Oakland Ballet Company

Founded in 1965 under the artistic direction of Oakland native Ronn Guidi, the Oakland Ballet Company [OBC] was created as a reconstitution of the earlier Oakland Civic Ballet (1961-1965) of which Guidi was the Associate Director of the Guild. Guidi took inspiration from the world-famous Ballet Russes company, founded in Paris by Sergei Diaghilev in the early 20th century. The Oakland Ballet Company became the first professional dance company in the US to restage the ballets of Bronislava Nijinska, a well-known dancer and choreographer of the Ballet Russes. Over the past six decades, the company has become one of the leading professional dance companies on the West Coast, staging performances of modern ballet classics by choreographers such as Michel Fokine, Kurt Jooss, and Charles Weidman among many others. 

Jeannene Fogel-Hertz and Mario Alonzo in "Sibelius", November 10-12, 1995. Photo by Marty Sohl. 
Three members of the company perform in "Romeo and Juliet". Photo by Marty Sohl (1994). 
Artists of the company perform in "The Nutcracker". Photo by Marty Sohl (1994). 
Mario Alonzo as The Peruvian and Joy Gim as The Glove Seller in Leonide Massine's "Gaite Parisienne". Photo by Lloyd Englert (1994). 
Artists of the company perform Michael Lowe's "Dim Sum", 1997. 
Jon Konetski, Erin Leedom, Mario Alonzo and Julie Lowe in "Carnival D'Aix". Choreography by Ronn Guidi. Music by Milhaud. 
Artists of the company perform "The Awakening". Photo by Marty Sohl (1992). 
Three artists of the company in "Amis". Photo by Wiliam Acheston (1984).
Susan Taylor as The Tennis Champion (patterned after the legendary Suzanne Lenglen and originally performed by the choreographer) in "Le Train Bleu" reconstructed and staged for the Oakland Ballet by Irina Nijinska and Frank W.D. Ries after the original choreography by Bronislava Nijinska and scenarip by Jean Cocteau in 1924 for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. Photo by Marty Sohl (1989). 
Two artists of the company in Michel Fokine's "Scheherazade". Photo by Ken Altshuler. 
The three Odalisques in Michel Fokine's "Scheherazade". Photo by John Markowski (1990).
Artists of the company performing Rite of Spring by Pasqueletti/Stravinsky. Photo by Gary Sinick.
Artists of the company performing "Rite of Spring" by Pasqueletti/Stravinsky. Photo by Harry Wade.
The Bride (Natalia Eremin) and attendeants in Bronislava Nijinska's "Les Noces". Oakland Ballet 30th Anniversary Celebration, September 19, 1995, Paramount Theatre. Photo by Marty Sohl. 
Mario Alonzo performing in "The Crystal Slipper", 1983. Choreoraphy by Carlos Carvajal. Photo by Marty Sohl. 
Cast photos from the Oakland Ballet Company's performance of Ronn Guidi's "Hansel and Gretel". Left photo: Ron Thiele as the Wicked Witch Rosina Rubylips. Right Photo: Mario Alonzo and Julie Lowe as Hansel and Gretel. Photos by Marty Sohl. 
The Gentlemen in Black from "The Green Table" performed by the Oakland Ballet Company, November 10-12, 1995. Photo by Marty Sohl. This powerful ballet, first staged by choreographer Kurt Jooss in 1932, depicts the dangers of war and the inevitable death and destruction wrought by the violence of humanity. 
Press clipping from a Sacramento Bee review of Oakland Ballet Company's debut performance of "The Green Table", September 24, 1984. This performance was restaged with the direction of Anna Markard, the eldest daughter of choreographer Kurt Jooss. 
The Search for the Foot scene from Act II of Carlos Carvajal's full-length ballet "Crystal Slipper" (The Cinderella Story). Music by Bohuslav Martinu. Photo by Marty Sohl. 

Michael Lowe, Mario Alonzo and members of the Oakland Ballet company performing in Bronislava Nijinska's "Les Biches". Photo by Marty Sohl. 
Anna Markard rehearsing "The Green Table" with members of the Oakland Ballet Company
Lara Dean Lowe as The Mother and Joral Schmalle as Death in "The Green Table". November 10-12, 1995. Photo by Marty Sohl. 
Oakland Ballet Company brochure for the Spring 1981 season. 
Summer Lee Rhatigan (standing) and members of the Oakland Ballet Company in John Butler's "Carmina Burana". Photo by Marty Sohl (1985).
"Carmina Burana" program, 1973. 
"Carmina Burana" press clipping, 1973.
A young Billy (Michael Myers) watches his Mother (Julie Lowe) die in his arms in Eugene Loring's Americana ballet classic "Billy the Kid". Music by Aaron Copland. 1988 50th Anniversary performance. Photo by Marty Sohl.
Program for the Oakland Ballet Company's 1976 production of "Hansel and Gretel". 
Program for the Oakland Ballet Company's 1969 production of "Hansel and Gretel". 
Front and back of Oakland Civic Ballet flyer adverstising the 1964 Spring season. 
Brad Bradley, Ron Theile, and David Klein in the Oakland Ballet Company's 1986 production of "Les Biches". Photo by William Acheson. 
Oakland Ballet Company brochure, circa 1970s. 
Oakland Ballet Company poster, circa 1970s. 
Oakland Ballet Company