There, Below rehearsal video

Now that we've successfully completed the first run of the year, the company is busy in all 3 studios preparing the contemporary pieces that will be presented in just a few short weeks. James Kudelka's There, Below will be a company premiere, and I had a chance to watch rehearsal and chat with stager Gerard Charles when he was visiting Tulsa.

The rehearsal footage is shot from stage right in Studio K on the fourth day of working on this ballet. Enjoy!

Dancers: What are you doing this summer?

First of all, to be clear, the company members live in Tulsa. They own or rent homes, have significant others and children. They buy groceries, attend farmer's markets, eat out and make local friends, just like the rest of the citizens of Tulsa. But they do have the pleasure of a 6-week "off-season." So what do they do with their time off? I asked the dancers what their plans are before rehearsals start back up in early August. Here are some of the responses I received:


I go back to Italy every summer to visit my family and to see my friends! I enjoy the amazing weather, the great food and the best wine in the world!
Alberto Montesso

My husband Yann and I are taking our one-year-old daughter Sanya to the south of France to meet her grandparents! Then I go to Estes Park, Colorado to perform as a guest artist.
Alexandra Bergman

I’ll spend some time at home with my mum, dad and my little dogs, then I’m going to Rome to visit a very good friend and take ballet classes there. Then I'll go to London to visit my older sister and my twin because they are living and working there right now in order to learn English. I’m excited to spend part of my vacation there with them!!
Federica Bagnera

I am in Japan for the next six weeks, starting in Osaka and working my way to Tokyo. I will be visiting friends from Tulsa Ballet and spending two weeks Farming in Shiga. I am already having an amazing adventure!
Ian Buchanan

I'm traveling this summer with Leah (Gallas). We are going to China to see Ke Da, Yi and Ma. I'm very exciting to see them and their country, their culture, and of course their food!! And then Leah is coming to Japan with me. I cannot wait to show her my world!
Hanae Seki

I'm staying in Tulsa, teaching the Adult Classes every Monday and Wednesday. I'm also beginning a project with former Tulsa Ballet member Megan McKown Miller, which will be at the PAC in August. Teaching and choreographing is something I hope to do in the near future.
Joshua Stayton
(He's also the official dog sitter for the traveling dancers!)

Kate (Oderkirk) and I will be relaxing on the beaches of Southern California and visiting her family in San Diego.
Nathan McGinnis

Response to Critics

As many of you know, Tulsa Ballet is set to perform tonight at Ballet Across America in Washington DC. 8 other companies are also performing in this festival, meant to showcase the best ballet companies from across the country. I had the pleasure of observing the first evening of dance, with performances by Suzanne Farrell's company, Houston Ballet and North Carolina Ballet. Now, I won't go into any review of these companies, because I'm not a dancer nor a critic.

In talking with other audience members and also reading the reviews by real critics, I was reminded of an editorial I recently came across. The editorial was a response to critiques, not about these ballets in particular, but about dance critiques in general, and I think it is apropos here.

"Why are we so unwilling to view taste in art the same way we view taste in food? Let's say, for example, you don't like brie. You're not wrong about that -- how can you be? -- it's your taste. But, at the same time, I'm not wrong to like it. Plus, if you want to, you can develop a taste for brie just by trying the stuff a few times. Once you've developed taste for brie, that doesn't mean you have to like all brie, or that you can no longer appreciate Cheezits, or that you've become a snob: it just means you've educated your palate.

Taste in art is the same. It's not innate or monolithic, but dynamic: it can be broadened and refined over a lifetime. Isn't that the pleasure of a lifelong encounter with art -- discovering what else you can understand, can resonate with, can love?" Michele Steinwald

Food for thought.

The Sleeping Beauty awakens again, this weekend in OKC

If you love ballet, if you enjoy theater, if you appreciate classical music, beautiful sets, lavish costumes or any of the above, you must see The Sleeping Beauty. Tulsa audiences were able to enjoy this fantastic version of the classic in February, and the Company will reprise the ballet in Oklahoma City this weekend, performing Friday, April 2 at 7 pm and Saturday, April 3 at 2 pm. The shows in Tulsa sold out, and sales for this weekend are very high, so reserve your tickets now! I really can't tell you how incredible this production is, so I'll share a few photos from the February dress rehearsals, taken by Ma Cong.


Karina Gonzalez and Wang Yi

Alfonso Martin and Soo Youn Cho

Legs for Miles

Puss and Boots and Blue Birds

The Wicked Carabosse

The set and costumes are truly opulent, and the dancing is spectacular, as always. I can't wait to see it again (for the 5th time this year)!

Ma Cong's Temporal debuts in Ohio

Tulsa Ballet's own (we can claim him forever, right?) Ma Cong continues to share his art with the world. His recent creation for BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio was very well received and further establishes him as a truly talented and innovative choreographer on the national level. Read the review of opening night here.

Ma, your Tulsa audience eagerly awaits your next creation. Ma's next work will premiere in Tulsa on April 15 at Studio K and will run through April 25.

Sake Tasting for a Cause

Nicole Morgan and Jessica Hudgens

We had a great turnout at the Sake Tasting Saturday. Megan and Elliot Nelson generously sponsored the fundraiser and Barre Society event, and Nicole Morgan was the event chair. Thanks also goes to Mark Perkins, the Barre Society chair, and Barre members and Tulsa Ballet board members Cassie Reese, Isaac Rocha, Amy Anderson and Lindsay Hutchson.

In addition to being a really fun evening, it was also educational. The staff was so knowledgeable about sake! They had a rep from the distributor come out to lead the discussion about the different kinds of sake. Did you know there is sparkling sake? And it’s really good! Several of our members and dancers came out, as did some new friends to the ballet. It was great to meet new young professionals interested in supporting the arts.

Check out the photos from the event on our Facebook page. Don’t miss the next Barre Society event – a Bella Cucina cocktail party on February 27th. More info coming soon!

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.

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

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.

Ashley and Alfonso

Ever wonder why dancers usually date other dancers?

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!

A Bloody Good Show

Photos by Sharen Bradford

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!

Barre Society Kicks Off the 2009/10 Season

photos: Jessica C. Flores

The 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!

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 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.