By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org
James Sofranko, the artistic director of the Grand Rapids Ballet and a growing talent as a choreographer himself, is clearly an advocate of new contemporary dance by new artistic voices.
So it is only natural that, as an advocate for the team of dancers at the ballet, he would seek to include their voices in the upcoming MOVEMEDIA: Handmade program set to have its run Friday to Sunday, Feb. 8-10 at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre.
The headliner of the program is likely to be a powerful, searing work of “Testimony”, a work by the ballet’s continuing choreographer-in-residence, Penny Saunders, inspired by the U.S. Senate hearings for now-Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh and his accuser Christine Blasey Ford. Although another new work by the Joffrey Ballet’s Nicolas Blanc — whom Sofranko worked with at the San Francisco Ballet — will undoubtedly be equally unique and impressive.
For a WKTV video on the program, click here.
But the five other works on the program will be original choreographic efforts by members of the dance company, including Nigel Tau, who apprenticed with the Grand Rapids Ballet in 2015 before joining the company in 2016.
“I think it is wonderful to give an opportunity to the dancers … you do not necessarily have a lot of opportunities given to you,” Sofranko said to WKTV. “This is a program that is about creating new works … you are experimenting and this is a program where it is meant to be an exploration.”
Tau, according to his supplied biography, began dancing at age 10 with The Academy of Dance in his home town of Savannah, Georgia. In 2013, he became a trainee with Next Generation Ballet, and performed in the school’s own productions as well as with Opera Tampa and the Florida Orchestra. He went on to train with BalletMet on a full scholarship, where he performed and rehearsed alongside the company.
Tau’s work, titled “Errant Thoughts”, will not only be the dancer’s first dance creation but will continue his artistic journey — the journey of all artists, really — where excitement and frustration often exist side-by-side.
“This piece is about two different things,” Tau said to WKTV. “It is the story of someone who has had a passion project, or a work they have really be invested in … that feeling of inspiration and excitement … (but also) that continuing cycle of excitement and frustration — is it good enough?”
Bottomline: Handmade is usually pretty good, and Tau’s work, as with the others on the program, are handmade.
MOVEMEDIA: Handmade will be on stage Friday, Feb. 8, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 9, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m.
For tickets visit GRballet.com or call 616-454-4771 x10. The Peter Martin Wege Theatre is located at 341 Elllsworth Avenue SW, Grand Rapids.
