Classes provide rich experience for participants

By Chelsea Thomas.

Renowned year-round contemporary dance company Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, now in its 35th season, can constantly be seen touring both nationally and internationally. Yet, in the past few years, the company’s local dance studio, Lou Conte Dance Studio, has begun to garner similar national attention for its phenomenal public dance programs.

With over 70 classes offered per week to youth and adults, Lou Conte Dance Studio is a hub of physical activity and movement. Yet one program stands out amidst the others – The HSDC Parkinson’s Project.

“The Parkinson’s Project is a set of classes offered for adults with Parkinson’s disease. The program is about five years old now and has been steadily growing,” says Kathryn Humphreys, Director of Hubbard Street Education’s Youth and Community Programs.

Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative neurological disorder, affects the central nervous system and causes movement-related symptoms, usually including shaking, muscle rigidity, slowness of movement, difficulty walking and postural instability. While there is no cure for it yet, physical therapy has been proven to help curb some symptoms. With this in mind, HSDC’s program uses contemporary dance techniques to work to slow the progress of the disease.

Like other programs that have sprung up across the country, such as the well-known Dance for Parkinson’s Disease that is led by the Brooklyn Parkinson Group and the Mark Morris Dance Group, the program seeks to create a positive atmosphere where participants can improve mobility and overall well-being.

“First and foremost it’s a dance class. It is not focused on their disease as much as their interest in dance,” Humphreys explains. “The participants looking to be involved are typically interested in this not feeling like a therapy… Not that they don’t find it therapeutic, but mostly, they like to think of it as something they do for themselves and not for the disease.”

A student participating in Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Parkinson’s Project in 2011. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.

Classes, which are offered twice weekly and on the third Saturday of every month, are taught by Sarah Cullen Fuller and Kristen Gurbach Jacobson. Fuller, a former Hubbard Street dancer and the program’s founding teaching artist, says the program focuses on dance experimentation in “improvisational techniques and personal narratives.”

“We approach class with an open mind and with a strong desire to continue to improve and push boundaries along the way,” Fuller explains. “We understand that our participants are challenged with their disease, but we also aim to see them through a dance lens. In other words, we acknowledge the disease, but it does not drive us from a pedagogical point of view.”

“Like many dance classes, there is a huge spectrum of movement abilities in the room, and it is our job to help to develop new skills and trust in the process, regardless of limitations.”

Jacobson, also the Hubbard Street Youth and Family Programs Manager, says a typical class first starts with “a check-in, or a time of greeting and getting everyone acquainted” since the program is so community-centered. Then it immediately dives into one of Hubbard Street Education’s most important components, the BrainDance. This is an idea originally developed by Chicago educator Anne Green Gilbert.

“The BrainDance focuses on moving through breath and the cross-lateral connection, which is like walking,” Jacobson explains. “The idea is that by re-patterning our bodies from the outside we can better connect them to what’s happening inside, both emotionally and mentally. It’s a really fitting exercise to do with our participants.”

Jacobson says this section of class has become one of her favorite moments “because they’re beginning to connect to their bodies again, and maybe they haven’t all week long until that point.” After this, the class goes into a warm-up, followed by a standing combination “somewhat akin to the ballet barre” and an improvisation session, to finally conclude with a group combination.

Participants dancing in a HSDC Parkinson’s Project class. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.

While the class is mostly taught with the participants sitting in chairs, Jacobson clarifies that the movement is much more than “just arm circles.” By the end of the class most of the students can be seen standing and dancing across the floor.

“As they move with the live musical accompaniment they slowly begin to increase their range of motion without necessarily thinking about it,” Humphreys recounts. “Many participants say that they feel much more fluid when they are dancing. They don’t feel so conscious of their movement. Rather, they feel like dancers, confident and comfortable.”

Fuller says that the “tight-knit” community built through the dance classes usually makes a way for trust and in response, greater physical confidence. “This trust is evident in the risks that they take each and every class. These are dancers who walk or wheel into the room and who may have difficulty getting to class, but who also flourish, learn, grow and develop new skills through dance.  It’s really such a beautiful thing. Moving with a group of people with whom you trust, value and love is truly transcending.”

About 70 students and caregivers are currently registered with the program and Jacobson estimates that more than 150 have been involved in the last five years. The only program like it in Chicago, The Parkinson’s Project is also the oldest of its kind in the Midwest. But what’s the neatest part? Perhaps that the program is completely free to participants.

Fuller summarizes the heart of The Parkinson’s Project, saying, “We are all on this journey with one another, bound together through our love of dance.”

For more information on The Parkinson’s Project, visit www.hubbardstreetdance.com. Contact the HSDC Education and Community Programs Department at 312-850-9744 x149 if you or someone you know might be interested in attending a class.

Photo (top): Two dancers participating in a class as a part of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Parkinson’s Project. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.

By Laura Di Orio.

This year, the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) USA will offer two different summer programs: a two-week Performance Course and a six-day Vocational Graded Syllabus Intensive. Both programs have been gaining popularity, and RAD USA expects there to be a larger international student body this year.

The Performance Course, held from July 8-20, is a specially-designed program that gives students insight into how it feels to be part of the creative process, while also allowing them to develop their skills as dancers and performers. Students will work with professional dancers and teachers to be a part of original pieces of choreography in preparation for a public performance.

RAD USA’s second program, the Vocational Graded Syllabus Intensive, is an intensive coaching session for RAD students who are preparing for Vocational Graded Examinations. This program, which will take place from July 22-27, is open only to RAD students.

