The Kitchen, New York City
December 8 2011

By Tara Sheena.

The mark of a truly great artist – some may say it is technical virtuosity; some may deem sheer creativity; some may think public persona defines ultimate artistry. In my humble opinion, duality in artistic works is a telling feature. Work that exposes the relationship between two seemingly unrelated things; work that reveals connections between two worlds; or, work that strives to show that our world has greater levels of interconnectedness than we previously thought true. On these claims alone, Kyle Abraham is, in my mind, a great artist. His Bessie-award winning evening-length work, The Radio Show, dealt with the expiration of famed Pittsburgh hip hop radio station WAMO, while simultaneously exploring the debilitating conditions of his father’s Alzheimer’s. In his newest work commissioned by The Kitchen, Live! The Realest MC, Abraham pairs the story of Pinocchio with a young male’s emotional journey of coping with his gay identity. Abraham and his company, Abraham.In.Motion, displayed this evolution of sorts via the mark of hip-hop culture. From the music to the video projections, to the fashion, Abraham’s work, presented in early December, was a whirlwind of urban energy from start to finish.

I entered the venue on Thursday, December 8^th to the preshow music of pop songstress and icon of the gay community, Robyn. Beginning with a delicate solo by Abraham, donned in gold sequin racer back top and metallic gold pants, he filled the space with subtle pops and locks that were game for explosion at any second.  Making a motif out of effortlessly balancing on his toenails, he established the duality of vulnerability and strength that effectively coexisted throughout the entire work.

Outfitted in ‘old school’ Adidas jumpsuits, Elyse Morris, Maleek Malaki Washington, and Chalvar Monteiro then charged through the space, and Abraham backed away, as he shed light on a moment of nostalgia. The video backdrop (impressively designed by Carrie Schneider) revealed the daily adventures of a young boy in urban America running through the city streets, jumping fences and chasing friends. This was just one of many memorable vignettes Abraham provided his audience.

The scope of hip-hop culture and attitude permeated throughout the work, in equally thrilling and notable moments. At one point, Hsiao-Jou Tang and Rachelle Rafailedes engaged in a fast-paced series of harsh leg tosses and quick spirals to enliven the heavy pounding of the bass in the diverse musical score (edited by Herman “soy sos” Pearl). At a split second’s notice, the ladies both slowed down to pedestrian walking, as if their flurry of movement never happened. This ‘too-cool-for-school’ attitude worked as a practical narrative as much as it did with satire for the piece (more duality!).

In a standout moment, Chalvar Monteiro entered the space, clad in short shorts that put Daisy Duke to shame, to give us his own brand of voguing. Strutting and shaking through the space, Monteiro was unapologetic about sky-high battements, punctuating his smooth, sassy movements. Stopping short of satire, he impressively displayed another important duality in the work: the gender economics of hip-hop culture. Monteiro clearly displayed a decidedly feminine aesthetic, further emphasized against Maleek Malaki Washington’s overpowering masculinity (at one point causing him to utter the insensitive male quip, “Damn, can I hit that?”).

Seamless in its duality, Abraham’s newest evening-length was enthralling from start to finish. The dancers were fierce, the lighting (designed by Dan Scully) was expertly crafted, and most importantly, the work made me think.

Photo: Kyle Abraham and Chalvar Monteiro. Photo by Cherylynn Tsushima

By Emily Yewell Volin.

Where’s the jazz?  Literally.  Where’s a concert jazz dancer to look for performance opportunities?  Jazz dance is uniquely American, with an emphasis on syncopation, isolation and groundedness.  And, like all art, jazz dance is bound to current societal trends and progress in related movement fields.  As a result jazz dance has changed into either an increasingly commercial commodity that is inherently removed from concert venues or an increasingly ballet based form that does little to represent the African dance roots of true jazz dance.  A few companies dedicate their mission and vision to the preservation of classical jazz works.  Many jazz companies explore classic and contemporary jazz dance in its many forms including, but in no way limited to, classical, lyrical, contemporary and hip hop.  Many of these dance companies remain dedicated to keeping jazz inspired works in their diverse repertoire, though would not be aptly labeled as jazz companies.

Jazz dance classes offered in studios and university/college programs are consistently over capacity.  You could call them big sellers and crowd favorites. Yet only a select few of these organizations produce jazz or jazz infused works in concert and dancers move out of most programs unsure how their passion for jazz dance can pair with their passion for a career in concert dance performance.

What’s an aspiring concert jazz dancer to do?  Begin by reading below.  It’s a listing (admittedly partial) of North American jazz dance companies as well as dance companies committed to including jazz works, or works influenced by jazz styles, in their diverse repertoire.

Jazz is alive and well, rooted in its history, and growing into its future.  Soulful, passionate, electric, athletic and virtuosic; you’ll know when you’ve experienced jazz or jazz inspired work.  And, it’s likely you’ll leave the concert or class wanting more.

Concert Companies Dedicated to Jazz Dance Repertoire
(Listed in Alphabetical Order)

Dancer Kimberley Cooper of Decidedly Jazz Danceworks in 'Wilds'. Photo Trudie Lee

Decidedly Jazz Danceworks
www.decidedlyjazz.com
Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, from Alberta Canada, was founded in 1984 with the objective of creating concert jazz dance that sustains the spirit and traditions of jazz. After more than two decades of work, a distinct and eclectic style that mixes groove, African roots, rhythm, improvisation, interplay with musicians, and deeply human soul, has distinguished DJD on the international jazz dance stage. The company founders and artists are progressive historians, innovating boldly while maintaining a respectful and loving eye on the roots of jazz.

Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago
www.giordanodance.org
Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago is the original jazz dance company, captivating audiences worldwide with dynamic performances and the diversity and wide appeal of its repertoire. Known for its high-energy, high-impact artistry, GJDC continually expands the boundaries of jazz dance while diversifying the repertoire, and receives critical and audience acclaim worldwide.

The mission of Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago is to create and present new and innovative jazz dance choreography, often redefining and expanding the very definition of jazz dance, and to bring this invaluable American art form to audiences and students of all ages and from all ethnic backgrounds.

Jump Rhythm Jazz Project in 'Spring'. Photo William Frederking

Jump Rhythm Jazz
www.jrjp.org
Jump Rhythm Jazz is a Chicago-based, Emmy-Award-winning dance theater company that was founded by Billy Siegenfeld in New York City in 1990.  The company’s rhythmically explosive ensemble celebrates dancing and singing to the beat-driven sounds of swinging jazz and the blues, hard-hitting funk and hip-hop, and world music.  Jump Rhythm performs its rich blend of percussive musicality and story-based dance theater in annual festivals in Chicago as well as on tour nationally and internationally. Jump Rhythm company members are also teachers and workshop-leaders of the unique approach to movement study called Jump Rhythm Technique.

Patti Rutland Jazz
www.pattirutlandjazz.com
Patti Rutland Jazz is a professional contemporary, jazz and hip-hop dance company based in Dothan, Alabama.  One of the most innovative dance companies in the Southeast, PRJ has created a new vocabulary of dance that appeals to diverse audiences and dancers alike.  The PRJ aim is to make dance accessible to the widest possible audience through professional concerts and to instruct youth on how to utilize technical skills as tools to develop a strong work ethic, self-esteem, respect for others and a positive outlook on life.

Concert Companies with Jazz or Jazz Infused Repertoire
(Listed in Alphabetical Order)

Atlanta Dance Connection
www.atlantadanceconnection.com (see review of their recent performe of The Dark Allure)
Bridging the gap between classical Ballet and traditional African dance, the Atlanta Dance Connection’s mission is to create and produce art, entertainment, and education at its highest level, while providing a venue for established, emerging artists to showcase their work. Public performances, educational programs, and artistic collaborations serve as the impetus for the Atlanta Dance Connection’s vision.

Rasta Thomas' Bad Boys of Dance. Photo Oliver Fantitisch

Bad Boys of Dance
www.badboysofdance.com
Bad Boys of Dance was founded in Maryland by dance superstar Rasta Thomas in 2007. BBD debuted at the 75th anniversary season of the world renowned American dance festival “Jacob’s Pillow”. BBD’s mission is to push the boundaries of male dancing and deliver the most exciting dance shows in the world. Today the company brings their magic to the masses, giving over 150 shows a year and has performed for over 500,000 fans worldwide. These amazing dancers’ versatility and talent push the bounds of dance today with athletic jumps, endless turns and endearing individuality. The Bad Boys seamlessly combine ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, tap and acrobatics to make for a dance experience you’ll never forget.

Cangelosi Dance Project
www.cangelosidanceproject.com
Kris Cangelosi’s work with her company in Baton Rouge LA, is abstract, defined by a vibrant and passionately moving drive that blends modern dance’s shaping and classical ballet’s exactness and lift. When Cangelosi constructs the movement and overall structure of a piece, she works from an inner story which forms the route of the dance.  In the preparation development she works with dancers with improvisation as well as constructed movement phrases to consider possibilities to outline clarity and heighten individuality, creating productions that are natural, sensitive and inspiring.

Cerqua Rivera
www.cerquarivera.org
Cerqua Rivera of Chicago is a company that has redefined the concept of a “performance ensemble”.  By uniquely fusing dance, live music, and visual art together on stage, CRDT performances truly satisfy the senses.  Each concert focuses on a new segment of society and a new era, reaching out to ethnically diverse audiences and communities, and expressing stories that span the diversity of American society. Cerqua Rivera’s multifaceted, innovative performances include an array of musical styles and original compositions, including jazz, classical, Latin, rock ‘n’ roll, and blues.  Its contemporary dance choreography fuses jazz, modern and ballet.

DanceWorks Chicago
www.danceworkschicago.org
DWC is proud to promote excellence in dance through creation of an eclectic repertory featuring who is new and what is next in contemporary dance, as well as showcasing exciting work from established choreographers. Committed to fostering a culture that values diversity relating to artists and their collaborators, the work of art on stage, and the audience served, DWC accomplishes its mission by bringing people together with a wide range of skills, approaches, and experience. Creating an environment for meaningful exploration is an important part of the continued forward movement of the art form as well as part of building Chicago as a destination for dance.

Houston Metropolitan Dance Company in ‘Zoom’. Photo Ben Doyle, Runaway Productions LLC

Houston Metropolitan Dance Company
www.houstonmetdance.org
Houston Metropolitan Dance Company aims to enhance the quality of life for individuals and society through the instruction and performance of dance. The company does not have an artistic director but an artistic committee that sets the season for the professional company. The committee always tries to keep jazz idiom as a part of their seasoned concerts and feels it is important to show the diversity of the company’s repertoire.

Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theatre
www.lvcontemporarydancetheater.org
Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater is dedicated to preserving and presenting the work of generations of great artists, choreographers and teachers, as well as showcasing the work of emerging talent in a broad spectrum of dance styles. LVCDT seeks to maintain a world-class performing arts company, creating multicultural opportunities to build artistic bridges beyond our borders. Through educational outreach programs, LVCDT seeks out at-risk youth and provides a path to confidence, discipline, and excellence that will benefit the youth and their community way beyond their participation in the dance program.

Les Ballets Jazz De Montréal
www.bjmdanse.ca
An internationally renowned repertory company, BJM – Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal has continued to grow with all the energy and spirit of exploration for which it has been known since its birth in 1972. Thanks to the enduring faith of Geneviève Salbaing and co-founders Eva Von Gencsy and Eddy Toussaint, this vitality has made its mark through the years. Since Louis Robitaille was nominated artistic director in 1998, BJM is now, more than ever, in tune with the times. While preserving the essence of the company, BJM works today with some of the most prestigious figures in the world of dance and contemporary ballet.

LehrerDance. Photo by Nate Benson

LehrerDance
www.lehrerdance.org
LehrerDance is an inspiring and innovative contemporary dance company based in Buffalo, NY. Under the direction of Jon Lehrer, the company showcases Jon’s unique choreography and embodies his definitive style. Jon’s extensive background in both the modern and jazz dance idioms fosters choreography that is organic, artistic, accessible and often humorous, reflecting life experience and the human condition. The LehrerDance style is based on three main elements of movement: circularity, 3-dimensionality, and momentum.  These combine to create a form best described as “organically athletic” – integrating the approach and fluidity of modern dance with the excitement and energy of jazz dance to create an expressive, engrossing style of movement.

Philadanco!
www.philadanco.org
The Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadanco) is a world renowned company celebrated for its creativity, administrative acumen, and adherence to the standard of excellence established by its founder Joan Myers Brown. Philadanco presents the highest quality of professional dance performance and improves the skills of emerging and professional dancers and choreographers in a nurturing environment, while increasing the appreciation of dance among its many communities.

River North Dance Chicago in 'Simply Miles...'. Photo Jennifer Girard

River North Dance Chicago
www.rivernorthchicago.com
River North Dance Chicago is dedicated to the creative advancement, presentation and preservation of jazz based contemporary dance regionally, nationally and internationally. Some works are “jazzy”, some jazz-infused, and some are more contemporary and/or edgy.   Audiences always receive a balanced offering, including the basic three facets of River North: the romantic and lyrical, the contemporary, and the jazzy.

River North Dance Chicago recently presented ”Simply Miles, Simply Us”, a tribute to the great American jazz legend, Miles Davis.  The work, choreographed by River North Dance Chicago’s Artistic Director, Frank Chaves, premiered at the Auditorium Theater of Roosevelt University in Chicago, as part of their month-long Miles Davis Festival in April 2011.

Top photo: Philadanco. Dancers Chloe O Davis and Joan Kilgore. Photo by Lois Greenfield. www.loisgreenfield.com

How dancers cope, physically and mentally, during breaks between seasons and gigs

By Laura Di Orio

A dancer’s job is one that is physically, mentally and artistically demanding. Whether a dancer is engaged in a full-on performance season or contracted for a gig, he/she is most likely kept busy with classes, rehearsals and performances. So when a sudden break between projects arises, how do dancers cope – physically, mentally, and even financially?

Here, Dance Informa speaks with a couple of dancers – one a company member and the other a freelance artist – on how they treat their breaks and keep their body up to par.

Tell us about your yearly performance schedule.

Anna Liceica in Don Quixote pas de deux. Photo by Karen Bosch Petrov

Anna Liceica, former NYCB and American Ballet Theatre dancer, principal guest artist
I will start with the Nutcracker season, which is the busiest for me. My first shows start mid-November and go straight through Christmas. I perform with different companies every weekend, which only leaves a day off and the rest are travel and rehearsal. After Nutcracker season, I have a week off between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, and then we start the Youth America Grand Prix regionals, for which I am a judge and teacher. After YAGP, I usually fly out and guest with Deutsche Oper in Berlin for some performances of their spring season. Then I come back to New York for Staten Island Ballet’s spring performances and Petrov Ballet’s shows. During the summer I have guested with Angel Corella’s company, and there are always different opportunities and offers that vary from year to year. I usually take about a week off during the summer and one week off during the winter.

Kathryn Morgan, soloist, New York City Ballet
We start in September with about three weeks of rehearsal, then have a four-week performance season. Then we either have a month off or some sort of tour. Around the first of November, we have another three weeks of rehearsal, followed by Nutcracker performances for six weeks, then about two weeks of rehearsal and a six- or seven-week winter season. Next is around three weeks off or a tour. Then we have three more weeks of rehearsals and a four- to six-week spring season. Then we get a few weeks off, a week of rehearsal and then two weeks of performances in Saratoga Springs. Then we have off until September when the year repeats.

After a long, strenuous dancing season, do you think that a break of some sort seems necessary? How do you cope body-wise during a break?

Kathryn Morgan, NYCB soloist. Photo by Paul Kolnik

Kathryn Morgan
After a long season, a break is necessary, but not for too long. I end up being much better off with some sort of break, but I never go too long without dancing. You don’t want to lose your strength or technique. If it’s a short break, I start back in class a week before, a long break, two to three weeks before. I just do barre for a few days to make sure I don’t injure myself and then gradually work back up to a full class.

