Ventana Ballet & Austin Camerata are pleased to present:
FLOWER SHOP
Step inside a flower shop where the flowers aren't quite what they seem, and a secret red door at the back of the shop carries its guests into an evening they’ll never forget.
Music written by Michael Alec Rose
Choreography & Production by AJ Garcia-Rameau
Music Direction by Daniel Kopp
Lighting Design & Costuming by AJ Garcia-Rameau
Story by AJ Garcia-Rameau & Michael Alec Rose
🎶 THE EVENING
6:00pm Doors & Cocktail Lounge Open
7:00pm Performance (15-minute intermission)
8:00pm Post-Show Reception in the Cocktail Lounge
🥂 CURATED COCKTAILS
provided by Tito's Handmade Vodka, Empress Gin, Dulce Vida Tequila, Maison Ferrand, Old Forrester, Western Cider
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SETTING THE STAGE
Flower Shop is about simplicity, and it’s about gratitude.
Our modern world is brimming with relentless busyness, chronic stress, and constant overstimulation. The pressure is always on. We multitask and overplan to achieve that success we’ve defined by “how productive I was today.” We say “yes” to more than we can handle. Procrastination has actually become a regular activity: “I’ll just slide this to tomorrow.”
At the same time, our world is slow and thoughtful—full of interconnected wonders, astonishingly beautiful. Look around you. That rose that blooms in your neighbor’s garden. That pale pink 6:37pm sky. Those bluebonnets that spring up by the side of the highway. That buzz of the bee flying by for its afternoon pollination run.
It’s all so fleeting.
Slow down.
Take a deep breath.
Be still for just a moment.
Say “thank you” to a friend.
Flower Shop is simple—it’s ars gratia artis—a joyful occasion for music, dance, and storytelling. It's also a reminder: take time to smell the roses. Give yourself a chance to see and love and learn all the flowers, both inside the Flower Shop, and outside, in the beautiful world. Time passes so quickly. Flowers bear witness to this truth better than anything.
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THE PROGRAMME
🌻The Flower Shop story (Act 1)
The Flower Shop, like all the shops around it, is located on a busy city street in the middle of a busy town. The town is full of bustling folk, dressed in mundane and uncolorful clothing. The days are repeated and uninteresting. Small details are missed. The natural world is ignored.
On a strange and special day, three lucky customers walk into the Flower Shop, on three separate occasions. Each customer meets the charming Shopkeeper, who gives each of them a magic flower. The flower draws the customer into a fantastical landscape, where they encounter amazing creatures and the natural world in ways they could never have imagined. As each customer returns to the Shop from their entrancing journey, the Shopkeeper gives them a magic key (an invitation!) to return later that evening to experience the enchantment behind a secret door—a speakeasy hidden at the back of the Flower Shop.
By the end of Act 1, all three customers find themselves transformed by the experience and eager to return to the Shop for more.
The Shopkeeper flips the shop sign from Open to Closed.
🌼The Flower Shop story (Act 2)
Later that night, the three curious customers return to the closed Flower Shop. The Shopkeeper quietly opens the door and guides them to the back of the Shop and through an unfamiliar door where they discover a vital community of loving friends, human and non-human, who live and work and celebrate together—nothing less than the great biosphere itself, our living and altogether fragile planet. They meet Gator, the speakeasy’s host and boldest bartender, who throws an all-night party. The customers taste elegant elixirs with tasty tinctures, and they begin to take the form of the flowers they had purchased earlier that day in the Shop. An unexpected guest arrives, leading the entire company in a new, transformative round.
As Act 2 comes to a close and the dawn of the next day draws near, the guests proceed back through the Flower Shop where Gator and the Shopkeeper bid them a goodnight. As each customer returns to the real world, they are changed forever—no small detail goes missed, and the days are brighter. The work of living, loving, and helping to sustain the natural, colorful world flourishes. The sun peeks over the horizon, and…
The Shopkeeper flips the Shop sign from Closed to Open.
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THE ARTISTS
(in order of apperance)
Prologue — Michael Alec Rose
Piano Quartet
Piano — Sohee Kwon
Cello — Daniel Kopp
Violin — Yung-Hsuan (Sandy) Lo
Viola — Alexander Smith
Act 1
The Shopkeeper — AJ Garcia-Rameau
The Townspeople — The artists of Ventana Ballet
Customer #1 — Matthew Sommers
The Webbies — Lexi Garden, Tiffany Judkins, TeeDee Simons
The Orbweaver — Tikiri Shapiro
Customer #2 — Isabelle Green
The Lightning Bugs — Taylor Baker, Abriella Mauldin
Customer #3 — Shelby Higley
The Cicadas — Lexi Garden, Tiffany Judkins, Mia Moi, TeeDee Simons
The Townspeople — The artists of Ventana Ballet
Act 2
The Shopkeeper — AJ Garcia-Rameau
Gator, the Bartender — Nikolas Darrough
The Speakeasy Guests — the artists of Ventana Ballet
The Flower Shop Customers — Isabelle Green, Shelby Higley, Matthew Sommers
The Snake — Mia Moi
The Weary Bugs — Lexi Garden, Abriella Mauldin, Tikiri Shapiro
The Townspeople — the artists of Ventana Ballet
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BIG THANK YOU’S!
