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Dale

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Everything posted by Dale

  1. The casting: NEW YORK CITY BALLET PRINCIPAL CASTING FOR WASHINGTON D.C., June 6 -11, 2017 TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 6, 7:30 PM SQUARE DANCE: M. Fairchild, *Finlay [Conductor: Sill] TARANTELLA: Pereira, Hoxha [Conductor: Litton; Solo Piano: Walters] pause ODESSA: Mearns , Bouder, Hyltin, T. Angle, Stanley, De Luz [Conductor: Litton; Solo Violin: Delmoni] RODEO: FOUR DANCE EPISODES: T. Peck, J. Peck, Ulbricht, Garcia, Veyette [Conductor: Litton] WEDNESDAY EVENING , JUNE 7, 7:30 PM SQUARE DANCE: M. Fairchild, Finlay [Co nductor: Sill] TARANTELLA: Pereira, Hoxha [Conductor: Litton; Solo Piano: Walters] pause ODESSA: Mearns, Bouder, Hyltin, T. Angle, Stanley, De Luz [Conductor: Litton; Solo Violin: Delmoni] RODEO: FOUR DANCE EPISODES: T. Peck, J. Peck, Ulbricht, Garcia, Veyette [Conductor: Litton] THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 8 , 7:30 PM [Conductor: Litton ] AMERICAN RHAPSODY: Lovette, Janzen, Phelan, *Stanley [Solo Piano: Chelton] THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS: Wellington, Scordato, King, Alberda, Laracey, Sanz, Garcia, Mearns, J. Angle, la Cour, Reichlen [Solo Piano: Gosling] THE TIMES ARE RACING: T. Peck, Pollack, Lowery, Woodward, Isaacs, Stanley, Applebaum, Suozzi FRIDAY EVENING, JUNE 9 , 7:30 PM [Conductor: Litton] AMERICAN RHAPSODY: Lovette, Janzen, Phelan, Stanley [Solo P iano: Chelton] THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS: Wellington, Scordato, King, Alberda, Laracey, Sanz, Garcia, Mearns, J. Angle, la Cour, Reichlen [Solo Piano: Gosling] THE TIMES ARE RACING: T. Peck, Pollack, Lowery, Woodward, Isaacs, Stanley, Applebaum, Suozzi SA TURDAY MATINEE, JUNE 10 , 1:30 PM [Conductor: Litton ] AMERICAN RHAPSODY: Lovette, Janzen, Phelan, Stanley [Solo Piano: Chelton] THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS: Wellington, Scordato, King, Alberda, Laracey, Sanz, Garcia, Scheller, T. Angle, la Cour, Reichlen [Sol o Piano: Gosling] THE TIMES ARE RACING: T. Peck, Pollack, Lowery, Woodward, Isaacs, Stanley, Applebaum, Suozzi SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 10 , 7:30 PM [Conductor: Sill] SQUARE DANCE: Bouder, *Ball TARANTELLA: *Woodward, De Luz [Solo Piano: Walters] pause ODESSA: Phelan, T. Peck, M. Fairchild, T. Angle, Stanley, Ulbricht [Solo Violin: Delmoni] RODEO: FOUR DANCE EPISODES: Mearns , J. Pe ck, Ulbricht, Garcia, Veyette SUNDAY MATINEE, JUNE 11, 1:30 PM [Conductor: Sill] SQUARE DANCE: Bouder, Ball TARANTELL A: Woodward, De Luz [Solo Piano: Walters] pause ODESSA: Phelan, T. Peck, M. Fairchild, T. Angle, Stanley, Ulbricht [Solo Violin: Delmoni] RODEO: FOUR DANCE EPISODES: Mearns, J. Peck, Ulbricht, Garcia, Veyette * First Time in Role PROGRAM AND CASTING SUBJECT TO CHANGE ( 05/ 17/17
  2. A release (something fun!): AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE “WHIPPED CREAM FLOAT” TO TRAVEL THE STREETS OF UPPER WEST SIDE AND TIMES SQUARE ON SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017, 10AM-3PM UNIQUE CARAVAN OF CHARACTERS TO CELEBRATE ABTKIDS DAY AND NEW YORK PREMIERE OF WHIPPED CREAM In celebration of American Ballet Theatre’s New York Premiere of Whipped Cream and the family-friendly performance of ABTKids, characters from the ballet will board a 24-foot open-air festive float for a ride along the Upper West Side and through midtown, ending back “home” at Lincoln Center’s Metropolitan Opera House on Saturday, May 20, 2017. Cupcake Children, Swirl Girls, Layer Cake Girl, Pink Yak and Chef, all characters from ABT’s new production of Whipped Cream, will set out from the loading dock of the Metropolitan Opera House at 9:30am for their journey up Central Park West to West 96th Street, down Columbus Avenue and back to Lincoln Center, waving to fans and offering photo opportunities prior to the 11:30am performance of ABTKids. At the conclusion of ABTKids, the Whipped Cream float will ride again, traveling down Broadway past Columbus Circle and on to Times Square. American Ballet Theatre’s New York Premiere of Whipped Cream features choreography by ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky and the whimsical, pastry-themed designs of pop surrealist Mark Ryden. Whipped Cream is performed May 22-24 and June 26-July 1. ABTKids is a one-hour performance designed for children and families showcasing highlights from ABT’s Spring Season. All seats for ABTKids on May 20 are priced at $25 and available for purchase online, at the Met box office or by phone at 212-362-6000.
  3. The press release: Juilliard Names Damian Woetzel as Seventh President NEW YORK ---- The Juilliard School announced today that it has selected Damian Woetzel, director of the Aspen Institute Arts Program, artistic director of Vail Dance Festival, and former principal dancer at New York City Ballet, to serve as its seventh president beginning July 2018. Woetzel was chosen after an extensive search process led by a board-appointed search committee and Board Chair Bruce Kovner in consultation with faculty, student, and staff representatives. Juilliard's current and longest-serving president, Joseph W. Polisi, announced in October that he will be stepping down at the end of June 2018. "On behalf of the board of trustees, I am pleased to welcome Damian Woetzel to The Juilliard School as our next president," said Kovner. "Since beginning our search last October, we have had the privilege of getting to know some of the most distinguished leaders in the arts field and beyond. Damian's vision and optimism are second to none, and we are confident that he will advance Juilliard's mission for the next generation while building on the foundation of artistic and academic excellence established by his distinguished predecessor, Joseph Polisi." Woetzel, who turns 50 next week, retired in 2008 from an illustrious career as a principal dancer with New York City Ballet, and was celebrated internationally for his performances across a wide range of repertory. In addition to his positions at the Aspen Institute and Vail Dance Festival, Woetzel is also an independent director, choreographer, and producer. His many projects include the Kennedy Center's interdisciplinary DEMO series;Spaces by Wynton Marsalis for Jazz at Lincoln Center; an arts salute to Stephen Hawking at Lincoln Center for the World Science Festival; and the first performance of the White House Dance Series during the Obama administration. From 2009 to 2017, Woetzel served on the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, where he helped create the Turnaround Arts Program, which brings arts education to some of the nation's most challenged school districts. Woetzel holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, and has been a visiting lecturer at Harvard Law School. In 2015 he received the Harvard Arts Medal. As president of Juilliard, Woetzel will inherit a number of large-scale initiatives spearheaded by Polisi, including the continued development of scholarship and entrepreneurship programs, K-12 curricula, online education products, and The Tianjin Juilliard School in China. Woetzel will serve as president-designate during the 2017-18 academic year, during which time he will conclude his work as director of the Aspen Institute Arts Program, finishing in June of 2018 at the end of the Aspen Ideas Festival. He will continue to serve as artistic director of the annual Vail Dance Festival at least through summer 2018. "It is a tremendous honor to have been selected as the next president of The Juilliard School," said Woetzel. "Building on collaboration has been a defining principle of my life in the arts, and I can think of no greater privilege than to help shape the future of this extraordinary institution of music, dance, and drama. I'd like to extend my thanks to Bruce Kovner, Juilliard's board of trustees, and President Polisi for this tremendous opportunity to join in the tradition of excellence that Juilliard embodies, and I am inspired to work alongside them to foster new generations of emboldened citizen artists for the 21st century." "Juilliard could ask for no better president than Damian Woetzel," said Polisi. "Damian's commitment to performing arts education and to securing the best and brightest future for our school are all attributes that ensure a very successful tenure as Juilliard's president. I look forward to working closely with Damian during the next year and watching Juilliard flourish under his leadership." About Damian Woetzel Damian Woetzel has taken on multiple roles in arts leadership since retiring in 2008 from a 20-year career as a principal dancer with New York City Ballet and as a dancer on the international stage. During his distinguished dance career, he was lauded for performances in a wide range of roles created by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, and had works choreographed for him by Robbins, Eliot Feld, Peter Martins, Susan Stroman, Twyla Tharp, and Christopher Wheeldon among others. Woetzel currently serves as the director of the Aspen Institute Arts Program, which aims to further the value of the arts in society, and as the artistic director of the Vail Dance Festival, which presents annual summer seasons in Colorado and recently offered an acclaimed debut season at New York City Center entitled Vail Dance Festival: ReMix NYC. Also an independent director, choreographer, and producer, Woetzel's recent projects include DEMO, his own interdisciplinary series at the Kennedy Center; Spaces by Wynton Marsalis for Jazz at Lincoln Center; Lil Buck @ Le Poisson Rouge, an award-winning show featuring Lil Buck, Yo-Yo Ma, and an array of stellar musicians; an arts salute to Stephen Hawking at Lincoln Center for the World Science Festival; two Turnaround Arts performances at the White House; and the first performance of the White House Dance Series, which took place in the East Room of the White House and was hosted by former first lady Michelle Obama. Woetzel has collaborated on numerous events and initiatives with Yo-Yo Ma, including work on his Silk Road Connect program in the New York City Public Schools, and on "Arts Strike" events, which they have pioneered as a format for artists to engage in public service. In 2012, Woetzel co-produced the televised Kennedy Center Honors tribute to honoree Natalia Makarova, and for the 2014 Honors he co-produced the salute to honoree Patricia McBride. In 2009, Woetzel became the founding director of the Jerome Robbins Foundation's New Essential Works (NEW) Program, which over a five-year period initiated grants to enable the production of 35 new dance works. In November 2009, President Obama appointed Woetzel to the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, where he served until 2017 and worked on creating the Turnaround Arts Program, which now brings arts education to some of the nation's most challenged school districts. Woetzel holds a Master in Public Administration degree from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, and has taught as a visiting lecturer at Harvard Law School. Among his awards, in April 2015, Woetzel received the Harvard Arts Medal. About The Juilliard School Founded in 1905, The Juilliard School is a world leader in performing arts education. Juilliard's mission is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education for gifted musicians, dancers, and actors from around the world so that they may achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders, and global citizens. Located at Lincoln Center in New York City, Juilliard offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in dance, drama (acting and playwriting), and music (classical, jazz, historical performance, and vocal arts). Currently more than 800 artists from 43 states and 41 countries are enrolled at Juilliard, where they appear in over 700 annual performances in the school's five theaters; at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully and David Geffen Halls and at Carnegie Hall; as well as other venues around New York City, the country, and the world. Beyond its New York campus, Juilliard is defining new directions in global performing arts education for a range of learners and enthusiasts through The Tianjin Juilliard School, K-12 educational curricula, and an increasing array of digital education products.