Anna Liceica
The breaks are usually not very long between projects; therefore, I always take class and take on some teaching jobs during the off weeks. I try to stay in shape at all times because I feel at my best that way. Besides, there are always unexpected calls for dancing different projects without much advance notice, and it’s always easier to learn and tackle difficult choreography when one is in shape.

If you’re constantly rehearsing and performing during a season, it can be a shock to the psyche when the season’s suddenly over. How do you cope mentally?

Anna Liceica
I love performing, and I enjoy being onstage and in season, but it is always a welcome relief when I have successfully finished a series of performances and I have a bit of downtime. I usually take a couple of days off and then take class generally five days a week, thinking a bit about the projects ahead and slowly rehearsing for what’s coming.

Kathryn Morgan
As much as I love dancing, the last few days of a hard season are difficult to get through. I welcome the break because then I can start back with a clean slate. Mentally, it is also good to get away from the stresses of ballet. But then, after a week at most, I’m antsy to start dancing again. I try and keep active but do make an effort to think about other things on a break.

With your current dance schedule, does it allow you to seek out other dance gigs during an off-season?

Anna Liceica and Marcelo Gomes in Black Swan pas de deux. Photo by Rosalie O'Connor

Kathryn Morgan
I do take gigs that come along, if I can. I do have to think about injuries and such, but I love an opportunity to dance when I can. Plus, the more I am onstage the happier I am. However, my rule is that if I’m not fully dancing at NYCB (such as having an injury or slight illness), then I don’t take the gig. I have to be doing my job first before an extra comes around.

Monetarily, do breaks between seasons affect you?

Kathryn Morgan
We are given generous vacation pay, which we receive toward the end of a season. Gigs also tend to pay well.

Anna Liceica
I have been on salary since I was 16, and for many years I had a fixed income besides the extra gigs I always like to do. Right now, I get paid from project to project, and so far between performing, staging and teaching, it has been a pretty constant flow.

Do you supplement yourself in other ways or keep yourself busy with other hobbies during breaks?

Anna Liceica
I like spending time with my husband, my family and friends. My parents live in the city, and I often visit them. I read a lot and spend a lot of time doing research on news and videos of things of interest related to the arts. I like to know what is going on in the dance world and the art world in general. I love going to see different shows- Broadway, plays, dance – and good movies as well.

Top photo: Kathryn Morgan, NYCB soloist. Photo by Paul Kolnik

By Stephanie Wolf 

These days, former Bolshoi Ballet Artistic Director Alexei Ratmansky is in high demand for his choreographic skills in the ballet world. Since being named American Ballet Theater’s Artist in Residence in 2009, he has traveled the world, choreographing for some of the industry’s best dance companies. His next big undertaking brings him back to New York City, where he will create his fifth ballet for ABT – his own adaptation of Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird.

This is not Ratmansky’s first time mounting the one-act story ballet. Previously, he choreographed a production of The Firebird for the Royal Swedish Ballet in 2002. His version for ABT will showcase the work of two other Russian artists: Simon Pastukh’s scenery and costumes by Galina Solovyeva. The trio also worked together on Ratmansky’s 2009 ballet On the Dnieper.

The new production will receive its world premiere from March 29 – April 1, 2012 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, CA, coinciding with the center’s 25^th anniversary. Shortly after the five performances in Costa Mesa, the ballet will stage its Manhattan premiere at the Metropolitan Opera House during ABT’s spring season.

ABT’s Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie feels Ratmansky and his Russian design team possess the heritage and talent to recreate a ballet of such historic significance. “Alexei’s background in Russian music, culture and symbolism combined with his incredible facility for story-telling, will surely have an important impact on how he brings this enchanting tale to life,” he says.

The Firebird depicts the Russian fairytale of Prince Ivan and his quest to conquer evil and win the love of his princess. Ivan becomes lost in the forest of the evil Kostchei. As he struggles to gain his bearings, he encounters an enchanted Firebird. The Firebird’s likeness to both woman and bird hypnotizes the prince. He captures her, and she offers one of her magical feathers in return for her release. After his encounter with the Firebird, he finds himself at Kostchei’s castle, where twelve maidens greet him. He meets Tsarevna and falls in love. Kostchei appears and casts a spell to turn Prince Ivan into stone. In defense, Ivan waves the magical feather, bringing forth the Firebird herself. Together, the prince and Firebird defeat the evil Kostchei, allowing Ivan and Tsarevna to wed; thus, receiving their happy ending.

Michael Fokine choreographed the first production of The Firebird on Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes at Paris’s Theatre National de l’Opera on June 25, 1910. Over a century later, ABT plans to present Ratmansky’s interpretation, which is the fourth time for Ballet Theater to revive the ballet. The first time ABT premiered Stravinsky’s The Firebird was in 1945 at the Metropolitan Opera House, with choreography by Adolph Bolm and sets and costumes by Marc Chagall. Christopher Newton restaged Fokine’s choreography for the second ABT production of The Firebird in 1977 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, CA. And, they revived Fokine’s choreography again in 1992. Nicholas Beriozoff produced this third rendition for ABT, which premiered in Mexico City at the Palacio de Bellas Artes.

