Press

THE WASHINGTON BALLET COLLABORATES WITH THE U.S. ARMY’S WOUNDED WARRIOR PROGRAM, VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS, AMERICAN LEGION AND MILITARY ORDER OF THE WORLD WARS TO HOST SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES AT THE NUTCRACKER ON DECEMBER 6

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:57:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) working with the U.S. Army’s Wounded Warrior Programs, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and the Military Order of the World Wars, will host a group of 100 service members and their families at The Nutcracker on Thursday, December 6, 2012 at7PM the Warner Theatre.

“The Ballet’s Nutcracker production celebrates our country’s founding heroes, George Washington and the American Continental Army. As such, we are thrilled and honored to have the heroes of today enjoy this holiday tradition and celebration of who we are as a nation,” stated artistic director Septime Webre. READ FULL RELEASE

THE WASHINGTON BALLET PRESENTS DC’S ANNUAL HOLIDAY CELEBRATION THE NUTCRACKER

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 21:17:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) celebrates the holiday season by bringing DC’s favorite The Nutcracker to Washington-area audiences November 30 through December 23 at the historic Warner Theatre. The production will preview at the THEARC Theater on November 24-25.

Septime Webre’s critically acclaimed The Nutcracker transports audiences back in time to historic Washington, DC in a one-of-a-kind production set in 1882 Georgetown and starring George Washington as the heroic Nutcracker, King George III as the villainous Rat King, Anacostia Indians, frontiersmen, and many other all-American delights. Set to the iconic music of Pytor Ilych Tchaikovsky, this vibrant ballet features scenic designs by Peter Horne, costume designs by Judanna Lynn and lighting design by Tony Tucci. The Washington Ballet’s The Nutcracker has been hailed by The Washington Post as, “SIMPLY GORGEOUS! The Washington Ballet dazzles with a capital Nutcracker.” FULL PRESS RELEASE

THE WASHINGTON BALLET PRESENTS DRACULA TWB mounts Michael Pink’s critically-acclaimed production based on Bram Stoker’s classic novel

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 15:39:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet’s (TWB) 2012.2013 season begins in October with Dracula with the company premiere of Michael Pink’s chilling, mesmerizing retelling of Bram Stoker’s famous horror story, which runs for 13 performances October 24- November 4 at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Eisenhower Theater. READ FULL RELEASE

THE WASHINGTON BALLET’S DRACULA SOIRÉE PRESENTED BY THE WOMEN’S COMMITTEE AND THE JETÉ SOCIETY, Event held October 5 at The National Museum of Women in the Arts

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 16:42:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) kicks off the 2012.2013 season with the Dracula Soirée on October 5. TWB’s second annual Soirée, presented by the Women’s Committee of The Washington Ballet and the Jeté Society, will be held at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The Soirée will be chaired by Ava Deylami, Nasim Deylami, Sara Lange and Indira Mehrpour. READ FULL RELEASE

The Washington Ballet Announces 2012.2013 Company Roster

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:18:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) announces the 2012.2013 company roster, including the addition of Kateryna Derechyna, formerly of the Grand Rapids Ballet Company; Caroline Diane, formerly of the San Francisco Ballet; Nicole Haskins, formerly of The Sacramento Ballet; Hyun-Woong Kim, formerly of the Korea National Ballet Company; and Melih Mertel, formerly of Istanbul State Opera and Ballet, who begin their first season as Company members. Ms. Derechyna, Diane and Haskins and Mr. Kim and Mertel join resident company members Kara Cooper, Aurora Dickie, Emily Ellis, Zachary Hackstock, Jonathan Jordan, Sona Kharatian, Tamás Krizsa, Corey Landolt, Brooklyn Mack, Andile Ndlovu, Jared Nelson, Maki Onuki, Morgann Rose and Luis R. Torres. FULL RELEASE

THE WASHINGTON SCHOOL OF BALLET’S ALBERT GORDON RECEIVES A 2012 PRINCESS GRACE AWARD

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 20:23:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) announced today that The Washington School of Ballet student, Albert Gordon, has won a Dance Scholarship 2012 Princess Grace Award. Mr. Gordon will use his scholarship to continue his dance training at TWSB while completing his senior year of high school at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. Also, he will be invited to the Princess Grace Awards Gala, on Monday October 22 in New York. FULL RELEASE

TWB COMPANY MEMBER BROOKLYN MACK WINS A GOLD MEDAL IN THE MEN’S SENIOR DIVISION AT THE 25TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL BALLET COMPETITION - VARNA

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 19:27:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) announced today that TWB Company dancer, Brooklyn Mack, won a Gold medal on Sunday, July 29, in Bulgaria at The International Ballet Competition –Varna 2012 (Varna). In June, Mr. Mack also won the Grand Prix at The Istanbul International Ballet Competition and a gold medal at the Boston International Ballet Competition to complete his medal trio win this summer. READ FULL RELEASE

DC Youth from TWB @THEARC Debut New Dance Production

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 16:21:00 GMT

Young dancers from The Washington Ballet@THEARC performed their their new dance production, “Be Seen, Be Heard, Be You,” at THE ARC on Friday, July 20 at THEARC Theater in southeast Washington. The young dancers practiced for months to prepare for the show. LEARN MORE

THE WOMEN’S COMMITTEE AND THE JETÉ SOCIETY OF THE WASHINGTON BALLET PRESENT THE 2ND ANNUAL BALLET SOIRÉE

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:27:00 GMT

This year The Washington Ballet’s Women’s Committee and Jeté Society are joining forces to create a single fall fundraising event. Through the combined efforts of the Women’s Committee and the Jeté Society, the Dracula Soirée promises to be “a party to die for”. LEARN MORE

THE WASHINGTON BALLET ANNOUNCES EXPANDED 2012.2013 SEASON: SEDUCTION

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 19:39:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) announces its 2012.2013 Season: SEDUCTION. The Company’s 37th season features a number of new initiatives including The American Experience series and the world premiere of Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises; a two-week performance run of Michael Pink’s Dracula; and a fifth subscription-series program Tour-de-Force: Stars and Stripes. Four world and three company premieres, diverse classical and contemporary repertoire, added performances and Sunday-evening subscription series, and a new virtuoso gala-performance program that celebrates the Company’s dancers, the new Washington Ballet Five-Series subscription season is designed to seduce audiences. LEARN MORE

Casting Announced For WORLD PREMIERE of The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe At Imagination Stage June 20 – August 12, 2012

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:13:00 GMT

A Unique Collaboration With The Washington Ballet,

Including Company Member Morgann Rose As The White Witch

BETHESDA, MD (May 3, 2012) Imagination Stage, in a groundbreaking collaboration with The Washington Ballet, announces casting for its world premiere summer production, The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe. In this fusion of theater, dance, and puppetry, based on the novel by C.S. Lewis, the roles of the four children are played jointly by an actor and a dancer, and the courageous lion Aslan is portrayed by a life-size puppet operated by three actor/puppeteers, similar to the puppets used in the Broadway production War Horse. LEARN MORE

The Washington Ballet Announces Expanded 2012.2013 Season: SEDUCTION

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:45:00 GMT

The Washington Ballet’s American Experience Initiative Includes the World Premiere of Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises The Washington Ballet Increases Season to Include a Two-Week Run of Dracula at The Kennedy Center; a Fifth Subscription Gala Performance Program –Tour-de-Force; and Sunday Evening Subscriptions Season Includes Four World and Three Company Premieres. LEARN MORE

The Washington Ballet Presents ¡Noche Latina!

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:39:00 GMT

The Washington Ballet's Season Ends with a Mixed Repertory Program that is a Celebration of Latin Music, Dance and Culture

Program Features World Premiere Ballets by

Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Edwaard Liang and the Company Premiere of Trey McIntyre’s Like a Samba LEARN MORE

THE WASHINGTON BALLET PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF SEPTIME WEBRE’S ALICE (IN WONDERLAND)

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:20:00 GMT

CATCH A SNEAK PEEK OF ALICE (IN WONDERLAND) AT THE NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet’s (TWB) spring programming begins with Artistic Director Septime Webre’s world premiere of ALICE (in wonderland), April 11-15 at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Eisenhower Theater. LEARN MORE

Centennial Cherry Blossom Festival offers myriad of activity

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:45:00 GMT

slideshow

By Jane L. Levere, msnbc.com contributor

The 100th anniversary of the National Cherry Blossom Festival will bring many special activities to its home, Washington, D.C., and other places across the United States.

Here is a round-up of some of the best events, many of them free: LEARN MORE

The Washington Ballet's ALICE (in wonderland) Recognized as an Official Event of the 2012 National Cherry Blossom Festival

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:01:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC – The Washington Ballet’s world premiere of ALICE (in wonderland) is being recognized as an official 2012 Cherry Blossom Festival event. Excerpts from The Washington Ballet’s ALICE (in wonderland) will be included in the 100^th Anniversary Commemorative Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony and Family Days. The Washington Ballet is excited to be a part of our nation’s history as we celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the gift of the cherry blossom trees, celebrating the friendship between the United States and Japan and the arrival of spring.The Washington Ballet’s production of Alice (in wonderland) premieres on April 12 with further performances April 13 through 15 at the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater. LEARN MORE

The Washington Ballet Dancers win Awards at CTIBC Tanzolymp 2012

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:52:00 GMT

The Washington Ballet and The Washington School of Ballet Dancers Win Numerous Awards at National and International Dance Competitions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) announced today that TWB Company dancer, Aurora Dickie, won a Bronze medal at the 3rd Cape Town International Ballet Competition (CTIBC) in Cape Town, South Africa on Saturday, March 3, 2012. TWB Studio Company Dancer Junxiong Zhao won two Gold medals at CTIBC. The Washington Ballet dancers competed against a field of forty-five professional dancers aged 15-28, from the Republic of South Korea, Argentina, Armenia, Russia, the United States, Brazil, Australia, China, Cuba and South Africa. Male and female participants were judged separately, according to age, Junior level (age 15-18) and Senior level (age 19-28), in both the classical and contemporary divisions. Ms. Dickie, won the Bronze medal in the Senior Female Classical Division for her performance of solos from Grand Pas Classique and Paquita. Mr. Zhao won the gold medal in both the Senior Male Classical Division and the Senior Male Contemporary Division. Mr. Zhao performed variations from Swan Lake and Don Quixote in the classical division. In the contemporary division, Mr. Zhao danced to Bach choreographed by Carlos Valcárcel.

Twyla Tharp keeps everyone on their toes in 'All American'

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:54:00 GMT

Katherine Frey/The Washington Post - Luis R. Torres and Sona Kharatian rehearse for “All American.”

By Sarah Kaufman, Published: February 24

In her best, loosest moments, Twyla Tharp choreographs the way Woody Allen writes — with a keen understanding of personality, idiosyncratic rhythm and the essence of the performer.

In much the same way that Allen crafted the title character of “Annie Hall” (1977) to distill perfectly Diane Keaton’s offbeat hesitancies and kookiness, Tharp created the leading male role in “Push Comes to Shove” (1976) to tease out the contradictions, playfulness and sexual tension coiled up inside ballet star Mikhail Baryshnikov. The portrait still feels right all these years later, even when danced by another man in entirely different circumstances. This was one of the many satisfactions of the Washington Ballet’s “Twyla Tharp: All American” program, which opened at the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater on Thursday.

Tharp was in the audience Thursday. It was, perhaps, a rare moment of repose for her. At 70, she shows no signs of slowing down, nor is there any dearth of her work on the landscape. The Atlanta Ballet premiered her first full-length children’s production, “The Princess and the Goblin,” two weeks ago. Her Sinatra musical, “Come Fly Away,” will come to the Kennedy Center in April.

It feels like a celebration is in order, and this program is just the thing. The works are well-chosen, so full of character, inventive movement, whimsy and tart observation. And perhaps the greatest pleasure was seeing them interpreted by such winsome and eager dancers.

“Push” came off especially well, with Jonathan Jordan in the Baryshnikov role. He noodled around with such relish, swiveling his hips in those snug velvet britches — part Lothario, part bored jester — as if he were making up the steps on the spot. The not-so-subtle, deliciously deadpan rivalry between Maki Onuki and Sona Kharatian bore the perfect edge.

But the humor aside, what’s thrilling is the way Tharp whips together her own invented moves with brisk ballet technique, varying the accents, giving the ballerinas a powerful musical emphasis here, unexpected delicacy there, mixing up the rhythms in the ensemble — in effect, scoring the choreography like a jazz composition. (The music is Joseph Lamb’s “Bohemia Rag 1919” and Haydn’s Symphony in C, Op. 82.) That’s part of the joke, too — and part of the brilliance.

So it goes in “Surfer at the River Styx,” which aims for mystery but is at its best simply the unleashing of big, barely contained male energy in the currents of Donald Knaack’s live percussion, hammered out on trash-can lids and such. The labor wasn’t masked in the exhaustive solos — for Jared Nelson, the anti-star in a loose T-shirt and cargo shorts but with a star’s stamina and cool, and Jordan again, carving out a fiery string of turns and floating to a serene, controlled finish. But that made them all the more heroic.

The Washington Ballet has looked better in “Nine Sinatra Songs” than it did Thursday; not every couple was at ease. Many of the pairings didn’t look like they’d last five minutes. But it was such an exuberant finish, those stylish men sweeping their partners overhead to “My Way,” spinning them in their arms as if they were swirling to a Strauss waltz. You’d almost think Tharp was one of life’s optimists.

Twyla Tharp: All American

will be performed by the Washington Ballet on Saturday at 2:30 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 and 6:30 p.m at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NE.
$20-$125. 202-467-4600 or www.kennedy-center.org .

"Twyla Tharpe: All American" at Kennedy Center

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:08:00 GMT

"Twyla Tharp: All American" at Kennedy Center Wednesday, Feb. 22

By Rebecca J. Ritzel • February 17, 2012

Think of the Washington Ballet’s February program as pure hell for the company’s men but a heavenly gift for any D.C. guy in the dog house for botching Valentine’s Day. Lucky be the lady who gets treated to an evening of ballet and Sinatra. Also lucky: local fans of choreographer Twyla Tharp. “Nine Sinatra Songs” headlines the Kennedy Center run, but the troupe’s first all-Tharp program also includes a reprise of “Push Comes to Shove” and the company premiere of “Surfer at the Styx.” To prepare for “Sinatra Songs,” the ladies need to spend some serious time primping—costumes are by Oscar de la Renta—and the guys need to hit the gym. Tharp’s choreography takes “Fly Me to the Moon” literally. Well, not Newt Gingrich-literally, but the piece is all about men lifting the ladies aloft. Male footwork is more important in “Push Comes to Shove,” a piece Tharp created in 1976 for a recently defected Mikhail Baryshnikov. “I wanted a literal, athletic heroism from him, capitalizing on his unsurpassed virtuosity in the male domain of ballet,” the choreographer wrote in her autobiography named after the piece. So are Jonathan Jordan, Jared Nelson, and the rest of the company’s men ready for some serious lifting? Grab a dance partner and find out.

