PAGE 2
PAGE 3
PAGE 4
PAGE 5
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT It is my great pleasure to again serve this year as the President of the Board of Directors of Ballet Tucson, Tucson’s only professional ballet company. Founding Artistic Director Mary Beth Cabana, Assistant Artistic Director Chieko Imada, all the members of the board, and the dancers are looking forward to an exciting season of new and classic ballets – our 29th year in Tucson and 11th season as a professional company. I am particularly delighted to announce the return of our long time company member and former Managing Director, Thom Gilliam. Thom has returned to Ballet Tucson as our Company Manager, and his inexhaustible energy and exceptional experience help to ensure this will be our best year yet. Welcome back, Thom! We are deeply indebted to all who have dedicated their time and energy to making Ballet Tucson the success that it is today. Having just completed a very strong fiscal year, we are positioned for even greater opportunities going forward. We gratefully thank all of our past and current individual and corporate supporters, as we could not continue to provide the quality programming that Tucson audiences expect and deserve without them. Artistically, we have prepared an exciting season. We begin with the much anticipated premiere of Phantom of the Opera, followed by our beloved production of The Nutcracker. Then it's on to the vibrant Dance & Dessert concerts and finishing with our full-length Sleeping Beauty. From innovation to classicism - this season has it all!
My warm regards, see you at the ballet! Tarik H. Sultan – President
PAGE 6
PAGE 7
PAGE 8
PAGE 9
FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Mary Beth Cabana
ASSISTANT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Chieko Imada
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR James Edwin Kee
COMPANY MANAGER Thomas Gilliam
COMPANY BALLET MASTER Daniel Precup
COMPANY REGISSEUR Deanna Doncsecz Daniel Precup in Phantom of the Opera Photo by Ed Flores
BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT Tarik H. Sultan VICE PRESIDENT Kathy Askren VICE PRESIDENT Sheri Frey SECRETARY Maureen Wright TREASURER Nancy Causbie Florence Adamson Julie Arma Lavonne Beckford Suzanne Erlon Georgeanne Fimbres Katherine V. Foss Jim Horvath Elizabeth Mikesell Dottie Sutherland Abbott Taylor Bill Terry
P A G E 10
ADVISORY BOARD JoAnn Cowgill Jory Hancock Christy Long Quinta Peterson Linda Ronstadt Nina Trasoff
V IS ION Ballet Tucson, as an integral part of the arts community, educates, supports and advances dance as a professional art.
MIS S ION Ballet Tucson provides artistry of the highest quality through professional performance, education and community outreach.
P A G E 11
P A G E 12
P A G E 13
P A G E 14
P A G E 15
P A G E 16
P A G E 17
P A G E 18
P A G E 19
F OUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MARY-BETH CABANA, Founding Artistic Director, has been a Principal Dancer with Cleveland Ballet, Ballet Oklahoma, Arizona Dance Theatre and San Diego Ballet. She received her early training under the critical eye of E. Virginia Williams at the Boston Ballet. At the age of 14 Ms. Cabana began her professional career with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and then graduated from the National Academy of Dance, where she was a full-scholarship student and member of the National Academy Ballet. She has performed extensively in the United States and Europe in a wide variety of roles by such noted choreographers as Balanchine, Tudor, DeMille, Joos, Forsythe, Fokine, Petipa and Nahat. Ms. Cabana has been on the faculties of the School of Cleveland Ballet, Ballet Arts-Carnegie Hall, Dance Concepts – NYC and was the Principal Instructor and Administrator for Arizona Dance Theatre (Ballet Arizona). She has guest taught for Kiev Ukraine Ballet and the Palace of Pioneers in the former Soviet Union, in France and Mexico and continue to guest teach throughout the United States. Under the direction of Ethan Stiefel, she has designed and conducted summer programs for Ballet Pacifica in Irvine, California. As a choreographer, Ms. Cabana has produced a vast amount of original works and restagings of classic ballets. She has also staged dances for Arizona Theatre Company, Arizona Opera, Ohio Ballet, Ballet Pacifica, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and Burklyn Ballet Theatre. Since beginning in 1986, she has established Ballet Arts Tucson, branch schools in Nogales, Sierra Vista and Patagonia, the annual Summer Dance Workshop in