Ratmansky’s version will star three of ABT’s remarkable ballerinas as the illusive creature: Misty Copeland, Isabella Boylston, and Natalia Osipova. Both Boylston and Copeland are soloists with ABT, and Osipova is a principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet and a guest artist with ABT.

Ratmansky’s previous ballets for ABT, including The Nutcracker, The Bright Stream, and Dumbarton, received great responses form both critics and patrons. With a team of skilled collaborators and ABT’s roster of excellent dancers, Ratmansky’s new The Firebird possesses the potential to make its own mark in ballet history.

Sources: ABT Broadway World, The Ballet Dancers’ Guide

Who You Need to Know Can Finally Get to Know You!

By Deborah Searle

Esteemed dance manager Jim Keith of The Movement has recently started a unique series of workshops in Los Angeles for professional dancers seeking to arm themselves with the knowledge and the contacts to succeed. Since the first workshop in October, The Dance Group offers weekly two hour-long networking and audition workshops with a rotating roster of LA’s top dance industry professionals. Creating an environment for dancers to meet, learn from, dance for and network directly with choreographers, directors and casting directors, Jim Keith is passionate about the The Dance Group’s potential to equip dancers for career success.

Dance Informa spoke with Jim to find out more about these new workshops that are all the buzz across LA.

Why did you start The Dance Group?

When I was a dance agent, signing new clients, I’d always hold two hour long orientation sessions. I would discuss things like marketing materials, networking, agent-client relations, audition techniques, etiquette, dancer rates, working conditions, and so on. I tried to cover all the basics with my new clients and instill in them a sense of knowledge and security that would stay with them for years to come. After doing this for some time, I started to notice that I could give them all the knowledge in the world but that wouldn’t necessarily cause specific result in their lives. I was looking for something that would produce actual results. Two of my closest friends are actors and they would attend casting director and agency workshops. They would perform monologues or mock commercial auditions and get noticed and coached. Their bookings actually increased. No one was doing this for dancers yet. Not this way.

There are many dance workshops out there that discuss various audition techniques and try to share “industry insight” and knowledge. What makes The Dance Group different?

Those workshops are wonderful and some of them make amazing differences in the lives of dancers but they don’t necessarily put you in front of the people who will be making the final call on whether or not you book a job. That’s the difference with The Dance Group. Auditioning in Los Angeles is about three things and three things only, and unfortunately none of those things necessarily have to do with how good you are. Chances are that if you have representation you’re ‘good enough’ so that isn’t an issue. Booking jobs as a dancer is about who you know, how good you look and how well you sell.

The ‘who you know’ part is key, because quite frankly, the dance market in Los Angeles is completely oversaturated. Hundreds upon hundreds of dancers show up at cattle calls that last hours. Amazing dancers all make it to the final cut, but in the end, it’s 99% about who you know that gets you kept. Things like look, ability and performance quality get you all the way to the end, but it’s who you know that will keep you standing there when the cutting is done.

Why is networking so important to success in this industry?

Most dancers don’t realize that the choreographer’s job and reputation is on the line as well. A choreographer is more inclined to choose people he or she knows or has worked with before because it is less of a risk for the choreographer and creates an environment of creativity and trust. If the choreographer doesn’t have to worry about the dancer’s work ethic, reputation or ability, then they are left freer to create better work. At The Dance Group, we create a unique environment that puts dancers directly in front of industry leading dance professionals. They get personal critiques and one-on-one coaching each session in a room that is limited to only 45-60 dancers at a time. The limited class size ensures maximum exposure.

What other benefits does the workshop provide?

Each choreographer has a different way of seeing and doing things in regards to auditioning, so it is important that dancers know each individual choreographer’s methodology. We ask them to dress the part, like they were going to an actual audition for that specific choreographer, and to bring their photos and resumes. Everything is analyzed and critiqued from the moment they walk in. Everything is assessed and commented on, from what they are wearing, to their photos, to their execution of the choreography or their ability to pick up the steps. They learn choreography and have to execute it in an audition type pace. They learn each choreographer’s way of doing things, what they like and what they don’t. It arms the dancers with specific knowledge to give them an advantage in a real audition situation. We also have a 30 minute Q & A at the end if the students have any more specific questions or comments. If the choreographer likes any of the dancers they see, we also prepare a package of headshots for the choreographer so they can keep them on file for future reference.

Any success stories yet as a result of the workshops?

YES! Marguerite Derricks confirmed that she hired five new dancers for a pilot she was choreographing for, due to the workshops we held with her. Marguerite is very specific about what she wants to see at auditions and what she needs to get from dancers that work for her. These girls probably never would have worked for Marguerite so quickly if it wasn’t for the workshops. The Dance Group gave these young dancers the tools they needed to get a ‘leg up’ on the competition. They knew how to dress for Marguerite, what she likes to see while auditioning and how she likes her choreography executed; all key elements to a successful audition.

www.thedancegroup.net

Video: Courtesy of youTube.
Dance Informa/Dance News International takes no responsibility for the content of any videos viewed through youTube.

Nutrition recommendations for preventing and recovering from bone breaks, stress reactions, or stress fractures.

By Emily C. Harrison MS, RD, LD

With our highly active and high impact lifestyles, dancers can be prone to bone stress. What can you do ensure your bones are ready for the demands of dance?

