American Ballet Theatre News

American Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker will return to the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House for 13 performances beginning Friday, December 12, 2014 for its final New York season, it was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. Tickets go on sale Monday, August 18 online, by phone and at the BAM box office.

The exclusive season of the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) is almost here, running from 28 August to 7 September 2014.

Misty Copeland, the rising American Ballet Theatre soloist, may not yet have been officially promoted to principal dancer, but her command of the stage attracts the full attention of the audience, as would any prima ballerina. Whether dancing principal or soloist roles, her strong technique and charismatic personality bring fresh air and excitement to both classical and contemporary ballets. Few dancers these days make me smile and spurt superlatives whenever I see them perform.

Producers Howard & Janet Kagan have announced that Jackie Hoffman will join the upcoming Broadway revival of ON THE TOWN as "Madame Dilly." Directed by John Rando (Tony Award for Urinetown) and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse (Emmy Award winner for 'Smash') ON THE TOWN is set to begin previews on Saturday, September 20, 2014 and officially opens on Thursday, October 16, 2014 at Broadway's Lyric Theatre (213 W 42nd St, New York, NY 10036). Tickets for the new Broadway revival of ON THE TOWN are on sale now and available at Ticketmaster.com.

New York City Center's 11th annual Fall for Dance Festival will feature free performances in Central Park and 24 acclaimed dance companies and artists from around the world, in six unique programs in September and October 2014.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) has confirmed that due a schedule conflict resulting from participation in an upcoming Broadway production, Mandy Patinkin has withdrawn from his engagement with the Orchestra, slated for January 22 at The Music Center at Strathmore and January 23-25, 2015 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. In his place, the BSO welcomes actor Jason Alexander, best known for his portrayal as George Costanza on the hit series 'Seinfeld,' in addition to his lengthy Broadway career. BSO Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly will conduct the program, featuring music and humor as Alexander reminisces about his remarkable and versatile career on the stage and screen, and performs songs from several Broadway favorites, including Music Man, Pippin and Merrily We Roll Along.

White Witch, a new contemporary American opera, will have its world premiere in October 2014 in New York City. The work, with music by Brian Schober and libretto by Joan Ross Sorkin, is a one-act monodrama for voice and percussion

'America's not used to seeing a black face in this particular art form,' says 16-year-old Naazir Muhammad about ballet. He should know. He and his twin brother, Shaakir, both practice ballet at the American Ballet Theatre School in New York. Both are aware that ballet is expected to have a certain face. The Dance Theatre of Harlem defies these expectations. Because of this, the company is special in two ways. It is innovative and radical in existing as well as being innovative and radical in dance. Aretha Franklin en point? You never.

The Hartt School Community Division (HCD) presents the ballet Don Quixote, staged by guest director Angel Corella, today, July 26, at 7:30 p.m. The performance will take place in Millard Auditorium on the University of Hartford campus, 200 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford. Please call the University Box Office at 860.768.4228 or 800.274.8587, or visit hcd.hartford.edu, to purchase tickets. Admission is $10. University of Hartford discount rates are not available for this production. Group rates may be available to organizations. Contact Amanda Kilpatrick, Hartt Community Division Dance Department, at 860.768.6000, for more group rate information.

One of Bollywood's brightest stars, Australian born Pallavi Sharda will add a touch of Bollywood glamour to the opening night of Stanton Welch's La Bayadère when she joins Melbourne's glitterati for its Australian première this August.

Ok, after our Celebrity Guest-Recapper Natalie Weiss was absolutely on fire last week, I figured I had to step up my game tonight. So, as I did last year, I will be live updating tonight's Top-16 Episode of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. So, after every routine hit refresh, and I will have details and my Mini-Review for each.

Fire Island Dance Festival celebrated its 20th anniversary edition July 18-20, 2014, with artistry, gravity-defying movement, romance and remembrance, raising a record-shattering $533,860 for Dancers Responding to AIDS, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Scroll down for photos of some of the weekend's highlighted performances and of co-hosts Jerry Mitchell and Larry Keigwin!

Fire Island Dance Festival celebrated its 20th anniversary edition July 18-20, 2014, with artistry, gravity-defying movement, romance and remembrance, raising a record-shattering $533,860 for Dancers Responding to AIDS, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

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.

Critically acclaimed choreographers Larry Keigwin and Jerry Mitchell will host the 20th Anniversary of Fire Island Dance Festival (#fidance), the most anticipated cultural event of the season on Fire Island. Some of the most-talked-about dancers and dance companies will perform an exciting mix of Broadway, ballet, Hawaiian and modern dance today, July 18-20.

The New York Dance and Performance Awards (The Bessies), NYC's premier dance awards honoring outstanding creative work in the field, celebrates a milestone 30th anniversary this year. Today, the 36 nominees for the 2013-14 season were announced at a press conference by members of The Bessies Selection Committee. The nominations (listed below) were selected by an independent committee of 40 dance industry professionals. Produced in partnership with Dance/NYC, Bessie Award categories include Outstanding Performer, Outstanding Production, Outstanding Visual Design, Outstanding Music Composition or Sound Design and Outstanding Revival.

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.