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The release: THE FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER AND DANCE FILMS ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCE THE 43rd EDITION OF DANCE ON CAMERA JANUARY 30 – FEBRUARY 3, 2015 The opening-night selection is the U.S. Premiere of Girlchild Diary, spotlighting visionary artist Meredith Monk (who will appear in person), and the closing-night film is the British-made, Iran-set Desert Dancer Other highlights include the spirited documentary American Cheerleader, festival-favorite Born to Fly: Elizabeth Streb vs. Gravity, Dancing Is Living: Benjamin Millepied, a digital restoration of All That Jazz, and many more! New York, NY (November 25, 2014) – The Film Society of Lincoln Center and Dance Films Association announced today the lineup for the 43rd edition of Dance on Camera. Taking place January 30 – February 3, the dance-centric film festival returns to the Film Society for the 19th consecutive year with a world-class array of narrative, documentary, and experimental features and shorts, including U.S. and New York premieres. The festival honors ballet and contemporary dance personalities in film, while also demonstrating dance’s capacity to change lives. The festival opens with the U.S. Premiere of Girlchild Diary, which offers an intimate look at Meredith Monk, a daring composer, singer, filmmaker, choreographer, and director who this year is celebrating her 50th season of creating and performing work in New York. The festival closes with Richard Raymond’s searing Desert Dancer, a dramatic musical feature set against the 2009 riots against the Iranian regime, based on the true story of Afshin Ghaffarian, who dreamed of being a ballet dancer despite a government ban and formed an underground dance group. The film stars Freida Pinto, Reece Ritchie, and Tom Cullen and is choreographed by Akram Khan, who created the opening ceremonies of the recent London Olympic Games. “It’s a festival with lots of surprise elements,” said Joanna Ney, co-curator of Dance on Camera. “We’ve got unsung ballerinas, dance pioneers, and a crossover virtuoso. We’re also exploring new genres—cheerleading and girls’ hand-clapping games that have an empowering effect on young women. There’s definitely an accent on youth this year, as well as an appreciation for dance’s staying power.” A number of selections in this year’s festival spotlight the lives of children and teens and how movement and dance factor into their lives.James Pellerito and David Barba’s American Cheerleader is an in-depth look at how cheerleading has evolved into an athletic sport that combines physical prowess and musical routines. The engrossing documentary follows two high-school teams as they compete from regional competitions to the Nationals. Norwegian director Kenneth Elvebakk’s heartwarming documentary Ballet Boys follows teenage boys at the Norwegian Ballet School as they navigate the competitive world of dance. Irene Chagall’s Let’s Get the Rhythm: The Life and Times of Mary Mack pays homage to the hand-clapping games of inner-city playgrounds and beyond and follows its background and empowering impact by showcasing three charming 8-year-old girls engaged in the hand-clapping experience. Young Dancemakers (screening for free) spotlights New York–based teens in the Young Dancemakers Company who channel their personal struggles into choreographed works performed around the city. “It is the year of the narrative dance film, with two new titles featured in this edition—Desert Dancer and Fall to Rise—and a reprise of the great All That Jazz,” says Liz Wolff, co-curator for Dance on Camera. “For so long dance has had the power to tell a story that words cannot. Using dance to tell narratives about experiences and the meanings they have in people’s lives is proving a powerful tool in filmmaking.” Some of the films in the lineup spotlight the impact of contemporary dance companies creating eye-popping visual works: Catherine Gund’s Born to Fly: Elizabeth Streb vs. Gravity, hot on the heels of Sheffield Doc Fest and SXSW, follows a motley troupe of dancers who defy the laws of physics to perform daredevil, breathtaking works. David Iverson’s Capturing Grace follows members of the established Mark Morris Dance Group as they join forces with Parkinson’s patients to demonstrate the power of dance to transform and heal. Louis Wallecan’s Dancing Is Living: Benjamin Millepied is an intimate portrait of the founder of L.A. Dance Project (and the newly appointed director of Paris Opera Ballet) as he works with his own company in L.A. and collaborates with a variety of artists, including Lil Buck and Nico Muhly. For opera lovers, there is also Wallecan’s delightful Little Opera, a valentine to the Italian American obsession with the enduring title art form. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, January 13. A pre-sale to Film Society and Dance Films Association members begins Thursday, January 8. Single screening tickets are $13; $9 for students and seniors (62+); and $8 for FSLC and DFA members. See more and save with the $99 All Access Pass or the 3+ film discount package. Visit filmlinc.com for more information. FILM DESCRIPTIONS & SCHEDULE (Unless noted screenings are at Walter Reade Theater, 165 West 65th Street) Opening Night Girlchild Diary Meredith Monk/The House Foundation for the Arts, USA, 2014, HDCAM, 86m In her 50th year of creating work that combines voice, movement, and image, Meredith Monk revisits her iconic piece Education of a Girlchild for this evocative documentary centering on the 1993 Joyce Theater reunion of that production’s brilliant cast. Girlchild Diary offers a unique look at Monk’s unconventional creative process, interweaving music, photographs, interviews, and performance footage to illuminate a crossover artist still radical after all these years. U.S. Premiere Screening with: Letting Go Lori Petchers & Susan Jacobson, USA, 2014, HDCAM, 4m Sifting through photos and memories, a woman revisits her past, saying goodbye to what was while contemplating what will be. Friday, January 30, 8:00pm (Q&A with Meredith Monk and cast member Lanny Harrison) Closing Night Desert Dancer Richard Raymond, UK, 2014, DCP, 104m Set in Iran, this powerful, incredible yet true story follows the brave ambitions of Afshin Ghaffarian. During the volatile climate of the 2009 presidential election (when many cultural freedoms were threatened), Afshin and some friends (including Elaheh, played by Freida Pinto) risk their lives to form an underground dance company. Through banned online videos they learn from the likes of Michael Jackson and Rudolf Nureyev—icons of dance whose resonance crosses all cultural divides—while also teaching themselves, and in the process embracing their passion for dance and for one another. This special advance screening is courtesy of Relativity Media. Tuesday, February 3, 8:15pm (Q&A with Richard Raymond) All That Jazz Bob Fosse, USA, 1979, DCP, 123m “It’s showtime, folks!” That’s the refrain of anxiety-ridden and unhealthfully driven choreographer Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider) at the center of Fosse’s semi-autobiographical musical extravaganza, also featuring star turns by Ann Reinking, Ben Vereen, and Jessica Lange. Scheider is never less than captivating in his portrayal of Gideon, a complicated figure not so secretly patterned after Fosse himself. Long out of circulation, the Oscar-winning tour de force is back on the big screen after a 15-year 4K digital restoration by The Film Foundation. Sunday, February 1, 5:45pm (Preceded by a panel discussion featuring assistant choreographer Gene Foote, Fosse’s daughter Nicole, and several other Fosse dancers) American Cheerleader James Pellerito & David Barba, USA, 2014, DCP, 89m An in-depth look at how cheerleading has evolved from a sideline activity preceding a football game to an athletic event that highlights physical skills and musical routines—synchronized tumbling, flips, pyramids—unimaginable in the past. This engrossing documentary follows the journey of two high-school teams from regional competitions to the Nationals as they compete for the coveted cheerleading championship. Twelve girls from New Jersey and 12 from Kentucky, empowered by families and devoted coaches, redefine what it means to be an American cheerleader today. Saturday, January 31, 1:00pm (Q&A with James Pellerito and David Barba) Ballet Boys Kenneth Elvebakk, Norway, 2013, HDCAM, 75m Norwegian with English subtitles Lukas is a teenager dreaming of success in the rarified world of ballet. Together with pals Syvert and Torgeir he trains at the Norwegian Ballet School. In this heartwarming documentary, the trio navigate the competitive world of dance and their last years of high school, encountering a variety of new challenges and opportunities along the way. New York Premiere Screening with: Det Skal Danses Vaek Maia Elisabeth Sørensen, Denmark, 2014, DCP, 5m A high-school boy’s infatuation with dance erupts into a full-scale “performance,” in which his classmates become a chorus of movers who catch the fever. Friday, January 30, 1:00pm Born to Fly: Elizabeth Streb vs. Gravity Catherine Gund, USA, 2014, DCP, 82m The “Evel Knievel of dance,” Elizabeth Streb pushes her dancers to trade fear for “extreme action” as they walk on walls, spin from cables, and aim for the sky. Director Catherine Gund provides close access to Streb and her daredevil company, allowing viewers to share her life at home, in rehearsal, and on the road, including a breathtaking performance in London just prior to the 2012 Olympics. Screening with: Angsters Benjamin Epps, USA, 2014, HDCAM, 7m A dance work exploring the anxieties of modern life, set in site-specific locations that incorporate large-scale sculptures and paintings in the Houston area. Sunday, February 1, 3:20pm (Q&A with Catherine Gund and Elizabeth Streb) Capturing Grace David Iverson, USA, 2014, DCP, 60m When the Mark Morris Dance Group joins forces with Parkinson’s patients, magic happens. Under the guidance of former Morris company dancers Daniel Leventhal and John Heginbotham, this film’s engaging subjects forge a close-knit community, demonstrating art’s power to transform and to heal. Screening with: Renewal Stacy Menchel Kussell, Israel, DCP, 40m Renewal profiles a group of dancers—the Vertigo Dance Company—in their pioneering eco-arts village on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Under the imperative of becoming more sustainable forces, these dancers, many of them extended family, reconsider their art, their values, and their place in the world. U.S. Premiere Sunday, February 1, 1:00pm (Q&A with David Iverson and cast members) The Dance of the Sun Ami Skånberg Dahlstedt, Japan/Sweden, 2013, DCP, 58m Swedish and Japanese with English subtitles Ami Skånberg Dahlstedt is a Swedish choreographer immersed in Japanese mythology. She is drawn to the haunting legend that serves as the basis for much of Japan’s dance and theater, both classical and contemporary: The Sun Goddess, who hides in a cave, plunging the word into darkness, until the Goddess of Laughter lures her out with “crazy dancing” and the world returns to light. Dahlstedt’s journey also takes her to Kyoto, where she practices alongside her teacher, the beautiful Nishikawa Senrei. We also meet shrine maidens, a flutist who plays a 600-year-old instrument, transgender artists, and many others. New York Premiere Screening with: The Realm of Nothingness Kathy Rose, USA, 2013, DCP, 7m A dance of puppet-like figures and mesmerizing forms accompanied by percussive rhythms. Kathy Rose, fascinated by Noh and Japanese theater, creates a magical spectacle in which figures flow and drip in a universe of their own. *Monday, February 2, 3:30pm *Venue: Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, 144 West 65th Street Dancing Is Living: Benjamin Millepied Louis Wallecan, France, 2014, digital projection, 57m French and English with English subtitles This engaging documentary chronicles Benjamin Millepied (choreographer of Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan), the newly appointed director of the Paris Opera Ballet and founder of L.A. Dance Project, as a globe-trotting ambassador for dance: in rehearsal with his company in L.A., hanging out with Lil Buck, and sharing his ideas about life and dance. New York Premiere Screening with: Little Opera Louis Wallecan, France, 2012, HDCAM, 53m Italian, French, and English with English subtitles An intimate look at the historical and cultural roots of the Italian and American kinships with grand opera, featuring profiles of numerous notable figures, from renowned tenor Roberto Alagna to legendary Amato Opera Theatre founder Tony Amato. With the generous support from the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. New York Premiere Saturday, January 31, 8:00pm (Q&A with Louis Wallecan) Fall to Rise Jayce Bartok, USA, 2014, DCP, 91m A multilayered drama following a famous dancer as an injury forces her out of her company and into the uncomfortable role of a new mother. With her world turned upside down, a former company member with her own emotional issues unexpectedly provides her with support. The film stars former Martha Graham principal dancer Katherine Crockett and actress/dancer Daphne Rubin-Vega (the original Mimi in the Broadway musical hit Rent), and features a powerful performance by the charismatic Desmond Richardson (co-director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet). New York Premiere Screening with: Stella & Tom John Resner, USA, 2014, HDCAM, 7m Stella & Tom features two of American Ballet Theatre’s finest dancers—Stella Abrera and Tom Forster—in a specially choreographed dance on film. Sunday, February 1, 8:45pm (Q&A with Jayce Bartok and cast members) Ghost Line and Other Celluloid Antics A program that features the world premiere of Shona Masarin and Cori Orlinghouse’s new experimental dance short Ghost Line (USA, 2013, DCP, 15m), which merges the rhythmic and comedic timings of silent film and vaudeville with the absurdist impulses of Dada and Surrealism in a kinetic spectacle of light and shadow. This 78-minute program will also include films that illustrate Ghost Line’s affinity with cinema’s past: two early Buster Keaton shorts, The Playhouse (USA, 1921, 35mm, 20m) and Back Stage (USA, 1919, 35mm, 19m); Hans Richter’s Ghosts Before Breakfast (Germany, 1928, digital projection, 9m); and James Broughton’s Four in the Afternoon (USA, 1951, 16mm, 15m). This program will be moderated by former MoMA curator Jon Gartenberg of Gartenberg Media, a film archivist, distributor, and programmer with a special interest in silent and experimental film and film preservation. *Monday, February 2, 6:00pm (Followed by a discussion with Shona Masarin and Cori Orlinghouse) *Venue: Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, 144 West 65th Street Here Now with Sally Gross Douglas Rosenberg, USA, 2014, DCP, 46m Here Now with Sally Gross documents the achievements of dynamic New York choreographer Sally Gross as she creates a site-specific work with a group of students for an exhibition by the renowned digital artist Leo Villareal. An original member of the Judson Dance Theater in the 1960s, Gross remains a powerful presence as she engages with her young performers and reflects on her enduring career in dance. New York Premiere Screening with: Ze’eva Cohen: Creating a Life in Dance Sharon Kaufman, USA, 2013, HDCAM, 32m This documentary spans some 70 years in the career of the noted title dancer/choreographer, virtually encompassing all phases of her richly creative life. World Premiere Tuesday, February 3, 3:00pm Jiri Kylian: Forgotten Memories Don Kent & Christian Dumais-Lvowski, France, 2011, HDCAM, 52m World-renowned Czech choreographer Jiri Kylian, always a reluctant subject, finally agreed to participate in this film, the only record of his personal history and artistic life. Narrated by Kylian, it covers his school days in