Earthquake Ballet to Debut on 100th Anniversary



			On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, a new ballet will premiere to celebrate the extraordinary advances in earthquake engineering technology that have occurred over the last century – particularly in the last 40 years. Called “EARTHQUAKE,” the piece was commissioned by Berkeley-based Computers & Structures, Inc., whose structural and earthquake engineering software is used in over 160 countries to design buildings, bridges, dams, towers and other man-made structures to withstand the forces of nature – such as earthquakes, waves, winds, and hurricanes. The world premiere is scheduled for Wednesday, April 5, 2006, at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco – where “EARTHQUAKE” will be performed by the Bay Area’s critically- acclaimed Diablo Ballet. “EARTHQUAKE’ will be an athletic tour de force that will shake the audience with its raw power and excitement,” says the ballet’s choreographer, Nikolai Kabaniaev. “I want to shift the emphasis from devastation and tragedy, and reflect on the energy and grandeur of the tremendous forces of nature through the dance.”

	The inspiration for the ballet, says CSI founder and President Ashraf Habibullah, who is also a structural engineer, came from “the widespread fear people still have about earthquakes. That’s because most people don’t realize how mature and advanced earthquake engineering technology is today. With such a focus on the 100th Anniversary, we felt that a ballet that bridges art and technology would be a unique way to both mark this historic anniversary and to spotlight the advances in earthquake engineering technology.” One hundred years ago, we did not have the technology or know-how to design buildings to withstand the severe forces of earthquakes. As a result, the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake (and the fire that followed)

	Today, things are different – the structural engineer generates 3-D mathematical structural models in the computer, straight from initial design drawings produced by an architect, designer or artist. The engineer then uses software to subject these models to simulated earthquakes or blowing winds. The software produces 3-D animations that graphically depict the swaying and stress variations under the influence of the loads. “As the model sways back and forth during the earthquake, the software tracks and identifies all critical stress points and conditions that could compromise the integrity of the structure. The engineer then uses this information to fix the structure before even a single beam is laid!” says Habibullah.		Click image to view earthquake animation

	“As a result, modern high rise buildings that have been designed with today’s technology are probably the safest place that you can be during an earthquake. The impact of the technology is obvious when we see that a 6.8 quake in Seattle in 2001 results in only one death, compared to places where modern technology has not been applied and tens of thousands of lives are lost.” Could what occurred in 1906 happen again in San Francisco? “Frankly, there are buildings in San Francisco that are going to be in trouble, because they have not been retrofitted – retrofitting costs money. It’s just a matter of priorities; a lot can be done to upgrade older buildings that are a continuing threat,” he says. “EARTHQUAKE” Ticket Information For tickets to the world premiere at 8 pm on Wednesday, April 5, 2006, at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, call (415) 978-ARTS. Three additional performances of “EARTHQUAKE” will be held on May 19-20, 2006, at the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek as part of the Diablo Ballet’s regular season. To purchase tickets, call (925) 943-SHOW (7469). For more information, visit www.DiabloBallet.org or call (925) 943-1775, ext. 4. About Diablo Ballet Under the direction of co-founder and Artistic Director Lauren Jonas, Diablo is comprised of 10 international dancers who have performed soloist and principal roles in such distinguished companies as the Kirov Ballet (Russia), Bavarian National Ballet (Germany), Ballet Columbia and National Ballet of Venezuela (South America), San Francisco Ballet and Miami City Ballet. Diablo Ballet, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, has distinguished itself as a major force in the performing arts and arts education at the national and international level. With a versatile and vibrant repertoire ranging from classical to contemporary, emphasizing both traditional and original choreography, Diablo Ballet is very engaging to a wide spectrum of dance enthusiasts and has attracted the attention of dance presenters internationally. The company recently performed to critical acclaim in Bangkok, Thailand, sponsored by the United States Embassy. Diablo Ballet has a comprehensive Dance Development and Educational Outreach Program that reaches over 5,000 school children every year. It particularly provides free theatre experiences and classroom instruction to children in under-served or less privileged areas through Diablo’s Theatre Encounter and Adopt-a-Class programs. More information about the company is available at www.DiabloBallet.org. About choreographer Nikolai Kabaniaev Kabaniaev is Diablo’s Co-Artistic Director and a former principal dancer and soloist for the famed Kirov Ballet. He received his training at the prestigious Vaganova School in St. Petersburg, Russia. In 1989, he joined the Oakland Ballet as a principal dancer. Kabaniaev has also performed with Smuin Ballets/SF, as well as taught master classes and choreographed for numerous companies and schools in the Bay Area, Hawaii and Mexico. Kabaniaev joined Diablo Ballet in March 1994 as an original founding member and principal dancer. During the last decade, he has created 20 world premieres for the company. In September 1995, Kabaniaev, together with Diablo’s Patricia Tomlinson, won fourth place at the International Ballet Competition in Osaka, Japan. On September 2, 1996, he performed on Jerry Lewis’ nationally-televised Telethon with fellow artist Karen Portner. His ballets are now seen in several ballet companies across the country including, Maximum Dance Company in Florida, which performed “Bach de Trois” in June 1999 to critical acclaim. About music composer Jaron Lanier About set designer Jean-François Revon Revon is a native of Paris, where he received a degree in scenic design from the École Supérieur des Arts et Techniques. Since 1989, he has designed over 250 sets, including for the world premiere of “The Tale of the Nutcracker” for Opera San José. He is the resident set designer for Opera Santa Barbara and for the San Francisco Lyric Opera, as well as the Resident Technical Director for West Bay Opera. Revon received the 2002 Shellie Award for Scenic Design for “High Society” for the Diablo Light Opera Company. His previous credits for Diablo Ballet include scenic design for “Amadeus” by Nikolai Kabaniaev and KT Nelson. About Computers & Structures, Inc. (CSI) Founded in 1975, CSI develops and markets the most widely used structural engineering software products in the world. Recent examples of landmark projects designed with CSI software include the new Freedom Tower (being erected on the site of the World Trade Center) in New York, the new East Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, the 2008 Summer Olympics Stadium in Beijing, and such record-setting skyscrapers as the World Financial Center in Shanghai (101 floors), the Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia (88 floors), the Taipei 101 Tower in Taipei (101 floors), and the Burj Dubai Tower in the UAE (150+ stories). The company assists developing nations by providing free software to universities and research organizations worldwide. More information about Computers & Structures is available at www.CSIberkeley.com. * * * MEDIA CONTACT: Lyla Foggia Foggia+Associates Public Relations (661) 259-6561 or lyla@foggiapr.com