ANNOUNCER: TONIGHT ON SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR, ACTING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE CINCINNATI BALLET, CERVILIO AMADOR.

STAY TUNED.

SHOWCASE STARTS RIGHT NOW.

[MUSIC] KELLAR: HI, I'M BARBARA KELLAR.

WELCOME TO SHOWCASE.

WE HAVE TODAY AN INCREDIBLE YOUNG MAN, YOUNG, CERTAINLY YOUNG TO ME, CERVILIO WHO IS THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR CURRENTLY OF THE CINCINNATI BALLET COMPANY.

AND HE IS JUST AN AMAZING AND AMAZING PERSON.

HE CAME FROM CUBA AND I INTERVIEWED HIM SHORTLY AFTER.

BUT TODAY THE WORLD IS VERY DIFFERENT FOR HIM.

HE WAS A DANCER AND TODAY HE IS AN ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.

SO WE WANT TO GET CAUGHT UP WITH CERVILIO AND ASK HIM WHAT HE'S DOING, HOW HE'S DOING, AND ALL THOSE THINGS ABOUT HIM.

SO WELCOME TO SHOWCASE.

AMADOR: WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AGAIN, BARBARA.

KELLAR: TELL -- LET'S JUST START, TELL OUR VIEWERS JUST A LITTLE PREVIEW OR REVIEW OF HOW YOU CAME TO THE UNITED STATES.

AMADOR: SO, I WAS A 19 YEAR OLD BOY.

I'M ORIGINALLY FROM CUBA.

AND I CAME ON TOUR WITH THE NATIONAL BALLET OF CUBA.

AND JUST TO MAKE THIS STORY A LITTLE SHORTER, I GRABBED MY BACKPACK, LEFT THE HOTEL ROOM AT TWO IN THE MORNING, AND WENT STRAIGHT TO MIAMI TO START MY LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES.

THAT LED ME INTO SOME INTERVIEWS, THAT THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES ABOUT DANCERS DEFECTING FROM CUBA.

AND THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR OF CINCINNATI BALLET, VICTORIA MORGAN, READ THIS ARTICLE, AND SHE INVITED ME TO COME TO CINCINNATI AND AUDITION FOR CINCINNATI BALLET.

I FEEL EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT I SAY YES BACK THEN BECAUSE IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE.

I'VE BEEN IN CINCINNATI NOW FOR 20 YEARS, 17 YEARS AS A DANCER WITH THE COMPANY, THREE YEARS AS REHEARSAL DIRECTOR, AND THIS IS MY FIRST SEASON AS INTERIM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.

KELLAR: YEAH, WELL, CUBA, AS YOU WILL TELL OUR AUDIENCE, I'M SURE, HAS AN INCREDIBLE HISTORY OF BALLET.

THEY'RE SECOND ONLY REALLY TO THE RUSSIANS FOREVER HISTORICALLY.

AND YOU WERE IN -- YOU WERE ON TOUR AND YOU JUST GOT UP THAT ONE MORNING AND YOU HAD A FRIEND WITH YOU.

AMADOR: YEAH, I HAD MY GIRL- FRIEND AT THE TIME, GEMA DIAZ.

WE BOTH DEFECTED TOGETHER.

KELLAR: YEAH, YEAH, THEY JUST WALKED OUT OF THE HOTEL ROOM.

AND WHERE DID YOU GO FIRST?

AMADOR: SO YOU KNOW, BACK THEN -- SO GEMA, MY GIRLFRIEND, SHE HAD FAMILY IN MIAMI, AND WE ASKED FOR HELP TO THE FAMILY.

AND THE FAMILY CAME, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL HELP US IN THE BEGINNING.

SO WE WERE IN DAYTONA BEACH AT THAT TIME.

AND WE DROVE FIVE HOURS TO MIAMI.

AND THAT'S HOW THE JOURNEY STARTED.

AND THAT'S HOW THEY HELPED US IN THE BEGINNING.

KELLAR: SO YOU STARTED OUT WITH CINCINNATI BALLET.

AMADOR: CINCINNATI BALLET WAS THE VERY FIRST COMPANY I AUDITIONED FOR IN THE UNITED STATES.