For both RAD USA summer programs, auditions are not required. However, participants in the Performance Course must be between the ages of 12 and 22, and students in the Intensive must be between the ages of 11 and 22, with at least five years of ballet training. RAD USA will accept up to 80 students, with no more than 25 students per class. The Performance Course will be divided into two levels; the Intensive into four levels.

A culminating performance opportunity will be offered to students enrolled in the Performance Course, as its focus is primarily on choreography and performing.

“The [Performance Course] students work extremely hard over the two-week period learning new choreography in ballet, modern and musical theater to perform for a public audience on the last day of the program,” says RAD USA’s Special Projects Coordinator Ferrell Alexander. “The performance is an important aspect of the summer program, as it gives the students an immediate and tangible goal to work toward.”

A group performs during the 2012 RAD USA Performance Course. Photo by Colleen Dishy.

Students in either summer program have the option to reserve accommodations on campus at California State University Long Beach. They will be closely chaperoned by parents and teachers, with a ratio of one chaperone to 10 students.

In addition to studio time, participants will also have the chance to venture on a field trip each week. Performance Course students will attend a performance of American Ballet Theatre and will also visit the Long Beach Aquarium. Intensive students will attend a musical theatre performance.

“Each year, we hope that the students come away from the program with a greater sense of self – confidence not only as dancers and performers but also as young people moving through the world,” Alexander says.

For more information on RAD USA’s summer programs, visit www.radusa.org/courses.php.

Photo (top): A RAD teacher corrects a student during last year’s Vocational Graded Syllabus Intensive. Photo by Colleen Dishy.

By Leah Gerstenlauer.

Music and dance — there was a time when the two were inextricably linked as live arts. Music was written for and tailored to movement; movement was created in conversation with that music; and performance was a continuation of the creative dialogue. But with the increasing availability of recorded music, that standard has changed. Choreographers save money by forgoing live music and commissioned scores, and musicians lose nothing by taking on more lucrative gigs.

For New York City-based dance-maker Leigh Schanfein and composer Jonathan Howard Katz, the rift between the two artistic disciplines is cause for concern. “When we showed one of our collaborative pieces at a dance showcase last fall, it was the only one of 11 pieces on that program to feature live music,” Katz recalls. “In a city where musicians are coming out of the woodwork, we had to wonder why.”

Thus was planted the seed for Periapsis Music and Dance, Katz and Schanfein’s venture to bring composers and choreographers, musicians and dancers together in the studio and on the stage. What began as a mere mutual thought last September blossomed into a full-fledged show in February, and will fuel the production of two more performances this month, at the Secret Theater in Queens on May 16 and the Actor’s Fund Arts Center in Brooklyn on May 20.

Leigh Schanfein and Mike Hodge in rehearsal. Photo by Alex Agor.

Though their first collaboration dates back only a year, Schanfein and Katz now find themselves facilitating what they hope will become a large-scale movement to reunite and revivify their artforms. Considering the massive response they gleaned from their initial calls for composers and choreographers, there is more than enough momentum coming from their respective realms to turn their vision into a reality.

“For the February show, I made only a mini call for composers and ended up with a playlist of about 40 pieces for the choreographers to choose from,” says Katz. “Most of the composers had never worked with dancers before, and they were flattered and impressed to see their work transformed into movement.”

Schanfein received similarly enthusiastic responses from the four other choreographers on Periapsis’ inaugural program, all of whom enjoyed some level of interaction with the composers behind their chosen music. A high priority for next year’s projects is to increase coactivity amongst participants, allowing for a more integrated creative product.

“So far, we’ve only worked with previously composed scores,” Schanfein says. “Even Jonathan and I have collaborated only on concepts. He writes the music with our ideas in mind, and I choreograph on top of that. We’d like to move toward a 100% collaborative process. That means extra rehearsal time, more back and forth, a lot of unused music and choreography… It would be really cool and also kind of scary.”

But heightening the artistic intensity of their work will likely prove to be somewhat of a creative release, given the plethora of logistical challenges Schanfein and Katz have faced in the less than six months they spent producing their first show. Of primary concern is, unsurprisingly, funding — an aspect of Periapsis’ well-being that its directors are determined to stay on top of.

“Freelance dancers especially are used to being poorly paid. But we need to have the budget to compensate our artists — all of them — in a reasonable manner,” Schanfein asserts. Katz is equally adamant on the topic of payroll, and with this point in mind, is eager to see through the group’s application for 501(c)3 status. “I seriously want to address the issue of pay with the grant writing we have coming up because we’re working with people who should not just be surviving, but actually making a living as artists.”

Composer Jonathan Howard Katz at the USF Robert Helps Competition and Festival. Photo by Kyle Scharf.

Finding suitable performance venues for Periapsis is another problematic task, considering the various technical requirements of productions incorporating not just one, but two live arts. Quality of acoustics, proper flooring, availability of less transportable instruments (pianos, drums), soundproof rehearsal rooms, warm-up studios — Katz and Schanfein take all of these details into account when scouting venues. And when the pair is not scouring the city for the perfect performance space or piecing together a non-profit budget, they are making moves to cultivate an audience and get more people involved in their cause. The greater their following, they believe, the greater the opportunities for their fellow artists.

“We don’t just want to produce our own shows; we want to help other musicians, dancers, composers and choreographers to collaborate,” Schanfein says. “If a music group wants to have dance in its next show, we can help them make connections. We want to see these visions realized.”

To learn more about Periapsis Music and Dance, or to find out how you can become a part of its next season, head to periapsismusicanddance.org to snag a ticket to one of the group’s spring shows.