cooperation with UA School of Dance and international dance/cultural exchanges. Ballet Tucson’s Artistic Director has also founded and fostered the development of Ballet Tucson (Tucson’s resident professional ballet company) and Ballet Tucson II (Tucson’s premier youth ballet). Ms. Cabana has been nominated for the Arizona Arts Award, for a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Tucson Pima Arts Council and identified as an Outstanding Individual Artist by the Governor of the State of Arizona. In 2009, she was invited by New York City Ballet Director, Peter Martins, to attend the 75th Anniversary of the School of American Ballet and was recognized as one of the foremost teachers in the United States as part of National Teacher’s Weekend. A talented costume and scenic designer in her own right, Ballet Tucson’s founder has been instrumental in the overall design of all productions. Ms. Cabana brings her wealth of experience to dancers of all ages. Her commitment to the cultivation of young talent continues as her students dance professionally in major American and European ballet companies and schools. continued on page 22 P A G E 20
P A G E 21
continued from page 20
A SS ISTA NT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR CHIEKO IMADA is a native of Japan where she danced professionally as a Soloist with Inoue Ballet of Tokyo and also served as Ballet Mistress there. She has worked closely with many of the past and current noted figures of classical ballet, having performed in Europe, Korea, the Philippines, Australia and the South Pacific. Since coming to the United States, she has been a member of Arizona Dance Theatre, Ballet Arizona and a former Principal Dancer for Ballet Tucson. She also appeared regularly with Orts Theatre of Dance and Tenth St. Danceworks modern troupes in Tucson. Over the years, she has been responsible for staging many classical ballets and has also created numerous original contemporary works on Ballet Tucson, enriching the company’s repertoire. A talented choreographer, Ms. Imada has been nominated for the Buffalo Exchange Arts Award and the Governor’s Art Award. She continues to be sought after as a guest teacher and choreographer. This season, she debuts her original ballet Phantom of the Opera in collaboration with Mary Beth Cabana. She is also the Director of Educational Outreach for Ballet Tucson implementing "Put Your Best Foot Forward with Ballet Tucson" in Tucson's Title 1 schools.
COMPANY BALLET MASTER DANIEL PRECUP is a graduate of the acclaimed National Choreographic High School in Bucharest, Romania. He joined the Oleg Danovski Ballet Theater at 18, eventually rising to the rank of Principal Dancer. He has starred in international tours in The Miraculous Mandarin, The Three Musketeers and Swan Lake. In 2003, he joined Oakland Ballet before becoming principal dancer with Ballet Tucson in 2004 during its inaugural professional season. Since joining, he has danced leading roles in Dracula, Esmeralda and the Hunchback, Swan Lake, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and A Midsummer Night’s Dream to name only a few. Recently, he has begun to create works for the company to great audience response. His unique choreographic perspective has been seen in his Boler-O, Carmen, and Gemini. This year, he will debut a new original work Steps for Dance & Dessert 2015. Mr. Precup was appointed Ballet Master for the company during the 2011-2012 season. continued on page 24 P A G E 22
P A G E 23
continued from page 22
COMPA NY REG ISS EUR DEANNA DONCSECZ received her early training at Nardi’s Dance & Gymnastics Center in Pennsylvania. She attended the highly competitive Governor’s School for the Arts and also taught on its faculty. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Arizona with a B.F.A. in dance. After college, she continued her training with Jeanne Isaacs in San Diego, ODC in San Francisco, Koresh Dance Co. in Philadelphia and with Mary Beth Cabana and Chieko Imada at Ballet Tucson. Since joining the company in 2002, she has been featured in numerous roles including Esmeralda and the Hunchback, Laura’s Women, Three Virgins and a Devil, Fandango and In Mercury. An audience favorite, she is recognized for her strong dramatic ability and versatility. Ms. Doncsecz serves as Company Regisseur for Ballet Tucson, Ballet Tucson II and the Children’s Ensemble. Recently, she successfully presented BLEND, a new contemporary dance group, showcasing a full evening of her choreography. She will also contribute a new contemporary work for Dance & Dessert 2015.
