Jeraldine Mendoza

Youth America Grand Prix - the world's largest ballet scholarship competition - will host their Tampa Stars of Today Meet The Stars of Tomorrow Gala on January 6, 2024 at the Straz Center. 

Festival Ballet Theatre presents the return of its critically acclaimed production of The Nutcracker to the Irvine Barclay Theatre, one of Orange County's premiere entertainment venues.

2020 winners of annual Winning Works choreographic competition reimagine their works for the virtual stage; livestream performances on March 25-26 and April 8-9

The Joffrey Ballet has announced that a dynamic video installation featuring members of the company will animate the acclaimed 150 Media Stream public art exhibition at 150 N. Riverside Plaza as the inaugural output of Action Lines, a new production company formed here by a pair of Joffrey Ballet Company Artists, Xavier Núñez and Dylan Gutierrez, and writer and film producer Eric Grant. 

'Tis the season for the popular Christmas-themed ballet THE NUTCRACKER to fill stages around the world offering families the chance to experience the emotionally engaging story of Clara and the dreamlike journey she takes to the Land of Sweets with the Nutcracker as her guide. During the December 7 and 8 weekend, The Soraya's resident dance company, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, perhaps best known for edgy programs featuring the most notable contemporary choreography, kicked off the troupe's fifth Soraya season at Cal State Northridge with something different: the most traditional of story ballets. With Tchaikovsky's original music, this storybook production, choreographed by ASFB executive director Jean-Phillippe Malaty and artistic director Tom Mossbrucker, set THE NUTCRACKER in the Victorian era, beginning with the resplendent holiday party and concluding with the fantastical scenes in the second act centered around a bright and colorful carousel.

Festival Ballet Theatre presents the return of The Nutcracker.  The critically acclaimed production, featuring magnificent colorful sets and dazzling costumes by award-winning designers Simon Pastukh and Galina Solovyeva, has been delighting audiences and critics in Orange County for over 30 years.  The Nutcracker, set to Tchaikovsky's renowned score, opens December 7 with performances through December 24 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet returns to The Soraya this holiday season with three performances of the classic ballet, The Nutcracker, on December 7 & 8. With Tchaikovsky's original music, this storybook production, choreographed by ASFB executive director Jean-Phillippe Malaty and artistic director Tom Mossbrucker, is set in the Victorian era, beginning with the resplendent party and concluding with the fantastical scenes in the second act centered around a bright and colorful carousel.  

Festival Ballet Theatre, Orange County's resident professional ballet company, is pleased to announce its 2019-2020 season. The season starts with The Firebird on October 12 and 13, followed by The Nutcracker from December 7 to 24, Swan Lake on March 21 and 22, concluding with Gala of the Stars in August 2020 (venue to be announced). 

June 29, 2019 Melissa Barak's Ballet Company, Barak Ballet, is becoming a staple at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica. Since 2013, they have been appearing annually and she has continually delivered her talent and creativity to her home town.  A native Santa Monican, she is now one of America's foremost rising female choreographers.  Ms. Barak spent a decade dancing for New York City Ballet and choreographing for the School and Company of American Ballet at age 22. And her tenacity has paid off.

The eagerly anticipated 2018 NYC Final Round and Gala of Youth America Grand Prix were the best I've seen in all my years of covering YAGP. On the evening of April 18th at the David H. Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, the technical prowess as well as the beyond-their-years artistry of the competitors in the Final Round gave credence to YAGP's slogan: “Ensuring the Future of Dance”.

World's largest student ballet scholarship audition - YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX - returns to the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center to host its 2018 finals week in New York City. The week of ballet festivities will include the YAGP Final Round with performances by the world's most talented ballet students on April 18th, and the critically-acclaimed 'Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow' Gala on April 19th.

World's largest student ballet scholarship audition - YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX – returns to the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center to host its 2018 finals week in New York City. The week of ballet festivities will include the YAGP Final Round with performances by the world's most talented ballet students on April 18th, and the critically-acclaimed “Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow” Gala on April 19th.

A story relevant to generations past and present, Shakespeare's cautionary tale of love serves as a modern metaphor for the influence of society over individual freedom. For although the personal journeys of Romeo & Juliet are integral to the tale, this is a love story within a clear social and political context - the collective identity of the group is considered more important than the desires of its citizens, dooming the young lovers from "opposite sides of the tracks" to their tragic end as their personal lives are molded by the hostilities of the previous era. Beginning in the 1930s during a time when a rigid dictatorial system had taken over the country, the Capulet family represents the upper-class conservatives with stiff, militaristic movement, while the Montagues represent the liberal low and middle classes, danced with loose, flowing motions laced with pedestrian naturalism.

Produced by WTTW and the Joffrey Ballet, the documentary Making a New American NUTCRACKER goes behind the scenes to reveal the inspiration for this new Nutcracker and introduces audiences to the creative talents who made it happen. The film is produced by Daniel Andries and narrated by actress Neve Campbell, who was also co-producer, co-writer and star of The Company, Robert Altman's film about the Joffrey Ballet.

Produced by WTTW and the Joffrey Ballet, the documentary Making a New American NUTCRACKER goes behind the scenes to reveal the inspiration for this new Nutcracker and introduces audiences to the creative talents who made it happen. The film is produced by Daniel Andries and narrated by actress Neve Campbell, who was also co-producer, co-writer and star of The Company, Robert Altman's film about the Joffrey Ballet.

The Joyce Theater Foundation, Linda Shelton, Executive Director, announced today casting for the highly-anticipated NYC return of one of the world's most renowned ballet companies, The Joffrey Ballet, including the New York premiere of its critically acclaimed production of Krzysztof Pastor's Romeo & Juliet at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater fromMarch 29 - April 2, with a special gala performance benefiting The Joyce Theater on March 30featuring a mix-billed program including the New York premieres of Yuri Possokhov's Bells andMyles Thatcher's Body of Your Dreams.

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!