February 14 (Fri) 7:30pm
February 15 (Sat) 2:30pm
February 15 (Sat) 7:30pm
February 16 (Sun) 3:00pm
Kirwood Performing Arts Center
Gen Horiuchi/Bach
Justin Peck/Philip Glass
Christopher D'Amboise/Cole Porter and Irving Berling/
Music Arrangement by Atsushi Toya Takuya
Award-winning choreographers, including Tony Winner Justin Peck, will have their work on display when Saint Louis Ballet returns to the beautiful Kirkwood Performing Arts Center to present three outstanding short ballets February 14-16. Tickets are now on sale for this annual Valentine’s weekend performances.
Located in the heart of Kirkwood's bustling downtown, the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center is a state-of-the-art facility, featuring the 530-seat Ross Family Theatre.
Tony Award–Winning Choreographer
JUSTIN PECK
Justin Peck is a two-time Tony Award winning director, choreographer, filmmaker, and dancer based in New York City. He is the Resident Choreographer of the New York City Ballet, and only the second person in the institution’s 75-year history to hold this title. He has developed and created over 50 stage and theater works that have been presented on stages around the world, including Lincoln Center, the Palais Garnier, Sydney Opera House, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Broadway (most recently: conceiving, directing and choreographing the 2024 Tony Award-winning production of Illinoise).
3 BALLETS ON THE BILL:
View the Program
1. BALANCHIVADZE
By Gen Horiuchi
Music by J.S. Bach
A series of solos and pas de deux culminating into a ballet inspired by the steps and ballets of Balanchine.
2. IN CREASES
By Tony Award Winner Justin Peck
Music by Philip Glass
Like a puzzle of shifting shapes and formations, Peck's first ballet for NYCB showcases his keen eye for manipulating bodies to form complex geometric structures and unique patterns.
In Creases is the first work Justin Peck, a former soloist with New York City Ballet, created for the Company. The ballet is set to Philip Glass’ "Four Movements for Two Pianos."
3. PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ
By Christopher D'Amboise
Music by Cole Porter and Irving Berlin
Music Arrangement by TOYA
A rollicking ballet set to classic dance tunes of Irving Berlin and Cole Porter. Featuring songs like: Let's fall in love, Anything goes, I Concentrate on You, and Let's Misbehave, Puttin' on the Ritz celebrates the jazzy music and toe-tapping rhythms of some of the most famous dance tunes of all time. D'Amboise became a principal dancer in the New York City Ballet, where he worked closely with George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, dancing all the major roles, as well as originating several works. His choreography explores the integration of text, dance, music and drama and seeks to reinforce a positive perspective of humanity.
Atsushi TOYA Tokuya
Musical Arrangement for Puttin' On The Ritz
Born in Tokyo, Japan, TOYA became a professional musician at the young age of eleven. In 1991, after working on more than 100 CDs and many concert tours with famous artists in Japan, Toya decided to move to New York City. He has worked with world-renowned singers including Ben E. King (Stand By Me), Dionne Warwick, Maxine Brown (R&B Hall of Fame), Chuck Jackson, Dee Dee Sharp (R&R Hall of Fame), and many more as a Musical Director and or a keyboardist. Toya has also produced albums, concerts, television commercials, films, and music for theater.
In July 2001, he directed the music for the opening ceremony of Former President Bill Clinton’s new office in Harlem, New York. In addition, since 2001 TOYA has been producing an American Diva's vocal group called "Wild Women" featuring Maxine Brown. In the Spring of 2006 and 2008, he took the group on tour in Japan to perform in 14 cities.
In 2009, he created a new song and dance show called “Virtuosity” along with Vivian Reed (two-time Tony Award Nominee) as the musical director/conductor, composer, arranger and pianist. “Virtuosity” opened and ran for six weeks in Toronto and two weeks in Minneapolis.
After working with Ben E. King for 14 years as his arranger, Toya produced Ben E. King's last album "Dear Japan - Ue Wo Muite Arukou" in 2011 for the people affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Tohoku, Japan. Ben E. King received a commendation from the Japan Tourism Agency for his ongoing support surrounding the tragedy. Toya and Ben E. King also performed six shows in Tokyo and Osaka (all sold out) in November of 2011. In August of 2012, accompanied by Toya’s great musicians and choir from New York, they again embarked on a music tour in Japan playing in Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, and Osaka for over 5000 people in total, with every performance receiving a standing ovation.
In 2021 and 2023, TOYA composed and recorded original ballet suites for the Saint Louis Ballet and is currently working on "Gravity Of Love The Musical”, created, and composed by TOYA himself.
He also composed and recorded the music for the film “The Last Passenger”, which won the “Best Music” award at the 12th Global Nonviolent Film Festival and the 5th Los Angeles Asian Film Festival Golden Diamond Awards
in 2023.