“Twyla Tharp: All American” opens tonight at 8 p.m. and continues through Sunday at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater, 2700 F St. NW. $20–$125. kennedy-center.org. (202) 467-4600.

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Announces A Gift From Adrienne Arsht

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) and Board of Directors Chair Sylvia A. de Leon announced today that Adrienne Arsht, philanthropist and business leader, has made a $250,000 gift which enables The Washington Ballet to provide live orchestral performances for the company’s 50th anniversary of The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker is an annual tradition which began with legendary founder Mary Day’s 1961 production and continues today with Septime Webre’s beloved 2004 Washington-influenced production.

“The Washington Ballet and the ballet community have been blessed by the generosity of an extraordinary national cultural leader,” said de Leon. “For Adrienne Arsht to express this level of support for the Ballet demonstrates her long-standing admiration for The Washington Ballet, her commitment to the Washington Community and, most importantly, her strong desire to inspire children. After Adrienne attended The Nutcracker last season she approached the Ballet with the idea to fund live muisc for the 50th anniversary season and together we made it happen," de Leon added. “It is only through the generosity of local and national patrons like Adrienne that the Ballet is able to meet its mission of excellence in ballet performance, training and service to the DC community.”

“It gives me great pleasure to make it possible for children and adults alike to experience The Nutcracker performances with a live orchestra and to be able to support The Washington Ballet’s 50th anniversary of The Nutcracker,” stated Adrienne Arsht. “My 30-year history with The Washington Ballet began when I came to DC in 1979 and got to know the legendary Mary Day. I have great artistic respect for the company, am enthralled by Septime Webre’s Nutcracker, and want to ensure that young children having the experience of performing on stage or attending a performance of The Nutcracker will be inspired by the live music of an orchestra,” explained Arsht.

“I am deeply grateful to Adrienne for her enthusiastic support of The Washington Ballet,” said Septime Webre, artistic director. “Our Nutcracker is a Washington, DC holiday tradition and incorporates many roles for student dancers trained by The Washington School of Ballet. The addition of live music to our 50th anniversary celebration of The Nutcracker will enhance the performances for our dancers and the enjoyment of audiences young and old alike.”

For 50 years, generations of Washingtonians have grown up loving—and introducing loved ones to—The Washington Ballet’s The Nutcracker. In this 50th anniversary year, Artistic Director Septime Webre pays homage to founder Mary Day’s 1961 production in his one-of-a-kind production starring George Washington as the heroic Nutcracker and King George III as the villainous Rat King. The production, which sparkles with snowflakes and cherry blossoms, features The Washington Ballet Company and Studio dancers alongside 400 students from all three The Washington School of Ballet campuses. The Nutcracker runs for 30 performances December 1 -24 at the historic Warner Theatre.

About Adrienne Arsht

Adrienne Arsht is a business leader and philanthropist, who has taken a leading role promoting artistic, business and civic growth in the three cities she calls home: Washington, DC, New York and Miami. She is recognized for her $30 million contribution to Miami’s Performing Arts Center which was renamed the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County in her honor. Ms. Arsht is the chairman of the Adrienne Arsht Center Foundation, treasurer of the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and a member of the board of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, Board member of the Metropolitan Opera, the Washington National Opera, the Center for National Policy, the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, The Atlantic Council and numerous other associations and organizations.

Media Contact: JoAnn LaBrecque-French, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications
202.274.4519 or jlabrecque@washingtonballet.org

My Washington

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:38:00 GMT

In every issue, Washington Life Magazine highlights the favorite places and spaces of notable Washington residents. This month features TWB Artistic Director Septime Webre's selections!

1. COMET PING PONG (5037 Connecticut Ave NW)
Whether it's a late night "Hottie" (pepperoni and jalapeno pizza) and Belgian beer, or playing ping pong with my godson Will after school, Comet is one of a kind. Its deconstructed industrial interior and cool artistic vibe makes this my hands-down favorite casual food and drink spot. If you're really lucky, things get punchy later on when owner James Alefantis can be spotted dancing on the light fixtures!

2. I love Gail Harris's wickedly good ashtanga class at FLOW YOGA CENTER (1450 P St. NW) and Mike Graglia's seriously challenging vinyasa class at YOGA DISTRICT (1910 14th St. NW). Gail is warm, funny and kinda no-frills; Mike kicks some serious butt (I actually had to go to the ER for sitches after attempting one of his crazy flying positions).

3. PICA TACO, a tiny hole-in-the-wall off Columbia Road and 16th Street NW, makes tacos that remind me of ones I ate growing up in outh Texas. My favorite? Chicken chalupas with extra jalapenos, washed down with a Negro Modelo.

To read more of Septime's picks, click here!

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Announces 2011.2012 Company Roster

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Emily Ellis and Audra Johnson join TWB as Company members. Kara Cooper and Aurora Dickie also return as Company members. Andile Ndlovu promoted to Company member. Studio Company dancers Ayano Kimura and Amber Lewis promoted to Company apprentices.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) announces the 2011.2012 company roster, including the addition of Emily Ellis, Audra Johnson, formerly of American Repertory Ballet, who begin their first season as Company members. Additionally, Kara Cooper and Aurora Dickie return as Company dancers. Andile Ndlovu has been promoted from an apprentice to a Company member, and Studio Company members Ayano Kimura and Amber Lewis have been promoted to Company apprentices.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Emily and Audra to the Company—they are fascinating, versatile dancers and will add a new dimension to our work on stage,” said TWB Artistic Director Septime Webre. “It’s also wonderful to welcome Kara and Aurora back to our family of artists. Additionally, Andile’s promotion reflects his ability to always deliver an exciting and interesting performance.”

“It is so wonderful to see former students of The Washington School of Ballet, like Ayano and Amber, successfully pursue careers as professional dancers,” said TWSB Director Kee Juan Han. “There are now seven Company and Studio Company dancers who were formerly students at TWSB-- this not only reflects the strength of the training here, but also the talent of our students.”

New Company Members: Emily Ellis and Audra Johnson

Emily Ellis, of Hilton Head, South Carolina begins her first season with The Washington Ballet. Ms. Ellis spent the past three seasons with Dutch National Ballet performing many classical and contemporary ballets including Balanchine’s Serenade, Theme and Variations, Four Temperaments, and Concerto Barocco; William Forsythe’s In the Middle Somewhat Elevated; and Alexei Ratmansky’s Don Quixote. She began her training with Karena Brock and John Carlyle at the Hilton Head Dance School and later attended the South Carolina Governor’s School. On scholarship, Ms. Ellis trained under Melissa Hayden, Kee Juan Han, and Warren Conover at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She then joined Cincinnati Ballet and performed featured roles in works by George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp, Trey McIntyre and Val Caniparoli. Highlights of her career include working with choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui for the creation of Labyrinth, performing with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet, and performing internationally for galas and festivals in Beijing, the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, Miami, Hawaii, and Manteo, North Carolina.

Audra Johnson, a New Jersey native, is in her first season with The Washington Ballet. She formerly spent seven years with American Repertory Ballet, where she danced various principal and soloist roles. Some of her classical repertory includes Sugar Plum in The Nutcracker and the title role of Raymonda in Kirk Peterson's Glazonuv Varations. She has been featured in works by Twyla Tharp, Harrison McEldowney, Graham Lustig and Kirk Peterson and has performed in original works by Laurie Stallings, Melissa Barak, Douglas Martin and Susan Shields. She received her early training in New Jersey and continued her studies at The Harid Conservatory and Atlanta Ballet Center for Dance Education. Prior to joining ARB, Ms. Johnson danced with Atlanta Ballet and New Jersey Ballet performing in George Balanchine's Serenade, Michael Pink's Dracula, Romeo and Juliet and Giselle.

Returning: Kara Cooper and Aurora Dickie

Kara Cooper, who was a guest dancer last season in The Nutcracker, Rock & Roll, Le Corsaire, and Carmen, returns as a Company dancer for the coming season. Ms. Cooper previously danced with TWB as a member of the Studio Company and Company for five seasons. Ms. Cooper has performed with ARKA Ballet and studied at The Kirov Academy of Ballet under full scholarship and The Washington School of Ballet on scholarship. Ms. Cooper has also trained privately under the direction of Dawei Zhang for many years and attended American Ballet Theatre’s summer program in 2005. Her awards and recognitions include the silver medal at the 2000 Youth America Grand Prix National competition in New York.

Aurora Dickie, who was a TWB Company apprentice from 2008-2010, returns to The Washington Ballet after dancing with São Paulo Companhia de Dança. Ms. Dickie, of Pernambuco, Brazil, began training at age five with her mother and teacher Jane Dickie. At age 11, she was awarded a five-year full scholarship at the Bolshoi School in Brazil where she studied under the tutorship of Galina Kravtchenko, and had the opportunity to take classes as a trainee with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow. Ms. Dickie worked with the Cisne Negro Cia de Dança, São Paulo, Brazil in 2006 and before joining The Washington Ballet’s Studio Company in 2007, she was a member of Cia de Dança de São Jose dos Campos, São Paulo under the direction of Ricardo Scheir. In April of 2007, she won the bronze medal at YAGP finals in NYC, and was invited afterward to perform at the Miami Ballet Festival in the Gala of International Young Medal Winners in September 2007.

Promotions: Andile Ndlovu, Ayano Kimura and Amber Lewis

Andile Ndlovu, of Johannesburg, South Africa, has been promoted to Company member after two seasons as an apprentice. Mr. Ndlovu, who will also choreograph a piece for the Studio Company production of Once Upon a Time, began his training in Latin American and ballroom dance at the age of 10. At 15, he began studying ballet under Martin Schöenberg, director of Ballet Theatre Afrikan. In 2007, Mr. Ndlovu performed with South African Ballet Theatre, performing the lead in Don Quixote and the Jester in Swan Lake, among other roles. He went on to dance with Cape Town City Ballet, and tied for first place in the contemporary category of the 2008 South African International Ballet Competition. Mr. Ndlovu has also been part of the 15-year anniversary of Step Afrika! as a guest artist, performed his collaborative choreography solo with Gregory Vuyani Maqoma in Beyond Skin and was a part of the South African version of Queen with Mzansi Productions, choreographed by Debbie Rakusin and Timothy Le Roux.

After two seasons with TWB’s Studio Company, Ayano Kimura joins the Company as an apprentice for the 2011.2012 season. Ms. Kimura was born in Germany and began her training at the age of nine under Soda Shizuko. In 2006, she won first place at the Youth America Grand Prix semi-final competition in Japan and placed in the Top 10 at the finals in New York City. She was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Ballet Academy School, and studied at La Scala Ballet Academy. She has performed with Roberto Bolle in the Opening Ceremonies for the Torino Olympic Games. In 2008, Ms. Kimura was a finalist at the YAGP Ballet Competition, where she was awarded a scholarship to the Essen Ballet in Germany.

Amber Lewis, of Australia, begins her first season as a Company apprentice, after one season with the Studio Company. She began training at a young age in Brisbane before moving to Sydney to begin her pre-professional training with Ecole Ballet Studios under the direction of Ashley Killar, Jane Allyn and Valerie Bayley. Ms. Lewis has completed all of her Royal Academy of Dance ballet examinations with distinctions. Prior to attending The Washington School of Ballet, she participated in the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet Summer Intensive. She trained at TWSB with Kee Juan Han, Kristy Windom and Carlos Varcárcel. In the summer of 2010, Ms. Lewis attended the Houston Ballet Summer Intensive to train with Sabrina Lenzi and Claudio Munoz.

The Washington Ballet Complete Company Roster

Ms. Ellis, Johnson, Dickie and Cooper and Mr. Ndlovu will be joining Zachary Hackstock, Nayon Iovino, Jonathan Jordan, Sona Kharatian, Tamás Krizsa, Corey Landolt, Brooklyn Mack, Jared Nelson, Maki Onuki, Jade Payette, Morgann Rose, Luis R. Torres and Dylan Ward as Company members for the 2011.2012 season. Ms. Kimura and Lewis join Sarah Walborn to complete the apprentice roster.

Other Appointments

Other appointments also include new Ballet Master Elaine Kudo and TWB Trainee Program Ballet Master Monique Meunier, who join the Ballet’s Artistic team.

Media Contact: Alyssa Porambo Public Relations and Publications Manager
202.362.3606 x115 or aporambo@washingtonballet.org

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Appoints Elaine Kudo as Ballet Master, Monique Meunier as Ballet Master of Trainee Program

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC –The Washington Ballet (TWB) announces the appointment of Elaine Kudo as Ballet Master and Monique Meunier as Ballet Master of The Washington Ballet Trainee Program.

A former American Ballet Theatre soloist and world-renowned Twyla Tharp repetituer, Ms. Kudo officially joins the company on September 12.

A former New York City Ballet principal dancer, Ms. Meunier will replace Carlos Valcárcel as Ballet Master of TWB’s highly acclaimed training program.

“These appointments are great moves for The Washington Ballet’s artistic force,” said TWB Artistic Director Septime Webre. “Both Elaine and Monique come with amazing sets of experiences, and are brilliant teachers, coaches and mentors. Monique’s impact has already been great on our Company artists, and now our Trainees will also benefit from her expertise, and our whole institution is eager to get to work with Elaine in our studios. It’s a wonderful moment for The Washington Ballet.”

“I am honored to join the artistic staff of The Washington Ballet,” said Ms. Kudo, “With my past history as Ballet Mistress for Septime at The American Repertory Ballet and in working with the company in the past, I know the tremendous artistry and talent of these dancers, and look forward to deepening my relationship with them in the coming seasons.”

“I am looking forward to working with The Washington Ballet Trainee Program,” said Ms. Meunier, “and becoming an integral part of the school as well as the Company.”

Ms. Kudo was born in Koizumi, Japan and began ballet training at the Metropolitan Opera Ballet School. She went on to study at the School of American Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre School. Ms. Kudo joined ABT in 1975 and was appointed a Soloist in December 1981. Her repertory with ABT included the Aya in La Bayadére, the Sweetheart in Billy the Kid, A Masked Lady in Mikhail Baryshnikov’s production of the full-length Cinderella, the Bride in Les Noces, leading roles in Aires, Duets, Fancy Free, Great Galloping Gottschalk, Push Comes to Shove, Sinatra Suite, and Voluntaries, and featured roles in Estuary, Interludes, N. Y. Export: Op. Jazz, and The Little Ballet. Since her retirement from ABT in 1989, Ms. Kudo has worked as Ballet Mistress for American Ballet Theatre, Twyla Tharp, The Jersey Ballet Company and The American Repertory Ballet Co. Considered one of the leading repetituer’s for Twyla Tharp’s works, she regularly stages works throughout the United States and Europe.

