Playbill - Ballet San Jose

R/Evolutionary 

April 19-21, 2013

R/Evolutionary 

DUETS 

Choreographer: Merce Cunningham 

Composer: John Cage 

AMOUR GITAN 

Choreographer: Karen Gabay 

Composer: Maurice Ravel 

GLOW-STOP 

Choreographer: Jorma Elo 

Composers: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Phillip Glass 

EIGHTY ONE 

Choreographer: Jessica Lang 

Composer: Jakub Ciupiński 

There will be two 15-minute intermissions 

Total Run Time: 1 hour 50 minutes 

Cover photo: Alexsandra Meijer in 

Jessica Lang’s Splendid Isolation III. (2012) Photo by Chris Hardy. 

All photos by Chris Hardy unless otherwise noted. 

Season sponsor 

Theatre Publications Page 1

A Farewell 

Celebration 

Karen Gabay 

Sunday, April 21, 2013 at 7:00pm 

San Jose Center for the Performing Arts 

255 Almaden Boulevard, downtown San Jose 

Tickets $40 

408.288.2800 balletsj.org 

BUY TICKETS ONLINE 

Call or visit the Box Office Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm 

40 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95113 

Photo by Dale Dong. 

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BALLET SAN JOSE 

RAYMOND RODRIGUEZ 

Principal Ballet Master 

STEPHANIE ZIESEL 

Executive Director 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 

LORRAINE C. GILMORE 

Chair 

KATHY J. KOLDER 

Secretary 

WES CHAPMAN 

Artistic Advisor 

GEORGE DAUGHERTY 

Music Director/Conductor 

MIKE FULTON • GARETH KEANE • AGATHA LUCZO 

JAKOB NIELSEN • MARK POLOM • MILLICENT POWERS 

HIDEKO SAKAMOTO • STEPHANIE SOUTHWICK 

ELIZABETH STRIEBECK • VIJAY TELLA 

PRINCIPALS 

MAXIMO CALIFANO • KAREN GABAY 

MARIA JACOBS-YU • JEREMY KOVITCH • ALEXSANDRA MEIJER 

RAMON MORENO • MAYKEL SOLAS 

SOLOISTS 

Amy Marie Briones • Rudy Candia 

Peter Hershey • Junna Ige • Beth Ann Namey 

Mirai Noda • Anton Pankevitch • Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun 

Akira Takahashi • Jing Zhang 

CORPS DE BALLET 

Shannon Bynum • Shuai Chen 

Damir Emric • Cindy Huang • Lucius Kirst • James Kopecky 

Alex Kramer • Harriet McMeekin • Brieanna Olson 

Francisco Preciado • Annali Rose • Keira Schwartz 

Joshua Seibel • Cynthia Sheppard • Sarah Stein 

Kendall Teague • Lahna Vanderbush • Mallory Welsh 

APPRENTICES 

Thomas Baker • Vimala Jeffrey-Howe 

Nicole Larson • Kathryn Meeusen • Mariya Oishi 

Latecomers will not be seated after lights have dimmed. The use of cameras, 

cellular phones, or any kind of recording equipment is strictly prohibited. 


DUETS 

COMPANY PREMIERE 

Choreographer: Merce Cunningham 

Composer: John Cage 

Music: Improvisation III 

World Premiere: Merce Cunningham Dance Company, City Center 55th Street 

Theatre, New York, February, 26, 1980 

American dancer and choreographer Merce Cunningham (1919 – 2009) is widely 

acknowledged as one of the three most influential American dancemakers of the 20th 

century, alongside George Balanchine and Martha Graham. At the forefront of the 

American avant-garde for more than 50 years, he made extensive use of chance 

procedures in his choreographic process, abandoning narrative and other conventional 

elements of dance composition. For Cunningham, the subject of his dances was always 

dance itself. Over the course of his career, Cunningham choreographed more than 150 

dances and over 800 “Events”…site-specific choreographic works. 

John Cage (1912–1992) was a composer, music theorist, writer, artist, and one of the 

leading figures of the post-war avant-garde. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, 

electroacoustic music, and nonstandard use of musical instruments, he is considered 

one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century. His collaboration 

with Merce Cunningham began in 1942 and lasted until Cage’s death 50 years later. 

Together Cage and Cunningham proposed a number of radical innovations, chief among 

them that music and dance may occur in the same time and space, but could be created 

independently of one another. 

Former member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company and Duets stager Patricia 

Lent is a current trustee of the Merce Cunningham Trust and the Trust’s Director of 

Licensing. She danced Duets many times and shared some of her insights about the piece: 

Duets is one of Merce’s simpler pieces, and I mean that in a celebratory way. It has 

a straightforward structure that is readable almost immediately. The dance begins 

with a couple onstage; they start their duet. During their duet another couple makes 

a brief crossing, appearing and disappearing. At the end of the first duet, a second 

duet begins, again with a couple crossing through. At that point, the audience can 

predict what will happen: there will be a series of duets, each with a crossing. 

I think it is satisfying to watch this pattern unfold. Duets is a welcoming dance, 

because it clearly is what it is; a celebration of the duet form. 