Prague, as well as his apprenticeship in London and Stuttgart, where he began his choreographic life. Through interviews shot largely in the Netherlands, home of the Nederlands Dans Theater, which he guided for more than 30 years, and gorgeous excerpts of some of his best-known works, a picture emerges of a singular artist whose vision has inspired dancers and choreographers around the globe. U.S. Premiere Screening with: Memory House Ryan Fielding & Loughlan Prior, New Zealand, 2013, DCP, 17m A number of New Zealand Ballet’s prominent dancers create dramatic solos and duets that evoke memories of the past. U.S. Premiere Friday, January 30, 6:00pm Let’s Get the Rhythm: The Life and Times of Mary Mack Irene Chagall, USA, 2014, DCP, 55m The wondrous hand-clapping games of inner-city playgrounds in New York City and the remote corners of the world alike become a music genre and a fertile subject for exploration in this delightful homage to the beauty of the beat. Three 8-year-old girls charm with personal insights of the hand-clapping experience, while archival footage collected by Alan Lomax and choice observations by ethnomusicologists, folklorists, and just plain folks stress the empowering impact of the practice on the lives of women. Screening with: Bookin’ John Kirkscey, USA, 2013, HDCAM, 17m Bookin’ explores the idea of dance fusion with two jookers (urban street dancers) and two ballet dancers who merge their styles to a soundtrack that mixes hip-hop beats and cello at a famous Memphis juke joint. Friday, January 30, 3:15pm (Q&A with Irene Chagall) Mia, A Dancer’s Journey Maria Ramas & Kate Johnson, USA, 2013, DCP, 55m A daughter’s promise to tell her mother’s story serves as the starting point for this documentary on the life of the celebrated Croatian ballerina Mia Slavenska, which becomes a fascinating and moving reflection on historical memory, national identity, and the power of dance. The film retraces Mia’s journey from tumultuous prewar Europe through her emergence as a glamorous ballerina of the Ballets Russes and a star attraction on stages across America, culminating with her return to her homeland. New York Premiere Screening with: Hamadryad Nancy Allison & Paul Allman, USA, 2014, DCP, 8m Jean Erdman came up with the choreography for “Hamadryad,” a vision of a passionate wood nymph, in 1948 while walking through a forest and hearing a lone flutist practicing Debussy’s “Syrinx.” The filmmakers creatively re-create the Erdman piece using Martha Graham dancer Miki Orihara, taking her from the Manhattan streets to her studio where she rehearses the solo conjuring herself into the very forest where the dance was first imagined. Saturday, January 31, 3:30pm (Q&A with Maria Ramas and Kate Johnson) Perpetual Motion: The History of Dance in Catalonia Isaki Lacuesta, Catalonia, 2013, DCP, 57m Catalan with English subtitles A living history of dance in Catalonia—home to legends like Carmen Amaya, the repository of many dance genres, and a region where dance has flourished since the early 19th century. Archival images, interviews, and reconstructions of works bring this rich heritage into the present. Thanks to La Termita Films and Televisió de Catalunya TV3, in collaboration with Arts Santa Monica, Institut Ramon Llull, and Mercat de les Flors. U.S. Premiere Screening with: Pas Frédérique Cournoyer Lessard, Canada, 2014, DCP, 15m An imaginative exploration of one woman’s relationship to dance through close encounters of the third kind. World Premiere Tuesday, February 3, 6:00pm (Introduction by Perpetual Motion: The History of Dance in Catalonia choreographer Cesc Gelabert) Robot Blanca Li, France, 2015, DCP, 61m This radical vision from choreographer/director Blanca Li involves eight dancers whose extraordinary flexibility and expressivity are demonstrated as they explore the relationship between humans and machines. They are aided by mechanized instruments shaped like musical notes (created by Maywa Denki, a Japanese artist group), and witty movement by NAO, a playful, highly developed humanoid robot capable of interactivity. A performance that will surprise and amuse anyone interested in how the future of dance might look. U.S. Premiere Screening with: Primitive Tom Rowland, UK, 2013, DCP, 29m Choreographed and performed by acclaimed contemporary dancer Dane Hurst, this narrative, told entirely through dance, explores creativity, violence, and loss via one man’s intense spiritual journey, cast against the moody backdrop of nocturnal London. U.S. Premiere *Monday, February 2, 8:30pm (Q&A with Tom Rowland and Dane Hurst) *Venue: Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, 144 West 65th Street SHORTS PROGRAM Walter Reade Theater, 165 West 65th Street This year’s crop of short films is particularly diverse: from dances inspired by Stephen Sondheim and created for the iPhone, to complex stories that unfold through choreography designed to heighten narrative tension. This program demonstrates that there is no shortage of imagination among the filmmakers who seek to explore dance’s relationship to film. A Juice Box Afternoon Lily Baldwin, USA, 2014, DCP, 8m Through her own writing, Anne Morrow Lindbergh comes of age, meets Charles Lindbergh, and experiences flight in more ways than one. The first in a new series entitled “The Paperback Movie Project.” New York Premiere A Tap Dance on the Pier Geoffrey Goldberg, USA, 2014, DCP, 2m A Tap Dance on the Pier introduces the “tap stalker,” a man who finds unsuspecting people and dances with them. World Premiere Washed Daphna Mero, Israel, 2012, DCP, 13m A female laundry worker desperately attempts to abort the fruit of a violent encounter. When the consequences of her action are revealed, her repressed memories reemerge. U.S. Premiere Dancing Sondheim (selections “Children and Art” & “Every Day a Little Death”) Richard Daniels, USA, 2014, DCP, 7m Charting new territory in bringing dance to a wider audience, choreographer Richard Daniels, the creator and producer of “Dances for an iPhone,” continues his pioneering work for the small screen with a new collection of dances created for his iPhone and iPad app. We present two selections from the Dancing Sondheim series : “Children and Art” with Carmen de Lavallade and “Every Day a Little Death” with Deborah Jowitt. World Premiere Well Contested Sites Amie Dowling, USA, 2012, DCP, 13m Developed and shot on Alcatraz Island, this film explores the issue of mass incarceration and the complex experience faced by the incarcerated. New York Premiere Knock Thomas Pollard & Nathan Smith, Australia, 2013, DCP, 6m A man sits alone in a room. Three boys entertain each other with scary stories during a sleepover. The narrative gains momentum as a link becomes apparent between a fictional man’s life in solitude and the future of one boy’s reality. New York Premiere Vanishing Points Marites Carino, Canada, 2014, DCP, 9m Like two molecules unknowingly affecting each other in space and briefly crossing paths, conceptual hip-hop dancers collide and share fleeting moments of intimate synchronicity on the streets of Montreal. New York Premiere Tagged Danielle Kipnis, USA, 2014, DCP, 6m Graffiti-painted dancers move through the private and public domains of New York City. New York Premiere Escualo Martin & Facundo Lombard, USA, 2014, DCP, 4m A powerful new piece from the Lombard Twins, a “Dance Scene” set to music by Astor Piazzolla. World Premiere Butterfly Joey De Guzman, New Zealand, 2014, DCP, 6m A dark, poetic dance film depicting a girl’s obsession with a butterfly. U.S. Premiere Embrace Shantala Pèpe, Belgium/UK, 2014, DCP, 7m A man and a woman share a suspended moment of intimacy sitting before a vast ocean. U.S. Premiere Saturday, January 31, 6:00pm FREE EVENTS Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center Amphitheater, 144 West 65th Street Black Ballerina Black Ballerina is a documentary-in-progress that uses the overwhelmingly white world of classical ballet to take a fresh look at race, diversity, and inclusion. Narrated by black women of different generations but united in their passion for ballet, the film asks if anything has changed and why diversity in dance matters. Tuesday, February 3, 4:30pm (Followed by a panel featuring producer/director Frances McElroy, Dance Theater of Harlem artistic director Virginia Johnson, and former Ballets Russes ballerina Raven Wilkinson) Capturing Motion NYC For a fourth year, Dance Films Association invites high-school students throughout the five boroughs to submit dance films between one to five minutes in length for Capturing Motion NYC, a student film competition. This program will feature the top juried films and a panel discussion about the students’ processes. The winning work will be screened on closing night of Dance on Camera. Friday, January 30, 4:00pm Filmmaker Services Panel Invited organizations dedicated to providing filmmaker services, including Fractured Atlas, AbelCine, DCTV, and VHX, will join Dance on Camera to engage in a lively discussion focused on getting a film made—sharing tactics from pre-production to distribution, and all the important steps in between. In addition to the panel, we are offering a free field trip to AbelCine (609 Greenwich St.) on Monday, February 2, from 12:00pm-2:00pm. RSVP required, open to attending filmmakers and DFA community. Friday, January 30, 5:00pm Meet the Artist Critically acclaimed immersive theater company Third Rail Projects, creators of the award-winning production Then She Fell, will join Dance on Camera to offer audiences the opportunity to learn about the influence of dance film on their large body of work. Artistic directors Zach Morris, Tom Pearson, and Jennine Willett will be joined by filmmaker Lucas Smith to discuss their recent collaborative film project produced by Dance Films Association with funding received from the Rockefeller Foundation. Monday, February 2, 5:00pm Young Dancemakers Young Dancemakers Company, founded by Alice Teirstein, is a unique summer dance ensemble of NYC teens dedicated to creating their own original choreography and performing it in concerts citywide. Young Dancemakers (USA, 2014, 28m) follows three members of the company, mentored by Teirstein, as they deal with their personal struggles and ultimately learn to express themselves through dance. Saturday, January 31, 5:00pm (Followed by a discussion with Young Dancemakers director Greg Vander Veer, Alice Teirstein, and subjects from the film) ART EXHIBIT Furman Gallery, 165 West 65th Street First Breath by Travis Magee New York City–based photographer Travis Magee specializes in dance, fashion, and fine-art imagery. His dynamic and explosive photography of ballet and modern dancers, like all his work, is based on the concept of capturing real-life kinetic movement in order to elicit complex emotions. As a result, Magee’s photography is achieved in one choreographed shot, and he never uses Photoshop to manipulate or construct his images. Artist Statement: Transformation is a beautifully traumatic process—physical and emotional—the pain of change and the joy of discovery. First Breath is a collection of images of transformation. The restless frozen moments in time when we grow and change and leave behind the people we once were. Too often, photography of dancers focuses just on a beautiful image of a beautiful body, idealizing the obvious and ignoring the past and the future that lie on either side of the moment. Like tides carving out the slope of the sand or wind sweeping across the dunes, I asked the dancers to feel the elements changing their bodies and shaping their movements. The forces that transform us are invisible. All we can recognize is that First Breath as we emerge. PUBLIC SCREENING SCHEDULE FOR DANCE ON CAMERA 2014 Screenings will take place at Walter Reade Theater, 165 W. 65th Street Additional screenings, panels and free events will take place at Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center Amphitheater, 144 W. 65th Street Friday, January 30 1:00 Ballet Boys (75m) screening with Det Skal Danses Vaek (5m) 3:15 Let’s Get the Rhythm:The Life and Times of Mary Mack (55m) screening with Bookin’ (17m) 4:00 Capturing Motion NYC – Free Amphitheater Event 5:00 Filmmaker Services Panel – Free Amphitheater Event 6:00 Jiri Kylian: Forgotten Memories (52m) screening with Memory House (17m) 8:00 Girlchild Diary (86m) screening with Letting Go (4m) Saturday, January 31 1:00 American Cheerleader (89m) 3:30 Mia, A Dancer’s Journey (55m) screening with Hamadryad (8m) 5:00 Young Dancemakers – Free Amphitheater Event 6:00 Shorts Program: A Juice Box Afternoon (8m), A Tap Dance on the Pier (2m), Washed (13m), Dancing Sondheim (selections “Children and Art” & “Every Day a Little Death”) (7m), Well Contested Sites (13m), Knock (6m), Vanishing Points (9m), Tagged (6m), Escualo (4m), Butterfly (6m), Embrace (7m) 8:00 Dancing is Living: Benjamin Millepied (57m) screening with Little Opera (53m) Sunday, February 1 1:00 Capturing Grace (60m) screening with Renewal (40m) 3:20 Born to Fly: Elizabeth Streb vs. Gravity (82m) screening with Angsters (7m) 5:45 All That Jazz (123m) 8:45 Fall to Rise (91m) screening with Stella & Tom (7m) Monday, February 2 3:30 The Dance of the Sun (58m) screening with The Realm of Nothingness (7m) 5:00 Meet the Artist – Free Amphitheater Event 6:00 Ghost Line and Other Celluloid Antics (78m) 8:30 Robot (61m) screening with Primitive (29m) Tuesday, February 3 3:00 Here Now with Sally Gross (46m) screening with Ze’va Cohen: Creating a Life in Dance (32m) 4:30 Black Ballerina – Free Amphitheater Event 6:00 Perpetual Motion: The History of Dance in Catalonia (57m) screening with Pas (15m) 8:15 Desert Dancer (104m) Friday, January 30 – Tuesday, February 3 First Breath by Travis Magee – in the Furman Gallery DANCE FILMS ASSOCIATION Dance Films Association is dedicated to furthering the art of dance film. Connecting artists and organizations, fostering new works for new audiences, and sharing essential resources, DFA seeks to be a catalyst for innovation in and preservation of dance on camera. This membership service organization was founded in 1956 by Susan Braun. Dance on Camera Festival is made possible with the support of the National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Visit www.dancefilms.org FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER Founded in 1969 to celebrate American and international cinema, the Film Society of Lincoln Center works to recognize established and emerging filmmakers, support important new work, and to enhance the awareness, accessibility, and understanding of the moving image. The Film Society produces the renowned New York Film Festival, a curated selection of the year’s most significant new film work, and presents or collaborates on other annual New York City festivals including Dance on Camera, Film Comment Selects, Human Rights Watch Film Festival, New Directors/New Films, NewFest, New York African Film Festival, New York Asian Film Festival, New York Jewish Film Festival, Open Roads: New Italian Cinema and Rendez-Vous with French Cinema. In addition to publishing the award-winning Film Comment magazine, the Film Society recognizes an artist's unique achievement in film with the prestigious Chaplin Award, whose 2015 recipient is Robert Redford. The Film Society’s state-of-the-art Walter Reade Theater and the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, located at Lincoln Center, provide a home for year-round programs and the New York City film community. The Film Society receives generous, year-round support from Royal Bank of Canada, Jaeger-LeCoultre, American Airlines, The New York Times, HBO, Stella Artois, The Kobal Collection, Variety, Trump International Hotel and Tower, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York State Council on the Arts. For more information, visit www.filmlinc.com, follow @filmlinc on Twitter, and download the FREE Film Society app, now available for iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android devices.

