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Keeping Up With SFB Veterans


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If the Admins could pin this topic at the top of the topic list it will be easier to find in the future.  ;)

 

There are many recent 'retirees' who may still be performing, so if anyone has significant news about these ex-SFB dancers, please post the information here. Sometimes, the younger dancers actually return to SF(!)

 

Kristina Lind has left Het Nationale Ballet to be a soloist with Bayerischen Staatsballett in Munich, Germany. Congratulations to Kristina on her promotion to the soloist level.
https://www.staatsoper.de/biographien/detail-seite/lind-kristina.html

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15 hours ago, Josette said:

I'm thrilled to hear about Kristina Lind being made a soloist in Munich.  She gave beautiful, lyrical performances in her last season at SFB and I was sorry she left. 

 

I think this is what she really wanted, and was willing to make great sacrifice for. I hope it's a great experience for Kristina.

She could do worse for a city to have to live in.  ;)

 

A couple of other mentions:

 

According to this Zarely website interview (no date on the article), Pascal Molat is now teaching at SFB school, and he has been a YAGP jurist for the first time.

 

"Though I have to confess that my way of teaching is very different from what I got back then [at POB]. My teachers gave me the fundamentals with the principle of repetitions. We were going through routines over and over again which is in many ways the very nature of being a dancer. But what I do as a teacher is trying to develop critical thinking in my students so they evolve faster and in a smarter way. I try to give them keys on artistry, musicality, physicality and technique – something to rely on in their future career."

 

I'm very happy to hear that Pacal, along with Sofiane Sylve, will be teaching the next generation(s) of dancers at SFB.

 

Joan Boada is now teaching at the Laguna Dance Theater, as well as guesting at galas.

 

 

Edited by pherank
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For the record:

 

A great little video of Lee Alex Meyer-Lorey saying goodbye to SFB and the SF audience:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BT47XPvgxJM/?taken-by=leealex2031

"I couldn't have asked for a better ride, better friends or a better end. Thank you to each and every one of the incredible people I had the honor of sharing the stage with on the last day of our season, you made it an unforgettable day for me. My heart is so full and a tiny bit broken and I love you all to pieces the words don't do justice and and and I'll see you later…"

Vanessa Zahorian posted the following thank you to her Facebook page:

"So long San Francisco! It has been an amazing 20 years getting to know you. We will be back! Until next time. Thank you for the many memories, friends I met (life long and long lasting), supporters I met, fans, places we explored, places I performed, partners I danced with, husband I met, Ballets I danced, becoming the Ballerina I am, maturing, growing up, family visits and explorations, sports teams we supported (Giants and Warriors), sleepovers, Ballet Masters I met and were coached by, full length Ballets and modern ballets I danced and explored, introduction to the wonderful world of gyrotonics, pianists I met and worked with, pilates, yoga, bikram, first injury (7mos out), other Directors I worked w on amazing full length ballets, parties and dinners we went to, houses we explored, different apts we lived in, tours to different countries, best stage crew ever, best costume people ever, most magical opera house ever, warmest audience and stage to perform on, pr department at SFB, staff at SFB, teaching at various Ballet schools around the area, restaurants and bars, dance clubs, director (Helgi) who brought me to sf and promoted me quickly through the ranks. etc... I could go on and on. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I will cherish all of the memories forever. I love you all! Xo On to our next exciting chapter and adventure of artistic directorship with Pennsylvania Ballet Academy!"

https://www.facebook.com/vzahorian/

 

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A recent Instagram post by Vanessa Zahorian:

 

'Davit and I had a great week of teaching the Vaganova Method to the young students of @paballetacademy last week. "The Vaganova method is a ballet technique and training system devised by the Russian dancer and pedagogue Agrippina Vaganova in the early 1900's. The training system is designed to involve the whole body in every movement, with equal attention paid to the upper body, legs and feet." We also introduced the GYROTONIC® Method. The Gyrotonic Expansion System Method is composed of the Gyrokinesis and Gyrotonic exercise methods. The Gyrokinesis Method, originally called “Yoga for Dancers,” is practiced on a mat and a chair, while the Gyrotonic Method uses specialized equipment that permits one to move with support and resistance. Once we open our school in September I will offer the method using the Pulley Tower Machine! We also offered the Contemporary Classes taught by Davit as well as Pointe classes taught by myself. This week we will continue what we have been teaching and next week we will be offering an exciting new class. Stay tuned for an update shortly as to what that exciting class will be. We know it will be a lot of fun and will bring out the character in our students!'

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVgfPwPBNQ9/?taken-by=vzahorian&hl=en

 

"Pennsylvania Ballet Academy would like to introduce and welcome our very first guest teacher Elen Harutyunyan. Elen will join PBA for the last week of our summer program June 26th-29th. She will be teaching traditional character classes from different nationalities. She began her training at the Armenian National Ballet School and then went on to join the San Francisco Ballet School where she then moved to LA to further her studies in acting, dancing, theater, and teaching. She is currently teaching character classes at the Grand Stage Dance in LA. For more information or to join Elen Harutyunyan’s character classes next week, please call 717-774-7474."

 

So, obviously, the school is keeping both Vanessa and Davit very busy.

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Aaron Robison didn't last long at SFB, but it's tough to blame him for going to ENB, as he is now listed as a "Lead Principal" - the same level as Alina Cojocaru and Tamara Rojo in the hierarchy crazy ENB. (SFB's Madison Keesler was 5 levels below that, just to compare). Best of luck to Robison.

