Friday, December 11, 2009
Hope for the Holidays
What an amazing event last night! I love sharing the magic of the Nutcracker and the holiday season with such grateful children and adults who, for some reason or another, don't have the same advantages most of us do in life. Tulsa Ballet partners with social service agencies like Youth and Family Services, Mental Health Association, Tulsa CARES, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Tulsa Boys Home,and many others to provide an unforgetable experience for clients of the agencies. Giving this gift to 2,000 individuals every year is something that we all look forward to. It truly is better to give than to receive.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Nutcracker: Behind the Curtain
When Marcello Angelini created a new version of the most well-known ballet in the country, many thought he was crazy. Sometimes, people get comfortable with tradition and change is unwelcome. If you ask me, those people haven't seen Marcello's The Nutcracker. Stunning sets and costumes compliment the complex and exciting choreography. The children actually dance (!) and one can witness the pure classical talent of the entire company, down to the corps and apprentices. As I've said before, I'm not a dancer, and I don't know a Frappe from a Cappucino, but I have seen a lot of ballet, and I know when I'm watching good dance and when I'm not. This version premiered in December 2002, and since then, ticket sales have climbed each year, even when the Rockettes and Cirque du Soliel visited in the same month!
A couple of years ago, we made this documentary, which aired on OETA and on Channel 6, about the making of The Nutcracker. Enjoy! And I hope to see you at the theater!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
A couple of years ago, we made this documentary, which aired on OETA and on Channel 6, about the making of The Nutcracker. Enjoy! And I hope to see you at the theater!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Monday, November 30, 2009
An evening with Edwaard Liang
Edwaard Liang had only been in our studios for several hours when we invited a few of our supporters to observe him creating a new ballet on Tulsa Ballet dancers. He was working on a pas de deux, with 5 couples learning the parts. We watched for nearly an hour as he listened to the music, worked out the choreography in his mind, and then had the dancers perform it. Here are a couple of stills from the video I shot:
It was really fascinating to hear how Edwaard came to be a part of this season's evening of creations, to be preseted in April, and how he creates the ballet for the dancers who will perform. Although Edwaard says his ballets tend to be classically inspired, in keeping with the theme for the evening, Pop Culture, he has chosen a beautiful song by Rufus Wainwright.
I can't wait to see the full ballet in spring.
It was really fascinating to hear how Edwaard came to be a part of this season's evening of creations, to be preseted in April, and how he creates the ballet for the dancers who will perform. Although Edwaard says his ballets tend to be classically inspired, in keeping with the theme for the evening, Pop Culture, he has chosen a beautiful song by Rufus Wainwright.
I can't wait to see the full ballet in spring.
Monday, November 23, 2009
What do Desperate Housewives, Facebook and Chase have in common-- in order to help non profit organizations across the country?
I just found out about this interesting collaboration between Facebook and Chase and thought it might be worth passing along . I am encouraging all of our TB fans to join me in voting for Tulsa Ballet!
Chase and Facebook Launch Innovative Giving Program for Small and Local Charities
For the first time ever, Facebook®: users will be able to choose from more than 500,000 small and local charities to decide which community organizations they want to receive donations totaling millions of dollars from a corporate philanthropy fund. Chase and Facebook today announced the launch of Chase Community Giving: You Decide What Matters, a grassroots campaign to inspire a new way of corporate philanthropy.
Chase and Facebook Launch Innovative Giving Program for Small and Local Charities
For the first time ever, Facebook®: users will be able to choose from more than 500,000 small and local charities to decide which community organizations they want to receive donations totaling millions of dollars from a corporate philanthropy fund. Chase and Facebook today announced the launch of Chase Community Giving: You Decide What Matters, a grassroots campaign to inspire a new way of corporate philanthropy.
Chase is enlisting Facebook users to vote for which small and local non profits will receive donations totaling $5 million. The eligible charity receiving the most votes will be awarded $1 million, the top five runners-up will receive $100,000 each and the 100 finalists, including the top winners, will be awarded $25,000 each.
Additionally, a special Advisory Board featuring members who are active in philanthropy, including actress Eva Longoria,(of Desperate Housewives fame) Do Something founder Nancy Lublin and NBA Hall of Famer David Robinson, will allocate a total of $1 million to the nominated charities of its choice.
In Round One of the Chase Community Giving program, Facebook users will vote for non-profit organizations they think should receive a portion of Chase's philanthropy funds. Facebook users will be able to nominate non profits that serve the general public in the following areas: education, healthcare, housing, the environment, combating hunger, arts and culture, human services and animal welfare. On December 15, the top 100 qualified vote-getters will be announced to receive $25,000 each, and will move on to the next round.
In Round Two, the top 100 organizations will have the option to submit a Million Dollar Grant proposal to Facebook users, detailing the difference they would make in their local community with the significant extra resources. Facebook users will vote starting January 15, and on February 1, the qualified organization receiving the most votes will be announced as the winner of a Million Dollar Grant from Chase. The next five organizations with the most votes will receive $100,000 each. Additionally, the Advisory Board will donate $1 million to the nominated charities of its choice.
For more information and program requirements, visit http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving.
Join me in voting for Tulsa Ballet!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Tulsa Ballet Supports the Salvation Army This Holiday Season
While the holiday season is usually all about The Nutcracker around here, Tulsa Ballet also finds ways to give back to our community during this special time. This year, the company is partnering with the Salvation Army to bring holiday cheer to Tulsans in need.
Tulsa Ballet Toy Drive: Bring a new, unwrapped toy to Tulsa Ballet's Brookside facility now through December 10 and receive a "Ballet Buck," good towards all holiday and ballet merchandise in our store.
Red Kettle: Join us at the PAC before performances of The Nutcracker on December 17-20, step up to the big Red Kettle and donate your spare change to help those in need.
We thank you for helping us partner with the Salvation Army!
Tulsa Ballet Toy Drive: Bring a new, unwrapped toy to Tulsa Ballet's Brookside facility now through December 10 and receive a "Ballet Buck," good towards all holiday and ballet merchandise in our store.
Red Kettle: Join us at the PAC before performances of The Nutcracker on December 17-20, step up to the big Red Kettle and donate your spare change to help those in need.
We thank you for helping us partner with the Salvation Army!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Experience the fun part of rehearsal process, Tulsa Ballet
Tulsa Ballet dancer Ricardo Graziano is practicing a solo from Nacho Duato's Gnawa in Tulsa Ballet 2008-2009 season.
Many people are wondering what dancers have to do during the rehearsal process. Well, of course we have to get all the steps correct, musicality correct, stage formations correct, feelings and motions correct, but sometime we also have fun! As you can see in the video, dancers really enjoyed watching Ricardo's hip move in Brazilian style!
There are much fun more than you can imagine, so whenever you get a chance, get arranged to come to see us!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Part-Time Pianists Wanted!
Who: Pianists wanting to explore the world of ballet and dance accompaniment. Applicants must have 5 years piano experience, preferably in the classical study.
What: Providing accompaniment for pre-professional ballet classes at Tulsa Ballet Center for Dance Education. No ballet accompaniment experience necessary, training will be provided.
