Smuin Ballet to Present Adam Hougland's COLD VIRTUES, 2/1-3/9

Smuin Ballet lights up the Bay Area this winter as it continues its presentation of Cold Virtues, a striking interplay of romance and power from rising choreographer Adam Hougland, set to Philip Glass' haunting Violin Concerto. The program also includes a revival of Oh, Inverted World, Trey McIntyre's spunky smash hit set to music from the popular indie-rock band The Shins, which received its world premiere with Smuin Ballet in 2010. Three works by Michael Smuin will also grace the stage - Starshadows, a sensual and evocative adagio for three couples set to Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major; Homeless, a joyous and exhilarating solo work; and No Viviré, an en pointe solo peppered with the delicious flavoring of Latin American rhythms.

Smuin Ballet's Winter Program tours the Bay Area, beginning with shows in Walnut Creek (Feb 1-2), followed by performances in Mountain View (Feb 20-24) and Carmel (Mar 8-9). Tickets are now available at www.smuinballet.org or at each venue's box office (see info at end of release).

Adam Hougland's Cold Virtues is a mysterious and intriguing dance of manipulation and deception, called "engrossing to the end" by the San Francisco Chronicle and "unforgettable" by SF Classical Voice. Set to Philip Glass's haunting Violin Concerto, the piece features 14 dancers, who whirl and leap against a hypnotic backdrop of spinning fans in the smoky depths of a depression-era speakeasy. As the Principal Choreographer for Louisville Ballet and Resident Choreographer for Cincinnati Ballet, Hougland has added to his list of accomplishments by choreographing original works for the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, Introdans in the Netherlands, the Limón Dance Company, The Washington Ballet, and the New York Choreographic Institute at New York City Ballet. In 2006, he created a world premiere for Juilliard's Centennial Celebration that was broadcast on the PBS 'Live from Lincoln Center' series. He has won the Princess Grace Award for Choreography, the Choo-San Goh Award for Choreography, and a New York State Council for the Arts Commissioning Grant, and was included in Dance Magazine's 25 to Watch for 2011 and Pointe Magazine's 10 VIPs of 2006.

Oh, Inverted World by Trey McIntyre is set to music by the influential indie-rock band The Shins. An innovative fusion of McIntyre's fresh, impulsive choreography and The Shins' distinctive style, Oh, Inverted World is a mesmeric and lingering work marked by intricate patterns and athletic partnering. This dynamic ballet, commissioned by Smuin Ballet, received its world premiere in Fall 2010 in San Francisco, and recently enjoyed its New York premiere at The Joyce Theatre in Manhattan.

The program also features a set of pieces choreographed by Michael Smuin. Starshadows, a sensual and evocative adagio for three couples, explores the mystery and beauty of intimate relationships. Set to Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major, this piece is dark, dreamlike, and describes in dance a half-remembered melody that flows through the viewer's consciousness. Two solo works by Smuin will also grace the stage; Homeless is a joyous, exhilarating piece that celebrates dance athleticism through sudden leaps and sublime jumps while following the insistent exotic rhythm imbedded in the music. No Viviré spices up the stage when it pairs the extensive classical training of dancing en pointe with the delicious flavoring of Latin American rhythms.

WALNUT CREEK

WHERE: Lesher Center for the Arts
1601 Civic Dr, Walnut Creek
Corner of Civic & Locust Streets

WHEN: February 1-2, 2013
Friday, February 1 at 8pm
Saturday, February 2 at 2pm and 8pm

TICKETS: For single tickets ($54-$70), the public can call the Lesher Center for the Arts at (925) 943-7469 or visit www.smuinballet.org. Discounts are available for seniors, students, and groups of 10 or more.

MOUNTAIN VIEW

WHERE: Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts
500 Castro Street, Mountain View
Corner of Castro & Mercy Streets

WHEN: February 20-24, 2013
Wed-Fri, February 20-22, at 8pm

Sat, February 23, at 2pm & 8pm
Sun, February 24, at 2pm

TICKETS: For single tickets ($52-$68), the public can call the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts at (650) 903-6000 or visit www.smuinballet.org. Discounts are available for seniors, students, and groups of 10 or more.

CARMEL

WHERE: Sunset Center
San Carlos Street between 8th and 10th Streets, Carmel

WHEN: March 8-9, 2013
Friday, March 8 at 8pm
Saturday, March 9 at 2pm

TICKETS: For single tickets ($55-$65), the public can call the Sunset Center at (831) 620-2048 or visit www.smuinballet.org. Discounts are available for students and groups of 10 or more.

Pictured: Joshua Reynolds and Susan Roemer. Photo credit: Keith Sutter.