Photo (top): Dancer Robin Gilbert in a Periapsis Music and Dance rehearsal. Photo by Alex Agor.

By Chelsea Thomas.

In recent years, an increasing amount of dance studios have begun to offer classes and programs for special needs youth and adults with various forms of developmental and mental disabilities. Merging dance techniques with theatrical activities and therapeutic exercises, these classes are witnessing frequent physical, emotional and social improvements in the students involved.

As the field of dance therapy has grown in the last two decades, so has the appeal to incorporate a broader range of students in the dance studio. Three organizations across the country that are actively exemplifying this development are: The Ballet Academy of Arizona, The Georgia Ballet’s Dance-Ability program, and Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center’s Johnny Stallings Arts Program in Huntsville, AL.

Ballet Academy of Arizona dancers perform

Caroline Atkinson, a 2012 Arizona Governor’s Arts Award Finalist, is certainly a pioneer in this dance sphere. The Founder, CEO and Artistic Director of the Ballet Academy of Arizona, a dance studio specializing in teaching special needs students, Atkinson has the education and expertise to speak to this field.

Atkinson holds diplomas in anatomy and kinesiology and child psychology and development, and is classically trained in both Cecchetti and Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) syllabi. A current tutor, mentor and practical teaching supervisor with RAD USA, she also has a wealth of experience to pull from, including teaching dance in Swaziland at an orphanage for 500 AIDS children and once leading 600 dance students at her ballet studio, Ballet Academy of Westport, CT, for 17 years.

“I have always worked with dancers with special needs, whether they have physical disabilities or emotional needs,” Atkinson says. “Drawing out the inner dancer and inner strength of the children and young adults that I work with is my passion and gift. Promoting the importance and acceptance of inclusion in our society is what I am trying to do.”

At Ballet Academy of Arizona, special needs students can participate in holistic dance classes, periodic group performances and inclusive community. Through these programs, dancers with any disability, whether it is Down syndrome, mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy or even rare genetic disorders, can experience the joys of dance, movement and community.

Atkinson says that the programs set “high expectations of all dancers, promoting positive attitudes and behavior.” Classes select and use a range of learning styles appropriate to the learning outcomes and needs of all dancers, taking into account strategies for inclusion and differentiation.

Dylan in ‘My Holiday Wish’ in ‘Dance Your Dreams!’ performance. Photo courtesy of Merrimack Hall.

“I also concentrate on working on fine and gross motor skills, sequencing, counting, musicality and complete music saturation, confidence, the knowledge that nothing is ever wrong when dancing, and above all, the joy of dance –whether the dancer is able to move or not,” Atkinson details.

In addition to teaching at the Ballet Academy of Arizona, Atkinson is also teaching in Charleston, SC and southern California, where she was awarded the 2011 Inclusive National Leadership Award from K.I.T. in San Diego. This year, she is excited to launch several more teaching locations within southern California, which will serve the “typical as well as the disability community.”

Likewise, Debra Jenkins, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board at Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center in Huntsville, AL, has seen a growing desire for special needs dance programs. Through a program called ‘Dance Your Dreams!’, youth with various disabilities can partake in quality dance instruction. The program launched its first class in October 2008 with nine girls and one boy aged 3-12 years. Now more than 40 students participate per semester.

“We conduct our classes exactly as you would any traditional dance class. We begin at the barre, move to the center for floor work, learn combinations and variations and make use of props such as exercise balls, hula hoops, scarves and others to stimulate our students’ participation in dance,” Jenkins says.

“Many of our kids are non-verbal, but they certainly know what to do when the music is turned on! Movement brings great joy to our students, particularly those who are immobile due to cerebral palsy.”

A dancer and volunteer interact at Camp Merrimack. Photo courtesy of Merrimack Hall

The Dance Your Dreams! program is also offered free of charge to its participants,  with students even being provided class dance attire and costumes for performances. Each participant is also paired with a trained teenage volunteer, or a “coach,” who offers whatever level of assistance students require.

“Our volunteers are recruited from local dance studios, high school theatre and choir groups, service clubs and others. Coaches are provided with training at the beginning of each year and are asked to commit to one semester at a time, “ Jenkins explains. “By pairing the kids one-to-one with assistance, and limiting our class size to 10, we are able to offer quality dance instruction to children with a variety of disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, cancer and a host of other debilitating conditions.”

Similarly, a newer program on the national radar, The Georgia Ballet’s Dance-Ability program, utilizes teaching assistants who enable dancers and provide one-on-one attention. Rebecca Geiger, Arts in Education Associate at The Georgia Ballet, has established the program as a 12-week class designed for students with special needs, ages 6 and up.

“I tailor the class to the different abilities of each dancer and I rely heavily on my volunteers to be able to push each dancer to achieve his or her potential,” Geiger says. “I look to strengthen muscles, reinforce neuromuscular control, increase balance, coordination and motor planning, develop vestibular input and strengthen social skills.”

Some ways Geiger does this is by teaching basic ballet positions and steps, and working on jumping, galloping, walking on tiptoes and remembering choreography. Her background as a certified therapist is able to help her tailor the class to the different abilities of each dancer.

Classes at Ballet Academy of Arizona

“I have to be ready to adjust my expectation to each child in terms of what steps they will be able to master and to what degree they can perform them correctly.  I also have to be a lot more tolerant of talking to another person in the class since social skills are difficult to understand for some,” she says.

Yet, for all the additional work and preparation that go into planning and leading special needs dance classes, the reward is multiplied. Jenkins shared numerous stories of dancers improving motor and social skills.

