In this celebratory Dance Talk, we commemorate Artistic Director Stanton Welch's 20th Anniversary with Houston Ballet. Welch reflects on his journey at the helm of the Company, the triumphs and challenges along the way, and his new work set to Tchaikovsky’s challenging “Piano Concerto No. 1,” which debuted at the 2023 Margaret Alkek Williams Jubilee of Dance.
0:00 Welcome
1:58 Stanton Welch’s first experience with Houston Ballet and Indigo
5:08 Timeline to Houston Ballet Artistic Director
5:35 Initial vision for the company
6:31 Retelling classical story ballets
9:07 Theme of strong women in Welch’s works
10:12 Inspiration for Welch original ballets – Marie and Sylvia
12:53 Support for new full lengths
14:14 Welch’s inspiration for one-act, nonnarrative ballets
15:19 Overcoming challenges brought on by Hurricane Harvey and COVID-19
18:48 Bringing in repertoire from the Masters: Balanchine, Robbins, Kylian, MacMillan and more
21:18 Commissioning new work: finding choreographers and the process and parameters for creating
29:52 Cultivating the next generation of choreographers
31:54 New works by company dancers in the Margaret Alkek Williams Jubilee of Dance
34:34 New Welch work in Jubilee of Dance – Vi et animo
40:30 Q&A: When did you know you wanted to be a choreographer?
42:18 Welch’s first work
43:47 Q&A: Have we accomplished your initial goal of attracting the world’s leading choreographers? What’s next?
45:30 Q&A: What pieces would you like to create next?
47:17 Q&A: What’s your approach to keeping recreations of classical story ballets new and fresh?
50:03 Q&A: Would you ever recreate Bolero Triptych, a ballet for theater in the round?
51:50 Q&A: Are you using all of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in Vi et animo?
53:28 Q&A: Any other thoughts about the future for Houston Ballet?
57:23 Q&A: What keeps you going? Where do you find inspiration?
59:54 Q&A: What’s the timeline and process for making a big production like The Nutcracker?
1:02:16 Q&A: Will Nutty Nutcracker ever come back?
1:02:33 Q&A: How do you recruit dancers?
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