ABT Offstage

[nanushka]

1 hour ago, Drew said:

(By the by, I think it would be a mistake to assume that everyone on this site has a problem the #alllivesmatter hashtag--I assume there is some disagreement here as there is elsewhere in the country.)

Certainly, there is disagreement. Implicit in my statement was not "As everyone knows..." but rather "I strongly believe..."

[Dale]

A release:

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE, HUBBARD STREET DANCE CHICAGO AND ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER JOIN TOGETHER FOR COMPANY CLASS, TUESDAY, JUNE 2 and THURSDAY, JUNE 4 at 12 Noon ET

CLASSES TO STREAM LIVE ON FACEBOOK LIVE AND INSTAGRAM

ABT BALLET MASTER CARLOS LOPEZ AND HUBBARD STREET DANCE CHICAGO ARTISTIC DIRECTOR GLENN EDGERTON TO LEAD CLASSES

Dancers from American Ballet Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will come together for two virtual company classes on Tuesday, June 2 and Thursday, June 4. Each hour and a half class, beginning at 12 Noon ET, will stream on Facebook Live and Instagram @ABTOfficial. Classes will include both ballet barre and center work. The first class on June 2 will be conducted by ABT Ballet Master Carlos Lopez. Lopez launched a virtual ABT Company Class on March 14 of this year and has held more than 35 classes thus far, with additional classes taught by ABT colleagues and alumni. The class will be accompanied by
pianist Michael Scales.

Glenn Edgerton, artistic director of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, will teach the Thursday, June 4 class. The class will beaccompanied by pianist Michael Roberts. “A silver lining from the pandemic has been to connect with other great artists,” said Edgerton. “It’s ironic as we are socially distancing locally, we are virtually connecting around the world like never before. The camaraderie and the energy of sharing our common passion of dance has given us solace.”

“What a wonderful opportunity for dancers from these three companies to come together, share and learn from one another,” said Kevin McKenzie, ABT Artistic Director. “Participating in daily class reminds us of our common needs and basic connections.”

For more information on American Ballet Theatre’s digital offerings, please visit www.abt.org/abtoffstage.

[Dale]

New blog:

 

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE LAUNCHES SIDEBARRE,
A WEEKLY BLOG SERIES FEATURING A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT THE ABT COMMUNITY

SideBarre, a weekly blog series featured on www.abt.org/blog/sidebarre/, takes readers on a journey of ABT behind-the-scenes with posts from ABT dancers and conductors, staff and production crew. SideBarre offers insights from a cross-section of the Company. Check in each week to hear from members of the artistic, education, music, make-up and wardrobe departments about their careers, mentors and memorable moments.

“ABT SideBarre is a window to discover the extraordinary individuals who work behind the scenes at ABT, as well as to discover new dimensions of the performers we all admire on stage,” said Executive Director Kara Medoff Barnett. “During the pandemic, with live performances on pause, we have asked ABT talent to reflect and share their stories. We invite you to enjoy these thoughtful essays and to revisit the SideBarre frequently!”

For more information on ABT or to donate to the ABT Crisis Relief Fund, please visit www.abt.org.

[Dale]

All you Center Stage fans:

 

CAST OF CENTER STAGE
INCLUDING ZOE SALDANA, AMANDA SCHULL,
SASCHA RADETSKY AND ETHAN STIEFEL
REUNITES TO RAISE FUNDS FOR ARTISTS DURING THE PANDEMIC

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE PRESENTS “UP CLOSE AND CENTER STAGE” SEPTEMBER 1 AT 7:30PM EDT ON YOUTUBE

NEW YORK, NEW YORK and CULVER CITY, CALIF. (August 25, 2020) – Stars of the cult classic film CENTER STAGE, including Zoe Saldana, Amanda Schull, Sascha Radetsky and Ethan Stiefel, will come together on Tuesday, September 1 for a virtual fundraiser in support of the ABT Crisis Relief Fund, which provides aid for dancers, production crew, musicians, ballet staff and faculty impacted by canceled tour engagements due to COVID-19. During the pre-recorded reunion, moderated by “CNN Newsroom” anchor Poppy Harlow, the actors will look back at the making of the film that spawned two sequels and helped bring the ballet world into the pop culture spotlight.

