Morphoses is a

ballet company A ballet company is a type of dance troupe that performs classical ballet, neoclassical ballet, and/or contemporary ballet in the European tradition, plus managerial and support staff. Most major ballet companies employ dancers on a year-rou ...

, co-founded in 2007 by

Christopher Wheeldon Christopher Peter Wheeldon (born 22 March 1973) is an English international choreographer of contemporary ballet. Early life Born in Yeovil, Somerset, to an engineer and a physical therapist, Wheeldon began training to be a ballet dancer at th ...

and

Lourdes Lopez Lourdes Lopez (born 1958) is a Cuban-American ballet company artistic director of Miami City Ballet since 2012 and former principal dancer of New York City Ballet. She is also a member of the board of trustees of the Ford Foundation. She received ...

. Morphoses is a guest resident company at the

New York City Center New York City Center (previously known as the Mecca Temple, City Center of Music and Drama, and the New York City Center 55th Street Theater) is a performing arts center at 131 West 55th Street (Manhattan), 55th Street between Sixth Avenue, Six ...

and at

Sadler's Wells Theatre Sadler's Wells Theatre is a London performing arts venue, located in Rosebery Avenue, Islington. The present-day theatre is the sixth on the site. Sadler's Wells grew out of a late 17th-century pleasure garden and was opened as a theatre buil ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. It was known as Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company until February 2010, when Wheeldon announced that he was leaving the company.

Productions

City Center, October 1–5, 2008

program one, October 1–3

= ''Polyphonia''

= NY Times
by

Roslyn Sulcas Roslyn Sulcas is a dance critic and culture writer for ''The New York Times''. She was raised in Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Pa ...

, October 2, 2008 **Christopher Wheeldon’s choreography ** Ligeti's eponymous music **costumes by Holly Hynes **lighting by Mark Stanley *

Wendy Whelan Wendy Whelan (; born May 7, 1967) is an American ballet dancer. She was principal dancer with the New York City Ballet and performed with the company for 30 years, and toured in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Whelan has also been an influential gue ...

Tiler Peck Tiler Kalyn Peck (born January 12, 1989) is an American ballet dancer who is a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet. As well as ballet, she has performed in musical theatre shows and has made cameo appearances in films including '' Don ...

Beatriz Stix-Brunell Beatriz Eugenia Stix-Brunell (born 1993) is an American ballet dancer. Her career started with Morphoses when she was 14. She joined the Royal Ballet in 2010, was promoted to first soloist in 2016, and retired in 2021. She is 5 feet 6.5 inches t ...

Teresa Reichlen Teresa Reichlen (born ) is an American ballet dancer. She joined the New York City Ballet in 2001, was promoted to principal dancer in 2009, and retired in 2022. Early life Reichlen was born in Clifton, Virginia. She has three brothers. When she ...

Tyler Angle Tyler Angle (born September 30, 2000) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently under contract with Düsseldorfer EG of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He has previously played for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National ...

* Gonzalo Garcia * Craig Hall * Jason Fowler

= ''Monotones II''

= **Frederick Ashton’s

choreography Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which Motion (physics), motion or Visual appearance, form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A chor ...

** Satie's ''Trois Gymnopédie'' **

costumes Costume is the distinctive style of clothing, dress and/or cosmetics, makeup of an individual or group that reflects class, gender, occupation, ethnicity, nationality, activity or epoch—in short, culture. The term also was traditionally used ...

and

lighting Lighting or illumination is the deliberate use of light to achieve practical or aesthetic effects. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources like lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight. ...

by Ashton *

Maria Kowroski Maria Kowroski is an American ballet dancer. She was a principal dancer at the New York City Ballet. Early life Kowroski was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She started ballet at the age of five. In 1992, she entered the School of American Ballet ...

Rubinald Pronk Rubinald Rofino Pronk (born 17 July ), born and raised in The Hague, Netherlands, is a ''danseur'' performing with the List of Morphoses productions, Morphoses/Christopher Wheeldon, The Wheeldon Company. He trained at the Royal (Dutch) Conservator ...

* Edward Watson

= ''Commedia''

= New York City premiereVillage Voice
by

Deborah Jowitt Deborah Jowitt (born 1934) is an American dance critic, author, and choreographer. Her career in dance began as a performer and choreographer. Jowitt has received several awards for her work, including a Bessie (New York Dance and Performance ...

, October 7, 2008 **Christopher Wheeldon’s choreography ** Stravinsky’s ''

Pulcinella Suite ''Pulcinella'' is a 21-section ballet by Igor Stravinsky with arias for soprano, tenor and bass vocal soloists, and two sung trios. It is based on the 18th-century play ''Quatre Polichinelles semblables'', or ''Four similar Pulcinellas'', revol ...

'' **costumes by

Isabel Toledo Isabel Toledo (born Maria Isabel Izquierdo; April 9, 1960 – August 26, 2019) was a Cuban-American fashion designer based in New York City. She was widely recognized in the fashion industry for her attention to craftsmanship and the "sophisticate ...

