Four World Premiers in NextWave LA

Guest Choreographers from the Hit Show "So You Think You Can Dance"

(Los Angeles, March 8, 2010 ) Los Angeles Ballet [LAB] Artistic Directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary are thrilled to present New Wave LA which involves four contemporary World Premieres from guest choreographers Josie Walsh, and Sonya Tayeh, Mandy Moore and Travis Wall from the hit FOX show “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Each choreographer will present an innovative, modern, edgy and world class piece with Los Angeles Ballet dancers. New Wave LA is a ground-breaking program for LAB, commissioning four acclaimed choreographers to create on LAB dancers. This program follows Los Angeles Ballet’s mission of incorporating new creations specifically for LAB dancers throughout its season.

The four choreographers Josie Walsh, Sonya Tayeh, Mandy Moore and Travis Wall are all elated to be pre- senting FOUR world premieres in ONE evening which is rarely done in a ballet company. Los Angeles Ballet is also proud to present Transmutation, by LA’s own Josie Walsh, developed from a piece originally commis- sioned by the First Annual LAB Choreographic Workshop. Sonya Tayeh, Mandy Moore and Travis Wall’s World Premiere pieces are still untitled.

Josie Walsh is a native of Los Angeles and a former professional dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, Zurich Ballet and Oregon Ballet Theatre. Upon her return to Los Angeles, Walsh integrated her vast background into the commercial world. Walsh founded MYOKYO Renegade Rock Ballets in 2000. She is the director, producer and choreographer for the company, creating an eclectic style of inter-disciplinary cooperation.

Sonya Tayeh incorporates her deeply rooted form with the essence of contemporary technique, mixing her own ‘quirky’ style into her choreography. This stylized, free-flowing movement is aggressively formulated through one-on-one physical contact. She is currently a choreographer for “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Mandy Moore is an exciting, emerging choreographer and performer whose work has been seen on films and television shows such as “So You Think You Can Dance.” She was one of the choreographers for Celine Dion’s “Taking Chances” World Tour.

Travis Wall is a choreographer who choreographed for “So You Think You Can Dance” and was principal dancer for Wade Robson on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

These four outstanding choreographers will exercise their unique style and personality in the World Premieres of New Wave LA. The much-anticipated repertoire will take place at venues across Los Angeles from May 15 to May 30 (please see full performance schedule below).