yudi Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 The annual “Meet in Beijing” International Arts Festival is overseen by Chinese Ministry of Culture to promote international cultural exchanges by presenting Chinese culture while introducing international culture and artists.This year the organizer of Meet in Beijing has invited American Ballet Theater principle dancer Isabella Boylston and Boston Ballet principal dancer Paulo Arrais to dance the leading roles in Swan Lake with the National Ballet of China for Opening Night performance at the National Center for the Performing Arts. April 23, 2015Odette/Odile: Isabella Boylston (Principal of American Ballet Theater)Prince Siegfried: Ma Xiaodong (Principal of NB of China)April 24, 2015Odette/Odile: Wang Ye (Principal of NB of China)Prince Siegfried: Paulo Arrais (Principal of Boston Ballet) References:http://www.ballet.org.cn/news_detailn/newsId=1155.htmlhttp://ticket.chncpa.org/product-1001209.html Link to comment
yudi Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 Ma XiaodongGraduated from the Beijing Dance Academy in 2009, joined the the National Ballet of China in the same year. In 2012 he became the youngest principle dancer in NB of China.He has won many awards in Chinese and International dance competitions. Among them:First Prize, Men's junior group of "Tao Li Cup", the Chinese National Dance Competition in 2006.Gold Medal, Men's Junior group, the First Beijing International Ballet Invitational competition in 2006.Bronze Medal, Men's Junior group, The International Ballet Competition - Varna 2008.First Prize, Men's Senior group of "Tao Li Cup" National Dance Competition in 2009.Silver Medal, Men's Senior Group, The International Ballet Competition - Varna 2010.He has danced leading roles in Don Quixote, Bat (La Chauve Souris), Giselle, The Little Mermaid, Swan Lake, Celebrating New Year (Chinese version of The Nutcracker), Peony Pavilion, The Rite of Spring and Roland Petit's L'Arlésienne, as well as many classical ballet pas de deux and modern ballets such as Confucius 2012, Dawn, Hamlet, Close Your Eyes In Dark and etc.He was awarded as Outstanding Young Actor in 2012 and Outstanding Actor in 2013 by The Chinese Ministry of Culture. Wang YeGraduated from the Shanghai Theater Academy affiliated dance school in 2003, joined the National Ballet of China in the same year. In 2014 she was promoted to Principal Dancer.In 2012 she won the Jury's Special Prizes for Best non-competing partner in Helsinki International Ballet Competition 2012. And in 2013 she was invited by the National Ballet of Finland to dance as Odette / Odile in Swan Lake.SHe has danced leading roles in Swan Lake (Makarova version), Giselle, Celebrating New Year (Chinese version of "The Nutcracker" ), as well as the Princess in The Little Mermaid (John Numerier), Olega in Onegin, Gulnare in Le Corsaire, (Young) Yuan Yuan in Celebrating New Year, Xiao E in The Red Detachment of Women, in addition to performing in ballet Raise the Red Lantern, Bat (La Chauve Souris), Peony Pavilion, Romeo and Juliet, Grand Pas Classique, La Esmeralda, Marble Girl, modern ballet works such as Goodbye My Love, On the Road, White Snake on Earth, In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, Kazimierz Color, Beethoven's Symphony Nº 7, Rachmaninov Piano Concerto Nº 3, Pink Floyd Ballet and etc.She has toured the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Finland, Australia, Russia, Cuba, Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, as well as other countries and regions around the world. She won the Outstanding Performance Award conferred by the Chinese Ministry of Culture in 2012. References:http://www.ballet.org.cn/yanyuan_detail/&productId=103.htmlhttp://www.ballet.org.cn/yanyuan_detail/&productId=63.html Link to comment
yudi Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 Last month Wang Ye and Ma Xiaodong, the two principle dancers of National Ballet of China, came to perform in the United States. They were invited by the Richmond Ballet in Richmond of Virginia, to dance the leading roles in Don Quixote. From Feb. 20th to 22nd, they danced D.Q. for three days in a row. Their wonderful performances won high praise from the audiences, the head and ballet masters of Richmond Ballet.Wang Ye and Ma Xiaodong in Rehearsalhttps://youtu.be/WmBytnzOd-U References:http://www.richmondballet.com/season-tickets/ticket-info/performances/don-quixote/http://www.ballet.org.cn/news_detailn/newsId=1159.html Link to comment
Helene Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 That's exciting news for the dancers and companies in both exchanges! Link to comment
yudi Posted April 26, 2015 Author Share Posted April 26, 2015 The 15th annual “Meet in Beijing” Arts Festival held its grand opening with the most performed classical ballet Swan Lake presented by the National Ballet of China on April 23 of 2015, and with guest dancers from the U.S. Isabella Boylston, a principal with the American Ballet Theater, and Paolo Arrais from the Boston Ballet, were invited to dance with Ma Xiaodong and Wang Ye, both principle dancers of the National Ballet of China.In the morning of April 21, Isabella Boylston and Paulo Arrais arrived Beijing and started the rehearsals right the way. They both felt very excited to have the chance to collaborate with the NB of China.This is the third time for Isabella Boylston to visit and perform in Beijing. Although, she had never danced the Makarova version of Swan Lake, the Artistic Director of NB of China, Feng Ying personally coached her and demonstrated the steps in the rehearsals. Isabella Boylston conveyed appreciation to her partner Ma Xiaodong. She was filled with envy at the Corp de ballet of NB of China. in an interview she said that they mostly come from the same school, all have very good physical condition, elegant arms, the corp de ballet of swans must be very beautiful on stage. Isabella also told the Chinese colleagues that although she is keen and competitive she enjoys dancing as Odette more, and she thought she would play the White Swan "more naturally."Paulo Arrais, a principle dancer of Boston Ballet Theatre, has played main roles in many ballets, including George Balanchine's version of Midsummer Night's Dream, Mikko Nissinen's version of The Nutcracker, Florence Clerc version of La Bayadere, John Cranko version of Romeo and Juliet, Natalia Makarova version of Swan Lake and so on. Therefore, Paulo Arrais was very easily taking on the actions and performances to become a part of NB of China's Swan Lake production. In the afternoon, he was ready for a full scale rehearsal, the Prince demonstrated his extraordinary strength.In the evenings of April 23 and April 24, two splendid Swan Lake performances, by Swan Isabella Boylston and Prince Ma Xiaodong, Swan Wang Ye and her partner Prince Paulo Arrais respectively, presented the beautiful and moving love story to audiences in the Capital Grand Theater. The American and Chinese ballet stars' superb ballet technique and wonderful performances on stage won huge applause from audiences, which gave the Meet in Beijing artistic festival a gathering rendered with full of vibrant color art. References:http://www.ballet.org.cn/news_detailn/newsId=1214.htmlhttp://www.ballet.org.cn/news_detailn/newsId=1219.htmlhttp://www.ballet.org.cn/news_detailn/newsId=1223.html Link to comment
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