World Premiere
Presented by Miami City Ballet and Paul Taylor Dance Company
Two dancers, connected by the uplifting power of dance in two thrilling cities.
This world premiere is choreographed by rising genre-blurring talent Amy Hall Garner and filmed by Alexander Iziliaev. The work travels from the birthplace of Miami City Ballet on Miami Beach’s famed Lincoln Road to Paul Taylor Dance Company in Manhattan’s vibrant Lower East Side.
Created especially for the virtual stage, Garner made this vivacious new work remotely with exuberant MCB soloist Samantha Hope Galler and John Harnage, PTDC member, Miami native and Miami City Ballet School alumnus. With the inspiration of Vivaldi’s passionate fast-paced score, the two dancers portray the importance of human connection and the healing nature of art.
The work is set to Concerto for 4 Violins in B Minor, Op.3 No.10 RV580: III Allegro and pays tribute to both composer Antonio Vivaldi and the coupled lineage of ballet and modern dance.
MCB has a long history of performing many of Paul Taylor’s most acclaimed and innovative works. ViVa marks a special occasion as the first collaboration between Miami City Ballet and Paul Taylor Dance Company. We’re thrilled to share it with you.
ViVa
World Premiere on Miami City Ballet’s Website and Instagram Thursday, April 1 at 9am
CHOREOGRAPHY
Amy Hall Garner
MUSIC
Antonio Vivaldi*
FILM & CREATIVE DIRECTION
Alexander Iziliaev
DANCERS
Samantha Hope Galler, Miami City Ballet
John Harnage, Paul Taylor Dance Company
This performance was filmed on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, Florida and at the Paul Taylor Studios in Lower East Side, New York City.
ViVa is one of two digital commissions generously funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Placesby Claudia Schreier, “performed with verve and wit,” (The New York Times) premiered November 2020.
*Concerto for 4 Violins in B Minor, Op. 3: Allegro played by Ensemble 415 & Chiara Banchini and used with the permission of Outhere Music France – Alpha Classics
About the Choreographer
Amy Hall Garner is an internationally sought-after choreographer and dance educator creating works across ballet, modern and theatrical genres. ViVa is her first work commissioned by Miami City Ballet and Paul Taylor Dance Company. Garner has been commissioned by numerous companies and schools including Ailey II, Collage Dance Collective, The Juilliard School, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Columbia Ballet Collaborative. She personally coached Grammy Award winner Beyoncé, providing additional choreography for The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. Her theatrical choreography credits include The Color Purple for the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, and associate choreographer for the Off-Broadway musical Invisible Thread, directed by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulas.
Garner was one of the first recipients of Joffrey Ballet’s Choreography of Color Award. In 2018, Garner was selected for Alvin Ailey’s New Directions Choreography Lab. As a dance educator, she has taught at some of the USA’s premier training institutions, including American Ballet Theatre and Joffrey Ballet School, along with many residencies and masterclasses across the country.
A native of Huntsville AL, she is a graduate of The Juilliard School and is now based in New York City. Currently, Garner is an adjunct professor at New York University’s New Studio on Broadway at Tisch School of the Arts.
Check out some of our Vivaldi favorites below.
Follow MCB on Spotify here.
Thank You For Your Support
This work is a gift to our community because we believe in the healing power of the arts, the joy and connection they bring. Our dancers and creative teams continue to bring the beauty of dance to our community because of people like you who have donated. As we look ahead to a changed world, we depend on the vital support and generosity of our audiences and donors. If you can help, please consider donating.
Miami City Ballet is committed to maintaining a safe workplace for our dancers, staff, and crew. We strive to follow all current guidelines recommended by appropriate health authorities and safety experts.
ViVa was created under those strict guidelines, which included, health screening, socially distanced rehearsals, mandatory masks, enhanced cleaning, sanitation, and disinfection protocols consistent with CDC and local governmental guidelines.
This digital commission was made possible through a generous grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Filming was made possible with the generous support of Michael Comras and The Comras Company, South Florida’s most recognized name in retail leasing, marketing, and development. Special thanks to the Lincoln Road Business Improvement District and Oolite Arts for their support.
Major funding for Miami City Ballet is provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Ford Foundation.
Miami-Dade County support is provided by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners. Performances and programming in Miami Beach is provided with the generous support of the City of Miami Beach and the Cultural Arts Council. Support for Miami City Ballet in the Palm Beaches is generously sponsored in part by the Board of County Commissioners, the Tourist Development Council and the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County. Broward County funding is provided in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council. The Company is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.
Photo credit: Samantha Hope Galler and John Harnage in ViVa. Choreography by Amy Hall Garner. Photos by Alexander Iziliaev. Amy Hall Garner Headshot Photo By Luis Alberto Rodriguez.
Amy Hall Garner is an internationally sought-after choreographer and dance educator creating works across ballet, modern and theatrical genres. ViVa is her first work commissioned by Miami City Ballet and Paul Taylor Dance Company. Garner has been commissioned by numerous companies and schools including Ailey II, Collage Dance Collective, The Juilliard School, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Columbia Ballet Collaborative. She personally coached Grammy Award winner Beyoncé, providing additional choreography for The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. Her theatrical choreography credits include The Color Purple for the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, and associate choreographer for the Off-Broadway musical Invisible Thread, directed by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulas.