(RE)FINE

PROGRAM B

Dear Friends,

As we culminate our (RE)Imagine season with (RE)Fine, I'm filled with pride in what our company has achieved artistically. I hope you'll experience the world-class spirit of Saint Louis Dance Theatre through the technical excellence of our legacy repertoire, the storytelling of dance theatre, and the excitement of new choreographic work. The world premiere by Norbert De La Cruz III pushes our dancers along their individual artistic journeys, incorporating their unique voices into his vision. This premiere, alongside Joshua L. Peugh's My Dear Watson, José Limón's Chaconne, Robert Battle’s Unfold, Jessica Lang's The Calling, and Jiří Kylián's Sechs Tänze, demonstrates the remarkable range our dancers have mastered this season.

Throughout this (RE)Imagine season, we've reclaimed our identity, rebuilt our approach to home-grown dance, and refined our vision for St. Louis as a true hub for dance arts. I'm particularly proud of bringing renowned choreographers to our city and watching our dancers rise brilliantly to meet these artistic challenges. As we've seen all season, when there is more representation in the room, more art is possible. Looking ahead, we're excited to present two additional concerts next season, collaborate with some of St. Louis' most beloved arts institutions, and bring three new choreographic voices to our city.

With gratitude,

DANCERS

PROGRAM B

SATURDAY, MAY 31 AT 7:30 PM
SUNDAY, JUNE 1 AT 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM

  • First performed on December 27, 1942 at the Humphrey-Weidman Studio Theater, New York City, by José Limón

    Company premiere: October 2024
    Music: J.S. Bach, violin performed live by Hannah Ji (Sat) and Erin Schreiber (Sun) from the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
    Staging & Direction: Kurt Douglas
    Costume Design: Shevaré Perry
    Lighting Design: Zak Metalsky

    Sat 7:30pm: Sergio Camacho
    Sun 2:00pm: Sergio Camacho
    Sun 7:30pm: Megan Rancour

    The Chaconne as a dance form originated in New Spain, now Mexico, as a robust and raucous dance. Bach employed the strict musical form of the Chaconne, but enriched it with powerful emotional implications. Mr. Limón has tried to capture in his dance both the formal austerity and the profound feeling of the music.

    ©1996, José Limón Dance Foundation, Inc. These performances of Chaconne, a Limóns Dance, are presented by arrangement with the José Limón Dance Foundation, Inc. and has been produced in accordance with the Limón Stylesm and Limón Techniquesm service standards established by The José Limón Dance Foundation, Inc. Limóns, Limón Styles and Limón Techniquesm are trade and service marks of The José Limón Dance Foundation, Inc. (All rights reserved).

  • Company premiere in October 2024
    First performed by Battleworks in 2005

    Choreography: Robert Battle
    Staging and Direction: Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Kanji Segawa
    Costume Design: Jon Taylor
    Lighting Design: Zak Metalsky
    Music: Gustave Charpentier, Leontyne Price, Francesco Molinari-Pradeli

    Sat 7:30pm: Molly Rapp & Angel Khaytyan
    Sun 2:00pm: Lily Cong & Keenan Fletcher
    Sun 7:30pm: Jada Vaughan & Sergio Camacho

  • Company premiere in November 2023
    Originaly created on Kanji Segawa in 2025, and acquired into the Ailey II repertory in October 2006 under the Artistic Direction of Sylvia Waters

    Choreography: Jessica Lang
    Costume Design: Elena Comendador
    Lighting Design: Nicole Pearce
    Music: “O Maria, stella maris” by Trio Mediaeval

    Sat 7:30pm: Keenan Fletcher
    Sun 2:00pm: Molly Rapp
    Sun 7:30pm: Jorrell Lawyer-Jefferson

- 10-minute intermission -

  • World Premiere

    Music: TBD
    Costume Design: Shevaré Perry
    Lighting Design: Zak Metalsky

    Dancers: Will Brighton, Sergio Camacho, Spencer Everett, Keenan Fletcher, Demetrius Lee, Dave McCall, Isaiah Valentin, Lily Cong, Sidney Cowles*, AJ Joehl, Nyna Moore, Megan Rancour, Molly Rapp, Jada Vaughan, Jessie Yero

