Gisele Ben-Dor, Conductor
http://giseleben-dor.com

Gisèle Ben-Dor's performances are receiving overwhelming critical praise. She has led, amongst others, the New York Philharmonic, London Symphony , London Philharmonic Orchestras,the English Chamber Orchestra, the BBC/Wales orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic , Boston Pops, New World Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic, and the Houston Symphony. In addition to being r eengaged by many of these orchestras, she has also led many others in the United States, Europe, Australia and Latin America, including the Minnesota Orchestra, Tanglewood Young Artists Orchestra, the Bavarian Radio Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Spanish Radio and Television, Ulster Orchestra, St.Paul Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre Nationale d'Ile de France,the orchestras of Nancy, Lille and Piccardie, orchestras in Denmark and Italy, and the Phoenix, Toledo and Pacific Symphonies, amongst others.

In March 1999, Ms. Ben-Dor returned to the New York Philharmonic once again substituting for Daniele Gatti in a program of Mahler and Beethoven, without a rehearsal or scores, much as she did in her last-minute debut with the New York Philharmonic in 1994,when she stepped in for Kurt Masur to unanimous praise. Following her most recent Philharmonic appearance , the New York Times wrote, "If Ms. Ben-Dor had merely survived in a work as complex as the Mahler under the circumstances, she would have done well; she did more, making the interpretation ... her own." On other occasions, Gisèle Ben-Dor has appeared with the Philharmonic in Central Park, before an estimated audience of 100,000 and has led members of the orchestra in a concert marathon of contemporary British music.

In 2000-01, she conducted with extraordinary success a new production and European premiere of Alberto Ginastera's last opera, Beatrix Cenci, at the Grand Théâtre de Genève . The production was unanimously acclaimed by the international press. The Tribune de Genève stated, "Gisèle Ben-Dor is a master conductor.... The Uruguayan 'chef' set Ginastera's opera on fire." In November 2000, she conducted another major work of Ginastera ( "Turbae ad Passionem Gregorianam," ) in Madrid, also a European premiere.

Ms. Ben-Dor has just been signed by EMI for a new recording of vocal music by Ginastera, featuring Placido Domingo and Ana Maria Martinez, including excerpts from his first opera "Don Rodrigo".
In April 1999, BMG/Conifer issued the world premiere recording of the complete score of Alberto Ginastera's ballet Estancia, featuring Ms. Ben-Dor with the London Symphony. Classic CD stated that "she spectacularly proves her credentials ...". Gramophone gave "a whole hearted recommendation to the disc," much as it praised Ms. Ben-Dor's first recording of Ginastera's music, also with the London Symphony (Koch International), featuring the Variaciones Concertantes and the world premiere of both versions of the Glosses on Themes of Pablo Casals

Ms. Ben-Dor has also recorded the music of Silvestre Revueltas for Koch, including the world premiere of Revueltas' final work, the ballet La Coronela, with the Santa Barbara Symphony and the English Chamber Orchestra. A world premiere of Villa-Lobos' Symphony #10, "Amerindia", with the Santa Barbara Symphony and Chorus has recently been released. Fanfare magazine calls Gisèle Ben-Dor "one of the best things that has ever happened to the music of the southern hemisphere."

The groundbreaking Revueltas Festival which she created and realized in Santa Barbara (January 2000) elicited rave praise worldwide for its imaginative approach and wide ranging commitment to the cause of the composer. ("Gisèle Ben-Dor can be counted to unearth something important every season", Los Angeles Times).The Festival "Tango and Malambo" is now in the making, and will feature music from Argentinean composers, including Ginastera, Piazzola , Bacalov, Golijov and Guastavino.

Such events, as well as her many recordings confirm the Los Angeles Times' assertion that she is "a star on the rise ... so ferocious a talent ... just the conductor we have been waiting for to make a really persuasive case for Latin composers". Ms. Ben-Dor has also recorded music of John Adams, David Ott, Béla Bártok and Ezra Sims.