Personally, after seeing this production once, I had no interest in seeing it again. canbelto, as you said, the choreography is weak in Act 2. It doesn't have the divertissements I enjoy seeing in a Nutcracker. And the grand pas de deux is odd and sometimes childish. I don't like all the cutie pie stuff the female dancer does. With regards to Brooklyn, you'd think with all the families and gentrification, you'd have Brooklynites with money looking to attend a Nutcracker in their own borough. Maybe ABT needed to do more outreach.

Another press release: FINAL NEW YORK CITY PERFORMANCES OF AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S THE NUTCRACKER, DECEMBER 12-21, 2014 AT BAM HOWARD GILMAN OPERA HOUSE Stella Abrera and Misty Copeland to Debut as Clara, the Princess American Ballet Theatre will give its final New York City performances of The Nutcracker at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House beginning Friday, December 12, 2014 at 7:00 P.M. Choreographed by ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky, the holiday classic will be given 13 performances through December 21 at BAM. Stella Abrera will make her debut as Clara, the Princess at the matinee on Sunday, December 14, dancing opposite Alexandre Hammoudi as the Nutcracker Prince. Misty Copeland will make her debut as Clara, the Princess at the evening performance on Sunday, December 14, opposite Eric Tamm as the Nutcracker Prince. Additional casts will be led by Gillian Murphy and James Whiteside, Sarah Lane and Joseph Gorak and Hee Seo and Cory Stearns. The Nutcracker, set to a score by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, features choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, scenery and costumes by Richard Hudson and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. This production was given its World Premiere at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House on December 23, 2010, led by Gillian Murphy as Clara, the Princess and David Hallberg as the Nutcracker Prince. American Ballet Theatre’s 2014 season of The Nutcracker will be the final performances of the ballet at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House. Beginning December 2015, Segerstrom Center for the Arts and American Ballet Theatre will co-present annual engagements of The Nutcracker at Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa, California. The 2015 performances will mark the production’s West Coast Premiere. Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker, beginning at $20, can be purchased in person at the BAM box office, by phone at 718-636-4100 or online at www.bam.org. The BAM box office is located in the Peter Jay Sharp Building at 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, New York. For more information, please visit ABT’s website at www.abt.org.