GUES T TEACH ER & COACH SUZANNE ERLON Suzanne Erlon Kee is the artistic director emerita of Metropolitan Ballet Theatre and Academy (MBT) in Rockville, Maryland. MBT annually presents ten performances of The Nutcracker, a Spring Program, and a variety of outreach activities in area public and private schools. Ms. Erlon also is a member of the Board of Ballet Tucson. Ms. Erlon's ballet training began in St. Paul, Minnesota, with Lorand Andahazy and Anna Andrianova from Ballet Russe; she studied with E. Virginia Williams in Boston and was a soloist with the Boston Ballet; joined the Metropolitan Opera Ballet at 17 and the New York City Ballet at 18. At NYC Ballet, she worked with some of the most prominent ballet masters of the 20th Century, including George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Antony Tudor, Kent Stowell and Francia Russell. In her 10 years with NYC Ballet, she danced in more than 50 ballets of Balanchine, Robbins, and Tudor. After one season with the Eliot Feld Ballet, she joined Ballet West as a principal dancer in 1975. During her years at Ballet West, she danced most of the major classical female roles (in Coppelia, Giselle, Swan Lake) and a variety of contemporary works of William F. Christensen, Dina Bjorn, Tom Rudd and Bruce Marks. She also was a guest artist with Arizona Ballet Theatre and Ballet Folk. After retiring as a dancer, Ms. Erlon co-founded the Christensen Ballet Academy (which became the Ballet West Christensen Academy in Salt Lake City, Utah). Moving to Washington, continued on page 26 P A G E 24
P A G E 25
continued from page 24
DC in 1985, she taught advanced "release-time" students at the Washington School of Ballet for four years before creating her own school and company, Metropolitan Ballet Theatre and Academy (MBT), in 1989. She is a prolific choreographer having created both traditional and contemporary works for MBT, including The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Coppelia, Swan Lake, Firebird, Bach Suite Three, Rhapsody, Intimations, Festival, Romance, and Driving a Tutu. She had previously created works for Ballet West and the University of Utah. Two of Ms. Erlon's works were presented in Ballet Tucson's Dance & Dessert program in 2014.
ESPRIT DE CORPS Volunteers are an integral part of Ballet Tucson’s success. They are men and women of all ages, backgrounds, and interests with a common commitment to support Ballet Tucson. Our dedicated volunteers assist in numerous capacities including ushering, backstage help, wardrobe support, sewing and craft guild, boutique sales and special events such as the annual Sugar Plum Tea and Boots & Ballet. Their tireless efforts are coordinated by Esprit de Corps of Ballet Tucson. To learn more about volunteer opportunities, please contact Ballet Tucson at 520.903.1445.
P A G E 26
P A G E 27
P A G E 28
P A G E 29
I WANT TO SUPPORT BALLET TUCSON!
PLEASE MAIL YOUR DONATION TO: Ballet Tucson 200 S. Tucson Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85716
DONATE ONLINE: www.ballettucson.org/donate Donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. You can increase the value of your donation if your company matches the charitable gifts of its employees. Please check with your employer's public relations or human resources office.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Name: Address: City:
State:
Zip:
Email Address: Phone Number:
PLEASE CHECK AMOUNT OF DONATION:
P A G E 30
❏ PLATINUM SPONSOR ($10,000+) ❏ GOLD SPONSOR ($5,000 - $9,999) ❏ SILVER SPONSOR ($2,500 - $4,999) ❏ DIVA ($1,500 - $2,499) ❏ PRIMA BALLERINA ($500 - $1,499) ❏ PRINCIPAL ($250 - $499) ❏ SOLOIST ($100 - $249) ❏ CORPS DE BALLET (UNDER $100)
P A G E 31
P A G E 32
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
SPREADING THEIR WINGS Two former students share how Ballet Arts (the official school of Ballet Tucson) prepared them for successful professional careers
Margaret Mullin
In 2013, Peter Boal (Artistic Director for PNB), asked me to create a piece for the company as a part of our 40th anniversary season. It was an honor to be chosen as I am now included as a repertory choreographer with the likes of Balanchine and Forsythe. He had seen two pieces that I had choreographed for the PNB Professional Division students and felt my work had the maturity to showcase the company successfully. I have to thank Ballet Arts for this as well. The choreography classes that were offered to me through most of my time there taught me all the skills I needed to create not only a creative piece, but one with proper structure. The class is not one that is found at many dance institutions and I certainly feel it gave me a leg up on that part of my career. I hope to continue to choreograph using my Ballet Arts education.
