academy. She continued her training at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School and PNBS professional division program on full scholarship, spending summers with the Houston Ballet, The Rock School, PNB, and National Ballet of Canada. DeVries apprenticed with the Semperoper Ballet in Dresden, Germany in 2012, and in 2013 she danced with the Seattle-based contemporary companies Whim W'Him and Coriolis. DeVries joined LINES Ballet in 2014.

SHUAIB ELHASSAN, from Manhattan's lower east side, began his formal dance training at The Ailey School under the co-direction of Tracy Inman and Melanie Person on a full scholarship. Elhassan has also trained at intensives such as Earl Mosley's Institute of the Arts, Jacob's Pillow, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Elhassan was a member of Complexions Contemporary Ballet during their 2012-2013 season. Additionally, Elhassan has performed with Life Dance Company, Zest Collective, Dance Iquail, and the Von Howard Project. Elhassan joined LINES Ballet in 2014.

JOSHUA FRANCIQUE was born and raised in Chicago, IL. He began his dance training with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater back in 2015. Joshua continued his training at the Northern Illinois University BFA dance program and, soon after, at The Ailey School on a full scholarship. Francique has performed works by Nicole Clark-Springer, Gary Abbott, and Kevin Iega Jeff, to name a few. In 2020 Francique attended the LINES Ballet training program for a year. Joshua joined LINES Ballet in 2022.

JAMES GOWAN, from Phoenix, AZ, began dancing at the age of 16 at Tempe Dance Academy. He graduated with a BFA in dance from Point Park University in 2015. James has danced as a company member with Texture Contemporary Ballet, River North Dance Chicago, and DanceWorks Chicago. James joined LINES Ballet in 2016.

ILARIA GUERRA was born in Torino, Italy. At the age of five, she moved to Palos Verdes Estates, CA, where she trained in classical ballet at Lauridsen Ballet Center, performing with their pre-professional company, South Bay Ballet. Ilaria graduated summa cum laude from the Alonzo King LINES Ballet BFA program at Dominican University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance and a minor in arts management in 2013. She joined dawsondancesf under the direction of Gregory Dawson in 2013. In 2016 Ilaria received an Isadora Duncan Dance Award for Ensemble Performance. Ilaria joined LINES Ballet in 2018 and has had the chance to tour all over the U.S., Canada, and Europe with the company. In 2022 Ilaria earned her master's degree in arts administration from Drexel University.

MAYA HARR grew up in Alexandria, VA, where she studied ballet at The Washington School of Ballet under the tutelage of former LINES Ballet company dancer, Kristina Windom and award-winning choreographer Mimmo Miccolis. As a student, Maya was the recipient of the Mary Day Scholarship and was selected to participate in the Kennedy Center Master Class Series. Maya spent her summers with San Francisco Ballet, PNB, Ballet West, ABT and the Kirov Academy. After graduating from high school, Maya moved to the Bay Area to attend the LINES Ballet summer program and began her training in the LINES Ballet training program. Maya joined LINES Ballet in 2016.

MARUSYA MADUBUKO originally from New York, NY, she began her pre-professional training at age 15 with Premiere Division Ballet under the tutelage of Nadege Hottier. In 2019, Madubuko competed at the Royal Grand Prix in Italy, winning second place for her contemporary and classical solo. She has trained with the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, the Royal Ballet School, and at San Francisco Ballet School where she had the opportunity to dance repertoire including Helgi Tomasson's Nutcracker and Cinderella, as well as George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 2021, she participated in BalletUnleashed's first creative project Switchback, working with choreographer Cathy Marston to create a solo. Madubuko joined LINES Ballet in 2021.

TATUM QUIÑÓNEZ began her training at Master Ballet Academy in Phoenix, AZ. She then continued her training at Ballet West Academy and the BWA trainee program. She spent her summers at Ballet Arizona, Ballet Austin, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet West, and Oregon Ballet Theatre. Quiñónez then joined Oregon Ballet Theatre's second company, OBT2, in 2019. She has performed works by George Balanchine, August Bournonville, Willam Christensen, Gerald Arpino, Christopher Stowell, James Canfield, and LeeWei Chao. Quiñónez joined LINES Ballet in 2021.

