Gerald Arpino News

American Masters Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance, premiering nationally tonight, December 28, 2012 at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings), tells the story of the first quintessentially American dance company, the Joffrey Ballet.

Thanks to the efforts of philanthropist and veterans activist, Patricia Kennedy, founder of Step Up 4 Vets, a not for profit organization whose mission is to partner in the transition of our returning veterans as they readjust, redirect and rebuild their civilian lives, 55 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan made up for many missed holidays with an all day family celebration centered around the acclaimed Joffrey Ballet's renowned Nutcracker. 26 years ago, longtime Joffrey Board member & close friend of Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino raised the funds to create the Joffrey's now internationally acclaimed Nutcracker. Scroll below for photos!

American Masters Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance, premiering nationally Friday, December 28, 2012 at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings), tells the story of the first quintessentially American dance company, the Joffrey Ballet.

American Repertory Ballet has announced upcoming events throughout New Jersey this Spring 2013. Based in Princeton, ARB has been consistently designated a "Major Arts Institution" by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for the past two decades, and, in 2008 and 2011, was voted Jersey Arts' People's Choice for Favorite Dance Company. Presenting innovative choreography to music by such greats as Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and Vivaldi, ARB's upcoming performance season promises to be inspiring.

Fans, friends and supporters of Thodos Dance Chicago, the contemporary dance company founded by Melissa Thodos, will kick up their heels at Thodos Dance Chicago's 21st Anniversary Gala 21 Club, Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 6pm at the Chicago Cultural Center, Randolph Street and Michigan Avenue, Chicago.

JOFFREY: MAVERICKS OF AMERICAN DANCE will premiere Friday, December 28, 2012 at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings). Mandy Patenkin narrates this American Masters special. Get a sneak peek below!

American Repertory Ballet presented yet another successful opening night of the highly acclaimed Nutcracker production Thanksgiving weekend at McCarter Theater in Princeton. Since the Company's Nutcracker premiere in 1964, the performances have become an enduring and beloved holiday tradition for New Jersey families.

It's that time of year. Local theatres are staging all sorts of holiday fare. Tiny Tims, Scrooges, elfs and Santas are traipsing their way across the boards. And true to form, THE NUTCRACKER is marching and dancing.

The Cleveland Orchestra announces its 2012 Holiday Festival, scheduled for tonight, November 29 through December 23. This season's expanded Festival begins with five performances of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker in a collaboration with The Joffrey Ballet at the State Theatre in PlayhouseSquare in downtown Cleveland. Conceived and originally directed in 1987 by Robert Joffrey, with contribution from Gerald Arpino, this production of The Nutcracker includes more than 40 company dancers, 200 brilliant costumes, and larger-than-life scenery. The performances mark the Orchestra's return to performing in downtown Cleveland during the winter season and the first time the Orchestra has ever performed in a full production of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker.

The Smith Center for the Performing Arts has announced the following events for January.

Narrated by Mandy Patinkin (Homeland), the film features interviews with former and current Joffrey dancers, the breakthroughs of choreograpers Twyla Tharp, Laura Dean and Margo Sappington, and rare archival performance footage, including excerpts from signature works Astarte, Trinity, and Billboards (the latter with music by Prince).

At BEHIND THE CURTAIN: INSIDE SWAN LAKE, an On Pointe Enrichment Series event, American Repertory Ballet Artistic Director Douglas Martin, Princeton Ballet School Director Mary Pat Robertson, and the advanced students of Princeton Ballet School will present an intimate sneak peek at the preparations for this year's Annual Spring Production today, November 9, 2012 at 5:15pm at Princeton Ballet School.

After a star-studded opening lineup with more than 125 shows in Reynolds Hall and nearly 250,000 patrons that have walked across the Fior de Pesco marble in the Grand Lobby, The Smith Center is proud to announce the anticipated lineup for the Winter Season running December through February.

The Joffrey Ballet celebrates the 25th Anniversary of Robert Joffrey's The Nutcracker in a 22-performance engagement at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, December 7 - 27, 2012.

The highly acclaimed Aspen Santa Fe Ballet will present a program of three NYC premieres, at The Joyce Theater (175 Eighth Avenue at 19th street) from tonight, October 16 - 21.

American Repertory Ballet will be performing a program of company premieres - An Evening of Premieres - tonight, October 6, 2012 at 8:00pm. The program will feature a new work by Resident Choreographer Mary Barton, Ann Marie DeAngelo's Blackberry Winter, and a major revival of Gerald Arpino's Viva Vivaldi.

At BEHIND THE CURTAIN: INSIDE SWAN LAKE, an On Pointe Enrichment Series event, American Repertory Ballet Artistic Director Douglas Martin, Princeton Ballet School Director Mary Pat Robertson, and the advanced students of Princeton Ballet School will present an intimate sneak peek at the preparations for this year's Annual Spring Production on November 9, 2012 at 5:15pm at Princeton Ballet School.