When: Weekday afternoons and evenings and Saturday mornings. Hours are flexible and great for college students and teachers.
Where: Tulsa Ballet, 1212 E. 45th Pl. Tulsa OK 74105
Contact: Andrew Lahti at 918.749.6030 ext. 266 or andrew.lahti@tulsaballet.org
What: Providing accompaniment for pre-professional ballet classes at Tulsa Ballet Center for Dance Education. No ballet accompaniment experience necessary, training will be provided.
When: Weekday afternoons and evenings and Saturday mornings. Hours are flexible and great for college students and teachers.
Where: Tulsa Ballet, 1212 E. 45th Pl. Tulsa OK 74105
Contact: Andrew Lahti at 918.749.6030 ext. 266 or andrew.lahti@tulsaballet.org
Arts Advocacy (and breakfast) in Tulsa
On Thursday morning, the CEO of The United States' leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America, Americans for the Arts, had breakfast in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Robert Lynch was in town for the induction of Ken Ferguson into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. Ken Ferguson is a banker from Altus, OK who has become a huge supporter and advocate for the arts in Oklahoma. Mr. Ferguson serves as the national treasurer for Americans for the Arts.
Most of us are no strangers to the importance of arts advocacy in today's society, especially in today's economic climate. As most non-profit organizations struggle to receive funding from the corporate and government sector, it becomes more important than ever for us to carry the torch for the arts and the need for its support on all levels. I was fortunate enough to join Mr. Lynch and Ken Ferguson for breakfast (downtown at the Chalkboard Restaurant) along with seven other advocates for the arts in Tulsa, OK: Rich Fisher (from Public Radio Tulsa), Linda Frazier (representing Tulsa Symphony Orchestra), James Watts (from the Tulsa World), Elizabeth Geer (representing Tulsa Opera) , Edith Wilson and Ken Busby (representing the Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa) along with one of Tulsa's biggest arts advocates, Nancy Feldman.
After we had all been seated for just a few minutes, Ken Busby returned to our table with Tulsa's new mayor elect, Dewey Bartlett Jr, who was also having breakfast at the restaurant. Of course, as any politician would do with a captive audience, Mr. Bartlett proclaimed the importance of the arts in Tulsa and said that he is looking forward to serving the community, etc. At one point, Ken Ferguson told Mr. Bartlett that we would love to see him go down in history as the mayor that did the most for the arts in Tulsa. Indeed, we would all love for that to be the case and wish him the best.
Perhaps the most interesting thing that we all learned from hearing Mr. Lynch speak about his work in arts advocacy was that it only takes a few emails to sway your local congressman's decision on a particular topic that might be facing a vote. The revealing number was 10! It only takes 10 emails from constituents to be considered a landslide victory for influencing a particular vote. That is not to say that it happens every time, but more often than not a congressman will be influenced by as little as 10 emails when faced with a decision. For basically all of us at the table, that was a huge revelation! Just think about how many arts supporters we have amongst us with regard to board members, staff members, volunteers and patrons. If each of use were to just take 2 minutes to send a note to our representatives when key issues involving the arts are being brought to the floor, we could become a major force with seeing increased support for the arts and arts education- which are vital to our future as Americans--and especially Oklahomans.
Let's All Get Involved
Encourage your friends, colleagues and fellow board members to join the Arts Advocacy Fund through Americans for the Arts. Membership is FREE and it gives you access to all kinds of easy tools to communicate with our national and local legislators as well as the media. Also, lots of helpful information and statistics about the cultural and economic benefits of having a vibrant arts community.
So, as each of us learned the other morning, it's very easy to make a difference. 2 minutes is all it takes to ensure that our voice is heard and that arts will continue to thrive in Tulsa, making it one of the best places in the world to live, work, play and raise a family. Don't you think Tulsa deserves the very best?
Most of us are no strangers to the importance of arts advocacy in today's society, especially in today's economic climate. As most non-profit organizations struggle to receive funding from the corporate and government sector, it becomes more important than ever for us to carry the torch for the arts and the need for its support on all levels. I was fortunate enough to join Mr. Lynch and Ken Ferguson for breakfast (downtown at the Chalkboard Restaurant) along with seven other advocates for the arts in Tulsa, OK: Rich Fisher (from Public Radio Tulsa), Linda Frazier (representing Tulsa Symphony Orchestra), James Watts (from the Tulsa World), Elizabeth Geer (representing Tulsa Opera) , Edith Wilson and Ken Busby (representing the Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa) along with one of Tulsa's biggest arts advocates, Nancy Feldman.
After we had all been seated for just a few minutes, Ken Busby returned to our table with Tulsa's new mayor elect, Dewey Bartlett Jr, who was also having breakfast at the restaurant. Of course, as any politician would do with a captive audience, Mr. Bartlett proclaimed the importance of the arts in Tulsa and said that he is looking forward to serving the community, etc. At one point, Ken Ferguson told Mr. Bartlett that we would love to see him go down in history as the mayor that did the most for the arts in Tulsa. Indeed, we would all love for that to be the case and wish him the best.
Perhaps the most interesting thing that we all learned from hearing Mr. Lynch speak about his work in arts advocacy was that it only takes a few emails to sway your local congressman's decision on a particular topic that might be facing a vote. The revealing number was 10! It only takes 10 emails from constituents to be considered a landslide victory for influencing a particular vote. That is not to say that it happens every time, but more often than not a congressman will be influenced by as little as 10 emails when faced with a decision. For basically all of us at the table, that was a huge revelation! Just think about how many arts supporters we have amongst us with regard to board members, staff members, volunteers and patrons. If each of use were to just take 2 minutes to send a note to our representatives when key issues involving the arts are being brought to the floor, we could become a major force with seeing increased support for the arts and arts education- which are vital to our future as Americans--and especially Oklahomans.
Let's All Get Involved
Encourage your friends, colleagues and fellow board members to join the Arts Advocacy Fund through Americans for the Arts. Membership is FREE and it gives you access to all kinds of easy tools to communicate with our national and local legislators as well as the media. Also, lots of helpful information and statistics about the cultural and economic benefits of having a vibrant arts community.
So, as each of us learned the other morning, it's very easy to make a difference. 2 minutes is all it takes to ensure that our voice is heard and that arts will continue to thrive in Tulsa, making it one of the best places in the world to live, work, play and raise a family. Don't you think Tulsa deserves the very best?
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The verdict is in..... this year’s Tulsa Ballet Winter Celebration Gala
will be more FUN than its inaugural performance last year.
We have a rich menu of works that will include the Oklahoma premiere of Ma Cong’s Luscious, a work that you will only be able to see at Winter Celebration. Ma created this work for Ballet Iowa last season and is happy to share it with his audience here in Tulsa. We’ll have an excerpt from Dracula, of course revisited…and a competition that the audience will be judging. We’ll have a short preview of the new Edwaard Liang work that will see its World Premiere in April in Studio K and, of course the Snow Scene from The Nutty Nutcracker. And, we also hear that two of our Principal male dancers will debut as choreographers. Alfonso and Yi have joined forces to create their first-ever short ballet. Don’t tell Ma Cong, but he is the star. We hear the music might include the theme from the movie Rocky among others, that there is some weight-lifting included in the “World Premiere” and that the title of the work might be Revenge!
