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Corella Ballet in New York


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I wonder if Corella will invite the Mariinsky's Evgenia Obraztsova as a guest? (ha-ha) Seriously - after last Sunday's display at the Mariinsky, I am not interested in Corella. I should be over my 'hissy fit' by the time that the City Center season rolls around, though. :unsure:

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I am not interested in Corella. Good riddance, in my book.

What an extraordinary thing to say! Angel Corella has just created the first large scale classical ballet company Spain has ever had, a wonderful achievement when so many European companies are going to the wall and all you can do is whinge because he dropped your favourite dancer! Show me a male dancer who hasn't dropped his partner at some time. For the ladies of the ballet it’s an occupational hazard.

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This will be a remarkable way of introducing Spain's new classical ballet company to the United States.

Corella has more than earned the love and loyalty of American ballet audiences. Now we have the chance to see what he and his artists have been able to achieve for Spanish ballet in such a short time.

I hope this will be a MAJOR cultural event for New York City and for the future of ballet both here and in Spain.

4mrdncr, will you be there? And, wouldn't it be great if CarolinaM and others from fotoescena can make it as well? Who else is planning on attending?

Here's the company website (English version):

http://www.angelcorella.org/compania2.html

And here's a review (with plenty of photos) of one of their recent productions.

http://www.fotoescena.net/09/CorellaBCNae.html

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This will be a remarkable way of introducing Spain's new classical ballet company to the United States.

Corella has more than earned the love and loyalty of American ballet audiences. Now we have the chance to see what he and his artists have been able to achieve for Spanish ballet in such a short time.

I hope this will be a MAJOR cultural event for New York City and for the future of ballet both here and in Spain.

4mrdncr, will you be there? And, wouldn't it be great if CarolinaM and others from fotoescena can make it as well? Who else is planning on attending?

Here's the company website (English version):

http://www.angelcorella.org/compania2.html

And here's a review (with plenty of photos) of one of their recent productions.

http://www.fotoescena.net/09/CorellaBCNae.html

Sorry, folks, I've known about this for 3 months, though couldn't say anything until CB posted it, which they did last month on their calendar page. Anyways, if I'm not there, I hope my film is.

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Great minds think alike Carolina. From "Celaje" to "Bruch..." to "Clear", Ashley Ellis gets better and better. She is a beautiful dancer to watch and film, whether in class, rehearsal, or performance.

I hope those of you who follow this thread also know that 5 Corella Ballet dancers (M.Golding, N.Tapia, J.Gatti, A.Almeida, and H. Cornejo) are scheduled to appear in New York at the YAGP next week. I'll be there (physically at least; mentally, the headaches are so painful, I don't want to think about it.)

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A release regarding the company's CC engagement:

CORELLA BALLET CASTILLA Y LEÓN

MAKES U.S. DEBUT

AT NEW YORK CITY CENTER

Season includes U.S. Premiere by Angel Corella

With Angel Corella, Herman Cornejo, Iain Mackay,

Adiarys Almeida, Carmen Corella, Natalia Tapia,

Kazuko Omori and Joseph Gatti

March 17 – 20, 2010

New York, NY, July 23, 2009 – Choreographer Angel Corella has announced the U.S. debut of Corella Ballet Castilla y León, March 17 - 20 at New York City Center. The engagement will feature the U.S. premier of String Sextet, Mr. Corella’s first choreography, performed to music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky. The four-performance engagement will feature three other pieces to be announced.

Corella Ballet features acclaimed dancers from around the world, including Principal Dancers: Herman Cornejo, Iain Mackay, Adiarys Almeida, Carmen Corella and Natalia Tapia; First Soloists: Kazuko Omori and Joseph Gatti and Soloists: Ashley Ellis, Mª José Sales, Cristina Casa, Kirill Radev, Fernando Bufalá and Yevgen Uzlenkov. Mr. Corella is also a Principal Dancer.

Corella Ballet Castilla y León was founded in April 2008 at the Royal Palace of La Granja in Segovia-Spain. Corella Ballet, under Angel Corella’s artistic direction, is currently the only classical ballet company in Spain. The company consists of 60 dancers from 12 countries: Spain, Cuba, United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Russia, Portugal, Argentina, the Republic of Georgia and Kazajstán. Corella Ballet Foundation projects include the creation of a dance school which will also be the base for future Corella Ballet dancers. One of the company’s missions is to provide a professional career for classical dancers in Spain, so that Spanish born dancers do not have to leave the country to further their careers, as Corella and many others have done. Corella Ballet’s wide repertoire incorporates classical, neoclassical and contemporary choreography.