Flower Shop Sponsors
Rose Sponsor ($10,000+)
Winokur Family Foundation
Soil Sponsor ($5,000+)
Sheri Henriksen (September 10th Performance Underwriter)
Lightning Bug Sponsors ($2,500+)
Richard Kahn and Thomas Lutazi (September 12th Performance Underwriters)
Nancy Wilson Scanlan (September 17th Performance Underwriter)
Supporters ($500+)
Douglas Kenaley
Dana Wills
Bar Sponsors
Tito's Handmade Vodka
Empress Gin
Dulce Vida Tequila
Maison Ferrand
Western Cider
Old Forrester
Community Partners
East Side Performing Arts (Performance Venue & Rehearsal Venue)
Capital Area Master Naturalists (Native Flower Seeds & Tabling)
Texas Performing Arts (Pulley Rigs)
Flowerette (Giant Hand-crafted Flowers)
Miscellaneous Rentals (Barstools)
Art Seen Alliance (Act 2 Staging)
Lexi Garden & Turner Lime (Wedding Flowers)
Taylor & Bradley Baker (Wedding Flowers)
Flowers in honor of Laura Young
Our Team
To our fearless backstage crew, bar manager, and bartenders, THANK YOU!
Ava, Erin, Ash, Caden, Benjamin, Amadeus, Lillie, Lindsay, Kyla, Richie, Jess, Leo
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ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
AJ Garcia-Rameau (Ventana Ballet Executive Artistic Director, and Flower Shop Creator)
AJ Garcia-Rameau is a professional dance artist, based in Austin, Texas. AJ is the director & founder of Ventana Ballet, a professional contemporary ballet company in Austin that presents local professional talent and brings accessible performances, events, and classes closer to the community. AJ is also partner-owner and technical director of East Side Performing Arts (ESPA), a brand-new white-box theater and dance studio venue, serving the Austin area as an accessible performance, rehearsal, and education space; ESPA is home to more than 150 Austin-based performing arts companies and individual professional artists. AJ holds a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Texas, and she currently works as a semiconductor engineer in the Austin area, as well. When AJ isn't dancing or lighting designing or playing in spreadsheets, she is usually gardening or playing darts in the backyard with her husband, Ryan!
Daniel Kopp (Austin Camerata Artistic Director, and Flower Shop Musical Director)
Daniel Kopp, co-founder and artistic director of Austin Camerata, is an active cellist and educator in Austin, Texas. An avid chamber musician, he has performed across the country, including at Tanglewood, Aspen, and Kneisel Hall. Notable orchestral performances include his debut at Carnegie Hall as principal cellist of the New York String Orchestra Seminar and at Seiji Ozawa Hall as principal cellist of the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra
Michael Alec Rose (Flower Shop Composer)
Michael Alec Rose is a composer in many genres. Flower Shop is his second collaboration with Ventana Ballet and Austin Camerata, following up on the five sold- out performances of Beautiful World in 2022. His opera Lolly Willowes was premiered in 2019, supported by Houston Arts Alliance. Recent works composed for violinist Peter Sheppard Skærved to play on historic instruments (2021-2025) have been filmed on site at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City, the Library of Congress, the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England, and The Paganini Collection at Palazzo Tursi in Genoa, Italy. In August 2026, at a special on-site event at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Peter performed the composer’s new work inspired by the huge 16th-century Dante Tapestry designed by Francesco Salviati. Rose is Professor of Composition at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, where he has received several university awards for excellence in teaching. Lots of his music can be found on YouTube, SoundCloud, and at https://michaelalecrose.com
Taylor Baker (Dance Artist)
Taylor Baker graduated magna cum laude from Colorado State University in 2019 with a BFA in Dance. From 2019–2021, she performed with Canyon Concert Ballet in Fort Collins, where she was featured in notable roles. She also performed with Impact Modern Dance Company for two seasons before moving to Austin in 2021. Taylor began dancing with Ventana in 2021 and has loved spending the past five years growing as an artist and performer with the company. She especially enjoys Ventana’s immersive productions, with favorite performances including Night Birds, Hidden Strings, and UNDEAD, where she has the role of Carol, the sassy and spooky spider. She recently got married to the love of her life in April and loves spending time with friends and family. Professionally she is an Account Manager for a luxury wedding and event social media agency. Being a part of the Ventana Company is a true treat and feels incredibly grateful to continue creating, performing, and sharing her love of dance alongside such inspiring artists!
