Houston’s Groundbreaking Ishida Dance Teams Up With Ballet For a World Premiere Moment With More On the Way

Ishida Dance Company is back, and this season promises to be its most groundbreaking one yet. Since its debut in Houston four seasons ago, the company has captivated the city’s discerning dance community with daring, innovative performances. Founder Brett Ishida’s creative vision has fostered a devoted audience eager to experience contemporary dance that challenges convention.

A former ballerina-turned-choreographer, Ishida honed her craft at the prestigious School of American Ballet in New York. Her programs combine both her own visionary choreography with works by leading artists from North America and Europe. In doing so, every piece demands bold ideas and expert technique, pushing dancers to their limits.

This season builds on that foundation, promising Ishida’s most groundbreaking work yet. With fresh creations designed to stretch the boundaries of contemporary dance, the company continues to redefine artistic possibilities.

Ishida’s World Premiere at Jubilee of Dance

Ishida is putting on a world premiere commissioned by Houston Ballet for its one-night-only Jubilee of Dance this Friday, December 6.

This collaboration continues Ishida’s artistic relationship with Houston Ballet co-artistic director Julie Kent. Back in 2022, Kent invited Ishida to create a ballet for Washington Ballet’s NEXTsteps program. Kent notes that the initiative is designed “to shed light on and make space for new talents.”

Ishida’s contribution to NEXTsteps, titled home-coming, has already made waves. The piece returned this June for the 10,000 Dreams: Celebration of Asian Choreography festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Critics took note of home-coming‘s emotional depth. Writing for Ballet Herald, Oksana Khadarina praised it as “masterly” and “a poignant meditation on themes of love, loss, grief and remembrance — the most memorable and effective piece on this program.”

According to Ishida’s managing director Jamal Madden, the work draws deeply from personal inspiration. Madden shares that home-coming was inspired by Ishida’s grandmother, lending it an intimate and heartfelt resonance.

To ring in 2025, Ishida Dance will also do a pair of full length evening performances at the Hobby Center on Friday, January 10 and Saturday, January 11, with both beginning at 7 pm.

This program, titled as long as there is in me, draws inspiration from the ancient Greek lyric poet Sappho, celebrated for her expressive love poetry. Even though much of Sappho’s work is lost to time, Ishida finds profound meaning in what remains. “Only one of Sappho’s poems has survived complete, all the rest are fragments,” Ishida reflects. “Yet, how relevant, evocative and layered with meaning these fragments are.”

Headlining the evening is the world premiere of soul-writer, a deeply introspective work that journeys through a dreamscape. In this work, the dance piece follows a woman who briefly inhabits the past lives of a cherished wife, sister and mother.

“With music by Bertrand Bonello and Philip Glass, soul-writer offers a dramatic invitation to contemplate our unfeigned attachments to women that we unconsciously carry,” Ishida says.

The program also includes the United States premiere of Waltz, created by choreographer and performance artist Drew Jacoby. Known for her explosive technique and bold artistry, the Idaho-born Jacoby previously performed with Nederlands Dans Theater. She now dances with Ballet Vlaanderen. Her choreography mirrors the virtuosity she embodies as a dancer, demanding precision, strength, and fluidity.

“Waltz is packed with power and abstract beauty,” Ishida notes. “We can expect technically challenging scenes layered with strength, wit and sensuality.”

The intrigue doesn’t stop there. A futuristic score by composer Les Stuck enhances Waltz‘s unique aesthetic. The music’s triplet rhythms not only shape the title of the duet, but also underscore its dynamic energy.

A Star-Studded Lineup of Dancers

Jacoby’s choreography has left its mark on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, the Royal Opera House in London and the Joyce Theater in New York.

Her five-minute work Jack was a standout at the 2022 Dance Salad Festival at Houston’s Wortham Center. Performed by acclaimed dancer Daniel Domenech, the program’s only solo, the work left a lasting impression. Writing for Critical Dance, Maggie Foyer praised its brevity, noting that “the shortness of Jack was contrasted by the power of its impact. Every detail is considered and nailed. Jacoby’s choreographic language has logic in its quirkiness and syntax that operates in a totally compelling manner.”

Domenech gained recognition for his role in the visually stunning Lady Gaga/Dom Pérignon champagne campaign. He will return to Houston this January to perform in both Jacoby’s Waltz and Ishida’s soul-writer.

Adding to the season’s allure, Ishida revealed at a recent fundraiser that renowned choreographer Mauro Astolfi will debut a world premiere in the January program. Astolfi founded Spellbound Contemporary Ballet in Rome in 1994 after spending significant time in the United States. It has since redefined contemporary ballet.

“Astolfi is an artist who revolutionized the perception of contemporary dance in Italy,” Ishida says. “He redefined the expressive and communicative parameters of contemporary ballet. Spellbound is at the forefront of representing Italy internationally, performing at major festivals and stages across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Mexico and Canada.”

The entire as long as there is in me program will feature an exceptional lineup of dancers, hand-picked from leading companies across North America and abroad.

New Leadership at Ishida Dance

As the season unfolds, Ishida Dance is welcoming a new addition to its leadership team. Jamal Madden has joined the dance company as its managing director, bringing a fresh perspective rooted in his music background. Although Madden’s expertise is in music, his approach aligns with dance in its focus on performance and artistry. A singer with a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from Stephen F. Austin State University, he also holds a Master of Public Administration from Tulane.

Most recently, Madden served as chief of staff at the Awty International School. He has also worked in the music department at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, where he sang in the choir for the funeral of President George H.W. Bush.

Madden’s goal is clear and centers around using his knowledge and expertise to “benefit and enrich the world around us.” He brings a new level of leadership to Ishida Dance as it continues to grow and push creative boundaries.

The Houston Ballet presents The Margaret Alkek Williams Jubilee of Dance this Friday, December 6 at 7:30 pm at The Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas Avenue. For more information and tickets, go here.

Ishida Dance Company performs on Friday, January 10 and Saturday, January 11 at 7 pm at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, 800 Bagby Street. For more information and tickets, go here.