Michael Shannon's Contemporary Ballet WHAT HAPPENED TO US to Beethoven . Configuration Dance Theatre

Michael Shannon's WHAT HAPPENED TO US is from the New York contemporary ballet, BEEN THERE - DONE THAT, set to classical music by Ludwig van Beethoven. An American choreographer from Los Angeles, California, forty Shannon ballets, operas, dance videos, plays and films have been premiered by companies in the United States and Europe since 1995. His film "Course" was featured by Queens International Film Festival officials for its World Premiere, Saturday, November 14, 2009 in New York. In September 2009, New York City Ballet star, the Daniel Ulbricht "Dance Spectacular" with stars from New York City Ballet, Boston Ballet and Configuration Dance Theatre featured ballets authorized by the Balanchine Foundation, and choreography by Michael Shannon, Susan Jaffe and Joseph Cipolla, "whose acclaimed company," said Ulbricht, "is known for cutting-edge choreography leading the way to the future grounded in the Balanchine tradition of making choreography the star." Shannon, Jaffe and Cipolla trained and performed under the Balanchine tradition. Shannon, a scholarship student of the School of American Ballet under its director, George Balanchine, and mentor, Stanley Williams, also trained and performed for NYCB stars, Yvonne Mounsey, and John Clifford at Los Angeles Ballet, and went abroad on scholarship to Balanchine's homeland, becoming a star of the Bolshoi Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, Hungarian State Opera Ballet, and others in Europe. CDT Artistic Director Joseph Cipolla was a star for NYCB's Arthur Mitchell at Dance Theatre of Harlem, Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet, and Birmingham Royal Ballet. The commitment of these American choreographers to excellence in choreography earned them the ARTVOICE Best Dance Company Award in 2008 and 2009, and YAGP Outstanding Choreographers Award to Michael Shannon in 2008. ARTVOICE wrote, "As their name implies, their emphasis widens the scope of dance and dramatic, a certain 'noir-ness,' they lay bare emotions, startle the senses, and make one think." The New York Times has described Michael Shannon's choreography as "sexy, ballet to blush by." The Buffalo News has called them "captivating, genius, utterly superb, deeply emotional and affecting, intimate, and sensual," with a choreographic range and diversity which, "reminds them of Kylian, Mats Ek, and Rhoden." The Cape Cod Chronicle said his choreography was, "nothing short of astonishing in its understanding and communication of emotion from comical to tender." In May 2009, The Buffalo News said "Configuration Dance warrants continued national attention. Choreographically, there were knock-your-sox-off moments. Shannon's ballet, BEEN THERE DONE THAT, spans a human life cycle with skill that ranged from genius, with two of his dances utterly superb. In GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS, the dancers sailed through well crafted choreography marked with clever gesture and phrasing. The other notable moment came in his ballet, WHAT HAPPENED TO US, a ravishing pas de deux." The Buffalo News said Shannon's WHAT HAPPENED TO US has "a guy watching a Buffalo Sabres versus Montreal Canadiens hockey game as his wife does a slow burn. Bravo, finally realism in ballet." They nicknamed Cipolla and Shannon, "The Dream Team." The New York Times said, "the exciting thrust to their choreography and innate classicism is the first pleasure." Dance Magazine described their artists and repertoire as "a living art gallery." VIDEO CREDITS Choreographer: Michael Shannon Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven Excerpt: "What Happened to Us" from the Two Act Contemporary Ballet "BEEN THERE - DONE THAT" Company: Configuration Dance Theatre Co-Founder and Artistic Director: Joseph Cipolla Featured Dancers: Young Sil Kim and Raul Peinado CONFIGURATION DANCE THEATRE 10th Anniversary Celebration in 2010 Co-Founder and Artistic Director: Joseph Cipolla Resident Choreographer: Michael Shannon Principal Guest Choreographer: Susan Jaffe National Advisory Board: Jack Cullen, Susan Jaffe Founder Emeritus: Catherine Batcheller