Ms. Meunier was born in Hollywood, CA. At the age of 15, she received a full scholarship to attend the School of American Ballet, and one year later, was asked to join the New York City Ballet. In 1997, she was promoted to soloist and reached the rank of principal dancer in 1998. There she performed numerous roles by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and William Forsythe as well as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake. In 2002, Ms. Meunier joined American Ballet Theatre where she added the classics and works by Anthony Tudor and Jiri Kylian to her repertoire. In 2007, she joined Complexions Contemporary Ballet under the direction of Dwight Rhoden. Ms. Meunier has staged George Balanchine ballets for the Balanchine Trust and served as rehearsal director for Karole Armitage in 2009. She has also ventured into choreography and has premiered four works in 2009-2010 for Lake Placid and The Columbia Collaborative.

Ms. Kudo and Ms. Meunier join The Washington Ballet’s Artistic team that includes Artistic Director Septime Webre and Associate Artistic Director David Palmer.

Media Contact: Alyssa Porambo Public Relations and Publications Manager
202.362.3606 x115 or aporambo@washingtonballet.org

A Test of Technique

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 20:12:00 GMT

By Amy Brandt
Originally published in Pointe Magazine

The three Odalisques of Le Corsaire are nameless, their back-stories unknown. Yet their pas de trois contains some of the ballet’s best known variations.

Lankendem, a slave trader, shows off his selection of Odalisques (lower-level female slaves who serve as assistants to concubines and wives) to the powerful pasha, hoping that he will buy some for his harem. As he presents the Odalisques, each one performs a variation in an attempt to impress the Pasha.

Read the full article here

South African ballet star wins silver medal in USA

Fri, 20 May 2011 14:43:00 GMT

Originally published by MediaUpdate.co.za

South Africa's Andile Ndlovu scooped the silver medal at the Boston International Ballet Competition on Monday night. On Monday 16 May, Andile Ndlovu, who hails from Johannesburg, South Africa, was awarded the silver medal in the prestigious Boston International Ballet Competition (BIBC).

Ndlovu will be performing in the upcoming International Ballet Gala at the GrandWest Arena in Cape Town on 29 June and at the Teatro at Montecasino in Fourways, Johannesburg from 7 to 10 July. Read More

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Announces Peter M. Branch as the Company's New Executive Director

Fri, 06 May 2011 04:00:00 GMT

Media Contact: Alyssa Porambo Public Relations and Publications Manager
202.362.3606 x115 or aporambo@washingtonballet.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet today announced the appointment of Peter M. Branch as its new Executive Director. Mr. Branch, most recently Head of Georgetown Day School, has 34-years experience as the leader of independent schools in New York City, Long Island, Oklahoma and Washington, DC. He has extensive experience in administrative management, institutional advancement and program development and promotion in a nonprofit environment. In three of the schools he headed, Mr. Branch established dance programs and oversaw the funding and construction of dance studios at Woodmere Academy in Woodmere, NY; Holland Hall School in Tulsa, OK; and Georgetown Day School. At Holland Hall, he also oversaw the construction of a 70,000 square-foot performing arts center. In 1996, the Board honored Mr. Branch by naming the 1,200-seat theatre, The Peter M. Branch Theatre.

A graduate of Williams College with an MA from Indiana University, Mr. Branch was named “Arts Administrator of the Year” in 1992 by the International Network of Performing and Visual Arts Schools.

Mr. Branch succeeds Russell P. Allen, the Ballet’s current Executive Director who will depart in June upon the successful completion of his three-year contract.

“The Washington Ballet will continue to move forward strategically to the next phase in our evolution," said Sylvia de Leon, Chair of The Washington Ballet Board of Directors. "At a time when many cultural arts organizations face constriction, The Washington Ballet is planning for growth. The Board is confident that Peter possesses the management skill sets called for at this juncture. With years of experience and a proven track record of successful fundraising, team building and facilities management, Peter will lead the professional and talented Ballet staff and focus on areas that need considerable attention.”

Ms. de Leon stated that, “The Washington Ballet is very fortunate at this point in its history to be able to recruit Peter to partner with our renowned Artistic Director Septime Webre to continue the forward progress of our company, school and community outreach. Peter’s understanding of organizational development will complement and support the creativity for which The Washington Ballet is so well known.”

Ms. de Leon added that bringing Mr. Branch on board, "signifies the Board's desire to continue to support the performing company and to also focus on the burgeoning growth and potential of the company’s world renowned schools in Northwest and Southeast, DC and Alexandria, Virginia."

“I am honored by the decision of The Washington Ballet Board of Directors to appoint me Executive Director. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the ongoing success of one of the premier ballet companies and schools in the nation. I look forward to working with Artistic Director Septime Webre and School Director Kee Juan Han. As a school head, I have always believed that the fine and performing arts are an essential part of American education. I hope to be able to support the essential role which The Washington Ballet has played in the cultural and educational life of Washington, DC and the United States for over 65 years,” said Mr. Branch.

Artistic Director Septime Webre said, "I have gotten to know Peter over recent months and look forward to partnering with him. It is an exciting time to be at the Ballet and we have tremendous projects on the drawing board.”

The Washington School of Ballet Director Kee Juan Han added that, "The Washington School of Ballet has enjoyed enormous success. Having someone of Peter’s stature joining our team can only strengthen our growing international and regional reputation.”

“Russell Allen has accomplished what he set out to do when he came here three years ago,” stated Ms. de Leon. “He oversaw the Ballet through a period of growth during a time of economic difficulty, increasing earned revenue and building a superb administrative staff.” Ms. de Leon added, “while the artistic side of our company – performances, ballet school and community outreach – had been top-notch year after year, the Ballet asked Russell to take the administrative side of the company to the next level. Russell accomplished these goals and for that we will always be grateful.”

“Russell leaves the organization well poised for the future,” said Mr. Webre. “I am grateful for the strong working relationship that Russell and I have enjoyed over the last three years.”

“The Washington Ballet is a first-class ballet company, but faced many challenges when I arrived and the growth we have experienced in recent years has been exhilarating. It was a great period to be Executive Director and to have been able to accomplish what I set out to do,” said Mr. Allen. “I will long remember and appreciate the personal and professional highlights of my tenure.”

Help Bridge the Gap

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:56:00 GMT

You may have read in The Washington Post that The Washington Ballet, like many other arts organizations in D.C., has been significantly affected by the recent cutbacks in government funding. While the government may not have shut down, it did essentially shut down its support of arts in the District of Columbia.

The Post incorrectly stated that The Washington Ballet does not qualify for funding through the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs—we do, and we rely on it. Though final determinations are still to be announced, we expect to receive less than 30% of the grant money we have previously received from this source. That could result in a $250,000 hole in our budget. This directly affects the sustainability and excellence of TWB’s programming, training and community engagement programs —our ability to bring you innovative new pieces that contribute to the future canon of American ballet, the dramatic athleticism and artistry of our dancers, as well as the next generation of dancers through the DanceDC program and internationally-recognized school.

The Washington Ballet celebrates cultural excellence through dance at both the national and international level. Even if Congress cannot recognize this important contribution to the American soul, we hope that you do.

Please consider a contribution to help ensure that future. Click here to donate now.

Washington Ballet's 'Rock & Roll' at the Harman

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 05:00:00 GMT

By Lisa Traiger
Ballet is dedicated to structure, technique and tradition. Rock-and-roll suggests freedom and rebellion, experimentation and immediacy. The marriage of the two is what makes the Washington Ballet's upcoming triple bill at Sidney Harman Hall so intriguing.

"Ballet's roots are in form and make a statement about harmony in our world," said Septime Webre, the company's artistic director. "But ballet is also a language . . . pliable enough to express stories about a swan princess and also reflect our contemporary lives, including the subversive thoughts that led to rock-and-roll."

Read the rest of the article here.

In The Wings: Sarah Walborn

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 05:00:00 GMT

By Lisa Traiger
More often than not, a dancer stumbles before she soars. Sarah Walborn breezed through her training years at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, spending summers at San Francisco Ballet School. After high school, she accepted SFB artistic director Helgi Tomasson’s offer to become a trainee, and by her second year was hired as a company apprentice. “I had a phenomenal time,” she says. “I really felt a connection to the company."

Read the entire article.

TWB Press Release TWB PRESENTS ROCK & ROLL, FEBRUARY 16-20 AT SIDNEY HARMAN HALL

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 05:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) rocks into 2011 with Rock & Roll, a triple-threat, triple-bill at Sidney Harman Hall, running February 16 through 20. Featuring Christopher Bruce’s energetic and athletic Rooster, set to the music of the Rolling Stones; Trey McIntyre’s autobiographical High Lonesome, set to the music of Beck; and a revival of Artistic Director Septime Webre’s early hit Fluctuating Hemlines, accompanied by Robert “Tigger” Benford on a rock-tinged all-percussion original score, Rock & Roll celebrates the heart and soul of the company’s artists and a musical genre that continues to electrify the nation. Tickets to Rock & Roll start at only $20 and are available at harmancenter.org, at the Harman Center box office, or by calling 202.547.1122.

“Rock & Roll will showcase our artists in an array of energetic, athletic ballets that are sure to inspire some rocking out in the audience,” said Mr. Webre. “I am especially thrilled to have worked with Christopher Bruce, one of Britain’s pre-eminent choreographers, on his magnetic ballet, Rooster.”

The program also showcases former TWB Resident Choreographer, Trey McIntyre’s expressionist High Lonesome, an invigorating autobiographical dance portrait set to the music of Beck, and a revival of Mr. Webre’s witty Fluctuating Hemlines, which has not been performed in front of a Washington audience since 2000.

Audiences can get a sneak peek of this production at TWB’s inthewings on January 31, as well as their beerandballet on February 2. For information and tickets to this event, please call 202.362.3606.

For more information on this program including artist blogs, casting updates, behind-the-scenes videos, and more, please visit washingtonballet.org. Join the Ballet on Facebook and Twitter to receive even more updates and special offers.

Tickets for Rock & Roll are available through harmancenter.org, the Harman Center Box Office, or 202.547.1122.

Performance Dates and Times:
Wednesday, February 16 at 8 PM (Preview)
Thursday, February 17 at 8 PM (Opening)
Friday, February 18 at 8 PM
Saturday, February 19 at 2:30 PM & 8 PM
Sunday, February 20 at 1 PM
Sunday, February 20 at 5 PM: Join Septime Webre and Company dancers for this special kid-friendly version of TWB's Rock & Roll ballet. Featuring upbeat music and Mr. Webre's "Make-a-Ballet" (an audience favorite), this program invites children to join in the dance and is fun for the whole family!

Media Contact: Alyssa Porambo Public Relations and Publications Manager
202.362.3606 x115 or aporambo@washingtonballet.org

Local Ballet at its Best

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 17:05:00 GMT

Note: The following was a published letter to the editor of the Washington Post on Friday, November 12, 2010
While Sarah Kaufman suggested that the Washington Ballet's recent production of "Romeo and Juliet" was, as the headline put it, "missing passion for perfection" [Style, Nov. 6], I think that Kaufman missed the point of ballet in general.

Click Here to read the rest of the article.

TWB Media Alert: TWB RECEIVES FOUR METRODC DANCE AWARDS

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:56:00 GMT

Outstanding Emerging Performer, Andile Ndlovu.
Outstanding Overall Production in a Large Venue for The Great Gatsby.
Outstanding Individual Performance for Ryan Johnson in The Great Gatsby.
Outstanding Individual Performance for Maki Onuki in Wunderland.

The MetroDC Dance Awards kicked off the second annual VelocityDC Dance Festival. For more information on VelocityDC’s performances and events, please visit: www.velocitydc.org

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Nominated for 10 MetroDC Dance Awards

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Categories include: Outstanding Individual Performance, Outstanding New Work, and Emerging Performer or Group

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB), its collaborators and dancers have been named as finalists for the below 2010 Metro DC Dance Awards. The MetroDC Dance Awards will take place on October 6, 2010 at the Harman Center for the Arts. Tickets are $30 and are available at shakespearetheatre.org. The Awards begin at 8PM, but to learn more about pre- and post-show activities and events, visit dancemetrodc.org.

Outstanding Individual Performance
Ryan Johnson in The Great Gatsby at the Kennedy Center, February 25, 2010
Sona Kharatian in Cor Perdut at the Harman Center for the Arts, May 20, 2010
Jared Nelson in Cor Perdut at the Harman Center for the Arts, May 20, 2010
Maki Onuki in Wunderland at the Harman Center for the Arts, April 15, 2010

Outstanding New Work
TWB for The Great Gatsby at the Kennedy Center, February 25, 2010

Emerging Performer or Group
Andile Ndlovu in Barbara Liotta: Icarus at The Phillips Collection, January 14, 2010

Emerging Choreographer
Andile Ndlovu for Yinka Shonibare Reinterpreted at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, March 6, 2010

Excellence In Lighting Design
Jeff Bruckerhoff for The Great Gatsby at the Kennedy Center, February 25, 2010

Outstanding Overall Production Large Venue
Don Quixote at the Kennedy Center, October 15, 2009
The Great Gatsby at the Kennedy Center, February 25, 2010

On White House Stage, Space Is Constrained; Imagination Is Not

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:16:00 GMT

New York Times
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Alastair Macaulay

WASHINGTON — “Dance is the soul of this nation!” Judith Jamison, artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, exclaimed on Tuesday afternoon in the East Room of the White House, at the end of a performance in her honor. Addressing her host, Michelle Obama, Ms. Jamison continued, “Your vision helps us sustain the heartbeat of what this country is about.”

LEARN MORE

At the White House, dancers get room to move in East Room events

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:14:00 GMT

The Washington Post
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Sara Kaufman

Sure enough, someone hit the chandelier. You want to avoid it when you're dancing in the East Room of the White House, but as the many dancers who have had the distinction of leaping and spinning there can attest, it can take tricky choreography to ensure that airborne bodies don't graze the low-hanging crystal.

LEARN MORE

Dance Day at the White House

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:01:00 GMT

NBC Washington
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Barbara Harrison

From ballet to boogie-woogie, hustle to hip-hop, dance in America is about to take center stage at the White House. On Sept. 7, first lady Michelle Obama will honor famed dancer-choreographer Judith Jamison, in the first of a series of tributes to the art of dance in America.

LEARN MORE

White House sets dance series, Jamison tribute

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:58:00 GMT

The Associated Press
Wednesday, September 1, 2010

WASHINGTON — First lady Michelle Obama has announced that several of the world's best-known dance companies will perform in the White House East Room next week for the Obama administration's first event celebrating dance.

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White House to honor Judith Jamison, Alvin Ailey Dance's artistic director

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:51:00 GMT

The Washington Post
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sarah Kaufman

Michelle Obama will host a tribute to Judith Jamison, the longtime artistic director of the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, on Sept. 7, the White House announced Tuesday. This will be the Obama administration's first event celebrating dance.

LEARN MORE

White House to Host First Dance Event

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:50:00 GMT

USA Today
Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Speaking of dancing, The White House has just announced that first lady Michelle Obama will invite a variety of performers to showcase their talent at the Administration's first event celebrating dance.

LEARN MORE

Arts Brief, A New Mistress

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:48:00 GMT

The Washington Post
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sara Kaufman

Monique Meunier, a former New York City Ballet principal dancer, joined the Washington Ballet last week as its new ballet mistress, the company reports.

LEARN MORE

Onstage Today

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Dancers in Dialogue
Thursday, July 22, 2010

One of the beauties of a blog is a chance to write on any topic, any event, any person, particularly those items not covered in mainstream publications. Today I was the Washington School of Ballet to see a performance by students after their Summer Intensive. It was inspiring and full of delight, with 3 highlights being the opening choreography by Kristina Windom, the last piece on the program for the highest level of students by Carlos Valcarcel, and the students’ own choreography.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

TWB Press Release: Company Member Maki Onuki Awarded Bronze Medal at International Ballet Competition

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:00:00 GMT

(WASHINGTON, DC) – The Washington Ballet (TWB) proudly announces veteran Company member Maki Onuki’s achievement at the International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi. Ms. Onuki was awarded the bronze medal in the Senior Women’s Division after performances from Giselle, Edwaard Liang’s Wunderland and Diana and Acteon.

“We are incredibly proud of Maki and this recognition of her artistry and technical prowess,” said TWB Artistic Director Septime Webre. “She represents an entire company of talented and dedicated artists at The Washington Ballet, and her achievement at the 2010 International Ballet Competition underscores the grace, beauty and technical virtuosity our audiences have come to expect from her over the seasons.”

The USA International Ballet Competition (IBC) is a two-week “Olympic-style” competition where competitors vie for gold, silver and bronze medals, cash awards, scholarships and contracts to join the world’s top ballet companies. Founded in 1978 by Thalia Mara, the first USA International Ballet Competition took place in 1979 and joined the ranks of Varna, Bulgaria (1964); Moscow, Russia (1969); and Tokyo, Japan (1976). Today, the USA IBC in Jackson remains one of the oldest and most respected competitions in the world. To find out more about IBC, visit their web site: http://www.usaibc.com/

Ms. Onuki, of Yokohama, Japan, will be in her seventh season with The Washington Ballet this fall. Ms. Onuki danced with Goh Ballet in Canada for one season under Choo Chiat Goh and Lin Yee Goh. She performed in ballets including Serenade, Don Quixote, La Corsaire, Diana and Acteon, Carnival of Venice and other classical and contemporary pieces. She trained at John Cranko Ballet School under the direction of Tadeusz Matacz and at Mika Sasaki Ballet Academy under Mika Sasaki and Mikio Ikehata. Ms. Onuki also attended Boston Ballet’s summer program on scholarship.

Asian Dancers Dominating Ballet Competition

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Associated Press
By Sheila Byrd
June 22, 2010

JACKSON, Miss. — Asians are dominating the stage as the USA International Ballet Competition heads into its final round, with nearly half the 34 finalists announced Monday hailing from Asian countries. Among those dancers was Maki Onuki, a petite Japanese ballerina who said she's not surprised so many Asians made the final cut. Read the full article HERE

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Names Monique Meunier Ballet Mistress

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:44:00 GMT

(WASHINGTON, DC) – After an extensive search, The Washington Ballet (TWB) has selected former New York City Ballet principal and American Ballet Theatre soloist Monique Meunier as its new Ballet Mistress.

This is great news and a wonderful step for us,” said TWB Artistic Director Septime Webre. “We are so thrilled for Monique to begin working with the Company this season.

“I am honored to join the artistic staff of The Washington Ballet,” said Ms. Meunier, “and I look forward to a productive and creative future with these wonderful artists.

Ms. Meunier was born in Hollywood, CA. At the age of 15, she received a full scholarship to attend the School of American Ballet, and one year later, was asked to join the New York City Ballet. In 1997, she was promoted to soloist and reached the rank of principal dancer in 1998. There she performed numerous roles by Balanchine, Robbins, and Forsythe as well as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake. In 2002, Ms. Meunier joined American Ballet Theatre where she added the classics, Tudor, and Kylian to her repertoire. In 2007, she joined Complexions Contemporary Ballet under the direction of Dwight Rhoden. Ms. Meunier has staged Balanchine ballets for the Balanchine Trust and served as rehearsal director for Karole Armitage in 2009. She has also ventured into choreography and has premiered four works in 2009-2010 for Lake Placid and The Columbia Collaborative.

She joins The Washington Ballet’s Artistic team, including Associate Artistic Director David Palmer and Septime Webre, who has served as the Ballet’s artistic director since 1999. Mr. Palmer, an accomplished dancer, teacher and choreographer, was appointed in 2008, after serving as the Program Director for Miami City Ballet’s Contemporary Dance Series and Young People’s Program. Throughout his illustrious career, he danced as a principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and Maximum Dance Company, among others.

Ms. Meunier succeeds TWB’s long-time Ballet Master and friend, the late John Goding. Mr. Goding was a featured dancer with TWB in the 1970s through 1998 when he was named Ballet Master. He went on to stage and rehearse many works in the Company’s repertoire before he passed away in 2009.

International ballet event draws dancers to Miss.

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Associated Press
By Sheila Byrd
June 11, 2010

JACKSON, Miss. — South African Andile Ndlovu abruptly ended a series of pirouettes and stood as stone in front of a mirrored wall. He's preparing for his first performance at the USA International Ballet Competition, an Olympic-style event held every four years in the heart of America's South. He's chosen his repertoire: the comedy "La Fille mal gardee," along with the love stories "Le Corsaire" and "Raymonda."READ MORE

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Launches New Trainee Program in Fall 2010

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:17:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet is proud to announce the launch of its Trainee Program, beginning Fall 2010. Long-time Washington School of Ballet faculty member and choreographer Carlos Valcarcel has been named Ballet Master of this program that provides full-time, in-depth training and valuable performing experience to classically-trained ballet students with professional aspirations. This new one or two- year program (running September-May) is aimed at giving these students, age 17 and older, an advantage as they enter the professional dance world.

In partnership with Artistic Director Septime Webre, TWB Associate Artistic Director David Palmer, and The Washington School of Ballet Director Kee Juan Han, Mr. Valcarcel will manage the day-to-day operations of the program, expand and contribute to the repertoire, and work with the artistic team to mount all performances. In addition to his work as a Master Teacher, Mr. Valcarcel will stage and coach works from the classical repertoire, including portions of Marius Petipa’s The Sleeping Beauty, as well as new works. During his tenure at TWSB, Mr. Valcarcel has choreographed works performed by students at the Youth America Grand Prix, including Just A Song and Pas de Passion. Both ballets won first prize at Youth America Grand Prix in 2008 and 2009, and he was awarded the Outstanding Choreographer Award in 2009.

“This is an exciting time for The Washington Ballet,” says Mr. Webre. “The Trainee Program is a return to the days of the Mary Day Academy, when graduates resided here and trained full-time. Carlos’s appointment as Ballet Master enhances its overall quality, and his hands-on approach will be invaluable to the next generation of professional artists trained by The Washington Ballet.”

“We are thrilled to offer this opportunity to students who have already established good technique, but need fine-tuning and more performance opportunities,” adds Mr. Han. “Additionally, Carlos has proven himself to be an invaluable faculty member. His leadership in the studio and commitment to the students and their professional successes has proven to be great factors in the achievements of our graduates.”

Trainees will receive vigorous training, coaching and mentoring from Mr. Valcarcel as well as Mr. Webre, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Han, esteemed school faculty members Vladimir Djouloukhadze Kristina Windom, and others. In addition, Trainees will maintain a vigorous performance schedule, dancing alongside professional company members. Trainees will also be given consideration for positions with The Washington Ballet’s Studio Company and its Professional Company.

Mary Day founded The Washington School of Ballet in 1944, which has had a history of training dancers who go on to have illustrious professional careers. Alums include current American Ballet Theatre Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie, ABT principal dancer Amanda McKerrow, Dance Theater of Harlem dancer and Pointe magazine editor-in-chief Virginia Johnson, ABT’s Marianna Tcherkassky, ABT and Royal Ballet dancer Bonnie Moore, New York City Ballet dancer Jenifer Ringer, among scores of others.

Dancers interested in auditioning for The Washington Ballet Trainee Program should send a DVD of barre work, center work, pointe work for ladies, men’s work for men, and a classical variation along with a CV and a $25 audition fee to:

Trainee Program
The Washington Ballet
3515 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington, DC 20016

For more information, please contact TWSB Manager Donna Glover at Dglover@WashingtonBallet.org or 202.362.3606 x149.

Best Bets for Theater This Week

Tue, 18 May 2010 14:00:00 GMT

The Washington Post
Sarah Kaufman and Stephanie Merry

It's a hard name to live up to, but the Washington Ballet's Genius3 program promises to offer some gems. Read the full article

TWB Press Release: Presenting the 2009.2010 Season Closer, Genius3

Fri, 14 May 2010 14:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC - The Washington Ballet (TWB) presents the third and final installment of the intriguing and provocative Genius series, Genius³, May 19 through 23 at the Harman Center’s Sidney Harman Hall. In two company premieres, dancers explore the witty language of Twyla Tharp’s Push Comes to Shove and Mark Morris’s swirling Pacific. The Company will also perform George Balanchine’s modernist masterpiece The Four Temperaments and Nacho Duato’s Cor Perdut*

“This dynamic season closer will showcase the diversity of The Washington Ballet dancers,” said Artistic Director Septime Webre. “The Genius series has been a fantastic journey in expanding our repertoire, and I am thrilled the Company is performing its final installment at the Harman Center.”

Setting Push Comes to Shove is repetiteur Elaine Kudo, former ABT principal dancer, who premiered the piece with Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1976. On May 5 from 6:30-7:30PM, TWB presents inthewings: Twyla Tharp Unplugged with Ms. Kudo as the featured panelist, who will speak on the ballet’s technical significance and the challenges it brings to the dancers who perform it.

On select performances, Cor Perdut will be replaced with the balcony pas de deux from Septime Webre’s Romeo & Juliet, featuring retiring Company member Laura Urgellés. Ms. Urgellés has been with TWB for the last ten seasons, and has recently celebrated her 20th season as a professional dancer.

“Romeo & Juliet is one of my favorite story ballets,” said Ms. Urgellés. “So I wanted to dance it just one last time.”

Tickets to Genius³ start at $20 and are available at harmancenter.org, at the Harman Center box office, or by calling 202.547.1122.

*Select performances: Saturday, May 22 at 2:30pm and Sunday, May 23 at 1pm. Subject to change.

In the News: TWB Rockin the Red!

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:21:00 GMT

News crews couldn't get enough of TWB's Studio Company dancers with hockey sticks! Check out the footage:

CLICK HERE to watch a clip on NBC4.
CLICK HERE to watch a clip on Fox5.

TWB Press Release: Septime Webre Returns to the Stage for the First Time in 15 Years

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:28:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC – The Washington Ballet (TWB) presents Shoogie: the Tail of my Wiener Dog, a hilarious nod to Artistic Director Septime Webre’s Texas up-bringing, April 21-25 at the England Studio Theater, located at the Ballet’s Wisconsin Avenue studios. This adventuresome ballet brings Mr. Webre back to the stage for the first time in 15 years, and is brought to life by the talented members of The Washington Ballet Studio Company.

A Dancers Tail

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:00:00 GMT

The Washington Post
By Margaret Webb Pressler

"I was 10 when I wrote my first play," Septime Webre explains, leaning way forward like he's sharing a secret. "My 8-year-old sister was my muse [inspiration]. I made her a white gown by using a bedspread and pinning it on her." CLICK HERE for the full story.

TWB Press Release: Punk Ballerina Karole Armitage Sets World Premiere on Washington Ballet for Bolero(+)

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) kicks off its spring season of programming at the Harman Center’s Sidney Harman Hall, April 14 through 18 with Bolero(+), a program including Nicolo Fonte’s smash hit Bolero, Edwaard Liang’s audience favorite Wunderland, and Brahms on Edge, a world premiere by the original “Punk Ballerina,” Karole Armitage that features live accompaniment by the Washington National Opera Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. Tickets to Bolero(+) start at only $20 and are available at harmancenter.org, at the Harman Center box office, or by calling 202.547.1122.

“While the music on this program is diverse,” says Artistic Director Septime Webre, “there is the sense of a musical journey; from Brahms to Ravel to Glass. Ravel and Glass's music is hypnotic, with rich layers and repetition. Brahm's piece is emotional and humanistic. Altogether, they are dazzling.”

Mr. Fonte’s Bolero premiered at Oregon Ballet Theatre in 2008 to rave reviews. Set to Maurice Ravel’s iconic score, its musicality in movement makes it an ideal piece for the artists of The Washington Ballet to explore. Former Merce Cunningham Dance Company member and renowned choreographer, Karole Armitage’s Brahms on Edge, is presented in collaboration with the Washington National Opera Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program and is a lively world premiere set to the compositions of Johannes Brahms. Ms. Armitage is known for drawing on classical ballet, post-modern dance and contemporary visual arts for inspiration. She brings her choreographic vision to TWB for the first time, and has previously worked with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre and the Paris Opera Ballet. Rounding out the program is a revival of Mr. Liang’s gripping piece, Wunderland, set to the haunting music of Phillip Glass.

Bolero(+) is part of Dance Metro DC’s Dance is the Answer, running April 15-May 2, 2010. For more information, please visit danceistheanswer.org. The premiere of Ms. Armitage’s piece is made possible due to the generosity of Rick Kasten.

Maki Onuki: The Washington Ballet 's Lyrical Powerhouse

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Dance Magazine
By Emily Macel
April 2010

Maki Onuki may be petite, but she has exceptional power and fluidity. It’s a combination that makes her particularly valuable in The Washington Ballet, acompany with 22 dancers and an ambitious repertory. Onuki can effortlessly bend and lunge in Edwaard Liang’s contemporary Wunderland, and also capture the precision and delicacy of the title role in Bournonville’s traditional La Sylphide. Her assurance and energy across the ballet spectrum have caught the attention of critics as well as visiting choreographers, and she seems poised for more opportunities ahead.

CLICK HERE to read the full article

DC arts groups cautiously emerging from recession

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:00:00 GMT

The Washington Post
By Jacqueline Trescott
Sunday, March 28, 2010

About two years ago, noting the signs of a crippling recession on the horizon, the Studio Theatre launched an unusual drive just for housekeeping items. They set a goal of $2.5 million for "Upgrading Connections," and they got it.

CLICK HERE for the full article from The Washington Post.

Something Old Something New

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Pointe Magazine
April/May 2010

In a company as small as The Washington Ballet, dancers don’t get lost in the corps. With just 20 members and two apprentices, artists perform frequently and get plenty of opportunities to dance solos and leading roles. They also work on new ballets with choreographers like Edwaard Liang and Karole Armitage. CLICK HERE for the full article.