Although Merce is known for his work in modern dance, he always said he wasn’t 

interested “in this kind of dancing or that kind of dancing.” He was just interested in 

dancing! He studied ballet as a young dancer, which was not common at the time 

for modern dancers. He knew a lot about the classical vocabulary and was intrigued 

by it. His work always had a connection to ballet. People notice it especially in the 

legwork, but I think also somewhat in the celebration of rhythm and speed. He also 

did a lot of tap dancing and ballroom dancing [when he was young] and that 

background is also quite evident in Duets. It’s fun to perform, and I think that 

speaks to an audience as well. 


AMOUR GITAN 

A SPECIAL WORK ADDED TO THIS PROGRAM, in honor of Principal Dancer 

Karen Gabay, who is retiring from the Ballet San Jose stage after 33 seasons of 

extraordinary performances. 

Choreographer: Karen Gabay 

Composer: Maurice Ravel 

Music: Tzigane 

World Premiere: Cleveland Institute of Music, Cleveland, Ohio 1998 

Principal Dancer Karen Gabay has been a member of Ballet San Jose since her debut 

in 1980 appearing in leading roles in nearly every ballet in the repertoire over her more 

than three decades with the company. As a choreographer, she has been commissioned 

to create ballets for Chautauqua Dance Company, Cleveland Orchestra Key Concerts, 

Minnesota Ballet, and her own company, Pointe of Departure. In 2011, Gabay was honored 

by Arts Council Silicon Valley and given the Artist Fellowship Award for Choreography. In 

2012, Ballet San Jose commissioned Gabay to choreograph a new Nutcracker which 

audiences can look forward to seeing again in December 2013. 

Maurice Ravel (1875–1937) was a French composer of Impressionist music known 

especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures, and dramatic outcomes. 

He is most famous for his orchestral work, Boléro, and his 1922 orchestral arrangement 

of Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. 

The following are choreographer Karen Gabay’s comments about Amour Gitan 

(Gypsy Love): 

In 1998, Lev Polyakin, Assistant Concertmaster for the Cleveland Orchestra, 

approached me to choreograph and dance in a concert of his. Ravel’s Tzigane was 

one of those pieces in his concert repertoire and I chose to choreograph a pas de 

deux. I created the ballet for Raymond Rodriguez and me, accompanied by Lev's 

violin and a pianist. The name of that first collaborative concert between Lev and I 

was called “Pointe of Departure.” 

Most of the time, choreographers get to choose the music they'd like to choreograph 

to, but in this situation it was reversed. Since the musical choice was 

not mine, the challenge was learning the nuances of music unfamiliar to me. 

Would I feel inspired to create the choreography and want to dance it? I knew 

that Balanchine had choreographed Tzigane for Suzanne Farrell, but I could not 

remember the ballet. I didn't want to look at Balanchine's version when I was 

choreographing because I did not want mine to look like an imitation. I wanted to 

approach the piece through fresh eyes and ears and find my own voice as a choreographer 

and dancer in it. Listening to Ravel's music made my body move 

a certain way and created the temperament and style for the pas de deux. 

My original idea for the pas de deux was to have Lev as a strolling fiddler making 

his way through a gypsy camp. A gypsy couple wakes hearing his music, and they 

are enraptured with the melody and each other. They begin to dance and their 

passion is full of zest, fervor, and desire. When the pas de deux premiered, Lev did 

not want to stroll onto the stage while playing because of the difficulty of Ravel's 

music. Understanding his point of view, I settled with him staying next to the 

piano. As a compromise, at the premiere, he allowed me to costume him in a red 

kerchief to give him some "gypsy" flair! 


GLOW-STOP 

COMPANY PREMIERE 

Choreographer: Jorma Elo 

Composers: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Symphony No. 28 in C major, 

4th Movement) and Philip Glass (Tirol Concerto for Piano and 

Orchestra, 2nd Movement) 

World Premiere: American Ballet Theatre, City Center, New York, 2006 

Finnish-born Jorma Elo is one of the most sought-after choreographers in the world 

today, having created more than 50 ballets, blending classical background and modern 

dance, and emphasizing athleticism and dynamic movement. He was named Resident 

Choreographer of Boston Ballet in 2005 and that same year was awarded the choreographic 

prize at the Helsinki International Ballet Competition. In 2006, he won the 

Choo-San Goh Choreographic Award and was awarded the prestigious Benois de la 

Danse prize for best choreography in 2010. In 2012, he was awarded the Dance Artist 

Prize by the Finnish government. 

Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) is widely recognized as one 

of the greatest composers in the history of Western music and probably the only composer 

in history to have written undisputed masterworks in virtually every musical genre 

of his age. 

American composer Philip Glass is one of the most influential composers of the last 50 

years. In addition to works for his own ensemble, he has created operas, symphonies, 

concertos, solo works, musical theatre works, chamber music, and film scores. 