What is all this about???? Join us December 3 at 7 pm and find out!
Performance tickets are limited and selling quickly. If you haven’t done so yet, call Carrie in our box office and reserve your tickets to an evening of great fun, remarkable entertainment and phenomenal dancing!
will be more FUN than its inaugural performance last year.
We have a rich menu of works that will include the Oklahoma premiere of Ma Cong’s Luscious, a work that you will only be able to see at Winter Celebration. Ma created this work for Ballet Iowa last season and is happy to share it with his audience here in Tulsa. We’ll have an excerpt from Dracula, of course revisited…and a competition that the audience will be judging. We’ll have a short preview of the new Edwaard Liang work that will see its World Premiere in April in Studio K and, of course the Snow Scene from The Nutty Nutcracker. And, we also hear that two of our Principal male dancers will debut as choreographers. Alfonso and Yi have joined forces to create their first-ever short ballet. Don’t tell Ma Cong, but he is the star. We hear the music might include the theme from the movie Rocky among others, that there is some weight-lifting included in the “World Premiere” and that the title of the work might be Revenge!
What is all this about???? Join us December 3 at 7 pm and find out!
Performance tickets are limited and selling quickly. If you haven’t done so yet, call Carrie in our box office and reserve your tickets to an evening of great fun, remarkable entertainment and phenomenal dancing!
Team work!
Dear Tulsa Ballet Friends,
Our next production "Winter Celebration" is on its way, we started working on it last week. It's going to be a very exciting team work, you will experience everything you would like to see, it will be a fun, enjoyable, exciting evening! We hope you come and join us for this special event!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Tulsa Ballet receives Community Collaboration Award from the Mental Health Association in Tulsa
On Thursday evening, November 5, I had the honor of attending the Mental Health Association in Tulsa's 2009 Annual Awards Celebration along with Tulsa Ballet's current board President, Jackie Kouri. The event was held at the Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital Conference Center in Tulsa. Tulsa Ballet was one of 25 recipients who were honored with the Community Collaboration Award, given to local organizations that partner with the Mental Health Assoc. on a regular basis to help fulfill its mission of: promoting mental health, preventing mental disorders and achieving victory over mental illnesses through advocacy, education, research, service and housing. Tulsa Ballet works with the Mental Association through our Hope For the Holidays program and Partners in Art.
In case you aren't familiar with these programs, Hope For the Holidays is an annual event that provides complimentary tickets to over 2,000 social service clients, allowing them the chance to experience Tulsa Ballet's annual production of The Nutcracker. It's an evening in which over 40 community agencies are able to experience the magic of the holidays through the arts, thanks to the support of several local sponsors and individuals. The Mental Health Association in Tulsa is one of the groups that regularly attends. The other program that Tulsa Ballet offers, Partners in Art, allows area social service clients the opportunity to watch the final dress rehearsal of a Tulsa Ballet production at no cost, thanks again to the support of local foundations, corporations and individuals.
Thank you to the Mental Health Association in Tulsa for recognizing Tulsa Ballet as one of your community partners. We are honored to receive one of the 2009 Community Collaboration Awards.
In case you aren't familiar with these programs, Hope For the Holidays is an annual event that provides complimentary tickets to over 2,000 social service clients, allowing them the chance to experience Tulsa Ballet's annual production of The Nutcracker. It's an evening in which over 40 community agencies are able to experience the magic of the holidays through the arts, thanks to the support of several local sponsors and individuals. The Mental Health Association in Tulsa is one of the groups that regularly attends. The other program that Tulsa Ballet offers, Partners in Art, allows area social service clients the opportunity to watch the final dress rehearsal of a Tulsa Ballet production at no cost, thanks again to the support of local foundations, corporations and individuals.
Thank you to the Mental Health Association in Tulsa for recognizing Tulsa Ballet as one of your community partners. We are honored to receive one of the 2009 Community Collaboration Awards.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Where in the World is Ma Cong?
You may have noticed Ma Cong was suspiciously absent from all seven performances of Dracula. His absence had some worried that he had left Tulsa! Never fear, loyal fans, our Ma is back in the studios this week preparing for The Nutcracker and Winter Celebration. He spent the last month setting a new ballet on Houston Ballet II. A few years ago, Dance Magazine named Ma one of 25 to watch – and boy were they right. His career as a choreographer has really taken off. So now, in addition to flying across the country (and beyond) to guest as a dancer, he has a full schedule of choreographing and setting works on other companies as well. I’m not going to go into his resume (you can read it here), but I will direct you to Ma’s YouTube channel where he posts video of many of his creations.
Ma’s local fans won’t need to wait long to see some of his new work, either. The company will perform three different Ma Cong ballets this season – Carmina Burana, first performed by Tulsa Ballet in 2006; a brand new creation to be set on Tulsa Ballet this season, which will premiere at Studio K in April as part of the Pop Culture series; and Luscious, a new piece he has set on another company this year, to be performed exclusively at Winter Celebration on December 3, 2009.
Houston Ballet recently sent out an email highlighting Ma’s visit:
Spring Showcase Features Ma Cong Work
Rising and gifted young choreographer Ma Cong, a principal dancer and resident choreographer with Tulsa Ballet, arrived last week at Houston Ballet and began working with Houston Ballet II to create a new work that will be performed at the Academy Spring Showcase, April 16-17, 2010.
“I’m glad to have the chance to work with and create with this talented young generation. I’m impressed by the dancers of Houston Ballet II. Their experience is evident and they have great physicality. It’s been a wonderful time working with them,” said Cong.
For the piece, the name of which is still under wraps, Cong was inspired by both the life and music of Goran Bregovic. The piece will feature six dancers, performing to the music of Bregovic and Kroke. The dance takes on a gypsy flavor with high energy and playful yet modern movement.
Congrats, Ma! We’re glad to have you back!
Ma’s local fans won’t need to wait long to see some of his new work, either. The company will perform three different Ma Cong ballets this season – Carmina Burana, first performed by Tulsa Ballet in 2006; a brand new creation to be set on Tulsa Ballet this season, which will premiere at Studio K in April as part of the Pop Culture series; and Luscious, a new piece he has set on another company this year, to be performed exclusively at Winter Celebration on December 3, 2009.
Houston Ballet recently sent out an email highlighting Ma’s visit:
Spring Showcase Features Ma Cong Work
Rising and gifted young choreographer Ma Cong, a principal dancer and resident choreographer with Tulsa Ballet, arrived last week at Houston Ballet and began working with Houston Ballet II to create a new work that will be performed at the Academy Spring Showcase, April 16-17, 2010.
“I’m glad to have the chance to work with and create with this talented young generation. I’m impressed by the dancers of Houston Ballet II. Their experience is evident and they have great physicality. It’s been a wonderful time working with them,” said Cong.