Press Release: Dance is the Answer

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC - Dance/MetroDC's confluence of all that is dance-tastic in the DC metro-region is called Dance Is The Answer. Dance Is The Answer is a collective effort on the part of the region’s dance companies and artists to collaborate in their offerings of affordable dance experiences during the country’s designated National Dance Week in April and coordinated by Dance/MetroDC, the region’s sole dance-specific non-profit service organization. This year, it includes two and a half weeks of dance-related activities in DC, Maryland and Virginia, including an opening dance party on April 15th, called “Dance Your Taxes Off”. So file your taxes and join in tax-free celebration afterwards!

You can continue on your dance-centric experience through May 2nd: there will be Flash Mob dances (you’ve seen them on You-Tube), with dozens of people erupting into unison movement in public places, along with classes, workshops, performances, lectures, open rehearsals and more, at various venues throughout the Metro DC area, all leading up to a smashing closing event celebrating dance all over the city. Look for Living Legacy Chats with renowned dance artists of today, yesterday and tomorrow; there’ll be Tango, Bollywood, Hip-Hop lessons and more; and the introduction of a new website for Dance/MetroDC that will give you more on dance now and throughout the year.

If Dance Is The Answer, you might be asking yourself, “What is the question?” According to Peter DiMuro, director of Dance/MetroDC, “We like to think of dance – the experience of moving, the viewing of a performance - as the answer to most of what ails our present-day society. Blue? Take a salsa- or modern or Afro-Cuban class. Bored? Get the family together and observe world class dancers rehearse in the studio. Befuddled? Attend a pre-concert chat and find out what’s beautiful at the ballet, what’s curious about the concert, what’s vibrating on video!!!”

Dance Is The Answer 2010 will inspire you to see dance as your answer to keeping fit, enriching your social life or touching your soul – all at an extreme value, because most events are intentionally low-cost or FREE, and some offer special discounts through DancePass. DancePass offers discounts throughout the entire year by select presenters, artists and theaters. A DancePass can be purchased for $15 through Dance/MetroDC by calling (202) 778-1190 or visiting www.danceistheanswer.org.

For a list of all events and more information about Dance Is The Answer 2010, please visit www.danceistheanswer.org. *Please note events are being added daily and website should be complete by the beginning of March!

Dance/MetroDC serves and engages dance artists, organizations and their audiences with year round promotion, resources, training and collaborative opportunities. Representing the DC Metropolitan Area, including Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in MD and Arlington and Fairfax Counties and the City of Alexandria in VA, Dance/MetroDC is a regional branch of Dance/USA, the national service organization for professional dance. More information can be found at www.dancemetrodc.org or by calling (202) 778-1190.

WHAT: Dance Is The Answer 2010
WHEN: April 15 through May 2, 2010
WHERE: Various locations throughout the Metro DC area
HOW MUCH: Some events are FREE; Ticketed performances discounted with DancePass*
INFO: (202) 778-1190 or www.danceistheanswer.org

Partial Listing of Dance Is The Answer 2010 Participants
*Please note more companies, organizations and artists are being added daily!

African Heritage Dancers & Drummers – DC
American Dance Institute – MD
AVADance – MD, DC
BalletNova Center for Dance – VA
Biodanza East Coast USA – MD
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop – DC
Choreographer’s Collaboration Project – VA
CityDance Ensemble – MD, DC
ClancyWorks – MD
Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center – MD
CREDO – DC
Dance Institute of Washington – DC
DancePlace – DC
Deviated Theatre – MD
Dhoonya Dance – VA
Dissonance Dance – DC
Glade Dance Collective – DC
Greenbelt Dance Studio – MD
The Harman Center for the Arts – DC
Jane Franklin Dance – VA
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - DC
Joy of Motion Dance Center – MD, DC
Kathy Harty Gray Dance Theatre – VA
Kesler Physical Massage & Movement Therapy – MD
Knock On Wood Tap Studio – MD
Kuchipudi Kalanidhi – MD
Maryland Youth Ballet – MD
Metropolitan Ballet Theatre & Academy – MD
Montgomery College Dance Program – MD
NDEO – MD
Next Reflex Dance Collective – VA
PG County Department of Parks & Recreation – MD
Sahara Dance – DC
SAPAN Institute – DC
Step Afrika! - DC
Tango Mercurio – DC
UpRooted Dance – DC
Urban Artistry – MD, DC
The Washington Ballet – DC
Widening the I – MD

TWB Press Release: TWB@THEARC Director Katrina Toews Honored by Bethel College

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) is proud to announce that Katrina Toews, director of The Washington Ballet @ THEARC, will be presented with the Bethel College Young Alumnus Award on March 29, 2010. Ms. Toews will lead a group of her students from THEARC in a performance Sunday, March 28, at 7:30 PM, and receive the Young Alumnus Award in convocation Monday, March 29, at 11 AM, where she will speak on Leaps and Bounds: From Goessel, Kansas, to Washington, D.C. While both events are free and open to the public, an offering will be taken at the Sunday performance to help cover travel costs.

“I’m excited about this trip not only for the exposure of bringing urban and rural students together, but also for the opportunity to dance together,” said Ms. Toews. “Dance has not only shaped my life, but it has also allowed me to better understand myself and my relationship with others. Our students will bring their love of ballet and the discipline that it engenders to extends beyond studio walls and into everyday life. I can’t wait see the many ways that the youth will find commonalities.”

The performance will feature a new work by Ms. Toews, highlighting the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking at Bethel College. The ballet includes five dancers, one of whom portrays Dr. King, and will be performed to an audio recording of Dr. King’s original 1960 speech. The only surviving recording of this speech was recently found in the barn of a Bethel College student and was swiftly preserved and sent to the King Foundation. The four sections of Ms. Toews’ dance each highlight the struggle for freedom and the opportunity to reach and fight toward the unknown.

Along with Ms. Toews, the students will be accompanied by teachers Paula Brown and Margaret Williamson, as well as two parents throughout this four-day engagement. During this time, students will also be able to interact with local youth while taking workshop classes and presenting another small program at a local church. Additionally, Ms. Toews, Ms. Brown and Ms. Williamson will teach master classes and perform a lecture demonstration at Ballet Wichita, Nancy Hervey School of Ballet and Bethel College Academy of Performing Arts.

A native of Kansas, Ms. Toews has been directing The Washington Ballet @ THEARC since its inauguration in 2005. The program, an outgrowth of TWB’s flagship community engagement programs, was designed to bring world-class ballet instruction to residents in Washington, D.C.’s Ward 8 along with continued education programs in partnership with the District of Columbia schools. Prior to assuming this position, she had a fulfilling career as a dancer and choreographer by performing with many companies including her own, K2 Dance Company.

The Awards Committee of the Bethel College Alumni Association names one or more Young Alumnus Award winners each year. The Young Alumnus Award recognizes character and citizenship, achievement or service rendered, honor and recognition received. The recipient must be 39 years of age or younger and present a convocation program for Bethel students, faculty and staff.

Bethel College is a four-year liberal arts college affiliated with Mennonite Church USA. Bethel is known for its academic excellence and was the only Kansas private college to be ranked in Forbes.com’s listing of “America’s Best Colleges” for 2009 and one of only two Kansas colleges listed in Colleges of Distinction 2008-09. For more information, see the Bethel Web site at www.bethelks.edu.

Septime Webre Betting Washington Ballet's 'Gatsby' Resonates in Recession Times

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT

The Washington Post
by Sarah Kaufman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, February 21, 2010

It took F. Scott Fitzgerald three years to write "The Great Gatsby," the Jazz Age novel we all read in high school, the one that breaks your heart as it sends the American dream through a shredder of greed, carelessness, dishonesty and false hope. But Septime Webre, artistic director of the Washington Ballet, doesn't have an author's luxury of time as he distills the novel into an evening-length dance production.
Click here to read more!

WAM: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Rosalind Lacy

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:00:00 GMT

DC Theater Scene: Washington's Liveliest Theater Web Site
by Rosalind Lacy

In Series Opera and The Washington Ballet Studio Companies have collaborated in a great leap forward to celebrate the genius of Mozart’s playfulness. It’s an evening of over-the-top effervescence — as if a wild, warm wind has come to earth in the Atlas Theatre’s Lang auditorium.

At the piano to the side of a stripped bare stage, Carlos Rodriguez, who directs the music, invites us to the party with a single-line tune, composed by Mozart as “Ah, Vous Dirai-Je Maman: Theme & Variations 1-6,” but recognizable as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” a piece that frames this musicale. Immediately we’re drawn into a child’s world until the variations break out into fast running 16th notes, off-beat patterns and arpeggios. Language doesn’t matter. Words are musical notes. The libretto is movement— dance. Choreographer Septime Webre can develop even a nursery rhyme tune into something visceral, gutsy and thrilling.

In his first year with The Washington Ballet, dancer Jong-Suk Park projects a refreshing stage presence as that of a baby-faced upstart, deceptively fragile, but rock solid in firm technique, and boundless energy that is matched by an entire ensemble of Studio Company Dancers. As the theme varies, one by one, dancers enter, in burnt orange tights and luminous chemises (costumes by TWB). Their eyes connect, electrifying the air with a sense of fun. From entrechats to snappy turns, arabesques and near-splits in their grand leaps, the breathtaking athleticism traces out the music and hits us viscerally. The dancers make us feel the music kinetically.

Then like lightning, the fusion of dancer and pianist are interrupted by a full-scale entrance of the rest if the cast, who laugh maniacally and run across the stage for no apparent reason. Suspend all logic. The performers are coming from a madcap fête. From this point on, anything goes; and the stage explodes with vitality, thanks to co-choreographers Jared Nelson and David Palmer, who also conceived this masterpiece tribute to Mozart’s 254th birthday.

We may know Mozart from another mad laugher, actor Tom Hulce in the Hollywood film Amadeus, based on Peter Shaffer’s play . Or devoted Mozart fans may know the darker realism from a 1986 German film, Forget Mozart (Vergesst Mozart), that sheds a cynical light on the mystery of why the ultra-gifted composer died at age 35. WAM comes back with a punch line. This is a fresh take of a more robust Mozart who, although slender of stature, was a revisionist, a game changer who revolutionized music.

Hats off to an amazing directorial team who are inspired as bold innovators in stagecraft as well as by the enflamed soul of Mozart: Webre, Palmer, and Nelson, for TWB, and by the ever-expanding, dedicated artistry of Carla Hubner and Carlos Rodriguez for In Series Opera Company. The collaboration propels us into the magnitude of Mozart’s genius expressed through fusion, even of styles. Sometimes the dancers dance barefoot, modern-style; sometimes the female dancers pirouette in point shoes. The dancers are party to two levels of consciousness, staged as two parallel universes: dancers and singers; and are held down to earth by Mozart’s letters to his father, his sister, and mother and a priest. It’s a brilliant concept.

Roughly it helps to know we are following a historical timeline, stitched together by David Palmer, a co-director of the Washington Ballet. WAM draws from an amazing diversity of compositions, individual selections from the operas Idomeneo, Abduction from the Seraglio. Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni to The Magic Flute, as Mozart sought to convert an Italian opera style into a German language theater. Characters were not mythical stereotypes, but witty humans with ideas. And that may explain why Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph denied Mozart court appointments. Mozart, who composed entire operas in his head and hummed his melodies while walking the streets, was centuries ahead of his time.

Perhaps Mozart’s most popular and world famous opera, included in WAM in At the Opera (Act II), is The Marriage of Figaro which garnered him the equivalent of rock star fame in Prague and Europe. Figaro is based on the revolutionary play by Beaumarchais that ushered in Mozart’s innovation of infusing subtext and characterization into instrumental accompaniment, so that violins or woodwinds expressed the rebellion his characters could not on stage. In WAM, the dancers are the orchestration. We forget how radically daring it was to sing mocking, elbow-poking arias, like “Come Dance With Me, Little Count,” for example. Figaro, sung by the versatile, young baritone Sean Pflueger, is encouraging anarchy by making fun of the aristocrat’s assumed right to sleep with his servant girl. Kensuke Yorozu and Jong-Suk Park are a delight as they dance out the rebellious, upending defiance that Mozart must have felt at the time but could not express in a society in which dancing was banned in the emperor’s theater in Europe, then merely a few years away from France’s Reign of Terror. WAM’s answer is to place the dancers center stage, as if it is well worth going to the guillotine.

Palmer in his conception of WAM realizes that to fully understand Mozart, focus needs to go on the carefree days of “On Tour” starting with “Letter to his mother, December 1769,” (written when he was 13). “A Little Night Music,” technically marks a directorial zenith. Accompanied by duo concert pianists Carlos Rodriguez and Carla Hubner, the dancers reincarnate the perilous trips by horse and carriage, and capture the rapturous joy in the rhythm and cadence of pounding hoofs. Leopold Mozart capitalized on his child prodigy son by traveling through Vienna, Paris, and London and giving concerts. Male dancers poised in attitudes prance like horses; others imitate turning carriage wheels and a driver holds the reins. An exciting, memorable stage moment replicates Mozart’s young life as a joyful adventure.

But all is not smooth sailing in Coming of Age, WAM on his own. “Ready for Battle,” as sung with resonant fire by tenor Peter Burroughs, and danced by five dancers who raise a white ladder to rescue Konstanze, a character close to real life. Leopold opposed Mozart’s choice of Constanze as his wife; so Mozart defied his father in the mock-heroic, The Abduction from the Seraglio, Mozart’s first German-language singspiel. The opera brings in great lusty fun from a trio of dancers, expressed in “Long Live Bacchus,” expressions of Mozart struggling to free himself from his overbearing but protective parents.

Meeting and falling in love with Aloysia and Constanze, (in Act II) gives us two breath-taking, gravity-defying pas-de-deuxs worth noting by female dancers Ayano Kimura and Tamako Miyazaki, and Jong-Suk featured as Mozart, that are danced to “Gentle Breezes, Go To Him,” (from the opera Idomeneo). Here we see Mozart’s worship of Aloysia, who cruelly rejects him, whereas Constanze passionately loves and marries him. This selection is gorgeously sung with creamy colors by coloratura soprano Laura Lewis, costumed in floor length white gown (costumes by Donna Breslin). Jong-Suk’s flying leaps express the lovers’ held back love for each other.

But Mozart wasn’t above slapstick in his operas as evidenced by Papageno in The Magic Flute. For the collaborators, that justifies poking fun at theatrical form. Osbel Susman-Pena’s stylized set with skeletal black chandelier deploys a stock-in-trade trick from Belasco melodramas by stretching turquoise fabric across the stage to simulate a channel of water with revolving cut-out dolphins. Twirling white umbrellas are an apt prop for a visually pleasing dance chorus line number in the “On Tour” sequence whereas top hats for the London visit serve as a little anachronistic music hall joke. Sometimes it seems as if the musicians are accompanying the dancers; or is it that the dancers are accompanying the singers? It doesn’t matter; it works because the emphasis is on letting Mozart’s music reign supreme. We’re not into the opera text. We’re reliving Mozart’s life and that includes his sense of abandon or exhaustion when the dancers allegorically collapse comically on the floor at the end of an aria.