KELLAR: AND YOU'VE BEEN WITH US EVER SINCE.

AMADOR: EVER SINCE, I MEAN, MY ENTIRE CAREER.

KELLAR: YEAH.

HOW DIFFERENT WAS IT FROM CUBA?

AMADOR: YOU -- IT'S INTERESTING YOU MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE CUBA IS A VERY WELL KNOWN COMPANY, BUT VERY CLASSICAL COMPANY.

AND WHEN I JOINED CINCINNATI BALLET, IT WAS A VERY DIVERSE REPERTOIRE.

SO YET I FELT THAT I WAS VERY STRONG WHEN IT CAME TO THE CLASSICAL ASPECT OF DANCING.

I WAS STILL GREEN WHEN IT CAME TO CONTEMPORARY, NEO CLASSICAL, BALANCHINE, OTHER TYPE OF GROWTH.

SO I FELT THAT I LEARNED A LOT, AND I GREW A LOT BY JOINING CINCINNATI BALLET.

KELLAR: YEAH, BECAUSE YOU COULD DO THINGS OTHER THAN THE CLASSICS.

AMADOR: WHICH IT OPENED UP MY WORLD, LIKE I ALWAYS SAY, LIKE, FIRST IT WAS ABOUT ME LETTING GO, THAT CLASSICISM IS EVERYTHING THAT I WANTED TO DO.

AND ONCE I LET THAT GO IN MY MIND, I FOUND SO MUCH FREEDOM IN ABLE TO EXPRESS MYSELF BEING ABLE TO DANCE IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

YEAH, CINCINNATI BALLET GAVE ME THAT OPPORTUNITY.

KELLAR: DID YOU START OUT AS A PREMIER DANCER OR WERE YOU LIKE IN THE CORP?

AMADOR: YOU KNOW, I WAS LUCKY, I JOINED AS A SOLOIST.

MY VERY FIRST SEASON I WAS A SOLOIST.

KELLAR: YOU WERE NEVER IN THE BACK ROW.

AMADOR: I WAS NOT IN THE CORPS OF THE BALLET.

I REMEMBER MY TEACHER ACTUALLY TOLD ME, YOU KNOW, I'M ON THE SHORTER SIDE AS A DANCER.

AND SHE'S LIKE, "YOU BETTER BE ONE OF THE BEST ONES BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIT IN THE CORPS."

KELLAR: YES, RIGHT.

AMADOR: SO I ALWAYS I TOOK THAT TO HEART.

SO I JOINED CINCINNATI BALLET AS A SOLOIST.

MY SECOND SEASON I WAS PROMOTED TO FIRST SOLOIST.

AND MY THIRD SEASON I WAS PROMOTED TO PRINCIPAL, BECOMING ONE OF THE YOUNGEST PRINCIPAL IN THE HISTORY.

KELLAR: HOW OLD WERE YOU THEN?

AMADOR: I WAS 21?

21 YEARS OLD.

KELLAR: PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW YOUNG DANCERS ARE.

AND YOUR CAREER, MOST PEOPLE'S CAREERS ARE OVER DANCING BY THE TIME THEY'RE, WHAT, LATE 30S?

AMADOR: YEAH, IT IS.

THAT SPAN IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 35-40.

SOME PEOPLE GO A LITTLE LONGER.

KELLAR: UNLESS YOU'RE MARGOT FONTAINE.

AMADOR: OR ALICIA ALONSO.

KELLAR: YEAH, YEAH, WHO WAS A GREAT -- WELL, SHE -- IS SHE STILL ALIVE?

AMADOR: NO.

KELLAR: NO, I DIDN'T THINK SO.

BUT SHE WAS THE CUBAN BALLET.

AMADOR: YEAH, SHE WAS THE ONE WHO STARTED IT.

KELLAR: AND SINCE YOU CAME, YOU'VE ACQUIRED A BEAUTIFUL BALLERINA WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN.

AMADOR: THREE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN.

KELLAR: THREE BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN.

AMADOR: YEAH, I MARRIED JACKIE, AMADOR NOW.

AND JACKIE DANCED WITH THE COMPANY FOR 14 YEARS.