The reunion will premiere simultaneously on American Ballet Theatre and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment YouTube channels at 7:30pm EDT. Viewers on both channels will be able to use YouTube’s integrated fundraising capabilities to donate to the ABT Crisis Relief Fund.

   

American Ballet Theatre will also host a ticketed pre-event reception via Zoom, beginning at 6:15pm EDT. Moderated by ABT dancer Erica Lall and ABT Accelerator Co-Chair and Gagosian Gallery Director Sarah Hoover, the reception will feature an exclusive conversation with Sascha Radetsky, former ABT Soloist and Artistic Director of ABT Studio Company, Ethan Stiefel, former ABT Principal Dancer and current faculty member, and Amanda Schull. Tickets, benefitting the ABT Crisis Relief Fund, will start at $150. For more information, please email specialevents@abt.org.

Center Stage, which celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this year, follows a group of ballet students in the competitive world of professional dance where they must devote themselves to their art with the rigor of Olympic athletes. While experiencing the joys, sorrows and conflicts of youth, they vie for a place in a prestigious ballet company and strive to take center stage. Sony Pictures Television recently announced that a series based on the film is currently in development from Sweet/Vicious creator Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Lawrence Mark, producer of the 2000 movie and its two sequels, and Temple Hill Entertainment. Center Stage is available now on disc and digital.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
American Ballet Theatre: https://www.abt.org/
ABT YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHWzHQb-KlMeAU9t2uANQhA Sony Pictures Home Entertainment YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqH2YMSzMaGN92Vc3VkhWnQ

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html.

[California]

Instagram video of Bell & Hurlin performing Spring Waters outdoors at the Kaatsbaan Festival. They nail the torch lift, which bodes well for Ratmansky's Nutcracker some day. I've been surprised that more performers haven't used outdoor venues like this during the pandemic. MacKenzie and van Hamel are in the audience.

 

[pherank]

8 hours ago, California said:

Instagram video of Bell & Hurlin performing Spring Waters outdoors at the Kaatsbaan Festival. They nail the torch lift, which bodes well for Ratmansky's Nutcracker some day. I've been surprised that more performers haven't used outdoor venues like this during the pandemic. MacKenzie and van Hamel are in the audience.

I wonder how much those platform stages cost to rent? Can't be too inexpensive, and then there's the licensing fees to secure the outdoor space for a certain period. Where I live it's now *only* 104 degrees Fahrenheit and the smoke from the nearby fires are putting a damper on the Labor Day weekend. Not much dancing going on here.

[lmspear]

12 hours ago, pherank said:

I wonder how much those platform stages cost to rent? Can't be too inexpensive, and then there's the licensing fees to secure the outdoor space for a certain period.

Luckily, the stage is located on the Kaatsbaan campus.  

[kbarber]

14 hours ago, pherank said:

I wonder how much those platform stages cost to rent? Can't be too inexpensive, and then there's the licensing fees to secure the outdoor space for a certain period.

The Festival des Arts de Saint Sauveur uses a platform stage and they are VERY noisy whenever anyone lands a jump. Also if the venue doesn't have raked seating the sight lines are terrible.

[Dale]

Book launch:

 

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE PRESENTS

ABTKIDS 2020:
B IS FOR BALLET SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24 AT 11:00AM,

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN’S BOOKS JENNIFER GARNER TO NARRATE ANNUAL PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN

American Ballet Theatre’s newly released children’s book B Is for Ballet: A Dance Alphabet will leap from its pages to screens across the world with a special digital version of ABTKids, Saturday, October 24 at 11:00am. This 30-minute family-friendly program, streamed for free on ABT’s YouTube Channel, will feature footage from celebrated ABT performances, as well as newly recorded segments featuring ABT dancers. ABTKids 2020: B Is for Ballet is designed to take children on an alphabet journey through the magical world of ballet.