For the piece, the name of which is still under wraps, Cong was inspired by both the life and music of Goran Bregovic. The piece will feature six dancers, performing to the music of Bregovic and Kroke. The dance takes on a gypsy flavor with high energy and playful yet modern movement.
Congrats, Ma! We’re glad to have you back!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Founders Society Preview
Last night was a fabulous first Founders Society Preview of the year. The weather was just right to bring out our fall clothes, the champagne was flowing, and there was drama on the stage for the rehearsal preview. I filmed this video on a Flip camera from the side of the theater so the footage isn’t great, but it does capture a little of the drama. Can’t wait to see this fabulous dancing with full costumes, scenery and effects.
Dracula Photos
Next week the company will be in Oklahoma City to perform the state premiere of Ben Stevenson's Dracula - and we'll be in Tulsa for Halloween weekend.
If you haven’t seen Ma Cong’s photos of rehearsals – you MUST check them out on Tulsa Ballet’s FaceBook page. (the link is on the right side of this page) He has so many talents! And what a sweetheart. They are all beautiful, but are a couple of my favorites.
Everything is beautiful at the Ballet!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Tulsa Ballet Asks: Why do we Love Vampires?
Several exciting things happened around Tulsa Ballet last week: Choreographer Ben Stevenson arrived in the studios to begin setting his Dracula on the company, and tickets for the production went on sale to the public. After two short days, the company had sold 3,415 tickets, clearly making a statement that Oklahomans are ready to see dancing vampires take the stage at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center and the Oklahoma Civic Center Music Hall!
So, what is it about vampires that sets our hearts racing and has Oklahomans in a frenzy over the state premiere of this ballet? A common thread in current vampire culture is sex appeal. Stephanie Meyer's best-selling Twilight series features the handsome, brooding Edward Cullen, while HBO's TrueBlood boasts a slew of breath-taking hunks played by actors Stephen Moyer and Alexander Skarsgard.
If Oklahomans are looking for sex appeal in Tulsa Ballet's production of Dracula, they certainly won't be disappointed! Principal dancer Alfonso Martin was seen lurking through the halls of Tulsa Ballet last week in full costume as Count Dracula, and we think he makes those other guys pale in comparison... sorry, we couldn't resist the pun!
But Ben Stevenson's Dracula has more than just sex appeal. It has dramatic pas de deaux, a dark and moody ambiance and sinister music arranged by Franz Liszt. It was described as a "spectacle of an order ballet audiences seldom see today" by the New York Times. And last week, Artistic Director Marcello Angelini told the Board of Directors at their annual retreat that after watching the dancers in rehearsals, he knew that this ballet was a true blockbuster.
So, take your cue from the other Oklahomans who've already bought their tickets to Dracula and visit this website. Tulsa Ballet performs Dracula at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City on October 24-25 and at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center on October 29-November 1st. Hurry, before it's too late to get your own fix of vampire love!
So, what is it about vampires that sets our hearts racing and has Oklahomans in a frenzy over the state premiere of this ballet? A common thread in current vampire culture is sex appeal. Stephanie Meyer's best-selling Twilight series features the handsome, brooding Edward Cullen, while HBO's TrueBlood boasts a slew of breath-taking hunks played by actors Stephen Moyer and Alexander Skarsgard.
If Oklahomans are looking for sex appeal in Tulsa Ballet's production of Dracula, they certainly won't be disappointed! Principal dancer Alfonso Martin was seen lurking through the halls of Tulsa Ballet last week in full costume as Count Dracula, and we think he makes those other guys pale in comparison... sorry, we couldn't resist the pun!
But Ben Stevenson's Dracula has more than just sex appeal. It has dramatic pas de deaux, a dark and moody ambiance and sinister music arranged by Franz Liszt. It was described as a "spectacle of an order ballet audiences seldom see today" by the New York Times. And last week, Artistic Director Marcello Angelini told the Board of Directors at their annual retreat that after watching the dancers in rehearsals, he knew that this ballet was a true blockbuster.
So, take your cue from the other Oklahomans who've already bought their tickets to Dracula and visit this website. Tulsa Ballet performs Dracula at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City on October 24-25 and at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center on October 29-November 1st. Hurry, before it's too late to get your own fix of vampire love!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Barre Society Kicks Off the 2009/10 Season
photos: Jessica C. FloresThe Barre Society Happy Hour and Preview on August 27 was a huge success! The Barre Society is a membership group for ballet supporters 40 & under (find out more here) and the group is beginning its 4th year. While it started very small, the growth and interest in the Barre Society has been very exciting! After observing a working rehearsal of a contemporary ballet called Maninyas, our guests visited with the dancers and signed up to join the Barre Society. Members were entered into a drawing for some seriously cool prizes from Ihloff Salon, SkinMedic, Aberson’s, Carbon, The Yoga Room, Sideways, Ribbons and, of course, Tulsa Ballet. Guests on the 27th enjoyed wine and cheese, sponsored by Whole Foods. Thanks to all who made this a great evening!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Behind the Scenes in New York
Take a behind the scenes look at one of our performances of Elite Syncopations at The Joyce!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Interesting Video (in any language!)
Jessica Hudgens found this fab video about one of our dancers, Mugen Kazama, online. Even though we know zero Japanese, it's fascinating in any language!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Spoiler Alert: A non-dancer review of last night's performance
Wow. Last night’s show was A.Ma.Zing. The dancers have only been back in the studios for 2 weeks, and in that time they perfected three incredibly difficult, dramatically different and intensely beautiful ballets. I’m sure the fact that we had a packed house at Studio K didn’t hurt – the dancers can feel the energy from the audience, the audience can feel the energy from the dancers, and each act becomes an unspoken conversation. At the reception on stage after the final ballet, Fleming’s unveiled the drink they created for us to be served at the opening night at The Joyce. It is a delicious concoction called the Tulsa Platinum, topped with fresh strawberries and champagne. Mmmmm. At these receptions, I usually like to tell each dancer which part they performed that evening that I particularly enjoyed. This can be difficult when a dancer has several scenes that are so moving, but I really try to pick just one. The entire company was so on, though, that I found my eyes watching the entire scene rather than focusing on one dancer. But of course, a few special parts come to mind…..
In Elite Syncopations, the entire company is on stage, wearing the wildest costumes, dancing light-heartedly to Scott Joplin music. The first thing I notice is how incredibly long Yi’s legs look in those vertical stripes. His kicks, jumps, leaps (civilian lingo – I’m not a dancer) are breathtaking. I wait for him to lose control of his body during those turns, but he never does. And although it was just for a brief moment, I always enjoy his partnering with Ashley. I think their lines compliment each other beautifully.
Nacho Duato’s Por Vos Muero may be my favorite ballet ever. The music is enchanting, spellbinding. Each vignette moves between tragic, celebratory, sad, and playful. The emotion the dancers express is powerful. In this piece, my favorite part is the duet of Ma and Ricardo. These two dancers have the ability to mirror each other in timing and movement in a unique way, and both have such incredible stage presence that the “story” of the pas is easy to read.