AND WE DATED FOR AROUND SEVEN OF THOSE YEARS.

KELLAR: REALLY?

AMADOR: AND NOW WE HAVE THREE BEAUTIFUL KIDS.

KELLAR: YEAH.

LET'S COME TO THE PRESENT.

AND YOU'RE THE ACTING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, WE HOPE FOREVER.

AND TELL US WHAT YOUR LIFE IS LIKE.

AMADOR: YOU KNOW, IT'S INCREDIBLE THE JOURNEY THAT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH IN CINCINNATI BALLET.

AS I MENTIONED, IN JULY IT'S GOING TO BE 20 YEARS IN THIS COMPANY, AND I HAVE INVESTED MY ENTIRE CAREER INTO THIS COMPANY, INTO THIS CITY.

AND HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO DIRECT CINCINNATI BALLET ARTISTICALLY IS LIKE, PINCH ME.

KELLAR: YEAH, YOU CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

AMADOR: I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

IT WAS -- IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY IN THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON.

I WAS NOT EXPECTING IT, AS OUR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DEPART VERY EARLY IN THE SEASON.

BUT I FELT THAT I WANTED THE RESPONSIBILITY, I FELT THAT I KNEW THE COMPANY, I KNOW THE COMMUNITY AND I HAVE BEEN DOING SINCE THROUGH MY CAREER THAT PERHAPS THAT LED ME TO THIS MOMENT IN TIME.

SO I FELT VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE BOARD DECIDED TO GIVE ME THIS RESPONSIBILITY.

AND I JUST DOVE IN RIGHT AWAY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

I WAS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON UNEXPECTEDLY, AND ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS CONCENTRATE RIGHT AWAY INTO THE WORK.

I WANTED TO CREATE THIS SENSE OF STABILITY RIGHT AWAY FOR ALL OF US IN THE COMPANY.

KELLAR: STABILITY IS VERY GOOD.

AMADOR: FOR OUR DANCERS, LET'S CONCENTRATE ON WHAT MATTERS, CONCENTRATE ON THE ART FORM, CONNECTING WITH OUR COMMUNITY, THE PRODUCTION STAGE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I LOOK BACK AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE.

KELLAR: YES.

RIGHT.

AMADOR: I FEEL LIKE NOW I'M STARTING TO BREATHE A LITTLE BIT AND PROCESS THINGS, BUT EARLIER ON WAS DIVE, DIVE RIGHT INTO IT.

KELLAR: TELL US WHAT YOUR FIRST DAY AS THE NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, HOW LONG DID YOU HAVE BETWEEN WHEN THEY ASK YOU AND THE FIRST DAY YOU HAD TO START, LIKE, RIGHT?

AMADOR: IT WAS VERY SUDDEN BECAUSE WE WERE ABOUT TO OPEN OUR FIRST PROGRAM OF THE SEASON.

KELLAR: YOU WERE THE BALLET -- AMADOR: I WAS THE REHEARSAL DIRECTOR, WHICH THE REHEARSAL DIRECTOR IS VERY INVOLVED WITH THE DANCERS, WE'RE IN THE STUDIO ALL THE TIME PREPARING THE SHOW.

AND IT WAS ONE WEEK BEFORE WE WERE GOING TO GO INTO THE THEATER TO OPEN OUR FIRST PROGRAM, NEW WORKS.

AND I REMEMBER THE MOMENT THAT IT WAS COMMUNICATED TO THE DANCERS, TO THE COMPANY.

JOEL STONE, OUR BOARD CHAIR, MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND I WAS SO EXCITED.

AND I SMILE AND, BUT LIKE I SAID, RIGHT AWAY WAS, "WELL, LET'S GO TO REHEARSAL.

WE OPEN NEXT WEEK.

AND LET'S DO OUR JOB."

IT WAS VERY MUCH LIKE THAT.

KELLAR: YEAH, OF COURSE, YOU WERE ALREADY REHEARSING FOR IT, SO YOU JUST KEPT UP WITH THAT.

AMADOR: YEAH, IN THAT BEGINNING, I HAD TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

I HAD TO KEEP MY REHEARSAL DIRECTORS, YOU KNOW, ROLE, LIKE BEING IN THE STUDIO WITH THE DANCERS, COACHING THEM, GETTING READY FOR THE THEATER.