JAMES KIRBY ROGERS, a guest artist with LINES, is from San Francisco, California. He trained at the North Carolina School of the Arts, where he was a YAGP finalist in 2014. He attended summer courses at San Francisco Ballet and Houston Ballet. James joined Houston Ballet II in 2015 and Kansas City Ballet in 2016. He joined Pacific Northwest Ballet in 2021. and is now a Principal dancer with PNB. While at Houston Ballet II, James performed leading and featured roles in John Neumeier's *Yondering, *Ben Stevenson's *The Sleeping Beauty, *and Stanton Welch's *The Long and Winding Road. * At Kansas City Ballet, Mr. Rogers danced leading roles in Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias; Devon Carney's Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, and The Sleeping Beauty; William Forsythe's In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated; Jiří Kylián's *Petite Mort; *and Twyla Tharp's In the Upper Room. James is the co-founder of Creative Intersections, a Kansas City-based dance festival.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Harry Schoening, Chairman
Kaamna Bhojwani-Dhawan, Vice Chair
Carolyn Press Chatham
Augustin de Kerversau
Benno Dorer
Christopher Dydyk
Shannon Houston
Kimberly Hughes
Korri Jackson
Alonzo King, Artistic Director & Co-Founder
Micki Klearman
Sandra Lloyd
Robert Rosenwasser, Executive Director, Creative Director & Co-Founder
Jeff Schlarb
Diana Smith
Pasha Thornton
Aaron Walton
Benjy Weinberger, Treasurer
Al Wong
Teddy Zmrhal
Breanna Zwart

STAFF

Leadership Team
Alonzo King, Artistic Director & Co-Founder
Robert Rosenwasser, Executive Director, Creative Director & Co-Founder
Jane Clifford, Interim Director of Finance
Elizabeth Lopez, Director of Human Resources
Wynter Martinez, Director of Marketing
Tammy Lai, Director of Education
Clayton Shelvin, Director of Development

Finance and Human Resources
Masami Kondo, Assistant Director of Finance
Pam Hagen, Payroll Manager, Co-Founder
Jeremy Dela Pena, Payroll Administrator

Information Technology
Matthew Trevino, vCIO Consultant

Development
Jessica Browning, Assistant Director of Development
Lavanya Ganganna, Database Administrator
Sydney Hartman, Manager of Donor Communication & Events

Marketing
Jamie Lyons, Marketing Manager
Erin McKay, Editor/Writer & Content Manager
Mona Baroudi, Public Relations Consultant

Education
Marina Hotchkiss, BFA Program Director
Jordan Wanderer, BFA Program Coordinator/ Dance Center Coordinator
Karah M. Abiog, Training and Summer Program Director
Linda Lam, Summer Program Operations Manager
Mary Carbonara, Director of Community Programs
Jamie Carter, Dance Center Manager
Jamie Wright, Dance Center Assistant Manager
Alexandra Tiscareno, Dance Center Associate
Isadora Kolmorgan, Front Desk Coordinator

Company Staff
Brandi Williams, Company Manager
Syam Waymon, Assistant to Alonzo King
Dr. Sonia Bell, Medical Director
Philip Perkins, Sound Designer
Joan Raymond, Costume Construction
Seah Johnson, Lighting Supervisor
Byron Roman, Stage Manager
Adam Cook, Technical Director

United States representation by:
Selby Artists Management, Margaret Selby, President
mselby@selbyartistsmgmt.com
262 West 38th Street, Suite 1701, New York, NY 10018

European representation by:
Delta Danse, Thierry DuClos, Director
td@deltadanse.com
102 Rue Pasteur, 16600 Magnac sur Touvre, FR

ALONZO KING LINES Ballet
26 Seventh Street, San Francisco, California
Tel. 415.863.3040
linesballet.org