Davis & Dvořák

February 28, 2025 — 7:30 PM

Madison, Wisconsin

Masterworks III

An enchanting collaboration with Madison Ballet takes the stage for our third Masterworks concert of the season. Opening with the music of British composer Oliver Davis, the orchestra will perform nine movements of the Liberty suite as the stage comes alive with original choreography by Madison Ballet's Artistic Director and Choreographer, Ja' Malik. Witness the seamless integration of movement and sound with this pairing, a follow up from a previous collaboration at Concerts on the Square with another work by Oliver Davis. The second half of the evening features Dvořák's timeless Serenade for Strings, a challenging work full of lush melodies and rich harmonies.

About Madison Ballet

The mission of Madison Ballet is to cultivate appreciation for and access to the art form of ballet. We inspire and train the next generation of dancers, artists, and professionals through performances by the Madison Ballet Company, education through the School of Madison Ballet, and outreach in partnership with local community organizations. The vision of Madison Ballet is to shape ballet into an inclusive art form, which represents the world we live in through diversity and inclusion both on and off stage. We commission works by female-identifying artists and artists of color, serving as one way to address systemic problems in dance that have led to a lack of diversity on stages locally and nationally. Learn more.

Artistic Director Ja' Malik

Ja’ Malik, serving in his second year as Artistic Director and Executive Director of Madison Ballet. With a 25 year career as a performing artist dancing with Oakland Ballet, Charlotte Ballet, BalletX and Ballet Hispanico to name a few. An award winning evolving choreographer from Harlem, NY, who creates works based on real life experiences. Minding the gap between the elite perception of ballet and what he views as the reality of ballet for a modern world. Rooted in respect for the classical training while pushing the physically emotional aspect of dancer audience connection through the language of contemporary ballet movement. Having created works on such companies as Madison Ballet, Charlotte Ballet, Festival Ballet Providence, Houston Contemporary Dance Company & American Repertory Ballet among others. His mission is to show the diversity, complexity and beauty of the world we live in through performances, education and outreach through Madison Ballet.