Without studying the bios, I would say they received at least some of their training at SAB, not "all." They at least capped off their training with a year or two or more at SAB. For ex. They might have studied at Central PA until they were 13 or 14 and then spent a few years at SAB before entering the company. Exceptions are Garcia, De Luz and Le Cour.

The set designer probably tried to do something so that Apollo could climb the stairs at the end. This would have been before Balanchine cut parts of the ballet in the late 70s. It would have had the original Apotheosis.

BTW, figured I'd put up a list of the JKO alum (scroll down): http://www.abt.org/education/jko_school.asp

I will elaborate. This seems like a money grab for the company, pure and simple. The school (not the summer sessions) has been around 10 years and is not exactly bowling me over with top dancers. I'm not talking about the Studio Company. That has worked out well. Between the school and the teaching program etc..it's all about making money. Because you can tell that the company is hurting financially. And there's nothing wrong with making money. Maybe I'm being too hard. Maybe it will give them an edge in getting top West Coast talent.

I'm viewing this a little skeptically.

From the YouTube preview (The Bell Telephone Hour Apollo has interesting costumes. Maybe the TV censors wanted the muse's arms covered up? That ballet has certainly had several costume changes since it arrived at it's current state): The notes: The fifth volume of New York City Ballet in Montreal features two Balanchine masterpieces, created 35 years apart. The beautiful and exotic Bugaku (1963) is seen here in a 1978 color telecast starring Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux. McBride, one of New York City Ballet’s most celebrated ballerinas, will be awarded the Kennedy Center Honor next month. Apollo (1928) was a milestone in the early part of Balanchine’s career. Jacques d’Amboise dances the title role in a 1960 performance of the complete ballet (followed by an interview with Balanchine), as well as in excerpts of the work as presented on the Bell Telephone Hour in 1963. The latter telecast provides a rare opportunity to see an early performance of Apollo in color and Melissa Hayden as Terpsichore (her only appearance in this DVD series). Color & Black & white, 71 minutes, 4:3, NTSC (Playable all regions) BUGAKU Choreography by George Balanchine Music by Toshiro Mayuzumi Dancers: Patricia McBride, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Bonita Borne, Elyse Borne, Elise Flagg, Delia Peters, John Bass, Richard Dryden, Laurence Matthews, Richard Tanner (1978) APOLLO (complete) Choreography by George Balanchine Music by Igor Stravinsky Dancers: Jacques d‘Amboise (Apollo), Diana Adams (Terpsichore), Jillana (Calliope), Francia Russell (Polyhymnia) (1960) GEORGE BALANCHINE DISCUSSES APOLLO (1960) APOLLO (three movements) Choreography by George Balanchine Music by Igor Stravinsky Variation d’Apollon • Pas de deux (Apollo and Terpsichore) Coda (Apollo and the Muses) Dancers: Jacques d‘Amboise (Apollo), Melissa Hayden (Terpsichore), Jillana (Calliope), Patricia Neary (Polyhymnia) (Bell Telephone Hour, 1963)

Official release: American Ballet Theatre and Segerstrom Center for the Arts Announce Creation of New Dance School The Center and ABT bring renowned ballet training program to Southern California Junior Associates Program begins in January 2015 and Young Dancer Summer Workshop in June 2015 Scholarships and free community classes to be offered Registration begins on November 19 for September 2015 Fall Semester COSTA MESA, CA – Expanding their 27-year relationship, Segerstrom Center for the Arts and American Ballet Theatre announce the creation of the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School on the Segerstrom Center campus in Costa Mesa, CA. The combined resources of American Ballet Theatre, America’s National Ballet Company® and Segerstrom Center, one of the world’s leading presenters of dance, will offer unrivaled opportunities for training and nurturing future generations of dancers and dance audiences as well as furthering the development and evolution of dance. The school carries the name of Orange County philanthropist William J. Gillespie, who has been a board member of ABT since 1999 and an enthusiastic and generous donor to the Center for much of the institution’s history. The ABT Gillespie School will open in September 2015 and is operated jointly by Segerstrom Center for the Arts and American Ballet Theatre. Alaine Haubert has been appointed Principal of the ABT Gillespie School at Segerstrom Center. A former dancer and ballet mistress with ABT and noted dance teacher and coach, Haubert will work with ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie and Melissa Bowman, Director of the Children’s Division of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York. All classes will be taught by teachers who are certified in ABT’s highly respected National Training Curriculum, will feature live accompaniment and will be held in Segerstrom Center’s dance studios which have been used for rehearsals by all of the world’s leading international ballet companies. “American Ballet Theatre and Segerstrom Center for the Arts have dedicated themselves to furthering the development of, and appreciation for, one of the most expressive of all art forms – dance, which has been a cornerstone of the Center’s artistic programming since its inaugural season,” said Center President Terrence W. Dwyer. “Bill Gillespie is a tremendous champion for dance. His generosity enables two of his beloved arts organizations to make a significant and lasting impact on the world of dance and our vibrant and diverse community. It is hard to imagine a more passionate supporter of dance and the training of its next generation of great talents.” The annual 36-week program of the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School begins with a Fall semester starting September 14, 2015. There will be nine class levels open to students ages 3-14 and tuition starts at $1,150. Registration for the ABT Gillespie School begins November 19. As part of its commitment to the community, Segerstrom Center for the Arts is pleased to offer a limited number of scholarships to the 36-week program as well as offer a series of free classes for the community throughout the year as part of the ABT Gillespie School. Dwyer said, "The Center is committed to making sure that our education programs, including the ABT William J. Gillespie School, are available to as many children as possible from communities across Orange County. We look forward to engaging as many people as possible through our community classes and our scholarship programs." Scholarships will be available on a limited basis; an application form will be available along with the enrollment materials at SCFTA.org/ABTGillespieSchool. The schedule of free community classes will be available at a later date. American Ballet Theatre CEO Rachel Moore stated, “American Ballet Theatre and Segerstrom Center have had many conversations about our shared passions and visions for enriching the world and future of dance. We are delighted that the ABT Gillespie School is another rewarding collaboration. I also extend our gratitude to Bill Gillespie for helping make possible this shared dream with his signature generosity and commitment to world class dance and community.” William J. Gillespie is a long-time benefactor of the arts in Orange County. In addition to his longstanding support of American Ballet Theatre and Segerstrom Center for the Arts, numerous other institutions have benefited from Gillespie’s participation and support, including UCI, where he established the Gillespie Scholarship in Ballet Studies, Pacific Symphony and a diverse range of charitable and educational causes throughout the region encompassing youth and education services, environment and animal care, family and elder services and research. One of his many contributions to the Center is the William J. Gillespie Concert Organ, a magnificent instrument and stunning visual focal point of the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. “This is an exciting and, in many ways, precedent-setting arts collaboration that has far reaching potential for the future of dance in Southern California and beyond,” stated William J. Gillespie. “I congratulate the Center and ABT for embracing this concept and forging this alliance. It is my great honor to support this collaboration and the emerging talent that will be developed through this excellent training program.” American Ballet Theatre Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie said, “ABT is part of Segerstrom Center’s artistic history; we have come to Orange County regularly since the Center’s first season in 1986. It is a rewarding and important collaboration, and all of us at ABT are excited that we will have this new year- round presence through the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. We thank Bill, who has been a valued ABT board member for many years, for presenting such an important gift to Orange County, ABT and to the whole world of dance that will benefit from the achievements and success of the school and its students.” Beyond the professional training that they will receive, students in the ABT Gillespie School will be offered many additional opportunities to enrich their ballet studies: priority opportunities to audition to appear in ABT performances at the Center, including the March 2015 world premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s new production of The Sleeping Beauty and the December 2015 Center premiere of Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker, as well as participation in the ABT Summer Intensive, master classes, meet-and-greets with visiting companies, backstage tours and special ticket offers for dance performances at the Center. Prior to its September 2015 opening, the school will introduce two new programs: ABT Junior Associates Program, created specifically for the ABT William J. Gillespie School, and the ABT Young Dancer Summer Workshop. These programs and the adult classes beginning Fall 2015 are designed to ensure that students of all ages in Orange County have access to the creative and innovative world of dance and can advance seamlessly through the school’s curriculum levels. Additionally, there will be an Inaugural Open House on May 16, 2015 to welcome students who have registered for the program and their families, introducing them to the school administration, faculty, facilities, and to learn more about ABT’s National Training Curriculum. ABT Junior Associates Program Monthly intensive sessions will be held on Sunday January 11, February 22, March 29, April 26, May 31 and June 14, 2015 for students ages 10-18. Classes are geared towards the intermediate and advanced dancer, and will include specialized training in technique, ABT repertory, pointe work, men’s class, partnering and character. Participants in the ABT Junior Associates Program will receive priority opportunities to audition for roles in ABT’s new production of The Sleeping Beauty at the Center March 3- 8, 2015, as well as future productions at the Center. Tuition for the ABT Junior Associates Program is $600. Registration begins November 19, 2014. Please visit SCFTA.org/ABTGillespieSchool. ABT Young Dancer Summer Workshop A two-week Young Dancer Summer Workshop will be offered June 29-July 10, 2015 for students ages 9 – 11 and for 12-year-olds at the beginning pointe level. The Young Dancer Summer Workshop is designed to educate participants in ballet technique and related topics, including ballet terminology, classroom and rehearsal etiquette, nutrition, and injury prevention. Tuition for the Young Dancer Summer Workshop is $1,200. For audition information, please visit, ABT.org. The goal of American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School at Segerstrom Center for the Arts is to provide the highest quality ballet training consistent with the stylistic requirements of ABT and to provide dancers with a rich knowledge of classical technique and the ability to adapt to all styles and techniques of dance. The school will incorporate ABT’s National Training Curriculum, a comprehensive set of age- appropriate, outcome-based guidelines consistent with the best practices in the fields of sports psychology, child/adolescent development, nutrition and training. The teaching methods of ABT’s National Training Curriculum incorporate elements of the French, Italian and Russian schools of training and are currently in place at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. Classes focus on building a solid foundation in ballet technique with an emphasis on proper placement and safe progressions of movement while remaining sensitive to the needs of younger dancers. Classes include classical ballet technique, pointe, boys class, character and body conditioning. For more information about the ABT William J. Gillespie School at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, to enroll or to learn more about the classes and scholarship program, visit SCFTA.org/ABTGillespieSchool, call (714) 556-2122 ext. 4100 or e-mail ABTGillespieSchool@SCFTA.org. Alaine Haubert will be the Principal of the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie Dance School at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Haubert studied with George Balanchine and his illustrious post-Diaghilev faculty at the School of American Ballet in New York City. In 1965, she joined American Ballet Theatre, where she performed corps de ballet, soloist and principal roles. In addition to dancing classical roles, she was coached by such diverse and exciting contemporary choreographers as Antony Tudor, Agnes de Mille, Jerome Robbins, Eliot Feld, Birgit Culberg, Harald Lander and Glen Tetley. She later became a principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet until a serious back injury ended her performing career. Haubert has taught and coached dance in Europe, Japan, Canada, United States and the Caribbean. She was member of the dance faculty of the University of Hawaii for seven years. In 1993, Haubert was invited by American Ballet Theatre Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie to return to New York as ballet mistress. Haubert served on the dance faculty of California State University, Long Beach for six years. She continues her association with ABT, traveling throughout the U.S. auditioning dancers for the ABT Summer Intensives (one of which is held in Orange County each summer, presented by Segerstrom Center for the Arts in partnership with ABT and the University of California, Irvine). She was artistic coordinator of the ABT Detroit Summer Intensive for 15 years and, for the past three years, has directed the ABT Summer Intensive at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is unique as both an acclaimed arts institution and as a multi- disciplinary cultural campus. It is committed to supporting artistic excellence on all of its stages, offering unsurpassed experiences, and engaging the entire community in new and exciting ways through the unique power of live performance and a diverse array of inspiring programs. The Center presents a broad range of programming each season for audiences of all ages from throughout Orange County and beyond, including international ballet and dance, national tours of top Broadway shows, intimate performances of jazz and cabaret, contemporary artists, classical music performed by renowned chamber orchestras and ensembles, family-friendly programming, free performances open to the public from outdoor movie screenings to dancing on the plaza and many other special events. It offers many education programs designed to inspire young people through the arts. These programs reach hundreds of thousands of students of all ages with vital arts-in-education programs, enhancing their studies and enriching their lives well into the future. In addition to the presenting and producing institution Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the 14-acre campus also embraces the facilities of two independent acclaimed organizations: Tony Award®-winning South Coast Repertory and a site designated as the future home of the Orange County Museum of Art. Recognized as one of the premier dance companies in the world, American Ballet Theatre brings the highest quality dance and dancers to audiences across the globe. Celebrating its role as “America’s national ballet company,” ABT tours nationally and internationally, performing for over 400,000 people annually. Under the direction of Lucia Chase and Oliver Smith from 1940-1980, ABT developed a repertoire that honored the past while encouraging the development of the art form through the creation of new works. ABT’s mission, to create, to present, to preserve, and to extend the great repertoire of classical dancing is evident in its presentation of the classics such as Swan Lake, Giselle and The Sleeping Beauty and seminal works by choreographic masters of the 20th and 21st centuries including George Balanchine, Antony Tudor, Jerome Robbins, Agnes de Mille, Twyla Tharp and Alexei Ratmansky. Today, under the artistic direction of former ABT Principal Dancer Kevin McKenzie, the Company remains steadfast in its vision as “American” and continues to bring the art of dance theater to the great stages of the world. It has made more than 30 international tours to 45 countries and has been sponsored by the State Department of the United States on many of these engagements. In keeping with its long-standing commitment to bringing the finest in dance to the widest possible audience, ABT has recently enjoyed triumphant successes with engagements in Hong Kong, Havana, Brisbane, Abu Dhabi and Tokyo.