  4. Updated casting: TUESDAY, MAY 9 (Change of program order - Spectral Evidence will be performed first) SPECTRAL EVIDENCE: Isaacs replaces Pazcoguin, LeCrone replaces Smith, R. Fairchild replaces Ramasar MOTHERSHIP: Jones replaces Macgill, E. Von Enck+ replaces C. Von Enck THE TIMES ARE RACING: Woodward replaces Smith, *Applebaum replaces Ramasar WEDNESDAY, MAY 10 CAROUSEL (A DANCE): Segin replaces Smith THE INFERNAL MACHINE: *Craig Hall++ replaces Ramasar PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION: Kretzschmar replaces Smith THURDAY, MAY 11 COMMON GROUND: *Schumacher replaces Chamblee OLTREMARE: *Wellington replaces Pazcoguin, *Walker replaces Ramasar RODEO: FOUR DANCE EPISODES: Pollack replaces Mearns, *J. Peck replaces Ramasar FRIDAY, MAY 12 CHIAROSCURO: *Veyette replaces Ramasar STABAT MATER: J. Angle replaces Ramasar THE DECALOGUE (STEVENS/PECK WORLD PREMIERE): *Segin replaces Smith SATURDAY, MAY 13 at 2PM CAROUSEL (A DANCE): Segin replaces Smith THE INFERNAL MACHINE: Craig Hall++ replaces Ramasar PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION: Kretzschmar replaces Smith SATURDAY, MAY 13 at 8PM COMMON GROUND: Schumacher replaces Chamblee OLTREMARE: Wellington replaces Pazcoguin, Walker replaces Ramasar RODEO: FOUR DANCE EPISODES: Pollack replaces Mearns, J. Peck replaces Ramasar SUNDAY, MAY 14 at 3PM CHIAROSCURO: Veyette replaces Ramasar STABAT MATER: J. Angle replaces Ramasar THE DECALOGUE (NEW STEVENS/PECK): Segin replaces Smith *Debut +Apprentice ++Guest Artist
  5. Casting first two weeks: CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR FIRST TWO WEEKS OF AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S 2017 SPRING SEASON AT METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE Daniil Simkin, Stella Abrera, David Hallberg and Sarah Lane to Lead New York Premiere of Whipped Cream at Spring Gala on Monday, May 22 at 6:30 P.M. Casting for the first two weeks of American Ballet Theatre’s 2017 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. The season will begin on Monday, May 15 with eight performances of Don Quixote, led by Gillian Murphy (Kitri), Cory Stearns (Basilio), Hee Seo (Mercedes) and James Whiteside (Espada). On Tuesday, May 16, Misty Copeland, Jeffrey Cirio, Luciana Paris and Calvin Royal III will lead the ballet for the first time, and the matinee on Wednesday, May 17, will feature debuts by Christine Shevchenko as Kitri, Devon Teuscher as Mercedes and Blaine Hoven as Espada. Christine Shevchenko and Thomas Forster will debut as Mercedes and Espada, respectively at the evening performance on Saturday, May 20. Staged by Kevin McKenzie and Susan Jones, with choreography after Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky, Don Quixote is set to music by Ludwig Minkus and features scenery and costumes by Santo Loquasto and lighting by Natasha Katz. The McKenzie/Jones staging of the current production was first performed by ABT on June 12, 1995. The 2017 Spring Gala on Monday, May 22 at 6:30 P.M. will feature the New York Premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s Whipped Cream, set to a score by Richard Strauss and featuring scenery and costumes by pop-surrealist artist Mark Ryden and lighting by Brad Fields. Whipped Cream received its World Premiere on March 15 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, led by Daniil Simkin as The Boy, Stella Abrera as Princess Tea Flower, David Hallberg as Prince Coffee and Sarah Lane as Princess Praline. This same cast will lead the New York Premiere on May 22. The week’s additional performances of Whipped Cream will feature New York debuts by Herman Cornejo (The Boy), Hee Seo (Princess Tea Flower), Cory Stearns (Prince Coffee) and Cassandra Trenary (Princess Praline) on Tuesday evening, May 23, by Jeffrey Cirio (The Boy), Gillian Murphy (Princess Tea Flower), James Whiteside (Prince Coffee) and Skylar Brandt (Princess Praline) at the matinee on Wednesday, May 24, and by Isabella Boylston (Princess Praline) and Alban Lendorf (Prince Coffee) at the evening performance on Wednesday, May 24. The second week of American Ballet Theatre’s Spring season will continue with four performances of Giselle, beginning Thursday, May 25, with Hee Seo, Cory Stearns and Veronika Part in the leading roles. Misty Copeland and Alban Lendorf will dance the roles of Giselle and Albrecht, respectively, for the first time in New York on Friday, May 26. On Saturday, May 27, New York debuts will include Sarah Lane (Giselle), Daniil Simkin (Albrecht) and Christine Shevchenko (Myrta) at the matinee and Gillian Murphy (Giselle) at the evening performance. Set to music by Adolphe Adam, with scenery by Gianni Quaranta, costumes by Anna Anni and lighting by Jennifer Tipton, Giselle features choreography after Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot and Marius Petipa and has been staged for ABT by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. The world premiere of Giselle, one of the oldest continually-performed ballets, occurred at the Theatre de l’Academie Royale de Musique in Paris on June 28, 1841. The ballet was first presented by ABT (then Ballet Theatre) at the Center Theatre in New York City on January 12, 1940 with choreography by Anton Dolin and scenery and costumes by Lucinda Ballard. The leading roles were danced by Annabelle Lyon and Anton Dolin. American Ballet Theatre’s sixth production, featuring scenery by Gianni Quaranta and costumes by Anna Anni, was created for the film Dancers, produced in 1987 by Cannon Films. This production’s first public performance was given on March 20, 1987 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, with Marianna Tcherkassky as Giselle and Kevin McKenzie as Albrecht. The current staging is by McKenzie, using the Quaranta and Anni designs. Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2017 Metropolitan Opera House season, beginning at $22, are available online, at the Met box office or by phone at 212-362-6000. The Metropolitan Opera House is located on Broadway between 64th and 65th streets in New York City. For more information, visit ABT’s website at www.abt.org.
