George Balanchine News

KANSAS CITY, MO (Aug. 5, 2014) — Kansas City Ballet will present the 4th Annual KC Dance Day at the Todd Bolender Center for Dance & Creativity on Saturday, Aug. 23rd from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The full day will feature FREE dance performances, classes, demonstrations, giveaways and FUN for the whole family.

New York City Ballet's annual Fall Gala will once again celebrate ballet and fashion with a program that will include three world premiere ballets by Justin Peck, Liam Scarlett, and Troy Schumacher, as well as existing works by Peter Martins and Christopher Wheeldon, all featuring costumes designed by an international roster of some of the fashion world's most renowned talents: Thom Browne, Sarah Burton, Valentino Garavani, Carolina Herrera, and Mary Katrantzou. The one- time-only gala evening will take place on Tuesday, September 23, 2014, opening New York City Ballet's four-week Fall Season at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.

New York City Ballet's annual Fall Gala will once again celebrate ballet and fashion with a program that will include three world premiere ballets by Justin Peck, Liam Scarlett, and Troy Schumacher, as well as existing works by Peter Martins and Christopher Wheeldon, all featuring costumes designed by an international roster of some of the fashion world's most renowned talents: Thom Browne, Sarah Burton, Valentino Garavani, Carolina Herrera, and Mary Katrantzou. The one- time-only gala evening will take place on Tuesday, September 23, 2014, opening New York City Ballet's four-week Fall Season at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.

Denver's Wonderbound is gaining national attention this October as Artistic Director Garrett Ammon's "Serenade for Strings" premieres with San Francisco's Smuin Ballet. In addition, the work will be a part of Wonderbound's season opening production of "Enduring Grace" with musicians of the Colorado Symphony. "Enduring Grace" also features a world premiere work by Company Artist Sarah Tallman.

Pacific Northwest Ballet raises the velvet curtain on its 2014-2015 season with George Balanchine's Jewels. Costumed in emerald green, ruby red and luminous white, the trio of gems in Jewels pays tribute to golden ages of music and dance. Evoking the birthplace of Romantic ballet, Emeralds' graceful clouds of tulle whisper French courtesy, fashion, and fragrance. A sassy, jazzy collaboration with composer Igor Stravinsky, Rubies mirrors the carefree spontaneity of America, Balanchine's beloved adopted country. The splendor of Diamonds recalls the great choreographer's heritage, so that "if the entre Imperial Russian inheritance of ballet were lost, Diamonds would still tell us of its essence" (Mary Clarke and Clement Crisp). Jewels runs from September 26 through October 5 at Seattle Center's Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets and more information are available through the PNB Box Office, 301 Mercer Street at Seattle Center, 206.441.2424, or online at PNB.org.

Pacific Northwest Ballet opens its Box Office for 2014-2015 ticket sales on Monday, July 21. As is its tradition, PNB is offering a special money-saving deal for early-bird ticket-buyers, to celebrate the company's 42nd season: Pay no service fees on tickets purchased thru July 31.* Tickets (as well as money-saving subscriptions) may be purchased either by phone (206.441.2424), online (PNB.org) or in person at the PNB Box Office, 301 Mercer Street at Seattle Center.

Princeton Ballet School's Summer Intensive Program will be hosting several guest teachers this year, including New York City Ballet dancer Unity Phelan. Phelan originally trained at Princeton Ballet School from 2000 to 2009, and then continued her training at the School of American Ballet, the official training academy of New York City Ballet. She became an apprentice of the company in December of 2012, and joined New York City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in November of 2013.

American Repertory Ballet has named Vanessa Logan as its new Executive Director. Logan joins ARB from Boston Ballet, where she most recently served as Chief of Staff.

April 26, 2014 marks the 450th anniversary of William Shakespeare's birth. In honor of this milestone in world culture, Houston Ballet will present dance interpretations of great Shakespearean works by choreographers from three continents: a lavish new production of Romeo and Juliet by Stanton Welch; the company premiere of John Neumeier's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and a revival of John Cranko's The Taming of the Shrew.

Single tickets went on sale today for Colorado Ballet's 54th season, which will include A Midsummer Night's Dream,Dracula, The Nutcracker and Ballet MasterWorks at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House and Peter and the Wolf at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts.

Daniel Ulbricht/BALLET 2014 offers an exclusive opportunity for audiences to experience some of today's most remarkable ballet dancers in the intimate Ted Shawn Theatre at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, July 16-20. New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Daniel Ulbricht directs and performs with a select ensemble of top stars including Tyler Angle, Craig Hall, Robert Fairchild, Russell Janzen, Emily Kikta, Rebecca Krohn, Tiler Peck, Georgina Pazcoguin, and Teresa Reichlen. The program is equally impressive, including Christopher Wheeldon's Liturgy, danced to Arvo Pärt's ”Fratres;” Two Hearts, a collaboration between Benjamin Millepied and composer Nico Muhly; Furiant, created by NYCB Soloist Justin Peck; Sunshine, a solo for Ulbricht by Larry Keigwin; the world premiere of Opus 19. Andante, a duet by critically acclaimed young choreographer Emery LeCrone; and the classic Fancy Free, the first ballet created by Jerome Robbins and Leonard Bernstein in 1944, which subsequently inspired the full-length musical On the Town. Cast subject to change.