The cemetery where Balanchine is buried is right across from my uncle's house. When I would visit, I'd always check in with Mr. B. Now my uncle is buried there, too. There is a famous pianist there, too. But I can't remember his name. I remember he was close to Baryshnikov. Tiler's picture is from this blog (scroll down): http://www.bodywrappers.com/company_tilertalks_p04.php I love what she writes here: "With that said, two former New York City Ballet principal dancers gave Robbie and I the best gift. They took us to visit Mr. B's grave! I couldn't believe my eyes. In fact, it felt so sacred that I was actually afraid to walk towards the tombstone because I didn't want to disrupt anything. It was an amazing feeling to be there, especially since there were four of us, all HIS dancers, but from different generations." She's pictured with Damien Woetzel. I'm guessing the other principal is Heather Watts.

I agree with you sandik. It's frustrating to think of the great musical theater choreography we've lost by masters of the genre.

Info on the Dance on a Shoestring program: NEW YORK THEATRE BALLET presents Dance on a Shoestring at St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery November 21-22, 2014 New York Theatre Ballet (NYTB) continues it long-running series Dance on a Shoestring, now heldat the company's new home at St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery, 131 East 10th Street, NYC on Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22 at 7pm. Tickets are $15 and are available by calling (212) 679-0401 or at the door on the day of the performance. Please note that seating is limited and reservations are recommended. For more information, please visit http://nytb.org/calendar-and-tickets/view/Dance-on-a-Shoestring/. Dance on a Shoestring is an intimate evening of dance held in the company's home, The Dance Gallery. The community series showcases ballets from New York Theatre Ballet's current season, works in progress by contemporary and emerging choreographers, and children of Ballet School NY. "New York Theater Ballet is a little company that thinks big on a small theatrical scale. Under the direction of Diana Byer, it has become known for well-coached stagings of ballets especially suited for small theaters. The troupe also offers even smaller-scale productions called ''Dance on a Shoestring,'' informal hour-long showings." - The New York Times ABOUT NEW YORK THEATRE BALLET New York Theatre Ballet (NYTB), founded in 1978 by artistic director Diana Byer, is the most widely seen chamber ballet company in the United States and has been hailed by The New York Times as "an invaluable company." NYTB is dedicated to inspiring a love of dance in diverse audiences through performances of chamber ballet masterpieces and bold new works, as well as innovative one-hour ballets for children, all at affordable prices. By pairing the ballets of legendary creators with those of contemporary visionaries, NYTB brings a new understanding and appreciation of dance. The approach to live performance for children is groundbreaking and unique. New York Theatre Ballet offers an annual series of hour-long ballets tailored to the attention span of young audience members, while offering high production values and clever choreography sophisticated enough for discerning parents. NYTB is committed to reaching underserved audiences by performing in small cities throughout the U.S. Its professional school provides ballet training based on the Cecchetti syllabus. Classes are offered at affordable prices. Scholarships are awarded to talented homeless and underserved children along with support for well-rounded learning. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

Good sleuthing volcanohunter!

Here it is: http://www.amazon.com/New-York-City-Ballet-Montreal/dp/B00P8RUSIE/ref=sr_1_11?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1415367429&sr=1-11

The release: The Yorkville Nutcracker December 4-7, 2014 PLEASE JOIN US: Thursday, December 4, 2014 at 7pm Friday, December 5, 2014 at 7pm Saturday, December 6, 2014 at 2pm and 7pm Sunday, December 7, 2014 at 12pm and 5pm Dances Patrelle presents The Yorkville Nutcracker from December 4-7, 2014 at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, E. 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, NYC. Performances: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7pm; Saturday at 2pm; and Sunday at 12pm and 5pm. Ticketsare $45-85 (student and senior discounts available) and will be available beginning November 4, 2014 at www.dancespatrelle.org, by phone at 212-772-4448, or in person at The Kaye Playhouse Box Office. The Yorkville Nutcracker, set in 1895, includes lavish sets and costumes which takes the audience on a tour through Olde New York's most beloved landmarks, including a holiday party at Gracie Mansion, dancing at the Crystal Palace in the New York Botanical Garden, and skating in Central Park. Additionally, The Yorkville Nutcracker provides an opportunity for young dancers to dance alongside professional artists. This year, we are thrilled to have Abi Stafford and Adrian Danchig-Waring, both Principal Dancers with New York City Ballet, as our Sugar Plum and Cavalier. This will be Adrian Danchig-Waring's first appearance with Dances Patrelle. Other dancers include Matthew Dibble and Julie Voshell dancing the Arabian Divertissement and Grant Dettling and Katie Keith Dettling as the Snow King and Queen. Dances Patrelle (dP) is a dynamic professional ballet company celebratingits 25th season! dP presents two annual seasons in New York -- the timeless holiday tradition, The Yorkville Nutcracker, and a spring repertory season featuring world premieres and classic Patrelle favorites. Mr. Patrelle's body of work includes over 50 original ballets choreographed for Dances Patrelle, and spans an incredibly wide range of styles, from his beloved American Songbook collection, to such contemporary classics as Madame X,Macbeth and Rhapsody in Blue. Heralded by Lynn Garafola in Dance Magazine as a choreographer with "a personal vision...classical because it is rooted in metaphor and symbolic language [and] populist because of its legibility and broad cultural resonance," Patrelle has also cultivated a long-time collaboration with composer Patrick Soluri, commissioning four original scores including 2009's Murder at the Masque for dP's 20th Anniversary. Known for attracting the great talent of each generation, Dances Patrelle is pleased to count ballet stars such as Marcelo Gomes, Jenifer Ringer, Donald Williams, Lourdes Lopez,andCynthia Gregory among its dancers. For 25 seasons, Dances Patrelle has tapped into the human experience, connecting intimately with the audience and continuously reinventing dramatic dance. In 2013, the company was named the resident ballet company of the Kaatsbaan International Dance Center. "In Francis Patrelle's ballets, the characters come alive. His choreography is full of heart and soul." - Cynthia Gregory, Prima Ballerina For more information, visit www.dancespatrelle.org.