The 2020 ABTKids program, presented in partnership with Random House Children’s Books, will include appearances by ABT dancers Herman Cornejo, Courtney Lavine, Lauren Post, Cory Stearns, and Devon Teuscher, as well as students from the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. ABTKids will be narrated by actor, entrepreneur, and early childhood activist Jennifer Garner.

ABTKids will be distributed to ABT partner organizations including Children’s Museum of Manhattan, Keen NYC, The Fresh Air Fund, Harlem School of the Arts, Lincoln Center’s Passport to the Arts, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital, and all New York City Department of Education public school dance teachers, free of charge, along with a suite of ballet-themed activities, games, and educational tools created by ABT’s Education staff and Teaching Artists.

ABTKids is generously underwritten by Bloomberg Philanthropies and produced by Matador Content. Executive Producers for ABTKids include Kara and Dov Barnett, Vicki and Lloyd Goldman, Jennifer and David Millstone, and Nancy Walker. Backers for ABTKids include Aditi Davray and Neil Barve, Robyn and Paul Goldschmid, and Elizabeth and Reynold Levy.

B Is for Ballet, the children’s picture book, written by John Robert Allman and illustrated by Rachael Dean, is published by Doubleday Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books. An Unlikely Story Bookstore & Café of Plainville, MA, the bookstore partner of ABTKids, will co-livestream this virtual event. Fans can purchase B Is for Ballet through the bookstore.

For sponsor packages, unique VIP experiences and special activities for children and families, please contact ABT Special Events at specialevents@abt.org.

B IS FOR BALLET: A DANCE ALPHABET

By John Robert Allman; Illustrated by Rachael Dean
Doubleday Books for Young Readers | On Sale September 22, 2020 | Ages 3–7 Hardcover: 978-0-593-18094-5 | $18.99 | $24.99 Can. | 48 pages Ebook: 978-0-593-18096-9 | $11.99 | $11.99 Can.

Doubleday Books for Young Readers is an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, the world’s largest English-language children’s trade book publisher. Random House Children’s Books is a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

[Dale]

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE WHIPS UP A DIGITAL COOKBOOK

ABT KITCHEN FEATURES 65 RECIPES FROM THE ABT COMMUNITY WITH ARTWORK BY JAVIER RIVET

“I enjoy meeting the many talented dancers and musicians at my restaurant across from Lincoln

Center. This beautifully illustrated cookbook is a playful peek into the American Ballet Theatre family’s love for food. There is humor, passion, and devotion to the art of dancing and cooking.” –Daniel Boulud, Chef & Restaurateur

 

 

American Ballet Theatre is taking technique from the barre to the kitchen with its first-ever digital cookbook, ABT Kitchen. A creative compilation from contributors across the organization,
ABT Kitchen includes 65 personal recipes from ABT dancers, musicians, and staff. With illustrations by ABT dancer and artist Javier Rivet, this digital cookbook is a feast for eyes and appetites. Beginning Monday, December 7, ABT Kitchen is available for purchase for $15 on ABT’s website.

Cooked up while members of the Company quarantined in their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ABT Kitchen showcases recipes alongside personal anecdotes and ABT memories from performers and behind-the-scenes staff and crew. With chapters including Warm-Up (Breakfast), Overture (Appetizers), Act I (Soups and Pastas), Act II (Entrees), and Curtain Call (Desserts),
ABT Kitchen evokes a night at the ballet with each course. Foodies and balletomanes alike will delight in dishes such as “Pirouette Pumpkin Muffins” by Executive Director Kara Medoff Barnett, “Cindy’s Carbonara” from Principal Dancer Isabella Boylston, “Puttanesca à la Pierrot” by corps de ballet dancer Connor Holloway, and “Adagio Braised Short Ribs” by Principal Dancer Hee Seo.

ABT Kitchen is brought to life by Javier Rivet’s custom artwork. Rivet, a member of ABT’s corps de ballet since 2018, created eight original, food-inspired illustrations and several ballet motifs that capture the creativity in both cooking and dance.

