South San Francisco, CA September 24, 2022 Submitted by Oceánica Ballet
Oceánica Ballet presents Sleepy Hollow & Lupita, an autumn-themed double bill featuring the tale of the Headless Horseman and a ballet celebration of life inspired by Día de Los Muertos. Artistic Co-Director Robert Burns Lowman adapts Sleepy Hollow from Washington Irving’s classic 1819 short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” This dance-theater premiere will enliven the story of Ichabod’s encounter with the Headless Horseman through ballet, puppetry, and creative stage settings. Artistic Co-Director Edgar Lepe’s Lupita combines elements of classical ballet and folklorico ballet set to Mexican folk music. Lupita centers around one woman whose transition to the afterlife leads her through a celebration of the joyous moments in life. The program will also feature a reprise of Lowman’s “In Shadow,” delving into the emotional associations of shadows.
Sleepy Hollow & Lupita will be performed in-person in Bay Area Ballet Conservatory’s Studio One at 4pm and 7pm on Saturday October 15th, and at 1pm and 4pm on Sunday October 16th.
About Artistic Co-Director Edgar Lepe
Trained in Folklorico Ballet throughout his youth, Edgar Lepe began studying classical ballet in 2008 at the San Francisco Academy of Ballet under the direction of ballet masters Richard Gibson and Zory Karah.
Edgar has performed in Mexico and the United States with Collage West Ensemble, Compañia Mexico Danza, Ensembles Ballet Folklorico of San Francisco, as well as Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Presidio Dance Theatre, Bay Pointe Ballet, and Oakland Ballet. Edgar has choreographed for Bay Pointe Ballet, Bay Area Ballet Conservatory, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, and San Jose Dance International. Edgar currently teaches at Bay Area Ballet Conservatory.
About Artistic Co-Director Robert Burns Lowman
Robert Burns Lowman trained at Susan Hayward School of Dancing and holds B.A.s in Dance and Theater & Performance Studies from U.C. Berkeley. He is a recipient of the Mask and Dagger Memorial Prize (2012) and the Rosalyn Schneider Eisner Prize (2013).
Robert has danced in works by Gregory Amato, Marit Brook-Kothlow, Carlos Carvajal, Ron Cunningham, Katie Faulkner, Isabelle Sjahsam, Edgar Lepe, Rosalia Lerner, Constanza Murphy, Becky Robinson-Leviton, Connolly Strombeck, Jessica Woodman, and Scott Wells. At Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Robert performed principal roles in Giselle, The Nutcracker, and Carmen Suite; and was featured as a soloist in the virtual release of The Chrysalis Project. In addition to performing, Robert directed PBT’s annual Dance Makers choreography showcase from
2016-2019 and was PBT Artistic Assistant from 2018-2020. Robert currently teaches ballet at Shoreline Dance Academy and Bay Area Ballet Conservatory.
About Oceánica Ballet
Oceánica Ballet is a group of dynamic artists curated from the Bay Area’s diverse classical dance scene. Oceánica Ballet was formed in 2021 to unite people through the shared experience of dance performance as a reflection of our complex and diverse collective humanity. Our mission is to enliven the San Francisco Bay Area cultural landscape by making professional-level ballet performances accessible and relatable to Bay Area audiences. We enrich the artistic careers of locally-based, professionally trained dance artists of diverse ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, and body types. We create innovative new ballet-based dance works, and interpret classics in fresh and exciting ways.
Oceánica Ballet, Inc. has been designated a Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
CALENDAR LISTING
Dance, Theater, Performance
WHO/WHAT: Oceánica Ballet presents Sleepy Hollow & Lupita
WHEN: Saturday October 15th at 4pm and 7pm; Sunday October 16th at 1pm and 4pm WHERE: Bay Area Ballet Conservatory, 275 Wattis Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080 TICKETS: $30 at the following link: https://oceanicaballet.org/performances
For more information visit https://oceanicaballet.org