Stanton Welch 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 the Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet's production of The Nutcracker tonight and tomorrow, December 7 and 8, 2013 at the Riverview Theatre in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Fresh from its tours to New York City in October and Paris in November, Houston Ballet presents its tenth annual Jubilee of Dance, a special one-night only performance today, December 6, 2013 at 7:30 pm.

As many in the Houston area are preparing their Thanksgiving feasts, the folks at Houston Ballet are putting the final touches on their annual production of THE NUTCRACKER. In anticipation of the holiday favorite's opening night, I recently spoke to Charles-Louis Yoshiyama, who was recently promoted to Soloist, about this year's production.

Fresh from its tours to New York City in October and Paris in November, Houston Ballet presents its tenth annual Jubilee of Dance, a special one-night only performance on Friday, December 6, 2013 at 7:30 pm.

STARZ announced today the involvement of internationally-renowned dancers in the original drama series 'Flesh and Bone' (previously announced as an 'Untitled Ballet Project') currently in development at the network, from award-winning 'Breaking Bad' Writer and Co-Executive Producer, Moira Walley-Beckett. 'Flesh and Bone' follows a young ballet dancer, Claire Robbins, who has a distinctly troubled past, as she joins a prestigious ballet company in New York. The dark and gritty series will unflinchingly explore the dysfunction and glamour of the ballet world.

Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch announced touring plans for both the professional company and Houston Ballet II, the second company, for the 2013-2014 season today. During Mr. Welch's tenth anniversary as artistic director, touring engagements will take Houston Ballet to New York City, Paris, Montreal, and Chicago.

Less than a month after its special 'Russian Masters' program, The Joffrey Ballet transports Chicago audiences to India with the Chicago Premiere of La Bayadere: The Temple Dancer, choreographed by Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch. La Bayadere is presented over 10 performances with orchestral accompaniment by The Chicago Philharmonic conducted by Joffrey Music Director Scott Speck, at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, tonight, October 16 - 27.

The 84-year-old company has announced that it will now begin its upcoming season with a two-week tour to China - its first major international tour in more than 10 years.

Northrop at the University of Minnesota presents Hubbard Dance Street Chicago tonight, Sep 21 at 8:00 pm at the State Theatre as the opening performance in the 2013-14 Northrop dance season.

The Joyce Theater Foundation is proud to welcome back onto its stage Houston Ballet, following a successful debut two years ago, from October 22 - 27. This engagement will feature a program designed to showcase the company's contemporary repertoire with works by Stanton Welch (the company's acclaimed artistic director), Mark Morris, Ben Stevenson and Hans van Manen. Tickets range in price from $10-$59 ($26 - $44 for Joyce Members) and are available through JoyceCharge at www.Joyce.org or by calling 212-242-0800. Please note: ticket price is subject to change. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street, in Chelsea.

Less than a month after its special "Russian Masters" program, The Joffrey Ballet transports Chicago audiences to India with the Chicago Premiere of La Bayadere: The Temple Dancer, choreographed by Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch. La Bayadere is presented over 10 performances with orchestral accompaniment by The Chicago Philharmonic conducted by Joffrey Music Director Scott Speck, at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, October 16 - 27.

Less than a month after its special "Russian Masters" program, The Joffrey Ballet transports Chicago audiences to India with the Chicago Premiere of La Bayadere: The Temple Dancer, choreographed by Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch. La Bayadere is presented over 10 performances with orchestral accompaniment by The Chicago Philharmonic conducted by Joffrey Music Director Scott Speck, at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, October 16 - 27.

From tonight, September 19-29, 2013, Houston Ballet presents Ronald Hynd's comic and enchanting The Merry Widow.Adapted from Franz Lehar's beloved operetta, the internationally-admired British choreographer Ronald Hynd adds a new layer of lavish spectacle and choreography to the original story of The Merry Widow to create an irresistibly charming and intoxicating tale of high jinks, finance, romance, and intrigue. The production features magnificent scenery and costumes by Italian designer Roberta Guidi di Bagno. The company will give seven performances at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston.

The Joffrey Ballet kicks off its 2013-14 'Masters of Dance' season with a special addition to its home engagement line-up, a one-weekend-only program titled 'Russian Masters' celebrating the centennial of Vaslav Nijinsky's ground-breaking 1913 ballet Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring), alongside George Balanchine's Allegro Brillante and two works byYuri Possokhov, the Chicago Premiere of Adagio and the return of his 2011 Joffrey commission, Bells. These four powerful works by Russian choreographers and composers are presented in four performances only in the Joffrey's home venue, the historic Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University in downtown Chicago at 50 E. Congress Parkway, today, September 19 - 22.

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 the Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet's production of The Nutcracker on December 7 and 8, 2013 at the Riverview Theatre in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The Joffrey Ballet, led by Artistic Director Ashley Wheater and Executive Director Greg Cameron, announced today that the Company has been awarded a $500,000 challenge grant from the Rudolf Nureyev Dance Foundation expressly to launch an endowment for the creation, production and performance of full-length story ballets. The new Rudolf Nureyev Fund at The Joffrey Ballet, as it will be known, represents one of the largest awarded to a single cultural institution in the Foundation's history, with the Joffrey joining such other high profile organizations as the New York City Ballet, School of American Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and The Joyce Theatre. The Joffrey Ballet will be responsible for raising an additional $1 million to complete the Fund.

Northrop at the University of Minnesota presents Hubbard Dance Street Chicago on Sat, Sep 21 at 8:00 pm at the State Theatre as the opening performance in the 2013-14 Northrop dance season.

Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch announced plans today for the company's 2013-2014 season, including eight promotions and additions of several new dancers. Houston Ballet's roster now stands at 53 dancers.