Stager Christophe Dozzi has danced for companies and festivals throughout Europe 

and around the world. As a choreographer’s assistant he has worked extensively with 

Jorma Elo. The following description is taken from his thoughts about the work: 

Glow Stop is very athletic and a challenging piece to dance. Jorma likes the 

virtuosity of the ballet technique but with speed and intricate motions that 

require great coordination. One of the biggest challenges that I see every time 

I set his work, is for the dancers to be able to move so fast without losing the 

precision of the complex choreography. This intricacy is an accumulation of 

small details and small gestures. Several can be happening at the same time in 

different body parts, and that sometimes may feel disconnected. But, as they 

must happen in the same split second, one has to connect them somehow. In 

the working process, I alternate between moments where we work on speed 

and continuity with a natural flow based on clear dynamics, to moments where 

we slowly go through very precise details of the steps. When the dancers start 

to get it in the body, we go back to the flow and speed. And step-by-step, we 

end up with this fast, intricate, exhilarating dance. 

Another challenge for the dancers is to not become overwhelmed by the 

speed and complexity, because it is not going to be that way all the time. 

Certain beautiful moments of the piece are calmer and come as a great 

contrast. When dancers get stuck in "high gear," I have to help them find the 

ability to instantly switch energy, and speed, from a very strong inner place-- 

from the guts and the brain. The great thing about Jorma is that he is very 

sensitive to music. If the dancers are attentive, they can really connect to the 

music and use that to help themselves find the right energy levels, as well as a 

place where these clear and challenging physical tasks lead to a very genuine 

instant emotional state. 


EIGHTY ONE 

WORLD PREMIERE 

Choreographer: Jessica Lang 

Composer: Jakub Ciupiński 

Music: Commissioned score performed live by Jakub Ciupiński 

World Premiere: Ballet San Jose, San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 

San Jose, CA, April 19, 2013 

Jessica Lang has attained rare levels of success as a female choreographer, continuously 

working with ballet companies across the U.S. and abroad since 1999. She is noted for her 

artfully crafted, emotionally engaging work and has been described as having "established 

a reputation for concocting ingenious choreographic interactions between dancing bodies 

and the movements of striking set and costume pieces.” (Kansas City Star) Lang has 

created more than 80 works on companies worldwide including Birmingham Royal Ballet 

and Joffrey Ballet. She has received commissions from the Dallas Museum of Art and the 

Guggenheim Museum. Her work has also been performed by many prestigious 

institutions, including The Juilliard School. 

Lang has received grants from organizations, including the Jerome Robbins Foundation, 

the NEA, and the Choo-San Goh Foundation. Her receipt of a Joyce Theater Residency 

supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation marked the inception of her own company, 

Jessica Lang Dance. Lang, a graduate of The Juilliard School under the direction of 

Benjamin Harkarvy, is a former member of Twyla Tharp's company, THARP! 

www.jessicalangdance.com 

Jakub Ciupiński is a Polish 

composer living in New York 

City. Although his music is often 

associated with electronics and 

interactive performances, he has 

written numerous pieces for traditional 

acoustic forces, varying in 

scope from solo miniatures to an 

hour long Oratorio for symphony 

orchestra and double choir. This 

is his third collaboration with 

Jessica Lang. He describes the 

style of the composition as a 

fusion of electronica, ambient 

and classical experimental. Francisco Preciado, Junna Ige, Jing Zhang, and Damir Emric in 

rehearsal for Eighty One. Photo by Robert Shomler. 

Eighty One is an abstract exploration of ballet. Lang created this work in silence without 

being held to limits of time, energy or tempo, while Ciupiński adapted his electronic score 

around the movement ideas, patterns, and physical phrasing. It is a creation that incorporates 

technology, physically exposing raw edges and intentionally random thought. 


PRINCIPALS 

SOLOISTS 

MAXIMO CALIFANO 

Buenos Aires, Argentina 

BSJ Debut 2001 

KAREN GABAY 

San Diego, CA 


ALEXSANDRA MEIJER 

Huntington Beach, CA 


Anton Pankevitch 

St. Petersburg, Russia 


Theatre Publications Page 8 

The Company 

Amy Marie Briones 

San Mateo, CA 


Junna Ige 

Yokohama, Japan 


RAMON MORENO 

Pinar del Rio, Cuba 


Rudy Candia 

Havana, Cuba 


Beth Ann Namey 

Erie, PA 


Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun 

Bangkok, Thailand 


MARIA JACOBS-YU 

Ocala, FL 


MAYKEL SOLAS 

Pinar del Rio, Cuba 


Peter Hershey 

Van Nuys, CA 


Mirai Noda 

Yokohama, Japan 


Akira Takahashi 

Nagano, Japan 


JEREMY KOVITCH 

Camden, NJ 


Jing Zhang 

Shanghai, China 

BSJ Debut 2005

CORPS DE BALLET 

Shannon Bynum 

San Jose, CA 


James Kopecky 

Barrington, IL 


Annali Rose 

Santa Cruz, CA 


Kendall Teague 

Waynesville, NC 


APPRENTICES 

Thomas Baker 



Shuai Chen 

Shandong, China 


Alex Kramer 

Grand Junction, CO 


Keira Schwartz 

Bellingen, Australia 


Lahna Vanderbush 

Nagoya, Japan 


Vimala Jeffrey-Howe 

Tacoma, WA 


Damir Emric 

Capljina, Bosnia 

Herzegovina 


Harriet McMeekin 

Bethesda, MD 


Joshua Seibel 

La Mesa, CA 


Mallory Welsh 

New York, NY 


Nicole Larson 

Naples, FL 


Cindy Huang 

Taipei, Taiwan 


Brieanna Olson 

Colorado Springs, CO 


Cynthia Sheppard 

Long Beach, CA 


Kathryn Meeusen 

Romeo, MI 


Lucius Kirst 

Los Angeles, CA 


Francisco Preciado 

N. Hollywood, CA 


Sarah Stein 



Mariya Oishi 

Chicago, IL 



WES CHAPMAN (BALLET SJ ARTISTIC ADVISOR) 