Corella Ballet will play for four performances, at New York City Center, 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues, according to the following schedule March 17 at 7:30, March 19 at 8 pm and March 20 at 2 & 8 pm. Tickets range from $25 - $75 (on sale at City Center on September 8, 2009) and can be purchased by calling CityTix® at 212-581-1212, online at www.nycitycenter.org <http://www.nycitycenter.org/> or at the City Center Box Office (West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues).

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At City Center in addition to CB's performance schedule there is a discussion and demonstration by Angel and some of the Company Members.

This will take place on March 15th at 6:30 PM at City Center's Studio 5 - 130 West 56th Street, 5th Floor. Tickets are $15, General Admission and will go on sale, September 8th, the same day as the tickets for CB's performances.

City Center's website and calendar has also been updated.

Here's the link to the page on the March 15 discussion/demonstration.

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I’m so happy CB will be performing at City Center!! :D

Hope many of you here will be able to attend and will report. For you to see a bit how the company looks like:

http://dancemedia.com/v/3454

And there will also be a photo exhibition by Manuel de los Galanes with the collaboration of the Corella Ballet dancers at the City Center Hall. March, 17th - 20th.

For more info you can check the Corella Ballet web page http://www.corellaballet.org/home2.html

I’m also linking two articles published in the media:

http://www.playbillarts.com/features/article/8327.html

http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/dance/...-leon-interview

I hope it’s ok, if not, of course, please feel free to move/delete them as you consider appropriate.

Enjoy our brand new company!!

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Thanks for those links, Carolina. The "Time Out" article -- an interview with Corella by Gia Kourlas -- is fascinating. I especially liked comments on the job of being an artistic director, what it's like being a full-time company coach, and his thoughts about what it is like when a dancer runs a company of dancers.

The photos from dancemedia.com make the point that Corella (quite wisely, I think) relied heavily on top level guest artists, dancers he worked within his own international dancing career, to help establish the company in the public eye. The current list of dancers is leaner and consists of people who seem to have a made a long-term commitment to the company. I assume that those are the dancers the audiences will see in New York.

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Thanks for those links, Carolina. The "Time Out" article -- an interview with Corella by Gia Kourlas -- is fascinating. I especially liked comments on the job of being an artistic director, what it's like being a full-time company coach, and his thoughts about what it is like when a dancer runs a company of dancers.

The photos from dancemedia.com make the point that Corella (quite wisely, I think) relied heavily on top level guest artists, dancers he worked within his own international dancing career, to help establish the company in the public eye. The current list of dancers is leaner and consists of people who seem to have a made a long-term commitment to the company. I assume that those are the dancers the audiences will see in New York.

And once again, there is no mention of, or links to the doc in these interviews or articles. This is especially egregious in Dance Magazine and Pointe, considering where the trailer has been posted for a year!!!--and until recently, driving almost 50% of the business to the site! (Wish I knew whether this was deliberate, or just cluelessness on the part of the editors/publisher who obviously have never heard of CROSS-PROMOTION!) Regarding AC's contractual obligations in this matter, I reserve judgement, but needless to say, my trust in their "good faith" has been greatly undermined.

Meanwhile, I give thanks to all the dancers, choreographers, and technical staff who did remember, did appreciate it, and did try to help. I am VERY very grateful, and your good wishes and support, in however infitisimal a way, is what keeps me hopeful and moving forward.

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And once again, there is no mention of, or links to the doc in these interviews or articles. This is especially egregious in Dance Magazine and Pointe, considering where the trailer has been posted for a year!!!--and until recently, driving almost 50% of the business to the site! (Wish I knew whether this was deliberate, or just cluelessness on the part of the editors/publisher who obviously have never heard of CROSS-PROMOTION!) Regarding AC's contractual obligations in this matter, I reserve judgement, but needless to say, my trust in their "good faith" has been greatly undermined.

Meanwhile, I give thanks to all the dancers, choreographers, and technical staff who did remember, did appreciate it, and did try to help. I am VERY very grateful, and your good wishes and support, in however infitisimal a way, is what keeps me hopeful and moving forward.

The situation sounds very frustrating to you. I hope it turns around.

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I just can't understand this 4mrdncr, I really can't.

I'm really eager to see it and I'm very grateful to you to have undertaken such a big deal.

Have you tried to get something, publicity, presentation at cinema festivals (Valladolid), etc... in Spain?

Maybe now as the company will perform in NY there will be a chance for you to make it more known....

Good luck!

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CarolinaM has forwarded the latest press release concerning the tour. I've translated the most important information.

4mrdncr, PR is being handled by Helene Davis Public Relations. P.M. me if you need the email address. I certainly hope your documentary-in-progress will be part of the festivities. :(

DANCERS: Principals Angel Corella, Herman Cornejo, Joseph Gatti, Adiarys Almeida, Carmen Corella, Natalia Tapia. First soloist: Kazuko Omori. Soloists: Ashley Ellis, Maria Jose Sales, Cristina Casa, Fernando Bufala, Kirill Radev, Yevgen Uzlenkov.