“We have one student, Amelia, who started with us at age six completely confined to a wheelchair. Today, Amelia not only walks, but she can chasse across the floor,” Jenkins exclaims. “Amelia is profoundly developmentally disabled, wears cochlear implants and is non-verbal, but she takes to the stage like a pro at our frequent performance opportunities. Her mother and physical therapist are convinced the only reason Amelia is walking today is because of her participation in dance.”

Jenkins adds, “We have testimonials from physicians and physical therapists stating that our students have made great improvement in their core strength, agility, balance and even in their social and communication development because of their participation in dance.”

Overall, in talks with many teachers, instructors and volunteers, one consistent outcome of special needs dance classes and performances was evident – inspiration for all involved.

“I have learned more in the past five years from people who our society tells us are ‘less than’ than I’ve ever learned from anyone who is ‘normal’. And I’ve learned that it’s through the arts that we are able to express our humanity, regardless of the level of our performance,” Jenkins says.

“One of our students, Abbey, is 13 and has cerebral palsy. Smart as a whip, Abbey has suffered through multiple surgeries, wears hearing aids, is visually impaired and walks with great difficulty. But her indomitable spirit is contagious, as is her love of dance. This summer, Abbey shared this wisdom with me. She said, ‘I’ve decided that everyone has special needs and that we all have two special needs in common. We all have the need to be loved and we all have the need to be accepted. Some people’s special needs are on the outside, like mine. And some people’s special needs are on the inside.’ She went on to say that when she’s dancing at Merrimack Hall, ‘I feel beautiful and graceful no matter what anyone else says.’”

For more information on these programs, visit the links below:

• Ballet Academy of Arizona: www.balletacademyofarizona.org
• The Georgia Ballet’s Dance-Ability: www.georgiaballet.org
• Merrimack Hall’s ‘Dance Your Dreams!’: www.merrimackhall.com

Project UP (a performing company for teens with special needs) traveled to Atlanta in January to compete at NRG Dance Project. They performed Waiting on the World to Change, a piece about bullying, acceptance, and loving everyone regardless of our differences.

Photo (top): Dancers performing at ‘Dance Your Dreams!’ Eve of Dance, courtesy of Merrimack Hall.

By Stephanie Wolf.

Since 1995, professional dancers have traveled to Helena to spend their offseason working with Ballet Montana. This summer haven operates under the artistic leadership of Sallyann Mulcahy. Now, faced with legal battles, diminishing funds and artistic limitations in a community that struggles to comprehend the cultural advantages of supporting professional dance, Ballet Montana is taking a break.

A life-long lover of ballet, Mulcahy returned to her hometown in 1991 after performing with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Finis Jhung’s Chamber Ballet and the New Jersey Ballet. She accepted an adjunct-professorship at Carroll College. Four years later, she formed Artisan Dance, Montana’s first and only professional ballet company, which would eventually become Ballet Montana.

When the going gets tough

Ballet Montana has always been a DIY project. From teaching class, to choreographing, rehearsing, even sewing costumes, Mulcahy has done everything. She’s survived this long thanks to help from dancers and Ballet Montana’s Developmental Director Michael Russell. However, the years of work have taken their toll.

The company has struggled to find a foothold in Helena and Mulcahy can no longer afford to be there. “I’ve not made a dent,” she says of this artistic stagnation. “Now, I’m faced with the rest of my life.”  This includes a necessary hip replacement surgery. “I’m exhausted and have been in pain for six years.”

She relates to a recent article in Dance Teacher Magazine about Edward Villella stepping down as Artistic Director of the Miami City Ballet—Villella and Mulcahy are former colleagues. Villella is quoted as saying, “When you are dealing with a community that doesn’t have enough exposure, interest and support, it’s exasperating, and you feel like you have not fully done what you started out to do.” He continues that he could never get Miami to “speak his language.” This is how Mulcahy feels—she cannot get Helena to speak her language.

Halliet Slack (Dayton Ballet) and Nathan Powell (Ballet Idaho) in “Voices.” Photo by Michael Russell.

What’s in a name?

The final straw in Mulcahy’s financial woes materialized in a battle over the very name that gave the company more national recognition. In March 2010, Mulcahy and Russell rebranded the 17-year-old company as Ballet Montana. This ignited a legal dispute with Bozeman-based, student company, Montana Ballet Company (MBC).

According to an article in The Bozeman Daily Chronicle, MBC’s co-chairman Dean Derby asked Montana’s Secretary of State to force Mulcahy to change the name, claiming the companies were too close geographically and too alike in their offerings to share such similar names. He said the names generated confusion and stated, “We are the premier ballet company in the region…It’s our name.”

The Secretary of State sided with Derby, but Mulcahy appealed the verdict. She argued there was a gross misperception of the situation. A nonprofit, summer company composed of professional dancers was the only one of its kind in the entire state and, thus differed greatly from a student company.

For over two years, Mulcahy was caught in the throes of this contest. At first, she didn’t want others to know about it; she was embarrassed. “Ballet dancers are brought up to be obedient and one of our greatest desires is to do everything right,” she explains. “The response to this name change felt degrading…like people thought I was doing something wrong. It turned into a deep, personal crisis.” – Mulcahy was heart-broken.

Professional ballet versus pre-professional ballet

Ballet Montana presenting ‘Zinzkharo.’ Photo courtesy of Ballet Montana.

In Helena, there appears to be a lack of understanding about what constitutes professional dance. By definition, to be a professional means to be an expert in a specific field and to receive monetary compensation in return for this expertise. Russell believes the state would have ruled differently had there been a more accurate perception of this.