  6. Release: NEW YORK PREMIERE OF WHIPPED CREAM BY ALEXEI RATMANSKY TO HIGHLIGHT AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S 2017 SPRING SEASON, MAY 15-JULY 8, AT METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE GUEST ARTIST ALESSANDRA FERRI TO DANCE TWO PERFORMANCES AS TATIANA IN JOHN CRANKO’S ONEGIN, JUNE 20 AND 22 PRINCIPAL DANCER DIANA VISHNEVA TO GIVE FAREWELL PERFORMANCE JUNE 23 PRINCIPAL DANCER MARCELO GOMES TO CELEBRATE 20TH ANNIVERSARY WITH AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE BOX OFFICE OPENS MARCH 26 AT 12 NOON American Ballet Theatre’s 2017 Spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House, May 15-July 8, will feature the New York Premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s Whipped Cream and the Company Premiere of Ratmansky’s Souvenir d’un lieu cher. Tickets for ABT’s Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House go on sale at the box office on Sunday, March 26 at 12 Noon. Guest Artist Alessandra Ferri will perform the role of Tatiana in Onegin on Tuesday evening, June 20 and Thursday evening, June 22. Principal Dancer Diana Vishneva will give her American Ballet Theatre farewell performance in the same role on Friday evening, June 23 and Principal Dancer Marcelo Gomes will celebrate his 20th Anniversary with the Company as Albrecht in Giselle on Tuesday evening, May 30. Principal Dancers for the 2017 Metropolitan Opera House season include Stella Abrera, Roberto Bolle, Isabella Boylston, Jeffrey Cirio, Misty Copeland, Herman Cornejo, Marcelo Gomes, David Hallberg, Maria Kochetkova, Alban Lendorf, Gillian Murphy, Veronika Part, Hee Seo, Daniil Simkin, Cory Stearns, Diana Vishneva and James Whiteside. 2017 Spring Gala Performance and New York Premiere American Ballet Theatre’s 2017 Spring Gala on Monday, May 22 at 6:30 P.M. will feature the New York Premiere of Whipped Cream, choreographed by ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky, with scenery and costumes by artist Mark Ryden and lighting by Brad Fields. Daniil Simkin, Stella Abrera, David Hallberg and Sarah Lane will perform the leading roles at the New York Premiere. Swarovski is the lead supporter of ABT’s Spring Gala and New York Premiere of Whipped Cream, with sets and costumes enhanced by Swarovski crystals. For more information on ABT’s 2017 Spring Gala, please call the Special Events Office at 212-477-3030, ext. 3310. Whipped Cream, with a libretto and score by Richard Strauss, is based on the two-act ballet originally created as Schlagobers, which premiered at the Vienna State Opera in 1924. Ratmansky’s production received its World Premiere by ABT on March 15, 2017 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California. Whipped Cream will be given twelve performances at the Metropolitan Opera House May 22-24 and June 26-July 1. Company Premiere and Tchaikovsky Spectacular The Company Premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s Souvenir d’un lieu cher will be part of a Tchaikovsky Spectacular program beginning Monday evening, July 3. Souvenir d’un lieu cher is set to music of the same name by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, orchestrated by Alexander Glazunov. Featuring sets and costumes by Keso Dekker with lighting by James F. Ingalls, the ballet for four dancers received its World Premiere by Het National Ballet on February 16, 2012 in Amsterdam. Souvenir d’un lieu cher will be presented on alternating programs with George Balanchine’s Mozartiana and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Marcelo Gomes’ AfterEffect and The Nutcracker pas de deux and Aurora’s Wedding by Ratmansky. Aurora's Wedding, Act III of Ratmansky’s staging of The Sleeping Beauty with choreography by Marius Petipa, will omit the Hop 'o my Thumb and Cinderella dances and add The Porcelain Trio and Three Ivans, divertissements originally choreographed by Bronislava Nijinska. Set to music from The Nutcracker, both divertissements were created for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes staging of TheSleeping Princess in 1921. Three Ivans was first presented by Ballet Theatre as part of Princess Aurora (a suite of divertissements from The Sleeping Beauty) in 1941. Performances of the Tchaikovsky Spectacular run through July 8. Full-Length Ballets American Ballet Theatre’s 2017 Spring season will include an additional six full-length ballets beginning with Don Quixote which opens the Met season on Monday evening, May 15 with Gillian Murphy as Kitri, Cory Stearns as Basilio, Hee Seo as Mercedes and James Whiteside as Espada. Staged by Kevin McKenzie and Susan Jones, with choreography after Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky, Don Quixote is set to music by Ludwig Minkus and features scenery and costumes by Santo Loquasto and lighting by Natasha Katz. The McKenzie/Jones staging of the current production was first performed by ABT on June 12, 1995. Don Quixote will be given eight performances through Saturday evening, May 20. The season’s performances of Giselle begins Thursday evening, May 25 led by Hee Seo in the title role, opposite Cory Stearns as Albrecht and Veronika Part as Myrta. Set to music by Adolphe Adam, with scenery by Gianni Quaranta, costumes by Anna Anni and lighting by Jennifer Tipton, Giselle features choreography after Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot and Marius Petipa and has been staged for ABT by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. The world premiere of Giselle, one of the oldest continually-performed ballets, occurred at the Theatre de l’Academie Royale de Musique in Paris on June 28, 1841. The ballet was first presented by ABT (then Ballet Theatre) at the Center Theatre in New York City on January 12, 1940 with choreography by Anton Dolin and scenery and costumes by Lucinda Ballard. The leading roles were danced by Annabelle Lyon and Anton Dolin. American Ballet Theatre’s sixth production, featuring scenery by Gianni Quaranta and costumes by Anna Anni, was created for the film Dancers, produced in 1987 by Cannon Films. This production’s first public performance was given on March 20, 1987 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, with Marianna Tcherkassky as Giselle and Kevin McKenzie as Albrecht. The current staging is by McKenzie, using the Quaranta and Anni designs. Giselle will receive eight performances through May 31. Alexei Ratmansky’s The Golden Cockerel will be given four performances beginning Thursday evening, June 1 with Stella Abrera (Queen of Shemakhan), Cassandra Trenary (the Golden Cockerel), Alexei Agoudine (Tsar Dodon) and James Whiteside (Astrologer) leading the first cast. Set to music by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov with sets and costumes by Richard Hudson, Ratmansky’s The Golden Cockerel is inspired by Michel Fokine’s original production. Anne Holm-Jensen Peyk has staged the ballet for ABT. The Golden Cockerel received its Company Premiere at the Metropolitan Opera House on June 6, 2016 led by Veronika Part, Skylar Brandt, Gary Chryst and Cory Stearns. The season’s first performance of Le Corsaire on Monday, June 5 features Maria Kochetkova, Herman Cornejo, Sarah Lane, Daniil Simkin and Jeffrey Cirio in the leading roles. Based on the Lord Byron poem “The Corsair” (1814), the ballet features choreography by Konstantin Sergeyev after Marius Petipa, and staging by Anna-Marie Holmes after Petipa and Sergeyev, with music by Adolphe Adam, Cesare Pugni, Léo Delibes, Riccardo Drigo and Prince Oldenbourg. SceneryandcostumesarebyIrinaTibilova,withadditionalcostumedesignsby Robert Perdziola and lighting by Mary Jo Dondlinger. Le Corsaire received its Company Premiere by American Ballet Theatre on June 19, 1998 with Nina Ananiashvili (Medora), Ashley Tuttle (Gulnare), Giuseppe Picone (Conrad), Angel Corella (Birbanto), Jose Manuel Carreño (Ali, the slave) and Vladimir Malakhov (Lankendem). Le Corsaire will be given eight performances through June 10. Eight performances of Swan Lake, choreographed by Kevin McKenzie after Marius Petipa, will be given beginning Monday, June 12 with Isabella Boylston and Alban Lendorf leading the opening night cast. Swan Lake is set to the score by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky and features scenery and costumes by Zack Brown and lighting by Duane Schuler. This production of Swan Lake premiered on March 24, 2000 at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. with Julie Kent (Odette-Odile), Angel Corella (Prince Siegfried) and Marcelo Gomes (von Rothbart). John Cranko’s Onegin will be given eight performances during the Company’s Spring season beginning on Monday, June 19 with Diana Vishneva as Tatiana and Marcelo Gomes as Eugene Onegin. Set to music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, arranged and orchestrated by Kurt- Heinz Stolze, Onegin is based on the verse-novel Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin. Onegin received its World Premiere on April 13, 1965 by the Stuttgart Ballet in Stuttgart, Germany. The ballet received its Company Premiere by American Ballet Theatre on June 1, 2001 at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York with Julie Kent (Tatiana), Robert Hill (Onegin), Vladimir Malakhov (Lensky) and Maria Riccetto (Olga). This new production, with sets and costumes by Santo Loquasto and lighting by James F. Ingalls, was premiered by the National Ballet of Canada on June 19, 2010 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, Canada and was first performed by ABT on June 4, 2012 at the Metropolitan Opera House. Onegin is staged for ABT by Reid Anderson and Jane Bourne. ABTKids ABTKids, American Ballet Theatre’s annual one-hour introduction to ballet, is scheduled for Saturday morning, May 20 at 11:30 A.M. All tickets for ABTKids are $25. Individual tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2017 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House, on sale beginning Sunday, March 26 at 12:00 Noon, are available at the Met box office, by phone at 212-362-6000, or online at ABT’s website www.abt.org. Tickets start at $22. The Metropolitan Opera House is located on Broadway between 64th and 65th streets in New York City. Rush Tickets: American Ballet Theatre offers a limited number of $30 Rush tickets for every performance of the Met Season, to be purchased online on a first come, first served basis. Ticket buyers may purchase up to one pair of tickets for one performance, every 7 days. Rush tickets go on-sale at Noon for Monday through Friday performances, at 2pm for Saturday evening performances, and four hours prior to curtain for matinees. Rush ticket purchases require advance registration on the Met website. For more information, please visit: www.metopera.org Student Ticket Policy: American Ballet Theatre offers $11-$30 advance tickets for any full-time student with a valid student ID to an undergraduate or graduate program. Tickets are subject to availability and require advance registration on the Met website. Limit four tickets per person, per performance. For more information, please visit: www.metopera.org. Complete casting follows. American Airlines is the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre. Northern Trust is the Leading Corporate Sponsor of the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. ABT is supported, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. Swarovski is the Lead Supporter of ABT’s Spring Gala and New York Premiere of Whipped Cream. Leadership support for Whipped Cream and The Golden Cockerel has been provided by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and the Lloyd E. Rigler – Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation. Additional support has been provided by Linda Allard, Avery and Andrew F. Barth, The Susan and Leonard Feinstein Foundation, Brian J. Heidtke, the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund, The H. Russell Smith Foundation, and Stewart R. Smith and Robin A. Ferracone. Whipped Cream and The Golden Cockerel are generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. AfterEffect has been generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. American Ballet Theatre's performances of Le Corsaire are generously underwritten through an endowed gift from Irene and Fred Shen. Don Quixote is generously supported through an endowed gift from Anka K. Palitz, in memory of Clarence Y. Palitz, Jr. American Ballet Theatre’s performances of Giselle are generously supported through an endowed gift from Sharon Patrick. David H. Koch is the Lead Underwriter of American Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker. American Ballet Theatre’s performances of Onegin are generously supported through an endowed gift from Ruth and Harold Newman. ABT gratefully acknowledges Lead Sponsor of The Sleeping Beauty, David H. Koch. Additional leadership support is generously provided by the Lloyd E. Rigler – Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation. Swan Lake has been generously underwritten by R. Chemers Neustein. Costumes for Swan Lake are generously sponsored by the Ellen Everett Kimiatek Costume Preservation Trust. Deutsche Bank is the Lead Sponsor of ABTKids. Bloomberg Philanthropies is the Supporting Sponsor of ABTKids.
