By Chelsea Thomas.

At 17 years old, Ohio native Dwight Rhoden was playing the clarinet, flute and drums in his high school’s band. He had never taken a dance class and didn’t even know what the word “choreography” meant. He admits that while he was “good at social dancing” he was clueless to any real technique.

Rhoden even remembers the first time a friend suggested he take a dance class. “One day in high school I entered a dance contest at a local club. I didn’t have any formal training but I would just make up these elaborate steps and routines. My friend, who was actually a dancer, looked at me and said, ‘You know, you’re pretty good. Why don’t you take some real ballet and modern classes? See what you think. You really seem to love to dance.’” And as Rhoden explains, the rest is history.

Now the Co-Founding Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, a celebrated and internationally-touring company hitting its 20th anniversary next year, Rhoden has established a remarkable and wide-ranging career. After beginning dance training late at 18 years old, he went on to successfully perform with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Les Ballet Jazz De Montreal and as a principal dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

As an accomplished dancer, Rhoden even appeared in numerous television specials, documentaries and commercials throughout the United States, Canada and Europe and was a featured performer on many PBS “Great Performances” specials.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet performs Rhoden’s ‘Mercy’. Photo by Sharen Bradford

Yet, Rhoden admits that those first few years as a young dancer were hard as many people thought it was impossible to begin training so late and make it as a professional. He recalls, “There were a lot of naysayers… even my family thought I had no chance. They told me not to get my heart set on it.”

However, that time of persistence, grit and determination only sharpened Rhoden. He would “eat, drink and sleep dance” and push himself harder. He says, “I never really thought about what I couldn’t do, only what I could. And I didn’t sit around listening to people tell me what I couldn’t do. I just didn’t set limits for myself, and I still don’t… That is why I am where I am now. It was 100 percent dedication and not looking back. I immersed myself in the art form.”

With that kind of perseverance, Rhoden blazed his career path to where he is now. Named “one of the most sought out choreographers of the day” by The New York Times, Rhoden has created works for numerous companies, including The Joffrey Ballet, Miami City Ballet, New York City Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Arizona Ballet, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Company, BalletMet, Dance Theater of Harlem, Pennsylvania Ballet, Philadanco, Marinsky Ballet (Kirov) and Washington Ballet, amongst many others. Rhoden has also directed and choreographed for TV, film, theater and live performances, including So You Think You Can Dance, E! Entertainment’s Tribute to Style and Cirque Du Soleil’s Zumanity. Plus, among many other famous entertainers, Rhoden has worked with high-profile artists such as Prince, Lenny Kravitz, Kelly Clarkson, Nina Simone, U2 and Patrick Swayze.

Yet even with the multitude of companies, dancers and performers he has worked with, Rhoden says his crowning joy is Complexions Contemporary Ballet.

Dancers of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Photos by Jae Man Joo.

“When Complexions came on the dance scene in 1994, I really feel like we changed the landscape of what contemporary ballet is. We were one of the first companies in both New York and the United States that was really trying to integrate on all levels,” says Rhoden.

The company got started almost by accident, Rhoden recalls. After leaving Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater with fellow company member Desmond Richardson, the two created a choreographic variety show that brought together a lot of their dance friends who were performing in assorted companies.

“For the initial project, we just wanted the dancers to come from all different aspects of dance. So we decided to call the project Complexions and get a theater… During the tech rehearsal Desmond and I sat down and watched what was happening on the stage and we looked at each other and said, ‘We’ve got to do something with this. This has to go beyond these performances.’ So right then and there Desmond and I decided to start a company. That was the beginning of the idea,” he remembers.

Nearly 20 years later, the company has become widely considered as “America’s Original Multicultural Dance Company” and is celebrated for its pioneering spirit. Rhoden says it feels a bit unbelievable to have come so far.

“I really feel nostalgic. I’m grateful that I’ve had the chance to have this opportunity with our company. It’s not an easy thing to start a company from scratch – it’s truly challenging. But I look back and there have been so many rewards along the way. I think I have learned so much.”

Dwight Rhoden working with Wendy Whelan and Desmond Richardson. Photo by Jae Man Joo.

And there truly is much to be proud of. In addition to helping to build a universal brand that continues to challenge traditional ideas, Rhoden has choreographed more than 80 original works for the company that have been presented on five continents and in over 20 countries – including the US, Canada, South America, Mexico, Europe, Asia, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, The Baltic Region, Egypt, Israel and the Middle East.

As a choreographer, one of Rhoden biggest inspirations and passions is engaging and challenging dancers. He takes pride in being called “a dancer’s choreographer.”

“I am one of those choreographers who is 100 percent inspired by the dancers in front of me. I love taking the talents they already have and the talents they are discovering and building something for them to shine with,” he says.

Desmond Richardson says, “Dwight has trained so many amazing dancers and that’s his gift. In the industry many of the formidable dancers call him the ‘dancer’s choreographer’ because of the way he challenges your aesthetic, and because of his range. He can do anything from street dance to the classical. I don’t think there are many choreographers like him with his range. To work with Dwight is to let your passion flow, to be on edge, and to be educated in the unknown.” 

Rhoden is so passionate about working with dancers that he says: “If I was never able to choreograph another ballet, I would still want to work in the studios with the dancers.”

