UNLOCKED

September 20, 2024 Chautauqua Auditorium
7:30 PM

Program Sponsors

Join us for an evening of exquisite dance as Boulder Ballet returns to the Chautauqua Auditorium this September. Our fall show features a dynamic program showcasing works ranging from classic to contemporary, ensuring there’s something for everyone — even those new to dance.

Witness the creative prowess of acclaimed choreographers Ching Ching Wong, Andrea Schermoly, and Gerald Arpino as we bring a memorable and engaging performance to this historic venue.

We invite you to a post-show conversation on unlocking the creative process with choreographers Ching Ching Wong and Andrea Schermoly, moderated by Boulder Ballet’s Artistic Director, Ben Needham-Wood. 

Performances:

Light Rain by Gerald Arpino

World Premiere by Ching Ching Wong

Within Without by Andrea Schermoly

Grand Pas Classique from Raymonda Act 3 by Ben Needham-Wood

Meet the Choreographers

We start our season with works from 4 incredible choreographers.

  • Choreographer and performer Ching Ching, born in Manila and raised in Los Angeles, is known for her versatile contributions to the dance world. She has received the prestigious Princess Grace Award in Dance and was recognized as one of Dance Magazine's 25 to Watch. This season, she will debut her latest creations in collaboration with rapper Jack Harlow for the Louisville Ballet, as well as with Boulder Ballet, Moonwater Dance Project, co-choreographed with Noelle Kayser, and SALT Contemporary Dance.

    As rehearsal director for Ballets Jazz Montréal, Ching Ching toured globally, presenting works by renowned choreographers such as Crystal Pite, Azure Barton, Ihsan Rustem, Annebelle Lopez Ochoa, and Andonis Foniadakis. In her role as assistant to Ihsan Rustem, she has staged his works for numerous prestigious companies, including Bern Ballet, Thüringer Staatsballett, Mecklenburg Staatstheater, Codarts, Rambert School, Taiwan University of the Arts, Tanzwerk101, Valencia Dancing Forward Spain, and Moving Arts Cincinnati.

    Ching Ching holds a BFA in Dance Performance from the University of California, Irvine, where she studied closely with the late Donald McKayle. She began her professional career at Northwest Dance Project, originating roles in creations by a diverse array of choreographers such as Sarah Slipper, Ihsan Rustem, Felix Landerer, Lucas Crandall, Alejandro Cerrudo, Jiri Pokorny, Wen Wei Wang, Didy Veldman, Danielle Agami, Patrick Delcroix, Alex Soares, Kate Wallich, Pedro Dias, Gregory Dolbashian, Yin Yue, Loni Landon, and Rachel Erdos.

    In addition, Ching Ching has performed with several acclaimed companies and artists, including Robyn Mineko Williams, Roderick George, ZviDance, LED, Brendan Duggan, PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, Heidi Duckler Dance, Brett Perry CARLON, YYDC, OddKnock Productions, Katie Scherman, Adam Weinert, WHYTEBERG, violinist Joe Kye, and SALT Contemporary Dance.

    Beyond her extensive performance and choreography work, Ching Ching founded Project Salamat and The Experience, a global outreach program that has been conducted in 17 cities across 11 countries, demonstrating her commitment to spreading the art of dance worldwide.

    Image by Lindsay Rosenberg

  • Andrea (Andi) Giselle Schermoly was born in South Africa.  She trained at the National School of the Arts, Johannesburg and on full scholarship at Rambert Ballet and Contemporary School and full scholarship at The Royal Ballet School, London.  She competed internationally as a member of The South African National Rhythmic Gymnastics Team.  She danced professionally for Boston Ballet II and the Netherlands Dance Theater.   

    She is the resident choreographer at Louisville Ballet Company. 

