$20,000 up for grabs for Australia’s emerging dance talent

Six dancers are in the running to take home Australian ballet’s highest honour, with the 2013 Telstra Ballet Dancer Award (TBDA) nominations recently announced in Melbourne.

The 2013 Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominees are Benedicte Bemet (Mackay, QLD), Cameron Hunter (East Fremantle, WA), Natasha Kusen (Maroubra, NSW), Christopher Rodgers-Wilson (Camberwell, VIC), Sharni Spencer (Tamworth, NSW) and Valerie Tereshchenko (Carnegie, VIC).

Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet, David McAllister, said he was excited for the group of young dancers as they began the first steps of their TBDA journey. “I’m also particularly thrilled that for the first time, the nominees will use Instagram to document their TBDA experience. Ballet fans can follow them with the hashtag #TBDA13,” McAllister said.

Telstra’s Group General Counsel, Carmel Mulhern, said the award plays an important role in recognising and rewarding existing talent within the company.
“Each year the announcement of the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominees is such an exciting occasion and one that is highly anticipated. It is important we continue to support and encourage the next generation of The Australian Ballet,” she said.

Introduced in 2003 to encourage young Australian Ballet dancers to reach their full potential, the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award has catapulted some of The Australian Ballet’s brightest stars into the stratosphere.

Last year Senior Artist Amy Harris from Ararat in regional Victoria was crowned the 2012 TBDA winner. Her win was a case of third time lucky, with previous nominations for the esteemed award in 2008 and 2010. In both of those years she took home the public-voted Telstra People’s Choice Award, but last year was the first time she had won the main accolade.

Five previous TBDA winners have ascended the ballet rankings to reach principal artist status, including Matthew Lawrence (2003), Amber Scott (2004), Lana Jones (2005), Daniel Gaudiello (2007) and Kevin Jackson (2008).

Audiences can see all the 2013 TBDA nominees in action at the free outdoor event Telstra Ballet in Bowl in Melbourne on Friday, March 8.

This year’s nominees were chosen by The Australian Ballet’s artistic staff, previous winners of the award and principal artists. The six dancers were judged on their performances throughout 2012, the ongoing development of their skills and their support of fellow company members.

The winner, announced near the end of 2013, will be decided by an industry panel comprising of representatives from The Australian Ballet, Telstra and the media. The winner will receive a $20,000 cash prize from Telstra. The People’s Choice Award has a $5,000 prize and is decided by public vote.

To vote for your favourite dancer, SMS their first name to 0439 BALLET (0439 225 538) or go to telstra.com/ballet to enter online.

About the nominees

Benedicte Bemet was born in Mackay, QLD, in 1994, and started ballet at the age of three. She grew up on the Gold Coast and began her training at the Ransley’s Ballet Centre. She was accepted into The Australian Ballet School at age 14. In 2012, she joined The Australian Ballet.

Cameron Hunter was born in Bentley, WA, in 1991. Growing up in East Fremantle in Perth, he started ballroom dancing at age nine. At age 13 he made the move from ballroom to ballet after being offered a scholarship to train at the Perth City Ballet. A year later, Cameron moved to Melbourne to study at The Australian Ballet School. Cameron joined The Australian Ballet in 2011.

Natasha Kusen was born in Maroubra, NSW, in 1984 and started dancing at the age of four. She trained with Nicholina Kuner’s Academy Ballet in Randwick, Sydney. In 2001, Natasha won a scholarship at the Prix de Lausanne competition to study at The Royal Ballet School in London. Upon graduation in 2003, Natasha came home to Australia to accept a position with The Australian Ballet. She was previously nominated for a Telstra Ballet Dancer Award in 2010.

Christopher Rodgers-Wilson was born in England in 1987 but grew up in Camberwell, VIC, starting ballet classes at the age of six. He trained at the Camberwell District Ballet School before moving to London to study at The Royal Ballet School. Christopher joined the Birmingham Royal Ballet in 2007 before returning to Melbourne to join The Australian Ballet in 2011.

Sharni Spencer was born in Lismore, NSW, in 1988 and grew up in Tamworth and Newcastle. She began dance classes when she was three years old and studied at Sally Kefts School of Dance and Marie Walton Mahon Dance Academy before joining New Zealand School of Dance. Sharni joined The Australian Ballet in 2008.

Valerie Tereshchenko was born in Kiev, Ukraine in 1989. She immigrated to Australia with her family when she was six years old and a year later took her first ballet class. Living in Carnegie in Melbourne, she attended a number of local ballet schools, including West Point Ballet Academy, Ballet Theatre of Victoria and the Australian International School of Coaching. Valerie later joined The Australian Ballet School. In 2009, Valerie successfully auditioned for a place with The Australian Ballet.

Photo: 2013 Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominees Sharni Spencer, Cameron Hunter, Benedicte Bemet, Christopher Rodgers-Wilson, Natasha Kusen and Valerie Tereshchenko. Photo by James Braund

National Dance Day is rapidly approaching, and So You Think You Can Dance’s Hip Hop choreographers, Napoleon and Tabitha D’umo, have created a short Dizzy Feet Foundation dance routine.  Nigel Lythgoe has been encouraging dancers all over the world to learn the dance and pass it on.