Complexions Contemporary Ballet presents Rhoden’s ‘The Curve’. Photo by Bill Hebert.

Still, Rhoden is looking to the future with new, big dreams. Even while taking the time to celebrate his career and recent 50th birthday, he is not slowing down. With many projects in the works he keeps plunging forward. One of his upcoming projects is creating his own full-length Rite of Spring.

“I’ve always wanted to tackle the Rite of Spring so for next season I will be working on a two-piano version for Complexions. It will be premiered in Seoul, South Korea as part of a festival with seven other companies from around the world, which are all doing different versions of Rite of Spring. I will really start working on it in late July and early August.”

Also for his company, Rhoden is going to premiere a new Stevie Wonder ballet next season, saying, “Everyone can connect with some Stevie Wonder song from sometime along his career.” Furthermore, he will continue to choreograph for SYTYCD and the North Carolina Dance Theatre (where he is resident choreographer), and be directing Richardson’s solo show, which will feature Richardson dancing with a few guest stars. “I think that will be very exciting. We are hoping that will kickoff by the top of 2014, at the latest,” he says.

Somewhat secretively, Rhoden also revealed that he is currently working on a “very exciting Broadway project.” It comes out of one of his previously choreographed ballets and is in the works to go to Broadway next year.

One goal Rhoden and Richardson have for this year is to find Complexions a permanent home. Rhoden said they are scouting locations in New York City and elsewhere. Ironically, the company has had offices but not an actual studio space to call their own.

“Our education programs are very strong components of what we do – with Summer Intensives in three cities now – NYC, Detroit and Dallas. The programs are extremely competitive to get into and we simply can’t do all that we want to because of the lack of our own space,” Rhoden explains.

Complexions dancers. Photo by James Houston

“We have our feelers out in various parts of the country and have made some inroads in a few places. We have been nomads for nearly 20 years without a space of our own [and] Desmond and I are hot and heavy on the pursuit to have a permanent space.”

He says that there seems to be desire for Complexions to offer dancers training in the style of the company year-round. For that reason he is excited about finding a home where the company and school can continue to evolve. Moreover, Rhoden mentioned that Richardson and he have developed their own contemporary ballet technique through Complexions that is actually in the process of being trademarked.

“It’s basically taken classical ballet and added the torso. It encourages the movement of the upper body and is a very physical and athletic way of training. It will prepare dancers for anything off center,” he says.

Overall, when dually reflecting back on his momentous career and his formidable future, Rhoden sees one trend – hard work and diligence. He says that while many dreams are outstanding – like perhaps working with American Ballet Theatre’s Misty Copeland, producing some film shorts, being an “on-camera host to talk about art, dance and the creative process,” amongst other possibilities – he knows that success  only comes if you refuse to give up.

“When I look back, I see that there was no guarantee that I could ever have a career as a dancer starting so late and having absolutely no training. There was certainly no guarantee that I would reach the level of some of the companies I danced with. I look at that and think of what a huge testament it is to hard work and diligence,” he says.

“It goes back to something I really believe – that if you have the passion for something that you really love and you stay true and focused to it, there is no way you will not be able to accomplish the things in your heart. That kind of belief and energy is powerful. “

For more information on Rhoden and his upcoming projects, visit www.dwightrhoden.com. For more information on Complexions Contemporary Ballet and its 2013-2014 season, visit www.complexionsdance.org.

Photo (top): Dwight Rhoden © Jae Man Joo Photography

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 Chelsea Thomas.

Kati Smasne, 16, never dreamed she would win the first global competition of Dance Upon A Dream, a new online dance competition founded by international performer and judge Joshua Horner.

Horner, a judge for Dancing with the Stars Australia and a choreographic consultant for Disney, launched the competition alongside co-host Emily Loftiss, professional dancer, singer and choreographer, to offer competitive dancers a place to compete on an international scale without ever leaving the comfort of their homes.

Smasne was just one of hundreds of dancers to apply under the ‘senior’ division (16 years old or older), with the other divisions being ‘mini’ (7-10 years old), ‘junior’ (11-12 years old) and ‘teen’ (13-15 years old). She said she was “amazed” and “overwhelmed” when she found out she was awarded the Solo Ultimate Overall Winner. Her submission, titled “White Blank Page”, was a video of her dancing a contemporary solo choreographed by her friend Rile Reavis at the competition Dance Magic in Oregon in August 2012.

“I honestly couldn’t even believe I won and that now I’m going to study in New York at Broadway Dance Center. I come from a small town so it’s just amazing. I feel so lucky,” Smasne said.

Smasne was a standout to judge Elizabeth Parkinson who remarked, “Kati represents my favorite kind of dancer! She has a strong technical foundation with a dynamic plié and beautiful line. On top of that she is a performer and fantastic mover so rather than focusing on her technique we get to enjoy the pure joy of her personality!” Judge Peter Gregus of Jersey Boys on Broadway said, “Kati has unerring technique, which she doesn’t let overshadow her presence in her performance. She manages a beautiful marriage of both.”

