The Joffrey Ballet celebrated 65 years of artistic excellence in 2021. Classically trained to the highest standards, the Joffrey expresses an inclusive perspective on dance that reflects the diversity of America through its Company Artists, extensive repertoire, Academy, and Community Engagement programs. Considered one of the premier companies performing today, the Joffrey plays a vital role in the dance community as one of the largest dance companies and dance education providers in Chicago and the greater Midwest region.
The Joffrey opens its 2022–23 season October 12–23 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago with “Beyond Borders,” a mixed program that celebrates the company’s maverick legacy with works by artists of the Joffrey’s past and present, including Suite Saint-Saëns by Co-Founder Gerald Arpino, along with choreographers Liam Scarlett and Chanel DaSilva.
Suzanne Lopez was asked to join The Joffrey Ballet in 1991 after a year with the Joffrey II Dancers. She retired in 2010 after a long and outstanding career with the company. She danced principal roles in ballets by such choreographers as Robert Joffrey, Gerald Arpino, George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Alonzo King, John Cranko, José Limón, Antony Tudor, Twyla Tharp, Lar Lubovitch, and Sir Frederick Ashton. Some of her favorite roles to perform include the title roles in Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet and Ashton’s Cinderella, as well as the Sugarplum Fairy in the Joffrey’s The Nutcracker. She was also featured in world premieres by Edwaard Liang, Donald Byrd, Jessica Lang, and Margo Sappington, among others. Lopez had a featured role in the movie The Company, directed by Robert Altman. She was thrilled to return to the Joffrey Ballet as a rehearsal director in 2016, where she has had the privilege to work on new creations with master choreographers, such as John Neumeier, Christopher Wheeldon, and Yuri Possokhov. She has also been a guest teacher, répétiteur, and coach at various schools and companies across the world.
Suzanne Lopez’s thoughts and reflections:
What is your personal history performing Arpino works?
When I was a dancer with The Joffrey Ballet, I think the bulk of what I danced was Arpino works. His ballets never really left the rep. Suite Saint-Saëns is one of the first ballets I learned in the company, and as a new dancer, you had to pretty much just pick up the choreography in the back of the room. There weren’t teaching rehearsals. Now that I’m staging this ballet, it’s really interesting to have to teach all 20 roles. And as is typical with an Arpino work, there are times that all 20 are doing different things. It’s slightly daunting, but a lot of fun.
I’ve staged various Arpino works for the company and for the Joffrey Academy of Dance throughout the years. This is the first time I have staged this particular ballet in its entirety, and I really wanted to get it right. I have been combing through old videos and trying to decide what version I feel is right for the company now. I often start with the original choreography but know that I have options if something isn’t working for a dancer. It is how Mr. Arpino worked, and I feel strongly about maintaining that flexibility to make each dancer look and feel their best.
What does it mean to you to present Suite Saint-Saëns as we celebrate Mr. Arpino’s centennial?
When we started rehearsing this ballet, I told the dancers it was really important to me that every member of the company be involved. This ballet is their history and their legacy, and it’s important for them to understand what that means. I think it’s especially meaningful for the Joffrey to perform Suite Saint-Saëns because, in my opinion, it is the ballet that epitomizes the Joffrey system of “All Star/No Star.” In this ballet, everyone is a star, and everyone has a moment to shine. It’s an honor for me to pass this ballet on to them, and it’s a thrill to watch. All of these ballets started at the Joffrey, and we are excited to participate in the Arpino Centennial Celebration next year and welcome all of the companies to our home town of Chicago.
How would you describe the Arpino style? What are some distinctive elements of his choreography?
Mr. Arpino’s style has a completely unique energy to it, compared to anything else I’ve ever danced. The line of arabesque is extreme. The footwork is quick. The movement always starts with the torso. And the dancers have to travel. There’s no time to stop and think about what you are doing, which is why I think there is a youthful quality to his choreography. There are many times in Suite Saint-Saëns when a dancer runs across the stage, but the energy has to be just right, and they absolutely cannot slow down as they enter the wing! “Hit the wall, babies!”
How does dancing Arpino ballets prepare a dancer for other types of repertory?
Mr. Arpino used to say that if a dancer can do petit allegro (a series of small and fast jumps), they can do anything, and I think he was right. Anyone can dance slowly, but to be able to dance with speed, and still maintain precision, is an asset to a dancer. Our rep is so varied, and our dancers are so versatile, but it’s wonderful to bring them back to their roots and to see that this ballet, which is nearly 45 years old, is still challenging today.