Ballet Gamonet Maximum DANCE Opens Season in Miami
South Florida dance lovers bemoaned the departure of Jimmy Gamonet de los Heros, resident choreographer for Miami City Ballet in 2000 when he ventured afar to work in distant Europe.
Yet, the south Florida community continued to see Gamonet as a priceless treasure and an artistic genius whose duty was to return home. For this reason, Gamonet incorporated Ballet Gamonet together with its executive Board. Earlier this year, following a merger with Maximum Dance Company, the newly titled Ballet Gamonet Maximum Dance prepared for a powerhouse first official season.
Under Gamonet's passionate leadership, Ballet Gamonet Maximum Dance is poised to become one of the premier ballet companies of south Florida, and, by extension, of the Americas, by virtue of the diversity of the dancers and their high level of professional training.
In addition, beloved ballerina Iliana Lopez, who charmed audiences for eighteen years during her tenure as the show stopping prima ballerina at Miami City Ballet, recently joined the company as Ballet Mistress. This local legend launched her award winning career from her home country of Venezuela, performed abroad for many years, has been celebrated at the White House and has graced the cover of all major dance magazines. The stellar coalition of dancers under her tutelage hails from far and wide - Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia, Germany, Japan, England, Cuba, the Dutch National Ballet Company of the Netherlands, and the United States. The entire team is enthusiastic about Miami's bright future as a center of ballet.
Iliana Lopez and choreographer and artistic director Jimmy Gamonet de los Heros have enjoyed fruitful collab-
oration in the past, and Iliana is anxious to embrace her new role as ballet mistress for Gamonet's troupe of gifted dancers. Ms. Lopez enthusiastically claimed, "I have always loved Jimmy and admired his work. It is an irresistible opportunity to work closely with him again. Jimmy did so much for me, and I'm looking forward to giving back to him!"
Ms. Lopez expressed her deep apprec-iation and fondness for the entire family at Miami City Ballet, which was her home for so many years, and she wishes them all the utmost success. "I love Miami City Ballet. I will always be there as a supporter of the dancers, and all that they aim to achieve. We all worked so hard, together as a team, to present our best on stage for both south Florida audiences, and for the audiences met on tour. Jimmy's offer allows me to open a new chapter in my career, which I eagerly embrace. This is a wonderful opportunity for me to work with another superb choreographer with whom I have an established relationship. I was always thrilled to be part of the growth of Miami City Ballet and now I look forward to being part of the exciting birth of Ballet Gamonet."
Miami's beloved choreographer, Jimmy Gamonet de los Heros commented, "Iliana demonstrates the highest level of artistic and professional integrity, of grace and dedication to her craft. It made sense to work with a seasoned star, someone who I loved working with for so many years, and someone from right here in our adopted hometown to join Ballet Gamonet. It will be exciting to have Iliana as a part of our team."
Gamonet envisions his company as a vehicle for new exploration in the art of dance, residing right here in Miami. Excited about the move to a more central downtown location and a $300,000 grant from the City of Miami, Gamonet acknowledges the necessity of support by patrons, donors and public entities to keep ballet flourishing at a professional level. Politicians, local developers and business people alike hope to see Ballet Gamonet Maximum Dance as a cornerstone of redevelopment for the entire downtown area. Miami's upward growth has long fostered a varied contemporary dance scene, and the time is ripe for a dynamic ballet company of the stature envisioned by Gamonet.
Gamonet describes his approach to choreography as a neoclassicist with a contemporary sensibility, which allows him the freedom to experiment with new trends in choreography while preserving classics from the canon of traditional dance. Infusing classical forms with textures, colors and patterns classical choreographers could not have foreseen allows Gamonet to create original movement with his own sing-ular style. His choreographic process is often inspired by musical concepts, whether abstract or narrative, but it really takes off once he arrives in the studio and responds to the movement of the dancers themselves.
From his early training in a theater family in Lima, Peru, Gamonet rose to the top ranks of Peruvian dancers, and then cast his fortunes with young dancers from all over the world in New York. He describes the culture shock he experienced there as, "Moments that really called me to take leaps of faith, but when you're a dancer you have to take leaps, right?" One of those leaps landed him here in Miami, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The season's Program II is November 12 & 13, 2005 at Bailey Concert Hall and January 27 & 28, 2006 at Gusman Center;
Program III- February 11 & 12, 2006 at Bailey Concert Hall and February 24 & 25, 2006 at Gusman Center and
Program IV on May 12 & 13, 2006 at Gusman Center and May 20 & 21, 2006 at Bailey Concert Hall.
For further information and for
tickets, contact the office at 305-259-9775 or visit www.maximumdancecompany.com.