Robert Joffrey News

Muhlenberg College will showcase world premiere dance works created by five of the region's most accomplished choreographers and two restagings by internationally acclaimed choreographers, in the College's annual 'Master Choreographers' dance concert, tonight, Feb. 7-9.

Ashley C. Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, announces the company's 2013-2014 season, titled "Masters of Dance." The season kicks off with a special addition to the Joffrey's home engagement line-up, a one-weekend-only program titled "Russian Masters" celebrating the centennial of Vaslav Nijinsky's ground-breaking 1913 ballet Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring), along with George Balanchine's Allegro Brilliante and the return of Yuri Possokhov's Bells, September 19 - 22, 2013.

Award winning choreographers Ann Reinking and Melissa Thodos are teaming again to co-choreograph A Light in the Dark, the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan, their second full-length contemporary story ballet, this time telling an intimate family story about the extraordinary woman who was deaf and blind yet went on to become a world-famous writer, political activist and inspiration to all.

Muhlenberg College will showcase world premiere dance works created by five of the region's most accomplished choreographers and two restagings by internationally acclaimed choreographers, in the College's annual 'Master Choreographers' dance concert, Feb. 7-9.

American Masters Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance, premiering nationally tonight, December 28, 2012 at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings), tells the story of the first quintessentially American dance company, the Joffrey Ballet.

Thanks to the efforts of philanthropist and veterans activist, Patricia Kennedy, founder of Step Up 4 Vets, a not for profit organization whose mission is to partner in the transition of our returning veterans as they readjust, redirect and rebuild their civilian lives, 55 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan made up for many missed holidays with an all day family celebration centered around the acclaimed Joffrey Ballet's renowned Nutcracker. 26 years ago, longtime Joffrey Board member & close friend of Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino raised the funds to create the Joffrey's now internationally acclaimed Nutcracker. Scroll below for photos!

American Masters Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance, premiering nationally Friday, December 28, 2012 at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings), tells the story of the first quintessentially American dance company, the Joffrey Ballet.

JOFFREY: MAVERICKS OF AMERICAN DANCE will premiere Friday, December 28, 2012 at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings). Mandy Patenkin narrates this American Masters special. Get a sneak peek below!

It's that time of year. Local theatres are staging all sorts of holiday fare. Tiny Tims, Scrooges, elfs and Santas are traipsing their way across the boards. And true to form, THE NUTCRACKER is marching and dancing.

Goldstar - the leading membership-based web retailer of half-price live entertainment tickets-announces the nominees for the 6th annual Goldstar National Nutcracker Award today.

The Cleveland Orchestra announces its 2012 Holiday Festival, scheduled for tonight, November 29 through December 23. This season's expanded Festival begins with five performances of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker in a collaboration with The Joffrey Ballet at the State Theatre in PlayhouseSquare in downtown Cleveland. Conceived and originally directed in 1987 by Robert Joffrey, with contribution from Gerald Arpino, this production of The Nutcracker includes more than 40 company dancers, 200 brilliant costumes, and larger-than-life scenery. The performances mark the Orchestra's return to performing in downtown Cleveland during the winter season and the first time the Orchestra has ever performed in a full production of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker.

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts has announced the following events for January.

Narrated by Mandy Patinkin (Homeland), the film features interviews with former and current Joffrey dancers, the breakthroughs of choreograpers Twyla Tharp, Laura Dean and Margo Sappington, and rare archival performance footage, including excerpts from signature works Astarte, Trinity, and Billboards (the latter with music by Prince).

After a star-studded opening lineup with more than 125 shows in Reynolds Hall and nearly 250,000 patrons that have walked across the Fior de Pesco marble in the Grand Lobby, The Smith Center is proud to announce the anticipated lineup for the Winter Season running December through February.

The Joffrey Ballet celebrates the 25th Anniversary of Robert Joffrey's The Nutcracker in a 22-performance engagement at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, December 7 - 27, 2012.

The Joffrey Ballet's 2012-2013 season launches this fall with a mixed repertory program titled HUMAN LANDSCAPES, featuring three choreographers exploring principles of the human spirit through dance. The Joffrey brings James Kudelka's critically acclaimed Pretty BALLET back to the stage along with Jiri Kylian's rarely seen work FORGOTTEN LAND. A highlight of the season is the ground-breaking anti-war ballet THE GREEN TABLE, choreographed by Kurt Jooss in the aftermath of World War I. The HUMAN LANDSCAPES program is presented in 10 performances only at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, tonight, October 17 - 28, 2012.