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I'm not sure where and when we posted links to some of these "Celebratory" videos from SFB, so I'll put them together here.

Celebrating Gennadi Nedvigin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7woyrCNBFB4

Celebrating Joan Boada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1NJ_hhmeSs

Celebrating Damian Smith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUm2xWYWp_Q

SF Ballet's Damian Smith: On Partnering
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkUYsd4-al4

Celebrating Rubén Martín Cintas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLlGcV4acaI

Celebrating Pascal Molat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ-W7kWT7Zg

Celebrating Vanessa Zahorian & Davit Karapetyan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF78YmwNdp0

Celebrating Lorena Feijoo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVu1IO06v3w

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27 minutes ago, PeggyTulle said:

Does anyone know where Anthony Vincent (FKA Spaulding) went? Did he retire?

 

I haven't found any information yet - I was sort of hoping he followed Nedvigin to Atlanta Ballet, but I don't see any evidence of that at present.

Edited by pherank
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As mentioned in this article from May http://www.sfchronicle.com/performance/article/Feijoo-taking-her-final-steps-at-SF-Ballet-11065862.php, Lorena will be working with SF Opera.  First, she will be dancing in La Traviata.  Following that, she will debut as Lola Montez in John Adams' Girls of the Golden West.

 

Casting is up for La Traviata https://sfopera.com/1718season/201718-season/traviata/, and Lorena is listed as a solo dancer.  She even has a bio page:  https://sfopera.com/about-us/people/bios/artists/lorena-feijoo/.

 

Here is the info for Girls of the Golden West, including casting:  https://sfopera.com/1718season/201718-season/goldenwest/.

 

I will definitely try to see La Traviata some time during the run, and also looking forward to Girls of the Golden West.

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On 10/16/2017 at 8:29 PM, Helene said:

Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Breeden interviewed Gonzalo Garcia for their podcast, "Conversations on Dance":

http://conversationsondancepod.com/2017/10/02/gonzalo-garcia-new-york-city-ballet-principal/

 

Another great Ferraro and Breeden interview - good find, Helene.

They ask all the pertinent questions and know how to keep things moving.

Edited by pherank
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Short TV interview with SFB veterans Vanessa Zahorian and Davit Karapetyan
http://fox43.com/2017/01/09/pennsylvania-ballet-academy-kicks-off-their-dance-instruction/

The Pennsylvania Ballet Academy, under the direction of Vanessa Zahorian and Davit Karapetyan, have moved into their new permanent facility in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. No doubt influenced by their experiences at SFB, Vanessa and Davit are offering Gyrotonics and Pilates for prevention of injuries in addition to Vagonova-based classical ballet training, pointe-work, and character role training.

The new PBA website:
https://www.paballetacademy.org/

 

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13 hours ago, sf_herminator said:

This was announced a few weeks ago, but hasn't been posted here yet.

Former Principal Dancer Muriel Maffre has been named Chief Executive Officer of Alonzo King Lines Ballet:

https://media.linesballet.org/uploads/news/Muriel_Maffre_Announcement.pdf?_ga=2.66994285.2106830677.1511162770-1523356891.1502409511

Congratulations to Ms. Maffre! A very talented individual - I think she will be a real asset to the organization.

I've long wondered about the relationship between SFB and AKLB - SFB soloists often end up at some point doing barre, rehearsing or posing for photo shoots over at AKLB. There seems to be an open door policy for Bay Area ballet dancers at the AKLB studio.

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Thank you so much for the link @sf_herminator!  I especially love this:

 

Quote

 

What advice would you give to someone who's thinking about retiring from dancing and wants to venture out?

Leaving the stage is always a crisis of identity. I'd advise dancers to face it with courage. Don't feel that because you lose the status you lose anything that you have achieved before. It may seem like you're starting from scratch, but it's a second life. It's an enrichment, an amazing opportunity to do even more.

When you are still dancing, I think it's important to cultivate curiosity: Curiosity for other environments, curiosity for others. I had that appetite. I'm now able to be at the helm of this organization and really feel empowered to make a difference. I'm coming back to my first love.

 

 

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In addition to now dancing with Diablo Ballet

Jordan Hammond Tilton is also now a member of the faculty:  https://www.sfballet.org/school/about/faculty/jordan_hammond-tilton.  During the fall session, she taught the Beginning/Intermediate Adult Drop-in class on Monday evening and Sunday afternoons.  I had the pleasure of taking her class yesterday and she is a really wonderful instructor.  Very positive energy and explained things really well, had a pleasant way of making corrections, encouraged questions, and made the class fun!!  I hope to take her class again soon.  Unfortunately, she will not be teaching next Sunday as she will be performing (but didn't get the info - sorry folks).

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1 hour ago, sf_herminator said:

In addition to now dancing with Diablo Ballet

Jordan Hammond Tilton is also now a member of the faculty:  https://www.sfballet.org/school/about/faculty/jordan_hammond-tilton.  During the fall session, she taught the Beginning/Intermediate Adult Drop-in class on Monday evening and Sunday afternoons.  I had the pleasure of taking her class yesterday and she is a really wonderful instructor.  Very positive energy and explained things really well, had a pleasant way of making corrections, encouraged questions, and made the class fun!!  I hope to take her class again soon.  Unfortunately, she will not be teaching next Sunday as she will be performing (but didn't get the info - sorry folks).

Thanks SF_Herminator - I'm impressed that you found that bio page. From there, I was able to figure out the Faculty page URL:

https://www.sfballet.org/school/about/faculty/

But I don't see any menu links for that area of the website.

 

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