Young Soon Hue created This is Your Life for Tulsa Ballet in 2008. It was an audience favorite then, but I think last night was the best I’ve seen it. Mugen charmed the audience, as usual, with his charm, good looks, and powerful dance technique. Soo Youn is back after recovering from knee surgery, and she and Mugen together have such presence and chemistry, as well as pure classical talent. Kate, Yi and Beatrice performed a pas de trois that nearly brought tears to my eyes. The passion, anger and sadness of a broken heart are revealed in evocative choreography, as well as the raw emotion in Kate’s expression and movement. Ricardo stole the show with his campy “Sunshine”, which brought hearty laughter from the audience, but he also showcased his strength and flexibility in solos as well as combinations with both men and women. He is a very talented and versatile dancer and performer – hard to believe he was also a brazen Curly in Oklahoma Suite. And of course, Karina and Alfonso were stunning in a poignant pas de duex. Karina. I could watch her dance all day. But it’s not just her graceful movement, her amazing extensions or perfect proportions. She has really developed such a commanding stage presence that even when she is standing still you can’t take your eyes off her. She and Alfonso know each other so well that their partnering is very natural – never awkward, always elegant.
The choice of repertoire is genius, but if anything is (only slightly) disappointing, it is that some of the company members I most enjoy watching do not perform roles that showcase their talent. In particular, I would like to see Alberto in a more featured role. Not only is he incredibly good looking, and very gifted, but he also projects a passion from the stage that you can read in his movement in the very back row. Rupert had a nice duet with Kate, but I love to watch him in solo work – like his powerful role in Ramonsos.
In Elite Syncopations, the entire company is on stage, wearing the wildest costumes, dancing light-heartedly to Scott Joplin music. The first thing I notice is how incredibly long Yi’s legs look in those vertical stripes. His kicks, jumps, leaps (civilian lingo – I’m not a dancer) are breathtaking. I wait for him to lose control of his body during those turns, but he never does. And although it was just for a brief moment, I always enjoy his partnering with Ashley. I think their lines compliment each other beautifully.
Nacho Duato’s Por Vos Muero may be my favorite ballet ever. The music is enchanting, spellbinding. Each vignette moves between tragic, celebratory, sad, and playful. The emotion the dancers express is powerful. In this piece, my favorite part is the duet of Ma and Ricardo. These two dancers have the ability to mirror each other in timing and movement in a unique way, and both have such incredible stage presence that the “story” of the pas is easy to read.
Young Soon Hue created This is Your Life for Tulsa Ballet in 2008. It was an audience favorite then, but I think last night was the best I’ve seen it. Mugen charmed the audience, as usual, with his charm, good looks, and powerful dance technique. Soo Youn is back after recovering from knee surgery, and she and Mugen together have such presence and chemistry, as well as pure classical talent. Kate, Yi and Beatrice performed a pas de trois that nearly brought tears to my eyes. The passion, anger and sadness of a broken heart are revealed in evocative choreography, as well as the raw emotion in Kate’s expression and movement. Ricardo stole the show with his campy “Sunshine”, which brought hearty laughter from the audience, but he also showcased his strength and flexibility in solos as well as combinations with both men and women. He is a very talented and versatile dancer and performer – hard to believe he was also a brazen Curly in Oklahoma Suite. And of course, Karina and Alfonso were stunning in a poignant pas de duex. Karina. I could watch her dance all day. But it’s not just her graceful movement, her amazing extensions or perfect proportions. She has really developed such a commanding stage presence that even when she is standing still you can’t take your eyes off her. She and Alfonso know each other so well that their partnering is very natural – never awkward, always elegant.
The choice of repertoire is genius, but if anything is (only slightly) disappointing, it is that some of the company members I most enjoy watching do not perform roles that showcase their talent. In particular, I would like to see Alberto in a more featured role. Not only is he incredibly good looking, and very gifted, but he also projects a passion from the stage that you can read in his movement in the very back row. Rupert had a nice duet with Kate, but I love to watch him in solo work – like his powerful role in Ramonsos.
In all, this is an evening that will not be forgotten - that will forever alter the opinions of the New York dance critics and theater goers - that will represent the culture of Tulsa and Oklahoma for the entire world to see.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Spotted on the Streets of New York!
West 33rd between 10th and 11th Avenues. Thanks to my friend Anne, the production manager of the Martha Graham Dance Company, for spotting it!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tulsa Ballet in OKC
Hi there, friends and fans of Tulsa Ballet! My name is Deborah Baucom, and I'm the Development Officer for Tulsa Ballet in Oklahoma City.
Tulsa Ballet has an office in Oklahoma City? Why, yes we do!
In 2007, Governor Brad Henry declared Tulsa Ballet an official Cultural Ambassador for the state of Oklahoma. That means our company represents the Sooner State wherever we go, including New York and Washington D.C. this year. It's only logical, then, that we would perform in our state's capital too! This year, we'll be performing Dracula and The Sleeping Beauty at the Civic Center Music Hall.
Governor Brad Henry and First Lady Kim Henry will be making the trip to New York with the company in less than two weeks. All of Tulsa Ballet's fans in OKC are thrilled and excited for our premiere at The Joyce!
Tulsa Ballet has an office in Oklahoma City? Why, yes we do!
In 2007, Governor Brad Henry declared Tulsa Ballet an official Cultural Ambassador for the state of Oklahoma. That means our company represents the Sooner State wherever we go, including New York and Washington D.C. this year. It's only logical, then, that we would perform in our state's capital too! This year, we'll be performing Dracula and The Sleeping Beauty at the Civic Center Music Hall.
Governor Brad Henry and First Lady Kim Henry will be making the trip to New York with the company in less than two weeks. All of Tulsa Ballet's fans in OKC are thrilled and excited for our premiere at The Joyce!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
NEW YORK CITY FEVER IS HITTING TULSA BALLET!!!
Hello Tulsa Ballet Fans and Family:
Jessica Flores here, Tulsa Ballet's production/stage manager. I just returned from New York, preparing scenery for Por Vos Muero for our New York City performances. I got to test out the hotel our company will be staying in and deal with the reality and fun of renting scenery from European companies then wait for customs clearance!!! (I digress.)
As you may know, Tulsa Ballet has been invited to perform at the prestigious Joyce Theater in New York City. The Joyce is one of the preeminent dance venues in the United States. Located in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood on 8th Avenue between West 18th and 19th Streets, The Joyce has been host to a variety of tremendously fierce and amazing dance companies. The Joyce Theater doesn't "just" present dance in it's Chelsea and Joyce SoHo venues, they also commission new work, subsidize company performances, develop and engage oft-unrecognized and under-radar artists and companies, and continue to promote their mission of dance education within the New York community, as well as the broader realm of national and international audiences. Tulsa Ballet is honored to join their ranks for our first New York City performances in 25 years!