The release: LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER: 40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON “Curtain Up: The School of American Ballet Workshop Performances” Rare glimpse of Rehearsals and Performances by Future Dance Stars at School of American Ballet with Host Audra McDonald Friday, December 12, 2014 at 9:00 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — For the first time on Live From Lincoln Center, the curtain will be drawn back on one of the world’s premier ballet academies – the School of American Ballet – with the presentation of the School’s 50th Annual Workshop Performance. Taped during a live event in May 2014, this coming broadcast will feature performances and rare behind-the-scenes footage, demonstrating the legacy and continuing tradition of the excellence fostered at this prestigious academy and showcasing the talented dancers of the future. Live From Lincoln Center’s 40th anniversary season presentation of the “Curtain Up: The School of American Ballet Workshop Performances” will air on Friday, December 12, 2014 at 9:00 p.m. on PBS (*check local listings), hosted by Audra McDonald. This past Spring, the 50th Annual Workshop featured a program specially chosen to recognize the School’s co-founder George Balanchine and former faculty member Alexandra Danilova, who together launched SAB’s first year-end student showcase in 1965. The all-Balanchine program, which was presented at Lincoln Center’s Peter Jay Sharp Theater, included the seminal Serenade as well as excerpts from such famous works as Coppélia, Swan Lake, and Western Symphony. These excerpts were taught by some of the world’s most-acclaimed instructors and foremost stagers of Balanchine’s work, including Peter Martins and Darci Kistler, who also appear in this broadcast, talking about the school and its history, the works, and the dancers to be featured. This broadcast represents the first-ever School of American Ballet presentation on Live From Lincoln Center. >> Watch a preview here: http://youtu.be/9dpt4isQPhE The School of American Ballet (SAB), the official training academy of the New York City Ballet, was founded by Lincoln Kirstein and legendary choreographer George Balanchine in 1934 as the first and most essential step in their mission to establish a uniquely American classical ballet company. Since its founding, SAB has elevated the quality of American dance and is today the premier ballet academy in the United States, training more students who go on to become professional dancers than any other institution. At the end of each school year, advanced students are selected to perform in the School’s Spring Workshop, which is presented in this broadcast, providing audiences a unique opportunity to witness the pre-professional debuts of the nation’s most talented ballet students as they prepare to embark on professional ballet careers with notable companies in the U.S. and abroad. This episode of Live From Lincoln Center is directed for television by Matthew Diamond, who also directed The Nance which aired earlier in this anniversary season as well as Dance in America, as well as documentary segments contributed by Elliot Caplan, the filmmaker in residence at the Cunningham Dance Company from 1983-1998). The executive producer of the Live From Lincoln Center series is Andrew C. Wilk. About School of American Ballet The School of American Ballet, founded by legendary choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein in 1934, is the premier ballet academy in the United States. Approximately 570 boys and girls ranging in age from six to nineteen attend classes during the Winter Term at SAB, which is both a resident organization of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the official academy of New York City Ballet. While children enrolled at the School hail from the New York metro area, SAB’s intermediate and advanced classes are filled with talented students from around the U.S. and abroad, with more than 60 living in the School’s onsite residence hall. Each year, twenty advanced students on average sign professional contracts with dance companies around the United States and abroad. Not only do SAB alumni comprise 97 percent of New York City Ballet, but dancers trained at the School also currently appear on the rosters of over 70 U.S. and more than a dozen international companies. For more information: sab.org About Live From Lincoln Center Live From Lincoln Center is a cornerstone of performing arts broadcasting, presenting the world’s greatest artists and performances in music, dance and theater from Lincoln Center’s renowned stages. Now in its 40th season on PBS, the pioneering series—produced by Lincoln Center—has been seen by hundreds of millions of viewers since its debut and celebrated by 13 Emmy Awards and other honors for its broadcasting excellence. Additional Live From Lincoln Center content is accessible online at PBS.org and watch.lincolncenter.org. For more about upcoming broadcasts, visitlivefromlincolncenter.org About Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) serves three primary roles: presenter of artistic programming, national leader in arts and education and community relations, and manager of the Lincoln Center campus. A presenter of more than 3,000 free and ticketed events, performances, tours, and educational activities annually, LCPA offers 15 series, festivals, and programs including American Songbook, Avery Fisher Artist Program, Great Performers, Lincoln Center Festival, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Midsummer Night Swing, Martin E. Segal Awards, Meet the Artist, Mostly Mozart Festival, Target Free Thursdays, and the White Light Festival, as well as the Emmy Award-winning Live From Lincoln Center, which airs nationally on PBS. As manager of the Lincoln Center campus, LCPA provides support and services for the Lincoln Center complex and 11 resident organizations: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, The Film Society of Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Juilliard School, Lincoln Center Theater, The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, New York Philharmonic, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the School of American Ballet and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. For more information: aboutlincolncenter.org About PBS PBS, with over 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches nearly 109 million people through television and over 28 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS’s premier children’s TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents’ and teachers’ most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS PressRoom on Twitter. Live From Lincoln Center is made possible by a major grant from MetLife. In addition to underwriting from MetLife, the series is also made possible with generous support from the Robert Wood Johnson 1962 Charitable Trust, Thomas H. Lee and Ann Tenenbaum, The Robert and Renée Belfer Family Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. MetLife National Sponsor of Lincoln Center Movado Official Sponsor of Lincoln Center United Airlines Official Airline of Lincoln Center WABC-TV Official Broadcast Partner of Lincoln Center William Hill Estate Winery Official Wine of Lincoln Center Further information about Live From Lincoln Center, along with photos and videos can be found at: Lincoln Center Press Room: http://aboutlincolncenter.org/press-room/subject/18 PBS Press Room: http://pressroom.pbs.org/Programs/l/LIVE-FROM-LINCOLN-CENTER.aspx Follow Live From Lincoln Center on social media: Facebook: facebook.com/LiveFromLC Twitter: twitter.com/LiveFromLC Join the conversation during the broadcast: #LFLC

A release: AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S STUDIO COMPANY TO APPEAR AT THE 92ND STREET Y HARKNESS DANCE CENTER NOVEMBER 14-16, 2014 American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company will give three performances at the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center’s Buttenwieser Hall in New York City November 14-16, 2014. Performance times are 8:00pm on Friday, November 14 and Saturday, November 15, and 3:00pm on Sunday, November 16. The Studio Company performances, part of the 92nd Street Y’s “Dig Dance: Weekend Series,” will feature Stephen Mills’ Hush and Antony Tudor’s Little Improvisations and excerpts from Marius Petipa’s Le Corsaire and Merce Cunningham’s Duets. The 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, the Studio Company gains performance experience through residencies, cultural exchanges and local performances. Tickets for these performances are priced at $25 and can be purchased on the 92nd Street Y website (http://www.92y.org/Event/American-Ballet-Theatre.aspx). The 92nd Street Y is located at 1395 Lexington Avenue in New York City. For more information about performances by the ABT Studio Company, please visit www.abt.org.

A release: AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE AND THE ARTS INITIATIVE AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP IN CONJUNCTION WITH ABT’S 2014 INNOVATION INITIATIVE PARTNERSHIP TO ENABLE COLUMBIA STUDENTS TO INTERFACE WITH AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE FOR MASTER CLASSES, CHOREOGRAPHIC WORKSHOP REHEARSALS AND PERFORMANCES WORKS-IN-PROCESS TO BE PERFORMED AT MILLER THEATRE AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16 AT 3PM American Ballet Theatre and the Arts Initiative at Columbia University have formed a new arts partnership that will offer students a unique, in-depth immersion into the process of creating a new ballet. It was announced today by Rachel Moore, ABT CEO and Melissa Smey, Executive Director of the Arts Initiative and Miller Theatre at Columbia University. The partnership was designed as a complement to American Ballet Theatre’s Innovation Initiative, a two-week choreographic workshop spearheaded by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie and ABT Principal Dancer David Hallberg. The Innovation Initiative will culminate in a performance at Miller Theatre at Columbia University on Sunday, November 16, at 3PM. The performance will be highlighted by works-in-process choreographed by members of American Ballet Theatre and outside creators, and performed by ABT dancers. Choreographers selected for this year’s Innovation Initiative include ABT corps de ballet members Gemma Bond, Claire Davison and Daniel Mantei. For the first time since the program was established in 2010, ABT’s Innovation Initiative has invited two outside choreographers to participate. Choreographers Jillian Peña, a dance and video artist, and Pam Tanowitz, of Pam Tanowitz Dance, join ABT Company members in the exploration of new ideas and movement. In the weeks preceding the performance, Columbia University students will have several opportunities to become intimately familiar with ABT and the choreographic process. The Arts Initiative at Columbia University will coordinate a variety of special events in partnership with ABT, giving students the opportunity to attend a performance at the David H. Koch Theater; observe an early rehearsal of the new works at ABT’s studios; participate in a master class led by an ABT dancer; and attend the final Innovation Initiative program when it is performed on campus at Columbia University on November 16. “We are grateful to the Arts Initiative at Columbia University and Miller Theatre for partnering with ABT and the Innovation Initiative,” said ABT CEO Rachel Moore. “Columbia University’s participation helps make this workshop possible, while expanding the arts offerings available to their students. It’s a win-win for both organizations.” "I am so excited to be working with American Ballet Theatre to pilot this new model for audience development in the arts," said Melissa Smey, Executive Director of the Arts Initiative and Miller Theatre at Columbia University. "Many arts organizations struggle with the question of how to cultivate the next generation of audiences. We believe that by providing students from a variety of academic backgrounds with access to the creative process through a sustained, multifaceted partnership like this, we can help instill a lifelong love of the arts that they will carry with them throughout their adult lives." Student participants will include dancers studying in the Department of Dance at Barnard College and members of co-curricular dance groups such as Orchesis and Columbia Ballet Collaborative. Attendance at the performances and rehearsal visits will be open to any interested Columbia student, regardless of major. For more information, please visit the Arts Initiative’s website, artsinitiative.columbia.edu. Tickets for the Innovation Initiative performance, priced at $15 for the public, can be purchased beginning on November 3 at www.millertheatre.com; in person, at the Miller Theatre Box Office (2960 Broadway at 116th Street); or by calling 212.854.7799. Student tickets, priced at $7, are available for pre-sale to all students with valid Columbia University ID beginning today, October 27. The Miller Theatre Box Office is open Monday through Friday, from 12 noon to 6 p.m., and starting two hours before performances. The Innovation Initiative is generously underwritten by Dr. Joan Taub Ades and Irene and Fred Shen.