Russell has seen how Ballet Montana can elevate its dancer and patrons. Yet, he understands that people in this country don’t always see the relevance of ballet. Unfortunately, the push to educate audiences otherwise became a loosing battle.

A company like none other

Unlike many other directors, Mulcahy takes the time to fine tune dancers’ technique and artistry. For six weeks, she trains, choreographs and rehearses an ensemble of 10 to 12 dancers, culminating with a weekend of performances at the Myrna Loy Center for the Performing Arts. She has inspired many to keep dancing and cherish their individuality.

Ballet Idaho member Nathan Powell spent five summers dancing in Helena. He claims he made some of the most significant progress of his career there, including receiving the opportunity to choreograph. Another five-year veteran, Company C Contemporary Ballet dancer Megan Steffans, struggles to find the perfect words to sum up her experiences. “What [Mulcahy] created wasn’t just a place for dancers to keep in shape during their offseason, but truly a home for us to grow as dancers and individuals,” she says. Steffans also comments on the lifelong friendships she’s gained—many of the dancers stay in touch, even if they don’t return for subsequent summers.

Ballet Montana presents ‘Zinzkharo.’ Photo courtesy of Ballet Montana.

Dayton Ballet dancer Halliet Slack calls Mulcahy “the ballet whisperer” because of her ability to draw the best out of everyone. She adds, “It takes someone truly gifted and special to be able to reach a dancer the way she does.” Slack says her summers with Mulcahy are “the most beneficial happenings” of her career.

Rochester City Ballet dancer Jesse Campbell found Ballet Montana after dancing with Slack in Dayton. His summer in Helena was challenging, but changed his perspective on ballet for the better. “[Mulcahy] teaches ways to become a full person, a complete artist,” says Campbell. He explains how involved pre-professional training can be, but when a dancer reaches the professional level, one is often left to his or her own devices—not the case in Montana.

Campbell was unsure about his voice and abilities as an artist. “Prior to last summer, I think my dancing was affected by insecurity and confusion,” he says. His time in Helena gave him “a clear picture of my abilities and potential”—a common theme for many of the dancers.

Powell thinks “the balance between the creative atmosphere and the serene surrounding” is what makes Ballet Montana so special. Campbell adds, “There are few artistic directors or teachers in the ballet world who are as invested in the success of their dancers or uphold the integrity of the art form as high as she does.”

The future

Mulcahy promises this is a hiatus and not ‘the end’. “Love is still pumping in my veins,” she says. “I want to get back out there and work again.” For now, Mulcahy plans to take time off to heal her body and spirit. While it’s unlikely she’ll return to Montana, her official nonprofit name is Ballet M, Inc.—could Mulcahy rise like a phoenix and resurrect her impressive portfolio of repertoire as Ballet Mulcahy? Only time will tell. 

Photo (top): From left to right, Dakota Crist (Sacramento Ballet), Megan Steffens (Company C Contemporary Ballet) and Lauren Stenroos (Dayton Ballet) perform in The Dance of Life. Photo by Michael Russell. 

By Rebecca Martin.

Russia is arguably the home of ballet. Some of the world’s greatest stars, past and present have trained there and they are renowned for their gymnastic flexibility and dynamic technique. Russian ballet schools and companies are infamously difficult to get into and are incredibly demanding on the body and psyche. Add into that the volatile state of the arts and politics in Russia and you’ve got dancers who are willing to do anything to get to the top and stay there.

When news of an acid attack against The Bolshoi Ballet’s Artistic Director spread on January 17 this year, the dance world was stunned. Most shocking of all was that it wasn’t a random act of violence, but a calculated attack by a disgruntled theatre employee who was unhappy with the state of play at The Bolshoi Ballet.

Ballet has previously only ever dipped its toes into political matters, mainly when a dancer wished to defect from a country, as Li Cunxin famously did from China, but now the art form is knee deep in the political battles of a theatre in crisis.

Prior to the incident on January 17, The Bolshoi’s Artistic Director, Sergei Filin had been feeling under threat for some time, noting that his phones had been blocked, his car tyres slashed and his internet hacked, all of which he believed was a warning.

Bolshoi Ballet soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko is the alleged mastermind of the attack, although he has said that he didn’t order anyone to throw acid at Filin’s face. Dmitrichenko complained about Filin to an acquaintance, Yuri Zurutsky, who then offered to beat up Filin. Zurutsky was paid 50,000 rubles (about $1,600) by Dmitrichenko to inflict harm on Filin because he was unhappy about the way money was distributed within the ballet company. “I told Yuri Zarutsky about the policies of the Bolshoi Theater, about the bad things going on, the corruption. When he said: ‘OK, let me beat him up, hit him upside the head,’ I agreed, but that is all that I admit to doing,” Dmitrichenko said in court.¹

It has been suggested that Dmitrichenko was upset over Filin’s refusal to cast his girlfriend in a lead role. However, Filin’s lawyer has said that the group of people involved in the attack is much larger than the two men charged by police.  Accusations and theories abound, with The Bolshoi’s general director, Anatoly Iksanov, accusing principal dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze of inspiring the attack. Filin’s appointment as Artistic Director has exposed the infighting at The Bolshoi Ballet, with many dancers resisting his attempts to bring more modern repertoire to the company.  He held an enormous amount of power, deciding matters of scheduling, casting, promotion and salary.

