The Corps de Ballet News

The start of the Friday, November 29th 2013 preview performance of The Phantom of the Opera at the Providence Performing Arts Center was delayed due to a technical malfunction affecting the automated machinery on stage. The mechanism was restored and the performance began one hour late.

The spectacular new production of Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA will make its Twin Cities' premiere December 13, 2013 through January 5, 2014 at Hennepin Theatre Trust's Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. With newly re-invented staging and stunning scenic design, this new version of PHANTOM has been an enormous success since its U.K. unveiling in March 2012.

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.

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.

New York City Ballet announced today that Principal Dancers Jenifer Ringer, Janie Taylor, Sebastien Marcovici, and Jonathan Stafford will retire from the Company during the 2014 Winter and Spring Seasons. All four of these Principal Dancers joined the Company during the 1990s as members of the corps de ballet, and have performed countless roles by numerous choreographers during careers spanning from 15 to 24 years with New York City Ballet.

Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group present their spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera launching a major North American Tour in Providence, R.I. at the Providence Performing Arts Center. With newly reinvented staging and stunning scenic design, this new version of PHANTOM, the most successful musical of all-time, will be performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this one of the largest productions on tour in North America.

George Balanchine is commonly referred to as the father of neoclassical ballet. His vision allowed him to see another side of the art, and his works ushered in a paradigm shift that would affect it forever. By stripping his ballets of their plots and trappings, Balanchine exposed the raw beauty of movement and made dances that were about dance and little else.

Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group has announced the casting and initial tour schedule for their spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA launching a major North American Tour in Providence, R.I. at the Providence Performing Arts Center. With newly reinvented staging and stunning scenic design, this new version of PHANTOM, the most successful musical of all-time, will be performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this one of the largest productions on tour in North America.

The Kansas City Ballet continues to establish itself as one of the finest regional ballet's in the country.

Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group just announced the casting and initial tour schedule for their spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA launching a major North American Tour in Providence, R.I. at the Providence Performing Arts Center. With newly reinvented staging and stunning scenic design, this new version of PHANTOM, the most successful musical of all-time, will be performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this one of the largest productions on tour in North America.

The New York City Ballet's principal dancer, Chase Finlay, broke his foot during a performance of "Swan Lake" and is out for the season.

Curtains up! AIR TWYLA propels Pacific Northwest Ballet into its new season with a trio of works by its first artist-in-residence, renowned choreographer Twyla Tharp. The program includes the world premiere of Waiting at the Station with a commissioned score by New Orleans music legend Allen Toussaint. Sharing the program with Waiting at the Station are the Scottish-inspired Brief Fling (a PNB premiere) and Tharp's homage to Ol' Blue Eyes and ballroom dance, the unforgettable Nine Sinatra Songs. AIR TWYLA runs for only seven performances, tonight, September 27 - October 6 at Seattle Center's Marion Oliver McCaw Hall.

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.

Mikhail Baryshnikov serves as the Honorary Chairman for Uptown Downtown, a special one-night-only extravaganza to benefit the Abrons Arts Center on October 14. Bringing together the brightest lights of New York City's uptown and downtown performance scenes, the evening will feature Kyle Abraham, Joey Arias, Jack Ferver + James Whiteside, Ellen Greene, Robert La Fosse, Bebe Neuwirth, Philippe Petit, and other special guests. Lance Horne serves as Musical Director.

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.

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.

Curtains up! AIR TWYLA propels Pacific Northwest Ballet into its new season with a trio of works by its first artist-in-residence, renowned choreographer Twyla Tharp. The program includes the world premiere of Waiting at the Station with a commissioned score by New Orleans music legend Allen Toussaint. Sharing the program with Waiting at the Station are the Scottish-inspired Brief Fling (a PNB premiere) and Tharp's homage to Ol' Blue Eyes and ballroom dance, the unforgettable Nine Sinatra Songs. AIR TWYLA runs for only seven performances, September 27 – October 6 at Seattle Center's Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets start at $28 and may be purchased by calling 206.441.2424, online at pnb.org, or in person at the PNB Box Office at 301 Mercer Street. AIR TWYLA is made possible through the generous support of presenting sponsor The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.

New York City Center is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Fall for Dance Festival with a very special season, beginning with two free evenings of dance at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, hosted by The Public Theater, on September 16 and 17 (rain date, September 18). The Festival will continue at City Center from September 25 - October 5 with performances by 20 acclaimed dance companies and artists from around the world, including three new works from today's most exciting young choreographers, commissioned by New York City Center in celebration of the tenth anniversary.

Every year at Princeton Ballet School's Summer Intensive, the five-week program culminates with a performance. One of the pieces performed is always a section from a full-length Classical ballet set by renowned teacher and former Maria Youskevitch. For the past two summers, Ms. Youskevitch has set sections from Act Two of Swan Lake on the Intensive students, and I have had the privilege of assisting her as she sets the choreography and rehearses the dancers. I am surprised and disappointed however, to say that over these two summers, there have been more students who are disappointed to find themselves in the corps of Swan Lake, than those who are excited. The general feeling is that you don't get to dance when you're in the corps de ballet, and that you just stand there and blend in, so it's boring and tedious. I'm not saying that it isn't tedious, but the skills a dancer learns by experiencing corps de ballet work are vital to their future as an aspiring professional ballet dancer.