Eventually the Epilogue winds the clock back to where it started except that the dancers have lost their verve. Dance routines are reprised but Jong Suk walks to the pianist and rests his hand on Carlos’ shoulder; then drifts slowly off stage. “Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are,” takes on a deeper meaning as the empty stage seems cavernous. I wept.

This production represents the artistry that can be realized with collaboration, an incredibly impressive piece of work after three weeks rehearsal. Go catch that shuttle at Gallery Place. Directions on how to get there by shuttle from Gallery Place can be found on the In Series web site. Use it. On weekends, from 5 p.m. on, about every ½ hour. Street parking is chancy.

The Color of Dance

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:00:00 GMT

The State, South Carolina's Homepage
By Otis R. Taylor, Jr.
Elgin native overcomes stereotypes to perform on the world stage of ballet

How a dancer looks is more important than what a dancer looks like. Ballet, in a perfect world, is a colorless art form. As we know, the world is anything but perfect.

Ask Brooklyn Mack, a dancer who has overcome a personal imperfection - those ugly feet - and built a career that has taken him to stages around the world. In the process, he has hurdled color barriers that still exist in classical ballet.

The Elgin native is an emerging face in the ballet world, one that may change the perceptions of black dancers.

"Ballet hasn't had many black dancers, much less black dancers that had the opportunity to dance in classical companies," said Mack, who joined Washington Ballet this year.

"There is a misconception that black dancers can't dance ballet because our bodies are incapable. A lot of that is ignorance."

In 2007, The New York Times' Gia Kourlas wrote a piece on the dearth of minority women in ballet. Male minority dancers are even more scarce. Mack is following in the path of Arthur Mitchell, a former principal dancer with New York City Ballet who started Dance Theater of Harlem. Mitchell is one of the most famous black ballet dancers to dance with an established company, but there have been few who have achieved such heights.

Could Mack be next?

Mack will return home to perform at LifeChance "Gala of the Stars" at the Koger Center Saturday, Columbia Classical Ballet's annual fundraiser. This season, the production will benefit Palmetto Health Children's Hospital Special Care Center.

Mack, 23, began his training under Radenko Pavlovich, the ballet's artistic director. His company features dancers from Japan, Hungary, Brazil and the Ukraine.

Pavlovich's choreography is in step with how his company looks: There's diversity, distinct shades.

"I don't like it when people all look the same," Pavlovich said. "I have a true international company. They're from everywhere.

"I think that is wonderful for our city. It's wonderful for the arts."

So is color, whether one is talking about costume, choreography or the corps de ballet. But Pavlovich said he doesn't see color when it comes to the dancers he trains.

"When I see Brooklyn, if someone said to me he's black, well, if I look, yeah, he's black. But what does that mean?" Pavlovich said. "We are all on this planet together.

"It's the person, the artist, who they are. That's what's important to me."

A LATE START
Mack didn't consider ballet until he saw LifeChance 11 years ago. Then 12, Mack was awed by the physical condition and pliability of the dancers.

He wanted to take lessons to help his athleticism on the football field. He told his mother, Lucrecia Mack, that he wanted to dance.

"He wanted to challenge his body more and more," Lucrecia said.

Lucrecia sought out Pavlovich and asked for a scholarship for her son.

"Your son wants to dance, and you ask me immediately for a scholarship," Pavlovich recalled. "I thought, 'Lady, you have a lot of guts.' I was floored."

But Lucrecia persuaded Pavlovich to train her son - if Mack trained to Pavlovich's standards.

"I said every day or no way, and I will work with you," Pavlovich said. "Never in my life have I seen so much determination."

He was talking about Mack, who continues to overcome long odds, not the least of which is his ethnicity.

"It's unusual for someone to start that late," Pavlovich said. "Boys start somewhere around eight or nine."

"Everything was against him."

But, unknown to Mack at the time, he had something intangible in his body: a dancer's genes.

Lucrecia had trained as a classical dancer. She didn't tell Mack until after he started with Pavlovich.

"At the time he started dancing, I guess it was something so long in my past," said Lucrecia, who studied with Angela Bowen Peters and later danced with New Haven Ballet and Connecticut Classical Ballet.

"I guess it was something I hoped my daughters would follow and not my sons."

Mack, the youngest by eight years, was the only one of Lucrecia's four children to stick with ballet.

"When I first saw him, I thought this boy is not going to do it. There's no way," Pavlovich said. "He developed into this incredible young man that is beautiful and amazing.

"It's the determination that he has."

After two years with Pavlovich, Mack left Columbia for Washington, D.C., to study at the Kirov Academy of Ballet.

Mack has since apprenticed with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, and he has danced with American Ballet Theatre's studio company and the Orlando Ballet.

Mack has made his mark in ballet on the international stage. In 2006, he won the silver medal at the Jackson International Ballet Competition.

This summer, Mack won the silver at the 2009 Helsinki International Ballet Competition.

"It's more than a medal," Mack said. "A lot of the directors and choreographers from the world's best companies come. It's almost like a scouting game.

"There's a lot of opportunity it can afford besides getting the medal and money. But that's always nice."

Though he's dancing with other companies, he always comes home to train for competitions with Pavlovich.

"Whenever I have a good decent break, I come to the studio and train and gather up more knowledge," Mack said. "He's been a huge help, and I would say, even a father figure in my life.

"He's still my teacher."

THE ONLY ONE
Of course Mack has noticed. Of course he's thought about it.

He's been the only one before.

At 15, when he started at Kirov, Mack was the sole black student.

"I was the only one and I was like, whoa," he said. "It felt very strange. I'd never been in an environment like that.

"Ballet, to me, is all about movement and the art form and making people feel something. Really, it's colorless to me."

It isn't that way for all people. Pavlovich and Lucrecia recounted stories of Mack being told he'd never dance classical leads.

Mack took that as a challenge.

"The stereotypes of blacks not being able to do ballet is just that," Lucrecia said. "Most kids don't have the exposure or the economic means. Unfortunately, you have people that share that view that it's not for blacks.

"I'm really glad that Brooklyn had a constitution that couldn't be broken. He doesn't let anybody break his own spirit. He sets his own heights."

The journey hasn't been an easy one, said Lee Lumpkin, the ballet's chairwoman.

"He's been deprived some because of his race," she said. "You don't see the color, but some people do."

Mack has danced pivotal roles in productions of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Don Quixote," and during the Washington Ballet's run of "The Nutcracker," he danced the role of the prince.

He's determined to have more lead roles in classical productions.

"It's a classic thing. It's something you do every year," Mack said, sounding unimpressed with his "Nutcracker" role. "It's fun to do, even though the music gets a little boring after 12 shows. You hear it every year."

He was more upbeat about "Don Quixote," which he danced at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

"The audience had so many diplomats," Mack said. "I didn't feel pressure, but at the same time, you feel humbled getting on that stage."

When he started dancing, Mack promised himself he'd stop at 23 and go to college if he had not reached a certain point. Ballet has become his career, and he's working toward perfection.

And, yes, he's still working on his once-awful flat feet.

"I always told him you have the ugliest foot in the world," Pavlovich said.

In ballet, the feet accentuate lines.

"It's pretty much required to have flexible ankles and high arches," Mack said. "I still work on them every day. It's still a long way to go, at least in my mind."

Mack is a dancer who doesn't just want to look his best on stage. He wants to be the best.

"What is beautiful about him, he's such a simple young man and down to earth and not so full of himself," Pavlovich said.

"I hope he stays like that, because that's what makes him special."

Mary Day: Grande Dame of Dance in Our Nation’s Capital

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:00:00 GMT

In this new book, you’ll learn about the life and impact of Washington Ballet founder and dance pioneer, Mary Day. Told in her own words through taped conversations, and via written remembrances by her former students, the book is enhanced by pictures of Mary Day as a young dancer and throughout her life.

American Ballet Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie; Amanda McKerrow, the first American to win a gold medal at the Moscow Ballet competition; Virginia Johnson, founding member of Dance Theatre of Harlem; Chelsea Clinton; and former Paul Taylor principal, Patrick Corbin are just a few who contributed to this fascinating book, compiled by Elvi Moore, former general director of The Washington Ballet.

CLICK HERE to buy your copy of Mary Day: Grand Dame of Dance in Our Nation's Capital.

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Kicks Off the New Year with Special Collaborations

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) kicks off 2010 with special collaborations and site-specific works including company apprentice Andile Ndlovu’s solo performances at the Transformer Gallery, The Phillips Collection and the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. Additional upcoming performances include WAM! (wolfgang amadeus mozart), TWB’s Studio Company collaboration with The In Series, January 23-24 and 30-31, and TWB Artistic Director Septime Webre’s world premiere of The Great Gatsby at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater, February 24-28.

Mr. Ndlovu responds in dance to Barbara Liotta’s sculpture, Icarus,in the program Icarus Takes Flightat the Phillips CollectionJanuary 14 and 21, 2010 at 6:30 and 7:30 pm. Set to Marurice Ravel's Sonata for Violin and Cello performed by Yvonne Lam and Ignacio Alcover, Mr. Ndlovu, who collaborated with Mr. Webre, use the abstract forms of the artwork and the mythical character's back story as inspiration. For more information, visit: http://www.phillipscollection.org/programs/index.aspx

At the Transformer Gallery on January 16, Mr. Ndlovu will perform in response to Snow Globe, a collaborative project with artists Jessica Cebra and Zach Storm. Through painting, drawing and collage, these artists transform the gallery’s project space into a snow globe. For more information, visit: http://www.transformergallery.org/

On February 6 at the National Museum of African Art, Mr. Ndlovu, again under the artistic guidance of Mr. Webre, will perform a short interpretive piece in response to Shonibare’s Odile and Odette. For more information on this project, visit: http://africa.si.edu/calendar.html#/?i

WAM! (wolfgang amadeus mozart), running January 23 through 31 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center’s Lang Theatre, chronicles the childhood of the prolific composer in a witty, effervescent ballet. Audiences experience Mozart’s compelling and astonishing early childhood experiences through the artistry of TWB’s Studio Company in collaboration with Washington, D.C.-based musical group, The In Series vocalists, directed by Carla Hübner. TWB’s Associate Artistic Director David Palmer and company member Jared Nelson join Mr. Webre in this choreographic collaboration, taking audiences on a frolic through 18^th century Salzburg. Tickets start at $19 and are available at www.InSeries.org.

Audiences return to the splendor of the Jazz Age and the frivolity of the Roaring Twenties February 24 through 28 as Mr. Webre re-imagines F. Scott Fitzgerald’s passionate, thought provoking and complex The Great Gatsby, performed at the Kennedy Center. Mr. Webre’s dynamic choreography and the artistry of The Washington Ballet dancers will bring this “great American novel” to life in an exciting world premiere. Tickets start at $29 and are available at www.kennedy-center.org, 202.467.4600 or at the Kennedy Center Box Office.

ABOUT THE WASHINGTON BALLET

Originally founded as The Washington School of Ballet in 1944 by legendary ballet pioneer Mary Day and incorporated as a professional company in 1976, The Washington Ballet (TWB) is one of the pre-eminent ballet organizations in the United States. TWB built an international reputation presenting bold works by choreographers from around the world, including Choo-San Goh, Christopher Wheeldon, Mark Morris, Twyla Tharp and Nacho Duato, as well as Neoclassical masterworks and fresh stagings of 19^th century classics. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Septime Webre and Executive Director Russell P. Allen, TWB has embraced a three-part mission: ensuring excellence in its professional performance company; growing the next generation of dancers through its Washington School of Ballet; and serving the community in which it resides through robust community engagement programs. For more information, visit www.washingtonballet.org.

Wonderland: The Washington Ballet Book

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Communication Arts Exhibit

Publications, Public Service

Wonderland, a compilation of images featuring The Washington Ballet’s landmark productions recreated in mystical places in Washington, DC, is a tribute to the success of community effort. Designed by Design Army and photographed by Cade Martin, Wonderland was the answer to a $1 million reduction in city funding; The Washington Ballet needed to find a way to continue its prominence as a world-class institution, but also make ballet accessible with educational and community programs.

With stunning ballet images shot against unexpected DC backdrops, Wonderland is striking, sophisticated, daring and elegant. The theme (an Alice in Wonderland storyline juxtaposed with notable ballet performances) and design are the culmination of eighteen months of hard work—brainstorming concepts, scouting locations, stopping traffic, assembling props, powering fog machines and improvising dancer poses.

The book garners appreciation for the craft and talent of the dancers and celebrates the tenth anniversary of artistic director Septime Webre, whose leadership has enabled the institution to flourish into a nationally recognized ballet. Proceeds from the book will fund main stage productions, community engagement initiatives and education programs, such as DanceDC, an innovative program for first- and second-graders that integrates ballet and creative movement into the curriculum of the DC’s public schools. The money will also support Excel!, an initiative that will provide 50 full scholarships this year to talented young boys and girls who wish to continue ballet classes after second grade.

Pum Lefebure, art director; Lucas Badger/Taylor Buckholz/Scott Vadas, designers; Pum Lefebure/Jake Lefebure, creative directors; Cade Martin, photographer.

Heavy Lifting

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:00:00 GMT

DC Magazine
By Tiffany Jow

Amid dance-world doldrums and a faltering economy, The Washington Ballet has staged an international tour de force.

CLICK HERE for the full article.

The Nutcracker Dances its Way Through the District

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:00:00 GMT

The Fairfax Times
By Elizabeth Coogan

Blond, blue-eyed ballet student Alex Sargent throws his head back and shimmies to music he has committed to memory, showing off his new jazz routine. The 11-year-old Herndon resident is on break from rehearsing at a theater in southeast D.C. for the Washington Ballet's upcoming production of "The Nutcracker," but he just can't seem to stop performing. He hands his earphones to Luis R. Torres, an instructor and one of the company's professional dancers, and proceeds to teach the veteran his moves.

"Shake it like it's broken, shake it like it's broken -- oh my Lord!" Torres says. "I need some water after that; that took all my energy. That's very good, keep it up."

Downstairs in the theater, artistic director Septime Webre has been methodically coaching groups of dancers, some as young as 6, in the minutiae of their routines for what he calls a "very D.C.-centric" version of the popular ballet. He counts, "Five, six, seven, eight!" and more than 20 young performers skip across the stage -- knees up, toes pointed, slender arms extended -- in near perfect synchrony. Despite Webre's frequent interruptions to fine-tune each element of the production he choreographed and premiered in 2004, no performer -- young or old -- shows any signs of fatigue.

"Part of it is there's been a lot of group bonding going on ... there's definitely a team-building ethos around this," explains Michael Segal, whose son, Paul Lytle, 7, plays a bumblebee this year. "There are definitely a lot of professionals involved with this. The whole place just says we're taking this seriously."

That ethos will be on full display Dec. 10, when the Washington Ballet moves its 2009 version of "The Nutcracker" to the Warner Theater in downtown Washington, D.C., after four performances at The Town Hall Education Arts and Recreation Campus, a multi-use facility housing cultural and social services agencies in the District's Ward 8. The Washington Ballet opened a satellite school at the facility -- known as THEARC -- in 2005, and students from the school have performed in "The Nutcracker" since 2007.

