Blaine Hoven News

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival presents the highly-anticipated world premiere of Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO, featuring the remarkable talent of eight American Ballet Theatre (ABT) stars and guest artist Céline Cassone of Les Ballet Jazz de Montréal in the intimate Ted Shawn Theatre, today, July 22, through July 26.

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival presents the highly-anticipated world premiere of Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO, featuring the remarkable talent of eight American Ballet Theatre (ABT) stars and guest artist Céline Cassone of Les Ballet Jazz de Montréal in the intimate Ted Shawn Theatre, July 22-26. INTENSIO, co-produced, directed by, and starring ABT principal dancer Daniil Simkin, features four world premiere contemporary dance works by top-notch international choreographers including Alexander Ekman of Sweden, American dancemaker Gregory Dolbashian, resident Boston Ballet choreographer Jorma Elo of Finland, and Colombo-Belgian artist Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, currently based in Amsterdam.

Following the critical acclaim and record-breaking attendance of Festival 2014, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival opens its 2015 season in June.

May 26, 2015 - (Becket, MA) Following the critical acclaim and record-breaking attendance of Festival 2014, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival opens its 2015 season in June. Highlights of Festival 2015 include Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host, a special dance and radio stage production starring Ira Glass, host of This American Life; the return of Nederlands Dans Theater 2; the world premiere of American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO; Cuban contemporary ensemble Malpaso Dance Company, performing with GRAMMY Award-winning pianist and composer Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble; and the launch of Martha Graham Dance Company's 90th Anniversary, including a world premiere by eminent choreographer Mats Ek. 

ROLEX presented NEW YORK NEW YORK a helluva town -- Career Transition For Dancers' 29th Anniversary Jubilee on Monday, October 6th, 2014 at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (btwn. 6th & 7th Aves.), NYC followed by dinner at The Grand Ballroom at The Hilton New York. Angela Lansbury received the 2014 Rolex Dance Award. James Earl Jones, Ms. Lansbury's Driving Miss Daisy co-star, presented her with the award. The 2014 Career Transition For Dancers Outstanding Contributions to the World of Dance Awards honorees went to Janice Galli Becker, Fe Saracino Fendi, and Joe Tremaine & Tremaine Dance Conventions & Competitions. Scroll down for photos of the performances and starry attendees!

American Ballet Theatre's Shakespeare Celebration on July 2nd delved into magical mishaps while bidding adieu to dancer Yuriko Kajiya. The evening began in a lush wonderland of Frederick Ashton's The Dream and ended with the choppy waters of Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky's The Tempest. Driven by patriarchy, both ballets presented hierarchy and tradition as precariously shifting power schemes.

I was privileged to see American Ballet Theatre performing Giselle twice this season.

Casting for the seventh and eighth weeks of American Ballet Theatre's 2014 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Last Call Theatricals will present a special 75-minute Industry-Only Preview of a new musical, BOYS VS GIRLS, written by Drew Overcash, directed & choreographed by Josh Rhodes (Cinderella) on Tuesday March 25th at 12:30pm and 3:30pm at Pearl Studios (500 Eighth Avenue). The cast will feature Carla Stickler (Wicked, Mamma Mia), Brent Diroma (Jersey Boys, Avenue Q), Billy Harrington Tighe (Pippin, Wicked, La Cage Aux Folles), Adam Kaplan (Newsies) and Merissa Czyz (Hair). William Demaniow will serve as Musical Director.

In my next life, I'm returning as the world's foremost dance historian to write the ultimate chronicle of Tchailovsky's Sleeping Beauty from 1890 to 2013. It's going to be a huge tome, one that encompasses every move, scene shift and cast change that was ever seen. Actually, by the time I finish my epic work, it will be superseded by an even larger tome, but that's life. What led me to this decision was American Ballet Theater's production of Sleeping Beauty that I saw on the July 6, 2012, the closing night of the season. This sent me back to my books, DVDs, CDs, balletomane friends and YouTube to decide just what Sleeping Beauty is all about, or should be about.

