Oklahoma City Ballet presents “Future Voices: A Choreographic Showcase” through March 23rd, 2025. This annual event gives select members of the Oklahoma City Ballet company a chance to choreograph a new dance and premiere it during the showcase. Six company members have created a new piece this year.
“Future Voices” takes place at the Susan E. Brackett Dance Center, located at the Oklahoma City Ballet rehearsal studio. This intimate setting gives audiences a close-up and relatable experience. Dancers are typically far away on-stage during performances, and the closeness provided in the studio adds to the more informal presentation style.
Dances range in emotion from light and playful, to poignant and haunting. Each choreographer has the added benefit of knowing their dancers. Since they all dance together as members of the ballet, the choreographers already know their dancers and can utilize their strengths.
The new titles include “Carnival Concerto”, choreographed by Flannery Werner, “A Spoonful of Sugar” by Mickayla Carr, “Echo” by Randolph Fernandez, “Game Face” by Joseph Hetzer, “Beyond Us” and “What’s New?” by Leonardo Celegato, and “Now I can only smile” by Alex Schooling.
The choreographers have found movement and inspiration through music, and each has found a unique way to channel those messages through dance. The show opens with the largest cast. For “Carnival Concerto”, Werner has put fourteen dancers on the floor in the Blackbox-style presentation space. Their movement is flowing and natural, and it sets the stage for the evening.
“A Spoonful of Sugar” is a haunting piece about addiction. In this dance, eight dancers in black and cream attire circle each other. A red ribbon is used around the waists of some of the dancers. This detail indicates the binding nature of addiction. Red socks and ties also provide striking pops of color and awaken the senses. One dancer, Oklahoma City Principal Artist Courtney Connor Jones, is the only dancer in all white. This subtle clue becomes more prominent and powerful as the dance continues. This piece is moving and unforgettable.
“Echo” explores notions of relationships and how we complicate our own lives. This dance includes the smallest cast, with four performers grappling with ideas of love and loyalty in their partnerships.
“Game Face” utilizes unique facial expressions, an aspect that is often used in ballet to convey emotion. Company members are already adept at this, as they use their nonverbal communication to convey thoughts and words during every dance on stage. This large cast of eleven strikes a powerful scene in black suits and white gloves. Physicality and synchronization are shown here, and this cast proves once again it’s second to none.
“Beyond Us” is an absolute showstopper and comes with a trigger warning. Before the dance starts, Celegato tells the audience that he wanted to explore ideas of aggression and violence, and he cautions that the dance may be triggering for some. The seven dancers in this cast wear bright tape in various places on their bodies. Some wear bright blue stripes on their legs, while others have purple and yellow across their chests and arms. One dancer wears a blue collar around her neck.
The athleticism and passion in this piece are unmatched, and the content and collaboration leave the audience breathless. A standout performance is given by Principal Dancer Alejandro Gonzalez, who must reach deep and find a side of himself not often shown on stage. The result is, as always, powerful and wholly unique. This dance is a gift, and the dancers have given their all to each other and the audience.
Celegato’s final piece “What’s New” is a much-needed palate cleanser. In this dance, three young women on a park bench gossip and enjoy each other’s company. Classical music, nostalgic costumes, and the Charleston are featured, bringing the spirits and tone back to a place of comfort. These two contrasting dances show the emotional range of Choreographer Celegato. Hopefully, he will use his talent for choreography again in the future, and soon.
“Now I can only smile” features music by local band Lust Online. This house-party inspired dance is joyful and fun, and it features unique footwear. A blend of sneakers, pointe shoes and flat dance shoes are used for the large cast of twelve. The footwear is a bright sky blue and adds to the whimsical tone of the dance.
As usual, the dancers and choreographers have brought their A-Game for everything they do for this performance. The dances are unique and individual to the choreographers, and they all show talent and skill with the design side of dance. “Future Voices” is a break from more traditional dances, but there is something for everyone in this eclectic mix of world premiere pieces.“Future Voices: A Choreographic Showcase” runs through March 23rd, 2025 at the OKC Ballet Studio, located at 6800 N. Classen Blvd in Nichols Hills. Tickets are $20, a price that is well worth the value provided by the artists in this showcase.
For information and tickets visit okcballet.org.
Adrienne Proctor is a theater and arts writer in Oklahoma City. She's been contributing to the arts reporting space since 2017.