  7. I'm interested in all manner of the arts but I'm much more aware of message boards and blogs involving dance. I'm curious what arts blogs, websites, message boards, podcasts etc...are you all reading. Any suggestions? I'm aware of the Arts Journal blogs and the Modern Art podcast. For opera, I check in to Parterre Box. Any other good places?
  8. Full release is here: http://www.aboutlincolncenter.org/press-room/release/1049
  9. Updated release: ANNOUNCING LINCOLN CENTER FESTIVAL 2017 JULY 10–3020 International Productions and 43 Performancesby Innovators and Iconoclasts in Dance, Music, Theater, and FilmHailing from Syria, Israel, Palestine, Tunisia, Chad, Cape Verde, China, Japan, England, Germany, France, Poland, Russia, Brazil, Cuba, Canada, USA March 22, 2017 — Nigel Redden, Lincoln Center Festival Director, today announced the lineup for the 2017 Festival, which runs from July 10 to 30. This summer, in its 22nd season, the Festival continues to accentuate its mission of globalism by inviting to Lincoln Center artists and companies from many parts of the world who are creating audacious, original, and relevant work. Musicians, actors, writers, directors, filmmakers, and dancers from a dozen countries and five continents will animate Lincoln Center’s campus venues with bold creations—43 performances packed in a span of three weeks.Redden notes: “One thing that has emerged as a theme this year—because the world has certainly changed since the 2016 Festival—is that our international festival has become about borders and specifically about crossing them.” Two theatrical productions from Israel and one from Syria offer powerful commentary on the links between place and identity, love and family, hope and despair; a global miniseries, Nomadic Nights, sheds light on an eclectic array of musicians whose art knows no boundaries; and several cross-cultural collaborations create rich dialogues between East and West.“The point of the Festival has always been to provide perspectives that we wouldn’t have had otherwise,” remarks Redden. Thought-provoking plays such as David Grossman’s To the End of the Land, Amos Gitai’s Yitzhak Rabin: Chronicle of an Assassination, and Omar Abusaada and Mohammad Al Attar’s While I Was Waiting force the audience to think about how it would deal with the unimaginable, the things life throws at us. A more scientific and psychological quest for understanding what it means to be human reveals startling insight in Opening Skinner’s Box, an Improbable Theatre London import.A much-anticipated highlight of this year’s Festival is the 50th anniversary presentation of George Balanchine’s 1967 masterpiece, Jewels, featuring the Bolshoi Ballet, New York City Ballet, and Paris Opera Ballet on a single stage. “We are celebrating Balanchine, one of the singular creative artists who founded Lincoln Center, in a way that reveals the roots of his ideas and training in Russia, France, and America,” says Redden. Lincoln Center Festival will also offer a special lottery for Jewels with $20 orchestra seats available for each performance (lottery details will be announced at a later date).A very different 50th anniversary is celebrated on the same day that Jewels kicks off: American electronic music pioneer Morton Subotnick’s iconic early techno album Silver Apples of the Moon, which was released by Nonesuch in 1967 and will be reimagined in a landmark live performance by the composer, alongside a world premiere entitled Crowds and Power.These events reveal yet another thread in this summer’s offerings: artist-heroes who forge their own paths. In addition to Balanchine and Subotnick, there is the Japanese Paris-based choreographer Saburo Teshigawara , an extremely rare appearance by China’s superstar Gong Linna, Brazil’s larger-than-life musician/activist Carlinhos Brown, Poland’s musical archaeologist Maria Pomianowska, and a wide-ranging miniseries devoted to jazz radical and prime innovator Ornette Coleman—organized by his son, Denardo Coleman.Tickets for Lincoln Center Festival go on sale to Friends of Lincoln Center beginning March 22 and to the general public starting March 29. For more information and to buy tickets, visit LincolnCenterFestival.org or the David Geffen Hall Box Office or call CenterCharge at 212.721.6500.
  10. It's pretty rare when ballet is profiled on a major media blog like Jezebel; even more rare when it's on their sports blog Deadspin. http://deadspin.com/ballerina-ashley-bouder-takes-on-gender-inequality-one-1793487014
  11. I'm pretty excited for the upcoming Bolshoi broadcast of a "modern" mixed bill, especially when it went from a program I totally would not want to see (Hans Van Manen’s Frank Bridge’s Variations, Sol León and Paul Lightfoot’s Short Time Together and Alexei Ratmansky’s Russian Seasons) to a program I would (also Russian Seasons but now Etudes and The Cage). A real stroke of luck!
  12. It's ironic that the New Yorker is writing about the dearth of reviews at the NYT when its own dance writer hardly writes about dance in the magazine. She has written a few small items on the web but not the long critical pieces we used to see.
  13. Thanks for this. I just love watching coaching sessions, especially Balanchine ones.
  14. From the company: AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE STUDIO COMPANY AND THE ABT JACQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS SCHOOL TO PERFORM AT THE KAYE PLAYHOUSE AT HUNTER COLLEGE, MARCH 24-26, 2017 American Ballet Theatre Studio Company and the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School will appear at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College in New York City, March 24 – 26, 2017. The Studio Company will give two performances, Friday, March 24 and Saturday, March 25 at 8:00P.M. The ABT JKO School will give two performances, Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26 at 2:00P.M. The ABT Studio Company performances will feature a mixed program of classical and new repertory, including an excerpt from Raymonda, Marcelo Gomes’ Kabalevsky Concerto for Strings, the newly commissioned work by Liam Scarlett. The ABT JKO School programs will feature George Balanchine's La Source and excerpts from Paquita and La Bayadère performed by students in the Pre-Professional Division as well as original choreography from ABT JKO School Faculty Members Harriet Clark, Larisa Calero and Mikhail Ilyin for Levels 2 and 3 of the Children's Division. ABT Studio Company, directed by Kate Lydon, is comprised of 14 dancers of outstanding potential aged 16-20. In addition to a schedule of classes including ballet technique, pointe, variations, partnering, modern, Pilates, men's strengthening, acting and dance history, ABT Studio Company dancers gain performance experience through residencies, cultural exchanges and local performances. Over sixty of the current dancers in American Ballet Theatre began their careers in ABT Studio Company, including six Principal Dancers. The ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, under the direction of Cynthia Harvey, serves approximately 450 students and encompasses a Pre-Professional Division for dancers ages 12-18 and a Children’s Division for dancers ages 3-12. Classes include classical ballet technique, pointe, partnering, men's class, character, modern technique, variations and Pilates. Instruction at the ABT JKO School is based on ABT's National Training Curriculum, which combines scientific principles with elements from the classic French, Italian and Russian schools of training. Tickets for the ABT Studio Company and ABT JKO School performances, priced at $30, are available online at http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/kayeplayhouse/calendar, by phone at 212- 772-4448 or at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College Box Office located at East 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues. Northern Trust is the leading Corporate Sponsor of the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School.
  15. From the company: AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE STUDIO COMPANY AND THE ABT JACQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS SCHOOL TO PERFORM AT THE KAYE PLAYHOUSE AT HUNTER COLLEGE, MARCH 24-26, 2017 American Ballet Theatre Studio Company and the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School will appear at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College in New York City, March 24 – 26, 2017. The Studio Company will give two performances, Friday, March 24 and Saturday, March 25 at 8:00P.M. The ABT JKO School will give two performances, Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26 at 2:00P.M. The ABT Studio Company performances will feature a mixed program of classical and new repertory, including an excerpt from Raymonda, Marcelo Gomes’ Kabalevsky Concerto for Strings, the newly commissioned work by Liam Scarlett. The ABT JKO School programs will feature George Balanchine's La Source and excerpts from Paquita and La Bayadère performed by students in the Pre-Professional Division as well as original choreography from ABT JKO School Faculty Members Harriet Clark, Larisa Calero and Mikhail Ilyin for Levels 2 and 3 of the Children's Division. ABT Studio Company, directed by Kate Lydon, is comprised of 14 dancers of outstanding potential aged 16-20. In addition to a schedule of classes including ballet technique, pointe, variations, partnering, modern, Pilates, men's strengthening, acting and dance history, ABT Studio Company dancers gain performance experience through residencies, cultural exchanges and local performances. Over sixty of the current dancers in American Ballet Theatre began their careers in ABT Studio Company, including six Principal Dancers. The ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, under the direction of Cynthia Harvey, serves approximately 450 students and encompasses a Pre-Professional Division for dancers ages 12-18 and a Children’s Division for dancers ages 3-12. Classes include classical ballet technique, pointe, partnering, men's class, character, modern technique, variations and Pilates. Instruction at the ABT JKO School is based on ABT's National Training Curriculum, which combines scientific principles with elements from the classic French, Italian and Russian schools of training. Tickets for the ABT Studio Company and ABT JKO School performances, priced at $30, are available online at http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/kayeplayhouse/calendar, by phone at 212- 772-4448 or at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College Box Office located at East 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues. Northern Trust is the leading Corporate Sponsor of the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School.
