Frederick Ashton News

SASHA DE SOLA, soloist of the San Francisco Ballet, and TIIT HELIMETS, principal dancer of the San Francisco Ballet, will appear as guest artists in a collaborative performance co-presented by the Allen Civic Ballet and the Allen Philharmonic. Ms. De Sola and Mr. Helimets will dance the Grand Pas de Deux in The Sleeping Beauty Act III in collaboration with the Allen Civic Ballet and the performance will be accompanied by the Allen Philharmonic at the Performing Arts Center at Allen High School in Allen, Texas on May 17, 2014.

Hilda Morales was born in N.Y. City, and grew up in Puerto Rico. Her early training was with Ana Garcia of the Ballet San Juan. At 14 years of age, Ms. Morales received a Ford Foundation Scholarship to study at George Balanchine's School of American Ballet. She danced as a principal dancer with the Pennsylvania Ballet, soloist with American Ballet Theatre, artist-in-residence with the Colorado Ballet and guest appearances with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Albuquerque Ballet and Jacksonville Ballet. During her dancing career, Ms. Morales performed in full-length classic ballets as well as works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Agnes de Mille, Antony Tudor, John Butler, Alvin Ailey, and Jose Limon. Ms. Morales was featured in the movie The Turning Point, in the role of Sandra, directed by Herbert Ross. She guest teaches and is on the faculty of the Central Pennsylvania summer programs, and joined The Hartt School faculty in 1998.

The world's most celebrated dancing partners, Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev are re-united for this summer's hottest ticket, at the London Coliseum, Wednesday 6th - Saturday 9th August in producer Sergei Danilian's presentation of SOLO FOR TWO.

The award-winning International Dance Festival Birmingham, one of Europe's biggest dance festivals, returns to the city from today, 24 April 2014 - bringing the theatres, streets and squares of Birmingham to life with four consecutive weeks of dance. Following three previous successful festivals in 2008, 2010 and 2012, this biennial event, co-produced by DanceXchange and Birmingham Hippodrome, once again features an eclectic and jam-packed programme bursting with world-class performers, unique international collaborations, premieres, new commissions and a range of participatory opportunities in venues across Birmingham and the West Midlands.

New works, engaging collaborations and classic revivals set the theme for the Royal Ballet Season 2014/15.

Following up the numerous rapturously-received productions of Tchaikovsky's renowned and beloved ballet SWAN LAKE in cinemas earlier this year and before, Fathom presents a new entry in the lauded Tchaikovsky canon byway of a lavish and lovingly-produced new production of THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, comprising the talents of many of the world's top talents in dance.

American Ballet Theatre's 2014 season at the Metropolitan Opera House, May 12-July 5, will be highlighted by the Company Premiere of Frederick Ashton's Cinderella and a Shakespeare Celebration to include Ashton's The Dream and Alexei Ratmansky's The Tempest. Season revivals include Leonide Massine's Gaite Parisienne and Kenneth MacMillan's Manon. Tickets for ABT's Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House go on sale at the box office on Sunday, March 30 at Noon.

From today, February 20-March 2, 2014, Houston Ballet presents the North American Premiere of David Bintley's Aladdin, the first work by the celebratEd English choreographer to enter Houston Ballet's repertoire.

GINGER THATCHER, former principal dancer of the Cleveland Ballet and former soloist of the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, and PHILLIP BROOMHEAD, former principal dancer of the Royal Ballet and the Houston Ballet, will members of the faculty for the Goh Ballet Academy's Summer Program in Vancouver, Canada from July 7-August 9, 2014.

Ashley Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, announces programming for the company's 2014-15 season celebrating 20 years of the Joffrey calling Chicago home. The 2014-15 anniversary season features both company favorites and a slate of eight premieres.

Royal Ballet director announced Ospiova's injury after the performance.

Three world premieres by Maurice Causey, Charles Moulton and Artistic Director Charles Anderson headline the spring program of Company C Contemporary Ballet April 25-May 11 at ODC Theater in San Francisco and the Lesher Theater in Walnut Creek. The 12-year-old Company will close its 2014 season with a program featuring the world premiere of a new ballet by Maurice Causey (title to be announced), the world premiere of Charles Moulton's New Country and the world premiere of Charles Anderson's What's Behind Door #3 along with reprises of excerpts from Anderson'sAposiopesis and excerpts from Patrick Corbin's Partly Cloudy. [Editor note: the program has changed since originally announced in August, 2013]. Complete program details are listed below. For more information, visit www.companycballet.org .