The release: RUSSELL JANZEN PROMOTED TO SOLOIST AT NEW YORK CITY BALLET New York City Ballet announced today that Russell Janzen has been promoted to Soloist, effective immediately. Peter Martins, NYCB’s Ballet Master in Chief, made the promotion on Friday, October 17 following a performance of George Balanchine’s Chaconne, during which Janzen performed the leading male role alongside NYCB Principal Dancer Sara Mearns. Janzen made his debut in the role, which Balanchine created for Martins in 1976, at the matinee performance on Saturday, October 11. During NYCB’s 2014 fall season, Janzen has also made debuts in leading roles in George Balanchine’s Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3 and Peter Martins’ Morgen. In recent seasons Janzen has also performed leading roles in Balanchine’s Robert Schumann's “Davidsbündlertänze,” A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Titania’s Cavalier, Theseus), “Diamonds” from Jewels, and George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker (Cavalier); and Martins’ Barber Violin Concerto. Janzen was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and began his dance training at the age of six at The Rock School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Janzen attended summer sessions at the School of American Ballet (SAB), the official school of New York City Ballet, in 2004 and 2005, and enrolled as a full-time student at SAB in the winter of 2005. In October 2007, Janzen became an apprentice with NYCB, and in June 2008, he joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet. Since joining NYCB, Janzen has performed featured roles in Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco, Orpheus, and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue; Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces; Martins’ The Waltz Project; and Christopher Wheeldon’s Les Carillons. He has also originated corps roles in works by Martins, Benjamin Millepied and Justin Peck. Janzen received SAB’s Mae L. Wien Award for Outstanding Promise in 2007.

I just posted a new thread with the press release in the ABT forum. Please do not repost the release here. Thanks. http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/39382-abt-2015-met-season/

The full release was posted here: http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/39379-eric-tamm-named-intermezzo-dance-company-new-executive-director/

Casting is attached.