Currently, Ms. Ben-Dor is the Music Director of the Santa Barbara Symphony and Conductor Emerita of the Boston Pro-Arte Chamber Orchestra where, having been chosen exclusively by the musicians themselves, she has also garnered the highest praise from both audience and critics. The Boston Globe remarked, "Ben-Dor casts her spell .... a tremendous musician, and a vital, charismatic presence."
She has shared the stage with artists such as Mstislav Rostropovich, Ann-Sophie Mutter, Gil Shaham, Frederika von Stade, Hilary Hahn, Sara Chang, Leon Fleisher, Yefim Bronfmann, Sharon Isbin and Arturo Sandoval.

Her talent was recognized by Leonard Bernstein, with whom she shared the stage at Tanglewood and at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival. Winner of the Bartok Prize of the Hungarian Television, she toured several East European countries. Ms. Ben-Dor made her conducting debut with the Israel Philharmonic in Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring and was televised by the BBC/London throughout Europe. Born and raised in Uruguay of Polish parents, she also studied at the Rubin Academy of Music in Tel-Aviv and at the Yale School of Music before residing in the U.S., together with her husband and two young sons. They have recently attained their citizenship.

Luis Bacalov
www.eagsharp.com

Pianist and composer LUIS BACALOV was born in Buenos Aires, where at the age of five began his music education with Enrique Barenboim and continued then with Berta Sujovolsky, a pupil of Arthur Schnabel.

Started very early his concert activity in Argentina. Appeared then as a soloist , in a duo with the violinist Alberto Lissy and in several chamber music groups. LUIS BACALOV researched popular music all over Latin America and work in this same field for the Radio and Television of Colombia, for which he also performed and recorded extensively the 19th and 20th century American repertoire for the piano.

From the sixties onward, LUIS BACALOV has been an active composer for cinema in Italy, France and the United States. He has worked with film directors such as Lattuada, Damiani, Scola, Petri, Giraldi, Wertmüller, Kurys, Stora, Lefebvre, Borowczyk, Greco, Frazzi brothers, Passolini, Fellini, Radford and Rosi, among others.

LUIS BACALOV won several prizes and nominations for original soundtracks of films. Among the latest prizes are the "OSCAR" of the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Science of Hollywood, the "Globo d'Oro" of the foreign press in Italy, the "Nastro d'Argento" of the Association of the Film Critics, the BAFTA prize (British Academy for Film and Television Arts) and the "Prize Nino Rota", all of them for the film "Il Postino", directed by Michael Radford. And the "Davide di Donatello" for the soundtrack of the film "La Tregua" directed by Francesco Rosi.

In addition to his activity as a composer, LUIS BACALOV continues to perform extensively throughout Europe and Latin America as a soloist with the orchestra, as well as recitalist and as a member of his own quartet: piano, bandondeon, percussion and double-bass dedicated to the "tango and around" repertoire, a result of his deep knowledge of ethnic, urban and contemporary music.

During 2000 Deutsche Grammphon released one compact disc dedicated to LUIS BACALOV. The recording includes his "Misa Tango" for tenor, mezzo-soprano and bandondeon soloists, double choir and symphony orchestra. The cast includes tenor Plácido Domingo, mezzo-soprano Ana María Martínez, bandondeon player Héctor Ulises Passarella, the "Coro e Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia" under the baton of Myun-Whun Chung. Other pieces in the album are Bacalov's "Tangosaín" for piano and orchestra and his own arrangements of Astor Piazzola's "Adiós Nonino" and "Libertango" with LUIS BACALOV as a soloist. This recording has been nominated for the 2001 version of the Latin Grammy Awards in the category of classical music.

Pablo Aslan, Bassist and Composer
http://www.avantango.com

Argentine-born bassist and composer Pablo Aslan resides in the US since 1980. Director of Avantango, he is also a founder and codirector of New York Buenos Aires Connection and New York Tango Trio with bandoneonist Raul Jaurena.