What makes The Joyce unique is it's intimate environment and atmosphere catering specifically to dance. With less than 500 seats, limited fly space, hard legs and stage depth (ok - techie talk) Tulsa audiences will immediately recognize the physical space similarities of The Joyce Theater to our own Studio K / K-Hall at the Tulsa Ballet Studios! What you'll also notice, like K-Hall, at The Joyce you're intimately connected with the dancers: so close, you can hear them breathe, see them sweat (ew), and feel the depth of emotion and movement that each dance, that each dancer, that each note, or breath, or step, evokes. If you're not a dance fan after seeing a show at The Joyce, someone has done something wrong.
The excitement around the Tulsa Ballet office and studios is palpable. The company just began rehearsals last week, and between new staffers, new dancers, and a talented corps of existing dancers, staff members, and board members - everyone is thrilled to begin the 2009-2010 season in New York City.
The other day I was doing a Google map street view of The Joyce Theater with one of our ballet mistresses, Susan Frei, and we discovered that the 360 street view photo was taken when I was actually inside The Joyce!
View Larger Map
Personally, this is my fourth opportunity to work at The Joyce; my last residency was in September 2007, when the Google 360 car passed by, I was the production stage manager for The Martha Graham Dance Company's 80th Anniversary performance series. My previous stops were during the summer seasons of '99 and '02 with my old company: Oregon Ballet Theatre.
Back here in Tulsa, the Company is hard at work preparing for our one week residency. The amazing Tony Fabre is here from Nacho Duato's Compañía Nacional de Danza de España. He's setting Nacho's Por Vos Muero.
Here's a picture from a Por Vos Muero rehearsal last week. Ballet Mistress Daniela Buson rehearses principal dancers Ma Cong and Karina Gonzalez in Tulsa Ballet's Studio C:
We are also performing Elite Syncopations by Sir Kenneth MacMillan. The company just performed this work this past February at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center on our 08/09 season "Carnival" program. Twenty-four dancers partake in this "ragtime romp."
Let's not forget our closing ballet of the evening: Young Soon Hue's This is Your Life. Commissioned for Tulsa Ballet for K-Hall's opening program: the Tango series of Spring 2008, This is Your Life was last performed by Tulsa Ballet during our South Korean tour last year. Young Soon has taken the ballet around the world and now This is Your Life has been seen in four different countries: The United States, South Korea, Germany, and Turkey! Tulsa Ballet now brings This is Your Life to New York for it's New York City premiere!
Enjoy the following This is Your Life pictures from backstage in Seoul as a preview of our New York residency! Hope to see you at our Big Apple Gala send-off performance in Tulsa on August 6th at 7:00pm or at The Joyce Theater from August 10th through the 15th!
-Jessica
Joshua Trader begins the ballet as the host of "This is Your Life!"
Kate Oderkirk
Serena Chu, Ricardo Graziano, Ashley Blade-Martin, and Soo Youn Cho
Principal dancer, Ma Cong
The businessman's lament
Mugen Kazama holds a special charm over the ladies...
The boys begin to show their wares.
Principal dancers Karina Gonzalez and Alfonso MartinPress Release: Tulsa Ballet at The Joyce - August 2009
For Immediate Release, please
Contact: Richard Kornberg & Associates, 212-944-9444
Richard Kornberg – Richard@KornbergPR.com / Billy Zavelson – Billy@KornbergPR.com
TULSA BALLET
RETURNS TO NYC AFTER 25 YEARS
JOYCE THEATER DEBUT
AUGUST 10 – 15
Following a 25-year hiatus from the Big Apple, Tulsa Ballet will make its long awaited return to NYC with its Joyce Theater debut this summer from August 10 – 15. Tickets for this company’s highly anticipated week-long engagement start at $19 and are available by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800 or via the internet at Joyce.org. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street, in Chelsea.
Tulsa Ballet’s Joyce debut will feature a riveting triple bill that includes Nacho Duato’s stunning Por Vos Muero, Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations and Young Soon Hue’s This Is Your Life, a work created for the company in the spring of 2008. Artistic Director Marcello Angelini, when asked about his decision for the repertory to be presented at The Joyce, explains: “The decision for the New York repertory has been a complex one. Our company enjoys a rich and wide repertory that spans from the classics of the 19th century to the works of the top dance makers of the 20th century and the present times. Our program had to be representative of our eclectic repertory and had to depict the primary quality of our troupe: its versatility”. With this philosophy in mind, Elite Syncopations, on a score written by Scott Joplin and other contemporaries of this icon of American music, will open the program, portraying the classical technique and quality of the troupe’s dancers as well as their sense of humor. Por Vos Muero, a work that uses the rich Spanish music of the XV century to enhance its mesmerizing choreography, will reveal the company’s contemporary aspect.
The other aspect of Tulsa Ballet is its renewed commitment to create art in Tulsa and export it to the world. With this concept in mind, the company built and opened a proper 300 seats, $6 million theater, built around the project of creating new art, in the spring of 2008. This Is Your Life was among the works that graced that evening. Created loosely on the concept of the 1950’s television show that bore the same name, this work merges drama, humor, acting and stunning dancing to tell the story of its characters. Three works, one from a man who wrote dance history like Sir Kenneth MacMillan, one from a man that is writing dance history like Nacho Duato and a third one by an accomplished young talent that is already claiming her place in the spotlight.
ABOUT TULSA BALLET
Tulsa Ballet was founded in 1956 by husband and wife, Roman Jasinski and Moscelyne Larkin, dancers internationally known for their style in the grand Ballet Russe tradition, and musician Rosalie Talbot. The artistic mission of the Company has remained constant throughout the years: To combine the beauty and joy expressed by dance with the drama and entertainment of the theatre.
Another milestone in the company's history occurred when Marcello Angelini was appointed Artistic Director in 1995. A native of Naples, Italy, Angelini has performed as principal dancer and guest artist with some of the most renowned companies in the world. A graduate of his father’s ballet school, and the recipient of a special government scholarship to the Kiev Institute of Dance in the former Soviet Union, Angelini's professional career spans nine countries and three continents. Mr. Angelini has been called by Dance Magazine “The Italian Tornado” for undertaking an ambitious repertory building program. In the last decade, Tulsa Ballet has added more then 70 new works to its repertory that were either Oklahoma Premieres, American Premieres or World Premieres. Tulsa Ballet has also claimed a spot on the international scene, performing in three European countries and South Korea during the past seven years. Press quotes are included with this press release.
The repertoire of the company today includes the majority of the 19th century works, including August Bournonville’s La Sylphide, Giselle, Swan Lake and the Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, all either re-staged or choreographed by Angelini, as well as Anna-Marie Holmes’ Don Quixot, Ronald Hynd’s Rosalinda, Andre Prokowsky’s Three Musketeers and Anna Karenina, Amedeo Amodio’s Carmen, Christopher Wheeldon’s A Midsummer Nights Dream, Val Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellias, Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella and Michael Smuin’s Tony Award Winning version of Romeo and Juliet.
But this is just a part of the eclectic repertoire that has become the trademark of this organization. At Tulsa Ballet, full length classical works are always alternated with neo-classical and contemporary works by the likes of George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Antony Tudor, Paul Taylor, Kurt Jooss, Nacho Duato, Billie Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, Stanton Welch, Christopher Wheeldon, Twyla Tharp and many others.
