Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Deep River

Alonzo King has been called a visionary choreographer, who is altering the way we look and think about movement. King calls his works “thought structures,” created by the manipulation of energies that exist in matter through laws, which govern the shapes and movement directions of everything that exists. Named as a choreographer with ”astonishing originality” by the New York Times, Alonzo King LINES Ballet has been guided by his unique artistic vision since 1982.
 
King has works in the repertories of the world’s leading ballet and modern companies and has collaborated with distinguished visual artists, musicians and composers across the globe. His work has been recognized for its impact on the cultural fabric of the company’s home in San Francisco, as well as internationally by the dance world’s most prestigious institutions.
 
Named a Master of Choreography by the Kennedy Center in 2005, King is the recipient of the NEA Choreographer’s Fellowship, the Jacob’s Pillow Creativity Award, the US Artist Award in Dance, NY Bessie Award, and the National Dance Project’s Residency and Touring Awards. In 2015 he received the Doris Duke Artist Award in recognition of his ongoing contributions to the advancement of contemporary dance. Joining historic icons in the field, King was named one of America’s “Irreplaceable Dance Treasures” by the Dance Heritage Coalition. He is a former San Francisco commissioner, and a writer and lecturer on humanity and art. Inducted into the California Hall of Fame, King holds an honorary Doctorate from Dominican University, California Institute of the Arts, and The Juilliard School. 

Robert Rosenwasser shapes the aesthetic and artistic direction of each project at the Company, including conceptual design and production. In addition to his work with Alonzo King LINES Ballet, he has designed for American Ballet Theater, Ballet de Monte Carlo, Ballet Bejart, the Royal Swedish Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Alvin Ailey American, Dance Theater of Harlem, Ballet Rambert, Joffrey Ballet, and Frankfurt Ballet. Working with Kelsey St. Press, Mr. Rosenwasser has collaborated with artists and poets Richard Tuttle, Kiki Smith, Cecilia Vicuna, Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, and Barbara Guest. This work can be found at the New York Museum of Modern Art in the Department of Books and Illustrated Prints, at the Whitney Museum, and at the Spencer Collection of the New York Public Library. Mr. Rosenwasser grew up in New York and attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Cooper Union, and California Institute of the Arts.

Maël Amatoul is native to the French Riviera. He embarked on a journey at the PNSD Rosella Hightower in Cannes, where he trained in ballet and contemporary. Amatoul has worked on pieces by choreographers including Jean Christophe Maillot, Christophe Garcia, Hervé Koubi, and Francesco Curci. In 2022, he was awarded a Scholarship of Excellence in Art and Culture from the Côte d’Azur University. After seven years spent in Cannes, Amatoul decided to open his dance experience to new techniques, so he joined The Ailey School. There, he had the opportunity to learn and perform works by Alvin Ailey and renowned choreographers such as Ray Mercer, Branndi Lewis, Renee Robinson, and Clifton Brown. After attending the LINES’ Summer Intensive in June 2023, Amatoul joined Alonzo King LINES Ballet as a company dancer.

Babatunji was born in Portland, OR but raised on the Big Island of Hawaii. He received his formal dance training from Center Stage Dance Studio and the University of Hawaii in Hilo before moving to San Francisco to train at the LINES Ballet | Training Program on full scholarship. Babatunji has performed works by diverse choreographers such as Sidra Bell, Amanda Miller, Gregory Dawson, and Maurya Kerr. He has performed overseas in Japan and China and danced with Philein/ZiRu productions, Maurya Kerr’s tinypistol, and Dawson|Wallace Dance Project. Babatunji joined LINES Ballet in 2013 and danced with the company for six years. Currently, he is a dancer with Post:Ballet and SFDanceworks in San Francisco. He rejoined LINES Ballet in 2021 as a guest artist.

Adji Cissoko was born and grew up in Munich, Germany where she trained at the Ballet Academy Munich and graduated with a diploma in dance. Cissoko attended the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre in New York City on full scholarship, before joining the National Ballet of Canada in 2010. In 2012, she was awarded the Patron Award of Merit by the Patrons’ Council Committee of The National Ballet of Canada. Cissoko joined LINES Ballet in 2014. Since then she’s originated many central roles and guested for galas worldwide. Cissoko has given multiple masterclasses and taught classes around the world as part of the company’s outreach program. In 2020, she became certified in health/life coaching and ABT’s National Training Curriculum. Cissoko choreographed her first piece “AZIZ “ for Ballet X in 2021. She is also a 2022 recipient of the Toulmin fellowship.

Madeline DeVries grew up in Southern California studying at the Santa Clarita Ballet Academy. She continued her training at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School and PNBS Professional Division program on full scholarship, spending summers with the Houston Ballet, The Rock School, PNB, and National Ballet of Canada. DeVries apprenticed with the Semperoper Ballet in Dresden, Germany in 2012, and in 2013 she danced with the Seattle based contemporary companies Whim W’Him and Coriolis. DeVries joined LINES Ballet in 2014.