Nikolas Darraough (Dance Artist)
Nikolas Darrough is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher from Medford, Oregon. He discovered his passion for dance at the age of 17 while attending Crater Renaissance Academy of Arts and Sciences before continuing his training at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, as a recipient of the Betsy Friday Endowed Scholarship. During his time at UNCSA, Nikolas performed a diverse repertoire spanning multiple genres. His notable performance credits include Oceans by Igal Perry, First Impulse by Claudia Schreier, Vital Ground by Darrell Grand Moultrie, and Dreamland by Mariana Oliveira. Following graduation, Nikolas spent three seasons with Vitacca Ballet under the artistic direction of Kelly Ann Vitacca, performing works by acclaimed choreographers including Garrett Smith, Ethan Colangelo, Robyn Mineko Williams, and many others. He is currently based in Houston, where he works as a freelance performer, choreographer, teacher, and business administrator for Excelerate Physical Therapy & Excel Studios. Alongside his performance career, Nikolas continues to cultivate his choreographic voice. His original works have been presented at festivals in both Houston and North Carolina, as well as through Vitacca Ballet’s Creation House productions.
Lexi Garden (Dance Artist)
Lexi received her formative ballet training and began her professional career with San Francisco Ballet, where she performed with the company in a variety of productions such as Swan Lake and Don Quixote. She later moved to Austin to continue dancing with Ballet Austin. After stepping away from the dance world in 2019, she has recently returned with a renewed sense of purpose and passion. Now freelancing, Lexi embraces a more expansive and personal approach to movement. She is inspired by the intersection of dance and individuality, as she continues to evolve her artistry.
Isabelle Green (Dance Artist)
Isabelle is a Dublin-born ballet dancer who began her training in the United States at The Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet under Margarita De Saa of Ballet Nacional de Cuba and continued her studies at The Rock School, Kirov Academy of Ballet, Kaatsbaan, and Walnut Hill School for the Arts. While earning her B.A. in Communication from the University of Pennsylvania, she danced with Brandywine Ballet, performing works by George Balanchine, Christine Cox, Roni Koresh, and Meredith Rainey, while also training with Barbara Sandonato and Michael Patterson. Since joining Ventana Ballet in 2020, Isabelle has performed in numerous productions, including Hidden Strings, Vivaldi, Night Birds, Death of a Maiden, Undead, and The Watchmaker’s Song. She has performed in the 2024 and 2025 Estonian National Ballet Summer Galas, appearing in classical and contemporary works and receiving coaching from Meelis Pakri, Viki Psihoyos, Guido Sarno, Linnar Looris, Gustavo Quintans, and Agnes Oaks. Isabelle also trains and performs with Kelly Yankle’s East Side Professional Training Program and has appeared as a Guest Artist with International Ballet Stars in Swan Lake at Bass Concert Hall and The Sleeping Beauty. In 2025, she joined Etoile Ballet Gala for By the Beautiful Blue Danube, touring Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, and was subsequently selected for the world-premiere international tour of Drakula, performing throughout the Baltic region.
Shelby Higley (Dance Artist)
Shelby is a professionally trained dancer, contortionist, and aerial artist whose training and career began with Louisville Ballet. While at Louisville Ballet she danced in numerous classical productions including Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Giselle, Coppélia, and La Bayadère. Following the company, she attended UNLV and graduated Cum Laude with a BSBA in Accounting and a minor in dance. While in Vegas, Shelby transitioned into training and performing the circus arts. She received training in pole dancing, aerial hoop, aerial straps, and contortion under renowned Cirque du Soleil performers and other notable circus artists. She competed her aerial straps routine at Viva Fest Las Vegas and has performed for prestigious corporate events. Currently, Shelby teaches contortion and aerial straps in town and has reignited her love for ballet by dancing with Ventana Ballet!
Tiffany Judkins (Dance Artist)
Tiffany grew up in Utah where she began dancing at the age of three. She trained with Classical Ballet Academy, Provo Civic Ballet, Center Stage, and a competitive drill team throughout high school. She danced as a Badgerette at Snow College, then transferred to Utah Valley University where she completed an Associate’s degree in Dance. At UVU, she danced on their ballet company, Repertory Ballet Ensemble, and was featured in Les Sylphides, Divertimento, and Hansel and Gretel. She then moved to Texas to complete her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology & Health at the University of Texas. Tiffany has always loved expressing herself through movement and is thrilled to continue pursuing her passion for dance as a Resident Artist with Metamorphosis Dance and Ventana Ballet.