**sets by

Ruben Toledo Ruben Toledo (born 1961, Havana, Cuba) is a Cuban-American artist based in New York City. Personal life Toledo and his wife Isabel met in high school in West New York, New Jersey. Books In 1997, Toledo authored ''Style Dictionary'', a collection ...

**lighting by Penny Jacobus *

Leanne Benjamin Leanne Faye Benjamin (born 13 July 1964) is a retired Australian ballet dancer who was a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet in London. She was appointed artistic director at the Queensland Ballet in 2024. She stepped down from the positio ...

*Beatriz Stix-Brunell *

Céline Cassone Céline Cassone is a French-born ballerina dancing with the Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company and Benjamin Millepied's Danses Concertantes Drew Jacoby Drew Jacoby (born September 2, 1984) is an American contemporary ballet dancer. As of 2020, she is a principal dancer of Royal Ballet of Flanders. Early life Jacoby was born in Boise, Idaho in 1984. She trained at the School of American Ballet ...

*Rory Hohenstein *

Edwaard Liang Edwaard Liang (born c. 1975/1976 Also available a. in Taipei, Taiwan) is a Taiwanese-born American dancer and choreography, choreographer. He grew up in Marin County, California. Career Liang began studying dance at the age of 5. He entered the ...

*Rubinald Pronk *Edward Watson

= ''Six Fold Illuminate''

= Village Voice
by

, October 7, 2008 ** Emily Molnar's choreography ** Reich's ''Variations for Winds, Strings and Keyboards'' **costumes by

Narciso Rodriguez Narciso Jesus Rodriguez III (; born January 27, 1961) is an American fashion designer. Early life and education Rodriguez was born in Newark, New Jersey, the eldest child and only son of Cuban parents. His parents, Narciso Rodríguez Sanchez II, ...

**lighting by Pierre Lavoie *Drew Jacoby *Céline Cassone *Edwaard Liang *Edward Watson *Rubinald Pronk *Rory Hohenstein

program two, October 4–5

= ''Commedia''

= New York City premiereVillage Voice
by

, October 7, 2008 *Christopher Wheeldon’s choreography **Stravinsky’s ''Pulcinella Suite'' **costumes by Isabel Toledo **sets by Ruben Toledo **lighting by Penny Jacobus *Leanne Benjamin *Beatriz Stix-Brunell *Céline Cassone *Drew Jacoby *Rory Hohenstein *Edwaard Liang *Rubinald Pronk *Edward Watson

= ''One''

= Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's ''One'' replaced Sir Frederick Ashton’s ''The Dream Pas de Deux'' due to injury. *

Annabelle Lopez Ochoa Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (born 30 April 1973) is a Belgian-Colombian international ballet dancer and choreographer based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Dance background Born in Antwerpen to a Colombian father and a Belgian mother, Lopez Ochoa completed ...

's choreography ** Jacob Ter Vedhuis' music **costumes by Benjamin Briones **lighting by Lopez Ochoa *Drew Jacoby *Rubinald Pronk

= ''Monotones II''

= **Frederick Ashton’s choreography **Satie's ''Trois Gymnopédie'' **costumes and lighting by Ashton Wendy Whelan *Tyler Angle * Adrian Danchig-Waring

= ''Shutters Shut''

= **

Lightfoot León Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT; literal translation Netherlands Dance Theatre) is a Dutch contemporary dance company. NDT is headquartered at the ''Amare'' building in The Hague. NDT also performs at other venues in the Netherlands, including Ams ...

's choreography **text by

Gertrude Stein Gertrude Stein (February 3, 1874 – July 27, 1946) was an American novelist, poet, playwright, and art collector. Born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania (now part of Pittsburgh), and raised in Oakland, California, Stein moved to Paris in 1903, and ...

**costumes and lighting by Lightfoot León *Christine Thomassenguest artist *Andreas Heise

= ''Fools’ Paradise''

= *Christopher Wheeldon’s choreography **music by

Joby Talbot Joby Talbot (born 25 August 1971) is a British composer. He has written for a wide variety of purposes, with a broad range of styles, including instrumental and vocal concert music, film and television scores, pop arrangements and works for dan ...

, adapted for string orchestra from his score for the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

's release of silent film

The Dying Swan ''The Dying Swan'' (originally ''The Swan'') is a solo dance choreographed by Mikhail Fokine to Camille Saint-Saëns's '' Le Cygne'' from '' Le Carnaval des animaux'' as a ''pièce d'occasion'' for the ballerina Anna Pavlova, who performed it a ...

