MXE Milwaukee Mixed blends ballet choreographers with local artists

Milwaukee Ballet will present its production of “MXE Milwaukee Mixed” from February 8 to 11 at the Pabst Theater.

This made-in-Milwaukee production pairs the Company’s choreographers with local artists in a program of five world premieres.

“The Pabst program has long been associated with the creation of new work, and the pursuit of pushing the boundaries of our audience and dancers. We continue this tradition with MXE Milwaukee Mixed,” said Artistic Director Michael Pink. “MXE was conceived to showcase the choreographic talent in the Company, and the power of collaboration with fellow creative artists in our community.”

MXE Milwaukee Mixed is the first program in which Milwaukee Ballet will stage work solely created by its own artists, as well as using local musicians and poets.

Milwaukee Ballet’s resident choreographers, Timothy O’Donnell and Petr Zahradnícek, will each add a new work to their repertoire in MXE Milwaukee Mixed, while Company dancers Garrett Glassman, Isaac Sharratt, and Nicole Teague-Howell will make their choreographic debuts.

Pink noted, “Garrett, Isaac, and Nicole are all graduates of our Milwaukee Ballet II program, and their success is a testament to the comprehensive training and opportunities our dancers receive both in the program, and the Company.”

Each choreographer selected a local artist to provide the soundtrack for their new ballet. Glassman chose string quartet Tontine Ensemble, Sharratt opted for the Americana sounds of The Vitrolum Republic, Teague-Howell chose electronica artist LUXI, and Zahradnícek selected jazz ensemble the Bonifas Electric Band featuring Brian Lynch. O’Donnell is partnering with renowned spoken word poet Dasha Kelly.

This mixed repertory program will explore topics as diverse as society’s addiction to screens, to how time and experience affect our perspective and goals, to the role memory plays in our lives.

88Nine Radio Milwaukee proudly supported MXE Milwaukee Mixed. 88Nine Radio Milwaukee Program Director Jordan Lee said, “I have enjoyed collaborating on a production that puts Milwaukee artists in the forefront.”