Theo Duff-Grant ​​was born in Vancouver, Canada. He studied at Goh Ballet Academy for ten years before completing his training at the Dutch National Ballet Academy. In 2015, he joined the Dutch National Ballet. In 2017, he moved to Saint Petersburg, Russia to join the Mikhailovsky Theatre. In 2022, he joined LINES Ballet. 

Shuaib Elhassan, from Manhattan’s Lower East Side, began his formal dance training at The Ailey School under the co-direction of Tracy Inman and Melanie Person on a full scholarship. Elhassan has also trained at intensives such as Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts, Jacob’s Pillow, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Elhassan was a member of Complexions Contemporary Ballet during their 2012- 2013 season. Additionally, Elhassan has performed with Life Dance Company, Zest Collective, Dance Iquail, and the Von Howard Project. Elhassan joined LINES Ballet in 2014.

Joshua Francique was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He began his dance training with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater back in 2015. Joshua continued his training at the Northern Illinois University BFA dance program and, soon after, at The Ailey School on a full scholarship. Francique has performed works by Nicole Clark-Springer, Gary Abbott, and Kevin Iega Jeff, to name a few. In 2020, Francique attended the LINES Ballet | Training Program for a year. Joshua joined LINES Ballet in 2022.

Ilaria Guerra was born in Torino, Italy. At the age of five, she moved to Palos Verdes Estates, California where she trained in classical ballet at Lauridsen Ballet Center, performing with their pre-professional company, South Bay Ballet. Ilaria graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Alonzo King LINES Ballet | BFA Program at Dominican University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a minor in Arts Management in 2013. She joined dawsondancesf under the direction of Gregory Dawson in 2013. In 2016, Ilaria received an Isadora Duncan Dance Award for Ensemble Performance. Ilaria joined LINES Ballet in 2018 and has had the chance to tour all over the US, Canada, and Europe with the company. In 2022, Ilaria earned her Master’s degree in Arts Administration from Drexel University.

Maya Harr grew up in Alexandria, Virginia where she studied ballet at The Washington School of Ballet under the tutelage of former LINES Ballet company dancer, Kristina Windom and award-winning choreographer Mimmo Miccolis. As a student, Maya was the recipient of the Mary Day Scholarship and was selected to participate in the Kennedy Center Master Class Series. Maya spent her summers with San Francisco Ballet, PNB, Ballet West, ABT and the Kirov Academy. After graduating from high school, Maya moved to the Bay Area to attend the LINES Ballet | Summer Program and began her training in the LINES Ballet | Training Program. Maya joined LINES Ballet in 2016.

Marusya Madubuko originally from New York, NY, she began her pre-professional training at age 15 with Premiere Division Ballet under the tutelage of Nadege Hottier. In 2019, Madubuko competed at the Royal Grand Prix in Italy, winning second place for her contemporary and classical solo. She has trained with the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, the Royal Ballet School, and at San Francisco Ballet School where she had the opportunity to dance repertoire including Helgi Tomasson’s Nutcracker and Cinderella, as well as George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In 2021, she participated in BalletUnleashed’s first creative project “Switchback”, working with choreographer Cathy Marston to create a solo. Madubuko joined LINES Ballet in 2021.

Michael Montgomery of Long Beach, CA trained at the Orange County High School of the Arts and studied at the Alvin Ailey School in the certificate program. In 2011, he graduated from the Alonzo King LINES Ballet BFA Program at Dominican University of California. Montgomery was awarded the American College Dance Festival Association’s best student performer award for the Southwest Region in 2008. In 2010, he joined LINES Ballet and was named a Shenson Performing Arts Fellow that same year. Montgomery was named to the list of “25 to Watch” by Dance Magazine in 2013.

Tatum Quiñónez began her training at Master Ballet Academy in Phoenix, AZ. She then continued her training at Ballet West Academy and the BWA trainee program. She spent her summers at Ballet Arizona, Ballet Austin, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet West, and Oregon Ballet Theatre. Quiñónez then joined Oregon Ballet Theatre’s second company, OBT2, in 2019. She has performed works by George Balanchine, August Bournonville, Willam Christensen, Gerald Arpino, Christopher Stowell, James Canfield, and LeeWei Chao. Quiñónez joined LINES Ballet in 2021.

Julia Erickson (Rehearsal Director) is a former Principal Dancer with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. She joined the company in 2001 and danced 17 seasons with the company, 10 as a Principal Dancer. Julia began her career with Texas Ballet Theatre, and has also danced with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Barak Ballet, and Chamber Dance Project where she is also Ballet Master. She was a guest artist with Suzhou Ballet in 2018 and LINES during the 2019/20 season. A choreographer, Julia has created works for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, and The Dancers’ Trust Fund, among others. She trained on scholarship with Pacific Northwest Ballet School and San Francisco Ballet School. She is a member of the Ballet Faculty at Point Park University and is also a writer and entrepreneur.