With these groups he has recorded several CDs and toured throughout the Americas, Europe and Russia. He participated in the 2nd and 3rd Tango Summits in Spain and Uruguay and recently toured the US and Japan with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and members of the Astor Piazzolla Quintet, appearing also on PBS and ABC. He is a member of BMG artist Pablo Ziegler's Quintet for New Tango, with whom he recorded and toured extensively in the US, Europe and Japan. He appeared at Carnegie Hall and on PBS with "Tango Magic" and directed the New York Tango Quartet in the 2000 JVC Jazz Festival also at Carnegie Hall. Aslan performed and recorded in 1999-2000 with clarinetist David Krakauer's Klezmer Madness in the US and Europe.

Pablo has worked with artists as varied as film composer Lalo Shiffrin, Grammy-winner singer Shakira, Grammy winner and Academy Award nominee Jorge Calandrelli, Grammy nominated Argentine pianist Adrian Iaies, Grammy Winner Argentine composer Carlos Franzetti, Osvaldo Golijov, Klezmer radical Frank London, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. In addition to writing and arranging for his own groups, Aslan wrote music for the New York-based Tango Mujer and was arranger and musical director of Jenny Levison's "Shtil, Mayn Corazon - a Yiddish Tango Cabaret."

 http://www.sandorparissa.com

Sandor

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Raised in the world of dance and the arts.

His entire family performed with the circus, and at the age of eight, Sandor joined them to tour throughout South America.

He later began performing with various productions:

• theatrical (musicals like Me and My Girl and 42nd Street),
• film (featured in the 1992 Warner Brothers movie, Mambo Kings),
• television (CBS- TV's, Star Search and Univision's, Sabado Gigante).

At the age of 21, the world of tango embraced him with its passion and beauty.

Once involved with tango, Sandor danced in highly successful tours:

• Tango, Tango (1992) and Corazon de Tango (1994), performing in 65 cities in Japan.
• Featured in Viva Tango, a production featured in both the Dunes and Aladdin Hotels in Las Vegas.
• honored in many tango contests:
• • including prizes at the Emerald Ball '93,
  • Nevada Star Ball '93,
  • Extravaganza Northwest Dance competition,
  • the Kaleidoscope Show at California State University of Los Angeles.
• Sandor was part of the original cast in the Broadway/London hit, Forever Tango, nominated in 1997 for the Tony Award, Best Choreography.
• In 1999 alone, Sandor added to his resume by choreographing and dancing in:
• • Latin Spectacular at the Hollywood Bowl, featuring the Los Angeles Philharmonic and broadcast live on UPN,
  • The European Film, Marlene, depicting the life of Marlene Dietrich,
  • Co-starring in the New Wave Films in associations with The New York Film Academy production of The Music Box,
  • Performed in the TV special, Tango Magic, which aired on PBS,
  • featured in HBO television commercial.
• In 2000, Sandor choreographed a dance scene for the series Rude Awakening on Showtime.
• In 2001, he choreographed the tango film Lighting on Positions.
• For his latest achievement, Sandor directs, performs,and choreographs his very successful tango shows:
• • Tango and Beyond,
  • Tango Bravo, Tango Vivo! which has toured the United States, Singapore, and Canada.

• He has also performed for :
• • the Mark Goodman Tap Co.,
  • Camerata Tango, Argentina Baila

Parissa

Trained in pre-pointe ballet, tap dance and jazz. Found her passion in the world of Ballroom dance.

Parissa spent most of her early childhood in the south of France.
Eventually the San Francisco Bay Area became her home, and it was during this time that she started her dance training with pre-pointe ballet, tap and jazz at Kirkpatrick's School of Dance.

After relocating to southern California to pursue her acting career, she discovered her talents for ballroom dance (Latin, swing, smooth, theatre arts, and Argentine tango).