BUT THEN RIGHT AWAY I HAD TO PUT MY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR CAP AND THEN SEEING THINGS MORE FROM THE OUTSIDE, THE BIGGER PICTURE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AMADOR: AND THEN LOOKING RIGHT AWAY INTO THE SEASON AND EVERYTHING THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE SEASON SOLIDIFYING THINGS THAT WERE NOT QUITE THERE.

AND I THINK, LIKE, I JOKE BECAUSE A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER THEY TOLD ME, "SO, NEXT SEASON WHAT DO YOU HAVE PLANNED?"

I WAS LIKE.

KELLAR: I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK YOU, OKAY.

BECAUSE THIS SEASON IS ALREADY -- WAS ALREADY PLANNED, RIGHT?

AMADOR: YEAH, IT WAS PLANNED, BUT THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO ADJUST.

BECAUSE OF THE DEPARTURE OF THE DIRECTOR, WE HAD TO ADJUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING IN THE SEASON.

SO THAT WAS MY PRIORITY RIGHT AWAY.

AND THEN, YEAH, IT WAS LIKE, "OKAY, WHAT ARE WE DOING NEXT SEASON?"

KELLAR: AND SO HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT PLANNING A SEASON?

AND YOU'D NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE.

RIGHT?

AMADOR: I HAD A BIT OF EXPERIENCE WHEN IT COMES TO, LIKE, I HAD DIRECT MY OWN SUMMER COMPANY, MOVING ARTS.

KELLAR: OH, THAT'S RIGHT.

AMADOR: IT'S A VERY SMALLER SCALE.

IT'S JUST DURING THE SUMMER.

BUT I HAVE HAD A BIT OF EXPERIENCE CURATING THAT KIND OF WORK.

BUT THIS ONE IS CURATING A FULL SEASON.

IT'S A BIGGER SCALE.

I WOULD SAY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS I HAVE LEARNED A LOT.

I WALK INTO A SCENARIO WHERE THERE WERE SOME THINGS ALREADY ON THE TABLE.

I HAD SOME DREAMS.

I HAVE SOME IDEAS TO BRING.

NOW, WHAT CAN WE MAKE FEASIBLE?

WHAT IS DOABLE?

SO, IT WAS A LOT OF COLLABORATION WITH THE TEAM AND A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH.

AND I LEARNED THAT IT'S ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE WHEN IT COMES TO CURATING A SEASON.

EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH WHAT WE HAVE IN STORE FOR NEXT YEAR.

THERE'S A LITTLE BIT FOR EVERYONE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

TALK TO OUR AUDIENCE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WITH MUSIC, LIKE ORCHESTRAS, YOU HAVE THE MUSIC, IT'S IN FRONT OF YOU AND THAT'S WHAT YOU PLAY.

BUT WITH BALLET, IT'S CHOREOGRAPHY AND THEN THE CLASSICS THAT'S COME DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYTHING'S WRITTEN DOWN NOW, EVEN NOW.

THE CLASSICS.

LET'S TAKE GISELLE, FOR INSTANCE.

GISELLE IS GOING TO BE NEXT YEAR.

AND THE CHOREOGRAPHER WHAT?

HOW DO THEY START OUT?

DO THEY -- THEY HAVE TO KNOW THE CLASSICAL GISELLE AND DO THEY HAVE THE ABILITY OR THE CAN THEY CHANGE THINGS?

THEY DO, IF IT'S -- I KNOW THEY CAN'T IF IT'S A CURRENT CHOREOGRAPHER AND THEY'RE USUALLY HERE TEACHING IT.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CLASSICS?

AMADOR: SO THE CLASSIC IT REALLY, REALLY DEPENDS WHO YOU WORK WITH.

THERE ARE SOME CLASSIC WORKS THAT HAVE REALLY STAYED THE WAY THEY WERE ORIGINALLY CHOREOGRAPHED.

AND WE ARE VERY CAREFUL TO NOT PLAY AROUND MUCH WITH IT.

