Royal Ballet School-ABT Studio Co. exchange

[Dale]

ABT STUDIO COMPANY AND THE ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL EXCHANGE PLACES FOR PERFORMANCES, MASTER CLASSES AND SEMINARS

The Royal Ballet School to Perform at NYU’s Skirball Center, February 18-19

ABT Studio Company to Appear at Covent Garden’s Linbury Theatre, April 1-2

1/14/2005 - In February and April, the ABT Studio Company and The Royal Ballet School will travel to each other’s respective homes for performances, master classes and training sessions with senior coaching staff. The two companies last participated in this unique exchange in 2003.

The graduate students of The Royal Ballet School, along with director Gailene Stock, will come to New York for performances at NYU’s Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts February 18 and 19. The RBS repertory will include Sir Frederick Ashton’s Monotones II, Kirk Peterson’s The Eyes That Gently Touch, Robert Hill’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and Paul Boyd’s Uneven Ground, as well as excerpts from Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée and Marius Petipa’s Raymonda.

While in New York, the RBS will hold auditions for students ages 14 through 18 who wish to attend the Upper School in London in 2005-2006. Auditions will be held on Saturday, February 19 at The Ailey Studios at 405 West 55th Street. On Sunday, February 20, Ms. Stock and the RBS senior coaching staff will conduct a master class for students ages 10 through 18, also at Ailey Studios.

On April 1 and 2, the ABT Studio Company will perform at London’s Linbury Theatre at Covent Garden. Performances will include Arthur Saint-Leon’s La Vivandiere, Anton Dolin’s Variations for Four, Brian Reeder’s Tea and Temptation, Stephen Mills’ Hush, and the pas de deux from Milk Pool by Laura Gorenstein Miller.

Performances by The Royal Ballet School at the Skirball Center are at 8:00 P.M. on Friday, February 18 and at 2:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M. on Saturday, February 19. Tickets priced at $32, $22 for ABT members and $12 for students are available by calling 212-992-8484 or at www.skirballcenter.nyu.edu. The Skirball Center is located at 566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square South in New York City.

For more information on performances with the Royal Ballet School and the ABT Studio Company, please call the ABT Education Department at 212-477-3030, ext. 3206.

[Dale]

We in New York are always yearning for more Ashton, so it's nice the Royal Ballet School is going to perform Monotones II and an excerpt from La Fille mal gardee.

[Lynette H]

We in New York are always yearning for more Ashton, so it's nice the Royal Ballet School is going to perform Monotones II and an excerpt from La Fille mal gardee.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, I'd love to see Monotones II as well, and I'm in London. Believe it or not, this has become something of a rare event on the main stage - it's been a number of years since it was featured. (BRB are touring it this spring, though I think). Certainly sounds more intersting than some of the rest of the programme.

The Eyes That Gently Touch featured in last year's RB school performance - not a particularly interesting work. That performance also had a work from Robert Hill, which might be the same was this one - if the costuming is very dark and the stage is so gloomy you can barely see them, then that's the one.

[sylvia]

I'm looking forward to La Vivandiere. Can someone tell me what to expect from the rest of the ABTII program please?

[carbro]

Variations for Four is a bravura showcase for four men, and Tea and Temptation is a heavily costumed sex farce.

I can't tell you about the other two pieces. I recently saw the ABT Studio dancers in La Viv, and overall they did a most commendable job.

There is some remarkable talent in this year's crew. I would advise you to keep your eye peeled for Hee Seo, La Viv's lead female at the performance I saw. She is a lovely dancer with a beautiful plie and abundant charm.

While you're watching our young pre-professionals (give or take a few hours), I'll be watching yours!

--Carley