Fun at the Opera!

The past two weeks I, along with three other Tulsa Ballet 2 members, have had a unique experience of performing with the Tulsa Opera in La Traviata. There are many things that differentiate this performance from our ballets, such as Swan Lake: the costumes, the stage and the props, the audience, and the atmosphere in general.

Since we have to move around in our costumes, ours are less restricting and lighter in weight, but the women of the Opera have heavy dresses that reach the ground. Our long, curly wigs, the big earrings, the thick bracelet, the corset, and our character shoes all help us portray our gypsy character. It has been amazing working with Ma Cong, who choreographed the piece and so clearly describes how we should interact with the other people onstage. He has pushed us to keep exploring our character and to never lose the focus in our eyes. We are gypsies, so we have to be very sensual. We don't just smile with our mouths, but we have to tell a story with our eyes. In the Opera, we don't only have the audience watching us from the front of the theater, but we have an audience onstage. We are the entertainment of the party, performing for the party guests around us, so it is important to constantly be interacting with them.

Next is the raked stage. Originally, we were going to be dancing on the circle platform that is a step up from the stage and is angled towards the audience. It was not until theater week that we saw this stage and realized it was much to steep to dance on. Ma rearranged some of the choreography and we were able to move our dancing to the floor in front of the platform. We just have to be careful, because, with a limited space, sometimes we are at the edge of the orchestra pit! Yesterday, we were warming up onstage, while the crew was setting up the props and we realized the glasses were actually full of water. This was neat because in our performances, we just pretend.

The people of the Opera have been so great to us. We were surprised with letters wishing us luck through our run of Traviata when we arrived for the first performance yesterday, along with flowers at the end of the show. Above anything else, I have really enjoyed seeing the passion these opera singers have for their art. We are all artists. These singers express themselves through their voice, the same way we express ourselves through our movements. Both require a great amount of time and dedication. It has been fun to see the appreciation they have for our art form, as we admire them in the same way. It is a wonderful collaboration for the Tulsa Ballet and the Tulsa Opera.

I have really enjoyed this opportunity and hope you all are able to come experience the Tulsa Opera's production of La Traviata, if you have not already. I'm looking forward to our next performances on Friday, October 15th and Sunday, October 17th!

It's About More Than Dance

Working for Tulsa Ballet affords me the opportunity to become acquainted with some truly amazing individuals. Everyday I get to know patrons and subscribers over the phone until I finally get to meet them in person. Of course the conversation is predominately about tickets and other events, but sometimes we chat about life and its worries, sorrows, and happiness.

During our season renewal campaign in the summer, some Tulsa Ballet dancers volunteered to make personal calls to long time subscribers. It was at this time I became acquainted with Mrs. Elaine Renning, a subscriber for more than 20 years. She spoke candidly with Joshua Stayton, the dancer making the call, about the recent loss of her husband and other hardships she had encountered. Saddened by the news, we sent her two complimentary tickets to Swan Lake as a gift of support in such a difficult period in her life. By the time Marcello caught wind of her story, he asked that I invite her backstage to meet him and Joshua before the performance.

The day I called her to extend the invitation, she seemed to be in shock. She mentioned several times that she just couldn't believe this was happening to her and how thrilled she was to have been offered such a wonderful experience backstage with a Tulsa Ballet dancer and the Artistic Director. I could hear the joy in her voice.

On the day of the performance, I think it was me who was most anxious. I couldn't wait to meet Mrs. Renning in person and be a part of making someone’s day a little brighter. We made our way to the stage where dancers were warming up to prepare for the performance. Finally, she was introduced to Joshua and Marcello. They each took the time to give Mrs. Renning personal attention, making it much more meaningful. As she and the two gentlemen posed for a photo, I felt so honored to be there to see her face full of happiness and awe. It was at this moment I realized how important the arts are to individuals like Mrs. Renning and it was a moment I will never forget.

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!

Tulsa Ballet's SWAN LAKE 30 sec spot

Tulsa Ballet's Center for Dance Education: Leaps Ahead Outreach Program

As Tulsa Ballet is preparing to open a phenomenal 2010/2011 season of dance in a few weeks, we are also preparing our many arts education programs for the year. Each year, Tulsa Ballet’s Center for Dance Education coordinates and provides arts education outreach programs for thousands of Tulsa Public School students. We offer these programs at no cost and target them towards schools with a majority of students enrolled in the free-lunch program. (This statistic is used as an indicator by the school system to target youth from at-risk or underserved populations.)

Our leading program, Leaps Ahead, is a six-week program of in-studio ballet classes that introduces elementary school students to the physical conditioning of classical ballet and also presents ballet's training traditions of developing concentration skills, strengthening visual and aural memory, implementing verbal corrections, and learning to work with peers. Live musical accompaniment is provided by student pianists and all participating students in Leaps Ahead receive three vouchers for a Tulsa Ballet performance. In addition, at least 2 students in each Leaps Ahead session are identified by ballet instructors as having the desire and talent to continue dance studies. These students are awarded full scholarships to study in the Center for Dance Education, including tuition, costuming and uniforms, and season tickets for their families.

First offered in 2005, Leaps Ahead was originally created and supported through the generosity of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. Since that time, Tulsa Ballet has also developed a partner program - Leaps In Motion – that acts as a traveling program to schools not in close proximity to Tulsa Ballet’s studios. The development and expansion of these programs is due to the leadership of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and the additional generosity of an incredible community of supporters including the Assistance League of Tulsa, The Bama Companies, George Kaiser Family Foundation, Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation, Hispanic American Foundation, Hugon Family Foundation, Raymond and Bessie Kraivs Foundation, and Sherman E. Smith Family Charitable Foundation.

