The Corps de Ballet News

Nevada Ballet Theatre (NBT) will launch its 43nd (2014-2015) main stage performance season and its third year as Resident Ballet Company of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts with A Midsummer Night's Dream Act I and Seasons on Saturday, September 20 at 7:30 pm andSunday, September 21 at 2 pm. Tickets from $29 (plus fees) may be purchased by calling The Smith Center Box Office at (702) 749-2000 or by visiting www.nevadaballet.org.

Houston Ballet announced that eight new dancers will join the company for its 2014-15 season, including five dancers who are graduates of Houston Ballet Academy.

From September 4-14, 2014, Houston Ballet launches its 45th season with the company premiere of John Neumeier's three-act ballet A Midsummer Night's Dream. The ballet is based on Shakespeare's lighthearted play of the same name and follows the hijinks and hilarity that ensues when a well-intentioned plan with a love potion goes awry. Created in 1977, A Midsummer Night's Dream has served as Mr. Neumeier's calling card, being seen as one of his most joyous and popular creations. Houston Ballet is the first American ballet company to perform the famous work and it is the first piece by Mr. Neumeier to enter the Houston Ballet repertoire.

New York City Ballet's annual Fall Gala will once again celebrate ballet and fashion with a program that will include three world premiere ballets by Justin Peck, Liam Scarlett, and Troy Schumacher, as well as existing works by Peter Martins and Christopher Wheeldon, all featuring costumes designed by an international roster of some of the fashion world's most renowned talents: Thom Browne, Sarah Burton, Valentino Garavani, Carolina Herrera, and Mary Katrantzou. The one- time-only gala evening will take place on Tuesday, September 23, 2014, opening New York City Ballet's four-week Fall Season at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.

New York City Ballet's annual Fall Gala will once again celebrate ballet and fashion with a program that will include three world premiere ballets by Justin Peck, Liam Scarlett, and Troy Schumacher, as well as existing works by Peter Martins and Christopher Wheeldon, all featuring costumes designed by an international roster of some of the fashion world's most renowned talents: Thom Browne, Sarah Burton, Valentino Garavani, Carolina Herrera, and Mary Katrantzou. The one- time-only gala evening will take place on Tuesday, September 23, 2014, opening New York City Ballet's four-week Fall Season at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.

The poster for the upcoming Kennedy Center premiere production of the new Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty musical LITTLE DANCER is now available to view.

The poster for the upcoming Kennedy Center premiere production of the new Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty musical LITTLE DANCER is now available to view.

Last week, The Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) presented a classic but eclectic program of four ballets at the Miller Outdoor Theatre. To my surprise, they gave me something I could feel. The performance reminded me that ballet can be fun, art should be communal and a coloratura soprano singing 'Domine Deus, Rex caelestis' is just as electrifying as James Brown singing 'Mother Popcorn.'

One of Bollywood's brightest stars, Australian born Pallavi Sharda will add a touch of Bollywood glamour to the opening night of Stanton Welch's La Bayadère when she joins Melbourne's glitterati for its Australian première this August.

Pacific Northwest Ballet raises the velvet curtain on its 2014-2015 season with George Balanchine's Jewels. Costumed in emerald green, ruby red and luminous white, the trio of gems in Jewels pays tribute to golden ages of music and dance. Evoking the birthplace of Romantic ballet, Emeralds' graceful clouds of tulle whisper French courtesy, fashion, and fragrance. A sassy, jazzy collaboration with composer Igor Stravinsky, Rubies mirrors the carefree spontaneity of America, Balanchine's beloved adopted country. The splendor of Diamonds recalls the great choreographer's heritage, so that "if the entre Imperial Russian inheritance of ballet were lost, Diamonds would still tell us of its essence" (Mary Clarke and Clement Crisp). Jewels runs from September 26 through October 5 at Seattle Center's Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets and more information are available through the PNB Box Office, 301 Mercer Street at Seattle Center, 206.441.2424, or online at PNB.org.

Fire Island Dance Festival celebrated its 20th anniversary edition July 18-20, 2014, with artistry, gravity-defying movement, romance and remembrance, raising a record-shattering $533,860 for Dancers Responding to AIDS, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Scroll down for photos of some of the weekend's highlighted performances and of co-hosts Jerry Mitchell and Larry Keigwin!

