Executive & Artistic Director
Thor Steingraber
________
Cirque Kalabanté
Sun Mar 22 | 3PM
Run time: approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes with no intermission ________ Performers | Program Note
________
Securing The Soraya’s Future
Support the Thor Steingraber Fund for Artistic Innovation to help us continue to bring new works, world premieres, and bold collaborations to life
In the fall of 2015, my family and I attended a performance at the Valley Performing Arts Center at CSUN. My son, David, had received his undergraduate degree from CSUN many years prior, and we were pleased to see how the campus had grown. The recollections that stand out most in my memory from that evening were the extraordinary venue, its artistic excellence, and my first time meeting Thor Steingraber. For those reasons, my family decided in 2017 to invest in The Soraya’s future and long-term sustainability. In the 10 years since, we have come to know Thor and his vision. Through his leadership, we have witnessed values we so admire come to life on this stage — in the artists, their work, and the experiences they create for Los Angeles’ many communities and for CSUN students. Thor’s dedication and imagination serve so many, and it is my wish that his legacy be preserved. In honor and recognition of Thor’s accomplishments, I am pleased to announce a new fund supporting the art and artists who will continue this work: the Thor Steingraber Fund for Artistic Innovation. From the performance that first introduced my family to this majestic venue a decade ago, to the many moments of beauty and inspiration that have graced its stage since, we have Thor to thank. I hope you will join me and my family in supporting this effort — to ensure that these performances, and the spirit they embody, thrive long into the future.
— Soraya Sarah Nazarian
Program Note
In its relatively short history, The Soraya has presented artists from over 40 nations. This is no coincidence. Global artistry is a key piece of our mission, as well as our commitment to the many diverse communities of Los Angeles. This month, we have curated programs that represent Armenia, Mexico, Argentina, and West Africa. In the case of Ballet Hispánico, we present their version of Carmen, a Spanish story told in a French opera adapted by a New York dance company. While these performances each serve unique audiences, they are also an opportunity for us to come together to set aside our identities and individual tastes — to adopt a broad and inclusive stance, to learn, to celebrate. A decade ago, when contemplating our programs and commitment to international artistry and culture, I wrote a version of these words below. As conflict escalates on multiple continents, I believe they resonate today as they did then. “Music Knows No Borders” The concert hall is an inclusive place. Hands clap and feet stomp regardless of nation of origin, religion, or cultural background. The communal joy of music is immediate and intergenerational. Music does not discriminate. Some borders are ancient — forged in mountains or carved by rivers. Other borders are man-made — ephemeral, arbitrary, disputed. Music unites across geography. It flows, permeates, and transcends. Music knows no borders. Friday jazz descends from Sunday worship. Radio call letters cannot divide classical music from country. Latin rhythms were born from African beats. Even sacred music is nondenominational. Melody and rhythm are universal. Music thrives in Los Angeles at the crossroads of three continents, in the world’s creative capital. From the experimental to the traditional, we give voice to them all at The Soraya. This is the foremost value, onstage and anywhere people gather here.
Gratefully,
Thor Steingraber
Executive and Artistic Director, Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts
About the Program
Afrique en Cirque is a show by Yamoussa Bangoura, inspired by daily life in Guinea. This performance shares the beauty, youth, and artistry of African culture. Beyond the colorful scenery, costumes and staging, the show makes any theater vibrate with energy — it represents the strength, agility, and joys of young Africans. The audience will see acrobats execute gravity-defying moves and human pyramids, accompanied by the contemporary sounds of live Afro-jazz, percussion, and kora. Welcome to the universe of Kalabanté Productions and prepare for an unforgettable journey.
________
Cirque Kalabanté
Kalabanté Productions was created by Yamoussa Bangoura, a multidisciplinary artist of Guinean origin. Bangoura’s dream was founding a school of circus arts and directing his own company specializing in the African arts. Bangoura first became interested in circus arts as a young man in Conakry, Guinea in the 1990s. He studied the circus performers he saw on European TV and practiced on the beach and around his home. Bangoura also studied the Nyamakala tradition of circus, practiced by the Fula people of West Africa. He eventually joined Guinea’s original circus company, Circus Baobab, with whom he toured Africa and Europe. In the early 2000s, Bangoura was recruited to go to Canada with Cirque Éloize, a Montreal-based cirque company. While in Canada, he also performed with Cirque du Soleil and Cavalia. In 2007, Bangoura realized his dream and opened his own company, Kalabanté Productions, in Montreal. He recruited many of his extended family members to join the company, including his twin sisters, brothers, and cousins. The company began doing shows in Quebec, and over the years expanded throughout Canada, the United States and all over the world. In 2018, Kalabanté opened a studio and school in Montreal, where they offer classes in African dance, cirque, and drumming. Kalabanté Productions is proud to be able to share their work, achievements and skills to inspire others and to assist the Guinean community from which Bangoura and many of his company members hail from.
The Soraya
The Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya/Producer) is an award-winning, state-of-the-art 1,700-seat theater that opened in 2011 as the Valley Performing Arts Center. Through a transformative gift by Younes and Soraya Nazarian, the venue was renamed The Soraya in 2017. The Soraya is located on the campus of California State University, Northridge, the intellectual and cultural heart of the San Fernando Valley.
Executive and Artistic Director Thor Steingraber, in his 12th year leading the organization, sums up what makes The Soraya a central piece of Los Angeles arts and culture. “At The Soraya, we hold a high standard of excellence for every performance from a vast array of artistic disciplines, and we hold steadfast to our commitment to the value and impact of the performing arts in community-building, for the Valley’s 1.8 million residents and beyond.”
The Soraya’s 2025–26 Season is a journey through the expansive sounds of orchestras, the freestyle vibes of jazz, the innovations of dance luminaries, and a vast array of global voices. The Soraya continues its vigorous commitment to excelling, innovating, and amplifying access for Valley residents, students, and arts lovers across Southern California.