The program with which the company will debut in New York includes Angel Corella's first choreographic creation for his company: String Sextet, as well as the premiere of Epimetheus, created by the choreographer and Corella Ballet dancer, Russsel Ducker. Also, the world premiere of Solea, a piece for 2 dancers by Maria Pages, especially created for Carmen and Angel Corella.

PROGRAM ONE. (Wed. 3/17; Friday 3/19; Saturday 3/20)

String Sextet (Angel Corella, to Tchaikovsky's String Sextet, Souvenir de Florence)

Walpurgisnacht (Leonid Lavrosky, 1956) to Ballet music from Gounod's Faust)

Sunny Duet (Vladimir Vasiliov and Natalia Kasatkina, 1973 to music by Arno Babajanyan)

Solea (world premiere by Maria Pages to music by Ruben Labaniegos)

DGV: Danse a Grand Vitesse (Christopher Wheeldon, 2006, to Michael Nyman, MGV: Musique a Grande Vitesse)

PROGRAM TWO. (Sat. 3/20, matinee)

String Sextet

Epimetheus (Russell Ducker,2009, to Mike Oldfield, The Music of the Spheres)

Solea

DGV

There is a preview for the press on Tuesday 3/17.

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Thanks for that link, miliosr Macaulay's biggest negative seems to have been the choreography, with the exception of the Wheeldon:

It was a relief to see Mr. Wheeldon’s “DGV (Danse à Grande Vitesse),” choreographed in 2006 for the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden, and one of the best closing ballets made in the last 20 years. [ ... ]

Here acrobatics dissolve into art. The Corella dancers, dramatically lighted by Jennifer Tipton, are often different in nuance — sometimes more emphatic, sometimes less refined in line — from the original Royal Ballet cast, but they are always admirable.

Macaulay gives a very favorable review to .... the audience! ("The audience, too, was so perfect that I was often tempted to applaud it.") Were any BT'rs there?

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Thanks for that link, miliosr Macaulay's biggest negative seems to have been the choreography, with the exception of the Wheeldon:
It was a relief to see Mr. Wheeldon’s “DGV (Danse à Grande Vitesse),” choreographed in 2006 for the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden, and one of the best closing ballets made in the last 20 years. [ ... ]

Here acrobatics dissolve into art. The Corella dancers, dramatically lighted by Jennifer Tipton, are often different in nuance — sometimes more emphatic, sometimes less refined in line — from the original Royal Ballet cast, but they are always admirable.

Macaulay gives a very favorable review to .... the audience! ("The audience, too, was so perfect that I was often tempted to applaud it.") Were any BT'rs there?

I saw Julie Kent chatting with Wendy Whalen on Wednesday. And on Friday I glimpsed Xiomara Reyes, Kristi Boone with Isaac Staapas, and Freddie Franklin was also there. Surely there were others. I gave the performances a B minus. Some really nice dancers (the women more than the men. And what was with the program calling the corps dancers "girls and boys"? How insulting!) But for me, it was mostly a question, once again, of good/bad programming. Corella's ballet was a nice opener, if a bit busy and unresponsive to the music. The costumes were a negative for me, especially the women. Very unbecoming to their upper bodies and arms, hiding any port de bras. And why black on the leads? Oh dear. And I agree with Macauley about Ms. Omori. She danced (and looked) as if she were in a competition. The was even more evident in the hokey and goofy rendering of the Walpurgisacht. Even in Soviet times this was a bit of a scenery chewer, but now it looks just silly. By Friday, wiser heads had prevailed and we got "Black Swan" pas in place of the loopy "Sunny Duet". While we all have surely seen our share of Black Swans, this was at least a wowzer rendition (I liked the female variation), and both Cornejo and Almeida were splendid. And they didn't look the least bit embarrassed to be dancing this as they did in the afore mentioned "Sunny Duet". What was Corella thinking ? The Solea was, well, while not real Flamenco it was just fine to see Carmen Corella dancing again and looking to be enjoying herself. The Wheelden was an energetic closer. The choreography seemed to suit the over wrought score, but was well danced. I wish Wheelden had more than ten steps in his grab bag of choreography. But maybe the repetition of the music called for the same deal with the steps. And a nice shout out to Ashley Ellis who looked terrific in everything.

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The Audience last night Friday was full of Ballet Fans. During the Silent section in DGV, you could hear people coughing IN THE LOBBY! I heard many gasps the evening when the dancers did something extraordinary, which was often

Kudos to the Company and Mr. Corella! Spain deserves a world class ballet company, and they now have one. I look forward to see their version of Don Q in the future.

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