    * Denotes Second-Year Trainee

- 15-minute intermission -

  • Company premiere in February 2025
    First performed on October 24, 1986; Het Muziektheater, Amsterdam, Nederlands Dans Theater

    Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sechs Deutsche Tänze [Six German Dances], KV 571
    Staging & Direction: Shirley Esseboom
    Scenery and Costumes: Jiří Kylián
    Lighting Design: Jiří Kylián (concept), Joost Biegelaar (realization)

    Sat 7:30pm: Sergio Camacho, Spencer Everett, Keenan Fletcher, Demetrius Lee, Lily Cong, Arpège Lundyn, Molly Rapp Jessie Yero, Will Brighton, Angel Khaytyan, Isaiah Valentin, AJ Joehl, Jada Vaughan

    Sun 2:30pm: Will Brighton, Spencer Everett, Dave McCall, Isaiah Valentin, AJ Joehl, Nyna Moore, Molly Rapp, Jada Vaughan, Keenan Fletcher Angel Khaytyan, Demetrius Lee, AJ Joehl, Jessie Yero

    Sun 7:30pm: Sergio Camacho, Spencer Everett, Keenan Fletcher, Demetrius Lee, Lily Cong, Arpège Lundyn, Molly Rapp Jessie Yero, Will Brighton, Angel Khaytyan, Isaiah Valentin, AJ Joehl, Jada Vaughan

    A note from Jiří Kylián:

    “Two centuries separate us from the time, Mozart wrote his German Dances. A historical period shaped considerably by wars, revolutions, and all sorts of social upheavals.

    With this in mind I found it impossible to simply create different dance numbers reflecting merely the humor and musical brilliance of the composer. Instead, I have set six seemingly nonsensical acts, which obviously ignore their surroundings. They are dwarfed in face of the ever present troubled world, which most of us for some unspecified reason carry in our souls.

    Although the entertaining quality of Mozart’s Sechs Tänze enjoys great general popularity, it shouldn't only be regarded as a burlesque. Its humor ought to serve as a vehicle to point towards our relative values. Mozart's ability to react upon difficult circumstances with a self-preserving outburst of nonsensical poetry is well known. A fragment of a letter to his cousin is the finest example of this.”

Collaborators For Sechs Tänze

Staging & Direction

Light Design & Production Manager

MUSICIANS For CHACONNE

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
First Violin, Assistant Concertmaster

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Associate Concertmaster

BEHIND THE CURTAINS

MEET OUR TEAM

Erin Prange, Executive Director
Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Artistic Director
Leonides D. Arpon, Rehearsal Director
Brandon Fink, Director of Education
Stephanie Lynch, Director of Marketing
Molly Rapp, Director of Operations
Megan Rancour, Studio Manager
Jorrell Lawyer-Jefferson, Development Coordinator
Kyla Kikkawa, Marketing Coordinator
Sadie Reimer, Trainee Program Assistant
CiCi Kai, Administrative Assistant
Shevaré Perry, Costume Design & Production
Nathali Rottier, Costume Production
Lisa Reimer, Costume Production
Zak Metalsky, Lighting Designer
Carly Vanderheyden, Digital Design
Tina Adams, Graphic Design
Kelly Pratt & Ian Kreidich, Photography
Henry Palkes, Company Pianist

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS

2025.2026 Season

LOVE LANGUAGES

Presented by Paul and Kathleen Matecki

Demetrius Lee, Dave McCall, and Keenan Fletcher | Photography by Pratt + Kreidich at 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis | Artwork Featured: Fallen Fruit, The Way Out West

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Thank you to our SPONSORS

Regional Arts Commission

ARPA for the Arts

Ferring Family Foundation

Our Board of Directors

  • Thank you to Brookdale Farms, Reliant Supply Group, and everyone who donated to our Give STL Day Community Creates Communitycampaign, making dance more accessible through performances just like this one.

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