Soloist at Pacific Northwest Ballet Trained at Ballet Arts 1997-2007
Let’s talk a little about your creative process for choreography. I find my process is still similar to the process I How did your training at Ballet Arts prepare you learned about as a student. I like to give myself specific challenges regarding theme and tone for a professional career in dance? The training I received at Ballet Arts is the primary when I start thinking of a new piece. It helps me source of my success at Pacific Northwest Ballet focus the raw choreographic material into a cohesive (PNB). The ballet instruction is incredibly thoughtful piece that the audience can follow clearly and and the teachers held me to the high standard that enjoy fully. I also notice that I tend to be eclectic in is necessary to become a professional. Beyond my style. The versatility I learned is something I that, the well-rounded curriculum including variations, really enjoy and I feel the desire to pass that onto modern, jazz, tap and choreography has set me the dancers I work with. The final key piece in my apart in my career. We have a very diverse choreographic process is examining my use of the repertory at PNB and my versatility from these stage. It’s important to me to use the space and classes has given me the opportunity to step into the number of dancers I have in visually interesting ways. We were taught in class to use a notebook leading roles beyond those in classical ballets. to sketch out possibilities for formations to be able You’ve had some recent success with your to take a aerial view. This is something I still do. choreographic aspirations. Tell us about how Peter Boal complimented me on my use of transitions you were selected to create a new work for PNB. and spacing on the piece I created for the company. continued on page 34 Photo by Lindsay Thomas
P A G E 33
continued from page 33 Are there choreographers that you particularly respect or find inspiring? I have the pleasure of dancing the works of so many of the great choreographers at PNB. Some of my favorites include Crystal Pite, David Dawson, William Forsythe, Victor Quijada, Marco Goecke, Antony Tudor and Nacho Duato. I worked with the incredible Crystal Pite personally last season and it was truly inspiring. Not only is she uncommonly kind, but she is also a master of her craft. Her work is creative and visionary. In addition, she understands fully how to create a well crafted work and has the utmost respect for her audience. You won the prestigious Princess Grace Fellowship Award in 2011. How did that come about and what doors has that opened for you? Peter Boal nominated me for a Princess Grace Dance Fellowship Award and I was fortunate enough to win. The Princess Grace Foundation USA was established in honor of the late Princess Grace Kelly by the Royal Family of Monaco. During her life she reached out to many young American artists to assist them in honing their craft and ensuring a bright future for the arts in the United States. The foundation continues her work and awards yearly awards for artistic excellence and potential to further the field to recipients like myself. It was a truly life changing experience. To be chosen out of so many talented dancers from all over the country is an honor and the foundation continues to be involved in my career – encouraging me to push further, set bigger goals and believe in the work I’m doing as they do. They offer advice whenever needed and the foundation has grants that all past Fellows are eligible to apply for. This has given me much encouragement to think of projects that will stretch my current skills in new directions. What have been some of your favorite roles/works you’ve performed? Some of my favorite roles I’ve danced at PNB are Hermia in George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Polyhymnia in Balanchine’s
Apollo, The Prologue Pas de Deux in Crystal Pite’s Emergence, The Nurse in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Romeo et Juliette, The Autumn Fairy in Kent Stowell’s Cinderella, and featured roles in David Dawson’s A Million Kisses To My Skin and Paul Gibson’s The Piano Dance. I also loved the roles I’ve originated in Marco Goecke’s Place A Chill and Victor Quijada’s Mating Theory. What is your dream role? Juliette in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Romeo et Juliette – without question. It’s the most incredible version of the story I’ve seen in dance and I love the many challenges the role holds, both choreographically and emotionally. I think to dance it would be to try to achieve my full potential as an artist. What are your professional goals and what’s next for you? My goals are always many yet simple – to grow every season as a dancer and artist, but to do so with the utmost integrity. I have so much respect for what I do, the dancers I work with, the audience that has so kindly welcomed me here, the teachers I’ve learned from and continue to learn from, and of course where I came from. I wouldn’t be here without my Ballet Arts/Ballet Tucson family. They gave me the tools I needed to become a professional, from the technique of dance to the way I conduct myself on and off the stage. I hope I will never stop growing and learning how to be a better dancer and human being, and that desire started so many years ago in Tucson. I have a busy season ahead at PNB of roles I get to enjoy again and new works I get to explore for the first time. I also plan to spend much of the next couple of years working on a documentary of my own creation about a dance figure I greatly admire that left us too soon, the late Ian Horvath. He also has many ties to dance in Tucson through Ballet Arts Artistic Director Mary Beth Cabana and Seattle through PNB’s founding Artistic Directors Kent Stowell and Francia Russell. I look forward to working with the many great artists who knew him well to tell his story. continued on page 54