So what is National Dance Day?

National Dance Day is an initiative that encourages the nation, young and old, to get their groove on! Individuals, families, organizations and communities from across the US will come together through their creative expression in dance.  Any style of dance is welcome and imagination is recommended in order to get the most out of this celebratory day.

National Dance Day will be held on Saturday July 31st with flash mobs and celebrations all over the country.

National Dance Dance has been developed to continue to generate national awareness for dance, a medium of expression and storytelling which has proven its value in bringing individuals from all walks of life together. Most importantly, the day is intended to promote health and wellness nationwide.

So get learning the moves and join in this July 31st, for America’s first National Dance Day!

Broadway Dance Center, in the heart of New York City’s theater district, has just announced an exciting new program for aspiring professional dancers - Professional Semester at BDC.

Since 1984 Broadway Dance Center has earned a reputation in the global dance community as a studio of excellence, offering a diverse array of dance classes from industry leading teachers and choreographers.

Open to dancers from 18 to 27 years, the Professional Semester at BDC is designed to transform dancers from
dance students to dance professionals.

The four-month course is a great option for well-trained dancers looking to launch their professional careers. Whether a graduate of a university dance program, a current student looking to spend a semester dancing in the field, a recent high school graduate hoping to broach the dance industry, or a currently working professional looking for an intensive course to hone your skills, The Professional Semester offers the pragmatic coursework that dancers need to establish themselves as working professionals.

“I’ve designed this program essentially to offer the training, practical information, and networking opportunities I wish I’d had when I was starting out as a young dancer”, says BDC’s Director of Educational Programming Bonnie Erickson.

BDC choreographer Maria Torres leads a group of students through their mock audition class

BDC has sought the input of countless industry professionals in crafting the program. The comprehensive syllabus includes multi-disciplinary technique classes, practical seminars to educate dancers about the industry, mock auditions to provide real-world experience, and numerous networking and performance opportunities. The program concludes with a showcase finale at a local Manhattan theater for an audience including NYC dance industry professionals.

Starting in Fall 2010, there will be Fall and Spring terms. Applications for Fall 2010 are now open. The program will start on August 22. All applications must be submitted by July 23.

For further information visit www.broadwaydancecenter.com or email ProSemester@bwydance.com

CBS is set to launch a new dance show - Got to Dance and ex-American Idol Judge Paula Abdul will be joining the series. The show, based on a very popular British series that premiered earlier this year, will feature dancers of all ages and styles. There will be solos, duos and groups competing for viewer votes.
Got to Dance is rumored to premiere early next year.

Based on the success of popular dance television shows such as SYTYCD and Dancing with the Stars, Got to Dance is sure to be entertaining.

Lori Belilove & The Isadora Duncan Dance Company will honor the birth of the mother of Modern Dance with a celebration of performances, classes for all ages, lecture demonstrations, and a tour of the Metropolitan Museum from May 27th-29th.

The pre-eminent Isadora Duncan Dance Company will perform dances from the repertoire of Isadora Duncan ranging from her early lyrical solos including Ballspiel (Chopin) to her sensual Bacchanal (Gluck) and Brahm’s waltzes The Many Faces of Love to her triumphant Revolutionary (Scriabin) and her universal Mother (Scriabin). Lori Belilove and Company dancers Beth Disharoon, Faith Kimberling, Danielle Kwozko, Amanda Nord, Suzzanne Gerdes, and Mary Staub will be performing.

The program will include a short introductory talk by Artistic Director Lori Belilove about Isadora, her life, and her dances. After 100 years Duncan’s work, vision, and inspiration still resonates with the human spirit in the 21st century. Young Duncan dancers “The Beliloveables” (established in the tradition of Duncan’s “Isadorables”) and guest dancers training with the Company will also perform.

Celebrating the birth of Isadora Duncan with these activities mark the 30th year anniversary of the establishment of the Isadora Duncan Dance Foundation located in Chelsea.

Although exposed to personal life stories and stereotypical characterizations about Isadora’s dance, most dance students, teachers and dance historians are unaware of Duncan’s technique. It is the mission of the Duncan foundation to awaken the general public and dance enthusiasts worldwide to the importance and beauty of Isadora’s dance legacy.

For more information visit http://www.isadoraduncan.org

Top photo: Rose Eichenbaum

Judith Jamison has announced that her mantle as Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will pass to Robert Battle. Battle is a fast-rising choreographer who has created ballets for the Ailey company and Ailey II since 1999 and has served as an artist-in-residence with The Ailey School. Mr. Battle, 37, will be the third person to head the company since its founding by Alvin Ailey in 1958. He will serve side-by-side with Ms. Jamison as Artistic Director Designate from now until July 2011, when she takes Emerita status and he assumes his full responsibilities.

