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10 Online Ballet Performances to Catch in April
New York City Ballet
Sebastian Villarini-Velez and India Bradley with KJ Takahashi and Jonathan Fahoury in Kyle Abraham's When We Fell
Erin Baiano, Courtesy NYCB
On April 8, New York City Ballet presents When We Fell, a world premiere by Kyle Abraham starring company dancers Taylor Stanley, India Bradley, Jonathan Fahoury, Christopher Grant, Claire Kretzschmar, Lauren Lovette, KJ Takahashi and Sebastian Villarini-Velez. Filmed by cinematographer Ryan Marie Helfant and shot on the promenade and stage of the David H. Koch Theater, When We Fell celebrates a return to the Lincoln Center grounds after a period of emptiness. The film will remain available for free through April 22 via the NYCB website and YouTube channel.
Ballet Austin
Later this month, Ballet Austin artistic director Stephen Mills premieres his PRELUDES/BEGINNINGS, a new dance film celebrating Austin's historic Scottish Rite Theater and the "ghost light" tradition. Set to Chopin's 24 Preludes, the piece reflects on the ghostly nature of an empty stage and considers historical parallels between the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic and the present-day coronavirus. Audiences can sign up to receive free access to the film April 15–25 via the company website.
Seattle Dance Collective
NYCB principal Sara Mearns stars as Juliet in Gallop Apace, a new dance film presented by Seattle Dance Collective running April 15–22. Directed and choreographed by Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber, the piece explores strength, transition and womanhood and is inspired by an often overlooked scene from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Tickets are $5; go to the SDC website for more details.
Post:ballet
On April 1, San Francisco–based contemporary ballet company Post:ballet released a short dance film reimagining Act II of Swan Lake. Shot along the San Francisco Bay in view of the Golden Gate Bridge, company dancers waltz and jeté across the sand in artistic director and founder Robert Dekkers' 15-minute contemporary take on the classic ballet. You can watch Post:ballet's Swan Lake for free via the company's YouTube channel.
San Francisco Ballet
Now through April 21, San Francisco Ballet is streaming George Balanchine's three-act Jewels. While "Rubies" and "Diamonds" is archival footage, the opening ballet "Emeralds" is a new performance capture with role debuts by Misa Kuranaga, Angelo Greco, Sasha Mukhamedov and Aaron Robison. For $29, viewers can purchase 72-hour on-demand access to the stream via the SFB website.
Houston Ballet
Houston Ballet continues its eight-week film program In Good Company, which premiered on March 10, through the end of this month. Each film features choreography by artistic director Stanton Welch and music by the Canadian acoustic quartet The Dead South. The program releases one new video each week on the company's website, YouTube channel and social media pages, where online viewers can access them for free. Check out the released films Honey You, Achilles, The Recap, Long Gone and That Bastard Son now.
Colorado Ballet
Colorado Ballet wraps up its 2020–21 season with its online premiere of Through It All, a program of classical and contemporary repertoire that includes new works created by company dancers. While the program marks Colorado Ballet's return to the live stage, all six performances April 10–11 and 17–18 will be livestreamed in real time. Viewers can purchase virtual tickets up to one hour before the performance for $25 per individual or $40 per household via the company website.
Dayton Ballet
Dayton Ballet presents a condensed production of artistic director Karen Russo Burke's Cinderella at the Victoria Theatre April 23–25. The 3 pm EDT performance on April 24 will also be livestreamed and remain available for on-demand viewing through June 30. Viewers can purchase $25 tickets for online access via the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance website.
Miami City Ballet and Paul Taylor Dance Company
On April 1, Miami City Ballet and Paul Taylor Dance Company premiered the new collaborative virtual performance ViVa, which celebrates the joint history of ballet and modern dance. Choreographed by Amy Hall Garner and set to music by Vivaldi, the piece travels from Miami's Lincoln Road to Manhattan's Lower East Side and features MCB soloist Samantha Hope Galler and PTDC dancer John Harnage. ViVa will remain online permanently for free via MCB's and PTDC's websites and social media channels.
Pennsylvania Ballet
Pennsylvania Ballet continues its digital spring season with its second installment, Resilience, streaming April 29–May 5. The program features a solo, by principal Jermel Johnson, from Dwight Rhoden's And So It Is..., as well as performances of George Balanchine's Allegro Brillante, Christopher Wheeldon's Polyphonia and Angel Corella's Raymonda Suite. Viewers can purchase online access to season installments for $25 each via the company website.
Inside Ballet Hispánico Dancer Dandara Veiga's Dance Bag
Lucas Chilczuk
The Goods
Bloch booties: "I always go for black, because it's easiest to match with my leotards. I love for my leotards to be colorful, but I like to keep my warm-ups more neutral."
"I actually made my legwarmers in Brazil, with my grandmother, before I moved. When I first started dancing, I was on scholarship, so I had to build my wardrobe little by little. I'm very attached to these legwarmers, because my grandmother taught me how to make them. I wouldn't exchange them for anything."
Uniqlo vest: "I like this vest because it's ultra-light, so it doesn't take up too much space in my bag. It's black, of course, like all my other warm-ups!"
"I always have a small golf ball. Some of the other girls in the company introduced me to using it to roll my feet—we're always exchanging information about those things. I love how it feels on my arch," she says.
Gaynor Minden pointe shoes: "Now that I'm dancing at home, I've been darning the boxes of my shoes, because the floor of my apartment isn't ideal for dancing. It's pretty uneven, so I've found the darning helpful to give me a bit more stability. I'd hate to get injured dancing at home!"
Veiga holds photos of her family members in Brazil (Lucas Chilczuk)
"I always carry pictures of my family with me. I have a picture of each of their faces. I keep them with me all the time. I'm very nostalgic for home!"
Headphones: "I like to have my headphones to warm up before class. I try to listen to Brazilian songs while I'm warming up. They make me feel like I'm at home. Lately I've been listening to a lot of Iza. Her songs are very upbeat, which I like."
"I always have a bunch of extra clothes in my bag—leotards, skirts, shorts, tights, some loose pants. Changing clothes helps me to transition more quickly from classical to contemporary, so I don't lose time getting my mind and body ready for the next piece."
Kaiak cologne: "I have a little bottle of cologne from Brazil, which I like a lot. I like to have little things with me to make me think about home, and this cologne does that."
"I have a little container with hairpins, a headband and a little spray bottle of water. I change my hairstyle a lot throughout the day—like clothes, my hair can help change my mood for different styles of dance."
Vail Dance Festival bag: "Vail was one of my favorite places we've performed, so I love to carry this bag."