Young Kati even caught the eye of judge Christopher Gattelli, Tony Award winning choreographer of Disney’s Newsies, who expressed, “Kati is a beautiful dancer with incredible facility and her own unique quality, that shows fantastic potential.  She was the perfect choice to represent Dance Upon A Dream’s premiere overall winner.”

Smasne, who has been awarded a three-month scholarship to attend Broadway Dance Center, has big dreams that come from humble origins. She was raised for most of her life in Spokane, Washington, a medium-sized city of about 200,000 residents. At age seven, she began dancing with her older sister, which spurred her on because of their “sisterly competitiveness.” While her sister eventually stopped dancing, Kati kept going, taking jazz and later ballet.

Kati Smasne. Photos by Scott Martinez Photography

“When I was young I discovered I really loved dancing. I loved being on stage. My dance teacher told me that if I wanted to get better I should take ballet. Soon after, I started,” Smasne said.

Kati began her ballet training at the Ballet School of Coeur d’Alene under owner and instructor Ceci Klein, who danced with American Ballet Theatre in the 1950s and 60s. For almost a decade, Klein has been guiding and teaching Smasne, providing her foundational technique and poise. Klein, who also instructed Andrea Cooper, who went on to be a dancer at Oregon Ballet Theatre, also encouraged Smasne to pursue additional summer training and intensives.

For two summers Smasne participated in Pacific Northwest Ballet’s student intensives. She said, “I really loved that and I knew from that I wanted to be a dancer.” Another experience that inspired her and stayed with her for years was her young participation in the musical CATs. Now, Smasne says her attention is on getting to Broadway and finding her niche in jazz or theater.

“In the last two years my focus has been on jazz and theater because I really enjoy it,” Smasne said. “I’ve come to realize my personality is geared toward jazz – being sassy and expressive. I like the freedom of being able to make a piece my own.”

In her Dance Upon A Dream submission, Smasne’s passion for jazz and theater is evident in her obvious, theatrical expressions and her exposed, vulnerable emotions. The work, originally a duet restaged to be a solo, shows off her excellent technique, undeniable vision, charismatic energy and balanced self-confidence.

And her self-confidence is merited. It seems everything Smasne does she does well. A high school junior with a 4.0 GPA, Kati juggles her dance schedule with attending college classes. She is on track to finish her associate’s degree at the same time she graduates from high school. She plans to pursue nursing when she can no longer dance or perform.

Smasne’s jazz instructor, Judy Reavis of the studio Dance Unlimited, said she is proud of Kati’s award.

“We are thrilled at the opportunities Kati will receive as the winner of Dance Upon a Dream. Ceci Klein and I are very proud of Kati. We celebrate her commitment and dedication to the art of dance. It has been a blessing to witness her passion for movement and to nurture her gift,” Reavis said.

After recently competing at New York City Dance Alliance in Portland, Oregon, Smasne now looks forward to preparing for her summer at Broadway Dance Center.

For other dancers looking to compete for this chance with Dance Upon a Dream, the process has been created to be as easy as possible. It’s as simple as uploading a video of a solo, partner or group piece from a dance competition to youTube, selecting an age division and performance category on the Dance Upon a Dream website, and copying and pasting the video link from YouTube to the competition website. For more information, visit www.danceuponadream.com.

Whereas other dance competitions provide dancers with a sense of where they place in their state, their region or their country, Dance Upon a Dream allows participants to see where they rank throughout the whole world. Smasne said she is so thankful for a competition like Dance Upon a Dream.

“Thanks so much to Dance Upon a Dream for the amazing opportunity they have given me. I am so excited to train in New York at Broadway Dance Center. Wow, a dream come true,” Smasne gushed.

Dance Upon a Dream and its array of world-class industry judges, offers various awards for all solo, duo/trio and group winners, including partial scholarships to the Hollywood Summer Tour, a Just Dance 4 game from UBISOFT or a Dance Upon a Dream One’Z to wear. Group winners will also receive a personal invite to the Dance The Magic showcase on Broadway this summer, as well as Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris and Disneyland Hong Kong.

Smasne said dancers should not underestimate the importance of competition in challenging and inspiring themselves.

“It pushes you to be better,” she summarized. “When you compete, you have to be much more refined. Everything has to be disciplined and perfect, so you work harder. You never know where that extra effort or exposure will take you.”

To see Kati’s winning entry visit www.danceuponadream.com/entry/10129.

Entries opened for the next round of Dance Upon A Dream on January 31st. Get your entry in now!

Dance Upon A Dream Season 1 Winners:

Ultimate Winner: Kati Smasne, USA

People’s Choice: Kloe Burke, Australia

Judges Choice: Rhiannon Tringas, Australia
Judges Choice: Harrison Lee, Australia
Judges Choice: Michael Dameski, Australia
Judges Choice: Michelle Quiner, USA
Judges Choice: Maddison Weiley, Australia
Judges Choice: Cassandra Clarke, Australia
Judges Choice: Kelly Webster, New Zealand
Judges Choice: Kayla-Maree Tarantolo, Australia

