Loading
  • 0Shopping Cart
Grand Rapids Ballet
  • See Us
    • Productions
      • Wild Sweet Love
      • The Nutcracker 2018
      • MOVEMEDIA: Handmade
      • Spring Break for Kids 2019
      • Extremely Close
      • Alice in Wonderland 2019
      • 2019-20 Season
    • Special Events
      • Sparkle! A Welcome Gala for James Sofranko
      • Clara’s Nutcracker Party 2018
      • Be Our Guest Brunch
      • Spring Break for Kids 2019
    • Junior Company
      • Spooktacular!
      • Holland Nutcracker Ballet Tea
      • Beauty & The Beast
      • Be Our Guest Brunch
      • Who Am I? A Butterfly Ballet 2019
    • Ticket Information
      • 2018-19 Season
      • 2019-20 Season
      • Group Sales
  • About Us
    • History
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Sponsors
    • Employment
      • 2019-20 Company Auditions
    • Facility Rental
  • Company
    • 2018-19 Season
    • 2019-20 Season
    • Dancers
    • Artistic Director
    • Choreographer-in-Residence
    • Executive Director
    • Repertoire
    • 2019-20 Company Auditions
  • School
    • Dance
      • Summer 2019 Intensives
      • Ballet Program (ages 8-19)
      • Young Dancer Program (ages 3-7)
      • Boys Ballet Class
      • Adaptive Dance
      • Adult Dance Classes
      • Holland Ballet Classes
    • Outreach
      • Dance Immersion
      • Escape to the Ballet
    • Junior Company
      • Spooktacular!
      • Holland Nutcracker Ballet Tea
      • Beauty & The Beast
      • Be Our Guest Brunch
      • Who Am I? A Butterfly Ballet 2019
    • About
      • Director
      • Faculty
  • Support Us
    • Donate Today
    • Planned Giving
    • Advertise
    • Sponsor
    • Volunteer
  • Visit Us
    • Peter Martin Wege Theatre
    • Meijer-Royce Center for Dance
    • DeVos Performance Hall
    • Parking Options
    • Dining Recommendations
  • Shop Us
    • Custom Merchandise
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Search
  • Menu
Choreography, Company, MOVEMEDIA

Meet Choreographer Penny Saunders

Meet Choreographer Penny Saunders

Penny Saunders Choreographer Grand Rapids Ballet

Now in its seventh season, our MOVEMEDIA series presents a stunning perspective into the world of internationally acclaimed dance makers. In fact, over the past five years, this creative incubator has produced stunning new works by the most significant and celebrated contemporary choreographers from around the globe. And our next installment entitled “World Premieres” March 10-12 at Peter Martin Wege Theatre will feature three never-before-seen works from three of them—and we’ll introduce you to them in a series of blog posts, starting with Penny Saunders.

We are thrilled and proud to have Penny as our choreographer-in-residence. This means we’re able to call on her talents at the drop of a hat for a variety of different reasons from creating an entirely new work for our Company to assisting in refining an existing piece. Her creative input and direction is invaluable to us and integral part of our success.

Originally from sunny West Palm Beach, Penny graduated from the Harid Conservatory in 1995, and began her professional career with The American Repertory Ballet under the direction of Septime Webre. She went on to dance with Ballet Arizona, MOMIX Dance Theater, Cedar Lake Ensemble and in 2004 she joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. In 2011, Saunders won the International Commissioning Project which launched her choreographic career, creating pieces for Hubbard Streets’ main and second company, Whim W’Him, SFDancworks, Neos Dance Theater, Owen Cox Dance Group, and The Nexus Project. Saunders is honored to be the choreographer-in residence at Grand Rapids Ballet receiving support from New York City Ballet Choreographic Commissions Initiative and to be the recipient of the 2016 Princess Grace Foundation Choreographic Fellowship.

SOME OF PENNY’S FAVORITES THINGS:

Article of clothing: Tank tops
Chicago restaurant: Royal Thai
Dancer: Elisabeth Carroll
Dessert: Mint chocolate chip ice cream

But enough words. Let’s take a moment to watch her magnificent work and completely unique style below. What she’ll bring to “World Premieres” we have yet to see, but we know it will be intimate, innovative, and unforgettable! For tickets to the show, call 616.454.4771 today.

February 17, 2017/by Michael Erickson
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Google+
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on Linkedin
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail

