Houston Ballet Joins New York City Center’s 2021 Fall For Dance Festival Lineup

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

MEDIA CONTACT: 

Jacalyn Lawton 

Public Relations Manager JLawton@houstonballet.org Press@houstonballet.org 

HOUSTON BALLET JOINS NEW YORK CITY CENTER’S 2021 FALL FOR DANCE FESTIVAL LINEUP  

HOUSTON, TEXAS [September 1, 2021] — Houston Ballet announces it will perform during New York City Center’s Fall  for Dance Festival this October. Houston Ballet principal dancers Karina González and Connor Walsh will perform excerpts from Stanton Welch AM’s iconic work Sons de L’âme. Originally premiering in Paris in October 2013 and  performed globally since, this will be the first time this work graces the stage in New York. The work will be presented in  Fall for Dance’s Program 2 on Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16 at 8 p.m. 

“After the world’s theaters have been dark for so long, we are thrilled to be a part of New York City Center’s return to the  stage with its season-opening program, Fall for Dance,” says Stanton Welch AM, Houston Ballet Artistic Director. “We are  pleased to announce that two of our spectacular artists, Karina González and Connor Walsh, will present excerpts from  my ballet Sons de L’ame during this celebratory program. I created this work with Lang Lang in 2013 for Houston Ballet’s  Paris premiere, and we are delighted to share it with New York audiences this fall.” 

Now in its 18th year, the 2021 Fall for Dance Festival opens New York City Center’s 2021-2022 season and takes the  stage October 13-24. The ten-day festival consists of five unique programs each featuring three different groups of artists  and companies, presented this year without intermissions. In keeping with City Center’s founding mission to make the arts  accessible to everyone, all tickets are $15. 

“I am delighted to welcome audiences back to City Center and to begin our 2021-2022 season with Fall for Dance as we  have since the Festival began,” said Arlene Shuler, New York City Center President & CEO. “As we prepare to reopen our  doors, we are steadfast in our committed to provide access to the arts for all and to support artists with valuable  opportunities to create and perform.”  

To learn more about the Fall for Dance lineup or to get tickets when they go on sale on Sunday, September 19 at 11 a.m.,  visit nycitycenter.org. 

ABOUT HOUSTON BALLET 

With more than 50 years of rich history, Houston Ballet returns to its home stage at the Wortham Theater Center for its  2021-2022 season with a company of 59 dancers. With a budget of $33.9 million and an endowment of $79.2 million (as  of June 2019), it is America’s fifth largest ballet company. Its $46.6 million state-of-the-art performance space, Houston  Ballet Center for Dance, opened in April 2011. Houston Ballet’s reach is global, touring in renowned theaters in Dubai,  London, Paris, Moscow, Spain, Montréal, Ottawa, Melbourne, New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and more. 

Houston Ballet attracts prestigious leaders in dance. Australian choreographer Stanton Welch AM has served as Artistic  Director of Houston Ballet since 2003, raising the level of the company’s classical technique and commissioning works  from dance legends such as Julia Adam, George Balanchine, Aszure Barton, Christopher Bruce, Alexander Ekman,  William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Edwaard Liang, Trey McIntyre and Justin Peck. Executive Director James Nelson serves as 

the administrative leader of the organization, a position he assumed in February 2012 after serving as the Company’s  General Manager for more than a decade. 

Beyond its stage presence, Houston Ballet maintains a strong foothold in continuing to foster a love for dance in future  generations. Its Education and Community Engagement program reaches more than 70,000 individuals in the Houston  area annually. Houston Ballet Academy trains more than 1,000 students every year, producing more than 64 percent of  the elite athletes that comprise Houston Ballet’s current Company. 

For more information on Houston Ballet, visit houstonballet.org. 

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