Madison, WI – Madison Ballet is excited to announce the first program of their 42nd season, Innovation. Comprised of five world premieres of new ballet works, Innovation will present ballet in a new perspective to audiences. Performances take place at Promenade Hall at the Overture Center for the Arts from October 26th to November 5th, 2023.

In a continued commitment to commissioning works by female-identifying choreographers of color, Innovation features a world premiere by Alia Kache, a former dancer with Ailey II and the 2021 Choreographic Fellow with BalletX. Through her choreography, Ms. Kache “chooses to use joy as resistance… It is my sword, so I make dances that are defiant with joy! And I like to bring audiences along for the ride.”

Whimsical and playful, her new work explores the youthful freedom of childhood games set to music by former San Francisco Ballet dancer and singer/songwriter, Shannon Rugani, also known as EMPRESS.

Ms. Kache wants audiences “to recall a time when we were all free from responsibility, full of hope, and we didn’t know all of our dreams wouldn’t come true.” Ms. Kache’s choreographic work has also been seen at the Dance Gallery Art Festival, Harlem Arts Festival, Bryant Park Presents Modern Dance, and FringeNYC.