Miami City Ballet brings 'To Florida, With Love' to Morikami gardens

On Sunday afternoon, the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens will provide a lush backdrop for a selection of new works, choreographed and performed by Miami City Ballet dancers.

The pop-up performance is part of a series, now called, “To Florida, With Love,” whose purpose is to take ballet outdoors into neighborhoods and connect with South Florida’s diverse communities.

Last year, in response to the pandemic and as a gift to the community, MCB premiered the pop-up series in several iconic locations in and around Miami. Initially titled “To Miami, With Love,” the performances were a way of offering healing power through art, company officials said.

This year, the company is expanding the program and the geography to include new locations in the tri-county area of Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade, with 10 choreographers presenting 11new works. The works range in theme from site-specific inspirations to personal, social and cultural issues.

On Sunday, audiences will be treated to two programs, at 1 and 2 p.m., with one work, “Meiyo No Tame,” serving at the centerpiece for both. The first program will feature four works, while five will be featured in second.

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Created by choreographer Ariel Rose and designed specifically for the Japanese gardens, “Meiyo No Tame” — translated to “we fight for honor” — is a new work that touches upon the legacy of the Onna-bugeisha (a term referring to female warriors in pre-modern Japan) and pays tribute to Nakana Tekeko, a warrior and women’s rights leader.

This pas de deux is danced by Anna Grunewald and Satoki Habuchi with music from “The Last Samurai,” a composition Rose has held in reserve for a long time. It is evident, as Rose describes his process, how moved he is by both music and history. A former history major, Rose considers himself a historian, and delves into a great deal of research before he begins choreographing.

“I found a lot of interesting information about what were called the Onna-bugeisha, the wives and women who were trained to fight. And what I found fascinating was that this was a period that was erased, or downplayed, not really talked about, during the 1700s and 1800s in Japan," Rose said. "The women were fighting alongside their husbands, learning combat, learning how to use weapons, and were treated as equal in combat. I think that's such an incredible thing because I feel like the more modern idea of women in Japan was much more subservient, at home.”

This piece represents a man and a woman at a moment right before they go to battle together and what that dynamic may be like, Rose said. "That’s something that I feel is not only unique, but also unheard of, nowadays, even with the rise of women in the military. I am sure there are very few of these situations.”

Throughout the piece, Rose utilizes authentic props to help tell the story: Grunewald uses a fan, while Habuchi uses a practice katana, but they interchange the props during the pas de deux.

Rose said, he wanted the theme to be ‘"balance" — that they were both doing the same things — "which was historically true.”

Accuracy was important to Rose with this project.

“I’m not trying to choreograph a sword dance, but even the hand positions and the poses — these kinds of details are more important to people now than they used to be. It is better to do your own research than to do what your idea of it is. You can draw from historical films and it can inform your movement. Sometimes our idea of a culture is different than what it actually is.”

Also on the program is the work of company corps de ballet dancer Luiz Silva, who will debut “In Perpetuity.” Inspired by the beauty and coexistence of nature, Silva visualizes two human beings capable of dancing in perpetuity, adding that his work is “also reflective of my journey of finding my voice as a Black male dancer in the world.”

Silva said he draws inspiration from his grandmother who frequently told him, ‘'Whenever you understand your blackness, that is the day you will be set free.'’

Also, corps de ballet member, Petra Love, will premiere “New Love,” a satirical romp intended to make you smile. The piece plays with the dynamics between three competitive young dancers and a ballerina at the height of her career.

Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez said last year's pop-ups proved a much-needed respite from the heartache of the pandemic that brought communities together for moments of joy and beauty.

"At our core, we believe that MCB belongs to the community, and we strive to make it more inclusive by opening doors and creating bridges to access the art form. In addition, watching our dancers take on new creative endeavors and supporting them in their artistic growth is incredibly rewarding and I am proud of their dedication and work. After all, it’s the artists, dancers and choreographers who will advance the future of ballet,” Lopez said.

It is not common for dancers, especially ballet dancers, to have the opportunity to experiment with choreography while still performing with a company.

Rose has been one of the lucky ones, being offered choreographic opportunities early on and developing his voice as a choreographer alongside his continued training and work as a dancer. Giving others a chance to express their creative vision, with some guidance is an area dance organizations can work on, he said.

“This (the pop-ups) has given a nice opportunity for people to explore that side of themselves, if they haven’t choreographed before, and I believe some people haven’t. So, that’s exciting.”

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If you go

What: “To Florida, With Love” by Miami City Ballet

When: 1 and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach. The 2 p.m. performance is followed by a Q&A with choreographer Ariel Rose and dancers who created a special work for Morikami.

Cost: Free, with paid museum admission (Adults, $15; 65 and older, $13; college students with ID, $11; children 6-17, children 5 and younger, free)

For more information: visit miamicityballet.org/popups

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Miami City Ballet performing at Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach