Dennis Nahat News

Leopoldstadt marks the 19th production of a Tom Stoppard play to open on Broadway since Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead opened 55 years ago. Stoppard has won four Best Play Tony Awards, more than any other playwright in history. What are the 18 other productions of Tom Stoppard plays to open on Broadway? Let's take a look back!

GINGER THATCHER will be on the faculty of Ballet Arts, Inc.’s Summer Intensive which will be taking place from June 13-17, 2022 in Jackson, Tennessee. Ms. Thatcher will be teaching musical theater, jazz, and modern dance classes for the participants in this year’s Summer Intensive.

While it will not be opening The Magic Flute in April due to COVID-19 restrictions, Opera San José has announced something all opera patrons can enjoy at home instead: the FREE live stream viewing of its breathtaking 2011 production of Mozart's first dramatic masterpiece, the rarely produced Idomeneo: ré di Creta.

GINGER THATCHER, former principal dancer of the Cleveland Ballet, will be a guest teacher from March 23-27, 2020, and VIOLETA ANGELOVA, former principal dancer of the Suzanne Farrell Ballet, will be a guest teacher from July 20-August 1, 2020 at the Goh Ballet Academy. Ms. Thatcher will be a guest teacher for the New a?" Spring Performance Workshop, and Ms. Angelova will be a member of the faculty for the International Summer Intensive.

Verb Ballets, Northeast Ohio's premiere contemporary ballet company, presents an evening performance titled 4X4: Four Works by Female Choreographers on February 8, 2020 at the Breen Center for the Performing Arts. This performance features the works of four female choreographers, each bringing their distinctive style to this diverse repertory program. It includes a company premiere by sought-after dancemaker Stephanie Martinez titled Wandering On, a classical variation favorite by Agrippa Vaganova, a new work by company dancer Kate Webb, and the return of Mendelssohn Italian Symphony by Kay Eichman.

Verb Ballets has commissioned two new ballet by Cleveland choreographers Kay Eichman and Richard Dickinson. The public is invited on October 26, 2018 for Live @ Noon an exclusive working rehearsal with the choreographers. This unique opportunity will provide insight into the work of creating a new ballet and the choreographers process. Pack a lunch to enjoy during the rehearsal followed by dessert to be provided.  

The Ballet Hispanico School of Dance offers adult dance and fitness classes that will keep you moving, fit, and energized. Classes are open to dancers of all levels ages 16 and up (no previous dance experience required). Cost: $20 drop-in class, $90 for 5-class card, $170 for a 10-class card. For more information, visit https://www.ballethispanico.org/classes/adult.

The 'new' Cleveland Ballet, under the artistic leadership of Puerto Rico-born Gladisa Guadalupe, a former member of the 'old' Cleveland Ballet, the Dennis Nahat-led company which left CLE for San Jose, California, has been officially named the Resident Ballet Company of Playhouse Square.

Founded in 1969, the Dance Theatre of Harlem, which is housed in the Harlem section of New York City, was the first black professional classical ballet company. Since that time, as was evidenced in their recent Cleveland concerts, the organization has extended its purpose to being racially diverse and performing an eclectic repertoire that stresses empowerment through dance.

When the Cleveland Ballet left this area for San Jose, California, in 2000, it is rumored that the organization was over one-million dollars in debt. Lots of fingers were pointed as to why the deficit existed, but one thing is for sure, there will always be, it the minds of those who saw it, one lasting legacy of Dennis Nahat and his reign as the company's Artistic Director. From its 1979 debut, when it sold out every night of its two-week run, until its escape to the west coast, Nahat's THE NUTCRACKER reigned supreme.

The Joffrey Ballet is pleased to announce a major leadership reorganization for the Joffrey Academy of Dance featuring a new team comprised of respected dance industry veteran Raymond Rodriguez as Head of Studio Company and Trainee Program, effective late October, and Joffrey Ballet's Karin Ellis-Wentz as Head of Pre-Professional Programs, effective immediately. Both of these newly created director-level positions will report to Karine Provost, who will serve in a newly elevated role as Academy Director. Additionally, Joffrey Ballet's Artistic Director Ashley Wheater will now serve as Artistic Director of both the Academy and the Company - assuming creative leadership across the organization. 

The words, 'Cleveland Ballet' to many locals means Dennis Nahat, Ian Horvath Karen Gabay, Raymond Rodriguez, impressive sets and costumes, a union with the Silicone Valley's San Jose. And, poof, in 2000...they were gone to the west coast, leaving a hole in the local arts offerings.

The New Jersey Ballet will perform Ginger Thatcher's Saturday Night as part of the company's annual gala performance on April 9, 2016 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey. Ms. Thatcher's work is choreographed to the music of jazz singer Etta James, and has been in the company's repertoire for over a decade.

From 1981 until about 2000, Cleveland audiences were enchanted with Dennis Nahat, the then artistic-director of Cleveland Ballet, later the Cleveland San Jose Ballet' s version of 'The Nutcracker.' Often starring the wunderkinds of the company, Karen Gabay and Raymond Rodriguez, the production was filled creativity, gorgeous costumes and scenery, enveloping story telling, and general wonder.

Ballet San Jose will conclude its 2014 repertory season-the first under the leadership of new Artistic Director José Manuel Carreño-with Roland Petit's iconic story ballet, Carmen, and Twyla Tharp's masterful In the Upper Room in three performances this weekend, May 9-11 at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.

Ballet San Jose Artistic Director José Manuel Carreño has announced that the Company has been invited to tour with celebrated former Bolshoi Ballet starsNatalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in performances in Southern California, Moscow and London this summer. The tour repertoire will feature Osipova and Vasiliev's debuts in Roland Petit's Carmenwith Ballet San Jose with the balance of the program comprising pas de deux to be performed by the former Bolshoi artists. Performances will be given July 25-27 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, CA; July 31 and August 1-3 at the Stanislavsky Theatre in Moscow, Russia; and August 6-9 at the London Coliseum in London. The tour is presented by Ardani Artists. For more information, visit www.balletsj.org or www.ardani.com.

The newly established Cleveland Ballet Youth Company will make its debut performance with the program Where it All Began, tonight, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. in PlayhouseSquare's Hanna Theatre.

Ballet San Jose will conclude its 2014 repertory season—the first under the leadership of new Artistic Director José Manuel Carreño—with Roland Petit's iconic story ballet, Carmen, and Twyla Tharp's masterful In the Upper Room in three performances May 9-11 at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. Considered one of Twyla Tharp's most accomplished and striking works, In the Upper Room features a commissioned score by Philip Glass that both propels and liberates the dancers in Tharp's physically demanding choreography. Since its premiere in 1949, Carmen has remained one of inventive French choreographer Roland Petit's most popular ballets for its keen character studies, theatrical staging and soaring dances. Performances will be given Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10, at 8 pm and Sunday, May 11, at 1:30 pm. For more information about Ballet San Jose, visit www.balletsj.org .

The newly established Cleveland Ballet Youth Company will make its debut performance with the program Where it All Began, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. in PlayhouseSquare's Hanna Theatre. It is no coincidence that this production will take place on the very stage where the former Cleveland Ballet hosted its first professional performances during the late 1970's. Founded by former Cleveland San Jose Ballet principal dancer, Gladisa Guadalupe, who also serves as the company's artistic director, Cleveland Ballet Youth Company is laying the ground work to re-introduce professional ballet to Cleveland audiences. Where it All Began will feature the entire company of Cleveland Ballet Youth Company along with several guest artists from the company's professional division. Musical accompaniment will come courtesy of the newly-founded Cleveland Ballet Orchestra.