National Choreographers Initiative

Promotional image for National Choreographers Initiative.

National Choreographers Initiative is a non-profit dance organization based in Irvine, California, that promotes the development of choreographers from all over the United States in the professional ballet world. NCI hosts a three-week workshop with selected professional dancers, who had auditioned from various ballet companies throughout the United States. The choreographers each produce a work in progress, which are then showcased at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. These performances are open to the public and are held every year in late July.

National Choreographers Initiative was founded in 2004 by Molly Lynch. The rehearsals and dancer accommodations are hosted by the Claire Trevor School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine campus.

Past dancers have been from companies such as: Boston Ballet, Nevada Ballet Theatre, BalletMet, Ballet Austin, Kansas City Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.^[1]

Mission Statement

To support and nurture the process of developing new choreography. To educate and enrich the community through access to the creative process. To support and strengthen the dance community; dancers, choreographers, artistic directors, boards of directors, and audiences; by investing in the future of dance.

The National Choreographers Initiative was developed to promote the creation and production of professional dance. It is also an opportunity to engage outstanding choreographers from around the United States in the creative process. There is a need nationwide to have a workshop setting where choreographers can initiate new work as well as experiment and develop their craft. The National Choreographers Initiative is an opportunity to develop and produce dance in support of the national dance community by inviting choreographers of note to participate in this project. NCI provides an opportunity for the southern California community to be a part of the process of creating new contemporary ballets and seeing these works performed for the very first time. source

10th Anniversary Celebration

In honor of NCI's 10th successful season, there will be two performances at the Barclay Theatre in Irvine, CA. NCI highlights will feature excerpts from works from the past decade on July 13, 2013, and NCI Discovery will showcase the work done by Fernandez, McCullough, McNamee, and Zahradnicek on July 27, 2013.

Pitch for National Choreographers Initiative 2013
NCI 2013 Event Listing
SparkOC.com entry for NCI

10 Year Anniversary Facts Each year 4 choreographers are invited to participate in the project. Annual choreographer submissions have 20 to 55. NCI has worked with 37 different choreographers, including 14 women. 16 professional dancers are hired from companies throughout the United States, including BalletMet, Nashville Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Richmond Ballet, and Smuin Ballet. There have been 30 companies represented by 88 dancers who have participated. The 16 are selected from a pool of 78 dancers who auditioned and/or applied. 22 ballets developed at NCI have gone on to be premiered or performed by other companies; including Grand Rapids Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Smuin Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Morphoses Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, Carolina Ballet, River North Dance Chicago, and Barak Ballet. 2 choreographers are now artistic directors of companies: Edwaard Liang – BalletMet and Melissa Barak – Barak Ballet 3 choreographers have participated in the project twice; Ann Marie DeAngelo, Peter Pucci, and Melissa Barak 4 University of California, Irvine dancers have participated as apprentices in the project Choreographers have used their work at NCI to gain other choreographic projects Dancers have changed company employment based on contacts made at NCI Choreographers Artistic Director Molly Lynch accepts choreographer applications throughout the year, and then selects four choreographers to be participate in the annual National Choreographers Initiative. 2013[2] David Fernandez Susan McCullough Kitty McNamee Petr Zahradnicek 2013 Dancers 2012[3] Melissa Barak Thang Dao Darrell Grand Moultrie Wendy Seyb 2012 Dancers 2011[4] Brian Enos Heather Maloy Peter Pucci Paula Weber[5] 2011 Dancers 2010[6] Anne Marie DeAngelo Helen Heineman Viktor Kabaniaev Peter Quanz 2010 Dancers 2009[7] Sidra Bell Deanna Carter Rick McCullough Olivier Wevers of Whim W'Him 2009 Dancers 2008[8] Amy Seiwert Edmund Stripe Emery LeCrone Ma Cong 2008 Dancers 2007[9] Melissa Barak Frank Chaves Edwaard Liang Jerry Opdenaker 2007 Dancers 2006[10] Ron De Jesus Graham Lustig Charles Moulton Gina Patterson 2006 Dancers 2005[11] Val Caniparoli and website Christopher d'Amboise and website William Soleau Luca Veggetti and website 2005 Dancers 2004[12] Ann Marie DeAngelo and website Peter Pucci James Sewell and James Sewell Ballet Lynne Taylor-Corbett 2004 Dancers NCI Resources National Choreographers Initiative homepage Molly Lynch's homepage, NCI artistic director The Barclay Theatre homepage National Choreographers Initiative Flickr photostream Reviews Los Angeles Times Review - July 25, 2012 Los Angeles Times review - July 27, 2009 DIY Dancer Blog Review - August 6, 2012 References http://www.nchoreographers.org/chordanc.htm http://nchoreographers.org/chordanc.htm http://nchoreographers.org/chordanc_2012.htm http://nchoreographers.org/chordanc_2011.htm http://conservatory.umkc.edu/news-release-detail.cfm?id=178 http://nchoreographers.org/chordanc_2010.htm http://nchoreographers.org/chordanc_2009.htm http://nchoreographers.org/chordanc_2008.htm http://nchoreographers.org/chordanc_2007.htm http://www.nchoreographers.org/chordanc_2006.htm http://www.nchoreographers.org/chordanc_2005.htm http://www.nchoreographers.org/chordanc_2004.htm