The Grammy Award-winning chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica, led by renowned violinist and Artistic Director Gidon Kremer, returns to the Harris Theater for Music and Dance on Friday, February 7, 2014 at 7:30PM, performing works by Benjamin Britten, Mieczyslaw Weinberg, and Dmitri Shostakovich, including Shostakovich's provocative and seldom-heard comic opera Antiformalist Rayok, featuring Moscow State Chamber Musical Theatre principal soloist and acclaimed bass vocalist Alexei Mochalov.

The award-winning International Dance Festival Birmingham, one of Europe's biggest dance festivals, returns to the city from 24 April 2014 - bringing the theatres, streets and squares of Birmingham to life with four consecutive weeks of dance. Following three previous successful festivals in 2008, 2010 and 2012, this biennial event, co-produced by DanceXchange and Birmingham Hippodrome, once again features an eclectic and jam-packed programme bursting with world-class performers, unique international collaborations, premieres, new commissions and a range of participatory opportunities in venues across Birmingham and the West Midlands.

Fathom Events, Arts Alliance Media and Mr Wolf extend the splendor of Great Britain's world-renowned Royal Ballet to select U.S. movie theaters with the continuation of “The Royal Ballet 2014 Cinema Season.” With a new production of special one-night performances brought to the big screen monthly through March, this series of popular storybook and classic ballets will begin with the romantic “Giselle” on Monday, Jan. 27; followed by the legendary “Swan Lake” on Thursday, Feb. 20; and the classic tale “The Sleeping Beauty” on Thursday, March 20. The renowned Royal Ballet, based at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden, is led by Director Kevin O'Hare and features a wide-ranging repertory showcasing the great classical ballets as well as the new works choreographed by Sir Frederick Ashton, Sir Kenneth MacMillan and the foremost choreographers of today. Previous ballets in the series included 2013's “Don Quixote,” “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland” and “The Nutcracker” concluding the 2013 series on Dec. 17, 2013.

From February 20-March 2, 2014, Houston Ballet presents the North American Premiere of David Bintley's Aladdin, the first work by the celebrated English choreographer to enter Houston Ballet's repertoire.

Lawrence Leritz will chat about his career and upcoming theatre projects for 2014 at 10;48 am on Spotlite Radio, December 23, 2013. Leritz recently choreographed 'A Broadway Holiday Concert 2013' for Huntington Disease NY, choreographing songs by Cole Porter and original cast members from Broadway's Grease. Audiences will recognize Lawrence Leritz from his recent film roles in The Adjustment Bureau with Matt Damon and in Julie Taymor's musical Across The Universe. Lawrence made his film debut in 'Easy Money' opposite Rodney Dangerfield. Television includes 2013 Emmy Winner, Night Of Too Many Stars, performing in 'Call Me Maybe' with Carly Rae Jepsen and Harvey Keitel on Comedy Central. Other appearances include the Saturday Night Live, All My Children and the Michael J Fox Show. Lawrence is also the star of the best selling exercise DVD, Total Stretch!

Tune in tomorrow, Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at 12:35 PM (ET) to join in the celebration with 'Mr. Showbusiness' on Jimmy Ferraro's THEATRE CHAT AND THIS 'N THAT, broadcasting live on WWJB -- regionally and nationally on the world wide web: www.wwjb.com/pages/4395150.php. This week's guests are actress and playwright Terry Burrell and actor, producer, and choreographer Lawrence Leritz.

Rare photographs of Benjamin Britten including family and personal snapshots from his boyhood and professional life, are included from today in a new display at the National Portrait Gallery, ahead of the composer's centenary this weekend.

Marking both the inaugural performances under newly appointed Artistic Director Kevin Irving and the final season of Principal Dancer Alison Roper, Oregon Ballet Theatre will present their opening program, DREAM, at the grand Keller Auditorium.