After weeks of rehearsal we are finally in the theatre. In the picture is the Louisville Orchestra in their first stage rehearsal with Chris Doyle's projections.
This afternoon will be our first theatre run throught with dancers-and we are ready!
This program is so special as the Louisivlle Ballet will perform three of my works. Cold Virtues which I created on the company ten years ago; and two world premiers. Union has an original score by Teddy Abrams, musical director of the Louisville Orchestra, and original projections by artist Chris Doyle.
To close the program I have created a brand new Petrouschka. It's dark, exhilarating and while referencing the original is quite a departure.
If you're in Louisville I can't wait to see you at the end of the week. We open March 4th at the Lentucky Centre.

Getting ready for opening night tomorrow when BalletX will perform 'Risk of Flight', 'Mashup' and my new ballet 'When we're Alone'.

'Risk' premiered in 2007 and was the first work I made for the company. 'Mashup' premiered in 2012 and was a fun departure including whips and roses-hense the craft project you can see me doing today!

'Alone' is the new work and BalletX get to perform with Chri Kasper and band live on stage. He's a local-to-Philly artist, and it's great to collaborate with such musical talent.

Getting ready for opening night tomorrow when BalletX will perform 'Risk of Flight', 'Mashup' and my new ballet 'When we're Alone'.

'Risk' premiered in 2007 and was the first work I made for the company. 'Mashup' premiered in 2012 and was a fun departure including whips and roses-hense the craft project you can see me doing today!

'Alone' is the new work and BalletX get to perform with Chri Kasper and band live on stage. He's a local-to-Philly artist, and it's great to collaborate with such musical talent.

Last night was the final performance of my new work All My Favorite People for Cincinnati Ballet. It is my nineth work for the company and probably one of my favorites. I was so inspired by the incredible music of OTR and we were so fortunate to have the band play live for all the performances. Now the company will travel to NYC to perform Hummingbird In A Box, a piece I created for CB to a original score by Peter Frampton. The performances will be at the Joyce Thrater May 6-11.

Sitting in the theatre listening to Over The Rhine do sound check for our show on Friday. The band performes live with Cincinnati Ballet for all three performances! My new work- All My Favorite People opens the program that also includes works by Jodie Gates and Missy Lay Zimmer and Andrew Hubbard. Get tickets now, they are going fast!

There wasn't a dry eye in the room yesterday when Bruce taught his last class as Artistic Director of Louisville Ballet. He thanked the dances for all of their commitment and artistry and was was so moved when each danced in the company formed a line to give him a hug and personally thank him for all he has done for the company.

Today we beging the daunting task of puting the Fragile Stasis set back together after seven years of sitting in the shop. The "dinosaur" as it has been unofficialy named was designed by Marion Williams who has also designed the costumes for this ballet. Fragile Stasis is one of eight ballets that Marion and I have collaborated on. We have always been interested in creating strong visual statements that don't adhere to the usual idea of what design for ballet is. We work in a very organic way and are always looking to find new and unexpected ways to create visually arresting environments for the dance to live in.

Adam Hougland

Today begins my second week of rehearsal at Louisville Ballet for their Contemporary Voices Program on the 4th and 5th of April. My work, Fragile Stasis, has not been performed since it was created for the company in 2007. Seeing the work come back to life with many of the original cast members still in the company has been incredible. This program will be the Company's final performance under Artistic Director Bruce Simpson who retires this July after running the company for thirteen years. Bruce brought me to Louisville his first season with the Ballet and gave me the title of Principle Choreographer the following year. He has been one of my biggest supporters and and has always given me the creative freedom and mentorship that all choreographers hunger for. I'm so grateful for everything Bruce has taught me and I will miss the wonderful creative partnership we have built. I am confident that his next chapter will be as exciting and fruitful as his time here at the Louisville Ballet.

One of my favorite piece ever created for Louisville Ballet, Cold Virtues, is a being performed this week at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University. The students of this program are so talented and they were so much fun to work with on Cold Virtues. I have been Artist in Residence at SMU for three years now teaching ballet and staging my work and I always find the students to be engaged, committed and excited to try new things and dive into the creative process.

While all of this is going on in Louisville and Dallas two of my works for Cincinnati Ballet are being prepared for performances in Cincinnati on the 25th and 26th of April and in New York at the Joyce Theatre, May 6th-11th. My new piece will be a collaboration with the band Over the Rhine for the April shows and my collaboration with Peter Frampton, Hummingbird in a Box, will go to The Joyce in May. It's a lot to keep straight in my mind but I am so excited for all of theses exciting opportunities to create!

Adam Hougland

Tonight is the last chance that the students of Southern Methodist University dance department get to work with Adam on Cold Virtues before the show opens on March 26th. This is the second rehearsal in the theatre but the first with costumes, hair and light. Finger waves have been faithfully recreated to add to the dark depression-era drama-and the men are looking pretty slick too!