In Russian theatres today, defection and international travel are no longer the sources of drama. Instead, money is the main intruder aside from politics and professional rivalry. A dancer’s meagre salary is only boosted by Filin’s selection to perform leading roles. In Russia, lawlessness and corruption is the norm and what happens in the theatre is a reflection of what happens in the streets.“I feel like I’m on the front line of a war,” Filin said.²

In addition to the acid attack against Filin, The Bolshoi’s reputation has further been harmed by the recent revelations of former company dancer Anastasia Volochkova who claimed that it was a “giant brothel” with dancers forced to sleep with oligarchs and other influential members of society.

In a further twist to the tale, hundreds of dancers have sent a signed letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin demanding an investigation into Dmitrichenko’s confession.  Filin himself believes that Dmitrichenko was party to something much greater than what has so far been uncovered and that the true mastermind is yet to be caught.  Clearly he is not alone in his assertions.

Where does all of this leave ballet in Russia? Does this spell the end of the Bolshoi?

Ballet in Russia is part of the cultural landscape and a benchmark for dancers around the world. But the Bolshoi as a whole is devoid of a cohesive corps de ballet and is populated by gymnastic lead dancers who lack any great artistry on stage. Many of the best dancers are leaving Russia to dance in the United States and Europe and the company’s stars such as Svetlana Zakharova have been poached from The Mariinsky Theatre. The current scandals within The Bolshoi may affect the way the rest of the world perceives the company. Yet while the acid attack was shocking and the allegations of forced sexual activities are appalling, these things are apparently the norm in Russia and the locals are accustomed to such events.

The Bolshoi has fallen a long way since its golden age in the 1960s but it continues to create some of the world’s best dancers, firstly through the ballet school and then the company. Despite this, The Bolshoi itself isn’t guaranteed to last the test of time. The infighting that not only lead to the acid attack but the ensuing conflict amongst dancers and administrative staff, in addition to the current lack of direction for the company, doesn’t suggest much hope remains for a once great company.

“There is no happiness in our past,” the Soviet Bolshoi Ballet star Vladimir Vasiliev once said. ”And there will be none in our future.”³

Sources
1. USA Today www.usatoday.com
2. The New Yorker www.newyorker.com
3. The Atlantic www.theatlantic.com

Photo (top): Photo: The Bolshoi Ballet performing The Bright Stream. Photo courtesy of Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) and The Bolshoi Ballet.

By Deborah Searle.

Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz’s PIPPIN is back on Broadway for the first time since it first thrilled audiences 40 years ago! Previews began on March 23, with opening night scheduled for April 25 at the Music Box Theatre on West 45^th Street in New York City. Produced by Barry and Fran Weissler and Howard and Janet Kagan, and directed by Diane Paulus, PIPPIN is sure to enchant audiences.

A beloved coming of age musical, PIPPIN is noted for many Broadway standards including “Corner of the Sky,” “Magic To Do,” “Glory,” “No Time at All,” “Morning Glow,” and “Love Song.” In the story, royal heir Pippin is spurred on by a mysterious group of performers to embark on a death-defying journey to find his “corner of the sky.” Will he choose a happy but simple life? Or will he risk everything for a singular flash of glory?

The original production of PIPPIN, directed by none other than Bob Fosse, premiered on Broadway in 1972. It won five Tony Awards and five Drama Desk Awards, and ran for close to 2,000 performances before closing in 1977. This production of PIPPIN made its debut at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, MA, where Diane Paulus served as Artistic Director from December 5, 2012 to January 20 of this year.

The show will include circus creations by Gypsy Snider of the jaw-dropping Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main (also known as “7 Fingers”) and choreography by the talented Chet Walker.

“The choreography is based in the Fosse Style,” explains Chet Walker, who was in PIPPIN’s original Broadway company. “I have used my years of working with Mr. Fosse to choreograph this new production.”

The cast, all of whom appeared in the premiere of Diane Paulus’s production of PIPPIN at American Repertory Theater, features Matthew James Thomas as Pippin, Tony and Olivier Award-nominee Patina Miller as Leading Player, Tony Award-nominee Terrence Mann as Charles, Tony Award-nominee Charlotte d’Amboise as Fastrada, Rachel Bay Jones as Catherine and Tony Award-winner Andrea Martin as Berthe.

Other members of the company include Erik Altemus as Lewis, as well as Gregory Arsenal, Andrew Cekala, Lolita Costet, Colin Cunliffe, Andrew Fitch, Orion Griffiths, Viktoria Grimmy, Olga Karmansky, Bethany Moore, Brad Musgrove, Stephanie Pope, Philip Rosenberg, Yannick Thomas, Molly Tynes and Anthony Wayne.

The design team includes Tony Award-winner Scott Pask (Scenic Design), Dominique Lemieux (Costume Design), Tony Award-winner Kenneth Posner (Lighting Design) and Tony Award-winner Clive Goodwin (Sound Design). The orchestrations are by Tony Award-winner Larry Hochman with music supervision by Nadia Di Giallonardo, and music direction by Charlie Alterman.

So what can audiences expect from this production of the classic? “We have combined an element of circus to this production,” says Walker excitedly. “The show has not been seen in Broadway for over 35 years. I think a new generation will have the chance to see PIPPIN as a new show!”

“I think the story, the character and the amazing songs, wrapped with a circus filled with magic, dance and acrobatic elements, makes it an amazing production.”

Tickets for PIPPIN are available through www.telecharge.com/pippin, by calling 212-239-6200, and in-person at the Music Box Theatre Box Office, located at 239 West 45^th Street. Tickets range in price from $59 to $142. For more information, visit www.PippinTheMusical.com.

