The Corps de Ballet News

It's always a bittersweet feeling when a company ends its season, and in the current political climate, one can never take the arts for granted. But on Friday July 7, 2017, the Metropolitan Opera House was atwitter with the promise of American Ballet Theatre's program dedicated to Tchaikovsky. Pre-show, the audience crackled with uproarious excitement, perfectly in keeping with the dazzling, multi-layered nuance to be found in the breadth of Tchaikovsky's compositions.

Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group announced today that Eva Tavares and Kristie Dale Sanders will join the cast of the spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera currently on tour in North America.

John Cranko's Eugene Onegin is often referred to as a “story ballet for grown-ups” since it is devoid of the fantasy birds and other magical creatures that populate so much of the classical ballet canon. The dancers portray real people with real emotions as Cranko brings to life Alexander Pushkin's iconic verse novel. Cranko's version of the tale has new plot twists that some critics have found dismaying while others have applauded them. I fall into the latter category.

Ballet dancer extraordinaire Misty Copeland, the first African-American principal ballerina in the history of American Ballet Theatre, will be a guest judge on the July 18 and July 25 episodes of NBC's new high-rated competition series WORLD OF DANCE.

Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, today announced five promotions for the 2017/18 season: Emma Hawes, Hannah Fischer and Brendan Saye to First Soloist and Félix Paquet and Ben Rudisin to Second Soloist.

The theme will get under your skin. With some of the most beautiful music ballet has to offer, SWAN LAKE is sure to capture your heart. The National Ballet of Canada is celebrating the 140th anniversary of Tchaikovsky's most iconic ballet with their dark, brooding production designed by Santo Loquasto and Robert Thomson with choreography by James Kudelka. The opening night performance featured ballet's power couple, Heather Ogden and Guillaume Cote. Stunning design meets extraordinary dancing, creating a real-life fairytale on the Four Seasons Centre stage.

From June 8 - 18, 2017, Houston Ballet caps its season with Stanton Welch's La Bayadere ("The Temple Dancer"), a historic classic set in royal India of the past. La Bayadere is a dramatic ballet of eternal love, mystery, fate, vengeance and justice, featuring spectacular scenery and costumes by the acclaimed English designer Peter Farmer.

Today's subject Veanne Cox is currently living her theatre life onstage at Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) playing the role of Arsinoé in The School for Lies. The show runs through July 9th at the Lansburgh Theatre.

San Francisco Ballet announces ten promotions, eight new Company members, and six apprentices for the 2017-18 Season. Soloist Jennifer Stahl has been promoted to principal dancer, and Isabella DeVivo, Jahna Frantziskonis, Esteban Hernandez, and Steven Morse have been promoted to soloist. In addition, SF Ballet Apprentices Alexandre Cagnat, Shene Lazarus, Davide Occhipinti, Nathaniel Remez, and Isabella Walsh have been promoted to the corps de ballet. Ulrik Birkkjaer and Ana Sophia Scheller join the Company as principal dancers and Solomon Golding, Gabriela Gonzalez, Blake Johnston, Madison Keesler, Wona Park, and Joseph Warton have joined SF Ballet as corps de ballet members. Ethan Chudnow, Anatalia Hordov, Carmela Mayo, Swane Messaoudi, Larisa Nugent, and Benjamin Pearson of San Francisco Ballet School have been promoted to the rank of apprentice.

From June 8 - 18, 2017, Houston Ballet caps its season with Stanton Welch's La Bayadere ('The Temple Dancer'), a historic classic set in royal India of the past.

Today's subject Taylor Stanley is living his theatre life as a company member of  New York City Ballet (NYCB), one of the most famous and prestigious ballet companies in the country. With repertoire works that feature choreography by such greats as George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, it's easy to understand why the company has that status. NYCB begins a one week engagement at the Kennedy Center's Opera House on June 6. The two programs will feature the works of George Balanchine, Christopher Wheeldon, Justin Peck, and the DC premiere of a work by Alexei Ratmansky.

The last place you'd expect to find a ballerina is in the middle of the desert; in a bustling city center full of people to fill an audience, yes, but in Death Valley Junction population less than 20? No, in this cultural hot spot, art is found in the shifting sands and sunset-washed mountains where colors and textures create breathtaking views for but a moment and then are gone.

On Saturday morning, May 20, 2017, ABT gave an hour length performance designed to introduce children to the ballet, as they do every year. The Metropolitan Opera House was full of excited young ones. I had a running commentary from a boy of about 4 years old, sitting next to me on his father's lap. It is a performance composed of excerpts from several ballets.

On Saturday morning, May 20, 2017, ABT gave an hour length performance designed to introduce children to the ballet, as they do every year. The Metropolitan Opera House was full of excited young ones. I had a running commentary from a boy of about 4 years old, sitting next to me on his father's lap. It is a performance composed of excerpts from several ballets.

Hudson River Park, one of the nation's longest waterfront parks and an urban oasis for New Yorkers and visitors from all over the world, will be the backdrop for a visually and culturally breathtaking dance program featuring the crème de la crème of contemporary and modern dance at the third annual Hudson River Dance Festival, taking place at Pier 63 inHudson River Park.

Executive Artistic Director Maurice Brandon Curry has announced details for the Eglevsky Ballet's Annual Student Workshop Performance to be held at The Olmstead Theater at Adelphi University on June 8 at 6:30 p.m. This year's Student Workshop will include world premiere works choreographed by Patrick Frenette, Christopher Huggins and Morgan McEwen.  The event will also feature works choreographed by members of the Eglevsky Ballet Academy resident faculty.

Pennsylvania Ballet has announced the promotion of 13 dancers for the 2017-2018 season.

Before CATS' Georgina Pazcoguin was pouncing and pirouetting at the Neil Simon Theatre, she was dancing with the New York City Ballet. Below, watch her journey from ballet to Broadway!

Executive Artistic Director Maurice Brandon Curry has announced details for the Eglevsky Ballet's Annual Student Workshop Performance to be held at The Olmstead Theater at Adelphi University on June 8 at 6:30 p.m.

The internationally acclaimed prima ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, Principal of the Bolshoi Theatre and etoile at La Scala Theatre Ballet brings her outstanding triple bill AMORE to the London Coliseum in November for four performances only (November 20th, 21st, 24th, 25th at 7.30pm).