Students taking class at the Miami City Ballet School. Photo by Alexander Iziliaev, Courtesy Miami City Ballet.
Growing up in Michigan, Jessy Dick was used to her daily hour-long drives to the Grand Rapids Ballet School, where she trained. But when she started to think about summer intensives, a new problem emerged: Auditions for the schools she was interested in were even farther away, in Chicago or Detroit. "I learned early on that if I wanted to do any summer programs, I'd have to travel at least three hours in order to audition," says Dick, now a member of The Washington Ballet's Studio Company.
Making plans for your summer training is complicated enough, especially with the sheer number of programs to choose between. But students who live far from popular audition hubs face the additional hurdle of organizing, scheduling and budgeting for audition trips. Luckily, with strategic planning, what can feel overwhelming at first can become a rewarding experience.
Students at the Ballet Conservatory of Asheville look for weekends when auditions overlap in one city. Photo by Blair Chamberlain, Courtesy Ballet Conservatory of Asheville.
Organize, Prioritize
For dancers without the luxury of an audition city nearby, prioritizing which schools to aim for is crucial. How to decide? Research, research, research. (Pointe's "2018 Summer Intensive Guide" is a good place to start.) Emily McDougall, a 14-year-old student at The School of Oklahoma City Ballet who's made several six-hour drives to auditions in Dallas and Kansas City, does some serious investigating in order to narrow down her choices.
Maria Kochetkova, who will perform at the Chicago Auditorium Theatre. Photo by Erik Tomasson, courtesy Auditorium Theatre.
If you'll be in the Chicago area next month, the historic Auditorium Theatre is putting together a one-night-only performance you don't want to miss. The event is in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the theater's reopening in 1967, which featured a performance of George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream by former New York City Ballet principals Suzanne Farrell and Edward Villella. With Farrell and Villella returning to the theater as guests, the November 12th program will include a mixed repertory performed by dancers from companies including American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, The Washington Ballet, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, Vienna State Ballet and Dutch National Ballet.
The Auditorium Theatre in Chicago from its 1967 opening. Photo by Richard Nickel, courtesy Auditorium Theatre.
Houston Ballet's Jared Matthews and Sara Webb in"The Sleeping Beauty." Photo by Amitava Sarkar, Courtesy Houston Ballet.
Despite the devastation and pain that Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have left in their wake this fall, it's been encouraging to see dancers step up in aid of their communities: When the future of Houston Ballet's Nutcracker seemed uncertain, venues around the city pulled together to allow the company to produce the show on a "hometown tour." And when Florida ballet companies had to evacuate, Atlanta Ballet and Charlotte Ballet welcomed them with open arms. In addition, New York City-based studio Broadway Dance Center offered community classes in September with proceeds donated to the American Red Cross.
The next in this series of good deeds is Hearts for Houston, a benefit performance bringing dancers from seven major companies together at New York City's Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater to raise money for the United Way of Greater Houston's Harvey Relief Fund. Scheduled for Sunday, October 22, the evening will feature members of the Houston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Texas Ballet Theater, The Washington Ballet and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Hearts for Houston is imagined and produced by Houston Ballet principal dancers Yuriko Kajiya and Jared Matthews (both formerly of ABT) and funded by patrons Phoebe and Bobby Tudor and sponsor Neiman Marcus.
Arthur Mitchell. Photo by Eileen Barroso, Courtesy Columbia University.
When American Ballet Theatre soloist Calvin Royal III and New York City Ballet soloist Unity Phelan burst into the opening diagonal of George Balanchine's Agon on Monday, they had reason to be nervous. Sitting in the downstage corner of Columbia University's Miller Theater—precisely where they'd need to spot their pencil turns—was Arthur Mitchell, the Dance Theater of Harlem co-founder and longtime director who originated the male role at NYCB in 1957. It was a rare and exciting moment of the future meeting the past. (Royal later described the experience as "surreal.") The two dancers, who had been coached by former NYCB principal Heather Watts, gave an electric and intense performance. Afterwards, Mitchell turned to the audience from his blue leather chair and smiled. "I would say it's in good hands."
Royal III and Phelan performing "Agon" during the Vail Dance Festival. Photo by Erin Baiano, Courtesy Vail Dance Festival.
Their appearance was part of "An Informal Performance on the Art of Dance," an evening directed by Mitchell to celebrate both his legacy and the Arthur Mitchell archive at Columbia's Rare Book and Manuscript Library. (The first exhibition featuring Mitchell's donated archives will be on display at Columbia's Wallach Art Gallery January 13–March 11, 2018.) A slew of guest artists came together for the program, which included works by Balanchine, Alvin Ailey and Mitchell himself (including his South African Suite and Rythmetron).
Photo by Jim Lafferty for Pointe.