A native of Union Springs, Alabama, Chapman graduated from Alabama 

School of Fine Arts in 1983. After dancing for Alabama Ballet for one season, 

Chapman joined American Ballet Theatre (ABT) in 1984 as a member of the 

corps de ballet. He was promoted to Soloist in 1987 and to Principal Dancer in 

1989. With ABT, Chapman performed all the leading roles in the ballet repertoire 

and in works by many of the twentieth century’s master choreographers. 

Chapman has appeared in Dance in America, the film Dancers, and the documentary Ballet 

as well as numerous television shows and featured on national news broadcasts. In 1993, he 

joined the Bavarian National Ballet as a principal dancer before returning to ABT in 1995. 

Chapman appeared with Hamburg Ballet, English National Ballet, Teatro Colon in Buenos 

Aires, and Finnish National Ballet as a guest star. 

In 1996, Chapman was named Artistic Director of Alabama Ballet. During his leadership, 

the company grew from 16 to 44 professional and apprentice dancers. He also founded the 

Alabama Ballet School, the apprentice pre-professional training program, Alabama Ballet 

Summer Program, and Gorham’s Bluff Summer Residency. 

Mr. Chapman returned to ABT as ballet master in 2006 before being named Artistic Director 

of ABT II in 2007-2011. Chapman oversaw the ABT Summer Intensive at the University of 

Texas Austin, hosted ABT’s Works and Process at the Guggenheim Museum, Young People’s 

Ballet Workshop and ABTKids. He also performed with ABT in various character roles and 

taught company class on a regular basis. Additionally he serves as a national spokesperson 

for Regional Dance America and as dance advisor for Angelina Ballerina. Beginning in 

January 2012, Chapman was engaged as Artistic Advisor for Ballet San Jose. 


Artist Biographies 

RAYMOND RODRIGUEZ (BALLET SJ PRINCIPAL BALLET MASTER) 

Raymond Rodriguez was born in New York City and began tap dancing at the 

age of six. While attending the High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan, 

he studied ballet and also began training at the American Ballet Theatre School 

on a full scholarship. Taught privately by ABT Ballet Master, Jurgen Schneider, 

he gained performing experience with ABT performing children’s roles and 

later as an apprentice. He joined Cleveland Ballet (now Ballet San Jose) in 1981 

as a Principal Dancer and during his tenure with the company, he has held the positions of 

Rehearsal Assistant, Repetiteur, Regisseur, and Principal Ballet Master. Mr. Rodriguez had a 

diverse repertoire as a Principal Dancer with roles that included Albrecht in Giselle, Romeo 

in Romeo and Juliet, The Peruvian in Gâité Parisienne, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, principal 

roles in George Balanchine’s Who Cares?, Tarantella, Serenade, Agon, The Four Temperaments 

and Theme and Variations, and Don Jose in Roland Petit’s Carmen. He performed 

at the Anniversary Gala for the Queen of Denmark’s Silver Anniversary and toured South 

America with Ballerina, Cynthia Gregory. He has staged numerous ballets for Dennis Nahat 

throughout the world. He has performed, assisted, and remounted works by Flemming 

Flindt, most notably The Toreador where he performed the title role at its company premiere 

and staged the work for the 2008-09 season, for which he won an Isadora Duncan Award. 

He is also the founding Co-Artistic Director of Pointe of Departure. He made his film debut 

in Rent and his television credits include ABC’s Dancing with the Stars coaching football 

legend Jerry Rice, The Drew Carey Show, the PBS broadcast of Blue Suede Shoes, and the 

Scandinavian television broadcast of Lucifer’s Daughter. The last two summers, 

Mr. Rodriguez was a guest instructor for the Bartholin International Ballet Seminar held in 

Copenhagen, Denmark.

GEORGE DAUGHERTY (BALLET SJ MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR) 

George Daugherty has conducted virtually all of America's major symphony 

orchestras, and has continuing guest conducting relationships with Los Angeles 

Philharmonic (with whom he has conducted over 20 performances alone at 

The Hollywood Bowl), Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco 

Symphony, National Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Dallas Symphony, St. Louis 

Symphony, and Houston Symphony. Internationally, he has guest conducted 

all of Canada's major orchestras, has conducted often at the Sydney Opera House, as well 

for the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra (on an 18-city U.S./Canada tour, as well as in 

London), Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, 

New Japan Philharmonic, Orchestra of the Kremlin Palace, Malaysian Philharmonic, and the 

RTÉ Concert Orchestra at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, Ireland. 

