Program Notes: Upcoming on "Body and Soul"

Warren Adams, born and raised in South Africa, is among several choreographers whose dances will receive their New York premieres during BalletMet Columbus's return engagement at The Joyce Theater (September 30-October 5).  Adams will present The Audacious One, inspired by the speech that first brought Senator Barack Obama to national and international attention and acclaim. Created as a four-minute piece for BalletMet's 30th anniversary season in Columbus, Ohio, the work will now be seen in an expanded version, set to Mozart's Requiem.

BalletMet Columbus

The Joyce Theater

Eighth Avenue and 19th Street, Manhattan

For ticketing, click here.

September 30-October 5

Tuesday and Wednesday, 7:30pm

Thursday and Friday, 8pm

Saturday, 2pm and 8pm

Sunday, 2pm

The Saturday matinee is part of The Joyce's Family Matinee series and will be followed by a special chance to meet the artists.

The Wednesday performance will be followed by a conversation with BalletMet's Artistic Director Gerard Charles, Adam Hundt, Warren Adams and Jimmy Orrante.

Other New York premieres include Darrell Grand Moultrie's !Square Off!, Jimmy Orrante's Ad Infinitum, Adam Hundt's Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down), David Shimotakahara's Sweet and Pas De Deux from David Nixon's Dracula. Another season highlight will be the revival of Stanton Welch's Play, last seen in New York in 2004.

Warren Adams won the Mandela/Sainsbury scholarship to study at the Rambert Ballet in London. A graduate of Brunel University in England and winner of the Rudolf Nureyev Award, he has been nominated for the FNB Vita Award for Best Choreographer. Mr. Adams represented Phoenix Dance Company at the Commonwealth Gathering in Edinburgh where he performed before several dignitaries including The Queen, Prince Charles, Nelson Mandela and Tony Blair.

He recently choreographed the critically-acclaimed Off Broadway production Oroonoko (TFANA), and Toy Story the Musical for Disney which premiered April 2008. Upcoming projects include Nora Ephron's new film Julie & Julia starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams.

Other theatre: Life is a Dream (South Coast Rep), Camille (Fisher Center), I See London, I See France (NYMF), World Drummers (Hong Kong Disney) and Der Zwerg (Fisher Center).

Film and TV: The View starring Ben Vereen (ABC), The Windrush Gala and The Sportsbank Documentary (BBC) and Top Billing (South African Broad Casting ). He also worked on the film Bewitched starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell.

Ballet and Modern works include: The Audacious One (BalletMet Columbus), Worlds Apart (Ballet Theatre Afrikan), Cornered (Phoenix Dance Company), and Organized Chaos (Rambert School of Ballet).

In 2007, Mr. Adams joined Princeton University as a guest lecturer. He has worked extensively in South Africa, the UK, the USA, Asia and Europe He continues his work in the USA, but his passion has become setting up The Adams Project, in order to create artistic opportunities for young performing artists in South Africa.