Casting for the first two weeks of American Ballet Theatre's 2013 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was recently announced by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. The season will begin tonight, Monday, May 13 at 6:30 P.M. with the Company's Opening Night Gala, featuring a piece d'occasion choreographed by Marcelo Gomes, set to the second movement of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony and danced by Julie Kent and Roberto Bolle.

Casting for the first two weeks of American Ballet Theatre's 2013 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

In a year chock full of star-studded 80th birthday tributes to legendary Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, the March 15-16 gala evenings with the New York Philharmonic at New York's Lincoln Center stood tall.

Image Entertainment is proud to share a celebration of the life and wondrous work of one of Broadway's greatest legends - the incomparable Stephen Sondheim. For the master composer and lyricist's 80th birthday, scores of the musical theater's brightest stars gathered to perform more than two dozen sensational numbers from Sondheim's unsurpassed canon. Many of these enduring songs are rarely heard and several are performed by the original Broadway cast members. David Hyde Pierce hosts this magical event with Sondheim's longtime collaborator Paul Gemignani conducting the New York Philharmonic. Directed for the stage and television by Lonny Price and filmed live March 15-16, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City, this is a must-have addition for every musical theatre aficionado. SONDHEIM! The Birthday Concert is available today, November 16, at an SRP of $24.98 for the DVD and $29.98 for the Blu-ray; the concert is also be available via digital download. Click below for some preview clips!

As BroadwayWorld has reported, The New York Philharmonic's SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert, which took place on March 15-16, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall, will be broadcast on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances on PBS on Wednesday, November 24 (check local listings). WNET, Channel 13 in New York City, will air the concert at 9:30 p.m. that evening. Today, it has been revealed that the Image Entertainment will release the program DVD and Blu-Ray on November 16, 2010. The concert includes songs and orchestral pieces from Sondheim musical theater favorites such as Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods, and Sunday in the Park with George. Today, it has been announced that in addition to the PBS telecast, the concert will be released on DVD in November by Image Entertainment.

In a year chock full of star-studded 80th birthday tributes to legendary Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, the March 15-16 gala evenings with the New York Philharmonic at New York's Lincoln Center stood tall.

Image Entertainment is proud to share a celebration of the life and wondrous work of one of Broadway's greatest legends - the incomparable Stephen Sondheim. For the master composer and lyricist's 80th birthday, scores of the musical theater's brightest stars gathered to perform more than two dozen sensational numbers from Sondheim's unsurpassed canon. Many of these enduring songs are rarely heard and several are performed by the original Broadway cast members. David Hyde Pierce hosts this magical event with Sondheim's longtime collaborator Paul Gemignani conducting the New York Philharmonic. Directed for the stage and television by Lonny Price and filmed live March 15-16, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City, this is a must-have addition for every musical theatre aficionado. SONDHEIM! The Birthday Concert will be available at an SRP of $24.98 for the DVD and $29.98 for the Blu-ray; the concert will also be available via digital download. Pre-book is October 19, 2010.

In a year chock full of star-studded 80th birthday tributes to legendary Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, the March 15-16 gala evenings with the New York Philharmonic at New York's Lincoln Center stood tall.

As BroadwayWorld has reported, The New York Philharmonic's SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert, which took place on March 15-16, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall, will be broadcast on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances on PBS on Wednesday, November 24 (check local listings). WNET, Channel 13 in New York City, will air the concert at 9:30 p.m. that evening. Today, it has been revealed that the Image Entertainment will release the program DVD and Blu-Ray on November 16, 2010. The concert includes songs and orchestral pieces from Sondheim musical theater favorites such as Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods, and Sunday in the Park with George. Today, it has been announced that in addition to the PBS telecast, the concert will be released on DVD in November by Image Entertainment.

As BroadwayWorld reported yesterday, The New York Philharmonic's SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert, which took place on March 15-16, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall, will be broadcast on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances on PBS on Wednesday, November 24 (check local listings). WNET, Channel 13 in New York City, will air the concert at 9:30 p.m. that evening. The concert includes songs and orchestral pieces from Sondheim musical theater favorites such as Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods, and Sunday in the Park with George. Today, it has been announced that in addition to the PBS telecast, the concert will be released on DVD in November by Image Entertainment.