As a ballet and opera conductor, he has conducted for American Ballet Theatre, Munich (Bavarian) 

State Opera and Ballet, Teatro Regio Torino, Teatro Argentina Opera House of Rome, 

Teatro Municipale Valli di Reggio Emilia, and Mexico City's Palacio de Bellas Artes, as well 

as for ballet galas in major opera houses all over the world. He has been Music Director of 

Chicago City Ballet, Louisville Ballet, and Ballet Chicago. He has collaborated with, and conducted 

for, a wide range of singers, ranging from Dame Julie Andrews to Etta James. Since 

1990, he has received critical acclaim for creating multimedia symphony orchestra concerts 

with the goal of bringing new audiences to the concert hall. His most successful concerts in 

this genre, “Bugs Bunny on Broadway,” and its 2010 sequel "Bugs Bunny at the Symphony," 

have been touring the world continuously since 1990 and have played to almost 2.5 million 

people worldwide. He has also won numerous awards as a producer, director, writer, and 

composer/music director for film and television, including a Primetime Emmy Award and 

five Emmy nominations. 

KEISUKE NAKAGOSHI (PIANIST, SOLOIST FOR AMOUR GITAN AND 

GLOW-STOP) 

Keisuke Nakagoshi began his piano studies at the age of 10 in Japan, arriving in 

the United States at age 18. He earned his Bachelors and Masters degrees from 

the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, whom he represented at the Kennedy 

Center's Conservatory Project, featuring the most promising young musicians 

in America. 

Mr. Nakagoshi is one of the two pianists for the critically acclaimed ZOFO Duet, which this 

year received two Grammy nominations their first album, “Mind Meld.” ZOFO has 

electrified audiences from Carnegie Hall to Osaka, Japan with their dazzling artistry and 

outside-the-box programming for piano-four-hands. 

Mr. Nakagoshi has also performed to acclaim on prestigious concert stages across the 

United States (including with the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Sympony Hall) and has 

received training from some of the most celebrated musicians of our time–Emanuel Ax, 

Gilbert Kalish, Menahem Pressler, Robert Mann, Norman Fisher, and The Peabody Trio. He 

has also performed with Afiara String Quartet, and San Francisco Contemporary Music 

Players. In addition, Keisuke tours as principal pianist with conductor George Daugherty's 

award-winning "Bugs Bunny at the Symphony," performing with major American orchestras 

from coast to coast. Mr. Nakagoshi is Pianist-in-Residence at The San Francisco 

Conservatory of Music, and for Opera Parallele. 

LEV POLYAKIN (VIOLINIST, SOLOIST FOR AMOUR GITAN) 

At age 21, Lev Polyakin was appointed co-concertmaster of the Moscow 

Chamber Orchestra. In that position, he was regularly featured as soloist, with 

many of his performances recorded by Melodia. In the U.S. he served as 

assistant concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra, as well as concertmaster 

of the American Academy of Conducting in Aspen Music Festival. In 1984, Lev 

won several prizes in two international violin competitions, Carl Flesch in 

London and Romanini in Brescia, Italy. In addition to his solo performances with the Moscow 

Chamber Orchestra, Mr. Polyakin has appeared as soloist with the London Mozart Players, 

Royal Philharmonic, and Cleveland Orchestra. Recording credits include Melodia, BBC, 

National Public Radio, and Decca. He is prominently featured on a CD of the chamber music 

of Paul Schoenfield, which was nominated for a Grammy. Mr. Polyakin has a special interest 

in jazz and has recorded three CDs with his group “Russian Blue." The albums are entitled 

Russian Blue, The Other Side of the Road, and Christmas Kaleidoscope. Karen Gabay 

choreographed her ballet, Russian Blue using several tracks from the album. 


ANNUAL CONTRIBUTIONS 

The philanthropic commitment of many members of our community allows Ballet San 

Jose to produce outstanding performances and provide arts education and training for 

the benefit of the entire Bay Area. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the individuals, 

corporations, foundations, and government agencies who have given so generously to 

support our programs during the period of January 1, 2012 to April 12, 2013. For donor 

information and benefits, please call Kristin Bertrand, Annual Giving Manager, at (408) 

288-2820 x218, or email kbertrand@balletsj.org. 

INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT 

Chairman’s Circle 

Governor $100,000 and above 

Charmaine and Dan Warmenhoven 

Guarantor $50,000 - $99,999 

Agatha and Stephen Luczo 

Benefactor $25,000 - $49,999 

Millicent and John Powers 

Hideko Sakamoto and Vijay Tella 

Sponsor $15,000 - $24,999 

Elizabeth and Mark Striebeck 

Dancers’ Circle 

Principal $3,500 - $4,999 

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Blumenthal 

Linda and Steve Glanville 

Soloist $2,500 - $3,499 

Dr. Jakob Nielsen and Ms. Hannah Kain 

Nancy and Rodger Richeal 

Fran Scott and Albert Klail 

Dr. Raymond and Mrs. Blanche Shaheen 

Anonymous 

Corps de Ballet ($1,000 to $2,499) 

Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Armstrong 

Katherine Bazak and John Dohner 

Michael Bena 

Eric and Mimi Carlson 

Malkah and Donald Carothers 

Zahava Cedar 

Elizabeth Chenet 

Barbara and Michael Dale 

Phyllis Evans 

The Dessenberger Family 

Dr. Diana Fink and Mr. David Smith 

Rob Goldring 

Vivienne Hsu and Ken Tsai 

Susan and John Janiak 

Patricia and Robert E. Jones, Jr. 