Mini – Solo – Musical Theatre: Isabel Lacon , USA
Mini – Solo – Lyrical/ Contemporary: Shontaya Smedley, Australia
Mini – Solo- Ballet: Ashleigh Brant, Australia
Mini – Solo – Hip Hop: Manaia Davies, Australia
Mini – Solo – Jazz: Tia Buell, USA
Mini – Solo – Acro/ specialty: Lexie Brown, Canada
Mini – Solo – Tap: Grace Gellie, Australia
Mini – Boys Award: Ashton Schier-Mason, Australia
Mini – Duo/ Trio – Jazz: Alex Burghardt, Meredith Page, Skylar Podziewski, USA
Mini – Duo /Trio – Acro / Specialty: Kailin and Lexie Brown, Canada
Mini - Duo Trio - Lyrical/ Cont: Grace Gellie and Brooke Ainsworth, Australia
Mini – Duo/ Trio – Tap: Grace Gellie and Shanae Holland, Australia
Mini – Duo/ Trio – Musical Th: Cody Ettingshausen & Sophie Piggott, Australia
Mini -Small Group- Hip hop: Zyannna, Xeryus, Justine, Amik,
Alexias, Kaylinda, Dominique, Canada

Junior –  Solo – Jazz: Clare Billson, Australia
Junior – solo – Lyrical/ Cont: Sophia Kaloudis, Australia
Junior – Solo- Ballet: Madison Ayton, Australia
Junior – Solo – Tap: Rudi Palmela, Australia
Junior -Hip Hop – Solo: Chantelle Redzeposki, Australia
Junior – Solo -Musical Th: Hamish Briggs, Australia
Junior – Solo – Acro/ Specialty: Kailin Brown, Canada
Junior – Large Group – Lyrical: Sans Souci Public School, Australia
Junior – Duo/ Trio – Hip Hop: Chantelle Redzeposki, Claudia and Chelsea Robertson, Australia
Junior – Duo/ Trio – Lyrical/ cont: Harley Rodrigue, Mackenzie Van Natta, Darian Callais, USA
Junior – Duo /Trio – Jazz: Jemima Smith and Laurence Neuhaus, Australia
Junior – Boys award: Hamish Briggs, Australia

Teen – Solo – Jazz: Marie Spieldenner, USA
Teen – Solo – Lyrical/Contemporary: Kloe Burke, USA
Teen – Solo – Tap: Zoe Barbera, Australia
Teen – Solo – Musical Theatre: Rachel Moore, Australia
Teen – Solo – Hip Hop: Carla Celesti, Australia
Teen – Solo – Acro/ Specialty: Megha Budhrani, FL
Teen – Duo/ Trio – Musical Theatre: Jason Kidd and Kiarra Vacek, USA
Teen – Duo/ Trio – Lyrical /Cont: Briana Collova & Nicholas Cruse, Australia
Teen – Duo/ Trio – Tap: Matiu and Marie Samuel, New Zealand
Teen Boys Award: Thomas Dilley, Australia
Teen – Small Group -Hip Hop: Madison, Rachelle, Jordan, Migo, Jasmine, Paige, Cassandra, Canada
Teen – Small Group – Lyrical/ Cont: The McDonald College, Australia
Teen-  Large Group –Jazz: RG DANCE, Australia
Teen – Large Group – Ballet: The McDonald College, Australia

Senior – Solo- Acro/ Specialty: Samantha Rybka, Australia
Senior – Solo – Hip Hop: Axel-Roman Allioux, Canada
Senior – Solo- Lyrical/ Cont: Kati Smasne, USA
Senior – Solo- Jazz: Emma Swannie, Australia
Senior – Solo – Tap: Kiana Smith, Canada
Senior – Solo – Musical Theatre: Kiana Smith, Canada
Senior – Large Group – Acro/ Specialty: Lee Academy, Australia
Senior Boys Award: Matt Antonucci, Australia
Senior – Duo/ Trio -Jazz: Tasmin & Eliza Cummins, Australia
Senior Duo/ Trio – Lyrical / Cont: Meg Scheffers and Tiffany Browne, Australia

This year is the 75th anniversary of ballet legend Rudolf Nureyev’s birth, and 20 years since his death. How much do you know about one of the most celebrated dancers of the 20th century?

1. With which ballet did Nureyev make his directorial debut?

a) The Afternoon of a Faun

b) Petrouchka

c) Pineapple Poll

d) Don Quixote

2. Nureyev’s first performance in Britain was held to support which organization?

a) The Royal Academy of Dance

b) The Royal Ballet School

c) The Royal Ballet

d) The Royal Opera

3. Giving his mother a shock, Nureyev was born prematurely in a

a) boat

b) train

c) car

d) plane

4. Nureyev danced with many of the best ballerinas of his time, but with whom did he say he danced with “one body, one soul”?

a) Eva Evdokimova

b) Margot Fonteyn

c) Gelsey Kirkland

d) Antoinette Sibley

5. Nureyev danced with Miss Piggy on the Muppet Show (check it out on YouTube – it’s a classic!). Which ballet did they perform a parody of?

a) Cinderella

b) The Nutcracker

c) Swan Lake

d) Manon

6. In which company was Nureyev director, dancer and chief of choreography during the 1980s?

a) The Royal Ballet

b) The Paris Opera Ballet

c) Dutch National Ballet

d) American Ballet Theatre

7. Which ballet by Sir Frederick Ashton was premiered by Fonteyn and Nureyev, and would become known as their signature piece?

