Several news and preview articles; links

[Alexandra]

It's nice to have some GOOD news about a ballet company for a change. There are on today's Links thread (thanks to Ari):

(A news article about expanded performances):

Musical Chairs

and a related news blurb announcing the company's "Coppelia" for the spring.

Coppelia

And finally, some notes about director Ib Andersen (scroll down):

Making a Difference

Ballet Arizona artistic director Ib Andersen has built the once near-bankrupt company into a troupe on the verge of greatness. The dancers have sharpened their gifts on ambitious productions of Romantic classics and contemporary works. Last year's Mosaik, Andersen's full-length original ballet, made dance fans sit up and pay attention. Observe this season whether the Southwest's only fully professional ballet will become the region's answer to Pacific Northwest Ballet and Miami City Ballet.

[Helene]

I just received the Ballet Arizona newsletter, and gleaned the following news items from it:

• Nikolaj Hubbe will stage La Sylphide, which is part of the opening program in October.
  
• The Company and The School of Ballet Arizona have merged a year ahead of schedule, putting the school "under the artistic administration of Ib Andersen." The School Director is Truman Finney.
  
• The Company has hired a Management Consultant, Kevn Myers, whose resume includes Director of Touring for Winnipeg Ballet and les Grands Ballets Canadiens and Executive Director of Ballet British Columbia. Before that he was a booking agent and tour manager.
  
• Six new dancers were hired: Heather Haar (from Nevada Ballet Theatre), Francisco Armstrong, Elye and Katrina Olson (from Ballet West); Ginger Smith (from The Royal Ballet of Flanders, trained at The School of Ballet Arizona); and trainee Ashley Diaz (out of The School of Ballet Arizona)
  
• Andrew Needhammer, a former Principal Dancer and Education and Outreach Director, "has accepted a position with NAU's preparatory academy in Flagstaff."
  
• Ballet Arizona gave five outdoor performances of ballets by Balanchine, Andersen, "and more" in parks in Phoenix, Tempe, and Glendale this past week, ending tonight.
  

On the front page (letter from Andersen), there's a nice paragraph that puts La Sylphide in its historical context, and another paragraph that explains the themes and notes their timelessness.