Parissa's most recent dance credits include:

Wayne Foster Productions (featured in all styles of ballroom)

Synthesis Dance Co. (jazz)

The Mark Goodman Tap Co. (featured tango and tap)

Camerata Tango (featured couple)

Tango & Beyond (principal couple)

Argentina Baila (featured couple)

Tango Bravo (principal couple)

Tango Vivo ! (principal couple)

Features dancing salsa on the news of CBS, ABC and KTLA

TV appearance on the WB's Charmed (salsa)

Latin Image Awards (salsa)

Beats of Passion at the Venetian Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas
(featured tango act)

Principal dancer in the tango film Lighting on Positions

Gold Tango Show, Toronto, Canada (featured couple)

Noche de Estrellas, with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra
(featured tango couple)

Las Vegas Philharmonic Concert (featured tango couple)

Chamberjazz & Tangos 4tet San Francisco (featured couple)

Wrigley's doublemint gum, national ad campaign (featured model, dancer)

American Wedding, Universal Pictures (featured tango couple)

Six Feet Under, HBO (dance scene)

Armenian Dance Treasures, Ford Amphitheatre, LA, CA.
(featured tango couple)

7th LA Latino International Film Festival Award Ceremony
(featured tango couple)

Her most recent acting credits include:

TV - The Heartbreak Café (series' regular)

Film - Moon Children (lead), Hooters (lead)

Theatre - Soft Soap (supporting), The Bar Off Melrose (supporting), The Power & the Glory (lead).in the south of France.
Eventually the San Francisco Bay Area became her home, and it was during this time that she started her dance training with ballet, tap and jazz at Kirkpatrick's School of Dance.

Juanjo Mosalini, Bandoneon

Born in Buenos, Juan Jose Mosalini began playing the piano at the age of 7. Upon his arrival in France ,he continued his piano studies with G.Beytellman , and subsequently began learning to play the bandoneon with his father, also named Juan Jose Mosalini.After completing his conservatory studies, he undertook the study of music composition from various French masters. Rapidly becoming part of the music world, he associated with some of today's most notable tango musicians such as Leonardo Sanchez,Gustavo Beytellman,Gustavo Cancedo,with whom he performed on the most prestigious French stages.He has distinguished himself in the diverse roles of soloist on the stage, recording artist , accompanist and teacher , as well as in a wide variety of genres, including popular, authentic tango, classical and film music.He has participated in the creation of numerous film scores, working with Eric Serat, Luc Besson in the film "Leon"; Gabriel Yared, Jean Jacques Arnaud in the film "Wings of Courage" and performed on stage together with Lalo Schiffrin and Luis Bacalov.

As a soloist and symphonic concert artist he was invited to perform the premiere of David Chevalier's Concertino for radio France as well as the "Cacerolazo Concerto" by Tomas Gubitsh together with Vicente Bogeholz at the Rhenanes's Music festival organized by the WDB in Germany.

Other prestigious appearances have included the "Shubert Winter Reise" in New York and solo performances with the Bourgogne Camerata and the Milan Orchestra. Juan Jose Mosalini has distinguished himself as a collaborator of world renowned singers such as Julia Miguenes, Silvana de Luigi, Sandra Rumolino and become an integral part of innovative projects such as the Electronic Music Ensemble "Gotan Project".

Mr. Mosalini has also made dozens of recordings, including those with Trio Gomina, "Grand Orchestra de Tango de Juan Jose Mosalini", "Gustavo Gancedo Tango Septet" before devoting himself completely to the stage. As a teacher of bandoneon , Mr. Mosalini has been in the faculty of the Conservatories of Gennevellier and Alforteville in France.

Jimmy Gamonet de los Heros, choreographer

The works of Jimmy Gamonet De Los Heros have been performed throughout North America, South America and Europe, and include near three dozen set on the dancers of Miami City Ballet. In 14 years as Resident Choreographer and Ballet Master of Miami City Ballet, he created a signature style for that company, beginning with its opening performances in 1986.