Photo (top): From left, Anthony Wayne, Patina Miller and Andrew Fitch performing in PIPPIN at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, MA. Photo by Michael J. Lutch.

Test your ballet terminology.

By Rain Francis.

1.   What does piqué mean?

a)     To pick
b)     To prick
c)     To stick
d)     To click

2.     If you were doing a fondu, how many legs would you be standing on?

a)     One
b)     Two
c)     None

3.     Who was the ‘royale’ (or changement battu) allegedly named for?

a)     Nijinksy
b)     Nijinksa
c)     Pavlova
d)     Louis XIV

4.     Which of the following means ‘to fall’?

a)     Tombé
b)     Chassé
c)     Jeté
d)     Pas de bourrée

5.     Which of the following is commonly considered a step to be performed by a male dancer?

a)     Fouetté en tourant
b)     Tour en l’air
c)     Glissade
d)     Grand battements

6.     If you were travelling de côté, in which direction would you be going?

a)     Forwards
b)     Backwards
c)     Sideways
d)     Diagonally

7.     Where would you find your jambes?

a)     At the end of your arms
b)     Attached to your hips
c)     On your shoulders
d)     In your ballet shoes

8.     Which body parts are primarily involved in épaulement?

a)     Head, neck, shoulders
b)     Waist, hips, hands
c)     Feet and legs
d)     Arms and legs

9.     Which of the following is not named for an animal?

a)     Pas de chat
b)     Pas de cheval
c)     Pas de bourrée

10.  True or false?

Frappé means ‘to whip’.

Answers:

1 – b; 2 – a; 3 – d; 4 – a; 5 –b; 6 – c; 7 – b; 8 – a; 9 – c; 10 – false.

Photo © Dmitri Mihhailov | Dreamstime.com 

By Julie Galle Baggentoss.

Flamenco dancers have a reputation for being fiery, dynamic and full of emotion, with percussive footwork juxtaposed against soft circling hands. Behind that strong image is a tradition of musical codes that puts dancers in the role of accompanist, part of a synergy within the group. Flamenco dancers listen carefully to live music to use their vocabulary to build the emotion expressed by a live singer. The code of nonverbal communication was the final lesson of a four-day workshop by La Compañía Manuel Liñán in March, while the company was in Atlanta to perform at the Rialto Center for the Arts.

Flamenco as we know it on theater stages and dance studios today originated nearly 150 years ago in southern Spain, called in Spanish “Andalucía.” It rose from a musical tradition, when gypsies extemporaneously belted out lines of poetry to express themselves in private gatherings.  Flamenco dance came along later as an accompaniment to the live singing, as did the guitar. In the late 1800s, flamenco exploded into theater stages, and audiences around the world quickly embraced it. Today, based on its roots, flamenco dance is still created as an accompaniment to the singing, which can vary and sometimes completely change from one day to the next, depending on how the singer places emotive lines of poetry in standard melodies. In live performance art, this creates structured improvisation that is thrilling for many.

“Everyone has a role. In flamenco, no one is an island,” said Erica Poole, a flamenco student for six years and a participant from the singing and dance classes during the Liñán company workshop in Atlanta. “It requires synergy and attentiveness to one another.”

Using a mix of common and individual vocabulary, dancers react to ever-changing live music. The changes lead dancers to delay or arrive early at times with accents, such as splats of footwork, to enhance the expression of the song. And, in return, dancers influence the next lines of the song.

“The singer brings the flamenco song (the story), which is the basis of the flamenco work. The other disciplines create their works around their interpretation of it,” said Yolanda Bell, a flamenco dance student who attended the workshop in Atlanta.

During the workshop, guitarists, singers, and dancers met separately in classes to learn new material “por tangos” (to the rhythm and melody of tangos, a form of song in flamenco.) Classes culminated with all disciplines in the room together executing the new work in its gestalt form, allowing students to experience the disciplines intertwined.

“I could find my movement and my body rhythm coming along with the singers, and with the guitarist, even though Manuel is a perfect teacher who makes you hear the music in his moves without any guitar or singer in the room,” said flamenco dancer Fani, who teaches and performs flamenco in Atlanta.

In the workshop’s final run of the piece, the singing began eight counts later than expected. Dancers and guitarists took that opportunity to listen and react accordingly to the unexpected change. According to the improvisational structure, they waited those eight counts to begin their next action for the group to continue.

“As a dancer, you really have to listen to the music and ‘cante’ (song) to be part of the unit, especially when you’re with your back towards the musicians and can’t see what’ they’re doing,” said Debbie Fung-A-Wing, who has been studying flamenco for several years in Atlanta.

Dancers’ skills as accompanists come from understanding the music, becoming musicians themselves as they percussively embody melody. Singers’ ability to lead dancers comes from understanding the needs of the dancers. Dance student Bell saw this when she attended singing classes, as well as dance classes during the workshop. She explained of her singing teacher Juan Debel, “When [a student] asked why the count seemed longer, he said that would accommodate the dancers. He also emphasized the ‘remates’ (strong endings to song verses) with ‘palmas’ (hand clapping) and where the entry of the dancers would be. Later, when we sang with everyone, it helped us to understand how all disciplines fit the flamenco work into one beautiful piece.”

Bell attended the singing class to better understand the music that she accompanies as a dancer.  “It is necessary that all of the disciplines understand how the others integrate into the flamenco work especially regarding the ‘compás’ (musical timing) to have that clean constant communication within flamenco,” said Bell.

Putting the disciplines together reveals lessons that complement individual training and practice.  “The singer can know when it is best for the dancer to ‘rematar’ (accent the end of the song verse or musical phrase), when to wait or when to listen for when the dancers will ‘rematar,’” said Liñán.

