UMS Concert Program, January 27, 1985: Balletap U.S.A. --

Season: 106th
Concert: Forty-eighth
Power Center For The Performing Arts Ann Arbor, Michigan

nterfiatioqe Presentations
THE UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Balletap U.S.A.
featuring MAURICE HINES
and MERCEDES ELLINGTON
Carmen de Lavallade, Guest Artist
Debbie DeMeo Michael Franks John Fredo Laurence Hamilton
Keith Henderson John Kasak Tiffney Lyn Myers Patty Padula
Lisa Schliabba Nasha Thomas Kim Winters Michael Wright
Stanley Kay and Florio Rocgger, Producers
Maurice Hincs and Mercedes Ellington, Artistic Directors
Christina Gianelli, Lighting Designer
Felix Cochren, Scenic Designer
John Ceglia, Sound Engineer
Ken Hanson, Stage Manager
Craig Morton, Production Manager
Tiffhey Lyn Myers and Darlene Ceglia, Dance Captains
Patricia Scana, Administrator
Olga Jaques, Wardrobe Supervisor
Dwight Tolivcr, Production Assistant
Tap floor designed by Craig Morton
Sunday Afternoon, January 27, 1985, at 3:00
Power Center for the Performing Arts
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Balletap U. S. A. is a new company resultingjrom the combined talents and efforts of Maurice Hines and Mercedes Ellington. Its premiere took place in April 1984 at the Philadelphia Academy of Music. The Company's 1984-85 season includes engagements in New York City, and the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, Washington, and Michigan.
Forty-eighth Concert of the 106th Season
Fourteenth Annual Choice Series
PROGRAM
COMPANY WARMUP
Choreography by Maurice Hines and Mercedes Ellington The Company
A SKIRT FOR LESTER
Choreography by Carmen de Lavallade Costumes by Geoffrey Holder
Music: Dawgology, by David Grisman
Carmen de Lavallade
MICHAEL! MICHAEL! MICHAEL! Choreography by Maurice Hines and Mercedes Ellington
Gettin' Into Somethin'............................... Music by Michael Jackson
The Company
Maniac......................................... Music by Michael Senbello
Mercedes Ellington
Michael Franks John Fredo John Kasak Laurence Hamilton Michael Wright
Takin' It To The Streets......................Music by Michael MacDonald,
Doobie Brothers Maurice Hines and The Company
INTERMISSION
LIGHT DANCING Choreography by Mercedes Ellington Music by Jon and Vangelis
Mercedes Ellington
Michael Franks John Fredo Keith Henderson John Kasak Laurence Hamilton Michael Wright
A TRIBUTE TO ERROLL GARNER
Choreography by Maurice Hines Music by Erroll Garner
Maurice Hines
SWEET BITTER LOVE
Choreography by Carmen de Lavallade Music by Roberta Flack Costumes by Geoffrey Holder
Carmen de Lavallade
PRETTY AND THE WOLF Choreography by Maurice Hines and Mercedes Ellington
Music by Duke Ellington Ladies Dresses designed by Margo
Pretty.................................... Mercedes Ellington
The "Wolf..................................... Maurice Hines
Hot Stuff, Linda............................. Tiffney Lyn Myers
Charlie Dangerous, and Reggie..................... Michael Franks
Bennie the Sly, Daryle............................... John Fredo
Josephine........................................ Nasha Thomas
Samoia......................................... Lisa Schliabba
"Be Be".......................................... Kim Winters
Kitty............................................ Patty Padula
Darcie.......................................... Debbie DeMeo
"Moe" the Drunk, and Harold.................... Michael Wright
Cool Breeze.................................. Keith Henderson
Big Al, Policeman................................... John Kasak
Max......................................Laurence Hamilton
Numbers Runner................................ Dwight Toliver
About the Artists
Maurice Hines, star of Francis Ford Coppola's new film The Cotton Club, created a sensation on Broadway during the 1978-79 season dancing and singing in Eubie! He then appeared on Broadway with Chita Rivera and Donald O'Connor in Bring Back Birdie. He most recently appeared on Broadway as the star of Sophisticated Ladies. Mr. Hines has just written the book for a new musical Reach for the Sky to be produced in the near future, and is completing two scripts for television sitcom pilots. On television, he has appeared thirty-seven times on the "Johnny Carson Show," as well as "Bill Cosby," "Hollywood Palace," and the "Pearl Bailey Show."
Mr. Hines began his career at the age of five as a dancer with his brother Gregory, and later both brothers joined their father and became "Hines, Hines and Dad," which performed in major nightclubs in New York, Las Vegas, and theaters throughout Europe. His techniques and styles stem from the great masters -Henry Lc Tang, the Nicholas Brothers, Baby Lawrence, Teddy Hale, and Fred Astaire. He now studies dance with Frank Hatchctt and Henry Le Tang. With the formation of Balletap, Mr. Hines realizes one of his dreams: to pass on his legacy to the new generations.