Mr. Gamonet's works have been commission/underwritten by AT&T, The Wolf Trap Foundation, The Catherine Filene Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, Jacob's Pillow, Neiman Marcus, Barnett Bank of South Florida, The Firm of Steel Hector & Davis and The Windmere Corporation, among others.

Mr. Gamonet's work in ballet's neoclassical style -- both abstract and narrative - has been noted and rewarded at a national and international level. He has received three separate Choreography Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, including the prestigious three-year Fellowship in 1990, awarded to artists whose "work on a level of national excellence over time extends the aesthetic boundaries of the discipline". His other NEA awards include a one-year fellowship in 1989 and a two-year Fellowship in 1994. The State of Florida also recognized his accomplishments with Choreography Fellowships in 1993 and 1995.

In 1997, Mr. Gamonet developed a course curriculum for an innovative Choreographers Workshop. His mission: to build a training program with a final goal of educating, nurturing and encouraging aspiring choreographers to continue serious work in the field of classical dance. With funding through the Catherine Filene Shouse Foundation, the Choreographers Workshop was initiated as a three-year pilot program at Miami City Ballet with Mr. Gamonet as the Workshop Director. For several years Mr. Gamonet has been a member of the National Endowment for the Arts' Dance Advisory Panel. In 1999, 2001 and again in 2003, he was invited to judge the International Ballet Competition in Trujillo, Peru.

In recognition of his contributions to the art form, Mr. Gamonet was one of eight choreographers chosen in 1992 for the National Repertory Program. (The NRP is supported by the NEA, the Philip Morris Companies, and the Lila Wallace Reader Digest Fund to subsidize choreographic acquisitions for American professional repertory companies.) Under the NRP grant, the Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico commissioned Mr. Gamonet to set a version of Carmen on its dancers, which received its New York City premiere at the Joyce Theater in 1995. The collaboration between the choreographer and the company has continued: in May 2000, Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico commissioned "Pico Rico Mandorico", a new work based on a novel by acclaimed Puerto Rican writer Rosario Ferré. The ballet, made possible in part through a grant by the National Endowment for the Arts, premiered in Puerto Rico as part of an all-Gamonet program in March 2001. All evenings of his works have also been presented in Bogotá and Cali, Colombia. In 2003 Mr. Gamonet began his first collaboration with Ballet Florida with the premiere of Jubilo, with music by American composer Wynton.

Among the most celebrated of his works include Nous Sommes, D Symphonies, Purple Bend I and II, Concerto for La Donna, Reus, Miniatures, Danzalta, Movilissimanoble, La Casa de Bernarda Alba; with an original score by Broadway composer Richard Adler and funded in part through the NEA's Creation & Presentation awards, The Big Band SUPERMEGATROID; a Wolf Trap Foundation commission honoring its 25th Anniversary Season and Transtangos (considered the signature ballet of Miami City Ballet), Prokofiev Piano Concerto, Partita, Grand Pas Classique, Carmen and Jubilo.

Other recognitions for his creative efforts include, the 2000 Bill Hindman Award; given by the South Florida Critics Circle and the Theatre League of South Florida, for career artistic achievement and significant contributions to the artistic development of the performing arts. The Hispanic Heritage Council Award; in recognition for his significant efforts between the people of the Spanish speaking countries and the U.S.A. The 2003 Arts Recognition award given by the Governor of La Libertad in Peru; for his ongoing contributions to the art form.

He was a leading dancer with Ballet Moderno de Camara, directed by Hilda Riveros; the Peruvian National Ballet, directed by Vera Stasny; Ballet Peruano, directed by Kaye Mackinnon de Pacheco, Ballet de la Asociación Choreartium de Lima (now known as Ballet Municipal de Lima), directed by Lucy Telge de Linder. He first choreographed for the latter two companies when he was just 17. He was also a leading dancer with Ballet Du Nord in France.

