THE LAST OF
NIJINSKY
part 1
Anima Animal recently had its U.S. premiere at The Joyce Theater. The work opened the venue’s Spring/Summer 2025 Season, with seven sold-out performances and a remarkable response from audiences and critics alike.
Anima Animal explores Vaslav Nijinsky’s final artistic pursuit, Caaporá, a dance project born in Argentina by the beginning of the 20th Century that took inspiration from an indigenous Guarani legend about an autochthonous bird - the Urutaú-. It was worked through its initial stages by Nijinsky, who managed to convince Stravinsky to work on the music. Not long after, he was hospitalized, and his pursuits never saw the light.
The piece was co-produced and premiered at the Teatro del Bicentenario in San Juan, Argentina, in December 2022 as part of an unprecedented collaboration.
Artistic and Technical Credits
Ánima Animal (World Premiere: December 2, 2022)
Creation and Artistic Direction: Herman Cornejo
Choreography: Anabella Tuliano
Cast: Herman Cornejo, Grupo Cadabra
Set and Lighting Design: Clifton Taylor
Music: Luis "Uji" Maurette and Noelia Escalzo
Costume Design: Elsa Edit Schenone
Production: María José Lavandera
The SECRET BALLET is an initiative to bring more ballet performances to New York. on Secret places. Creating different experiences and bringing the audience closer to the artists.
On this first edition please meet the stars; ABT's Hee Seo, Skylar Brandt, Cassandra Trenary, Aran Bell, NYCB's Megan Fairchild, Daniel Ulbricht, Alvin Ailey's Chalvar Monteiro, Complexions Contemporary Ballet's Candy Tong and Dorrance Dance's Michelle Dorrance.
D A N C E L I V E's debut took place in November 2020 through a short documentary film titled New York Alive, produced in collaboration with renowned filmmaker Steven Sebring. It was released on Veeps, and featured a new Pas de Deux by Joshua Beamish, music by Peter Sparacino, costumes by Norma Kamala and danced by American Ballet Theater Principal's Herman Cornejo and Skylar Brandt, and a new solo created by Cornejo to Gershwin's iconic 'Rhapsody in Blue' with music performed by the internationally- acclaimed Argentinian pianist Horacio Lavandera.The project was filmed using the revolutionary 360° capture that distinguishes much of Steven's work and incorporated cutting-edge cinematic technology that created an immersive “augmented reality” experience.