BUT THERE ARE OTHER CHOREOGRAPHERS, OTHER CLASSICS THAT YOU DO HAVE A BIT OF FREEDOM OF BRINGING A LITTLE BIT MORE TO TOWARDS TODAY, TO THE WAY THE ARTIST FEELS TODAY.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST PERFORMED DON QUIXOTE AND THAT WAS -- KELLAR: AND IT WAS FABULOUS.

AMADOR: IT WAS, IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.

BUT BUT ANNA-MARIE HOLMES SAID LIKE, "YOU KNOW, LET'S ADAPT IT TO YOUR DANCERS, THE DANCERS THAT YOU HAVE TODAY, THE WAY THAT THEY FEEL."

IT WAS THREE ACTS AND WE MADE IT INTO TWO ACTS.

SO IT TRULY DEPENDS WITH THE ARTISTS THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH, SOME ARE MORE OPEN MINDED TO CHANGE AND TO ADAPTING IT TO TODAY, AND SOME ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC ON HOW THEY WANT TO SET IT.

KELLAR: DO YOU BRING IN SOMEBODY, EVEN IF IT'S A DON Q OR GISELLE, YOU BRING IN SOMEBODY WHO'S AN EXPERT ON THAT?

AMADOR: WE DO.

WE DO.

WE DO.

WE EITHER BRING THE CHOREOGRAPHER, IF IT'S AVAILABLE, AND IF THE CHOREOGRAPHER IS NOT AVAILABLE OR HAS PASSED, THEN YOU BRING THE STAGER, THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INTEGRITY OF THE WORK AND THEN THAT IS A COLLABORATION WITH THE ARTISTIC TEAM AND THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND THE DANCERS ON HOW WE PUT IT INTO THE STAGE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WHO WOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THE ARTISTIC IF THE CHOREOGRAPHER HAS BEEN DEAD FOR 100 YEARS?

AMADOR: SO, MOST OF THEM HAVE LIKE FOUNDATION, LIKE THEY HAVE GIVEN THEIR WORK TO TRUSTEES THAT THEN THEY TAKE CARE OF, LIKE, THE BALANCHINE TRUST.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AMADOR: YOU KNOW, WE GO THROUGH THE BALANCHINE TRUST AND THEY HAVE EXPERT THAT THEY SEND TO US, AND THEN THAT'S HOW WE ARE ABLE TO.

KELLAR: YEAH, I KNOW ABOUT THE BALANCHINE TRUST AND HE GAVE SOME OF HIS BALLETS TO SUSIE FARRELL, AT LEAST ONE CHACONNE, I KNOW THAT.

AND THEN TO OTHERS, AND YOU CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THOSE PEOPLE.

AMADOR: EXACTLY, AND YOU HAVE TO BE QUALIFIED AS A COMPANY.

WE, CINCINNATI BALLET, FOR SOME OF THESE BIG WORKS, WE NEED TO SEND VIDEOS TO KIND OF AUDITION TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS KIND OF WORK.

FORTUNATELY, WE'VE BEEN APPROVED EVERY SINGLE TIME.

KELLAR: YEAH, SOME QUOTE LITTLE CAN'T JUST DO THOSE WORKS.

THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE A COPYRIGHT.

AMADOR: YEAH, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE QUALITY, THE CALIBER TO DO.

KELLAR: YOU CAN'T DO IT, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, I THINK.

AMADOR: YEAH.

KELLAR: YEAH.

GREAT.

SO DO YOU NOW LIKE MODERN BETTER THAN CLASSICAL?

AMADOR: OH, IT'S TRULY MY WORLD.

AND I THINK IT HAD TO DO WITH MY INFLUENCE AS AN ARTIST MYSELF.

LIKE, I GREW UP WITH THAT CLASSICISM, AND I VALUE IT SO MUCH.

AND AS I SEE IT, YOU KNOW, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THESE MASTERPIECES.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MY WORLD AS A DANCER AND MYSELF, I'VE EVOLVED SO MUCH THAT I'M SO OPEN MINDED TO THE NEW VOICES, TO THE NEW WAY OF TELLING STORIES.

SO I REALLY, I REALLY SEE A 50/50.

RIGHT NOW I'M VERY EXCITED FOR OUR NEXT PROGRAM.