There's one accessory Brittany Stone doesn't leave home without: her headphones. “I'm always listening to music, usually something from the '90s," she says. “It just makes your day better, especially in the morning when you don't really want to get up and take class." Her playlist is full of “good walking music"—upbeat songs that get her moving and motivated. The rest of her street style is characterized by cozy standbys: T-shirts and jeans, white sweaters, overalls and her favorite shoes, Dr. Martens. “They're basically my staple," she says. “I have three pairs. I wear them all the time, especially in the winter."
In dancewear, Stone's priority is seeing her lines. “My style in the studio is very simple, very classic. I almost always wear pink tights," she says. For essentials like toe pads and tights, she turns to Discount Dance Supply: “A lot of times the girls in the company will coordinate when we need stuff and make a big order, because the shipping's cheaper." Outside the studio, too, Stone notes, shopping is a great way to bond with new friends—something she's been doing a lot of since transitioning from Boston Ballet to The Washington Ballet last fall. “Everyone in the company is so nice and welcoming. It's been really good," she says.
Photo by Jim Lafferty for Pointe.
Ballet dancers have become the go-to for ad campaigns lately—just last month we wrote about PUMA’s collaboration with New York City Ballet for the shoe company's “Swan Pack” collection. Now, dancers from The Washington Ballet are getting in on the trend. The company recently teamed up with creative agency Design Army to promote CityCenterDC, the city’s newest shopping district. In a wacky, retro–inspired video, the dancers (led by the dashing Daniel Roberge) shimmy, shake and pony step their way through the DC streets.
The two-minute video, choreographed by former TWB artistic director Septime Webre, is part Austin Powers, part West Side Story, with dancers leaping through the shopping complex in colorful street clothes and sneakers. According to the agency, the campaign’s tag line, “District of Joy,” aims to bring positive morale back to the nation's capital, an area bombarded with daily political upheaval. That may be a tall order for an ad campaign, but these dancers certainly look like they’re having fun.
TWB dancers in CityCenter DC's "District of Joy" ad campaign. Photo courtesy CityCenter DC.
For more news on all things ballet, don’t miss a single issue.
The Washington Ballet, newly helmed by former American Ballet Theatre star Julie Kent, continues to attract top talent. Former Dance Theatre of Harlem member Ashley Murphy joined the company last August (prior to Kent's arrival). Brittany Stone, previously a Boston Ballet corps member, recently came on board. Now Eun Won Lee, a former principal dancer with Korean National Ballet, will join the company.
Although Lee's name might not be familiar to Western audiences, she's a product of rigorous training at the Korean National University of Arts. Lee earned numerous artistic distinctions during her tenure at Korean National Ballet, including The Korea Ballet Association’s Prima Ballerina Award. Her competition background is equally notable and includes a Junior Bronze Medal from the Varna International Ballet Competition.
Hye Ju Go, Seung Won Shin and Eun Won Lee in Korean National Ballet's Swan Lake (photo by Sunkyung Reina Jang)
The Washington Ballet has historically performed an eclectic mix of work by of-the-moment choreographers (like Trey McIntyre, Edwaard Liang, David Dawson and Nicolo Fonte), Balanchine ballets and smaller-scale classics (for example, one-act ballets by Antony Tudor and Jerome Robbins). Kent's season announcement, which includes work by William Forsythe and Twyla Tharp, will also introduce choreography by Justin Peck, Frederick Ashton and Alexei Ratmansky to the company. It will be interesting to see if Kent's ABT touch prioritizes classics, and how the members of the non-hierarchical company will be cast in upcoming productions. Dancers used to principal roles, like Murphy and Lee, may be pushed in new directions, while previously lower-ranked dancers like Stone may have new opportunities.
For more news on all things ballet, don’t miss a single issue.
(Brittany Stone, shot for our June/July 2013 cover, photo by Nathan Sayers)
Things are changing at The Washington Ballet! Former American Ballet Theatre star Julie Kent was appointed as the new artistic director in March, and she released a statement during the company's press conference today detailing her first season of programming—which coincides with the company's 40th anniversary. It's a fairly standard mix, though the arrangement suggests a dancer's sensitivity to what might be enjoyable and informative to rehearse and perform at the same time. The season also reflects the expertise she gained as an ABT principal, dancing the company's rich repertoire of classical choreography.
(Photo by Jesse Dittmar/The Washington Post)
The season opens in March, 2017 with Giselle, and then continues into a mixed bill of Jiří Kylián's Petite Mort, Justin Peck's In Creases (a company premiere) and William Forsythe's In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated. In late April, the TWB will dance George Balanchine's Allegro Brillante, Twyla Tharp's Nine Sinatra Songs and Alexei Ratmansky's Seven Sonatas (also a company premiere). In late May, the company will perform Antony Tudor's Jardin aux Lilas, Frederick Ashton's The Dream and a to-be-determined world premiere. We're very curious to find out who Kent chooses to complete such a dazzlingly subtle program, especially since most contemporary ballet choreographers deal in extremes.
