Wendy Whelan, Matthew Rushing, Angel Corella join Damian Woetzel In STUDIO 5 AT CITY CENTER Series

New York City Center will present "Studio 5 at City Center," a new series of informal conversations with some of today's most compelling figures in the dance world, curated and hosted by Damian Woetzel. The new interactive series is designed to take the audience beyond the proscenium into the world of dance, and will include demonstrations by the featured artist and their respective colleagues. The Studio 5 at City Center series begins Monday, October 26 with a look at the career of ballerina and muse Wendy Whelan, and will be followed by evenings with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater star Matthew Rushing and acclaimed Spanish ballet dancer and director Angel Corella. Studio 5 events will be held in the City Center Studios, 130 W. 56th Street, 5th floor.

The Studio 5 at City Center schedule is as follows:

Monday, October 26, 2009 at 6:30 pm

Wendy Whelan

This presentation examines the ongoing career of one the world's most celebrated ballerinas, Wendy Whelan, principal dancer with New York City Ballet and Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company. The program will feature Ms. Whelan and special guests demonstrating and discussing excerpts from her prodigious repertory.

Monday, December 14, 2009 at 6:30 pm

Matthew Rushing

Matthew Rushing, distinguished dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, is revered by audiences worldwide for his compelling performances. Mr. Rushing will demonstrate and discuss his roles, joined by guests from AAADT.

Monday, March 15, 2010 at 6:30 pm

Angel Corella

Angel Corella, founder of Spain's first national classical ballet company, Corella Ballet Castilla y León and principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, will discuss his vision for his company in advance of Corella Ballet's U.S. debut at City Center. Demonstrations and in-studio performances by company members and Mr. Corella himself will highlight this acclaimed artist and his dynamic new company.

Damian Woetzel is a producer and director of dance and music performances. He is the Artistic Director of the Vail International Dance Festival, and a producer of arts/science events for the World Science Festival in New York City. He was a principal dancer at New York City Ballet from 1989 until June of 2008, where he originated roles in ballets by Jerome Robbins, Eliot Feld, Christopher Wheeldon and Twyla Tharp among others. He has choreographed a number of ballets for New York City Ballet and other companies. He holds a Master in Public Administration Degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and in the fall of 2007, he was appointed to the new Harvard Task Force on the Arts. Mr. Woetzel serves on the Board of New York City Center.

Studio 5 at City Center is generously supported by Barbara and David Zalaznick and the New York City Center Dance Council.

NEW YORK City Center has long been known and beloved by New York audiences not only as one of the City's preeminent performing arts institutions but also as an accessible and welcoming venue for dance and theater. New York City Center produces the Tony-honored Encores! musical theater series, and is home to some of the country's leading dance companies, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, Paul Taylor Dance Company and Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company, as well as Manhattan Theatre Club, one of New York's leading theater companies. Continuing to fulfill its mission to make the arts accessible to the broadest possible audience, in 2004 City Center launched the acclaimed Fall for Dance Festival. In 2006, City Center formed a partnership with London's Sadler's Wells Theatre to facilitate the exchange of innovative dance works. In 2007, City Center introduced the Encores! Summer Stars series with the critically acclaimed production of Gypsy, which was followed by the 2008 hit, Damn Yankees and The Wiz in 2009.

Studio 5 events take place in the City Center Studios, 130 W. 56th Street. Tickets are $15 and go on sale on Tuesday, September 8. Tickets can be purchased by calling CityTix® at 212-581-1212, online at www.nycitycenter.org or at the City Center Box Office, (West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues). All events are at 6:30 pm.

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