From the company (excuse all the "more" and "second page" references - I'm on a crappy computer): NEW YORK PREMIERE OF ALEXEI RATMANSKY’S ALL-NEW PRODUCTION OF THE SLEEPING BEAUTY TO HIGHLIGHT AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S 2015 SPRING SEASON AT METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE MAY 11-JULY 4, 2015 75TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON TO OPEN WITH WEEK OF REPERTORY PROGRAMS FEATURING HISTORIC WORKS 75TH ANNIVERSARY GALA SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, MAY 18 GUEST ARTISTS FOR THE SEASON TO INCLUDE SEMYON CHUDIN, MARIA KOCHETKOVA, DENYS NEDAK, MARIANELA NUÑEZ, EVGENIA OBRAZTSOVA, NATALIA OSIPOVA AND OLGA SMIRNOVA American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. The season will be highlighted by the New York Premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s all-new production of The Sleeping Beauty, a revival of Lar Lubovitch’s Othello and repertory programs featuring historic works in celebration of the Company’s 75th Anniversary Season. Principal Dancers for the 2015 Metropolitan Opera House season include Roberto Bolle, Isabella Boylston, Herman Cornejo, Marcelo Gomes, David Hallberg, Paloma Herrera, Julie Kent, Gillian Murphy, Veronika Part, Xiomara Reyes, Polina Semionova, Hee Seo, Daniil Simkin, Cory Stearns, Diana Vishneva and James Whiteside. Guest Artists for the season include Semyon Chudin, principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet, Maria Kochetkova, principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet, Denys Nedak, soloist with the National Ballet of Ukraine, Marianela Nuñez, principal dancer with The Royal (more) ABT SPRING SEASON AT MET ANNOUNCED – Page 2 Ballet, Evgenia Obraztsova, principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet, Natalia Osipova, principal dancer with The Royal Ballet and Olga Smirnova, leading soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet. 75th Anniversary Gala Breaking with tradition, ABT’s annual Spring Gala, this year in celebration of the Company’s Diamond Anniversary, will be held during the second week of the Met season, on Monday, May 18 at 6:30 P.M. The evening will feature performances spanning ABT’s seven and a half decades. With guest speakers and film excerpts, the evening will honor the historic of ballets and the dancers who have shaped the Company's identity. For information on ABT’s 75th Anniversary Gala, please call the Special Events Office at 212-477-3030, ext. 3310. New York Premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s The Sleeping Beauty The New York Premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s The Sleeping Beauty will take place on Friday evening, May 29 led by Gillian Murphy and David Hallberg. This all-new production set to the classic score by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, with original choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, will receive its World Premiere on March 3, 2015 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California. The Sleeping Beauty will be given eleven performances at the Metropolitan Opera House, May 29 through 30 and June 8 through 13. Ratmansky’s The Sleeping Beauty will feature scenery and costumes by Tony Award®-winning designer Richard Hudson. Hudson’s designs will be based on the historic work of Léon Bakst, who created a seminal version of The Sleeping Beauty for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in 1921. The production represents Hudson’s third collaboration with Ratmansky for American Ballet Theatre, having previously designed scenery and costumes for The Nutcracker (2010) and costumes for Dumbarton (2011). Ratmansky’s The Sleeping Beauty is American Ballet Theatre’s fourth production of the full-length ballet. The Sleeping Beauty received its World Premiere by the Imperial Ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg on January 15, 1890. ABT presented its (more) ABT SPRING SEASON AT MET ANNOUNCED – Page 3 first full-length production of the ballet with choreography by Mary Skeaping from the original of Marius Petipa and the staging of Nicholas Sergeyev, at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, on June 15, 1976. The Sleeping Beauty, with choreography after Petipa and staging and additional choreography by Kenneth MacMillan, received its World Premiere by American Ballet Theatre at the Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, on February 11, 1987. A new production with choreography after Petipa and additional choreography and staging by Kevin McKenzie, Gelsey Kirkland and Michael Chernov received its World Premiere at the Metropolitan Opera House on June 1, 2007. 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. ABT gratefully acknowledges Linda Allard for her generous support of costumes for The Sleeping Beauty. Additional support is generously provided by The Susan and Leonard Feinstein Foundation, Caroline and Edward Hyman, Howard S. Paley, and The Ted and Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund. Support has also been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. This production is generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. This production of The Sleeping Beauty is a co-production with Teatro alla Scala. Historic Repertory American Ballet Theatre will open its Spring season with a week of repertory programs celebrating the Company’s heritage. Eight performances, May 11 through 16, will include Michel Fokine’s Les Sylphides, Antony Tudor’s Pillar of Fire and Jardin aux Lilas, Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free, George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations and Agnes de Mille’s Rodeo. Hee Seo will lead the season’s first performance of Michel Fokine’s Les Sylphides on Monday evening, May 11. Set to music by Frédéric Chopin, Les Sylphides, a one-act plotless work, was given its Company Premiere at Ballet Theatre's inaugural performance on January 11, 1940 at the Center Theatre in New York City. The ballet received its first performance at the Maryinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg on March 8, 1908. This production of Les Sylphides features scenery by Alexandre Benois and lighting by Nananne Porcher. The Company will give the season’s first performance of Antony Tudor’s Pillar of Fire on Monday evening, May 11, with Gillian Murphy in the role of Hagar. Pillar of Fire, set to Arnold Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), received its (more) ABT SPRING SEASON AT MET ANNOUNCED – Page 4 World Premiere by Ballet Theatre on April 8, 1942 performed by Nora Kaye (Hagar), Lucia Chase (Eldest Sister), Annabelle Lyon (Youngest Sister), Antony Tudor (The Friend) and Hugh Laing (The Young Man From the House Opposite). ABT's current production was revived in 2003 with scenery and costumes by Robert Perdziola and lighting by Duane Schuler. Pillar of Fire is staged for ABT by Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner. Jardin aux Lilas will receive its first performance of the season on Tuesday evening, May 12, led by Hee Seo (Caroline), Cory Stearns (Her Lover), Veronika Part (An Episode in His Past) and Roman Zhurbin (The Man She Must Marry). Jardin aux Lilas, choreographed by Antony Tudor for Ballet Rambert in 1936, entered the repertory of Ballet Theatre on January 15, 1940. Set to music by Ernest Chausson, Jardin aux Lilas features sets and costumes by Peter Cazalet. Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner staged this production for ABT. The first of four performances of Fancy Free on Monday evening, May 11 will be led by Herman Cornejo, David Hallberg and Marcelo Gomes. Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free, the story of three sailors on shore leave in New York City during World War II, is set to a score by Leonard Bernstein and features scenery by Oliver Smith, costumes by Kermit Love and lighting by Jennifer Tipton after original designs by Nananne Porcher. Robbins’ work received its World Premiere by American Ballet Theatre on April 18, 1944 at the Metropolitan Opera House. Fancy Free is staged for ABT by Jean-Pierre Frohlich. George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations will have its first performance on Tuesday evening, May 12, led by Polina Semionova and Cory Stearns. Theme and Variations, set to music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, received its World Premiere on November 26, 1947, danced by Alicia Alonso and Igor Youskevitch. This production, featuring sets and costumes by Zach Brown, with lighting by Brad Fields, received its World Premiere at the David H. Koch Theater on October 30, 2013, led by Gillian Murphy and James Whiteside. Xiomara Reyes and David Hallberg will lead the season’s first performance of Agnes de Mille’s Rodeo on Tuesday, May 12. Rodeo, featuring music by Aaron Copland (more) ABT SPRING SEASON AT MET ANNOUNCED – Page 5 and scenery by Oliver Smith, was first presented by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo at the Metropolitan Opera House on October 16, 1942, with Agnes de Mille as the Cowgirl, Frederic Franklin as the Champion Roper and Casimir Kokitch as the Head Wrangler. Rodeo was first performed by Ballet Theatre in Wiesbaden, Germany on August 14, 1950. A new production, featuring sets by Oliver Smith and costumes by Santo Loquasto, was given its Revival Premiere in 1989 in St. Louis, Missouri. Rodeo will be staged for ABT by Paul Sutherland. Revival Premiere Commissioned by American Ballet Theatre in 1997, Lar Lubovitch’s Othello, last performed by ABT in 2007, will have its Revival Premiere on Tuesday evening, May 19 with Julie Kent as Desdemona and Marcelo Gomes in the title role. Choreographed by Lubovitch and set to a commissioned score by Elliot Goldenthal, the full-length work features scenery by George Tsypin, costumes by Ann Hould-Ward and projections by Wendall K. Harrington. Othello received its World Premiere on May 23, 1997 at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City led by Desmond Richardson (Othello) and Sandra Brown (Desdemona). Othello will be given four performances through May 21. Full-Length Ballets American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House includes five additional full-length ballets beginning with the classic Giselle on Friday evening, May 22 led by Hee Seo in the title role, opposite Cory Stearns as Albrecht and Gillian Murphy 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 (more) ABT SPRING SEASON AT MET ANNOUNCED – Page 6 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 28. The first of eight performances of La Bayadère on Monday, June 1 will be led by Polina Semionova as Nikiya and Gillian Murphy as Gamzatti. Choreographed by Natalia Makarova after Marius Petipa, La Bayadère is set to music by Ludwig Minkus, specially arranged by John Lanchbery, and features scenery by PierLuigi Samaritani, costumes by Theoni V. Aldredge and lighting by Toshiro Ogawa. The full‑length La Bayadère received its World Premiere by the Imperial Ballet at the Bolshoi Kamenny in St. Petersburg on February 4, 1877. La Bayadère, Act II (The Kingdom of the Shades) was first performed in the West by the Leningrad‑Kirov Ballet in 196l. Natalia Makarova first staged The Kingdom of the Shades scene for American Ballet Theatre in 1974 and it received its premiere at the State Theater in New York City on July 3 of that year, danced by Cynthia Gregory as Nikiya and Ivan Nagy as Solor. Makarova subsequently produced and choreographed the complete version of La Bayadère (in three acts) for American Ballet Theatre, which received its World Premiere on May 21, 1980 with Natalia Makarova as Nikiya, Anthony Dowell as Solor and Cynthia Harvey as Gamzatti. Kenneth MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet will be given eight performances beginning Monday evening, June 15 with Polina Semionova and Cory Stearns in the title roles. Set to the score by Sergei Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet features scenery and costumes by Nicholas Georgiadis and lighting by Thomas Skelton. The ballet received its World Premiere by The Royal Ballet in London on February 9, 1965 and was given its ABT Company Premiere at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 1985 with Leslie Browne and Robert La Fosse in the leading roles. Swan Lake, choreographed by Kevin McKenzie after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov and set to the score by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, will be given eight performances (more) ABT SPRING SEASON AT MET ANNOUNCED – Page 7 beginning Monday evening, June 22 with Gillian Murphy as Odette-Odile, Marcelo Gomes as Prince Siegfried and Cory Stearns as von Rothbart. The first production of Swan Lake, with choreography by Julius (Wentzel) Reisinger, received its World Premiere by the Russian Imperial Ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow on March 4, 1877. Swan Lake as we know it, with the Petipa/Ivanov choreography, was given its first full‑length production at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, on January 27, 1895. This production of Swan Lake, featuring scenery and costumes by Zack Brown and lighting by Duane Schuler, 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). American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Spring Season will conclude with eight performances of Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella, beginning Monday evening, June 29, with Hee Seo and Cory Stearns in the leading roles. Set to the score by Sergei Prokofiev, Cinderella features sets and costumes by David Walker. The ballet received its World Premiere by Sadler’s Wells Ballet on December 23, 1948 at London’s Royal Opera House with Moira Shearer as Cinderella, Michael Somes as the Prince, Frederick Ashton and Robert Helpmann as the Stepsisters and Alexander Grant as the Jester. The ballet received its ABT Company Premiere on June 9, 2014 led by Hee Seo (Cinderella) and James Whiteside (The Prince). Cinderella was directed, supervised and staged by Wendy Ellis Somes amd Malin Thoors. ABTKids ABTKids, American Ballet Theatre’s annual one-hour introduction to ballet, is scheduled for Saturday morning, June 13 at 11:30 A.M. All tickets for ABTKids are $25. Subscriptions for American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House, on sale beginning Monday, October 27, are available by phone at 212-362-6000, or online at ABT’s website www.abt.org. (more) ABT SPRING SEASON AT MET ANNOUNCED – Page 8 Othello is generously supported through an endowed gift from Ruth and Harold Newman. This production has been made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts. Les Sylphides has been made possible with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Pillar of Fire is generously sponsored by an endowed gift from Avery and Andrew F. Barth and Carmen Barth in honor of Antony Tudor. Jardin aux Lilas has been generously underwritten by Marjorie S. Isaac. Fancy Free was originally underwritten by a grant from David A. Klein and the Equitable Financial Companies. Fancy Free is underwritten by an endowed gift from Avery and Andy Barth in honor of Laima and Rudolf Barth. ABT gratefully acknowledges Mr. and Mrs. John C. Sites, Jr. for their generous support of Theme and Variations through both an endowed gift and an additional special Leading Sponsor gift for costumes in 2013. Cindy and Chip Murphy are also Leading Sponsors of Theme and Variations. Additional support has been provided by the Lloyd E. Rigler-Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation, Richard S. Ungerleider, M.D., and Rose Ellen and Gerald Greene. American Ballet Theatre's performances of Giselle are generously supported through an endowed gift from Sharon Patrick. La Bayadère is generously sponsored by an endowed gift from Drs. Philip and Marjorie Gerdine. La Bayadère is presented in loving memory of Mrs. Caroline Newhouse. A generous grant from the Rockefeller Foundation has made this production possible. Major funding for this production has been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. American Ballet Theatre's performances of Romeo and Juliet are generously underwritten through an endowed gift from Ali and Monica Wambold. 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. Cinderella is generously supported through an endowed gift from The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund. This production is generously supported through an endowed gift from Monica, Stefano, Cosima, and Tassilo Corsi. This production has been made possible with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. 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.

Press release: INTERMEZZO Dance Company Announces New Executive Director INTERMEZZO Dance Company, a ballet company founded by American Ballet Theatre soloist Craig Salstein, is proud to announce the appointment of the company's new Executive Director, Eric Tamm. Eric Tamm is an ABT colleague of Intermezzo's founder Craig Salstein, and will provide developmental leadership and advocacy for the Company. A native of San Francisco, California, Eric Tamm has danced professionally for American Ballet Theatre since 2004, working with such esteemed choreographers as Alexei Ratmansky, Benjamin Millepied, Christopher Wheeldon, Mark Morris, and Twyla Tharp. In 2004, Eric was named a Chisholm Foundation Scholar and in 2010 was chosen as one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch." He achieved additional recognition by being awarded the 2012 Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Arts. Eric has appeared on NBC's "TODAY" show, as well as in a dancing role in Daren Aronofsky's film Black Swan. "I have danced alongside Eric Tamm for his entire professional career at American Ballet Theatre, watching him grow not only as a dancer but as a person," said Craig Salstein, founder of Intermezzo Dance Company. "His professionalism and his intelligence will be an asset in planning the future for Intermezzo. A task that can be as challenging as learning five new pieces of choreography. It is a complex and humbling journey that exposes strengths and weaknesses. I have no doubt that Eric's talents will strengthen Intermezzo's mission to provide an environment for dancers to dance new works. It gives me great pleasure and comfort to have him as the company's Executive Director." INTERMEZZO Dance Company, founded by ABT soloist Craig Salstein, seeks to create new works in the genre of classical ballet using the music of the great composers as an inspirational springboard. ABOUT CRAIG SALSTEIN Born in Miami, Florida, Craig Salstein began dancing at five years old with Mia Michaels and at age eleven became a student at the Miami City Ballet School. He trained in summer programs at The Joffrey Ballet, the School of American Ballet and at American Ballet Theatre. In 1999 he joined the Miami City Ballet and in 2000 joined American Ballet Theatre's Studio Company. In 2002 he joined the corps de ballet of American Ballet Theatre and was promoted to Soloist in March 2007. Salstein's repertory with the Company includes Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, the first sailor in Fancy Free, the Bronze Idol in La Bayadère, the Champion Roper in Rodeo, Twyla Tharp's In the Upper Room, Paul Taylor's Company B, He created leading roles in Alexi Ratmansky's Symphony #9 and The Nutcracker. In 2010 he choreographed for ABT's "Innovative Initiative." For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/InternezzoDanceCompany.