New dancers include Boston Ballet's Brittany Stone, Cuban-trained Rolando Sarabia, ABT Studio Company member Adelaide Clauss, who will join as an apprentice, and Stephen Nakagawa, who was promoted from the TWB trainee program to Studio Company member.
Sona Kharatian. Photo by Theo Kossenas, Courtesy The Washington Ballet
Two beloved icons, David Bowie and Queen, are the inspiration behind The Washington Ballet's latest program. As expected, the double bill features a rocking soundtrack, and it will be a spirited send-off to outgoing artistic director Septime Webre. Pointespoke with TWB dancer Sona Kharatian about the company premieres of Trey McIntyre's Mercury Half-Life and Edwaard Liang's Dancing In the Street.
What's Edwaard Liang like in the studio?
Amazing. He's a very sensitive and spiritual person, so he creates this nurturing atmosphere where you feel like you can be vulnerable and explore things without feeling stupid or insecure. And his partnering choreography is incredible.
These works are a departure from classical ballet. Do you feed off that or is it a challenge?
We do a little bit of everything at The Washington Ballet. I'm just happy that this is the last big program of the season, so we can really dive in and be grounded because we do use different muscles. Trey's ballet, for example, is very, very athletic. We're basically busting it out for 50 minutes.
Tell me about the tap sections in Mercury Half-Life.
We're lucky we have a tapper in the company, Daniel Roberge. It was a nice surprise to see one of my colleagues in a new light. Some of the girls, myself included, do backup dances with him--I'd never tapped in my life! We had a lady come in and teach some of the basic steps. I'm still working on them, but it's fun.
Since David Bowie passed away earlier this year, does the piece take on any extra meaning?
What timing. It's unfortunate about his passing, but I'm happy we're doing it. I feel like I will be giving a tribute, and I'm sure other dancers feel the same way. I grew up listening to Bowie and Queen, so it's pretty special.
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For more news on all things ballet, don't miss a single issue.
Julie Kent, who recently retired after an illustrious career with American Ballet Theatre, is the new artistic director of The Washington Ballet. She will assume her position on July 1 and is currently serving as the artistic director of ABT's summer intensive. As artistic director, her duties will include overseeing the school, the main company and its trainee program, and community outreach.
Kent in Ashton's A Month in the Country (photo by Marty Sohl)
Kent's life in ballet includes 29 years at ABT, multiple awards (inlcuding the Erik Bruhn Prize and an honorary doctorate of performing arts from North Carolina School of the Arts) and international appearances. But before all that, Kent trained at the Academy of the Maryland Youth Ballet. Her return to the D.C. area brings her career full-circle.
Her husband and current ABT associate artistic director Victor Barbee will join her at TWB as the company's associate artistic director. Their combined experience and fresh perspectives are sure to bring exciting changes to TWB.
For more news on all things ballet, don’t miss a single issue.
Septime Webre, photo by Dean Alexander courtesy of The Washington Ballet.
From Paris to Washington, D.C., there seems to be something in the air affecting ballet directors. On the heels of Benjamin Millepied’s startling resignation announcement last week, The Washington Ballet has disclosed the impending departure of Septime Webre; the company’s longtime artistic director will step down at the end of the season. "My current contract expires in June," Webre says, "it felt like a 'now or never' moment to take this bold step."
Webre’s tenure has left a lasting impact on The Washington Ballet and the city’s arts scene. Since taking the helm in 1999, he has increased TWB’s budget nearly six fold, expanded the school (which now trains over 1400 students), increased the organization’s community outreach, added many works of his own to TWB’s repertoire and brought in a number of guest artists. The company has yet to find a replacement director.
TWB dancers in Webre's Alice (in wonderland). Photo by Theo Kossenas courtesy of TWB and Media 4 Artists.
Looking forward, Webre says, "I have been itching to get back to my core skill set: creating new work, coaching and mentoring young dancers and choreographers and advocating for the art of ballet." In addition to new creative endeavors, he plans to stage his ballets for other companies. Already, Webre's Alice (in Wonderland) has appeared in repertoires from Kansas City to Cincinnati.
Companies in Italy and Russia, too, are seeing big changes. Milan’s La Scala Ballet announced that choreographer Mauro Bigonzetti will replace Makhar Vasiev, who heads to Moscow in March to lead the Bolshoi Ballet. Bigonzetti was the artistic director of the Italian contemporary ballet company Aterballetto from 1997 to 2008, and he has choreographed for companies like New York City Ballet and Stuttgart Ballet. Given his contemporary background, Bigonzetti’s appointment at the large and traditionally classical La Scala has raised some eyebrows.
We’ll be keeping our eyes on how the flurry of new directorships develops this year. For more news on all things ballet, don’t miss a single issue.
Septime Weber interviewed about his Alice at KCB:
A clip of Bigonzetti’s Vespro for New York City Ballet: http://www.nycballet.com/ballets/v/vespro.aspx
La Scala Ballet dancers in Bigonzetti's Cinderella. Photo by Marco Brescia and Rudy Amisano courtesy of Teatro alla Scala.
