Justin Peck’s Murder Ballades was commissioned and premiered  by L.A. Dance Project in 2013. Set against a vivid backdrop by  contemporary artist Sterling Ruby, the exuberant work for six dancers  unfolds to Bryce Dessner’s “Murder Ballades” (recorded for L.A. Dance  Project by the American chamber music ensemble Eighth Blackbird).  Inspired by American folk songs of the 1930s and ‘40s, specifically  murder ballades, Dessner synthesized melodies and concepts from these  ballades into a classically-based chamber piece with complex rhythms and  a strong pulse. Though the ballet contains no explicit narrative, Peck  drew upon the lyrics of the original folk songs during his creative  process, the dark hints of which can be gleaned from the  choreography—particularly in the piece’s two duets. Athletic, playful,  and slightly sinister, Murder Ballades is at once a celebration of life and a cautionary tale told through Peck’s buoyant choreography.

Chorégraphie Justin Peck

Murder Ballads a été composée et enregistrée par eighth blackbird au Museum of Contemporary Art de Chicago les 2 et 3 mai 2013. Murder Ballads est une commande de eighth blackbird et Lunapark, financée par The Doelen Concert Hall - Rotterdam, Muziekgebouw aan ‘t iJ - Amsterdam et Muziekgebouw Frits Philips - Eindhoven, avec le soutien financier de The Van Beinum Foundation - The netherlands, ainsi que du Museum of Contemporary Art - Chicago.

Justin Peck is a soloist and the Resident Choreographer of New York City Ballet. Mr. Peck grew up in San Diego, California, where he studied at California Ballet for two years. In 2003, he began training at the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet. He was named an apprentice in 2006, joined the NYCB corps de ballet in spring 2007, and was promoted to soloist in February 2013. In 2014, after the creation of his acclaimed ballet « Everywhere We Go », he was appointed as Resident Choreographer of New York City Ballet.  He is the second person in the institution’s history to hold this title. As a performer, Peck has danced a vast repertoire of works by George Balanchine , Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, Alexei Ratmansky, Benjamin Millepied, Christopher Wheeldon, and many others.  In 2013, Peck was promoted to the rank of Soloist. 

In the fall of 2009, Peck participated in the New York Choreographic Institute, an affiliate of NYCB, and in 2011, NYCB Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins designated Peck to receive NYCI’s first year-long choreographic residency. Peck choreographed six works for New York City Ballet in two years— "In Creases" (2012), "Year of the Rabbit" (2012), "Paz de la Jolla" (2013), "Take-Offs and Landings" (NYCB MOVES, 2013), "Capricious Maneuvers" (2013), and "Everywhere We Go" (2014)—and was named Resident Choreographer, the second in the Company’s history, in July 2014. As Resident Choreographer, he has created "Belles-Lettres" (2014), "Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes" (2015), "New Blood" (2015), and "The Most Incredible Thing" (2016).

Justin has created over 30 ballets-- 14 of those for New York City Ballet.  His works have been performed by Paris Opera Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, LA Dance Project, Dutch National Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Houston Ballet, and Pennsylvania Ballet, to name a few.  His collaborators include composers Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner (The National), Dan Deacon; visual artists Shepard Fairey, Marcel Dzama, John Baldessari, and Jules de Balincourt; and fashion designers Mary Katrantzou, Humberto Leon (Kenzo, Opening Ceremony), and Dries Van Noten. 

In 2014, Peck was the subject of the documentary "Ballet 422", which followed him for two months as he created NYCB’s 422nd original dance, « Paz de la Jolla ».

In 2015, his ballet « Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes » won the Bessie Award for Outstanding Production.

Source : Justin Peck 's website ; NYCB 's website

More information

justin-peck.com

Born in 1977, Fabien Plasson is a video director specialized in the field of performing arts (dance , music, etc).

During his studies at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts de Lyon (joined in 1995) Fabien discovered video art. He was trained by various video artists (Joel Bartoloméo Pascal Nottoli , Eric Duyckaerts , etc).
He first experimented with the creation of installations and cinematic objects.

From 2001 to 2011, he was in charge of Ginger & Fred video Bar’s programming at La Maison de la Danse in Lyon. He discovered the choreographic field and the importance of this medium in the dissemination, mediation and pedagogical approach to dance alongside Charles Picq, who was a brilliant video director and the director of the video department at that time.

Today, Fabien Plasson is the video director at La Maison de la Danse and in charge of the video section of Numeridanse.tv, an online international  video library, and continues his creative activities, making videos of concerts, performances and also creating video sets for live performances.

Sources: Maison de la Danse ; Fabien Plasson website

More information: fabione.fr