ONLINE: Lift Every Voice

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Kat Stiennon

Madison Ballet dancers Zaynab Miller, Sarah Minton, Christopher Damle, Myca Cumpston, Megan Chiu, Yu-Jhe Sun and Lily Edgar in a work from the 2022 "Lift Every Voice" program.

Madison Ballet has been working to bring ballet to diverse audiences throughout the pandemic, through free outdoor performances and even film. Its film series Lift Every Voice returns for a second season, featuring brand-new contemporary dance from choreographers of color; featured this year are Meet by Yaqi Wu, Love Dream by Yu-Jhe Sun, Love Suites by Morgan Williams, and Away/Return by Jacob Ashley EL. The films premiere at 6 p.m. on Feb. 12 and will be available to view on demand for free through Feb. 28; register for a link at madisonballet.org.

media release: Expanding on the success of their first film series in spring 2021, Madison Ballet’s Lift Every Voice 2022 will premiere February 12 with four brand-new contemporary works by local choreographers of color. This free virtual production will guide audiences in an exploration of thought-provoking themes through progressive ballet movement.

Lift Every Voice 2022 features pairings of choreographer and filmmaker resulting in four brand-new works: Choreographer Morgan Williams of Water Street Dance and filmmaker John Carlo Rosillo present Love Suites; Choreographer Jacob Ashley EL of Madison Ballet and filmmaker John Urban of Big Dreamers United present Away/Return; Choreographer Yaqi Wu of ArtEast Dance Studio and filmmaker Aaron Granat present Meet; and choreographer Yu-Jhe Sun of Madison Ballet and filmmaker Dave Alcorn present Love Dream.

“We are thrilled to be able to expand this year’s production to feature an additional choreographer and their new work. Lift Every Voice is just one way Madison Ballet is working to highlight choreographers of color in our community, and we look forward to seeing the project continue to grow each year,” says Artistic Director Sara Stewart Schumann.

These works feature striking contemporary movement while grounded in classical ballet, addressing themes of love, connection, and culture. The film medium gives the choreographers and dancers a wonderful collaborative tool, allowing them to incorporate additional Madison artists and unique performance locations, transporting viewers to inspiration previously unimagined.

Viewers can turn their screening of Lift Every Voice into the perfect Valentine’s Day date with the “Madison Ballet Pack” from Table Wine in Madison. For $50, audiences will receive a bottle of wine, chocolates, cheese, sausage, and crackers, with proceeds going to support Madison Ballet’s artists. To order, visit www.tablewinemadison.com/order and request the “Madison Ballet Pack” on the form. Packs will be available for pick up starting Monday, February 7. 

Lift Every Voice will premiere for free on February 12 at 6 pm and will be available online through February 28, 2022. Register to watch at www.madisonballet.org/lift-every-voice-2022.

This project is generously supported by the Madison Community Foundation.

For 40 years, Madison Ballet has been an integral part of the vibrant Dane County arts community. Full-scale productions of inspiring traditional ballets, innovative contemporary performances, and the timeless holiday tradition of “The Nutcracker” reach more than 13,000 people each year. The School of Madison Ballet empowers students of all ages and skill levels with the poise, confidence, discipline, and fundamental life skills intrinsic to the study of dance. Outreach programming, presented in partnership with dozens of local school and community groups, enriches thousands of young people’s lives by introducing them to the joy of dance.