Abi Stafford News

Dances Patrelle presents The Yorkville Nutcracker from December 6-9, 2018 at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, E. 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, NYC. Performances: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7pm; Saturday at 2pm; and Sunday at 12pm and 5pm. Tickets are $65 (extended family, group, student and senior discounts available) and will be available on October 22 at www.dancespatrelle.org, by phone at 212-772-4448, or in person at The Kaye Playhouse Box Office.

Dances Patrelle presents The Yorkville Nutcracker from December 6-9, 2018 at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, E. 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, NYC. Performances: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7pm; Saturday at 2pm; and Sunday at 12pm and 5pm. Tickets are $65 (extended family, group, student and senior discounts available) and will be available on October 22 at www.dancespatrelle.org, by phone at 212-772-4448, or in person at The Kaye Playhouse Box Office.

Dances Patrelle presents The Yorkville Nutcracker from December 6-9, 2018 at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, E. 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, NYC. Performances: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7pm; Saturday at 2pm; and Sunday at 12pm and 5pm. Tickets are $65 (extended family, group, student and senior discounts available) and will be available on October 22 at www.dancespatrelle.org, by phone at 212-772-4448, or in person at The Kaye Playhouse Box Office.

Dances Patrelle announces young dancer auditions forThe Yorkville Nutcracker. Auditions will be held on Saturday, September 15, 2018 and Sunday, September 16, 2018 at Ballet Academy East, 1651 Third Avenue, NYC.

After all the official Fordham commencement ceremonies had been completed, a very special graduation event took place on the stage of the David Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on May 26. A group of six dancers from the New York City Ballet received their diplomas from Anthony Davidson, Ph.D., dean of the School of Professional and Continuing Studies.

Francis Patrelle (Artistic Director/Resident Choreographer) founded Dances Patrelle in 1988 as an outlet for his choreography. Patrelle engages professional dancers and, for The Yorkville Nutcracker, he invites students of Ballet Academy East to dance many of the roles, as Nutcracker productions traditionally use children and young dancers for a large number of roles. This year marks the 22nd anniversary of Dances Patrelle's The Yorkville Nutcracker, which I saw on December 8, 2017.

Peter Martins' production of the full-length 'Swan Lake' has always been something of a curiosity to me. So many associate the ballet with intense dramatic overtones, or, in New York City Ballet's one act Balanchine version, with poetic musings, that when we see this version we are puzzled. Yes, the dancers look great, but what else is there? And a 'Swan Lake' that leaves you feeling empty and hollow is not a 'Swan Lake' at all.

Dances Patrelle presents The Yorkville Nutcracker from December 7-10, 2017 at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, E. 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, NYC. Performances: Thursday, Friday and Saturdayat 7pm; Saturday at 2pm; and Sunday at 12pm and 5pm. Tickets are $65 (extended family, group, student and senior discounts available) and are available at www.dancespatrelle.org, by phone at 212-772-4448, or in person at The Kaye Playhouse Box Office.

Dances Patrelle announces student auditions for The Yorkville Nutcracker.

With the holidays right around the corner, many folks are making their way to the theater to see a Nutcracker performance- which has become a favorite holiday tradition, bringing families together for an intergenerational event. This season is no different. On the evening of Friday, December 9th, I had the opportunity to see Dances Patrelle present The Yorkville Nutcracker at The Kaye Playhouse located on the campus of Hunter College. Special guests included Abi Stafford, Craig Hall, Maximilien Baud, and Therese Wendler of New York City Ballet. In addition to all this, students from the city's prestigious schools such as Alvin Ailey, Ballet Hispanico, JKO School at ABT, and the New York Theatre Ballet School to name a few, participated to make this a must-see production.

Dances Patrelle presents The Yorkville Nutcracker from December 8-11, 2016 at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, E. 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, NYC.

Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance will have some distinguished company this year as it celebrates its 50th Nutcracker at the Playhouse on Rodney Square on December 3rd and 4th.  Governor Jack Markell and First Lady Carla Markell will be appearing in the Today matinee show at 2pm to help kick off the anniversary performance.  

Dances Patrelle presents The Yorkville Nutcracker from December 8-11, 2016 at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, E. 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, NYC.

Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance will have some distinguished company this year as it celebrates its 50th Nutcracker at the Playhouse on Rodney Square on December 3rd and 4th.  Governor Jack Markell and First Lady Carla Markell will be appearing in the Saturday matinee show at 2pm to help kick off the anniversary performance.  

Jewels, choreographed by George Balanchine, performed on Friday September 30, 2016 at The Koch Theater was a wonderful beginning to the weekend. This ballet is a truly priceless gem in the repertoire of the New York City Ballet. The three-act storyless ballet is quite distinctive with its style and music.

Dances Patrelle presents The Yorkville Nutcracker from December 8-11, 2016 at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, E. 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, NYC.

Dances Patrelle presents THE YORKVILLE NUTCRACKER this weekend, December 10-13, 2015 at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, E. 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, NYC.