With eye-catching designs and mouth-watering meals, ABT Kitchen will add color and joy to any chef’s virtual bookshelf and will brighten the holiday season. For more information and to purchase
ABT Kitchen, please visit www.abt.org/abt-kitchen/. A gifting option is available. All proceeds benefit American Ballet Theatre.

 

 

[Dale]

A good thing:

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE TO HOST
ABT RISE WEEKEND WORKSHOPS, APRIL 10 AND 11, 2021

VIRTUAL TWO-DAY WORKSHOP OPEN TO 2ND AND 3RD GRADE PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN ACROSS AMERICA

ABT RISE Weekend Workshop, February 2020. Photo: Dennis Walters.

In keeping with its commitment to fostering inclusion and increasing diversity in ballet, American Ballet Theatre will host ABT RISE Weekend Workshop, April 10 and 11, 2021, a series of dance classes for 2nd and 3rd grade students across the United States, offered free of charge. The two-day weekend workshop, conducted virtually and taught by ABT dancers, faculty, and teaching artists, will introduce children to classical ballet and offer classes in character dance, jazz, modern, acting, and mime. Students will also have a special opportunity to learn an excerpt from ABT’s expansive repertory and participate in a “Meet the Artist” discussion with an ABT dancer.

ABT RISE Workshops thrive on the support and participation of ABT Company dancers who serve as ABT RISE Ambassadors. “I am honored to be an ABT RISE Ambassador and to share my passion

(more)

ABT RISE WEEKEND WORKSHOPS 2021 – Page 2

for classical ballet with future generations of dancers and ballet lovers,” said ABT dancer Courtney Lavine. “Our goal is to provide a ‘day in the life experience,’ while showing the students that ballet is for everyone.”

ABT RISE Workshops provide access to training for students from populations historically underrepresented in classical ballet. Eligibility is limited to 2nd and 3rd grade students in the United States, with a goal of enrolling students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The
April 10 and 11 workshops will be held from 1:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. ET. Commitment for the entirety of the weekend is required and space is limited.

ABT RISE, Representation and Inclusion Sustain Excellence, is a reinvigorated institutional commitment to increasing diversity throughout American Ballet Theatre. Through initiatives existing and growing under the ABT RISE umbrella, ABT will champion, enhance, and support inclusion and diversity on its stages, in the studios and classrooms where ABT operates, behind the scenes in ABT’s administrative staff and creative teams, as well as in the audiences and communities ABT serves in
New York City and around the world.

To apply for the ABT RISE Weekend Workshop, please click here. Applications must be received by March 11, 2021 to be considered. For more information, please email schoolprograms@abt.org.

American Ballet Theatre recognizes with deepest gratitude the dedication and dynamism of the ABT RISE Advisory Council, co-chaired by ABT Trustees David Rabkin and Shari Siadat. The Council's championship of ABT RISE strengthens all our DEI initiatives.

ABT Trustee Education and Training Committee guides with bold and steadfast engagement, advancing excellence in all our dancer training and education endeavors: Co-Chairs Carrie Gaiser Casey and Karen C. Phillips; Members Amy R. Churgin, Susan Feinstein, Suzanne Hall, Christian Keesee, Paula Mahoney, Nancy McCormick, Kara Moore, and Shari Siadat.

ABT RISE is growing and expanding thanks to the generosity of numerous individuals, foundations, and corporations who help make possible ABT's Education and Community Engagement programs. Major support provided by:
The Hearst Foundation Inc., The Hope Foundation, Dmitri Potishko and Heidi Ho, Marguerite D'Aloia, and
The Harkness Foundation for Dance, Inc.

ABT’s Choreographic Innovation and Inspiration and Inclusion programs are generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation.

Special thanks to Denise Littlefield Sobel for her leadership gifts to: ABT's Media Fund, advancing the Company's digital endeavors; and ABT RISE, fueling the Company's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.