a) Marguerite and Armand

b) Baroque Pas de Trois

c) Romeo and Juliet

d) Les Sylphides

8. To which country did Nureyev defect in 1961?

a) America

b) United Kingdom

c) Austria

d) France

9. In the 1970s, Nureyev toured the USA in a production of which musical?

a) Fiddler on the Roof

b) Cats

c) Kiss Me Kate

d) The King and I

10. Nureyev played a violinist in the 1983 film Exposed, alongside which Hollywood actor?

a) Harvey Keitel

b) Marlon Brando

c) Robert De Niro

d) Russell Crowe

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

Photo: Rudolf Nureyev by Jack Mitchell. Photo source http://onlyartimages.blogspot.com/2011/04/rudolf-nureyev.html

By Leah Gerstenlauer.

The world of classical ballet in America is riddled with abbreviations, from the training level — SAB, JKO, CPYB — through to the highest echelons of the profession — NYCB, ABT, SFB, PNB… The ponderous list of schools, companies and styles could easily send a dance parent attempting to determine the educational and professional fate of an eager, talented child into an anxious state. After all, choosing the wrong training program could positively destroy a promising career, could it not?

One successful school in New York City is leading by example to oppose this narrow mentality. Founded by Rose Caiola as Studio Maestro in 1995, Manhattan Youth Ballet (a.k.a MYB) provides pre-professional classical education to young dancers from around the nation. Alumni have gone on to dance with companies such as American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, and Barcelona Ballet, among a wide range of others.

What makes MYB more than just another abbreviation for high-quality classical training? “We don’t try to be like any other school,” MYB Head Faculty Deborah Wingert says. “We just want the best out of our kids.” Wingert’s phrasing highlights a key aspect of the MYB ethos: talent, intelligence, and artistry all exist within the school’s students. The job of its teachers is to draw these possibilities out of their pupils — understanding that these possibilities vary from child to child — rather than impose a particular aesthetic or notions of right and wrong, good and bad upon them.

This open and encouraging atmosphere does not, however, bar the development of solid technique. MYB adheres to a clean, graded curriculum with a firm basis in the Vaganova method. But whether in the classroom or on the stage, students are reminded that ballet is not always black and pink, nor is it an insular, stagnant art form. “It’s important that our students get a strong base, but are well-rounded,” Director of Programming Erin Fogarty affirms. “Every company you see, from NYCB and ABT, to the Bolshoi and Nederlands Dans Theater — they’re all doing everything. The technical aspects of each style are so important and really relevant in today’s world.”

New York City Ballet’s Daniel Ulbricht leading a men’s class during the 2012 MYB Summer Intensive. Photo by Igor Burlak.

In light of this reality, MYB both nurtures individual aptitudes and nudges its charges in new directions, a strategy facilitated by the academy’s diverse roster of educators. The permanent faculty includes Wingert, NYCB alumna and Balanchine repetiteur; Fogarty, once a member of Carolina Ballet and Ballet NY; Head of Classical Repertoire Marina Stavitskaya, a former Kirov dancer and a graduate of the Vaganova Academy; Head of Primary Levels Natalia Boesch, whose performance resume features contracts with PNB, ABT, and Staatsballet Berlin; Artistic Advisor Daniel Ulbricht, a current NYCB principal and frequent MYB guest star; and Choreographer-in-Residence Brian Reeder, an internationally-respected dance-maker whose performing career spanned continents.

Given this all-star team of artists, one might imagine that MYB has more than enough resources to provide its students with a comprehensive, versatile dance education. Yet one of the school’s greatest assets, its leadership insists, is that it refuses to remain an island. “The fact that we have a rotating group of guest teachers that is constant and consistent is a huge help” in creating the ideal learning environment, Wingert says. “We [the faculty] also try to go out and teach various places… We share those experiences and inform one another of those different worlds.”

By reaching into the greater dance community, MYB is not only enriching life within its studio walls, it is building an extended family for itself — a family upon which Wingert and her colleagues frequently call on their students’ behalf. “We have students in companies around the country, and we stay in touch with them,” says Boesch. “Erin knows a lot of directors, I know a few… and we call them when we’re sending our kids out to audition.” It is this notion of palpable care for and pride in its student body that sets MYB apart from the region’s larger schools.

And that sense of care and pride is naturally non-discriminatory. Wingert, Fogarty, and Boesch speak about alumni who chose to pursue other interests upon leaving the school with as much respect and admiration as they express for those working as dancers. “Sometimes, the kids realize they’re not going to be dancers,” Wingert reflects, “and that’s okay with them because they know that what they’re doing is real.” Boesch adds, “It’s a professional level of training, whether they’re going to be professional or not.”

A crucial facet of that professional education revolves around attitude — how students behave with teachers, peers, and guests. The positive, familial philosophy surrounding MYB comes from the top down, according to Fogarty, who cites the magnanimity and vision of Executive Artistic Director Rose Caiola as an inspiration to the faculty and their ever-receptive pupils. “I don’t want to paint a perfectly rosy picture that there’s no competition [amongst the students],” Wingert admits, “but there is a sense of generosity and sharing, and they do look out for one another.”