  16. I think to fit in a nice neat hour slot. That way the channels have more chances to squeeze in another episode of Antique Roadshow.
  17. Casting released: CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR THE JOYCE THEATER’S PRESENTATION OF THE JOFFREY BALLET THE COMPANY’S FIRST NEW YORK CITY PERFORMANCE IN OVER 20 YEARS FEATURING THE NEW YORK PREMIERE OF KRZYSZTOF PASTOR’S ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION OF ROMEO & JULIET AT DAVID H. KOCH THEATER LINCOLN CENTER MARCH 29 – APRIL 2 (NEW YORK, NY) The Joyce Theater Foundation, Linda Shelton, Executive Director, announced today casting for the highly-anticipated NYC return of one of the world’s most renowned ballet companies, The Joffrey Ballet, including the New York premiere of its critically acclaimed production of Krzysztof Pastor’s Romeo & Juliet at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater from March 29 – April 2, with a special gala performance benefiting The Joyce Theater on March 30 featuring a mix-billed program including the New York premieres of Yuri Possokhov’s Bells and Myles Thatcher’s Body of Your Dreams. Casting for The Joyce Theater’s presentation of The Joffrey Ballet ROMEO & JULIET March 29, 7:30pm Romeo, a Montague.........................Rory Hohrnstein Juliet, daughter of a Capulet............Christine Rocas Mercutio, friend of Romeo...............Yoshihisa Arai Benvolio, a Montague......................Alberto Velazquez Capulet.............................................Fabrice Calmels Capulet’s wife...................................April Daly Tybalt, Capulet’s nephew..................Temur Suluashvili March 31, 8:00pm Romeo, a Montague..........................Alberto Velazquez Juliet, daughter of a Capulet............Amanda Assucena Mercutio, friend of Romeo................Derrick Agnoletti Benvolio, a Montague.......................Graham Maverick Capulet..............................................Miguel Angel Blanco Capulet’s wife....................................Christine Rocas Tybalt, Capulet’s nephew...................Edson Barbosa April 1, 2:00pm Romeo, a Montague.........................Paulo Rodrigues Juliet, daughter of a Capulet...........Victoria Jaiani Mercutio, friend of Romeo...............Elivelton Tomazi Benvolio, a Montague......................Graham Maverick Capulet.............................................Miguel Angel Blanco Capulet’s wife...................................April Daly Tybalt, Capulet’s nephew..................Matthew Adamczyk April 1, 8:00pm Romeo, a Montague.........................Rory Hohrnstein Juliet, daughter of a Capulet...........Christine Rocas Mercutio, friend of Romeo...............Yoshihisa Arai Benvolio, a Montague......................Alberto Velazquez Capulet.............................................Fabrice Calmels Capulet’s wife...................................April Daly Tybalt, Capulet’s nephew..................Temur Suluashvili April 2, 1:00pm Romeo, a Montague..........................Alberto Velazquez Juliet, daughter of a Capulet............Amanda Assucena Mercutio, friend of Romeo................Derrick Agnoletti Benvolio, a Montague.......................Graham Maverick Capulet..............................................Matthew Adamczyk Capulet’s wife....................................Joanna Wozniak Tybalt, Capulet’s nephew...................Edson Barbosa April 2, 6:00pm Romeo, a Montague..........................Dylan Gutierrez Juliet, daughter of a Capulet............Jeraldine Mendoza Mercutio, friend of Romeo................Yoshihisa Arai Benvolio, a Montague.......................Alberto Velazquez Capulet..............................................Fabrice Calmels Capulet’s wife....................................Christine Rocas Tybalt, Capulet’s nephew...................Temur Suluashvili Casting for special gala performance on March 30 to be announced at a later date. The Joffrey Ballet reserves the right to change the cast and program due to events beyond its control. * * * From March 29 through April 2, The Joyce Theater Foundation will proudly present The Joffrey Ballet in its long-awaited return to New York City. Under the artistic direction of Ashley Wheater, The Joffrey Ballet recently celebrated its 61st Anniversary since its 1956 founding by Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino in NYC. Twenty-one years ago, the company made a surprise exit from NYC, moving to Chicago, where it has been based ever since. This Joyce Theater Foundation presentation marks the Joffrey’s triumphant homecoming offering audiences the opportunity to see the entire spectacular company perform its glorious retelling of William Shakespeare’s most heart-wrenching love story, Romeo & Juliet, choreographed by celebrated Krzysztof Pastor, of the Polish National Ballet. Romeo & Julietwill be accompanied by The Joffrey Ballet Orchestra: Members of the Chicago Philharmonic and presented at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center March 29 & 31, and April 1 & 2. A special Gala performance of mixed repertory will take place on Thursday, March 30. This benefit for The Joyce Theater Foundation will include the New York premieres of Bells by Yuri Possokhov and Body of Your Dreamsby Myles Thatcher. Christopher Wheeldon’s Fool’s Paradise completes the evening’s program. The Joyce Theater Foundation’s presentation of The Joffrey Ballet continues its ongoing presence at Lincoln Center. Since April 2012, The Joyce has successfully presented seven engagements at the David H. Koch Theater. The previous presentations consisted of Sylvie Guillem’s 6000 miles away in 2012, followed by Nederlands Dans Theater in 2013. The Royal Ballet’s return to NYC and the 50th Anniversary Tour of Twyla Tharp in 2015, and last spring’s extraordinary run of Miami City Ballet. With these ongoing presentations, The Joyce proudly ensures that New York City continues to offer a diverse roster of outstanding large-scale dance productions while increasing the organization’s capacity to engage new audiences. Krzysztof Pastor (Choreographer of Romeo & Juliet ) began his ballet training with the Polish National Ballet School in his hometown of Gdansk. After his training he joined the Polish Dance Theatre in Poznan and four years later he moved to the Grand Theatre of Lodz. In 1983 Pastor became a soloist with Le Ballet de l’Opéra of Lyon in France, dancing ballets by Gray Veredon, Hans van Manen, Kurt Joss and others. From 1985 to 1995, he danced with the Dutch National Ballet. He completed his first choreographic work in 1986 for an international gala performance in Lodz. After creating several ballets for the Dutch National Ballet’s workshop programs, in 1992 he was asked to make a ballet for the company’s main program: the successful Shostakovich Chamber Symphony. Pastor has since gained considerable recognition as an international choreographer, creating nearly fifty ballets to date. In 2003, Pastor was appointed resident choreographer of the Dutch National Ballet. In this capacity, he created Si después de morir, the festive Voice which premiered at the Holland Festival 2004, Don Giovanni as well as Crossing Paths, Suite for Two and Visions at Dusk. Alongside his work for the Dutch National Ballet, Pastor created ballets for many companies abroad such as the National Ballet of Lithuania, The Washington Ballet, West Australian Ballet, Royal New Zealand Ballet, The National Ballet of Latvia, the Polish National Ballet, Ballet Opera Dresden, The Israel Ballet, the Royal Flemish Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Ankara State Ballet The Scottish Ballet, and the Australian Ballet. In 2009 Pastor was appointed as director of the Polish National Ballet. Meanwhile he continues as a resident choreographer of the Dutch National Ballet. Yuri Possokhov (Choreographer of Bells). After receiving his dance training at the Moscow Ballet School, Yuri Possokhov danced with the Bolshoi Ballet for ten years, during which time he was promoted through the ranks to principal dancer. In 1992, he joined the Royal Danish Ballet as a principal dancer. In 1999, Possokhov organized and performed in a Russian tour entitled Ballet Beyond Borders. Following his retirement as a principal dancer from the Company, Possokhov was named Choreographer in Residence in May 2006. His final engagement with the Company as a principal dancer was on tour to New York’s Lincoln Center Festival in summer 2006. As a choreographer, Possokhov’s credits include Songs of Spain, choreographed in 1997 for dancer Muriel Maffre; A Duet for Two, created the same year for Joanna Berman; and Impromptu Scriabin, for Felipe Diaz. In 2000, he completed a new work for a dancer at the Mariinsky Ballet, as well as 5 Mazurkas for the Marin Dance Theatre. In 2004, Possokhov’s Firebird premiered at Oregon Ballet Theatre, and the following year, he created another work for the Company. In February 2006, the Bolshoi Ballet premiered his Cinderella and in February 2008, The Georgia State Ballet gave the American premiere of Possokhov’s one-act work, Sagalobeli. Possokhov returned to work with the Bolshoi Ballet in 2015, creating Hero of Our Time, a full-length ballet based on the famous novel written by Mikhail Lermontov. In addition to Bells,Possokhov has choreographedAdagio, and Don Quixote for The Joffrey Ballet. Myles Thatcher (Choreographer of Body of Your Dreams). Myles Thatcher trained at The Harid Conservatory, Ellison Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet School prior to being named an apprentice with San Francisco Ballet (SFB) in 2009. He was then accepted into the corps de ballet in 2010, where he still dances. Mr. Thatcher was commissioned by SFB Artistic Director & Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson to create a new ballet, Manifesto, for SFB’s 2015 Repertory Season. He choreographed In the Passerine’s Clutch for the SFB 2013 Repertory Season Gala and, for the SFB School Showcase, Timepiece, Spinae, Stone and Steel, and Spectrum in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively. In 2014, he was chosen by Alexei Ratmansky to participate in the Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative, where he was able to study closely with Mr. Ratmansky for the year-long program. Christopher Wheeldon (Choreographer of Fool’s Paradise)is Artistic Associate of The Royal Ballet. He trained at The Royal Ballet School and danced with the Company 1991–93. For The Royal Ballet, he has choreographed Tryst, DGV: Danse à grande vitesse, Electric Counterpoint, ‘Trespass’ (Metamorphosis: Titian 