Mercedes Ellington has returned to her native career in the theater after seven seasons as a June Taylor Dancer on the "Jackie Gleason Show." At this writing she has been involved with ten Broadway musicals, including Sophisticated Ladies, Black Broadway, The Night That Made America Famous, and No, No Nanette, in the capacities of performer, assistant choreographer, and choreographer. Television, dinner theater, summer stock, and industrial shows fill the gap between shows and off-Broadway credits, which include The Hartman Theater's presentation of An Evening with Jerome Kern and New York City Opera's L'Histoire du Soldat. She recently appeared in WNET-TV's "Alice in Wonderland." As an assistant to such notables as June Taylor, Donald Saddler, Doug Rogers, Louis Johnson, Honi Coles, Judith Jamison, and Maurice Hines, Mercedes Ellington has formulated her own style of choreography. With Maurice Hines, she is a co-founder of Balletap.
Carmen de Lavallade, a dancer and choreographer of international renown, began her career as a leading dancer with Lester Horton's Dance Theater and went on to appear on Broadway, with the Metropolitan Opera, and with the New York City Center. She has been a guest artist with the American Ballet Theater, the Festival of Two Worlds in Italy, and with the San Francisco Ballet, among others. She has toured Israel with her own company and, under the auspices of the State Department, formed a company with Alvin Ailcy which toured the Far East. The classic ballet A Portrait ofBillie, based on the life of Billie Holliday, was created for her. As a choreographer, Miss de Lavallade's works have included A Midsummer Night's Dream and the world premiere of Sensemaya for the Dance Theatre of Harlem. She also staged the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre's production of A Beggar's Banquet.
In recent years Miss de Lavallade has increasingly combined careers in dance and theater. While a professor at Yale University, she was a leading member of the Yale Repertory Theatre Company a'nd has also performed with the Trinity Square Players in Providence, Rhode Island, and with the American Repertory Theatre at the Locb Drama Center at Harvard and the Wilbur Theatre in Boston. She received an Off-Broadway award for her performance of Emilia in Otello in the Roundabout Theatre production. Currently she is being seen in a featured role on the PBS dramatic series "The New Voice," having just concluded an engagement as the star of The Seven Deadly Sins.
Coming Concerts
Prague Symphony Jiri Belohlavek..........................Sat. Feb. 2
Festival Chorus and soloists Dvorak: Cantata, The Spectre's Bride
Feld Ballet.......................................... Fri., Sat. Feb. 8, 9
Guarneri String Quartet.................................. Sun. Feb. 10
Beethoven: Quartets Op. 18, No. 3, Op. 95, and Op. 132
Katia & Marielle Labeque, Duo-pianists...................... Sun. Feb. 17
Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn; Stravinsky: Concerto for Two Pianos; Ravel: Ma Mere l'Oye; Gershwin: An American in Paris
Royal Philharmonic Yehudi Menuhin................... Tues. Feb. 19
Rossini: La Gazza Ladra Overture; Delius: On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring; Elgar: Enigma Variations; Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6, "Pathetique"
Netherlands Wind Ensemble (newly announced)............ Wed. Feb. 20
New York City Opera National Company.................Tues. Mar. 5
Verdi's Rigoletto Kodo.....................................................Thurs. Mar. 7
St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble............................... Fri. Mar. 8
Mozart: Divertimento: Zwilich: Double String Quartet; Mendelssohn: Octet (strings)
Paul Badura-Skoda, Pianist............................... Sun. Mar. 10
Academy of Ancient Music..............................Thurs. Mar. 14
Christopher Hogwood, Conductor; Emma Kirkby, Soprano; David Thomas, Bass Handel: Water Music, and Cantata, Apollo and Daphne
National Symphony Mstislav Rostropovich.............Wed. Mar. 20
Beethoven: Symphony No. 4; Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
Faculty Artists Concert (free admission).................. Sun. Mar. 24
Ruggiero Ricci, Violinist; Harry Sargous, Oboist, and School of Music String Ensemble, performing Bach Concertos
Sherrill Milnes, Baritone.................................... Fri. Mar. 29
Polish Chamber Orchestra..............................Thurs. Apr. 18
Lutoslawski: Musique Funcbrc (1958); Haydn: Cello Concerto in C major; Reger: Intermezzo; Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony, Op. 110
May Festival........................................ Wed.-Sat. May 1-4
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra The Festival Chorus, Donald Bryant, Director
Guest Conductors Sixten Ehrling Philippe Entremont Sir Alexander Gibson
Itzhak Perlman, Violinist Philippe Entremont, Pianist
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Soprano Henry Herford, Baritone Anne Martindale Williams, Cellist
Wednesday -Ehrling and Perlman: Nielsen: Maskarade Overture, Symphony No. 5; Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto
Thursday -Entremont and Williams: Rimsky-Korsakov: Russian Easter Overture; Bloch: Schelomo -Hebrew Rhapsody; Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 17, K. 453; Ravel: Rapsodie espagnol
Friday -Gibson, Festival Chorus, and Herford; Berlioz: Roman Carnival Overture; Mozart: Symphony No. 40; Walton: Belshazzar's Feast
Saturday -Gibson and Te Kanawa: Handel: Overture in D, Arias from Rinaldo and Samson; Elgar: In the South; Britten: Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes; Strauss: Four Last Songs
For complete information, write or call the Musical Society.
UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY
Burton Memorial Tower, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1270 Phones: (313) 665-3717, 764-2538