A cast of renowned dancers will lead the debut season of vildwerk., presenting ballets focused on pressing ecological crises, including turtle extinction, butterfly migration, and climate change.

The cast features dancers from The Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Martha Graham Dance Company, Buglisi Dance Theater, Complexions, LA Dance Project, and more.

Performances are scheduled for October 15 and 16, 2024, at 7 p.m. at El Museo del Barrio Theater. Tickets start at $35. A drinks reception with the artists and conservationists will follow the October 15 performance. vildwerk. is a new non-profit organization with a mission to raise awareness about environmental conservation and the critical issues affecting our planet through the performing arts.

The inaugural season of vildwerk. is dedicated to #therubyinitiative, centered on the only Burmese Roofed Turtle in North America—Ruby—whose species is nearing extinction.

Ruby was smuggled from Myanmar to a Hong Kong wet market before arriving in the U.S., where she was kept in captivity for 20 years in a dark basement, unable to turn around or fully leave the water. She is currently a third of her expected size due to these harsh conditions. Her survival is considered a miracle, and her location remains secret due to the high value her species holds on the black market, where she could fetch six-figure sums.

#therubyinitiative is working to find Ruby a mate, though the rarity of her species, Myanmar's civil war, and international politics complicate the search.

“vildwerk. aims to help establish an assurance colony of Ruby’s hatchlings that could be rewilded to Myanmar, allowing this species to thrive in its natural habitat We extend our thanks to the Wildlife Conservation Society, Turtle Conservancy, and the many dedicated wildlife experts who fight every day for Ruby’s survival and her vital role in our ecosystem. Ruby still has an estimated 50 years of viable egg-laying ahead of her.”

-vildwerk. founder Chiara Gorodesky

The season will highlight the beauty and fragility of our planet, with each ballet addressing a different ecological issue:

• Christopher Wheeldon presents This Bitter Earth, a poignant pas de deux set to a remix of Dinah Washington’s soulful This Bitter Earth and Max Richter’s On the Nature of Daylight.

• Joshua Beamish choreographs two works: The Golden Turtle, about trafficked and abused turtles, performed by Mara Galeazzi with music by Felipe Perez Santiago, in collaboration with Rewild and Turtle Conservancy; and a piece about species migration in the rainforest, performed by Benjamin Freemantle, Luciana Paris, and Lloyd Knight, in collaboration with Nature and Culture International.

• Mara Galeazzi also choreographs and performs a work with Jason Kittelberger on the themes of extinction and species loss.

• Briana Reed tackles climate change with Divinity in Paradox, featuring Fernando Montano, Luciana Paris, Eriko Sugimura, Amar Ramasar, Gabi Roller, Erin Gonzales, Sydney Williams, and Jacob Rodriguez.

• Gianna Reisen choreographs a piece about mycorrhizal fungi, performed by Jonathan Fahoury, Vinicius Silva, Peter Mazurowski, and Alyssa Rose Bulin. This collaboration with David K. Israel (score), Samantha Bass (set visuals), and photographer Stephanie Diani is supported by the Mycorrhizal Fund.

• Henning Rübsam dedicates his choreography to butterfly migration, performed by Luciana Paris, Fernando Montano, and Eriko Sugimura, in honor of philanthropist Barbara Tober.

• Jacqulyn Buglisi choreographs Moss Anthology Variation Number 5, performed by Buglisi Dance Theatre, with music by Jeff Beal, lighting by Jack Mehler, and costumes by Christina Giannini.

In addition to the performances, on October 15 and 16, patrons will have access to the #therubyinitiative photography exhibition, featuring works by award-winning photographers and visual artists Samantha Bass, Martin Broen, and Stephanie Diani.

For tickets and more information, visit www.vildwerk.org/season-2024.

About vildwerk.
vildwerk. is a non-profit organization founded by Chiara Gorodesky, dedicated to raising global environmental conservation awareness through dance and the performing arts. Based in New York City, vildwerk. fosters collaboration between world-leading artists, wildlife conservationists, writers, thought leaders, business people, and philanthropists. The organization aims to inspire and educate through the arts to help protect and preserve our planet, rewild ecosystems, and restore biodiversity both locally and globally.