As far as competition is concerned, none of the school’s dancers need fear that he or she will be left off stage. MYB presents shows throughout the year in the black box theater of Manhattan Movement and Arts Center (MMAC), the modern performing arts complex that the academy has called its home since 2008. Caiola’s vast experience as a producer in the performing arts world ensures that students will always have ample opportunity to learn and present classic repertory and to experience new works, often as they are being created.

In June of 2012, MYB made history as the first school to perform Jerome Robbins’ jazzy Interplay. Earlier in the year, Wingert and Boesch collaborated to set A Midsummer Night’s Dream on their students, with Ulbricht guest starring in the role of Oberon. “We’re always lucky that we get beautiful Balanchine,” Wingert says, and with a full-length performance of Serenade in the works, this year is no exception. Selections from The Sleeping Beauty, set by Stavitskaya, will round out the spring season.

But before ringing in the New Year, MYB will revive a work that is rapidly becoming a local classic in its own right: The Knickerbocker Suite. Much more than a mere alternative to that other holiday staple, The Nutcracker, the hour-long Knickerbocker — scheduled to run from December 12 through the 16th at MMAC this year — presents a richly entertaining, family-friendly story set in culture capital New York City. The show gives kids and their parents something they can relate to, Fogarty and Boesch explain. It brings recognizable aspects of the city, like the Statue of Liberty, the angels at Rockefeller Center, and iconic sports teams, to the stage. The festive ballet even offers up a dancing posse of peculiarly coordinated pigeons. “Knickerbocker reminds our kids that art can be made out of what we live with every day,” Wingert asserts. “That’s the magic.”

For students at Manhattan Youth Ballet, such lessons about their practice are integral to the education they receive year round. The thriving school, fast approaching its 20-year anniversary, continually strives to address not only dance technique and artistry, but the intelligence and flexibility necessary to truly excel in the art form. And that type of three-dimensional training, Wingert says, “prepares you for life — it’s not just ballet.”

To read more about Manhattan Youth Ballet and it’s upcoming performances, visit www.manhattanyouthballet.org. For more information on Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, visit www.manhattanmovement.com

Top photo: Dancers perform in MYB’s June 2012 show. Photo by Erin Baiano

Misty Copeland, cover model for Discount Dance Supply, talks about life as a professional ballerina.

By Stephanie Wolf.

The New York dance scene is saturated with burgeoning choreographers and dance companies, giving Manhattinites an overwhelming catalogue of dance happenings to attend on any given night.  With so much established and new dance in the city, how is an ambitious choreographer to stand out?

Recognizing this surplus of dance, former New York City Ballet Soloist Tom Gold has decided to follow a less conventional approach to showcasing his choreography. By building an international touring company, Gold has succeeded in establishing a global presence with his troupe of dancers and avoided getting lost in the crowd. Now, riding on recent momentum from sold-out performances at the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain, Tom Gold Dance is evolving rapidly and ready to make its balletic mark on American soil.

Tom Gold Dance's Russell Janzen and Likolani Brown

The origins of TGD are almost out of the movies; glamorous and serendipitous. He formed the troupe in 1999 when he was invited to bring a group of dancers to the South of France. Word spread quickly and, shortly after, acclaimed international ballerina Alessandra Ferri asked Gold to help her assemble dancers to tour Italy.  From there, the Guggenheim in Bilbao extended an invitation to TGD and the company just completed its fourth year of performances as part of the museum’s Works & Process series. One opportunity led to the next, including tours to Bermuda, upstate New York, and more recently, Israel. Now Gold had a fledgling company. He enjoys the process and being “in charge of his life…and able to call the shots”—rather than at the mercy of an artistic staff’s creative will.

Yet founding a ballet company has not always been Gold’s ambition. He began experimenting with choreography in his high school years at the Chicago Academy for the Arts. But when Gold moved to Manhattan to join the New York City Ballet, “choreography took a back seat.” He asserts, “I’ve always loved dancing and choreographing,” but he was fully focused on dancing during his performing career. It wasn’t until well into his time with New York City Ballet that the choreographic itch came back into his life.

In a trend of edgy, contemporary dance, Gold sticks to what he knows best, classical ballet.  His company performs “ballet at its best [with] beautiful movement and beautiful dancers.” The repertoire is a “nice range of American ballet,” including works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, as well as Gold’s own choreography. There’s usually a narrative because Gold loves to use movement to tell a story, and he often pulls his choreographic inspiration from music. “I always try to do something that is challenging, educational, but entertaining for the audience. I want the audience and dancers both to have a great time,” he says enthusiastically, “like sugar, but it’s educational. It goes down easy but it will teach you something.”

Currently, the company is mostly comprised of dancers from major companies like New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. But Gold hopes to build his own roster of dynamic artists and, eventually, bring in more emerging choreographers. It’s still in “the infant stage,” but prospering rapidly. Recently TGD gained its nonprofit status and is now actively fundraising to enable more domestic performances and expansion.

The company is based in Manhattan, using the city as a “springboard.” And while Gold intends to build a stronger national presence, particularly in New York, he loves travel and believes “global growth” will always be at the heart of Tom Gold Dance.