Judith Jamison stated, “We are enormously fortunate in being able to secure the leadership of Robert Battle. Combining an intimate knowledge of the Ailey company with an independent perspective, he is without question the creative force of the future.”

Accepting his appointment as Artistic Director Designate, Robert Battle stated, “I don’t know whether to call this the proudest moment of my life or the most humbling. With the help of Judith Jamison and the great, great dancers in this company, I hope to be worthy of this tremendous responsibility that I’ve been given, and to honour it in the only way Alvin Ailey would have accepted: by keeping it new, alive and moving forward.”

“In seeking a new artistic leader for the company, it was important to find someone who has his own vision, his own experience,” Judith Jamison explained. “Robert has his own company and is a maverick in his choreography. He’s edgy and forward-thinking, very talented and savvy-a lovely, intelligent person who in many ways reminds me of Alvin. He also has a worldview and is capable of taking this company in new directions, while at the same time understanding our traditions. Choosing Robert Battle is the giant leap I want to take to ensure that this company stays vibrant in the future.”

www.alvinailey.org

Top photo: By Paul Kolnik.

New Choreography and Music Festival

New York City Ballet’s 2010 Spring Season will begin on Thursday, April 29, with a one-time-only gala evening celebrating Architecture of Dance – New Choreography and Music Festival, NYCB’s spring season celebration of new work, featuring seven world premiere ballets and four commissioned scores.  Santiago Calatrava, one of the world’s most acclaimed architects, will be creating scenic designs for five of the season’s world premieres, marking the first time that he has created theatrical designs.  

The Architecture of Dance festival, which has been designed to honour the 50th anniversary of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, will feature seven world premiere ballets by an international array of choreographers:  Melissa Barak, Mauro Bigonzetti, Peter Martins, Wayne McGregor, Benjamin Millepied, Alexei Ratmansky, and Christopher Wheeldon.  Renowned for its commitment to new work, NYCB has premiered more than 300 original works since relocating to Lincoln Center in 1964.

Four scores have also been commissioned for the festival, from Bruno Moretti, who will work with Bigonzetti, his long-time collaborator; French composer Thierry Escaich, who will work with Millepied; young American composer Jay Greenberg, who will create the score for the Barak ballet; and Esa-Pekka Salonen, who composed a violin concerto for Martins’ world premiere. 

For more information visit www.nycballet.com

Top photo: Alexei Ratmansky rehearsing dancers for his upcoming ballet. Photo Paul Kolnik

Peridance Center, in partnership with Capezio/Ballet Makers Inc. is proud to announce it’s new location in the historic Beaux Arts-style building at 126 East 13th Street, near 4th Avenue at the beautiful Union Square area, New York City.  The Centre, officially known as Peridance Capezio Center has opened its doors.

This beautiful 3-story dance facility marks a new era for Peridance with an exciting new profile.

The Center houses six large, climate controlled, State-of-the-Art studios with professional sound systems and sprung floors, an in house Studio Theater, café 126 and a Capezio dance clothing boutique. All studios are completely column free, a unique characteristic in the New York urban landscape.

Peridance’s faculty is expanding and Australia’s own Jack Chambers of SYTYCD is now an esteemed instructor at the facility! Over 30 new, exciting and distinguished teachers are joining the world renowned roster of instructors, offering over 250 open weekly classes for all levels in Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Theater, Jazz, Hip-Hop, House, Tap, Salsa, Flamenco, African, Pilates, Stretch, GYROKENESIS®, Taichi and much more.

Peridance Capezio Center proudly offers all major, traditional Modern disciplines including Graham, Limon, Horton and Taylor-Based.

The new in house Studio Theater, will provide a venue for established and up-and-coming artists to perform, and will serve as a home for the Peridance Contemporary Dance Company.

 “We were fortunate to be able to stay in the neighborhood,” says Artistic Director Igal Perry. “…though our dancers and students come from around the globe, it’s vital for us to maintain our roots at Union Square and stay close to the local and vibrant dance community.”

The building was originally constructed as the Van Tassall & Kearney Horse Auction Mart at the turn of the 20th century, and was the studio of painter, printmaker and sculptor Frank Stella from 1978 to 2005.

For more information visit www.peridance.com or www.capeziodance.com

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater kicks off its U.S. tour in Washington, DC, this week, followed by Charlotte, Atlanta, and 17 more cities across the country. See new work added to the repertory this season and, at most performances, the beloved classic, Revelations. Join the ongoing celebration of Judith Jamison’s 20 years as artistic director when Ailey comes to a city near you. For the tour dates and details click here

AAADT has performed for an estimated 23 million people in 48 states and in 71 countries on six continents, including two historic residencies in South Africa. The company has earned a reputation as one of the most acclaimed international ambassadors of American culture, promoting the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance.

For further information visit www.alvinailey.org

With a sparkling score of beloved standards and a whimsical story that dances between romance, satire and fairy tale, Finian’s Rainbow is a musical theater treasure.

Visit www.finiansonbroadway.com