Bone is living tissue, and good bone health requires good nutrition. One way to avoid stress fractures/ reactions is to get adequate calories from protein, carbs, and fat. Calorie needs for dancers can vary depending on your size, age, gender, and activity level. (See Dancernutrition.com for information on estimating calorie needs). Going for long periods of time without eating or extreme dieting will compromise bone mineral density and jeopardize your bone strength. Cutting your calories too heavily will not help you become a stronger dancer.

Hormones also play a big role in bone health. Decreased or absent menstruation in females is a warning sign. Please see a health care professional if dietary intake or menstruation is a problem.

Vitamins and Minerals for bone health, ages 13 and up
Calcium: 1300-1500 mg
Vitamin D: 10-15 micrograms (600-800 IU) avoid large doses and get 15 min of sun/day
Vitamin C: 100 mg (avoid large doses)
Vitamin K: 75-90 micrograms
Phosphorus: 1250 mg/day

Did you know that you can get all these from food sources?

Protein: Did you know that too much can actually compromise bone health over time?
Protein needs vary throughout our lifespan. For more information about recommended protein intake read Protein Needs for Dancers from the November Edition. More than enough protein is not necessarily better. Dancers who are adolescents and still growing, as well as engaging in athletic activity several times per week, can estimate protein on the higher end of the range, but shouldn’t over do it. High protein diets can lead to more calcium being lost from the bones – a big problem for dancers who are at higher than average risk for stress fractures. Protein overload = weaker bones. Get your protein from food sources like beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains and if necessary, get small amounts from meat or dairy. Protein supplements or powders are not necessary and can even be dangerous.

Dietary sources of bone building nutrients:

• Everyone knows that dairy is a great source of calcium, but there are other plant-based sources of calcium too, like almonds. If your dairy intake is restricted, choose calcium fortified soy milk, almond milk, or orange juice w/ calcium.
• Greens: spinach, kale, collards, chard
• All fruits (great sources of vitamin C and phytonutrients)
• Tuna, eggs, beans
• Sunflower seeds, almonds
• Enriched cereals, oatmeal with almond milk

Emily Cook Harrison MS, RD, LD
Emily is a registered dietitian and holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nutrition from Georgia State University, USA. Her master’s thesis research was on elite level ballet dancers and nutrition and she has experience providing nutrition services for weight management, sports nutrition, disordered eating, disease prevention, and food allergies. Emily was a professional dancer for eleven years with the Atlanta Ballet and several other companies. She is a dance educator and the mother of two young children. She now runs the Centre for Dance Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles. She can be reached at emily@dancernutrition.com www.dancernutrition.com

Top photo: © Linda Bucklin | Dreamstime.com

By Tara Sheena 

A dance performance seems like a simple equation: one part choreography, two parts proscenium stage, and three parts talented cast. Add a few lights and some great music, maybe even a set piece or two, and you have the perfect show. Easy enough, right? Too easy, it seems, for the Los Angeles-based choreographer Heidi Duckler of Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre. Duckler has made a living creating site-based work in the greater Los Angeles area for over twenty-five years. A “non-traditional” choreographer, as she prefers to call herself, she has run a successful contemporary dance company in an area of California where dance seems to be dominated by commercialization and the persona of Hollywood. However, after speaking with Duckler and her Managing Director, Emily Wanserski, it became clear that this idea of celebrity, privatization, and, conversely, accessibility in the Facebook-era feeds into the company’s overall mission.

“We like the idea of bringing dance to a location versus expecting an audience to come to us [and the dance]”, Wanserski stated. This zeal to reach out to audiences, whether they know they are being an audience or not, has characterized a lot of Duckler’s most notable works, including Laundromatinee, which takes place inside a laundromat, and Expulsion, which always occurs in a vacant lot.

Their newest piece, based on the life of Cleopatra, will premiere in February 2012 on the 51^st floor of the City National Bank Tower building in downtown Los Angeles. As a project Duckler has been longing to do for a while, Cleopatra ~ On the Banks provides “so much untapped opportunity” in the site and the story. The site-specific choreographer sees great challenges in the performance, as it mixes the corporate lifestyle of the 1980s Los Angeles power suit with the elusive feminism of the iconic Cleopatra.  Coming into an extravagant site like the bank tower, which has been abandoned for over ten years, is par for the course for Duckler. “Sometimes when you have an idea, you have to wait until you find the right venue to express it,” Duckler says of her work. Her company almost always rehearses in the site they are performing in, and this creates, what Wanserski refers to as, their aim to “animate the landscape” wherever they are. 

Of L.A., a city she has lived and worked in for almost thirty years, Duckler finds daily muses in the city and its pace which is constantly changing and evolving. She states, “I’ve lived here for 30 years and can still drive down a street that I’ve never been on.” Duckler hardly shies away from the idea of celebrity and media that seem to define the entire city. Instead, she chooses to mirror those ideas through her own artistic viewpoint. In fact, a contributing point of inspiration for the Cleopatra work came from a quote by pop star Macy Gray. Duckler also draws upon the talents of another female artist; author Stacy Schiff, to find ingenuity and inspiration to drive this work. In Schiff’s new book, Cleopatra: A Life, she explores a feministic point of view on the Egyptian queen and exposes how Cleopatra was not only an object of beauty and desire, but how she possessed qualities both cunning and opportunistic.

The parallels between the ancient and the new are reflected in Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre’s mission to challenge the relationship between audience and art through site-specific performance. It is evident that finding connections in our world is inherent to Duckler as both an Artistic/Executive Director and choreographer, for she believes, “on some level, people want to [ultimately] be united.” And this performance will be no exception.