Tulsa Ballet will perform according to the following schedule at The Joyce Theater from August 10 – 15: Monday – Wednesday at 7:30pm, Thursday – Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets for these performances are $19; $29; $39 (for Joyce members $19; $29) and can be arranged by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800 or online at www.joyce.org. NOTE: Ticket prices are subject to change. For more information about Tulsa Ballet, please visit www.tulsaballet.org. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street.
* * * * * *
Leadership support for The Joyce Theater’s 2008–2009 season has been received from the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust.
The Joyce Theater Foundation gratefully acknowledges The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation for its generous endowment to support dance performances at The Joyce Theater.
The Joyce Theater’s Subsidized Rental Program is made possible, in part, by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Major support for The Joyce has been provided by The Boeing Company, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, First Republic Bank, The Harkness Foundation for Dance, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Starr Foundation and an endowment created by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund to encourage the performances of out-of-town companies at The Joyce Theater.
International and National Quotes
“…30 dancers from 15 nationalities work at a level of expertise one would expect to see in a major coastal city or in Europe. The repertoire has attracted an extraordinary pool of talent and has put this mid-American company in the international eye.”
-- Dance Magazine, March 2005
“Mercury Rising. Ma Cong (Tulsa Ballet Principal Dancer). One of the 25 to Watch.” Dance Magazine’s annual look at who’s new and breaking through in 2006.
-- Dance Magazine, January 2006
“Tulsa Ballet is notable for its willingness to dream big and to inspire big support and excitement as it achieves its dreams.” “…in addition to the superb classical dancing of those 32 men and women…demonstrate that what Tulsa (Artistic) Director Marcello Angelini has long worked for is beginning to materialize, in quite dramatic fashion. This is indeed a company to be taken seriously. Such warmth and purity would be remarkable even at an American Ballet Theatre (New York City) or a San Francisco Ballet. Here in Tulsa, it is increasing business as usual.”
-- Dance insider, February 2006
“To look at what Marcello Angelini has accomplished in 13 years at Tulsa Ballet is to see what a community-based arts revolution looks like. Thirteen years of serious imagining, planning, fundraising, and creating have resulted not only in the development of a company recognized for excellence at home and abroad, but now also in a newly renovated and expanded rehearsal and school facility and an adjacent very modern, very spectacular $5 million theater, Studio K - Kivisto Hall, dedicated to the creation of new work.”
-- Dance Insider, May 2008
“…Tulsa Ballet, one of the best in the world.”
–The Semanario, national magazine, for the Sintra, Portugal performances July 2002
“The highlight points of the BALLET EXPO SEOUL 2008 were definitely the Contemporary Ballet Evening performance and the guest ballet companies from abroad…. Among them, Tulsa ballet from USA was defiantly distinguished in performance scale and choice of their performing works.
-- Mom magazine. September issue. Page 81
Seoul, South Korea
BRILLIANT YOUNG DANCERS
The Tulsa Ballet from Oklahoma, USA at the Croatian National Theater in Zagreb
“Throughout the three ballets, the talented young dancers, about twenty of them, (whose artistic director is Marcello Angelini) convincingly showed three completely different aspects of the modern world.”
-- MILICA JOVIĆ, Školske novine,
-- daily newspaper
VISITING PERFORMANCE: Tulsa Ballet from Oklahoma at the Zagreb CNT
PURE DANCING POETRY
The director Marcello Angelini achieves new accomplishments with the ensemble, whilst numerous similar American ballet ensembles are in a crisis or are even closing down
On Sunday, at the Zagreb CNT the Tulsa Ballet with its visiting performance prepared an unforgettable evening. It presented three diverse shorter ballets that gave an insight into the great technical potentials and training of the ensemble and some specifics that are cherished in the repertoire”
-- VIJENAC, April 26, 2007 pg. 21
“Indescribable lightness of dancing
Tulsa Ballet under the artistic leadership of Marcello Angelini dances and impressive and diverse repertoire with an envious number of works by the most significant choreographers of modern ballet and dance theatre: from Tudor, Robbins and Balanchine, Cullberg and Jooss, to Taylor and Duato”
“An immense and contagious energy and beauty, indescribable purity and lightness of dancing, by nationality Babylonian diversity of the American Tulsa Ballet fascinated and with a magic of another world filled the stage and the auditorium of the CNT in Zagreb on April 22, 2007.”
-- MAJA ĐURINOVIĆ VIJENAC, April 26, 2007 pg. 21, Belgrade
Tulsa Ballet, Small Town, Big Success
Oklahoma Rising
“It was Artistic Director Marcello Angelini’s dream to build a world-class company from the moment he decided to give up his career as a dancer and take artistic control of TB in 1995. Some would say he has succeeded…. His company is one where dancers’ thrive. Because the vision is so wide….you get the feeling that here, with Tulsa Ballet, you can do anything”
-- Pointe Magazine, March 2008,
Cover Story.
Contact: Richard Kornberg & Associates, 212-944-9444
Richard Kornberg – Richard@KornbergPR.com / Billy Zavelson – Billy@KornbergPR.com
TULSA BALLET
RETURNS TO NYC AFTER 25 YEARS
JOYCE THEATER DEBUT
AUGUST 10 – 15
Following a 25-year hiatus from the Big Apple, Tulsa Ballet will make its long awaited return to NYC with its Joyce Theater debut this summer from August 10 – 15. Tickets for this company’s highly anticipated week-long engagement start at $19 and are available by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800 or via the internet at Joyce.org. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street, in Chelsea.
Tulsa Ballet’s Joyce debut will feature a riveting triple bill that includes Nacho Duato’s stunning Por Vos Muero, Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations and Young Soon Hue’s This Is Your Life, a work created for the company in the spring of 2008. Artistic Director Marcello Angelini, when asked about his decision for the repertory to be presented at The Joyce, explains: “The decision for the New York repertory has been a complex one. Our company enjoys a rich and wide repertory that spans from the classics of the 19th century to the works of the top dance makers of the 20th century and the present times. Our program had to be representative of our eclectic repertory and had to depict the primary quality of our troupe: its versatility”. With this philosophy in mind, Elite Syncopations, on a score written by Scott Joplin and other contemporaries of this icon of American music, will open the program, portraying the classical technique and quality of the troupe’s dancers as well as their sense of humor. Por Vos Muero, a work that uses the rich Spanish music of the XV century to enhance its mesmerizing choreography, will reveal the company’s contemporary aspect.
The other aspect of Tulsa Ballet is its renewed commitment to create art in Tulsa and export it to the world. With this concept in mind, the company built and opened a proper 300 seats, $6 million theater, built around the project of creating new art, in the spring of 2008. This Is Your Life was among the works that graced that evening. Created loosely on the concept of the 1950’s television show that bore the same name, this work merges drama, humor, acting and stunning dancing to tell the story of its characters. Three works, one from a man who wrote dance history like Sir Kenneth MacMillan, one from a man that is writing dance history like Nacho Duato and a third one by an accomplished young talent that is already claiming her place in the spotlight.
