About the Choreographer

Diana Movius is the Founder and Artistic Director of Moveius Contemporary Ballet and its flagship arts center, Dance Loft on 14. Movius’ choreographic works have been presented by the Kennedy Center, Atlas Performing Arts Center, Dance Place, and many more. Her works have also toured to New York and San Francisco to critical acclaim, and have been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Reuters, and others. She trained at Charlotte Ballet with Patricia McBride and earned degrees in Anthropology and Dance at Stanford University. 

About the Company

About Moveius Contemporary Ballet: Moveius Contemporary Ballet’s mission is to catalyze new choreography in the National Capital area and to increase opportunities for dancers, audiences, and students to experience dance and the performing arts. Moveius Contemporary Ballet pushes the boundaries of ballet to speak to contemporary issues. The art of ballet and modern are used as a medium to invite thoughtful reflection.

About Dance Loft on 14: Dance Loft on 14 is Moveius Contemporary Ballet’s school and flagship studios. Guided by the belief in dance as a powerful means for cultural and social transformation, their mission is to expand access to dance and the performing arts in Washington, DC. Dance Loft on 14 provides vital rehearsal and performance facilities and programs that catalyze artistic work and connect DC residents with the arts. They envision a city where local performing artists thrive, homegrown performances are regularly presented, and dance is accessible to a full range of audiences. Dance Loft offers a range of styles and levels of dance classes. Members of the public can also take ballet classes with Moveius’ dancers and artistic team at Dance Loft.

About the performance: Responding to the exhibition 'Forces of Nature: Voices that Shaped Environmentalism,' Moveius Contemporary Ballet returns to the National Portrait Gallery with two works in reverence of environmental leaders’ legacies while exhibiting the company’s signature style merging policy and dance.

Seasons, a world premiere commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery, draws inspiration from the legendary environmental author Rachel Carson. Set to a modern musical rendition of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, the ballet contemplates Carson’s transformative book "Silent Spring” and her love of birds. Choreographed by DC-based dancer and environmental expert Diana Movius, this evocative piece leaves a lasting impression on the audience, highlighting the beauty and resilience of nature alongside its fragility.

Opening the program, Apocrita, is an athletic and energizing ballet that pays homage to biologist E.O.Wilson and the fascinating and often overlooked lives of ants, wasps, and bees. The work imagines their intricate societies, struggles, and triumphs.

PROGRAM

Apocrita

Choreography by Diana Movius Music by Max Richter Costumes by Diana Movius and Kamillia McCracken Dancers: Adam Chavis and Emily Hashiguchi with Sarah Macdonald, Kamillia McCracken, Tamar Reisner, Arron Scott, and Noah Strand

Seasons (World Premiere)

Choreography by Diana Movius Music by Max Richter Costumes by Kamillia McCracken Dancers: Emily Hester with Adam Chavis, Emily Hashiguchi, Sarah Macdonald, Kamillia McCracken, Jaime Orrego, Tamar Reisner, Arron Scott and Noah Strand