    She has choreographed and staged work for Compania Nazionale de Danza, Ballet Met, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Cape Dance Company, Kansas City Ballet Company, State Street Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet Company, Louisville Ballet Company, Santa Barbara Dance Theater, Festival Ballet Theater, Ballet Theatre Afrikan, Quixotic Cirque Noveau, Boston Ballet II, Joffrey Ballet Concert Group, The Juilliard School solos evening and directed and choreographed a dance narrative film for The Ashley Bouder Project presented at The Joyce Theater, NYC, which went on to be presented by San Francisco Dance Film Festival.  She was awarded the “Outstanding Choreographer” award in 2012, 2013 and 2017 at Youth America Grand Prix.  In 2014 she choreographed at Lincoln Center for YAGP’s 15th anniversary gala evening on dancers Maria Kochetkova (principal San Francisco Ballet) and Joaquin de Luz (principal New York City Ballet). The piece has since been re-staged at ‘Buenos Aires International Dance Gala' Argentina and ‘Stars of the 21st Century Gala’ in the Champs Élysées, Paris. Andi has choreographed for feature films, commercials and music videos including ‘Beautiful Now’, 'Bunheads', Justin Bieber/Poo Bear and Deorro music video and choreographically assisted on projects as 'Budweiser Superbowl Commercial’ and ‘Star Trek into Darkness’.  She's created work for principal dancers attending international galas, most recently for Sarah Van Patten/Wei Wang of San Francisco Ballet for Tahoe Dance Camp.   

    Andrea has created 7 original works for Louisville Ballet, including having the honor of recreating two iconic Martha Graham works in collaboration with Louisville Ballet and Louisville Orchestra.  “Appalachian Spring” and “Judith”.  She has upcoming work with Oregon Ballet Theater amongst others and recently finished a full length original creation of Romeo and Juliet for Royal New Zealand Ballet.  This will be restaged at West Australian Ballet this year.  Her most recent dance film ‘Rite of Spring’ for Louisville Ballet received outstanding reviews including “the best pandemic film produced in the US”.  by ARTS AIR.   

  • Gerald Arpino (1923-2008) was the Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer of The Joffrey Ballet, the company he co-founded with Robert Joffrey in 1956. Born on Staten Island, New York, he met Robert Joffrey while stationed in Seattle with the Coast Guard. He studied with Mary Ann Wells, at the School of American Ballet, danced with Graham dancers May O’Donnell and Gertrude Schurr, and was a principal dancer with the original Joffrey company.

    As resident choreographer, Arpino created over one-third of the commissioned repertory for the Joffrey Ballet, including Sea Shadow, Viva Vivaldi, Olympics, The Clowns, Trinity, Kettentanz, Suite Saint-Saens, and Light Rain. He also had wide experience in Broadway musicals, on television, in opera, and staged musicals for the country’s leading festivals. Arpino’s ballets have been performed at the White House on several occasions, as well as around the world, to critical acclaim as well as controversial appraisal. So varied was his output, that one critic commented, “He’s not a single artist. He must be an alliance.” As one of the recipients of the 1974 Dance Magazine Award, his citation read: “To Gerald Arpino – more than any other choreographer, he has recognized the spirit of the times. His work speaks clearly of the anguish and the joy of being young in America today.”

    Upon Robert Joffrey’s passing, Arpino directed the Joffrey Ballet from 1988 until 2008, continuing Joffrey’s vision for the company by restaging important dance historical works, such as Léonide Massine’s symphonic ballet Les Presages (1933), and Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella (1948), as well as taking risks with new commissions such as the rock ballet Billboards (1993) to music by Prince. In 1995, Arpino moved the Joffrey Ballet to Chicago, where he established the Joffrey as a world-class company in the heart of the American Midwest, which continues to thrive today.


  • Ben Needham-Wood is an EMMY Award-winning choreographer, filmmaker, and dance educator. Ben received his BFA in Ballet (magna cum laude) from the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, OH. He then went on to enjoy a 12-year performance career dancing primarily with the Louisville Ballet in Kentucky and Smuin Contemporary Ballet in San Francisco, CA. As a performer Ben was honored to receive two Isadora Duncan Dance Award nominations and a favorable review from the New York Times.

    Ben’s choreographic career began while still performing. His creations have been presented nationally by professional companies, TV networks, commercial airlines, film festivals, and galas. In 2018, Ben and his long-time collaborator, Weston Krukow, co-created the dance film BaseBallet: Into the Game, which was awarded 4 regional EMMY Awards and recognized by film festivals across the country. This feature was preceded by the short film, BaseBallet, which was also recognized with a regional EMMY Award and was later exhibited at the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, NY.

    Ben was the first appointed Artistic Fellow of Amy Seiwert’s Imagery in 2018. Two years later he founded his own company, Redirecting Dance, in order to produce works that amplify critical social issues and inspire empathy. Through his company Ben has been closely studying the impacts of movement on mental health. This research continues to inform his work as a choreographer and leader in the performing arts.