Mr. Gamonet began his stage career at a very early age with Francisco Gamonet Productions, the theatrical company directed by his father. He toured as an actor through the age of 13, when he began his dance studies. While in his teens, he performed on Panamericana Television and in musicals under the direction of Peruvian choreographers Armando Barrientos and Eugenia Endo; he also choreographed several TV commercials in those years. At 22, he choreographed and staged plays for Lima's Broadway series (Mary Poppins, among others).

He received Gold Medals in both the Performance and Choreography categories at the 2nd International Dance and Choreography Competition in Peru in 1979 and, in 1980, participated in the Third International Ballet Competition in Osaka, Japan. In 1983, he won the highest award for Choreography at the Dance Competition of the Americas in Miami. He moved to the United States in 1980 to work with artistic director Bojan Spasoff, and in 1985 began his collaboration with Miami City Ballet.

• Features dancing salsa on the news of CBS, ABC and KTLA
• TV appearance on the WB's Charmed (salsa)
• 
  (featured tango act)
• Principal dancer in the tango film Lighting on campaign (featured model, dancer)

She was born in Argentina. She is graduated of the Superior Institute of Art of the Colón Theater, where she studied with Maestros Sirulnik and Valerio.

The Foundation Colon Theater and the Argentinean Foundation of Chamber Music granted her a scholarship (1997 / 2000), with which she studied the interpretation of the German lied and the French song with Maestro Guillermo Opitz.

In the year 1999 was consecrated winner of the First Prize in the International Competition of Song "Queen Sonja" (Oslo-Norway), with a prestigious jury integrated by singers like: Theo Adán, Ingrid Bjoner, Christa Ludwig and Birgit Nilsson.

She was rewarded by the Association of Argentinean Critics as Revelation of the year 1999.

In the year 2000 she won the International Competition "Operalia" which is sponsored by tenor Placido Domingo, being awarded with three prizes: "Prize of the Public", "Prize of the Zarzuela" and the "Prize Lloyd Rigler".

She performed with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Oslo in the opportunity of a tour for different Norwegian cities, such as Grimstad, Stavanger, Oslo, Harstad, among other, and in a concert offered under the direction of Maestro Marris Jansons at the Colón Theater (1999)

With the world premiere of Don Juan by J. Carlos Zorzi, she made her debut at the Colon Theater, where she also inaugurated the National Symphonic Orchestra's season 2001 and performed during the same season in the Opera "The Tales of Hoffmann".

She performed protagonist roles in the operas: "La Boheme" (Oslo - Norway; Bregenz Festival - Austria; Washington Opera - USA and at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma - Italy; Klagenfurt Staadttheater - Austria); "Carmen" (Argentinean Theater of La Plata; Cleveland Opera - USA; Washington Opera - USA and at the Royal Theater of Madrid - Spain); "Les Contes di Hoffmann" (Colon Theater - Argentina); "The Merry Widow" (Los Angeles - USA) and "The Barber of Seville".

She performed in numerous concerts along with the tenor Plácido Domingo as, "4° Latin Gala" at the Theater of Fine Arts in México D. F.; Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC, in opportunity of the "Kennedy Awards"; "Gala for Operalia Winners" in the city of Los Angeles; "Concert of Zarzuela" in Benidorm, Spain; "Gala Concert" in Halle, Germany, in "A night of Zarzuela with Friends" in Los Angeles, and at the Gala Concert of Die Fledermaus at the Washington Opera.

She was invited by the "Varmland Classic Festival" (Sweden), at the time of their Tenth Anniversary where she performed diverse fragments of Operas.

She recorded the works "Milena" and "Don Rodrigo" by Ginastera for EMI records.

Her future commitments include performances at the Theater Regio di Torino ( La Boheme and Carmen), at the Theater of Opera from Liege, Belgium (Luisa Miller), Oslo Norskeopera( The barber of Seville) and at the Theater of Trieste (Carmen).