“Cleopatra ~ On the Banks” will have its world premiere in February 2012 in Los Angeles.  Find ‘Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre’ on Twitter, Facebook, and at heididuckler.org.

Photos by Andrei Andreev

By Stephanie Wolf .

Drama, ballet, and love … Former New York City Ballet dancer Sophie Flack’s first novel Bunheads promises to deliver all three. It’s the story of young Hannah Ward, a fresh-faced ‘newbie’ navigating her way through the ranks of the elite Manhattan Ballet Company. But her professional ambitions are challenged when she meets a charming musician by the name of Jacob. While Hannah’s story doesn’t mimic the exact experiences Sophie had during her dancing days, the dancer turned novelist drew inspiration from her 9-year career with NYCB and considers the book a homage to the hard-working individuals of the corps de ballet.

Sophie grew up in Cambridge, MA and began her ballet training at the Boston Ballet School. She fell in love with Balanchine technique and, at 15, moved to New York City to further her dance studies at the School of American Ballet. After two years at SAB, Sophie entered the professional ranks of the New York City Ballet.

In 2009, Sophie retired from ballet, a world she had previously been so consumed by. She was one of 11 corps de ballet dancers laid off from the company due to budget cutbacks. But Sophie saw this event as an opportunity to step away from tendus and start to condition her mind rather than her body. She enrolled at Columbia University, where she is currently finishing her degree in English, and spoke openly about her departure in a New York Times article.

Sophie Flack. Photo by Randall Slavin

Originally, Sophie envisioned the entire story set in the dressing room, highlighting both the competitive and sisterly relationships amongst the corps de ballet ladies. “The ballet world lends itself well to fiction because there is so much drama backstage. I was really interested in capturing what it is like to dance in the corps de ballet,” she explained. Eventually, the book evolved into more than dressing room tales, and Sophie found herself getting acquainted with a cluster of fictional characters, including her leading lady Hannah.

While Sophie categorizes the novel as “sophisticated YA [for young adult readers],” she believes the book has the potential to appeal to an audience much broader than only teenage dancers. “The corps de ballet experience is universal” across all social and professional environments because everyone can relate to that “heightened sense of cattiness and competition. I really wanted to write something that felt real and true … and gave attention to the corps”. Additionally, Sophie hoped to highlight ballet’s inherent allure and beauty, dispelling some of the hostile and ugly images depicted in recent media.

Sophie got a taste of book writing and is now hooked. When asked about the potential for a second novel or even turning Bunheads into a series, she replied, “that would be fantastic,” and affirmed that she “started work shopping a second book” during her time in Paris. Yet, Sophie’s artistic pursuits don’t end with writing.  She is a multifaceted artist, engaging in visual arts, as well as the written word and dance. Identifying with all of these artistic outlets, she refuses to limit herself to one medium.

Building on her kinesthetic knowledge as a dancer, Sophie strives to produce thought-provoking visual art, probing into the personal issues of body perception. This is a highly relevant topic in the ballet world, which emphasizes an ultra-thin physique. “[I learned] about the body from the inside”, she explains, highlighting how her experiences as a ballet dancer influence her visual art. Currently, she has a few pieces on display in a small restaurant and has sold a few paintings through her website. The notion of having an exhibition in a gallery definitely interests her and, perhaps, will be her next big endeavor.

But, for now, Sophie is focused on her academics and her fledging writing career. Considering her busy schedule, it’s hard to imagine she would have time for anything else. Sophie has been traveling through the Northeast to promote Bunheads, including a book signing in Manhattan at an Upper East Side Barnes and Noble, a meet and greet at Baltimore’s The Children’s Bookstore, and a chic launch party. In addition, Sophie and Bunheads have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Boston.com, Oprah’s website, Huffington Post, and Pick-a-Poppy, a site dedicated to fiction. She returns to her hometown of Boston to promote the novel at Porter Square Books on Tuesday, January 10^th at 7:00pm. (Porter Square Books is at 25 White Street, Cambridge, MA). 

From dancing in the corps de ballet of a highly esteemed ballet company to juggling academics at an Ivy League school, writing, and creating visual art, Sophie Flack is an example of how dancers can successfully apply their skills and gumption to the ‘outside’ world. She’s a talented individual to keep an eye on.

By Rebecca Martin

“With over 20 years of experience behind me I have seen the evolution of dance through the 90′s and the following decade and can honestly say that MBC has evolved faster than I ever would have dreamt. The technique and quality of the dancers do justice to the demanding choreographic works. The dedication and skill of our artistic team, our dancers and, of course, our audience has brought us this far. In order to maintain a high quality of dance and a well earned high profile we now look to New York for dancers with goals and drive, passion and precision and a true adoration of dance.” -Robert C Kelly, Ballet Master/Choreographer

Melbourne Ballet Company is thrilled to be holding its first auditions outside of Australia in 2012. On January 15^th, Artistic Director Alisa Finney and Principal Dancer Sharon Fernandez will utilize the world famous Ailey Studios on 55^th Street, New York, for its auditions. Consisting of a classical class, MBC contemporary repertoire workshop, pointe work, and partnering, the audition will put dancers through their paces, ensuring the high standard of performance expected of Melbourne Ballet Company is upheld. Short-term season contracts will be offered as well as traineeships to young graduate dancers.