P A G E 34
P A G E 35
P A G E 36
P A G E 37
Company DANCERS
Jenna Johnson Sponsored in part by
Sara Jacobson
Daniel Precup Sponsored in part by
Deanna Doncsecz Sponsored in part by
TM
Daniel Salvador Sponsored in part by
Megan Steffens Sponsored in part by
P A G E 38
Company DANCERS
TaylorJohnson Sponsored in part by
Maureen & Bill Wright and Suzanne Erlon & Jed Kee
Caitlin Calligan Sponsored in part by
3255 E. Speedway Blvd.
Mauricio Vergara Sponsored in part by
Elizabeth Egleson Sponsored in part by
Vinnie Prisbrey Sponsored in part by
P A G E 39
Company DANCERS
Yellie Shustack Sponsored in part by
Jordan Shively Sponsored in part by
Jennifer Holoubek Sponsored in part by
Micah Chermak Sponsored in part by
Briley Jozwiak Sponsored in part by
The Tyo Family
P A G E 40
APPRENTICES
Kendra Clyde
Jennifer Martin
Kira Greer Rice
Elisabeth Hekman
Alexis Collins
Rebecca Hambalek
Taylor Carlson
Kassidy Greiner
Grace Gibson
TRAINEES
Amber Aufiero
Sierra Sebastian
Shannon Henry
SEASON GUEST ARTISTS
Isaiah Sumler
Benjamin Tucker P A G E 41
P A G E 42
P A G E 43
HISTORY OF BALLET ARTS FOUNDATION (BALLET TUCSON) Ballet Arts Foundation (now Ballet Tucson) was established in June 1986. The main goal has always been to foster and develop both a professional and a children’s performing ensemble, designed to meet the needs of young dancers in Southern Arizona with career aspirations. The two ensembles have provided a rich training ground for the serious student by offering interaction with professional dancers, teachers and choreographers. This in turn allows young dancers to view ballet as a career, while simultaneously instilling a love for the art, and providing a means for greater self-expression. Ballet Tucson has been comprised of artists who have danced professionally throughout the United States, in such companies as Cleveland Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and Ballet Arizona. The ensemble’s preview performance took place in April 1987 at Centennial Hall in Tucson, with more than 900 in attendance and received rave reviews. Arizona Daily Star critic Robert Cauthorn proclaimed, “Ballet is Back!”. An even more successful follow-up performance took place in October 1987 with an audience of over 1200 and again to critical accolades. Over the years, the Ensemble has established itself as Tucson’s resident professional ballet company by producing historic classics and innovative contemporary dance. The Children’s Ensemble has appeared in numerous performances throughout Arizona and also in Mexico, Ukraine and France. Annual stagings of fully-produced ballets are regularly presented. The 1994-95 Season marked the debut of Tucson’s own full-length holiday classic The Nutcracker. Five sold out performances were given leaving audiences cheering for more. Performances have also been given at the Border involving children from Arizona and Mexico from 1993-1999. The “Ballet from Classroom to Stage Project” was inaugurated in the 1990-91 Season. It has toured Tucson Public Schools with the support of Tucson Pima Arts Council offering tens of thousands of children their first exposure to ballet at their own schools. The company has also participated in residencies, performances and workshops with Young Audiences, The Imagination Celebration, Arizona Opera Company, NEA’s Dance on Tour, Ballet West, Milwaukee Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet Arizona and Philharmonia Orchestra of Tucson to date. In 2009, Ballet Tucson introduced an emerging education program in local Title 1 elementary schools. Students participating in “Put Your Best Foot Forward with Ballet Tucson” learn important life lessons such as teamwork, discipline, self-confidence along with basic ballet technique and creative movement. The program was piloted at Tully and Pueblo Gardens Elementary Schools with great success and we are expanding to additional continued on page 46 P A G E 44
P A G E 45
continued from page 44
Title I school sites this season. Another important component of our outreach efforts is the Ticket Subsidy Program which provides over 1,500 free tickets each year to under-served youth, families and other populations from our community to attend live ballet performances. Over the years, students and instructors have taken part in an International Dance Exchange with participating countries. During the 1990 exchange with the Palace of Pioneers from Kiev, Ukraine, a joint performance was given at the Kiev Opera House, benefiting the Children of Chernobyl Fund with over 2,000 people in attendance. Our dancers also appeared on Soviet Television and traveled to Odessa and Moscow. A joint performance given in Tucson was featured on the cable TV network Bravo. In the summer of 1994, an exchange took place with Centre de Danse, Beziers, France. An International Summer Ballet Institute was held in Tucson for ten days featuring the French instructors