Sohee Kwon (Piano)
Korean pianist Sohee Kwon is praised for her exquisite sound and profound artistry, and works as a performer, educator, curator, and arranger. A top prize winner at the 2020 MTNA Chamber Music Competition and 2020 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, she has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Beethoven-Haus Kammermusiksaal, and the Chamber Music Society of Logan, among other. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of Chamber on the Move, an Austin-based salon concert series launched in 2024. Kwon holds a DMA from the University of Texas at Austin and serves on the faculty of the International Summer Music Institute at the University of North Texas.
Yung-Hsuan (Sandy) Lo (Violin)
Yung-Hsuan “Sandy” Lo is a Taiwanese-born violinist and educator based in Texas. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Violin Performance from Michigan State University and currently serves as Artist Faculty with The Orchestra San Antonio. As an active performer, she collaborates with orchestras and chamber ensembles across the United States, with appearances in concert series, festivals. In addition to her performing career, Yung-Hsaun maintains a dedicated teaching studio, where she fosters technical precision and expressive artistry in students of all levels.
Abriella Mauldin (Dance Artist)
Abriella Mauldin is a professional ballet dancer from Melbourne, Florida. She grew up training at a small recreational studio before beginning her professional career with Ballet Vero Beach, where she performed as a Fellowship Artist and Guest Artist in both classical and contemporary works, including Le Corsaire & Coppélia. During her fellowship, Abriella earned her B.S. in Business Administration from Indian River State College, where she was also a featured dancer in productions such as Sweet Charity and A Chorus Line. She has additionally performed with Prelude in Melbourne, FL. While in Dallas, TX, Mauldin performed works by Katie Puder & Paul Mejia with Avant Chamber Ballet. Most recently, she has embarked on her journey as a freelance dancer in Austin, TX with Ventana Ballet.
Mia Moi (Dance Artist)
Mia Moi was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Since moving to Austin, Mia has continued to refine her training in ballet, tap, jazz, heels, hip-hop, and contemporary working in performance, entertainment, and film. She teaches at Ballet Austin and Unity Dance Co. and is Executive Director of Dance Waterloo - a local nonprofit organization focused on accessible, mixed-ability movement. Mia holds Bachelors’ degrees in Communication & Leadership and Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. She also enjoys spending time with her four dogs and exploring the outdoors.
Tikiri Shapiro (Dance Artist)
Tikiri Shapiro landed in Austin, TX, a few years ago and has loved this city's dance scene ever since. When she's not scheming up her next choreographic project with her own dance group, Sea Legs Dance, she also dances with groups such as RushTopFish, Red Nightfall Dance Theatre, Performa/Dance, Early Era Dance Collective, Ventana Ballet, Dance Waterloo, and whoever else lets her spin around.
TeeDee Simons (Dance Artist)
TeeDee Simons is a dancer, choreographer, and producer based in Austin, Texas. She is the founder of SCHOOL, a movement, lecture-based series in Austin and the co-curator of Iterations, a recurring performance art and movement showcase. Simons trained at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, NOD Italia, San Francisco Lines Ballet, San Francisco Conservatory, and the Boston Conservatory. She has performed at the Joyce Theater, Jack Crystal Theater, Arts on Site New York, Austin Dance Festival, Corpo Mobile Festival, and more throughout New York, Texas, and Europe.
Alexander Smith (Viola)
Alexander Smith is currently a member of the Austin Symphony Orchestra and has previously worked with the Kansas City Symphony and the Chicago Chamber Orchestra. A doctoral graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, he served for three years as the Teaching Assistant to Professor Roger Myers. Alexander also received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in viola performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Matthew Sommers (Dance Artist)
Matthew Sommers is an Austin based dance artist. Matthew holds a BFA in Modern Dance from the University of South Florida, where he had the opportunity to work with choreographers Joshua L. Peugh, Marc Brew, Bliss Kohlmyer, and Alex Jones, among others. After graduation, Matthew moved to Austin where he has gotten to work with many companies including Spaces of Fontana, KDH Dance, Dance Waterloo, Early Era Collective and BLiPSWiTCH as well as various projects with lots of local artists. Matthew also makes his own work, which has graciously been shown around Texas and the country at different festivals including St Louis Dance Festival, Austin Dance Festival, and 254 Dance Fest. When he’s not dancing, Matthew can be found making coffee for the masses or hanging out with his husband and dogs at home.
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WHAT’S NEXT?
Austin Camerata presents:
NOSFERATU: FILM & LIVE MUSIC
October 16 & 17
Doors 7:30pm, Show 8:00pm
AFS Cinema
Ventana Ballet presents:
UNDEAD. Haunted House of Dances
October 22-31, 2026
various show times
ESPA ATX
Ventana Ballet presents:
Frostbite! The Witch Who Melted Winter
December 11-20, 2026
various show times, and interactive kids’ matinees, too!
ESPA ATX