Donna Glover, manager of the Washington School of Ballet's northwest District and Alexandria sites, said 350 students out of a total enrollment of 827 at all three sites will perform in this year's "Nutcracker." Only about 20 of those who auditioned did not receive a part, she said, and each of this year's 25 public performances will feature 86 children.

"Septime Webre tries to incorporate just about everybody, but there's always a costume issue, so if someone's technical ability doesn't match their size" they might not get a part, Glover said.

Sixth-grader Alex Sargent is a self-described veteran of the stage and said he knows the costume dilemma only too well.

"I am Fritz for the third time in a row," he said. "I'm afraid this year will be my last year because I barely fit the costume, so I'm soaking it up like a sponge."

The sheer number of young performers, including 26 sets of siblings, creates an enormous logistical challenge for the Ballet's staff and requires rotating casts not ranked according to ability, Glover said. "Everybody's paying for a ticket to see 'The Nutcracker,' and you'd better be good," she added.

Michael Schlesinger of McLean has two daughters in the production and said casting lots of children not only eases the physical strain on young bodies but helps fill the theater at a time when the ballet is struggling financially.

According to Laura Nunneker, co-director of marketing and communications for the Washington Ballet, the organization lost $1 million in grants from the District this year. She said "The Nutcracker" attracts an audience of more than 35,000 annually and revenue from the popular production tops more than $1.5 million.

Webre agreed "The Nutcracker" is a budget booster.

"It helps support all our other programs because virtually everything else we do loses money," he said.

Fifty students out of 260 from the Ballet's school at THEARC will appear this year, according to Katrina Toews, director of the program.

"I would love to see it higher," she said. "I think the element of being in a professional production really expands the opportunity of exposure for any child. It doesn't matter where you live; it's a huge deal."

Webre said 65 percent of the students at the satellite campus are at or below the poverty line and 100 percent receive some type of scholarship from the Ballet, which spends $1.4 million annually on outreach and education. He said the program at THEARC furthers his company's mission and could even help secure the future of the art form. "The Ballet's mission is to ensure that ballet is accessible to our whole community," Webre said. "The deeper we can insert ourselves into the community, the more ensured our survival will be."

The program "has really been the catalyst for an amazing rebirth in the Anacostia community," Webre added. "These children are not only learning how to dance, but really, life lessons ... giving yourself in service to something. We expect more of these kids than most activities expect of them."

Michelle Helms said her son Jerell Briscoe, 7, took advantage of a scholarship offered by the Ballet and plays a bumblebee in "The Nutcracker" this year.

"I just think that by him being in ballet, it would encourage other people in my low-income area to be involved not just in sports, but ballet, music, modern dance -- anything but sports," she said.

Before a recent rehearsal at THEARC, Jerell dropped to the floor and demonstrated "the frog" for his teacher Torres, dragging himself across the floor while maintaining a full split. The second-grader seemed undaunted at the prospect of performing for audiences both at THEARC and the Warner Theater downtown.

"We gotta shake our stingers ... we have to run around in a circle," he said. He joined ballet "so I could stretch more ... do splits, do the frog, so I could be in 'The Nutcracker,'" he said.

Helms said the ticket prices, which start at $29, will probably keep her from seeing Jerell perform at the Warner Theater.

"It's no big thing, as long as he does good," she said, and added that she prefers to make her investment taking him to and from practice.

Torres, who was born in Puerto Rico and began classical ballet training at age 16, teaches an all boys' class at THEARC and said he welcomes the chance to attract children from lower income families to an art form historically available only to the wealthy.

"Where I grew up, we believed dancing was for rich people," Torres said. "You couldn't dance unless you had thousands of dollars."

Torres also teaches boys' classes at the Ballet's northwest District campus and said he is optimistic that at least one of his students will become a professional dancer. "Yes, yes, yes, because they really love it," he said. "You can tell at a young age when they really love it."

Glover said that even among the teenage students invited from around the world to train at the school's highest level, only about 10 to 15 percent will immediately enter the elite world of professional ballet.

Despite the odds, Alex Sargent has his future pretty well mapped out "dancing jazz or ballet classical."

"With the American Ballet Theater in New York," he said. "I don't care how tiny or how dingy the apartment is."

And when he's too old to dance, Sargent hopes to be "either a choreographer or a biochemist," he said.

Later, the student of Hunter Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences said, "...living the dream, every moment I'm on the stage, I think I'm living the dream."

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Presents THE NUTCRACKER at THEARC

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC – The Washington Ballet (TWB) will premiere Artistic Director Septime Webre’s The Nutcracker at the THEARC Theater, 1901 Mississippi Avenue SE, Washington DC with five performances from December 3-5, 2009. In light of the loss of a $1 million grant, TWB was faced with making programmatic cuts, including its presentation of The Nutcracker at THEARC. Building Bridges Across the River (BBAR) teamed up with FedEx and the SunDial Foundation to secure $50,000 in funding to make this possible.

“We are so grateful to BBAR and all the other sponsors who made it possible for us to continue our tradition of premiering The Nutcracker at THEARC,” says Mr. Webre. “The Washington Balletis committed to the Ward 8 community and is thrilled to give our SE Campus students the opportunity to perform alongside our professional company again this year.”

W. Christopher Smith, chairman of the Building Bridges Across the River Board of Directors, is grateful to fellow board members FedEx and Lynne (and Joseph) Horning for joining him and his wife, Lisa, in helping to fund The Washington Ballet’s performance of The Nutcracker at THEARC.

Mr. Smith said, “Without their support and the support of Horning Brothers, Steinway Piano Gallery of Washington, DC, Potomac Orthopaedics Associates Chartered, Industrial Bank, Lottery Technology Enterprises, Giant, Verizon, Alma and Colin Powell, Vernon and Ann Jordan, LISC, and Carter and Melissa Cafritz, THEARC would not be able to host this magnificent production this year.”

Additionally, the National Endowment for the Arts provided a $20,000 grant, SunDial Foundation purchased $500 worth of tickets to be given to children whose families could not afford to buy tickets to The Nutcracker, and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities provided a $3,775 grant.

Mr. Webre’s vintage take on The Nutcracker transports audience members back in time to historic Washington and an A-list party on the Potomac. Starring George Washington as the heroic Nutcracker and King George III as the villainous Rat King, the production sparkles with swirling snowflakes and shimmering cherry blossoms. This year’s Nutcracker features TWB’s Company and Studio Company artists alongside 350 students from its three school campuses in NW Washington, SE Washington, and Alexandria, Virginia.

More than 50 of the dancers performing onstage are enrolled in the program at The Washington Ballet @ THEARC and were chosen through an open audition process. They range in age from 6-18 and have been cast as mushrooms, sugar plum pages, frontier girls, snow angels, and clowns.

Tickets for The Nutcracker at the THEARC can be purchased at 202.889.8150 or washingtonballet.org/thearc

For more information on performance dates and times click HERE

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Presents THE NUTCRACKER at The Warner Theatre

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Washington, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) presents Artistic Director Septime Webre’s Washington, DC-themed adaptation of The Nutcracker, December 10-27, 2009 at the historic Warner Theatre. This will mark the 6th anniversary of this one-of-a-kind production, which previews at THEARC in Southeast DC from December 3-5.

"Our Nutcracker has become a Washington, DC holiday tradition that brings together all parts of our organization," says Mr. Webre. We are thrilled to continue our new tradition of premiering The Nutcracker at THEARC in Anacostia, a wonderful facility where we've been able to expand our school and deepen our reach into the community."

Mr. Webre's vintage take on The Nutcracker transports audience members back in time to historic Washington, DC and an A-list party on the Potomac. Starring George Washington as the heroic Nutcracker and King George III as the villainous Rat King, the production sparkles with swirling snowflakes and shimmering cherry blossoms. This year’s Nutcracker features TWB's Company and Studio Company artists alongside 350 students the largest amount of students involved in a production ever -- from its three school campuses in NW and SE Washington, as well as Alexandria, Virginia. Special guest stars will include local media personality Cynne Simpson, among many others.

At each performance, theatre-goers will be able to purchase unique gifts from TWB's Sugar Plum Shoppe. Merchandise for sale includes one-of-a-kind Nutcrackers as well as TWB items and apparel. The Shoppe will also have information on purchasing TWB's new book, Wonderland, which celebrates TWB's meteoric rise over the last decade.

TWB will also host a variety of special events surrounding The Nutcracker including the annual Nutcracker Tea Party, sponsored by PNC Bank at the Willard InterContinental Hotel on December 13th. For more information on this event and others, please call TWB Special Events Manager Sara Lange at 202.362.3606 x123.

Tickets for The Nutcracker are now on sale and can be purchased at the Warner Theatre Box Office, livenation.com or 877.598.8497. Tickets for The Nutcracker at the THEARC can be purchased at 202.889.8150 or washingtonballet.org.

A full listing of all Nutcracker performances can also be seen HERE

TWB Press Release: Runway En Releve Redux Fall Fashion Show to Benefit The Washington Ballet

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC – Co-Chairs Barbara McConaghy Johnson, Immediate Past President of The Washington Ballet Women’s Committee, and Staci Capuano; Bloomingdale’s; and Washington Life Magazine are teaming up to present Runway en Relevé Redux, a private fall fashion show to be held on November 13 at Bloomingdale’s in Chevy Chase, Maryland. This exclusive event, which will kick off with a 6:30 pm cocktail reception, will highlight the season’s most in-demand looks and will benefit The Washington Ballet. Bloomingdale’s will donate 10% of sales from all purchases on November 13 & 14 to TWB.

“This year’s fashion show will be a fantastic holiday presentation featuring TWB’s world-class dancers, Jeté Society and Women’s Committee members, as well as members of the Board of Directors,” said co-chair Barbara McConaghy Johnson. “The evening will include prizes galore, a fabulous raffle, and of course, the newest trends for winter fashion!”

“The fall fashion show promises to be a unique and exiting event, ideal for the holidays,” said co-chair Staci Capuano. “We are thrilled to partner again this year with Bloomingdale's. Their leadership in fashion and extraordinary generosity make them the ideal partner for this event. Be sure to purchase tickets early, as we expect another sell-out!”

General admission tickets to Runway en Relevé Redux are $100, VIP tickets are $125, and a VIP ticket with a one-hour personal shopping session the following day are $150, and can be purchased by calling The Washington Ballet at 202.362.3606 x135.

ABOUT THE WASHINGTON BALLET

Originally founded as The Washington School of Ballet in 1944 by legendary ballet pioneer Mary Day, The Washington Ballet (TWB) was incorporated as a professional company in 1976, and is one of the pre-eminent ballet organizations in the United States. TWB built an international reputation presenting bold works by choreographers from around the world, and its first artist-in-residence, Choo-San Goh, set the tone for the company's emergence as a powerhouse among national companies. Contemporary pieces by Christopher Wheeldon, Mark Morris, Twyla Tharp and Nacho Duato expanded the repertoire, as did Neoclassical masterworks and fresh interpretations of 19th century classics. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Septime Webre and Executive Director Russell P. Allen, TWB has embraced a three-part mission: ensuring excellence in its professional performance company, growing the next generation of dancers through The Washington School of Ballet and serving the communities of the Washington, DC area through robust community engagement programs, including DanceDC and TWB@THEARC.

ABOUT BLOOMINGDALE’S

Bloomingdale’s is America’s only nationwide, full-line, upscale department store; and a division of Macy’s, Inc. It was founded in 1872 and currently operates 40 stores in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Illinois, Minnesota, Georgia, Florida, Nevada and California. For more information, or to shop any time, visit www.bloomingdales.com.

An Interview with Anna Marie Holmes

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:50:00 GMT

Internationally-regarded repetiteur Anna-Marie Holmes is staging TWB's premiere of Don Quixote. Read on to learn about her experience with The Washington Ballet and the "Man of La Mancha."

TWB: What is it like working with the dancers of The Washington Ballet?

AMH: Working with the dancers of The Washington Ballet is great fun. They have a vibrant spirit and seem to really enjoy dancing. Because the company is small, they are used to doing many roles and love to do it all. Don Q has many roles, and so several the dancers are doing different parts.

TWB: What is your favorite scene in Don Quixote and why?

AMH: I do not have a favorite scene in Don Q. It all is exciting and interesting. There is the first act which sets up the plot, followed by the second act with the beautiful dream scene and exciting gypsy dance, and then the third act with the Fandango and grand pas de deux, etc. The music was written for this ballet by Minkus, so it fits perfectly.

TWB: How is your version of Don Q different from others?

AMH: My version is different from others because through the years, I have kept paring down to the pure dance essence of Don Q . When I first did it, I added many Spanish dances and it became too long. Now, I have added only the men’s Flamenco Spanish dancing at the beginning of the taverna scene and put the coda from act two at the end of the ballet to make an exciting ending with everyone. I love this men's Flamenco dance at the beginning of the taverna (third act), as it makes one think they are in Spain in a taverna. I remember being in places like this when I was in Spain. I also spend a lot of time on the acting, as it is a story ballet. So the audience needs to understand what is going on.

TWB Press Release: TWB Opens it's 09.10 Season with Don Quixote

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Ballet (TWB) kicks off its dynamic 2009.2010 Season: Connect with Anna-Marie Holmes’s version of the classic DonQuixote, running October 14 through 18 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Eisenhower Theater.

Ballet Nacional de Cuba star Viengsay Valdés joins TWB in a guest appearance, performing the critically-acclaimed role of Kitri. “I am very excited to dance in the U.S., especially the role of Kitri,” said Ms. Valdés. “I am also very grateful for the invitation from Septime Webre; I am very fond of both him and The Washington Ballet.”

Born in Havana, Ms. Valdés began her ballet studies at age nine at the Alejo Carpentier Provincial Ballet School. At age 15, she continued her course of study at the Escuela Nacional de Arte with Ramona de Sáa and Mirtha Hermida. When she was 17, legendary director Alicia Alonso invited Ms. Valdés to join the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. In 2001, Ms. Valdés became a principal dancer and primera bailarina. She has won numerous dance awards and prizes, and has performed the role of Kitri in various productions of Don Quixote and at dance competitions.

“My own Cuban heritage has played a significant role in repertoire I’ve selected at The Washington Ballet,” said TWB Artistic Director Septime Webre. “To be able to welcome Viengsay is personally very meaningful to me. I am proud that performing in Don Quixote will be her first solo performance in this country.”

TWB company member Rui Huang visits the character of Kitri, as well, dancing the role that won her a bronze medal at the 2009 World Ballet Competition in Orlando this summer. Company newcomer Brooklyn Mack and veterans Jonathan Jordan and Jared Nelson will dance the part of Basilio.