David Kaun 

Sue Kemp 

Huetta and Richard Kimrey 

Gloria and Ronald Knapel 

Teresa and Robert Lanz 

Ailsa and Stephen Ludvik 


Producer $10,000 - $14,999 

Lorraine C. Gilmore 

Director $7,500 - $9,999 

Dr. and Mrs. R. Henry Richards 

Anonymous 

Partner $5,000 - $7,499 

Valerie Burniece 

Mrs. Charles L. Fry 

Erma Weil Dance Scholarship Fund 

Hugh D. Mai, M.D. and Marianne 

Mai, O.D. 

Sharon Mandell 

Linda and Mike Markkula 

James and Victoria Maroulis 

Trish and Jim McAfee 

Christopher and Gail Mead 

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Mednick 

Mr. and Mrs. Barry Mirkin 

Diana Morabito and Keith Ball 

Kathleen Hall and Leslie Murdock 

Noelle Eder and Dean Newcomb 

Martha and Bill Perry 

Caroline and Chris Rackowski 

Raymond Rodriguez and Eric 

Swartzwelder 

Rita and Steve Schlosser 

Ruth Schlotzhauer and Mark Isfeld 

The Schmitz-Fromherz Family 

Earl G. Singer 

Stephanie Southwick 

Frederick W. Terman and Nan 

Borreson 

Mr. and Mrs. David Thompson 

Jeffrey and Holly Ullman 

Audrey Unruh 

Carol Watts 

Dr. Herbert Weil, Ph.D. and Dr. 

Anabel Anderson Imbert, M.D. 

Siv and Anthony Wheeler 

The Hon. Marilyn Pestarino Zecher

INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT (continued) 

Friends of Ballet San Jose 

Patron ($500 to $999) 

Laima Baltusis 

Susan Barkan in memory of 

Jean Albro 

Linda Cato 

John and Jessica Chang 

Gloria and Michael Chiang 

Rex Clack 

Carmen Cook 

Melanie and Peter Cross 

Betty and Donald D'Angelo 

Fawcett Family 

Liz Gogolewski 

Diane Grey 

Emily Hall 

Marisue Hansen 

Ruth Hartmann 

John Heineke 

Dr. and Mrs. David Hirschfeld 

Dalia Rawson and Gareth Hughes 

Dr. Elizabeth Hutter 

Mareese and Gareth Keane 

George Kemble 

Todd Koons 

Jan and Frank La Fetra 

Mr. and Mrs. Harry N. Lalor 

Myrna Marshall and Jon Saxe 

Edna and David Mc Cready 

Edgar McCanless 

Carmen and G. Kirby Miller 

Juanita Mah and Stephen Mink 

Maria and Robert Monconduit 

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Nunziata 

Elena and Andrew Perez 

Dr. and Mrs. Eric G. Rawson 

Stephanie Richman 

Lorraine and David Ronca 

Joan and Robert Shomler 

Sara Jane Sullivan 

Mr. and Mrs. David Thompson 

Jeanne Torre 

Rebecca and Mac Tully 

James Vera and Jennifer Ochs 

Kaoru Wada and Jay Keehan 

Clayton Wilson 

James and Grace Yamakawa 

Mark Young 

Anonymous (2) 

Affiliate ($250 to $499) 

Joyce Allegro 

Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Avakoff 

William A. Barrett 

Joann Bergoffen 

Paul and Jenny Bogomilsky 

The Burdick Family 

Jennifer and Brian Cilker 

Carol Cole 

Bernadette Connolly 

Linda and Gary Covell 

Linda R. Davis and Serge Rudaz 

Kathleen Demetri 

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dorsa 

Barry and Toby Fernald 

H. Read Fuller 

Cindy Hanes 

J.J. Harris 

Nancy E. Isaac 

Beth and Robert Janopaul 

Mr. and Mrs. Derk Johnson 

Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Kelly 

Karen Kochenburg 

Diane Kounalakis 

Linda Latasa 

Jeanne Lyons 

Helen and Rachel Magnus 

Donna Miguelgorry 

Helen Moritz 

Sundar Mudupalli 

Amy Ng 

Jane Pao 

Mohanan Pisharody 

Mark Polom 

Kara and William Rosenberg 

Lori Cornmesser and Tony Ruiz 

Ann Schleich 

Dr. William D. Shrader 

Marie-Christine and Paul Slakey 

Leslie C. and Charles M. Smith 

Gilles Vrignaud 

Fred Wassem and Gretchen Zane 

Mr. and Mrs. Nate WIlson 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Wylie 