2012, in collaboration with Alastair Marriott), Aeternum (Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production), Strapless, and the three-act ballets Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Winter’s Tale. Works of his performed by The Royal Ballet and originally created for other companies include After the Rain and Within the Golden Hour. Wheeldon was born in Yeovil, England and trained at The Royal Ballet School. In 1991, he won gold medal at the Prix de Lausanne with a solo of his own creation and that year entered The Royal Ballet, where Kenneth MacMillan encouraged him in his choreographic work. In 1993, Wheeldon joined New York City Ballet (NYCB), promoted to soloist in 1998. He created his first work for NYCB, Slavonic Dances, in 1997 and became the company’s first Resident Choreographer in 2001. Works for NYCB include Polyphonia (London Critics’ Circle Award and Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production) and The Nightingale and the Rose. Wheeldon regularly choreographs for leading international companies, including Boston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, and The Joffrey Ballet. In 2007, he founded Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company and became the first British choreographer to create a new work for the Bolshoi Ballet. In 2012, he collaborated with Marriott on the closing ceremony of the London Olympic Games. His awards include the Tony Award® for Best Choreography (An American in Paris). He was made an OBE in 2016, and that year was artistic director for Les Arts Décoratifs’ Fashion Forward exhibition. The Joyce Theater Foundation (Executive Director, Linda Shelton), a nonprofit organization, has proudly served the dance community for over three decades. Under the direction of founders Cora Cahan and Eliot Feld, Ballet Tech Foundation acquired and The Joyce renovated the Elgin Theater in Chelsea. Opening as The Joyce Theater in 1982, it was named in honor of Joyce Mertz, beloved daughter of LuEsther T. Mertz. It was LuEsther’s clear, undaunted vision and abundant generosity that made it imaginable and ultimately possible to build the theater. Ownership was secured by The Joyce in 2015. The theater is one of the only theaters built by dancers for dance and has provided an intimate and elegant home for over 400 U.S.-based and international companies. The Joyce has also presented dance at Lincoln Center since 2012, and launched Joyce Unleashed in 2014 to feature emerging and experimental artists. To further support the creation of new work, The Joyce maintains longstanding commissioning and residency programs. Local students and teachers (K–12th grade) benefit from its school program, and family and adult audiences get closer to dance with access to artists. The Joyce’s annual season of about 48 weeks of dance now includes over 340 performances for audiences in excess of 150,000. Classically trained to the highest standards, The Joffrey Ballet expresses a unique, inclusive perspective on dance, proudly reflecting the diversity of America with its company, audiences, and repertoire that includes major story ballets, reconstructions of masterpieces, and contemporary works. The Company’s commitment to accessibility is met through an extensive touring schedule, an innovative and highly effective education program including the much lauded Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, Community Engagement programs and collaborations with myriad other visual and performing arts organizations. Founded by visionary teacher Robert Joffrey in 1956, guided by celebrated choreographer Gerald Arpino from 1988 until 2007, The Joffrey Ballet continues to thrive under internationally renowned Artistic Director Ashley Wheater and Executive Director Greg Cameron. The Joyce Theater presents the highly anticipated, long-overdue NYC return of The Joffrey Ballet, after a 21-year absence, performing its acclaimed production of Krzysztof Pastor’s Romeo & Juliet at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater from March 29 – April 2. The production runs approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes, including one intermission. Please note: the engagement will include a special mixed repertory Gala performance on Thursday, March 30 at 7:00pm. Tickets, ranging in price from $55-$155, can be purchased through www.DavidHKochTheater.com or by calling (212) 496-0600. Please note: ticket prices are subject to change. For more information, please visit www.Joyce.org. * * * Major support for The Joyce’s presentations at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater provided by Ford Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, and The Pasculano Foundation. Lead support for The Joyce Theater Foundation has been received from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust. Major support has been provided by The Harkness Foundation for Dance, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, The SHS Foundation, and The Shubert Foundation. The Joyce’s presenting initiative at Lincoln Center is supported by a grant award from the National Endowment for the Arts; made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council with special thanks to Council Member Corey Johnson.
  18. More promotions, from the company's Instagram account: "Big news for a big night! ✨17-18 Season PROMOTION ANNOUNCEMENTS✨Patrick Yocum, Paul Craig, and Junxiong Zhao will be promoted to principal dancers, Roddy Doble promoted to soloist, and Lawrence Rines promoted to second soloist. Congrats, everyone! ? Visit our Facebook page to hear what they have to say and see them in #BBArtifact, 2/23-3/5. #openingnight #bostonballet ?: Misa Kuranaga & Patrick Yocum in William Forsythe's Artifact 2017 by Rosalie O'Connor"
  19. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/19/arts/dance/city-ballet-has-a-new-principal-dancer.html?_r=0 Russell Janzen was promoted to principal. Sara Adams, Harrison Ball, Emilie Gerrity, Joseph Gordon, Unity Phelan, Troy Schumacher and Indiana Woodward moved to soloists.
  20. A release: BOSTON BALLET ANNOUNCES 2017–2018 SEASON INCLUDES NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE OF OBSIDIAN TEAR, A CO-PRODUCTION WITH THE ROYAL BALLET THE COMPANY’S DEBUT IN A WORK BY ACCLAIMED NYCB RESIDENT CHOREOGRAPHER JUSTIN PECK AND CONTINUATION OF WILLIAM FORSYTHE PARTNERSHIP WITH PAS/PARTS 2016 February 6, 2017 (BOSTON, MA)—Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen announces the programming for the 2017–2018 season at the Boston Opera House, to begin in November. The 54th season will open with the North American premiere of Wayne McGregor’s “forcefully resonant” Obsidian Tear (Roslyn Sulcas, The New York Times), a co-production with The Royal Ballet. Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker returns to enchant audiences with dazzling dancing and a cast of beloved characters. The 2018 spring season will offer a range of rotating classical and contemporary programming from March through June. Parts In Suite, a mixed-repertory program, will feature works by three 21st-century choreographers: Justin Peck, William Forsythe, and Jorma Elo. John Cranko’s “gorgeous production” of Romeo & Juliet (Karen Campbell, The Boston Globe) returns with a tragic tale of young love set to music by Sergei Prokofiev. The season will also highlight two historic and influential choreographers, George Balanchine and August Bournonville, with two programs dedicated to showcasing their work: Classic Balanchine and La Sylphide. Due to high demand during the 2016–2017 season, The Sleeping Beauty will return for a limited, one-week run in May 2018. “Boston Ballet’s 2017–2018 season is a collection of some of the world’s finest choreographers, from ballet’s past to present,” said Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen. “We have Petipa, Bournonville, Balanchine, Cranko, Forsythe, McGregor, Peck, and Elo. I am incredibly proud to have such strong, versatile dancers that we can not only honor the history of this art form with classics, but also show audiences where it’s going next, and I think they will be amazed and inspired by the creativity, ingenuity, and originality of these choreographers.” The 2017–2018 season opens November 3–12 with Obsidian Tear, featuring premieres by The Royal Ballet Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor and Boston Ballet Resident Choreographer Jorma Elo, and an orchestral performance of Jean Sibelius’ tone poem Finlandia. McGregor’s Obsidian Tear, a North American premiere presented in co-production with The Royal Ballet, is considered a “choreographic breakthrough” for McGregor as he “introduces a physical language that is pared down and clear yet permeated by a fullness and grace” (Roslyn Sulcas, The New York Times). The all-male ensemble work is set to Finnish composer and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Lachen verlernt for solo violin and his symphonic poem Nyx, a reference to the Greek goddess of night. Elo’s World Premiere is set to Sibelius’ majestic 5th Symphony. The program recognizes Nissinen and Elo’s Finnish heritage with musical accompaniment by two powerhouse Finnish composers, Salonen and Sibelius, and aligns with the 100th anniversary celebration of the country’s independence on December 6, 2017. After another record-breaking run in 2016, Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker returns to the Opera House November 24–December 31. This annual production has become a tradition for Boston audiences, delighting them with “theatrical splendor” and “balletic fireworks” (Karen Campbell, The Boston Globe). More than 200 Boston Ballet School students will join the cast of Company dancers amongst three casts. The 2018 spring season begins March 9–April 7 with Parts In Suite, featuring three celebrated 21st- century choreographers: William Forsythe, Justin Peck, and Jorma Elo. Forsythe’s Pas/Parts 2016 adds another Forsythe ballet to the Company’s repertoire and marks the second year of Boston Ballet’s partnership with the world-renowned choreographer. With an ensemble of 15 dancers performing to the electronic score by frequent Forsythe collaborator Thom Willems, Pas/Parts is a “superb [work] of craft and imagination, evidence of a choreographer at the height of his powers” (Roslyn Sulcas, The New York Times). A soloist with New York City Ballet as well as the company’s resident choreographer, Peck has already worked with companies across the U.S. and abroad during his meteoric career. Joan Acocella of The New Yorker says, “the quality that the