Anna-Marie Holmes’s production takes audiences on the fun and fanciful adventures of the eccentric Man of La Mancha, the antics of village barber Basilio, and the passions of Basilio’s beautiful young lover Kitri. This vibrant staging of the spirited 19th century classic, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa to music by Ludwig Minkus, is full of Spanish flair, passion, and comedy.

Ms. Holmes is an internationally-regarded ballerina, choreographer and repetituer. Known for her interpretations of the Russian classics, Ms. Holmes has produced or set such great works in Lisbon, Oslo, Helsinki, Antwerp, Naples, Florence, New York and Tokyo. Ms. Holmes joined Boston Ballet in 1985, and in 1997 was named artistic director and dean of faculty for the Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education. During her tenure, Ms. Holmes created new versions of many classic ballets, including Giselle, Don Quixote, La Bayadere, Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty. She has completed her 10th season as artistic director of the summer program at Jacob's Pillow in Massachusetts, and has taught summer schools in Washington, DC; Columbia, SC; Pittsburgh, PA; and Vancouver. In January and February 2010, she will be in Norway staging the shades from La Bayadere for the Oslo Ballet, will act as a judge for Youth America Grand Prix in the spring, and next fall she will be in Buenos Aires staging Le Corsaire for the Teatro Colon.

The following is a complete listing of Don Quixote performances:

Wednesday, October 14 at 8:00 pm*

Thursday, October 15 at 8:00 pm**

Friday, October 16 at 8:00 pm

Saturday, October 17 at 2:30pm and 8:00pm

Sunday, October 18 at 1:00pm and 5:30pm

*preview night

**opening night

ABOUT THE WASHINGTON BALLET

Press Release: TWB Wins DC Dance Awards!

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Washington, DC — The enthusiasm for dance was palpable in the packed house of the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater and among the hundreds of people who attended the Millennium Stage prelude performances at the 9th Annual Metro DC Dance Awards (The Awards) presented by Dance/MetroDC and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Last night’s “kick-off” dance social event of the season honored dance professionals from DC, Maryland, and Virginia for excellence in their field.

Dance/MetroDC Director Peter DiMuro referred to the evening as “other worldly,” and the illustrious cast for the ceremony included appearances by Martha Graham, a breathtaking performance choreographed by a 10-year-old, and a stage full of rowdy, bedazzled cowboys.

Brooke Kidd, Founder of World Arts Focus, Inc. and Executive Director of Joe’s Movement Emporium, received the prominent Alan M. Kriegsman Award for lifetime achievement, honoring her history of community and dance activism. Named for Pulitzer Prize winner and former Washington Post dance critic Alan “Mike” Kriegsman, the award was presented by Doug Yeuell, Executive Director of Joy of Motion Dance Center and winner of the 2008 Kriegsman Award.

Joining Kidd, were award winners in 15 categories ranging from Emerging Choreographer to Excellence in Costume Design. Also presented were the Pola Nirenska Awards for Contemporary Achievement to Gesel Mason co-founder and artistic director of Mason/Rhynes Productions and artistic director of Gesel Mason Performance Projects and for Lifetime Achievement to Virginia Johnson, founding member and newly-appointed artistic director of Dance Theatre of Harlem. A DC-native, Johnson’s poignant words of “dance is life, and life is beauty,” represents last night’s honorees’ commitment to the field.

This year’s ceremony, hosted by Frederick, MD native, Richard Move as Martha Graham, also featured performances by area dance companies Furia Flamenca, ARKA Ballet, Life, Rhythm, Move Project, and the DC Cowboys, fresh from their appearance last year on NBC’s America’s Got Talent.

The celebration continued at a reception and silent auction at 600 Restaurant at the Watergate where members and supporters of the DC metro area dance community toasted fellow winners and helped raise funds to support The Awards.

Winners of the 2009 Metro DC Dance Awards

Outstanding Individual Performance
Jason Garcia Ignacio in “Nocturne Monologue”
And Delphina Parenti in “On a Train Heading South”

Outstanding Group Performance
CityDance Ensemble in "Folksay”

Outstanding Youth Performance
Maryland Youth Ballet in "Tahquamenon Falls"
And Indian Dance Educators Association (IDEA) in “Katha: Tales From India”

Outstanding New Work
Dana Tai Soon Burgess for "Hyphen"

Emerging Performer or Group
Urban Artistry in "Time to Come Home: A Tribute"

Emerging Choreographer
Cassie Meador for "Drift"

Excellence in Costume Design
Estela Velez for "Lorca: Flamenco Poetry"

Excellence in Lighting Design
Jeff Bruckerhoff for Washington Ballet's "Wunderland"

Excellence in Sound Design/Original Composition
Guillermo Christie for “Lorca: Flamenco Poetry”

Excellence in Stage Design/Multimedia
Shane Meador for “Drift”

Overall Production – Small Venue
VT Dance for “Witness” at Dance Place

Overall Production – Large Venue
The Washington Ballet for "Highland Fling: La Sylphide & Celts" at Lisner Auditorium

Outstanding Achievement in Dance Education
Helen Hayes

Alan Kriegsman Award
Brooke Kidd

Founders Award
Next Reflex Dance Collective

Pola Nirenska Award for Contemporary Achievement
Gesel Mason

Pola Nirenska Award for Lifetime Achievement
Virginia Johnson

Metro DC Dance Awards is the only annual opportunity in Metropolitan DC for artists and audiences to recognize excellence in the dance field. Dance/MetroDC, a branch office of Dance/USA, the national service organization for professional dance, became the lead organization for MDCDA in 2006. Dance/MetroDC produces The Awards, along with other programs throughout the year that serve and engage the region’s dancers, dance entities and their audiences, including Dance Is The Answer, DancePass, and Forward Five. Visit www.dancemetrodc.org for more information.

Wonderland Commemorative Book

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Introducing our commemorative book, now available for purchase. Creative and Art Direction by Design Army. Photography by Cade Martin.

The Washington Ballet has seen a meteoric rise under the leadership of Artistic Director Septime Webre, with 2009 marking his 10th anniversary year. In recognition of this special date and in acknowledgment of all TWB has accomplished in the past decade, Design Army, and photographer Cade Martin have collaborated with the Ballet to create Wonderland, a commemorative book highlighting great works presented by the company. Wonderland also gives readers an intimate look at the TWB dancers, providing rare glimpses of life backstage, and hopefully, a better understanding of what it means to be a performing artist.

Wonderland is now available for $55, call 202.362.3606 or CLICK HERE
To learn more about Design Army, please visit designarmy.com.
To learn more about Cade Martin photography, please visit cademartin.com.

John Goding, 1958 – 2009

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Mr. Goding was named TWB Ballet Master in 1998 and went on to stage and rehearse many works in the Company's repertoire. A featured dancer with TWB in the 1970s through 1998, Mr. Goding performed with renowned dancers such as Amanda McKerrow in leading roles created for him by Choo-San Goh, TWB's first Artist-in-Residence. Mr. Goding originated roles in Birds of Paradise, In the Glow of the Night and Unknown Territory, as well as others in the classical and contemporary repertoire. He choreographed numerous works for the Company including Danzon, Mysteries and Rhapsody in Swing, all of which premiered at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Trained at the Woodbridge Ballet Arts School in Virginia and The Washington School of Ballet, he also studied at the School of American Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet School.

Mr. Goding's performances have been hailed for decades, with critics noting his expansive reach as a dancer, lauding everything from his partnering skills to his ability to bring to life some of the ballet world's most beloved character roles.

In recent years, Mr. Goding received acclaim from audiences and ballet students for his classic performances in roles such as "Mr. Drosselmeyer" in TWB Artistic Director Septime Webre's The Nutcracker and as Captain Hook in Mr. Webre's Peter Pan. He was especially thrilled to portray "Madge" in Sorella Englund and Tomas Lundt's staging of La Sylphide in February 2009 and had been eager to add the role of Don Quixote to his repertoire this fall.

"We are all stunned by the news of John's passing," said Mr. Webre. "John was more than a ballet master. He was a trusted friend and colleague who helped to shape almost every work performed by The Washington Ballet in the past three decades. The TWB family extends its deepest sympathies to John's family and mourns this loss deeply."

A memorial service is planned for September 20, 200- at the Kennedy Center; details are below. An email account, rememberingjgoding@washingtonballet.org, has been set up for those who wish to share memories of Mr. Goding. These thoughts will be collected and shared with his family.

Mr. Goding is survived by his partner of 30 years as well as his parents, siblings and numerous nieces and nephews. In his honor, The Washington Ballet has established The John Goding Memorial Fund in honor of Mr. Goding's contributions. Donations may be sent to The Washington Ballet, c/o the John Goding Memorial Fund, 3515 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016.

The Washington Ballet and
The Laurel Fund for the Performing Arts
invite you to a celebration honoring
the life and accomplishments of John Goding,
TWB’s beloved Ballet Master and friend.
September 20, 2009 at 2 PM
The Kennedy Center
Terrace Theater
RSVP with your full name and number of guests by September 16:
202.362.3606 x135 or rsvp@washingtonballet.org

*While this event is open to all, seating is limited and will be filled in the order in which RSVPs are received. Please note that those attending will need to arrive early to pick up their tickets at the check-in table prior to entering the theater

News & Media

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:00:00 GMT

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Press

THE WASHINGTON BALLET COLLABORATES WITH THE U.S. ARMY’S WOUNDED WARRIOR PROGRAM, VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS, AMERICAN LEGION AND MILITARY ORDER OF THE WORLD WARS TO HOST SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES AT THE NUTCRACKER ON DECEMBER 6

THE WASHINGTON BALLET PRESENTS DC’S ANNUAL HOLIDAY CELEBRATION THE NUTCRACKER

THE WASHINGTON BALLET PRESENTS DRACULA TWB mounts Michael Pink’s critically-acclaimed production based on Bram Stoker’s classic novel

THE WASHINGTON BALLET’S DRACULA SOIRÉE PRESENTED BY THE WOMEN’S COMMITTEE AND THE JETÉ SOCIETY, Event held October 5 at The National Museum of Women in the Arts

The Washington Ballet Announces 2012.2013 Company Roster

THE WASHINGTON SCHOOL OF BALLET’S ALBERT GORDON RECEIVES A 2012 PRINCESS GRACE AWARD

TWB COMPANY MEMBER BROOKLYN MACK WINS A GOLD MEDAL IN THE MEN’S SENIOR DIVISION AT THE 25TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL BALLET COMPETITION - VARNA

DC Youth from TWB @THEARC Debut New Dance Production

THE WOMEN’S COMMITTEE AND THE JETÉ SOCIETY OF THE WASHINGTON BALLET PRESENT THE 2ND ANNUAL BALLET SOIRÉE

THE WASHINGTON BALLET ANNOUNCES EXPANDED 2012.2013 SEASON: SEDUCTION

Casting Announced For WORLD PREMIERE of The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe At Imagination Stage June 20 – August 12, 2012

A Unique Collaboration With The Washington Ballet,

Including Company Member Morgann Rose As The White Witch

The Washington Ballet Announces Expanded 2012.2013 Season: SEDUCTION

The Washington Ballet Presents ¡Noche Latina!

The Washington Ballet's Season Ends with a Mixed Repertory Program that is a Celebration of Latin Music, Dance and Culture Program Features World Premiere Ballets by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Edwaard Liang and the Company Premiere of Trey McIntyre’s Like a Samba LEARN MORE

THE WASHINGTON BALLET PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF SEPTIME WEBRE’S ALICE (IN WONDERLAND)

CATCH A SNEAK PEEK OF ALICE (IN WONDERLAND) AT THE NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND.

Centennial Cherry Blossom Festival offers myriad of activity

The Washington Ballet's ALICE (in wonderland) Recognized as an Official Event of the 2012 National Cherry Blossom Festival

The Washington Ballet Dancers win Awards at CTIBC Tanzolymp 2012

The Washington Ballet and The Washington School of Ballet Dancers Win Numerous Awards at National and International Dance Competitions

READ MORE

Twyla Tharp keeps everyone on their toes in 'All American'

By Sarah Kaufman, Published: February 24

"Twyla Tharpe: All American" at Kennedy Center

"Twyla Tharp: All American" at Kennedy Center Wednesday, Feb. 22

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Announces A Gift From Adrienne Arsht

About Adrienne Arsht

My Washington

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Announces 2011.2012 Company Roster

New Company Members: Emily Ellis and Audra Johnson

Returning: Kara Cooper and Aurora Dickie

Promotions: Andile Ndlovu, Ayano Kimura and Amber Lewis

The Washington Ballet Complete Company Roster

Other Appointments

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Appoints Elaine Kudo as Ballet Master, Monique Meunier as Ballet Master of Trainee Program

A Test of Technique

South African ballet star wins silver medal in USA

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Announces Peter M. Branch as the Company's New Executive Director

Help Bridge the Gap

Washington Ballet's 'Rock & Roll' at the Harman

In The Wings: Sarah Walborn

TWB Press Release TWB PRESENTS ROCK & ROLL, FEBRUARY 16-20 AT SIDNEY HARMAN HALL

Local Ballet at its Best

TWB Media Alert: TWB RECEIVES FOUR METRODC DANCE AWARDS

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Nominated for 10 MetroDC Dance Awards

On White House Stage, Space Is Constrained; Imagination Is Not

At the White House, dancers get room to move in East Room events

Dance Day at the White House

White House sets dance series, Jamison tribute

White House to honor Judith Jamison, Alvin Ailey Dance's artistic director

White House to Host First Dance Event

Arts Brief, A New Mistress

Onstage Today

TWB Press Release: Company Member Maki Onuki Awarded Bronze Medal at International Ballet Competition

Asian Dancers Dominating Ballet Competition

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Names Monique Meunier Ballet Mistress

International ballet event draws dancers to Miss.

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Launches New Trainee Program in Fall 2010

Best Bets for Theater This Week

TWB Press Release: Presenting the 2009.2010 Season Closer, Genius3

In the News: TWB Rockin the Red!

TWB Press Release: Septime Webre Returns to the Stage for the First Time in 15 Years

A Dancers Tail

TWB Press Release: Punk Ballerina Karole Armitage Sets World Premiere on Washington Ballet for Bolero(+)

Maki Onuki: The Washington Ballet 's Lyrical Powerhouse

DC arts groups cautiously emerging from recession

Something Old Something New

Press Release: Dance is the Answer

TWB Press Release: TWB@THEARC Director Katrina Toews Honored by Bethel College

Septime Webre Betting Washington Ballet's 'Gatsby' Resonates in Recession Times

WAM: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Rosalind Lacy

The Color of Dance

Mary Day: Grande Dame of Dance in Our Nation’s Capital

TWB Press Release: The Washington Ballet Kicks Off the New Year with Special Collaborations

Wonderland: The Washington Ballet Book

Heavy Lifting

The Nutcracker Dances its Way Through the District

The Washington Ballet's Season Ends with a Mixed Repertory Program that is a Celebration of Latin Music, Dance and Culture

Program Features World Premiere Ballets by

Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Edwaard Liang and the Company Premiere of Trey McIntyre’s Like a Samba LEARN MORE