Trey McIntyre's THE BLUE BOY Makes West Coast Debut at Diablo Ballet, 3/1-2

Diablo Ballet's 19th season continues with tonight and tomorrow's March 1 and 2 March program, featuring a West Coast premiere from acclaimed choreographer Trey McIntyre and the premiere of the first ballet work created via the internet.

Trey McIntyre, one of the world's most innovative choreographers, brings the Web Coast premiere of The Blue Boy to Diablo Ballet. Inspired by the famous Gainsborough painting of the same name, McIntyre uses the second movement of Beethoven's first piano concerto for this pas de trois featuring Diablo Ballet dancers Mayo Sugano, Hiromi Yamazaki, and Robert Dekkers. The work received its premiere by the Trey McIntyre Project on July 28, 2007 at the White Oak Project in Florida.

Diablo Ballet merges technology and dance to create the groundbreaking Web Ballet. In January, Diablo Ballet asked dancer fans all over the world to submit choreographic suggestions to the Company's Twitter page (#DiabloWebBallet) in order to create the world's first dance work made from suggestions from the internet. The music will also be selected by voting on Diablo Ballet's YouTube page.

On February 14, choreographer Robert Dekkers and Artistic Director Lauren Jonas, viewed all of the submissions and selected seven, which Dekkers will then combine to create this new dance work, to be performed by the entire company.

Sean Kelly, choreographer of Diablo Ballet's November hit, A Swingin' Holiday, presents the West Coast premiere of the Pas de deux from Sinuosity, which premiered in October 1996 by the Houston Ballet. A romantic work that combines virtuosity and athleticism, it is set to the Celtic music of Enya and will be performed live with new arrangement by Diablo Ballet's Music Director Greg Sudmeier.

The fiery rhythm of Latin jazz heats up the program with a premiere by Diablo Ballet's David Fonnegra, performed to live music.

In 2010, Diablo Ballet began its interactive series, Inside the Dancer's Studio, bringing audiences up-close to the power of dance. The Series combines a fully costumed dance presentation performed to live music and audience participation in an intimate theater setting. Patrons have the opportunity to participate in a question and answer session with the dancers, choreographers and artistic staff, which is moderated by a local celebrity and followed by an exclusive complimentary food and wine reception to meet the dancers.

Pictured: Hiromi Yamazaki, photo by Tiffany Fong.