WE HAVE A NEW A NEW COLLABORATION WITH RENA BUTLER THAT IS CHOREOGRAPHING RIGHT NOW IN OUR STUDIOS A BRAND NEW PIECE FOR OUR COMPANY, CINCINNATI MADE.

AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS EXCITE ME INCREDIBLY.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WELL, ISN'T IT ALSO EXCITING TO BE IN THAT NEW BUILDING?

OH MY GOODNESS, TO START OUT YOUR CAREER, YOU KNOW, TO, I MEAN, TO START OUT AS OUR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND THAT BUILDING.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY PLACE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY.

AMADOR: BARBARA, TELL ME ABOUT IT.

LIKE, YOU KNOW, MANY TIMES THROUGH THIS JOURNEY, I'VE BEEN, LIKE, "PINCH ME, PINCH ME," BECAUSE I DRIVE AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN MANY, MANY OTHER BUILDINGS, BALLET COMPANIES BUILDINGS AROUND THE UNITED STATES.

AND WE ARE LIKE TOP THREE, I WOULD SAY.

THAT'S -- AND THAT'S ME BEING GENERAL.

I WOULD SAY WE'RE REALLY UP THERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE ARTS IN CINCINNATI, TO THE SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE BUILDING, INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATION.

AND YES, IT'S A DREAM FOR ME TO NOW BE LEADING AND INSPIRING THEM.

KELLAR: YEAH, RIGHT.

DO YOU WORK ALL DAY EVERY DAY?

YES.

AMADOR: WORK BALANCE IS ALWAYS, IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO.

BUT YEAH, WE NORMALLY THE DANCERS SCHEDULE IS MONDAY, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

THEY START AT 9 A.M. AND THEY REHEARSE UNTIL 5:45 P.M..

SO IT'S A FULL DAY.

MY SCHEDULE IS REALLY -- KELLAR: YEAH.

DO YOU EVER GET TO GO HOME?

AMADOR: I DO, I MEAN, BECAUSE OF THE -- OF MY BEAUTIFUL KIDDOS, THAT'S THE BALANCE THAT I TRY TO FIND.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I'M DOING IS THAT WHEN I AM OFF, THEN I AM COMPLETELY OFF.

AND I'M REALLY CONCENTRATING IN MY KIDS.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M LEARNING.

I'M STILL IN THE PROCESS OF LEARNING HOW TO BALANCE ALL OF IT.

KELLAR: IS NEXT YEAR ALREADY ALL PLANNED?

AMADOR: NEXT SEASON IS SET.

KELLAR: ARE YOU ALLOWED TO SAY WHAT IT IS?

AMADOR: OH, YEAH.

KELLAR: OKAY.

AMADOR: SO WE START THE SEASON WITH NEW WORKS.

AND FOR NEW WORKS I REALLY WANTED TO STAY TRUE TO THE WORD NEW.

LIKE I WANTED THIS FEELING OF CINCINNATI MADE, NEW CHOREOGRAPHERS THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN THEIR WORK BEFORE, THAT CHOREOGRAPHERS THAT HAVE NOT WORKED WITH OUR COMPANY PRIOR TO.

AND THEY WILL BE CHOREOGRAPHING ABSOLUTELY BRAND NEW WORKS FOR US.

FROM THERE WE GO, WE'RE GOING TO BRING BACK GISELLE.

SHE'S ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE CLASSICAL WORKS.

LAST TIME WE PERFORMED GISELLE WAS 13 YEARS AGO.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AMADOR: I FELT IT WAS TIME TO BRING THIS MASTERPIECE BACK.

AND IN THE WAY A GIFT TO THE DANCERS IN OUR COMPANY THAT SOME OF THEM HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS WORK.

SO I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED TO BRING THAT PRODUCTION BACK.

THEN OUR WONDERFUL NUTCRACKER.

KELLAR: OF COURSE, YOU'RE GOING TO DO VICTORIA'S?

AMADOR: YEAH, VICTORIA'S NUTCRACKER.

AND FOR NUTCRACKER, WE WILL BE CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VERY FIRST NUTCRACKER THAT IT WAS PRODUCED.

