Oklahoma City Ballet presents their annual spring production, SHORTS, this weekend at the Civic Center. Three short dances are presented on the Civic Center mainstage, two familiar and one brand new.
2025’s production features an all-new routine, choreographed in-house by OKC Ballet Artistic Director Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye, and set to the music of OKC’s own psychedelic rock band The Flaming Lips. The dance closes the show as the finale for the evening, and it serves as a collaboration between the ballet company and the band.
“As a longtime fan of The Flaming Lips, this project feels like a fusion of two worlds I love – rock music and dance. I want to break down ballet stereotypes and rock and roll stereotypes, blending them in a way that redefines how one thinks of OKC Ballet,” said Nye in a prepared statement.
“Oklahoma City Ballet is committed to presenting ballet in a new and exciting way. We want ballet to be accessible and fun, and music is a great avenue to introduce new audiences to ballet,” said Whitney Cross, Director of Development and Communications for Oklahoma City Ballet. “The Flaming Lips have been OKC’s resident rock stars for 40 years, and we are thrilled to have their support for this production.”
An invited media preview inside the dancer’s studio in late April showed a work in progress as Jolicoeur-Nye and his cast of professional dancers smoothed out and finalized a show that they had just begun designing days before. Jolicoeur-Nye has let the music guide him in his design approach, and the dancers deliver a program that is as memorable and unique as the band that inspired it.
Two guest choreographers accompany Jolicoeur-Nye to present two of the three works, making SHORTS an eclectic event. No two are the same, and each is slated to build anticipation for the dance to follow.
‘Divertimento No. 15’
Opening the performance and setting the stage for the evening is “Divertimento No. 15” by George Balanchine. Next up is “Otra Vez, Otra Vez, Otra Vez” by Stephanie Martinez.
Finally, the world premiere Flaming Lips piece comes to life to close out the evening of exciting and moving works.
Divertimento No. 15 is a classical work that originally debuted in 1956. The cast of eight includes principal dancers Courtney Connor Jones, Marco Corcella, Oslaniel Castillo, and Alejandro González. The dance is bright and cheery and sets the stage for an evening of beautiful dance. This well-known work of ballet is lovely and dreamy to watch, and it puts patrons at ease with its flowing presentation. New costumes utilize springtime colors and make the performance feel fresh.
‘Otra Vez, Otra Vez, Otra Vez’
In “Otra Vez, Otra Vez, Otra Vez”, Chicago-based choreographer Stephanie Martinez creates a story both vivid and heart pounding. The Afro-Cuban style is impactful, blending sounds of nature with Spanish guitar and striking lighting effects.
Previously staged by Jolicoeur-Nye at the Northwest Arkansas Ballet Theatre, “Otra Vez” is different with every new production. Loosely based on “The Old Guitarist” by Pablo Picasso, this piece is sexy and daring, thought-provoking and simply unmissable.
‘Flaming Lips: The Ballet’
For the grand finale, the world premiere of “Flaming Lips: The Ballet” dazzles and delights audiences with every pointed step. Equal parts colorful and bold, this dance is bright and fun while honoring the band and its music.
This cast is broken into two factions. The “Movers” include members of the Corps de Ballet and Apprentices. The “Groovers” include Principal Artists Alejandro González, Randolph Fernandez, Leonardo Celegato, James Klump, Alex Schooling, Mickayla Carr, Anna Tateda, Mayu Odaka, Erina Tanaka, and Joseph Hetzer.
The ballet features eight Flaming Lips songs, which serve as the backdrop for the choreography. Movement and motion take the lead and the dancers create beautiful scenes during each song.
Jolicoeur-Nye shows his talent and theatrical prowess with this piece, utilizing the strengths of his dancers both as individuals and as a united whole.
A particular standout moment involves one of The Flaming Lips’ most famous tunes, “She Don’t Use Jelly”. This number utilizes tap dance, bright lights, and stark shadows to create a powerful and memorable piece of dance.
If it could get any more special, the Flaming Lips ballet includes a partnership with one of OKC Ballet’s initiatives. Their Dance for Parkinson’s program is a partnership with the Oklahoma Parkinson’s Alliance and Mercy Hospital. The program provides movement classes for participants living with Parkinson’s disease. Members of this program attend two classes a week at the Ballet Studio, and select members got the opportunity to participate on stage during this dance.
Jolicoeur-Nye and company have created a mashup of art forms and genres that inspires and leaves audiences hoping they’ll do something like it again in the future.
Funky and fun, technically challenging, and thoroughly Oklahoma City, “Flaming Lips: The Ballet” is a love letter to this band, their music, and the city that inspired it all.
As always, this year’s Spring production of SHORTS is an inspirational and thought-provoking evening. Patrons should not hesitate to grab their tickets for the short run of performances this weekend.
OKC Ballet’s annual production, SHORTS, runs through May 11th, 2025, at the Civic Center Music Hall. Tickets begin at $20. The show is recommended for ages 11+. 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.