Fire Island Dance Festival celebrated its 20th anniversary edition July 18-20, 2014, with artistry, gravity-defying movement, romance and remembrance, raising a record-shattering $533,860 for Dancers Responding to AIDS, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Critically acclaimed choreographers Larry Keigwin and Jerry Mitchell will host the 20th Anniversary of Fire Island Dance Festival (#fidance), the most anticipated cultural event of the season on Fire Island. Some of the most-talked-about dancers and dance companies will perform an exciting mix of Broadway, ballet, Hawaiian and modern dance today, July 18-20.

Princeton Ballet School's Summer Intensive Program will be hosting several guest teachers this year, including New York City Ballet dancer Unity Phelan. Phelan originally trained at Princeton Ballet School from 2000 to 2009, and then continued her training at the School of American Ballet, the official training academy of New York City Ballet. She became an apprentice of the company in December of 2012, and joined New York City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in November of 2013.

Daniel Ulbricht/BALLET 2014 offers an exclusive opportunity for audiences to experience some of today's most remarkable ballet dancers in the intimate Ted Shawn Theatre at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, July 16-20. New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Daniel Ulbricht directs and performs with a select ensemble of top stars including Tyler Angle, Craig Hall, Robert Fairchild, Russell Janzen, Emily Kikta, Rebecca Krohn, Tiler Peck, Georgina Pazcoguin, and Teresa Reichlen. The program is equally impressive, including Christopher Wheeldon's Liturgy, danced to Arvo Pärt's ”Fratres;” Two Hearts, a collaboration between Benjamin Millepied and composer Nico Muhly; Furiant, created by NYCB Soloist Justin Peck; Sunshine, a solo for Ulbricht by Larry Keigwin; the world premiere of Opus 19. Andante, a duet by critically acclaimed young choreographer Emery LeCrone; and the classic Fancy Free, the first ballet created by Jerome Robbins and Leonard Bernstein in 1944, which subsequently inspired the full-length musical On the Town. Cast subject to change.

Critically acclaimed choreographers Larry Keigwin and Jerry Mitchell will host the 20th Anniversary of Fire Island Dance Festival (#fidance), the most anticipated cultural event of the season on Fire Island. Some of the most-talked-about dancers and dance companies will perform an exciting mix of Broadway, ballet, Hawaiian and modern dance July 18-20. Since its humble beginnings in 1995 with seven dancers on a makeshift stage, the festival has grown to become the charitable event of the summer in Fire Island Pines, raising more than $3.3 million. The festival is produced by and benefits Dancers Responding to AIDS, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Peter Martins, Ballet Master in Chief of New York City Ballet, announced today that choreographer and NYCB Soloist Justin Peck has been named the Company's Resident Choreographer, effective immediately. In this new capacity Peck will create two world premiere ballets for NYCB each year, in addition to continuing to dance with the Company. Peck will become only the second person to hold the title Resident Choreographer at NYCB; the first was Christopher Wheeldon, who had the position from 2001 to 2008.

Princeton Ballet School's Summer Intensive Program will be hosting several guest teachers this year, including New York City Ballet dancer Unity Phelan. Phelan originally trained at Princeton Ballet School from 2000 to 2009, and then continued her training at the School of American Ballet, the official training academy of New York City Ballet. She became an apprentice of the company in December of 2012, and joined New York City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in November of 2013.

Peter Martins, Ballet Master in Chief of New York City Ballet, announced today that choreographer and NYCB Soloist Justin Peck has been named the Company's Resident Choreographer, effective immediately. In this new capacity Peck will create two world premiere ballets for NYCB each year, in addition to continuing to dance with the Company. Peck will become only the second person to hold the title Resident Choreographer at NYCB; the first was Christopher Wheeldon, who had the position from 2001 to 2008.

Critically acclaimed choreographers Larry Keigwin and Jerry Mitchell will host the 20th Anniversary of Fire Island Dance Festival (#fidance), the most anticipated cultural event of the season on Fire Island. Some of the most-talked-about dancers and dance companies will perform an exciting mix of Broadway, ballet, Hawaiian and modern dance July 18-20.