KELLAR: YES, YEAH.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AMADOR: PRODUCED ON STAGE.

THEN WE START 2025.

WE TAKE A LITTLE TRIP THROUGH THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD.

KELLAR: OH, YEAH.

AMADOR: TO MEET THE WIZARD OF OZ.

KELLAR: THE WIZARD OF OZ, WOW.

AMADOR: I MEAN.

KELLAR: WHO'S CHOREOGRAPHING?

AMADOR: SEPTIME WEBRE.

KELLAR: OH, SEPTIME WEBRE.

AMADOR: FORMER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF WASHINGTON BALLET.

AND CURRENTLY HE'S THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF HONG KONG BALLET.

AND IF YOU KNOW THE WORK OF SEPTIME WEBRE IT'S BROADWAY MEETS BALLET, IT'S LIKE OVER THE TOP.

THIS PRODUCTION IS $1 MILLION PRODUCTION.

KELLAR: YEAH.

DID HE DO ALICE IN WONDERLAND?

AMADOR: WE DID HIS ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

KELLAR: YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN.

OKAY, THEN?

AMADOR: AND THEN WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL IS FOR FAMILIES, OUR FAMILY SERIES, YEAH, TO INTRODUCE, YOU KNOW.

KELLAR: CB2?

AMADOR: WITH THE CB2, OUR SECOND COMPANY DANCERS.

THEY ARE THE MAIN, THE SUPERSTARS OF THE PRODUCTION.

AND THEN OUR PROFESSIONAL TRAINING DIVISION AND OUR ACADEMY KIDDOS, THEY PUT A SHOW TOGETHER.

AND IT'S FOR FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, INTRODUCE KIDS TO THE ART FORM.

IT'S A ONE HOUR BALLET THAT HAVE NARRATION TO IT.

KELLAR: IS THAT THE ARONOFF?

AMADOR: THAT'S AT THE ARONOFF AND THAT WILL BE SNOW WHITE.

KELLAR: OH, OKAY.

AMADOR: THEN AFTER THAT, WE'RE INTRODUCING A NEW TITLE, DIRECTOR'S VISION.

AND WITH THIS ONE, I WANTED TO DREAM BIG.

LIKE I REALLY WANTED TO BRING THE ARTISTS OF TODAY, LIKE THE RULE BREAKERS OF TODAY, WHO IS CHANGING THE ART FORM IN OUR FIELD TODAY?

AND I'M EXCITED TO BRING THE WORK OF ALEXANDER EKMAN FOR THE FIRST TIME TO CINCINNATI.

SUPER STAR IN THE DANCE WORLD.

I MEAN, HE HAS DONE WORK FOR PARIS OPERA AND NETHERLANDS DANCE THEATER, BOSTON BALLET, JOFFREY.

AND WE WILL BE DOING A PIECE OF HIM CALLED CACTI.

KELLAR: OH, OKAY.

YEAH.

AMADOR: ALL I GOTTA SAY, YOU HAVE TO COME.

YOU HAVE TO SEE IT.

IT'S GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE.

IN THAT PROGRAM, WE WILL ALSO BE FEATURING A WORK BY ANNABELLE LOPEZ OCHOA, WHICH, IN MY OPINION, IS ONE OF THE BEST FEMALE CHOREOGRAPHERS OF OUR TIME.

AND WE WILL BE DOING A WORK OF HER CALLED DELMIRA, WHICH IS ABOUT AN URUGUAYAN POET.

ONE OF THE FIRST WOMEN ON HER TIME WHO HAS THE -- WHO WAS BRAVE ENOUGH TO WRITE POETRY ABOUT FANTASY AND WOMEN'S DESIRE BACK IN THE DAYS.

AND SHE HAS A VERY INTERESTING STORY THAT ANABEL DID A BEAUTIFUL JOB TELLING THAT STORY.

AND WE WILL BE THE SECOND COMPANY IN THE WORLD TO PRODUCE THAT.

IT WAS JUST CHOREOGRAPHED FOR HOUSTON BALLET A YEAR AGO.

I'M VERY LUCKY TO BRING THAT WORK TO CINCINNATI.

AND THEN DAVID MORRIS.

DAVID MORRIS, ONE OF OUR OWN.