and exchange students. Ballet Tucson dancers then traveled to France to train and perform in the Beziers Arts Festival. In 2009, the International Dance Exchange was reinstated with 18 students and instructors from Arizona and New Mexico touring Foix and Suze La Rousse in Southern France. Participants stayed with host families and had the opportunity to take classes from European master teachers and perform abroad. Future exchanges are currently being explored. The Annual Summer Dance Workshop has been held for 29 years in cooperation with the University of Arizona School of Dance. For four weeks each summer, students ranging in age from 5-18 participate in a 4-week intensive. Nationally and internationally recognized master teachers come to Tucson to work with students – teaching classes and holding dance-related lectures. The workshop culminates in a performance at the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre in late June. Ballet Tucson’s 2004-2005 season marked the debut of a fully professional company. A dream of nearly two decades was finally realized when the company secured ten professional dancers for the season. Currently, 26 artists are on the Ballet Tucson roster. This long awaited addition fills the void within Tucson’s fine arts community and makes Tucson one of only a handful of cities nationwide with a professional symphony, theatre, opera and ballet companies. This year marks the company’s 29th season and 11th professional year, and promises to be the best yet. We are enormously grateful for the community and patron support over the years. You make it possible for us to provide the highest caliber ballet performances filled with beauty, passion and imagination. Thank you for recognizing that the arts touch and enrich all our lives.
P A G E 46
P A G E 47
The Enduring Legacy of
Sleeping Beauty
The 125th Anniversary of this Popular Ballet
B
allet Tucson’s performance of Sleeping Beauty, May 2-3, 2015 at Centennial Hall marks the 125th Anniversary of this ballet classic. First performed in 1890 in St. Petersburg by the Russian Imperial Ballet, this was Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s second full-length ballet (his first was Swan Lake), but the first to be choreographed by the legendary Marius Petipa, the most widely hailed choreographer of the late 19th and early 20th Century. Sleeping Beauty is recognized as one of the great ballet scores. Ballet Tucson’s production was originally produced in 2005 by its artistic team led by founding artistic director Mary Beth Cabana.
Good versus Evil Certainly one aspect of Sleeping Beauty’s appeal is the good versus evil theme. The evil fairy Carabosse is insulted that she is not invited to the christening of Princess Aurora and places a curse on the baby – she will grow up to be beautiful but on her 16th birthday, photo by Tim Fuller Jenna Johnson as "Princess she will prick her finger on a spindle and die. The good Lilac Fairy intervenes. She does not have enough Aurora" in Sleeping Beauty power to completely undo the curse; however she alters it, allowing the spindle to cause a peaceful 100-year sleep for the princess, rather than death. At the end of those 100 years, she will be woken by the kiss of a handsome prince. Carabosse is one of the great character roles in ballet and is often performed by a male dancer. Enrico Cecchetti, master teacher of the Mariinsky Theatre, premiered the role. The Lilac Fairy, originally danced by Petipa’s daughter Marie, provides a role model as a strong female character who is able to right the wrong caused by the evil Carabosse.
P A G E 48
photo by Tim Fuller
Deanna Doncsecz as "Carabosse" in Sleeping Beauty
Prince and Princess: The Family Appeal Young ladies and gentleman often picture themselves as a prince or princess and Sleeping Beauty provides role models, the beautiful Princess Aurora and her ultimate hero Prince Désiré, who in the second act is chosen by the Lilac Fairy to find the sleeping Aurora and wake her with a kiss. This same element of a prince rescuing his princess is a constant theme in literature and movies, such as Star Wars, even video games. The theme has universal appeal. What young man does not want to rescue a princess?
Terrific Dancing and Many Roles Unlike some full-length ballets, where there are just a few main characters who do most of the dancing, Sleeping Beauty provides roles for many dancers and is a real test of a ballet company. In addition to the Lilac Fairy, other fairies have important dancing roles, and there are many characters from popular storybooks that dance in the third act wedding scene, including Puss in Boots and The White Cat, Princess Florine and the Bluebird, Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, and Cinderella and Prince Charming. Of course the final grand pas de deux of Prince Désiré and Princess Aurora provides a fitting climax to the ballet.