ABOUT TULSA BALLET
Tulsa Ballet was founded in 1956 by husband and wife, Roman Jasinski and Moscelyne Larkin, dancers internationally known for their style in the grand Ballet Russe tradition, and musician Rosalie Talbot. The artistic mission of the Company has remained constant throughout the years: To combine the beauty and joy expressed by dance with the drama and entertainment of the theatre.
Another milestone in the company's history occurred when Marcello Angelini was appointed Artistic Director in 1995. A native of Naples, Italy, Angelini has performed as principal dancer and guest artist with some of the most renowned companies in the world. A graduate of his father’s ballet school, and the recipient of a special government scholarship to the Kiev Institute of Dance in the former Soviet Union, Angelini's professional career spans nine countries and three continents. Mr. Angelini has been called by Dance Magazine “The Italian Tornado” for undertaking an ambitious repertory building program. In the last decade, Tulsa Ballet has added more then 70 new works to its repertory that were either Oklahoma Premieres, American Premieres or World Premieres. Tulsa Ballet has also claimed a spot on the international scene, performing in three European countries and South Korea during the past seven years. Press quotes are included with this press release.
The repertoire of the company today includes the majority of the 19th century works, including August Bournonville’s La Sylphide, Giselle, Swan Lake and the Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, all either re-staged or choreographed by Angelini, as well as Anna-Marie Holmes’ Don Quixot, Ronald Hynd’s Rosalinda, Andre Prokowsky’s Three Musketeers and Anna Karenina, Amedeo Amodio’s Carmen, Christopher Wheeldon’s A Midsummer Nights Dream, Val Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellias, Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella and Michael Smuin’s Tony Award Winning version of Romeo and Juliet.
But this is just a part of the eclectic repertoire that has become the trademark of this organization. At Tulsa Ballet, full length classical works are always alternated with neo-classical and contemporary works by the likes of George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Antony Tudor, Paul Taylor, Kurt Jooss, Nacho Duato, Billie Forsythe, Jiri Kylian, Stanton Welch, Christopher Wheeldon, Twyla Tharp and many others.
Tulsa Ballet will perform according to the following schedule at The Joyce Theater from August 10 – 15: Monday – Wednesday at 7:30pm, Thursday – Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets for these performances are $19; $29; $39 (for Joyce members $19; $29) and can be arranged by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800 or online at www.joyce.org. NOTE: Ticket prices are subject to change. For more information about Tulsa Ballet, please visit www.tulsaballet.org. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street.
* * * * * *
Leadership support for The Joyce Theater’s 2008–2009 season has been received from the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust.
The Joyce Theater Foundation gratefully acknowledges The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation for its generous endowment to support dance performances at The Joyce Theater.
The Joyce Theater’s Subsidized Rental Program is made possible, in part, by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Major support for The Joyce has been provided by The Boeing Company, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, First Republic Bank, The Harkness Foundation for Dance, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Starr Foundation and an endowment created by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund to encourage the performances of out-of-town companies at The Joyce Theater.
International and National Quotes
“…30 dancers from 15 nationalities work at a level of expertise one would expect to see in a major coastal city or in Europe. The repertoire has attracted an extraordinary pool of talent and has put this mid-American company in the international eye.”
-- Dance Magazine, March 2005
“Mercury Rising. Ma Cong (Tulsa Ballet Principal Dancer). One of the 25 to Watch.” Dance Magazine’s annual look at who’s new and breaking through in 2006.
-- Dance Magazine, January 2006
“Tulsa Ballet is notable for its willingness to dream big and to inspire big support and excitement as it achieves its dreams.” “…in addition to the superb classical dancing of those 32 men and women…demonstrate that what Tulsa (Artistic) Director Marcello Angelini has long worked for is beginning to materialize, in quite dramatic fashion. This is indeed a company to be taken seriously. Such warmth and purity would be remarkable even at an American Ballet Theatre (New York City) or a San Francisco Ballet. Here in Tulsa, it is increasing business as usual.”
-- Dance insider, February 2006
“To look at what Marcello Angelini has accomplished in 13 years at Tulsa Ballet is to see what a community-based arts revolution looks like. Thirteen years of serious imagining, planning, fundraising, and creating have resulted not only in the development of a company recognized for excellence at home and abroad, but now also in a newly renovated and expanded rehearsal and school facility and an adjacent very modern, very spectacular $5 million theater, Studio K - Kivisto Hall, dedicated to the creation of new work.”
-- Dance Insider, May 2008
“…Tulsa Ballet, one of the best in the world.”
–The Semanario, national magazine, for the Sintra, Portugal performances July 2002
“The highlight points of the BALLET EXPO SEOUL 2008 were definitely the Contemporary Ballet Evening performance and the guest ballet companies from abroad…. Among them, Tulsa ballet from USA was defiantly distinguished in performance scale and choice of their performing works.
-- Mom magazine. September issue. Page 81
Seoul, South Korea
BRILLIANT YOUNG DANCERS
The Tulsa Ballet from Oklahoma, USA at the Croatian National Theater in Zagreb
“Throughout the three ballets, the talented young dancers, about twenty of them, (whose artistic director is Marcello Angelini) convincingly showed three completely different aspects of the modern world.”
-- MILICA JOVIĆ, Školske novine,
-- daily newspaper
VISITING PERFORMANCE: Tulsa Ballet from Oklahoma at the Zagreb CNT
PURE DANCING POETRY
The director Marcello Angelini achieves new accomplishments with the ensemble, whilst numerous similar American ballet ensembles are in a crisis or are even closing down
On Sunday, at the Zagreb CNT the Tulsa Ballet with its visiting performance prepared an unforgettable evening. It presented three diverse shorter ballets that gave an insight into the great technical potentials and training of the ensemble and some specifics that are cherished in the repertoire”
-- VIJENAC, April 26, 2007 pg. 21
“Indescribable lightness of dancing
Tulsa Ballet under the artistic leadership of Marcello Angelini dances and impressive and diverse repertoire with an envious number of works by the most significant choreographers of modern ballet and dance theatre: from Tudor, Robbins and Balanchine, Cullberg and Jooss, to Taylor and Duato”
“An immense and contagious energy and beauty, indescribable purity and lightness of dancing, by nationality Babylonian diversity of the American Tulsa Ballet fascinated and with a magic of another world filled the stage and the auditorium of the CNT in Zagreb on April 22, 2007.”
-- MAJA ĐURINOVIĆ VIJENAC, April 26, 2007 pg. 21, Belgrade
Tulsa Ballet, Small Town, Big Success
Oklahoma Rising
“It was Artistic Director Marcello Angelini’s dream to build a world-class company from the moment he decided to give up his career as a dancer and take artistic control of TB in 1995. Some would say he has succeeded…. His company is one where dancers’ thrive. Because the vision is so wide….you get the feeling that here, with Tulsa Ballet, you can do anything”
-- Pointe Magazine, March 2008,
Cover Story.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Welcome!
Welcome to the Tulsa Ballet blog - your resource for inside info about the company! Watch for upcoming posts from dancers, students, choreographers and staff.
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