Down the road, the company has a lot to look forward to. At the beginning of November, it tours to Cuba for the International Ballet Festival of Havanna, performing works by Tharp, Balanchine and Gold. It’s a huge honor for the troupe as the festival is one of the oldest of its kind in the world and occurs only every two years. Additionally, Gold plans to expand the company’s New York performance season and there is the possibility of a tour to Hawaii in 2014. Energized and excited for the future of his company, Gold’s passion for choreographing, his dancers, and the art form in general shines through. His infectious attitude will surely take the troupe far.

Top photo:
Tom Gold Dance’s Amanda Hankes, Sara Mearns and Abi Stafford. Photo by Arthur Elgort.
Photos courtesy of Dan Dutcher Public Relations.

By Rain Francis.

How well do you know the ballet classic?

1. Who composed the original score for Swan Lake?

a) Prokofiev

b) Mozart

c) Stravinsky

d) Tchaikovsky

2. Who choreographed the original production of Swan Lake, which premiered in 1877, one year after the composer’s death?

a) Marius Petipa

b) George Balanchine

c) Michel Fokine

d) Julius Reisinger

3. The black swan’s name is?

a) Odette

b) Odile

c) Ophelia

d) Octavia

4. Name this character from Swan Lake:

a) Siegfried

b) Carabosse

c) Von Rothbart

d) Dr. Coppelius

5. Matthew Bourne’s version of Swan Lake is well known particularly because:

a) The corps de ballet consists of black swans, not white swans

b) The swans are danced by men instead of women

c) It does not use any of the original score

d) All of the above

6. As part of their 2012 season, The Australian Ballet presented Swan Lake at New York’s Lincoln Center. Who is the choreographer of this version?

a. Stephen Baynes

b. Graeme Murphy

c. Twyla Tharp

d. Christopher Wheeldon

7. In the 2011 film Black Swan, which dance company was used as the corps de ballet?

a) New York City Ballet

b) Miami City Ballet

c) Pennsylvania Ballet

d) Mariinsky Ballet

8. Who danced the roles of Odette/Odile in the premiere of Petipa/Ivanov’s Swan Lake?

a) Pierina Legnani

b) Olga Nikolayeva

c) Anna Pavlova

d) Tamara Karsavina

9. How many dancers traditionally perform the dance of the Cygnets?

a) two

c) three

c) four

d) six

10. True or false: Swan Lake was the first ballet to be staged by Mikhail Mordkin, the first Artistic Director of what is now known as American Ballet Theatre?

Answers: 1 – d, 2 – d, 3 – b, 4 – c, 5 – b, 6 – a, 7 – c, 8 – a, 9 – c, 10 – True

Top photo: Adam Bull & Amber Scott in The Australian Ballet’s Swan Lake. Photography Jim McFarlane.

Character photo: Christopher Saunders as Von Rothbart. Copyright John Ross. Photo source: www.ballet.co.uk/gallery/jr-royal-ballet-swan-lake-roh-1008/jr_swan_saunders_onsteps_067_500

By Laura Di Orio.

The Boston International Ballet Competition (BIBC), founded by former international ballet star Valentina Kozlova, returns for its second year this June at Boston’s Cutler Majestic Theater. This year’s competition, to be held June 13-17, will allow dancers from the ages of 13 to 25 to perform and have the chance to win a variety of monetary prizes and even company contracts.

Although there will be a couple of changes to this year’s competition, such as the inclusion of mandatory contemporary pieces for each dancer, Kozlova aims to maintain the positive, enriching environment that she instilled last year for the dancers.

“I think it’s very important for dancers to know it’s about them,” Kozlova says. “It’s not about anything else. It’s about giving them a chance to be comfortable and to be nurtured in this environment that is very positive. I would like to do everything and anything to continue to do that.”

Kozlova, who trained at the Bolshoi Ballet School and performed with the Bolshoi Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet, says she expects to match last year’s number of about 85 participants. The participants will be split into different age groups – student division (ages 13 and 14), junior division (ages 15-18) and senior division (ages 19-25). They will also have the option of competing as an individual or as a couple.

Brooklyn Mack (USA), who received a Bronze in the Senior Male Division at last year's BIBC. Photo Brian Mengini

This year, in addition to each dancer’s classical variations and/or pas de deux, everyone will be required to perform a contemporary pas de deux or two contemporary solos. Dancers will learn those pieces, as well as receive insight and suggestions for style and costume from the choreographer, directly from the BIBC website.

“Then, onstage at the competition, they do exactly the same choreography but very different interpretations,” Kozlova says. “It’s very experimental for me and the judges.”

Kozlova will also place some restrictions on what dancers can and cannot present. She says those in the student division, for instance, will not be allowed to dance “more seductive roles”, such as the Black Swan pas de deux in Swan Lake and Kitri’s variation in Don Quixote.

The BIBC 2012 judges are big names in the dance world, including Mikko Nissinen, Artistic Director of Boston Ballet; Violette Verdy, former New York City Ballet ballerina; and Septime Webre, Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet. The nine-person panel will award a variety of prizes, including monetary rewards up to $5,000, one-year contracts with Boston Ballet II and The Washington Ballet Studio Company, full tuition scholarships to prestigious ballet schools and summer programs, classical tutus and more.