Farima Yeganegi 

Associate ($100 to $249) 

Sandi Lynne Acosta 

Gerald Alexanderson 

Patricia Anderson 

Erica Ankuda 

Alessi-Bacchi Family 

Christina Baker 

Victor Beckman 

Dr. and Mrs. Michael A. Bergkamp 

Kristin and Christopher Bertrand 

Dr. Fe Biala 

Justine Blaich 

Marilyn Blockus 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bobbitt 

Coreen F. Booth 

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Bowen 

Marian Boyer 

Bonnie Britton 

Pam Brown 

Karen and John Burns 

Robert D. Burns 

Pat and Dick Calfee 

Ross Campbell 

Carol and Steven Carnevale 

Craig Carper 

Norman Cevallos 

Yi's Family 

Paul and Marijane Chestnut 

Eva and Carl Ching 

Rebecca Cox 

Sara Craven 

Rose Crimi 

Marjorie Crosby 

Noel F. Cross 

Martha and Donald Curtis 

Eugene Dunsmore 

Brenda and Richard Duval 

Dr. and Mrs. Dana Elmore 

Pat Enfantino 

Yoko Enokida 

Tony and Sherri Escobar 

Patricia Evans 

Madeleine and Stephen 

Fackler 

Michael Fassler 

Deborah M. Ferry 

S. and D. Finkelstein 

Rita Finn 

Ricardo Flagg 

Barbara Freeman 

David Freyberg 

Mary Jo Gallagher 

Barbara Gilkeson 

Louis B. Green 

Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Handloff 

Ben and Makiko Hartwell 

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Herman 

Mr. and Mrs. John Herschkorn 

Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Hinkle 

Nan Ho 

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Hodge 

Cleda L. Houmes 

Patricia Hughes 

Yoshiko and James Humfeld 

Carolyn M. Hutchinson 

Patricia Irwin 

Mr. and Mrs. Doug Johnson 

Lenore H. Jones 

Robert Jones 

Thomas Kaiser 

Debora and Scott Karstetter 

John S. Keen 

John A. Kirchmann 

Dr. and Mrs. Edward Kiss 

Mr. and Mrs. William F. Klein 

Deanna and Al Knickerbocker 

Elizabeth Kogut 

Mr. and Mrs. John K. Landre 

Micheline and John Le Gall 

Millette and John Litzinger 

Ellen and Neil Macneale, in 

memory of Anne Bailey 

Dan Margoliash and Dr. Lynn 

Dowdell 

Alice T. Matson 

Barbara McCune 

Paul and Rosemary 

McElherne 

Mr. and Mrs. Richard 

McKewan 

The Medan Family 

Elizabeth Messmer 

Susan Mickiewicz 

Sylvia Moore 

Lt. Col. Ruth and Col. Bobby 

Moorhatch 

Josephine and Tab Morales 


INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT (continued) 

Associate ($100 to $249) (Continued) 

Joan Mulvihill 

Nina Arlene Murphy 

Mary Nakaji 

Annette Nielsen 

Charlotte Niemeyer 

Catherine and George Northup 

Susan and Edward Olsen 

Anna Osborne 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Petersen 

Maria Raspolic and Ognjen 

Milic-Strkalj 

Sumana Reddy 

Marilyn and John Rhoades 

Eric and Julia Roberts 

Herbert Rosenthal 

Bud Rubin 

Carol Salemi 

Rudolph Sandmeier 

Kenneth J. Seylar 

CORPORATE, FOUNDATION & GOVERNMENT SUPPORT 

Governor ($100,000+) 

Comerica Charitable Foundation 

Fry's Electronics 

Guarantor ($50,000 to $99,999) 

City of San Jose 

Benefactor ($25,000 to $49,999) 

Sharks Foundation 

Tella Sakamoto Foundation 

Soloist ($2,500 to $3,499) 

Alom Technologies Corporation 

Gala Benefactor Listings 

TABLE SPONSORS 

Ampere Life Sciences 

Comerica Bank 

Edison Pharmaceutical 

Fry's Electronics 

INDIVIDUAL BENEFACTORS 

Ms. Julie Arnheim 

Mr. Michael Bena 

Ms. Valerie Burniece 

Cartier 

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Ching 

Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Gans 

Greenfield Sullivan Draa & Harrington LLP 

Ms. Diane E. Grey 

Ms. JJ Harris 

Ms. Dalia Rawson and Mr. Gareth Hughes 

Dr. Elizabeth Hutter 

Mr. and Mrs. Gareth Keane 

The Luspo Family 


Drs. Stanley and Margaret 

Shatsky 

Sara Shaw 

Shane D. Shook 

Emilia and David Shvarts 

In memory of Mary K. 

