Vanessa Isaac Dance Company

BACH AND BACHIANAS

Choreographic work — 2024
Presented at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art
In partnership with the Santa Barbara Symphony

Bach and Bachianas is a program of choreographic works by Vanessa Agle Isaac developed in dialogue with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and Heitor Villa-Lobos. The program features works set to music by Bach and by Villa-Lobos, highlighting the relationship between Baroque musical form and Villa-Lobos’s reimagining of Bach through Brazilian rhythm and harmony.

Created for live performance, the choreography responds to musical structure, phrasing, and contrast, translating these compositional elements into movement.

This program of choreographic works is in an ongoing phase of development, with future presentations envisioned in partnership with institutions. Institutions interested in presenting Bach and Bachianas are invited to contact the company to discuss potential presentation contexts and formats.

Credits

Company Director & Choreography: Vanessa Agle Isaac

Dancers: Kaita Mrazek, Lea Firouzi, Vanessa Agle Isaac

Piano: Natasha Kislenko, Santa Barbara Symphony

Cello: Jonathan Flaksman, Associate Principal Cellist, Santa Barbara Symphony

Event Introduction: Patsy Hicks, Director of Education, Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Program Introduction: Nir Kabaretti, Music & Artistic Director, Santa Barbara Symphony

Video Documentation & Editing: Zach Mendez

Additional Editing: Vanessa Agle Isaac

Acknowledgments

This work was made possible through the generous support of Starr Siegele, who established a fund at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art to support dance as part of the Museum’s programming.

Special Thanks:
Santa Barbara Symphony and Maestro Nir Kabaretti
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Santa Barbara Dance Hub
Starr Siegele and Larry Feinberg

Media

Program