Valentina Kozlova, founder of the BIBC. Photo Boz Swope

“The dancers put so much energy and life into competing,” Kozlova says, “so the rewards should, in any way we can, give to the dancers.”

Despite the prospect of winning prizes, Kozlova says dancers should not let that be their driving force in this, or any competition. “You do it because you have a passion for dance,” she says. “You have to want to work differently, to be seen, to see. If you come with the ‘I want to win’ mindset, that will be very upsetting for you and people around you. You should be excited to be a part of this and want to be a part of this dance community. And if your attitude is positive, you might be rewarded.”

During this year’s BIBC, guest artists from Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet will perform. Two dancers from last year’s competition will also perform, which, Kozlova says, will become a BIBC tradition.

Kozlova has high hopes for this year’s BIBC and for the future of the competition. “I just hope to do what we did last year and more, and I hope dancers will show good results,” Kozlova says. “This competition is by selection only, and I hope that we’ll see great art.”

For more information on BIBC, visit its website at www.bostonibc.org.

Top photo: Ji Young Chae and Young Gyu Choi (South Korea), Gold Medalists in the Senior Division of last year’s BIBC. Photo Brian Mengini

Published by Dance Informa digital dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & dance events for the professional dancer, dance teacher and dance students.

By Rebecca Martin.

Dancer Stephanie Williams has gone from strength to strength since leaving The Australian Ballet in 2011 and joining Het Nationale Ballet in Amsterdam for six months before settling into her new home of New York where she is one of American Ballet Theatre’s (ABT) newest recruits.

Since commencing her ballet training at the age of 8 with the Marie Walton-Mahon Dance Academy in Newcastle, Australia, Stephanie has been a dancer to watch. Moving to Melbourne as a teenager to train at The Australian Ballet School, she received the Gold Medal at the 10th Asian Pacific International Ballet Competition in Tokyo, graduated at the top of her class, and performed the dual role of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake. In 2007, Stephanie joined The Australian Ballet as a Corps de Ballet member before being promoted to Coryphee the following year. While with The Australian Ballet, Stephanie performed many Soloist and Principal roles and was a guest artist with Christopher Wheeldon’s Morphoses, again performing Principal roles.

In the lead up to the world premiere of Ratmansky’s Firebird in California, Stephanie found time to speak with Dance Informa about life since leaving Australia…

You’ve done quite a bit of travelling lately, having gone from The Australian Ballet to Het Nationale Ballet in Europe, and now with American Ballet Theatre in New York. How are you managing so far away from friends and family?

The past year has been a whirlwind of travel, exploration and life change. At times it’s been wonderful and exciting and at other times scary and daunting, but all part of an incredible journey that has given me a fresh perspective on life and dance. The beautiful people that have come into my life have had a huge impact on me and they have helped me with the major changes that come with moving to the other side of the world. I have to say I am extraordinarily fortunate to have the most beautiful, supportive family whose love and belief in me has never wavered, even when I’ve felt lost at times. And although I miss them terribly, I am in an extremely positive, motivating, passionate and inspiring environment every day at ABT. This fills me with a sense of happiness and allows me artistic fulfillment, of which I couldn’t have ever imagined and appreciate so much. And thank goodness for Skype!!

Stephanie Williams of American Ballet Theatre. Photo James Hooper

Any interesting cultural differences you’ve come across?

New York is incredible in that I feel like it’s so open to different styles and foods and that’s why it’s so exciting because there is always something new and interesting to try and seek out. I’m not a good sleeper so the fact that I live in ‘The city that never sleeps’ works perfectly for me!

Amsterdam is like no other place, with canals and bikes everywhere you look. I used to love seeing an entire family on a bicycle – the mum riding with the two kids on the front, baby in arms, perhaps an umbrella and mobile phone in hand and some groceries hanging off the handle for good measure. All executed without a care in the world! And then parked amongst another hundred bicycles so the street looks like a twisted metal junkyard! What a truly amazing sight and the epitome of Amsterdam.

Is living in New York and dancing in one of the world’s best companies a dream come true?

I have to admit I do pinch myself most days. I have found a happiness and an appreciation for what I am fortunate enough to do every day. Living in New York is incredible. It is a city to get totally lost in, to explore and to dream. American Ballet Theatre is a very special organisation and to be a part of it is very humbling and inspiring. But over the course of the last 15 months I have grown up a lot (as stereotypical as that sounds). I have found such beauty in people, places, dance and life and to be able to recognise and appreciate it. That, to me, is the dream I have journeyed to.

What shows do you have coming up with ABT?

At the moment I am in Costa Mesa preparing for our triple bill which consists of Merce Cunninghams’ Duets, Christopher Wheeldons’ 13 Diversions and the world premiere of Ratmanskys’ new Firebird. I will be dancing in 13 Diversions and Firebird which I am really excited about! Being involved in the creation of Firebird has been incredible and inspiring each and every day. Working with Ratmansky and seeing this ballet come together has been amazing and I’m so excited about the premiere this week!

Top photo: Stephanie Williams dances in La Bayadère with American Ballet Theatre. Photo Gene Schiavone.

Published by Dance Informa digital dance magazine – dance news, dance auditions & dance events for the professional dancer, dance teacher and dance student.