P A G E 49
P A G E 50
P A G E 51
P A G E 52
P A G E 53
SPREADING THEIR WINGS continued from page 34 techniques I learned at both places has been very important and influential in shaping the dancer I have become. Studying tap, jazz, character dance and even choreography at Ballet Arts helped me to be so much more open to trying things in the studio and to learn choreography faster. At NCSA, students are required to study many different styles and the ballet teachers came from very different backgrounds, therefore I feel I got the best of many worlds.
Matthew Pawlicki-Sinclair Coryphee at Dutch National Ballet Trained at Ballet Arts 1998-2004 Photo by Sebastien Galtier
How did your early training at Ballet Arts and North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA) prepare you for a professional career in dance? I was really lucky with my training both at Ballet Arts and at NCSA for many reasons, especially for the many performance opportunities I was given. At Ballet Arts, I got to dance many different roles in classical full-length productions. Even more important to me personally, was the opportunity to be in programs like Dance and Dessert, where I could participate in new works. That experience of being in the creation process of a ballet is what really got me hooked. At NCSA, it was possible to perform roles (such as the Cavalier in The Nutcracker and Espada in Don Quioxte), roles that one might not get to dance in a company for a while, if ever. That was one of the reasons I chose to train at that particular school rather than somewhere affiliated with a professional company. Aside from that, the variation of styles and
Dutch National Ballet (DNB) is known for exploring the talents of emerging choreographers such as David Dawson, Krzysztof Pastor, and Remy Wortmeyer. What contemporary choreographers have you had the opportunity to work with? One of the reasons I chose to come to DNB was because of the varied repertoire and number of creations each season. I've worked on new pieces from current DNB dancer Peter Leung, former DNB dancer Juanjo Arques, the company's director Ted Brandsen, and house choreographer Krzysztof Pastor, as well as some international choreographers like Jorma Elo, Sidi Larbi Cherkoaui, Ton Simons, Christopher Wheeldon, Shen Wei, Alexei Ratmansky, Emio Greco and others. Was the creative process similar among those choreographers? One of the most exciting things is that they all work completely differently. You never know if you're going to like the way a choreographer works, and if they're going to like the way you work. Sometimes there's no connection and you can really recognize the frustration or challenge, and other times something clicks, and it's like listening to a couple finish each other's sentences. Once a connection like that is discovered, a relationship usually develops that brings out the best in both the choreographer and the dancer. A few choreographers with whom I've connected and really enjoyed working with include Sidi Larbi continued on page 56
P A G E 54
P A G E 55
continued from page 54 Cherkouai and Peter Leung, who is currently What are your professional goals and what's making his transition to becoming a choreographer. next for you? I was promoted this season to coryphee, which is You co-founded the interdisciplinary artists really nice motivation to keep dancing! I am collective Furthur Labelz in 2009. Tell us more getting to do some really nice roles and dancing more pas de deux works. Thankfully I am relatively about your vision for this venture. Shortly after I moved to Amsterdam in 2009, I met injury free, so there is no reason for me to stop a young Dutch writer named Sterre van Rossem dancing any time soon. I plan to make the most of who is now my fiance. We discovered a shared my time dancing while I still can. For the past few passion for collaborating and breaking down the years, I've been really interested in developing as a boundaries between art forms. Inspired by this choreographer and thought that was what I wanted passion, we started Furthur Labelz and invited to do when I finished dancing. Somehow though musicians, filmmakers and dancers to work on in trying to gain experience as a choreographer, several projects together. The idea was to expose I've had to do a lot of things that don't exactly fit audiences familiar with one art form to new ones that job description, but have come naturally and and also to take art forms like classical ballet I've enjoyed doing. I've been assisting as ballet outside of their normal context onto a different master for a few pieces by my colleague Peter, and stage. After experimenting with different ways to I've also been able to program and commission do this, we started to figure out what type of works as well. Though i'm not exactly sure how collaborations are most successful. This year, with yet, I know that I don't want to stray too far from the knowledge and experience we gained along the dance world and want to find my place on the with the team we built, Sterre and I started a new other side of things. I have big dreams for House of Makers – to actually have our own space and to venture with Peter Leung: House of Makers. be able to invite other artists for residencies, but I am not sure if that is what's next‌that will take What projects are you currently working on? We just recently participated in a collaboration with some working up to. conceptual artist Isabelle Andrissen for a new art fair called Unfair in an old shipbuilding hangar. Any thoughts about returning stateside to We're working on a performance with film, dance, continue your career? live music and spoken word, and animation which I've thought about coming back to the states a few will premiere in the middle of October. Later that times. As comfortable as the contracts are in month, we will take House of Makers to NYC for an Europe, there's a certain something I can't quite immersive performance experience with live music, pinpoint that I miss from America. But the benefits film and dancers from New York City Ballet in a of the contracts here are too good to walk away beautiful lofty warehouse space in Brooklyn in from and though I don't know exactly what the collaboration with curator Elena Parasco. We are future holds, I wouldn't rule out coming back also participating in two cultural festivals here someday. But since I just bought a house here, in Amsterdam in November. A piece which I probably not within the next five years. choreographed involving dance and film is being performed at both Museum Night, an event that places new art and events in all the city museums for one night, and at KANTOR, a festival that fills abandoned office buildings with performances and parties over one weekend.