Just as dancers can create magic – that moment that makes people say, “flamenco is so passionate” – they can also kill the opportunity. “Flamenco is the only art where, in the learning process, everything can come crashing down if each component is not truly accompanying the other,” said Poole. “‘Baile, cante, and toque’ (dance, song, and guitar) all have to ride the same wave. If not, then any element could crash at any time losing momentum entirely for everyone.”

That responsibility to one another is part of the communal spirit of flamenco that inspires moments of rapture for witnesses, as well as the artists in action. Being able to work together live and in the moment is a goal for many who participated in classes in Atlanta in March.

“They have the material. Now they have to practice it,” said Liñán. “They have to practice a lot, many hours,” added guitarist Víctor Márquez “Tomate.” Singer Juan Debel explained, “When they dedicate much time to practice, they are able to come together. We taught them material to complement each other. Now, they practice on their own and then come back together, they will improve.”

And so it goes that flamenco dancers and the musicians whom they accompany work for years on their own to develop technique, repertoire and an ear for the music so that they can be great team members of a ‘cuadro.’ All the time, they must also hone their skills to listen, watch and react in the group setting. In time all of the gear turning that must take place inside the mind of the flamenco dancer, becomes second nature. Thinking gives way to feeling, as they say in flamenco.

Dancer Poole said of accompanying musicians during the Atlanta workshop, “There was no thought as to whether I had to wait two beats because I could feel where I was supposed to dance with the ‘cante’ (song), plus I recognized when I was specifically calling for more cante.”

Some say it is when the dancer feels, as Poole explains, that she is able to fully communicate to witnesses the singer’s emotion that she is embodying. That connection to the music helps create the moments when flamenco hits witnesses, sends goose bumps across the skin and coaxes cheers of “¡Olé!” The strong flamenco dancer often gets the credit for the upwelling of emotion, when unbeknown to many, she was led there by her singer.

Photos: Dancers participate in a four-day workshop with La Compañía Manuel Liñán in Atlanta. Photos by Erik Voss.

By Chelsea Thomas.

Professional basketball players and prima ballerinas might have a lot of differences – height, build, training and skills being some – but they also have a lot of similarities, including acute grace and finesse, utmost strength and physical prowess, as well as drive and passion.

These parallels between basketball players and ballerinas have recently been the inspiration for a photo campaign between the Miami City Ballet and Miami HEAT.

Celebrating 25 years of mutual athleticism, the organizations came together for a series of studio-based photographs featuring MCB principal dancers Jeanette and Patricia Delgado with Miami Heat stars LeBron James and Dwayne Wade.

Jeanette Delgado of Miami City Ballet with LeBron James of Miami Heat. Photo by David Alvarez

MCB Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez said the campaign was an “incredibly important” way to recognize these neighboring organizations and to applaud the athletes that generate them. She also drew parallels between basketball and ballet.

“Ballet and basketball are both about grace under pressure and the pursuit of perfection,” Lopez explained. ”No Miami City Ballet dancer stands alone just as HEAT players can’t win alone. It requires teamwork—and that’s Miami!”

During the photo-shoot, Jeanette Delgado was paired with LeBron James while her sister Patricia Delgado was paired with Dwyane Wade. Jeanette, who was once heralded by The New York Times as “one of the world’s most marvelous ballerinas,” is pictured holding the basketball while James towers behind her. Likewise, Patricia, who The New York Times said “can catch the audience’s heart from her first entry and hold it,” expresses a playful nature with Wade – him standing with his arms crossed while she strikes a pose in the foreground.

While the final photos are basic, simple images lacking any complexity, they will now serve as an important centerpiece for a local and national campaign to promote the arts scene on Miami’s Biscayne Boulevard.

Patricia Delgado of Miami City Ballet with Dwyane Wade of Miami Heat. Photo by David Alvarez

MCB’s Public Relations Manager Roberto Santiago said the partnership between the company and the HEAT first took form last year. “Essentially, it is the city’s best sports team and the city’s best performing arts company joining together to celebrate the best that each has to offer in the city that made it possible,” he surmised.

Michael McCullough, HEAT Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, also pointed out that the campaign is a reflection of a past collaboration between the organizations. About 25 years ago, an image of HEAT basketball player Billy Thompson posed with a MCB ballerina was made into a poster. “We had the idea to replicate that,” McCullough said in a television news interview.

Miami HEAT superstars Dwayne Wade and LeBron James thought the idea was neat.

“What these ladies do, as far as being ballerinas, is unique,” James said. “It’s great to have a couple of pictures with them in their poses—poses I’d never be able to get into!”

Wade added, “It’s always good for our fans to see something different out of us; to see us interact in a different way. We feel at times we’re like graceful dancers in the air so it’s good to put the two worlds together.”

On Sunday, February 10, the HEAT welcomed Jeanette and Patricia to their game against the Los Angeles Lakers. There they participated in various activities.

Lopez believes this exposure is important for the company, and all dance companies, because many people dissociate dancers from being athletes. This tends to create a great divide between the physical worlds of sports and dance, and ballet in particular.

“I think it is incredibly important because for the most part people don’t think of dancers as athletes. Now you have these athletes which are graceful and these dancers that are athletic,” Lopez said.

For more information on the campaign, visit www.MiamiBalletandBasketball.com.

Photo (top): Patricia Delgado of Miami City Ballet with Dwyane Wade of Miami Heat. Photos by David Alvarez, courtesy of Miami City Ballet and Miami Heat.