Seabreeze

Source was via the apprentices at the end of last season.

Company members Valerie Limbrunner and Alexey Dmintrenko are not returning. [apprentices redacted]

Based on this Oregonian review, it looks like the start of another good season for OBT: http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf...ian?alap&coll=7

The four performances of the show were sold out. I saw the show on Friday and Saturday nights. Kester Cotton performed the Pas de Trois in Act I and Act III with his wife, Kathi Martuza (Dance Magazine's 25 to watch in 2005: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_...n8698065/pg_13) and Gavin Larsen, and was splendid in his last performances (he is retiring this year). Although I have never seen Swan Lake previously and do not know how the "sheer numbers" of dancers have been handled, Christopher Stowell did so in an unobtrusive manner, keeping the "Swans" in a group under the protection of "Odette" (Yuka Iino) at times, and keeping "Odette" under the "wings" of the other swans at times, and magnificantly "circling" and "oscillating" the swans in entrances and exits (I am not a ballet expert and do not know the appropriate terms here). In Act II Beside a Lake the Pas a Quatre by Ansa Deguchi, Emily Tedesco, Natalie Wilson and Holly Zimmerman was my favorite! It was such a surprise to see such a well manuevered synchronization of dancers, and such a delight to see it performed in the middle of the act...a true pleasure! The Company as a whole was "right-on" this weekend, and Christopher Stowell has transformed OBT in his lead up to this production described as "a landmark in the maturation of this city's dance culture."

The Oregonian reviewed OBT's performance last weekend of Swan Lake and stated that "it sets a bar for every dancer and company in the city". I saw the show and couldn't agree more...it was awesome! See the entire review here: http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf...ian?alfp&coll=7

I attended OBT's fall program on opening night. In the Night was not only very beautifully done, but was clearly a picture of three couples in different stages of romantic relationships. It was great dancing and great emotion and the season-opening audience was very enthusiastic. The costumes in "Angelo" were a problem on opening night, and it was hard to differentiate between some of the female dancers, but it was clear that the ballet was about the birth and growth of a young boy into a man. Kester Cotton was excellent as the main character, with great dancing from Allison Roper, Gavin Larsen and Kathy Martuza. The strength of the core dancers was clearly shown here. Christopher Stowell's "Eyes on You", set to music by Cole Porter, was true entertainment! I saw similarities to last year's "Company B" and as far as I am concerned, these numbers should be included in every show. The real pleasure this year was the depth of talent of the OBT Company, with seven couples on stage together at one time. I look forward to seeing what Stowell will be doing with the Company for the rest of the season. I understand that ticket sales for June's Swan Lake are already brisk, even though they do not go on sale to the public until the end of October. It should be a fine season indeed for the new OBT!

The 2005 Company members are now online at the OBT website. http://www.obt.org/artistic.html