During the past 2009-2010 school year, Tulsa Ballet presented Leaps Ahead programs to nearly 200 students. In this time, Tulsa Ballet also began working with the University of Oklahoma Center of Applied Research for Nonprofit Organizations to study the impacts and outcomes of these programs. In its early research, the new evaluation methods showed that amongst the 2009-2010 participants:
- 100% gained a deeper appreciation for the arts
- 78% displayed more discipline in classroom activities
- 81% exhibited improved posture

Tulsa Ballet believes that the young people of our community deserve the benefits of quality arts education and we are extremely excited to be working with the University of Oklahoma Center of Applied Research to study the powerful impacts of these important programs. As we know that we belong to a community of committed arts education advocates, Tulsa Ballet looks forward to sharing additional results when the full report is released later this fall. In the meantime, we sincerely thank our supporters for working with us to empower our community’s youth through arts education!

Dancer Visas: An Ongoing Challenge

Part of my job as the Company Manager is to make sure the dancers all arrive in Tulsa in time to rehearse for the first production. In addition to helping the new dancers find housing, transportation,and showing them around Tulsa, I also make sure their Visas are filed with adequate time to process before the season begins.

Over one thousand dancers from around the world applied for Tulsa Ballet’s 2010-2011 Season. Out of the twelve hand picked by Mr. Angelini to join the company, nine dancers are foreign and coming to dance in America for the first time. Passing the grueling audition is only the first step in the process; the next trial is in front of the United States Citizen and Immigration Services.
In order to be employed by Tulsa Ballet, all of our foreign dancers must attain what is called an 0-1 work Visa. Often referred to as “an Exceptional Artist Visa,” substantial documentation proving that numerous requirements are met must be gathered and submitted to the USCIS in order to qualify. This documentation includes awards and accolades received, reviews, programs from performances of prestige, letters of recommendation and anything else that might demonstrate that the artist has achieved a level prominence in their field only matched by the top percentile. Collecting, translating if necessary and then compiling the evidence is a collective effort of the dancer, attorneys and myself and generally takes a solid month of work. The petition is then sent to the USCIS to review. There is a chance that there might be a denial or a request for additional evidence, but we expect an approval. Granted, very few dancers in the world would qualify, Mr. Angelini only picks the best. Once the Visa is approved the dancer must go for an interview with the consulate in the country the will be departing from. Getting the entire company in Tulsa for the first day of rehearsal can sometimes be a challenge!

The dates of validity of the Visa coincides with our season, so following the final performance the Visa expires and the whole process must be repeated again for the next year. This year we have 18 Artists representing 11 countries on Visas, including The Center for Dance Education’s School Principal, Liudmila Polonskaya.

It's a daunting task - but rewarding when I see the talented dancers on stage.

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 music and lyrics of CARMINA BURANA, playing this weekend (May 21-23, 2010) at the Tulsa PAC.

Carmina Burana will feature the Tulsa Ballet dancers joined by members of Tulsa Opera, Tulsa Oratorio Chorus and Tulsa Symphony Orchestra for a very powerful multi-disciplinary arts experience... In other words, it's a really cool production that combines live choral music, live instrumental music with the dramatic power of dance. All on one stage!

James D. Watts from the The Tulsa World writes: Although composer Carl Orff approved a two-piano-and-percussion version of his “Carmina Burana,” the work was conceived for a large orchestra, one with an unusually large and diverse percussion section. (The score lists 14 percussion instruments — from timpani and three types of cymbals to ratchets and sleigh bells.) Orff’s music often relied on driving, complex rhythms that managed to sound at once primitive and sophisticated, and that achieve an irresistible, elemental power.

“Carmina Burana” is Latin for “Songs from Beuren,” and refers to a collection of 15th century lyrics that ultimately came to reside in a Benedictine monastery in the German town of Beuren.

Orff used 24 of these lyrics in his “Carmina Burana,” which are divided into four sections: “Spring,” “On the Green,” “In the Tavern” and “The Court of Love.”

The thunderous opening “O Fortuna,” which serves as prologue and epilogue, is about the role of fate in human affairs.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectID=272&articleID=20100520_272_ES10_ByJame62397

In case you don't speak latin or if you've just ever wondered what "O Fortuna" is really about, here is an interesting video clip that shows the original latin text along with the English translation.



You can also read the entire translation here: http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/works/orff-cb/carmlyr.php. You might even want to print off a copy to take with you to the theater this weekend so you can follow along (something that I plan to do).

Read even more about the music and lyrics of Carmina Burana: http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/works/orff-cb/carmina.php

For tickets to CARMINA BURANA this weekend which is paired with the Oklahoma Premiere of the VERTIGINOUS THRILL OF EXACTITUDE by William Forsythe: http://www.tulsaballet.org/events.asp?id=11&pid=55&task=display

Carmina Burana opens in less than 2 weeks!

Hello Google!

Celebrate Tchaikovsky and ballet with Google.

Who wasn't entertained to see the Google homepage feature a bit of ballet today?

See you at the Prom...!

A fun ending to a very successful run of Pop Culture. Congrats to the entire company for sold-out shows and rave reviews.