The Kansas City Ballet calendar for the 57th season will be filled with Kansas City premieres, the presentation of The Nutcracker at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and other exciting and diverse events at the Bolender Center for Dance & Creativity. Single tickets for the 2014-15 season will be available to the public on Monday, August 18 at 9 a.m. Tickets for The Nutcracker will be available to the public on Monday, Sept. 8 at 9 a.m. Purchase tickets online at www.kcballet.orgor through the Kansas City Ballet ticket office 816.931.2232.

For those who didn't have the opportunity to meet the cast of the award-winning Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company's "Zorro!" at the opening night after-show party at the Washington Inn on July 23, another chance is to be had on Friday, August 1 at an after-show Q&A. It's a wonderful opportunity for patrons to ask actors, director, and technical team such questions as "why do they do what they do?" and "how do they do it?"

If I ever become famous-the odds are against me--but if I do, I want Patricia Ward Kelly to give a talk about me. Bright, articulate, witty, insightful, eloquent, compassionate, she spoke about her late husband, the very famous Gene Kelly, for over two and a half with not an 'uh, er or' to be heard. Yes, it's entertainment, but it's much more: professional speaking of the highest caliber. To say that I was impressed is an understatement. I wanted to hand her a prize. I'll zing to the point: Patricia Ward Kelly, you were superb. I can't think of a higher compliment.

Princeton Ballet School's Summer Intensive Program will be hosting several guest teachers this year, including New York City Ballet dancer Unity Phelan. Phelan originally trained at Princeton Ballet School from 2000 to 2009, and then continued her training at the School of American Ballet, the official training academy of New York City Ballet. She became an apprentice of the company in December of 2012, and joined New York City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in November of 2013.

Daniel Ulbricht/BALLET 2014 offers an exclusive opportunity for audiences to experience some of today's most remarkable ballet dancers in the intimate Ted Shawn Theatre at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, July 16-20. New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Daniel Ulbricht directs and performs with a select ensemble of top stars including Tyler Angle, Craig Hall, Robert Fairchild, Russell Janzen, Emily Kikta, Rebecca Krohn, Tiler Peck, Georgina Pazcoguin, and Teresa Reichlen.

The award-winning Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company's next production is a swashbuckler: the world premiere of 'Zorro!' based on Johnston McCulley's 'The Curse of Capistrano' (1919) adapted by James Rana. Spanish for 'fox,' Zorro fought the oppressive colonial government in Spanish California with a quick sword and wit. Wearing a mask, he kept his identity secret, even to the woman he loved. In 1939, Bob Kane and Bill Finger gave credit to McCulley's masked avenger, with his dual identity, as their inspiration for 'Batman.' Like Bruce Wayne and Batman, Don Diego and Zorro are never seen together at the same time.

Daniel Ulbricht/BALLET 2014 offers an exclusive opportunity for audiences to experience some of today's most remarkable ballet dancers in the intimate Ted Shawn Theatre at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, July 16-20. New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Daniel Ulbricht directs and performs with a select ensemble of top stars including Tyler Angle, Craig Hall, Robert Fairchild, Russell Janzen, Emily Kikta, Rebecca Krohn, Tiler Peck, Georgina Pazcoguin, and Teresa Reichlen. The program is equally impressive, including Christopher Wheeldon's Liturgy, danced to Arvo Pärt's ”Fratres;” Two Hearts, a collaboration between Benjamin Millepied and composer Nico Muhly; Furiant, created by NYCB Soloist Justin Peck; Sunshine, a solo for Ulbricht by Larry Keigwin; the world premiere of Opus 19. Andante, a duet by critically acclaimed young choreographer Emery LeCrone; and the classic Fancy Free, the first ballet created by Jerome Robbins and Leonard Bernstein in 1944, which subsequently inspired the full-length musical On the Town. Cast subject to change.

On June 23, 2014, many young dancers started summer dance programs with Princeton Ballet School at its Cranbury studio and on campus at Princeton University. These programs are known as Summer Intensive Intermediates and Summer Intensive Juniors. They are divisions of Princeton Ballet School's Summer Intensive, a nationally recognized program in its 32nd year.

This summer, it's 'almost like being in love!' Goodman Theatre produces the first large-scale, professional revival of Brigadoon -- Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick's Loewe's legendary musical of Broadway's Golden Age -- in more than three decades. Under director/choreographer Rachel Rockwell, a company of 28 actors, dancers and singers breathe new life into the enchanting tale of an 18th century Scottish village that appears every century for one day only -- and the complications that arise when it's discovered by two 20th century Americans. With adapter Brian Hill, Rockwell revisits the libretto for this production, while music director Roberta Duchak and an orchestra of 13 use new orchestrations to enhance Loewe's lilting score.