Having returned from Las Vegas in August 2010 where Finney and Fernandez were guest lecturers at the Dance Teacher Web Conference & Expo, they realized there was a huge demand from dancers in the US to work with Melbourne Ballet Company. In addition to interest from American dancers, Australians living abroad were also keen to have the opportunity to dance back home.

Melbourne Ballet Company has previously featured international dancers including Mikhael Plain from California, Shannon Ellis from Canada, three dancers from Paris, two from Italy, two from Japan, three from New Zealand, and one from South America. The company hopes to take a full season to the US in 2013.

Alisa Finney and the staff at the Gay Wightman School of Ballet in Melbourne will also be taking 100 people to Los Angeles in April 2012 for a 10-day student performance and study tour. The dancers have five performances in venues including Disneyland, California Adventure Park, Universal Studios and Hollywood Boulevard. The students will also be attending Master Classes and workshops at top LA dance institutions.

Alisa Finney in 2007, with resident choreographer Simon Hoy and Principal dancer Sharon Fernandez founded the Melbourne Ballet Company. The team had a vision to create a contemporary ballet company that upheld a commitment to classical technique. Over the past four years the company has presented nine original programs, incorporating over 30 works that have been acclaimed by MBC audiences.

New York Audition
Sunday January 15th 2012, 3pm – 5pm
The Ailey Studios The Joan Weill Centre for Dance
405 West 55th Street New York, NY 10019

Candidates will be auditioned in a classical ballet class, pointe work, partnering and contemporary workshop conducted by Melbourne Ballet Company Artistic Staff. Depending on the number of candidates, there may be more than one class. Candidates will be grouped into classes in order of sign-in. A recall class may follow the initial audition class, and a brief interview with Artistic Staff will also normally be conducted for the final short-list. Audition cost: $30.00 payable on the audition day.

For further information, contact the Artistic Director Alisa Finney on +61450959769 or info@melbourneballetcompany.com.au
www.melbourneballetcompany.com.au

By Laura Di Orio

When a dancer steps down from the stage and “hangs up his or her shoes”, it doesn’t always mean an end to a dance-centered career. Many go on to teach, open a studio, direct a company, design costumes, and several choose the route of choreographer. Those who make the shift from dancer to choreographer may find a most freeing, creative outlet to express themselves. And a former life as a dancer just may make that transition smoother and richer.

Dance Informa hears from two established choreographers, both former professional dancers, on how and why they made the jump and what their life as choreographer provides them artistically.

Did you always know you wanted to choreograph? When did those desires begin to surface?

Edwaard Liang, freelance choreographer, USA
www.edwaardliang.com
I never had the thought or desire to choreograph. I had a one-track mind in terms of what I thought I wanted in my career. When I was dancing with Nederlands Dans Theater, I was urged to try my hand creating in their annual choreographic workshops. I had such a great time with the process. I had no clue what I was doing, but loved it.

Where are you along this transition from dancer to choreographer? Have you completely shifted?

Edwaard Liang
I have completely shifted from dancer to choreographer. I don’t feel sad about not performing, I think because I’m still a part of this world. I get to take class and feel like a dancer and move when I want to, but don’t have the same pressures I used to before to be perfect. I get to enjoy movement for movement’s sake. Plus, I never got the ‘juice’ or ‘high’ from performing, so it was not hard to leave.

What does your life as a choreographer offer you that life as a dancer has not?

Stephen Baynes, resident choreographer for The Australian Ballet, rehearsing Baynes's "Beyond Bach". Photo by James Braund

Stephen Baynes
As a choreographer, I have relinquished the challenge and fulfillment of performing but have been challenged and fulfilled in a different way by creating my own dances and seeing them interpreted by wonderful artists.

Edwaard Liang
My life as a choreographer has given me more freedom and input into what I want to say. Making ballets are like making mini movies. You get to decide the music, costumes and sets. You feel like you’re able to mould the whole package.

For dancers who want to either delve into choreography or who want to transition completely, what suggestions do you have?

Stephen Baynes
Be very sure that you really feel you have something to say. Try to get as much experience in making dance as you can. It is a very practical endeavour and needs constant practice, but that can be difficult. More than anything else, search for your own voice, which doesn’t always mean that you can be completely original, but at least it is uniquely yours.

Edwaard Liang's "Age of Innocence" performed by Fabrice Calmels and Victoria Jaiani. Photo by Herbert Migdoll

Edwaard Liang
Keep working and creating, whether it’s a big or small project. The only way to get deeper, better and do richer pieces of dance is to get in there and create. Try not to edit. Find your own voice. Enjoy the process and time. This profession is one of the hardest, physically and mentally, so try to find joy in some of the little things that happen. Don’t always wait for the big promotions to celebrate yourself.

What’s next for you as a choreographer?

Edwaard Liang
I finished presenting my work at Fall for Dance at City Center in New York. I am now starting my first full-length ballet – a new production of Romeo and Juliet for Tulsa Ballet and also new works for San Francisco Ballet, Washington Ballet, Joffrey Ballet and a project with Yuan Yuan Tan and myself.

Stephen Baynes
I am busy with commissions until the end of 2012, including a full-length Swan Lake for The Australian Ballet’s 50^th anniversary, and hopefully there will be more after that.

Top photo: Edwaard Liang rehearing with Victoria Jaiani. Photo courtesy of Edwaard Liang