BOLERO

Music by Maurice Ravel​
Choreography by CiCi Houston​

​

From the Choreographer:
"Bolero - you probably know this music. It was originally commissioned as a ballet and has been reimagined for dance many times, sometimes iconically so. For that reason I never felt an impulse to choreograph to this music, not until I saw the music in a live performance by the SLSO last year. While I knew the piece, I didn't know which musician on the stage would "grab the baton" next, jumping out of the ensemble and into the spotlight. There emerged my structure: every dancer participates in the corps de ballet, and everyone is a soloist, just as Ravel had written it."

​

​"Ravel’s ballet is deeply influenced by his parents—his mother’s Spanish heritage, reflected in floral elements like the carnation, and his father’s work as an engineer. The corps de ballet will embody this sense of industrial precision and repetition, while soloists highlight individual artistry, like flowers in a garden. Together, the dancers of our Professional Training Program showcase both their unique voices and the strength of a unified ensemble."
Below: A previous work by Houston, Grandel Theater, May 2025