Rodney Gustafson, Artistic Director/Founder

Mr. Gustafson trained at the School of American Ballet and spen t the majority of his performing career as a dancer with the world-renowned American Ballet Theatre during its heyday under the direction of Mikhail Baryshnikov. During this period,
Mr. Gustafson trained and worked with many of the great dancers and
choreographers of our time, including Alvin Ailey, George Balanchine,
Rudolf Nureyev, Jerome Robbins and Anthony Tudor. He also appeared in the
films The Turning Point, Baryshnikov’s Nutcracker, and several Live
from Lincoln Center specials for PBS. Mr. Gustafson continues his
affiliation with American Ballet Theatre as an instructor and
choreographer for their summer programs. Mr. Gustafson also holds a
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Arts in
Organizational Management. A talented choreographer, Gustafson has created many new ballets for the company’s repertoire including his version of Nutcracker set in a movie studio in 1930s Hollywood, Caravan of Dreams, Bolero, and a full length Romeo & Juliet. He has built a company respected for its choreography, dancing, and fiscally responsible management. The State Street Ballet celebrates its 10th Anniversary this year.

William Soleau, Choreography

Mr. Soleau has worked as a principal dancer in both
modern and ballet with choreographers such as Alvin Ailey, John Butler,
Toer Van Shayk, Anthony Tudor, Norman Walker and Grey Verdon. As resident choreographer and principal dancer for both Finis Jhung’s Chamber Ballet U.S.A and Dennis Wayne’s DANCERS in New York City in the 80’s he established himself as an emerging choreographer. New York critic Allan Charlet of Back Stage wrote “He is destined to become one of our most prolific dance creators with his utter dedication and sincerity of purpose...” While with Finis Jhung, Mr. Soleau created his first work, Isle, which became an instant success.

In 1987 Mr. Soleau gained international recognition for his full evening work, Universe, for the Shanghai Ballet of China during its first International
Shanghai Arts Festival. Having been principal dancer and resident
choreographer for several companies, and having had the opportunity as a dancer to tour to over 30 countries, he ended his dancing career and began to devote himself to only choreography.
Mr. Soleau currently has over seventy ballets in the repertoires of many companies, including Ballet British Columbia, The Icelandic Ballet, Ballet de Montreal, Richmond Ballet, Ballet Austin, Louisville Ballet, and Ballet Florida. He set his award-winning multi-media ballet Starry Night, based on the art of Van Gogh for the State Street Ballet during their 1999 season. In 2003, he was the creator and choreography for Seasons for the State Street Ballet. It was a highly successful and innovative experience in dance and music based on The Road Not Taken, by poet Robert Frost. A resident of New York City, Mr. Soleau serves as the Executive Director for the John Butler Foundation, Inc. dedicated to preserving and protecting the master works of this influential American Choreographer. Mr. Soleau is a graduate of Amherst College.

Photos by David Bazemore

Roberto "El Tata" Chagallo, Guest Dancer

"El Tata," as Mr. Chagallo is known in the world of dance and performance, was born in Argentina and graduated from the National School of Folkloric Dances in Buenos Aires in 1972. Under contract to the Secretary of Culture in Argentina, Mr. Chagallo taught courses in folkloric dancing in the Municipal Schools of Culture. He uses objects traditionally associated with the gaucho and rural life to help interpret folkloric traditions of the Argentine provinces, as in the exciting Malambo dance. Mr. Ghagallo was instrumental in the formation of "Los Tatas Gauchos," a group that performed in provinces all over Argentina. For his cultural work he was awarded "The Gold Pingquin" in the Austral Festival. He has toured extensively in Argentina and Latin America including Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Dutch Guiana, Panama and Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico. He has performed throughout Spain and United States, and teaches and performs Argentinean folkloric dances in Miami.