Moving to Bach

Ja’ Malik, Artistic Director of Madison Ballet, has been called a “choreographer to watch” by The New York Times. Moving to Bach creates an ever evolving world of exhilarating physicality in both a direct relation and counter relation to the rhythmically serene and sometimes explosive score by Bach.

Malik’s work is a lucid, refined piece.

The Ballet Herald

One minute promo reel

Choreographer | JA’ MALIK

Ja’ Malik is a choreographer and the newly appointed Artistic Director of Madison Ballet. Noted as a “choreographer to watch“ by Roslyn Sulcas of The New York Times, Malik is an evolving choreographer from New York City. Having previously danced with North Carolina Dance Theater (now Charlotte Ballet), BalletX, Ballet Hispanico in addition to working with Camille A. Brown (For Colored Girls… at the Public Theater), Juel D. Lane and Collage Dance Collective among others. With a deep connection to music, Malik’s choreography draws on his own personal life experiences as well as the world around him to create physically emotional works that allows both dancers and audiences to experience a connection through the language of movement. Having created works on Charlotte Ballet, Festival Ballet Providence and Houston Contemporary Dance Company among others. Malik is honored to create his first work on American Repertory Ballet. More info about Ja’ Malik can be found at BalletBoyProductions.com.

Music | JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

Bach is generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time and is celebrated as the creator of the Brandenburg Concertos, The Well-Tempered Clavier, the Mass in B Minor, and numerous other masterpieces of church and instrumental music. Appearing at a propitious moment in the history of music, Bach was able to survey and bring together the principal styles, forms, and national traditions that had developed during preceding generations and, by virtue of his synthesis, enrich them all.

Costume Design | Janessa Cornell Urwin

Janessa Cornell Urwin (Costume Designer) began her career as a ballet dancer before transitioning into costuming. She has designed costumes for numerous classical ballets and contemporary dance pieces for American Repertory Ballet, Stockton University Dance Program, Traverse City Dance Project, The Nutmeg Ballet, Rutgers University, Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers, and Nacre Dance Company, among others. She has worked with esteemed choreographers Kirk Peterson, Starr Foster, Riccardo De Nigris, Michael Nickerson-Rossi, and Meredith Rainey. Urwin also has a short film design credit and has designed for Athena Theatre Company. She holds a certificate in Costume Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Most recently she designed Ethan Stiefel’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the costumes for Movin’ + Groovin’. Urwin is also ARB’s Wardrobe Supervisor.

Lighting Design | Jason Flamos

Jason Flamos (Lighting Designer) Credits include: (Mile Square Theatre) Pipeline, I and You, It’s a Wonderful Life, The 39 Steps, Betrayal; (Shakespeare Theater NJ) William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play; (10 Hairy Legs) Heist, Cruise Control, Brian, Quadrivium; (Thingamajig Theatre Company) The Pillowman, Cabaret, The Little Mermaid, A Few Good Men. Flamos was the Associate Lighting Design for the Off-Broadway productions of Clever Little Lies and The Other Josh Cohen at Westside Theater, F***ing A at Signature Theater, The Producers and Benny and Joon at Paper Mill Playhouse, and Rags at Goodspeed Opera. He was the lighting supervisor for 10 Hairy Legs and is the current lighting supervisor at American Repertory Ballet.

Running Time

18 minutes, 45 seconds

Number of performers

5 dancers

Tech Rider

Available upon request

Link to full performance video

Available upon request


Photos by Rosalie O’Connor Photography

Video editing by Michelle Quiner

Rehearsal videos by David Fernandez