Pages

  • Ballet Intensive
  • Contemporary Intensive
  • Spring Break 2017 for Kids
  • Spring Break 2018 for Kids
  • Spring Break for Kids 2019
  • Summer Intensive Housing
  • Summer Intensive Scholarships
  • 2018-19 Ballet Classes
  • ArtPrize 9
  • Clara’s Nutcracker Party
  • Clara’s Nutcracker Party 2017
  • Clara’s Nutcracker Party 2018
  • Contact Us
  • Dancers
  • Dining Recommendations
  • Donate
  • Dorothy & Friends Tea Party
  • Dracula
  • FAQ
  • Grand Rapids Ballet
  • Holland Ballet Classes
  • Meijer-Royce Center for Dance
  • Parking Options
  • Reviews
  • Season Kick-off Party
  • Sparkle! A Welcome Gala for James Sofranko
  • Spring Break
  • 2013-14 Season
  • 2018-19 Young Dancer Program
  • Artistic Director
  • DeVos Performance Hall
  • Nutcracker AfterGlow Party
  • Our Sponsors
  • School News
  • Sponsor Us
  • The Nutcracker
  • The Nutcracker
  • Who Am I? A Butterfly Ballet
  • Who Am I? A Butterfly Ballet 2019
  • 2014-15 Productions
  • 2018-19 Boys Ballet Classes
  • Advertise
  • Artists
  • Company News
  • Executive Director
  • Fall Gala
  • News
  • Rubies for Valentine’s Day
  • Staff
  • Summer 2019 Intensives
  • 2019-20 Company Auditions
  • A Christmas Carol
  • Alice in Wonderland
  • Alice in Wonderland 2019
  • Be Our Guest Brunch
  • Beauty & The Beast
  • Christmas In July BOGO Ticket Sale
  • Extremely Close
  • From Russia With Love
  • History
  • MOVEMEDIA I
  • MOVEMEDIA: Diversity
  • MOVEMEDIA: Handmade
  • Pacifica
  • Repertoire
  • Spooktacular!
  • Summer 2019 Ballet Intensive
  • Summer 2019 Contemporary Intensive
  • The Happy Prince
  • The Nutcracker 2017
  • The Nutcracker 2018
  • The Wizard of Oz
  • Ticket Sales
  • Volunteer
  • Wild Sweet Love
  • Black and White Swan Lake
  • Board of Directors
  • Dido & Aeneas
  • MOVEMEDIA II
  • Nutcracker Gala
  • Planned Giving
  • Summer 2018 Dance Camps
  • Ticket Sales
  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream
  • Adaptive Dance
  • Dangerous Liaisons
  • Facility Rental
  • Movemedia
  • MOVEMEDIA: World Premieres
  • Peter Martin Wege Theatre
  • Cinderella
  • Dance Immersion
  • Employment
  • movemedia made in america
  • Social Media
  • Spring Gala
  • Swan Lake
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Beethoven
  • Escape to the Ballet
  • MOVEMEDIA
  • Director
  • Halloween Spooktacular
  • Lollipops
  • Peter Pan
  • Snow White
  • Specs
  • Company
  • Faculty
  • Mother Goose & Friends
  • The Nutcracker
  • Grand Rapids Ballet School Junior Company
  • Mini Tales & Bolero
  • Special Events
  • About Us
  • Dance
  • Entertainment Packages
  • Productions
  • Junior Company
  • Outreach
  • Support Us
  • About
  • Grand Rapids Ballet School
  • 2014-15 Season
  • Adult Dance Classes
  • Secure
  • Culture Pass GR
  • Keenan Kampa
  • Checkout
  • My Account
  • Cart
  • Shop
  • Open Program Survey
  • Test Page
  • promo
  • Adopt a Character
  • Nutcracker Promo
  • 2015-16 Season
  • Final Curtain Call
  • Adult Ballet Summer Class Survey
  • Subscribe Today
  • Seattle 2015
  • 2018 Midland Children’s Auditions for The Nutcracker
  • Adopt-a-character
  • Nutcracker Premium Entertainment Packages
  • 2016-17 Season
  • 2017-18 Season
  • 2018-19 Season
  • 2019-20 Season
  • blog
  • Auditions

Categories

  • 2018-19 Season
  • Adult
  • Alice in Wonderland
  • Children
  • Choreography
  • Classes
  • Company
  • Costumes
  • Dancers
  • Fundraiser
  • health
  • MOVEMEDIA
  • News
  • Nutcracker
  • Parkinsons
  • Reviews
  • School
  • Special Event
  • Spring Break
  • Staff
  • Students
  • Summer Intensive
  • Swan Lake
  • Uncategorized
  • wellness

Archive

  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • September 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • October 2013
  • December 2011
  • November 2011

Latest News

  • The Nutcracker Grand Rapids Ballet MichiganWhat It’s Like to Dance in The NutcrackerDecember 21, 2018 - 9:32 am
  • the nutcracker grand rapids ballet michiganThe Nutcracker by the NumbersNovember 19, 2018 - 9:07 am
  • festival of the arts grand rapids ballet michiganFestival of the Arts Announces Honorary Co-Chairs for 50th YearSeptember 10, 2018 - 9:29 am
  • new dancers grand rapids ballet michiganMeet the New Dancers for 2018-19 SeasonAugust 29, 2018 - 10:03 am

Enewsletter Enrollment

Directions to Grand Rapids Ballet

Directions to Grand Rapids Ballet
© Copyright - Grand Rapids Ballet 2018
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Command Performance Benefits Humane Society of West Michigan Spring Break for Kids at Grand Rapids Ballet Michigan Spring Break for Kids at the Ballet
Scroll to top