**costumes by

**lighting by Penny Jacobus *Wendy Whelan *Maria Kowroski *Teresa Reichlen *Tiler Peck *Céline Cassone *Craig Hall *Edwaard Liang *Adrian Danchig-Waring *Gonzalo Garcia

Guggenheim Museum The Guggenheim Museums are a group of museums in different parts of the world established (or proposed to be established) by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. Museums in this group include: * The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Ne ...
, March 8–9, 2009

''Commedia''

**Christopher Wheeldon’s choreography **Stravinsky's music

Fall for Dance, September–October 2009

''Softly as I Leave You''

**Lightfoot León’s choreography ** Pärt and

Bach's Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...

music *Drew Jacoby *Rubinald Pronk

City Center, October 29, – November 1, 2009

program one, Thursday and Saturday, October 29 and 31

NY Times review
by Gia Kourlas, October 30, 2009NY Post review
by Leigh Witchel, October 30, 2009 ** accompanied by the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas

= ''Commedia''

= **Christopher Wheeldon’s choreography **Stravinsky's music

= ''Softly as I Leave You''

= **Lightfoot León's choreography **Pärt and Bach's music *Drew Jacoby *Rubinald Pronk

= ''Bolero''

= **

Alexei Ratmansky Alexei Osipovich Ratmansky (, born August 27, 1968) is a Russian-Ukrainian-American choreographer and former ballet dancer. From 2004 to 2008 he was the director of the Moscow Bolshoi Ballet. He left Russia in 2008. In 2009 he was appointed the ar ...

’s choreography ** Ravel's music

= ''new Harbour ballet''

= ** Tim Harbour’s choreography US premiere **Edwards' music

program two, Friday and Sunday, October 30 and November 1

**all piano program

= ''Continuum''

= **Christopher Wheeldon’s choreography **Ligeti's music

= ''Softly as I Leave You''

= **Lightfoot León’s choreography **Pärt and Bach's music

= ''new Wheeldon ballet''

= **Christopher Wheeldon’s choreography **Rachmaninoff's music

notes

Dancers

2008 New York City Center

*Beatriz Stix-Brunell *Céline Cassone *Christine Thomassen guest artist *Drew Jacoby *Leanne Benjamin *Maria Kowroski *Teresa Reichlen *Tiler Peck *Wendy Whelan *Adrian Danchig-Waring *Andreas Heise *Craig Hall *Edwaard Liang *Edward Watson *Gonzalo Garcia *Jason Fowler *Rory Hohenstein *Rubinald Pronk *Tyler Angle

notes

2009 Fall for Dance

* Drew Jacoby * Rubinald Pronk

2009 New York City Center

* Carrie Lee Riggins *

Danielle Rowe Danielle Rowe (born 1982 in Shepparton) is an Australian-born ballet dancer and choreographer. Dancing career Rowe trained in Newcastle and Adelaide. She joined The Australian Ballet in 2001. She won the Telstra People's Choice Award in both ...

* Drew Jacoby * Gabrielle Lamb *

Melissa Barak Melissa Barak (born August 9, 1979, in Los AngelesState of California. ''California Birth Index, 1905–1995'' (Sacramento, CA: State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics).) is a choreographer and ballerina. ...

* Rachel Sherak * Wendy Whelan * Andrew Crawford * Edwaard Liang * Juan Pablo Ledo * Lucas Segovia *

Matthew Prescott Matthew Prescott, born and raised in Idaho, is a ''danseur'' performing with the Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company. He attended the Joffrey/New School University in New York City and in 2000 was invited to join the Joffrey Ballet. He has also worked ...

* Rory Hohenstein * Rubinald Pronk * Ty Gurfein

Reviews

* Village Voice by

, November 10, 2009 *Sulcas, Roslyn, 2009, "New Troupe Faces a Hard Reality," ''International Herald Tribune'', October 24–25, pp. 15 & 19.

Footnotes

References

* ''

Playbill ''Playbill'' is an American monthly magazine for Audience, theatergoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most copies of ''Playbill'' are printed for particular productions and distributed at the door as the ...

'', City Center, October 1 and 4, 2008

External links

Morphoses
official website
City Center
official website
Sadler's Wells
official website
Morphoses on the Sadler's Wells websiteVail International Dance Festival: Morphoses dancer biosArchival footage of Morphoses performing at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in 2012
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morphoses productions, List of Ballet companies in the United States Lists of ballets by company 2007 establishments in the United States Performing groups established in 2007

Productions

City Center, October 1–5, 2008

program one, October 1–3

= ''Polyphonia''

= ''Monotones II''

= ''Commedia''

= ''Six Fold Illuminate''

program two, October 4–5

= ''Commedia''

= ''One''

= ''Monotones II''

= ''Shutters Shut''

= ''Fools’ Paradise''

Guggenheim Museum The Guggenheim Museums are a group of museums in different parts of the world established (or proposed to be established) by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. Museums in this group include: * The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Ne ..., March 8–9, 2009

''Commedia''

Fall for Dance, September–October 2009

''Softly as I Leave You''

City Center, October 29, – November 1, 2009

program one, Thursday and Saturday, October 29 and 31

= ''Commedia''

= ''Softly as I Leave You''

= ''Bolero''

= ''new Harbour ballet''

program two, Friday and Sunday, October 30 and November 1

= ''Continuum''

= ''Softly as I Leave You''

= ''new Wheeldon ballet''

notes

Dancers

2008 New York City Center

notes

2009 Fall for Dance

2009 New York City Center

Reviews

Footnotes

References

External links

Guggenheim Museum The Guggenheim Museums are a group of museums in different parts of the world established (or proposed to be established) by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. Museums in this group include: * The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Ne ...
, March 8–9, 2009