Siebenmorgen 

Claudia Siefer 

Sandra Sill 

Sujee Sivasubramaniyam 

Carol and Hunt Small 

Janet Smick 

Claude and Niki Smith 

Joyce Sogg 

Jennifer Sopranzi 

Bob and Fran Stainton 

Carolyn and Keppler Stone 

Jeanette Sullivan 

Vincent Sullivan 

Ed and Candace Sykes 

Karen L. Taylor 

Jan Telesky 

Paula Thielen 

I. Marie Thordsen 

Sonja Tillman 

Norma Van Cott 

Mia Verona 

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Wagner 

Heather Wallace 

Karen Watts 

William Webb 

Robert C. and Helene J. Weil 

Judy and Larry William 

Mr. and Mrs. Nate Wilson 

Alison Winter 

Duanpei Wu and Leslie Jiang 

Ellen C. Wynn 

Weijie Zhao and Juliana Ji 

Anonymous (5) 

Corps de Ballet ($1,000 to $2,499) 

Christopher Citti and Citti's Florist 


Markkula Foundation 

Wilkes Bashford 

Patron ($500 to $999) 

Progent Corporation 

Affiliate $250 - $499 

San Jose Woman's Club 

Plantronics 

Ms. Hideko Sakamoto and Mr. Vijay Tella 

Wilkes Bashford 

James and Victoria Maroulis 

Bob and Bebe McMeekin 

Ms. Margaret Miller and Mr. John 

Mark Agosta 

Mr. Ed Mosher 

Dr. Jakob Nielsen and Ms. Hannah Kain 

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Pavlik 

Dr. and Mrs. Raymond Shaheen 

Dr. Peter Statti 

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Striebeck 

Ms. Nadine Weil 

Mr. Mark A. Young

ARTISTIC DEPARTMENT 

Karen Gabay 

Rehearsal Assistant, 

Company Class Teacher 

Mads Eriksen 

Le Mai Linh 

Company Class Teachers 

Svetlana Elenkova 

Lauren Ingrassia 

Phebe Wusan 

Company Class Pianists 

Cliff Rawson 

Rehearsal Music Editor 

ADMINISTRATION 

Elizabeth Loretto 

Company & Operations 

Manager 

Vivian Do 

Bookkeeper 

Jesse Lunzman 

Custodian 

DEVELOPMENT & 

MARKETING 

Lee Kopp 

Marketing Director, 

Publicist 

Kristin Bertrand 

Annual Giving Manager 

Erica Dessenberger 

Development and Marketing 

Coordinator 

Cassandra Tenny 

Outreach Assistant 

Dan McGarry 

Special Projects Manager 

Andrew Skelton 

Ticket Sales Representative 

Lauren Halliwell 

Group Sales/Ticket Services 

Representative 

Dick Kimrey 

Huetta Kimrey 

Front of House Managers 

Ballet San Jose Staff 

Raymond Rodriguez 

Principal Ballet Master 

Stephanie Ziesel 

Executive Director 

PRODUCTION BALLET SAN JOSE SCHOOL 

Bob Bones 

Director of Production 

Les Reinhardt 

Production Stage Manager 

Sofia Dertimanis 

Assistant Stage Manager 

Tony Gabrielson 

Production Assistant 

Farrah Southam 

Costume Shop 

Supervisor 

Nick Friend 

Assistant to Costume 

Shop Supervisor / 

Shoe Manager 

Norma Jean McGee 

Cutter/Draper 

Sue Howell 

Master Stitcher/ 

First Hand 

DEPARTMENT HEADS 

Craig Miller 

Master Carpenter 

Carol Overstreet 

Master Electrician 

John Schneider 

Properties Master 

Andrew O’Brien 

Sound Engineer 

Robin Church 

Hair & Makeup 

Supervisor 

Valerie Leitner 

Wardrobe Supervisor 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 

Rob Sees 

Moving Lights Programmer 

Jim Urban 

Paint Charge 

Wes Chapman 

Artistic Advisor 

George Daugherty 

Music Director & Conductor 

Dalia Rawson 

Principal 

Le Mai Linh 

Senior Faculty 

Mads Eriksen 

Senior Faculty 

Adult Class Coordinator 

Elizabeth Hutter 

Ballet Faculty and Primary 

Division Coordinator 

Sarah Stein 

Jing Zhang 

Ballet Faculty 

Jazon Escultura 

Laura Malpass 

Additional Faculty 

Laura Burton 

Administrative Coordinator & 

Registrar 

Jessica Saldana 

Student Services Assistant 

Lauren Ingrassia 

Cliff Rawson 

Natalia Pressman 

Svetlana Elenkova 

Peter Colclasure 

Accompanists 

COMPANY DOCTORS 

Dr. Loretta Chou 

Physician, Orthopedic Surgery, 

Stanford Medical Center 

Dr. Kevin Rose 

Dr. Isaac Borowiec 

Physical Therapy 

Dr. Gregory Belcher 

Orthopedic Surgeon 

The artists employed by Ballet San 

Jose appear courtesy of the American 

Guild of Musical Artists, A.F.L.C.I.O. 

Additional unions providing support to 

Ballet San Jose include: 

International Alliance of Theater and 

Stage Employees: 

Local 134 Stagehands 

Local 784 Wardrobe 

Local 706 Hair and Makeup 

Local B-32 Ushers 

Legal services provided by 


Cooper, White & Cooper 

San Jose Athletic Club is the official 

gym of Ballet San Jose.

Playbill - Ballet San Jose

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