Greeting me from within the pile laid on the table was a very handsome Chinese man in a position that few of us could ever achieve!

Cincinnati Ballet dancer Liang Fu was on the front of a postcard photograph snapped in the middle of another perfect jump reminding me that it’s time for the 2011-2012 seasons production of New Works. Oh yeah! Finally, the opening production that showcases the ballet choreographer’s individual talents and visions.

Will it be modern or classic, using today’s music or that of typical ballet fashion, wild or…oh you know it will push the letter as it should!

May I introduce, the Kaplan New Works production….

Heather Britt, who is the regional director for the ballet’s amazing exercise classes, Rhythm and Motion, is working with JaHipter, spoken word artist, to really “bring in a voice that spoke to the African American experience”. Music for this piece is by Gabriel Gaffney Smith and Peter Adams.

The next choreographer is well known Adam Hougland. This is his fourth season, with his first New Works project being in 2008. More playful than his recent works, Mozart’s Requiem and The Firebird, this will be what I mean by allowing the choreographers to work with their individual personality and strengths.

New to the Cincinnati Ballet, choreographer James Kudelka mesmerized Victoria Morgan with his work for the Columbus BalletMet lass year. He seems to be a force to be reckoned with combining years of dance and experience, bringing incredible power to the stage.

Johanna Bernstein Wilt, Principal Ballet Mistress for the Cincinnati Ballet, will be choreographing a piece with music by Cincinnati resident, Rick Sowash, an internationally renowned musician, and dedicated to the inspirational life of Director Richard Collins. Mr. Collins passed away 20 years ago in a tragic accident.

Missy Lay Zimmer and Andrew Hubbard are a husband and wife team that have displayed original work for the last two New Works performances with music by Over The Rhine and Infamous Love Songs (last season’s full length production), wil be including live piano music each night played by Dianne Dunkelman. Another Cincinnati resident found “hiding” her talents at friends house when she sat down to play a piece on the piano that she composed herself.

If you are new to the ballet or simply used to traditional music and dancing, I encourage you to check out this series of original works. They are sure to blow you away and possibly change your mind about ballet if you do not already think it’s an amazing and skilled form of art.

Image by wallyg via Flickr