audience seems to love most in his work is its sheer oomph: speed, vigor, exuberance.” In Creases is a Company premiere and the first of Peck’s work performed by Boston Ballet. Elo’s Bach Cello Suites returns to conclude the program, with a cello soloist performing Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cello Suites Nos. 1 & 2 on stage. This work is a true Boston Ballet collaboration with set design by Nissinen, costume design by Manager of Costumes and Wardrobe Charles Heightchew, and lighting design by Lighting Director John Cuff. John Cranko’s Romeo & Juliet takes the stage March 15–April 8, this time with sets and costumes by internationally-acclaimed German stage designer Jürgen Rose. Set to Sergei Prokofiev’s bold, poignant score, Cranko’s 1962 adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy “is considered by many the cream of the crop” (Karen Campbell, The Boston Globe). Breathtaking, intimate pas de deux between the two star-crossed lovers, and lavish ballroom scenes, showcase the artistry of the Company. The story’s well-known narrative, advanced through compelling drama and virtuosic dancing, make this a perfect ballet for both new and experienced audiences. Due to popular demand during the 2016–2017 season, The Sleeping Beauty returns for one week, May 11–19, with music by Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky and choreography by Marius Petipa and Sir Frederick Ashton. The spring season continues May 17–June 9 with Classic Balanchine, a triple bill of works by the prolific choreographer George Balanchine. Chaconne is a stately and dreamlike celebration of pure dance set to music from Christoph Willibald Gluck’s opera Orfeo ed Euridice. Prodigal Son, Balanchine’s last work for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes—and one of his first to achieve international success—explores themes of sin and redemption from the biblical “Parable of the Prodigal Son.” The iconic lead role has been performed by numerous ballet legends since its 1929 premiere, including Serge Lifar, Jerome Robbins, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Damian Woetzel. The program concludes with Stravinsky Violin Concerto, an intricately designed work for 20 dancers that Balanchine choreographed for the 1972 Stravinsky Festival honoring the life and work of his long-time friend and collaborator Igor Stravinsky. One of 16 ballets Balanchine choreographed to the composer’s scores, Stravinsky Violin Concerto demonstrates the relationship between the two artists that “gave ballet a new pulse” (Gia Kourlas, The New York Times). The season concludes May 24–June 10 with La Sylphide, featuring works by Danish ballet master August Bournonville. Director of the Royal Danish Ballet for nearly 50 years, Bournonville established the Danish style of buoyant, bravura dancing and expressive pantomime. Of the great ballet master, Balanchine once remarked, “you know what made Bournonville great? He entertained with steps.” La Sylphide, a production by Bournonville expert and former Royal Danish Ballet principal dancer Sorella Englund (after Bournonville’s original choreography), is the “deliciously sweet” (Karen Campbell, The Boston Globe) but heartbreaking tale of a young Scotsman who abandons his friends, family, and betrothed for the unattainable love of a woodland sprite. The final program of the season closes with Bournonville Divertissements, a sampling of the choreographer’s most enduring works, including Napoli, Flower Festival in Genzano, and Abdallah, set to music by Holger Simon Paulli and Edvard Helsted. Tickets for The Nutcracker will go on sale to the public July 10. Tickets for the remainder 2017–2018 season will go on sale to the public September 5. Current subscribers may renew starting mid-February, and new subscribers can order early to guarantee the best seats at the best price starting March 9. For more information, visit bostonballet.org or call 617.695.6955. All performances take place at the Boston Opera House (539 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111): Obsidian Tear | November 3–12, 2017 Obsidian Tear Choreography by Wayne McGregor Music by Esa-Pekka Salonen Co-production with The Royal Ballet North American Premiere Obsidian Tear is made possible by the Boston Ballet Commissioners Circle: the Stephanie L. Brown Foundation, Andrea and Frederick Hoff, and Ruth and John Littlechild. Orchestral performance of Jean Sibelius’ Finlandia World Premiere Choreography by Jorma Elo Music by Jean Sibelius The Nutcracker | November 24–December 31, 2017 Choreography by Mikko Nissinen Music by Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky Parts In Suite | March 9–April 7, 2018 Pas/Parts 2016 Choreography by William Forsythe Music by Thom Willems Boston Ballet Premiere In Creases Choreography by Justin Peck Music by Philip Glass Boston Ballet Premiere Two pianists Bach Cello Suites Choreography by Jorma Elo Music by J.S. Bach Solo cellist Romeo & Juliet | March 15–April 8, 2018 Choreography by John Cranko Music by Sergei Prokofiev The Sleeping Beauty | May 11–19, 2018 Choreography by Marius Petipa, with additional choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton Music by Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky Classic Balanchine | May 17–June 9, 2018 Chaconne Choreography by George Balanchine Music by Christoph Willibald Gluck (from the opera Orfeo ed Euridice) Prodigal Son Choreography by George Balanchine Music by Sergei Prokofiev Stravinsky Violin Concerto Choreography by George Balanchine Music by Igor Stravinsky La Sylphide | May 24–June 10 La Sylphide Choreography by Sorella Englund, after August Bournonville Music by Herman Løvenskjold Bournonville Divertissements Excerpts from Napoli, Flower Festival in Genzano, Abdallah Choreography by August Bournonville Music by Holger Simon Paulli, Edvard Helsted About Boston Ballet Since 1963, Boston Ballet’s internationally acclaimed performances of classical, neo-classical, and contemporary ballets, combined with a dedication to world class dance education and community initiative programs, have made the institution a leader in its field, with a 53-year history of promoting excellence and access to dance. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen and Executive Director Meredith Max Hodges, the Company maintains a diverse repertoire, ranging from full-length ballets to new works by some of today's finest choreographers. Boston Ballet's second company, Boston Ballet II, is comprised of dancers who gain experience by performing with the Company and independently, presenting special programs to audiences throughout the Northeast. Boston Ballet School, the official school of Boston Ballet, has a long-standing dedication to providing exceptional dance education and ballet training to students across three studios in Boston, Newton, and the North Shore. Led by Director Margaret Tracey, the School reaches more than 5,000 students (toddler to adult) each year through its four core programs: Children’s Program, Classical Ballet Program, Adult Dance Program, and Pre-Professional Program. Boston Ballet’s Department of Education and Community Initiatives (ECI) provides programming, events, and activities that connect the community to dance. ECI reaches more than 4,000 individuals in Boston, North Shore, and the surrounding communities each year through Citydance, ECI on Location, Adaptive Dance, and other community programs. For more information, please visit bostonballet.org. Boston Ballet gratefully acknowledges the following institutional partners: Boston Cultural Council The Boston Foundation Klarman Family Foundation Massachusetts Cultural Council National Endowment for the Arts
  21. From the company: BOSTON BALLET ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ANNOUNCES MID-SEASON PROMOTIONS IN THE COMPANY LAUREN HERFINDAHL AND ADDIE TAPP PROMOTED TO SECOND SOLOISTS January 11, 2017—(Boston, MA) Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen has announced two promotions from within the Company: Lauren Herfindahl (Kingston, MA) and Addie Tapp (Glenwood Springs, CO) have been promoted from Company artists to second soloists. The Company is comprised of 68 dancers—including 12 dancers in Boston Ballet II (BBII)—representing 18 nationalities. Nissinen continues Boston Ballet’s dedication to developing technically proficient, versatile dancers within the Company and Boston Ballet School, as well as recruiting top talent from across the United States and abroad. "One of the best parts of being an artistic director is to reward talent,” said Nissinen. “I am very proud of Lauren and Addie’s progress." Second Soloist Lauren Herfindahl of Kingston, Massachusetts, studied at Boston Ballet School for seven years prior to joining Boston Ballet II in 2011 and Boston Ballet as a Company artist in 2013. She was the recipient of the Tatiana Gardner Scholarship and was named the Mikko Nissinen Artistic Scholar while at Boston Ballet School, and she was awarded the silver medal at the Boston International Ballet Competition Junior Division in 2012. Herfindahl attended summer programs at the School of American Ballet, Canada’s National Ballet School, Boston Ballet School, the Chautauqua Dance Program, and Suzanne Farrell’s Cedar Island Program. Additionally, she has attended and performed at the Professional Dance program at the Banff Centre for the Arts, and the 2015 Ballet Program at The School at Jacob’s Pillow. Herfindahl has performed featured roles in Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations and Diamonds, Viktor Plotnikov’s Contour Equipoise, and Hans van Manen’s Black Cake. Her most recent featured roles were Dew Drop and Arabian in The Nutcracker. Second Soloist Addie Tapp of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, began dancing at the Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts and later at the Glenwood Dance Academy. At age 14, Tapp attended the School of American Ballet’s Summer Course and was accepted into its year-round program where she trained from 2010 to 2014. Tapp joined Boston Ballet as a Company artist in 2014. Tapp most recently performed the featured role of Dew Drop in Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker. Her additional Boston Ballet repertoire includes Nissinen’s Swan Lake, Val Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellias, Helen Pickett’s Eventide, John Neumeier’s Third Symphony of Gustav Mahler, John Cranko’s Onegin, and Balanchine’s Episodes, Theme and Variations, and Kammermusik No. 2. Tapp was the recipient of the Mae L. Wien Award for outstanding promise and a 2015 Princess Grace Award nominee. For full biographies and a roster of Company dancers, visit bostonballet.org. About Boston Ballet Since 1963, Boston Ballet’s internationally acclaimed performances of classical, neo-classical, and contemporary ballets, combined with a dedication to world class dance education and community initiative programs, have made the institution a leader in its field, with a 53-year history of promoting excellence and access to dance. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen and Executive Director Meredith Max Hodges, the Company maintains a diverse repertoire, ranging from full-length ballets to new works by some of today's finest choreographers. Boston Ballet's second company, Boston Ballet II, is comprised of dancers who gain experience by performing with the Company and independently, presenting special programs to audiences throughout the Northeast. Boston Ballet School, the official school of Boston Ballet, has a long-standing dedication to providing exceptional dance education and ballet training to students across three studios in Boston, Newton, and the North Shore. Led by Director Margaret Tracey, the School reaches more than 5,000 students (toddler to adult) each year through its four core programs: Children’s Program, Classical Ballet Program, Adult Dance Program, and Pre-Professional Program. Boston Ballet’s Department of Education and Community Initiatives (ECI) provides programming, events, and activities that connect the community to dance. ECI reaches more than 4,000 individuals in Boston, North Shore, and the surrounding communities each year through Citydance, ECI on Location, Adaptive Dance, and other community programs. For more information, please visit bostonballet.org. Boston Ballet gratefully acknowledges the following institutional partners: Barr Foundation Boston Cultural Council The Boston Foundation Klarman Family Foundation Massachusetts Cultural Council National Endowment for the Arts
  22. ABT Studio Company and the graduate students of The Royal Ballet School will perform a shared bill at NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts on February 10 and 11, 2017 at 7:00 P.M., with a special “family friendly” performance, narrated and designed for younger audiences, at 2:00 P.M. on February 11. This year’s exchange will be highlighted by a World Premiere choreographed by Liam Scarlett featuring members of both ABT Studio Company and The Royal Ballet School. Performances by ABT Studio Company will include the New York City Premieres of Dana Genshaft’s Chromatic Fantasy, a new work by Marcelo Gomes and Ethan Stiefel’s See the Youth Advance. The Royal Ballet School repertory will feature the pas de deux from Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto, Helgi Tomasson’s Concerto Grosso and excerpts from Frederick Ashton’s Birthday Offering. The joint performances are part of a unique exchange, which began in 2003, between ABT Studio Company and The Royal Ballet School. During past exchanges the companies have traveled to each other’s respective homes for performances, master classes and training sessions with senior coaching staff. Tickets are $25 - $55 and may be purchased online at www.nyuskirball.org or in person at the NYU Skirball Center Box Office: Tuesday-Saturday, 12:00–6:00 P.M. NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts is located at 566 LaGuardia Pl in New York City. The ABT Studio Company and The Royal Ballet School exchange is generously supported by Ricki Gail Conway. For more information on ABT Studio Company and performances with The Royal Ballet School, please visit ABT’s website, www.abt.org.
  23. A release: NEW YORK CITY BALLET PRESENTS FIFTH ANNUAL ART SERIES DURING 2017 WINTER SEASON Brooklyn-Based Finnish Artist Santtu Mustonen To Create Large-Scale Installation For the Promenade of the David H. Koch Theater On Display Throughout NYCB’s 2017 Winter Season January 17 through February 26 Single Tickets for Three Special Art Series Performances To Go on Sale at Noon on Tuesday, January 3 All Tickets $30 and Audience Members Attending the Art Series Performances Will Each Receive a Limited-Edition Commemorative Takeaway Created by Mustonen New York City Ballet will present the fifth installment of its acclaimed Art Series initiative during the Company’s 2017 Winter Season. Launched in 2013, New York City Ballet’s Art Series features annual collaborations between NYCB and contemporary visual artists who create original works for exhibition at the Company’s home, the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. For the fifth anniversary of Art Series, NYCB has commissioned an installation from the Finnish-born, Brooklyn-based artist Santtu Mustonen. The centerpiece of Mustonen’s commission will feature a large-scale video installation created from a series of original, digitally altered paintings that the artist has produced especially for New York City Ballet. Mustonen’s paintings will also be displayed on the orchestra level of the theater throughout the winter season. By combining abstract, handcrafted visual imagery with new technology, Mustonen makes visual art that literally moves. “I see a lot of connections to dance in my work,” says Mustonen. “By using digital tools to animate paintings, I can make a work move almost like a dancer.” Mustonen, who figure skated while growing up in Finland, also briefly studied ballet to improve his skating technique. At university in Helsinki, and later in Amsterdam, Mustonen focused his studies on design and after receiving a grant from the Finnish Cultural Institute in 2011, he moved to New York and immersed himself in the art world. He first saw the David H. Koch Theater three years earlier on a visit to New York when he attended a performance of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker at New York City Ballet. Struck at that time by the theater’s iconic Promenade, Mustonen explains that his Art Series commission will take advantage of the space’s towering height and multiple vantage points, with an animated video installation that plays with scale and alters viewers’ perceptions in an Alice in Wonderland fashion. “There’s no ending, no start.” he says, “It’s a piece where you can choose to get just a little glimpse or jump into the rabbit hole and experience it all.” In recent years Mustonen has created work for The Academy Awards, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, The MTV Video Music Awards, Flow Music Festival, and The New York Times. He is represented by New York based creative agency Hugo & Marie. Mustonen’s NYCB Art Series installation will be on display at the David H. Koch Theater from Tuesday, January 17 through Sunday, February 26 during all of NYCB’s 2017 Winter Season performances. NYCB will also host free, open hours for the general public to view the exhibition on the following dates: Saturday, February 18 through Sunday, February 26 – Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon; Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition, NYCB will hold three special Art Series performances, which will take place on Saturday, January 28 at 8 p.m.; Friday, February 3 at 8 p.m.; and Thursday, February 23 at 7:30 p.m. All single tickets for these three Art Series performances are priced at just $30 and will go on sale at noon on Tuesday, January 3 at nycballet.com, or by calling 212-496-0600. Each Art Series performance will be followed by a post-performance party on the theater’s Promenade open to all audience members, each of whom will receive a special limited-edition takeaway created by Mustonen to commemorate the NYCB Art Series collaboration. ABOUT NYCB ART SERIES Launched in 2013, NYCB Art Series was designed to produce annual collaborations between contemporary visual artists and New York City Ballet in an effort to showcase and celebrate the visual arts during NYCB performances at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. The first four installments of Art Series have featured acclaimed installations by FAILE (2013), JR (2014), Dustin Yellin (2015), and Marcel Dzama (2016). Through the use of non-traditional marketing, social media engagement, and specially priced tickets, the NYCB Art Series was also conceived to engage audiences new to NYCB, as well as to cross pollinate NYCB’s existing fans with those of the commissioned artists. During its first four years, Art Series has introduced tens of thousands of new patrons to New York City Ballet, helping to change the Company’s demographic make-up with a 10% increase in audience members under the age of 40. In addition to NYCB’s unparalleled history of commissioning new work from numerous composers and choreographers, the Company also has a long tradition of working with visual artists such as Isamu Noguchi, Andy Warhol, Julian Schnabel, Francesco Clemente, Helen Frankenthaler, Roy Lichtenstein, Keith Haring, Santiago Calatrava, Per Kirkeby, and others, all of whom have created artworks and other visual elements for NYCB performances. The lobby of the David H. Koch Theater, which was built for NYCB and opened at Lincoln Center in 1964, also features a permanent collection that includes several landmark works of art, including Jasper Johns’ Numbers, Lee Bontecou’s Untitled Relief, and Elie Nadelman’s Two Female Nudes and Two Circus Women. To learn more about New York City Ballet, or to purchase tickets for any performance, visit nycballet.com, or call 212-496-0600. The David H. Koch Theater is located at Lincoln Center, Columbus Avenue and West 63rd Street. NEW YORK CITY BALLET is one of the foremost dance companies in the world, with a roster of more than 90 dancers and an unparalleled repertory of modern masterpieces. The Company was founded in 1948 by the legendary choreographer George Balanchine and arts patron Lincoln Kirstein, and quickly became world-renowned for its contemporary style and a repertory of original ballets that has forever changed the face of classical dance. Now under the direction of Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins and Executive Director Katherine Brown, NYCB is committed to promoting creative excellence and nurturing a new generation of dancers and choreographers. For more information visit nycballet.com. The 2017 Art Series and Access Evenings are supported by generous grants from the Howard Gilman Foundation and Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. The Travelers Companies, Inc. is the Global Sponsor of New York City Ballet.
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