HE USED TO BE A DANCER IN OUR COMPANY, NOW HE'S THE DIRECTOR OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING DIVISION, HE'S A WONDERFUL -- KELLAR: THIS IS THE HOLOCAUST ONE, YEAH.

AMADOR: WONDERFUL.

KELLAR: I SAW IT WHEN IT WAS AT THE, YOU DID A SHORT VERSION AT THE MUSEUM CENTER.

AMADOR: EXACTLY.

IT'S CALLED OUR STORY.

AND IN A WAY, WE WANTED TO PAY LITTLE TRIBUTE, I WOULD SAY, TO THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HOLOCAUST, WE'RE BRINGING THAT WORK BACK.

KELLAR: YEAH, AND THAT WILL BE A -- WILL THAT BE A FULL LENGTH?

AMADOR: THAT WILL BE THAT EVENING WILL BE A TRIPLE BILL.

SO WE WILL HAVE ALL THOSE THREE WORKS.

KELLAR: ALL THREE, YEAH.

THAT I'VE SEEN AND IT REALLY IS -- AMADOR: IT'S GORGEOUS.

KELLAR: IT REALLY IS AMAZING.

AMADOR: THE WAY THAT IT WAS SO BRAVE AND TELLS THE STORY THAT IS TOLD IS SO HEART WRENCHING FOR ALL OF US.

BUT THE WAY HE DID IT WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

KELLAR: SO ARE YOU IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD TO GET THESE?

AMADOR: YES.

YEAH.

TALKING ABOUT CURATING A SEASON IS NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, WRITING YOUR WISHES IN A PIECE OF PAPER.

KELLAR: YEAH, YOU HAVE TO GET ON THE PHONE.

AMADOR: YOU GET ON THE PHONE, YOU WRITE EMAILS.

YOU ESTABLISH THOSE CONNECTIONS.

YOU FIGURE OUT THE LOGISTICS OF IT, AND YOU MAKE IT WORK.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WELL, IT'S REALLY, REALLY, REALLY EXCITING.

I THINK YOU'RE JUST THE GREATEST THING.

AND VICTORIA IS CERTAINLY A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW, BUT YOU HAVE YOUR OWN CHARISMA AND EVERYBODY LOVES YOU.

YOU CERTAINLY COULD WIN ANY POPULARITY CONTESTS, BUT WHAT YOU CAN PUT ON STAGE IS VERY IMPORTANT.

THIS IS SO INTERESTING AND EXCITING AND WE WISH YOU ALL THE GREATEST, GREATEST, NOT JUST LUCK, BUT THE -- I KNOW SO FAR, YOU'RE JUST REALLY ON A ROLL HERE.

SO WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOU.

AND WE LOVE YOU AND WE THINK OF YOU AS OURS.

SO IT ALL WORKS.

IT ALL JUST WORKS.

AMADOR: I FEEL SO THANKFUL, LIKE, REALLY FOR AN IMMIGRANT TO BE ABLE TO FIND A HOME.

AND I HAVE FOUND A HOME AND CINCINNATI HAS EMBRACED ME.

AND I FEEL FORTUNATE THAT I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO INFLUENCE OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ART FORM.

AND I'M EXTREMELY THANKFUL FOR THAT.

AND IT'S TRULY HOME, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE LITTLE THINGS, LIKE, NOT HAVING TO HAVE A GPS TO DRIVE AROUND.

LIKE, YOU JUST JUMP, LIKE, I'M LIKE, "OH MY GOD."

OR GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE AND YOU SEE A PERSON THAT YOU KNOW AND YOU START A CONVERSATION, OR A RESTAURANT.

IT'S JUST, YEAH, I LOVE CINCINNATI, I REALLY DO.

KELLAR: IT'S BEEN GREAT TALKING TO YOU.

AND I'LL SEE YOU AT THE BALLET.

AMADOR: YES.

KELLAR: OKAY.

AMADOR: THANK YOU, BARBARA, REALLY A PLEASURE.

ANNOUNCER: JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR RIGHT HERE ON CET.

CAPTIONS: MAVERICK CAPTIONING CIN OH MAVERICKCAPTIONING.COM