P A G E 56
Photo by Bowie Verschuuren
P A G E 57
P A G E 58
P A G E 59
P A G E 60
P A G E 61
P A G E 62
P A G E 63
P A G E 64
P A G E 65
Special Thanks
TO ALL OUR DESSERT & REFRESHMENT DONORS FOR DANCE & DESSERT 2014 Acacia
The Grill at Hacienda Del Sol
Agustin Kitchen
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria
Arizona Inn
Hilton El Conquistador Resort
Blue Willow
Kingfisher
Bluefin Seafood Bistro
Maynards Market & Kitchen
Café à La C’Art
Mimi’s Cafe
Caffe Luce
Nadines Bakery
Canyon Ranch
Outback Steakhouse
Casa Vicente
Pastiche
Casino Del Sol Resort
Pima Community College
Chantilly Tea Room
Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse
Chili’s Grill & Bar
Primo – JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort
Claim Jumper
Raging Sage Coffee Roasters
Cup Cafe
Roma Imports
Cushing Street Bar & Restaurant
Romano’s Macaroni Grill
Dante’s Fire
Tubac Deli & Coffee Co.
Delectables
Wild Garlic Grill
Elizabeth Mikesell
Wildflower American Cuisine
Feast
Ballet Tucson wishes to thank all our dessert and refreshment donors. Please patronize these fine establishments.
P A G E 66
P A G E 67
P A G E 68
P A G E 69
P A G E 70
P A G E 71
P A G E 72
P A G E 73
Loop Jean Company ................................15
Aerolite Meteorites...................................21
Lori Carroll & Associates...............back cover
Affordable Paralegal Solutions ..................58
Marriott – Tucson University Park..............36
AK Jensen.................................................9
Mary M. White – Ameriprise Financial .......51
Altfeld & Battaile P.C. ...............................50
Maynards Market & Kitchen .....................69
Annette Hartman Catering ........................70
McDonald’s Owner/Operator Association ...37
Arbico Organics .......................................12
McDonald’s Restaurants...........................68
Arizona Party Rental.................................25
Miniature Memories.................................53
Artesana Tile ...........................................14
NNS Clinical Research..............................13
ASID – Arizona South Chapter ..................16
Park Avenue Weddings.............................60
Askren & Sons.........................................31
Pinnacle Plan Design, LLC........................58
Ballet Arts ...............................................32
Prep & Pastry ..........................................73
Beyond Bread..........................................72
PRO EM Party Concepts ...........................45
BodyCentral Physical Therapy...................62
Rick Surina – State Farm .........................55
Index of
ADVERTI S ER S
Abbott Taylor Jewelers ...............................2
Bogutz & Gordon, P.C. ..............................64
Robert Graham Shop................................17
Bravo Boutique ........................................61
Robin Sue Kaiserman – Long Realty..........27
Choice Computer Services .......................63
Royal Jaguar ...........................................17
Chris Chandler.........................................51
Russell & Christine Long – Long Realty .....11
Copenhagen..............................................3
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic School ..........28
DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun ......................18
Sam S. Prouty – Pilates & Gyrotonic..........59
Dr. Bella Eibensteiner ...............................50
Snell & Wilmer...........................................8
Dr. Judith E. Riley.....................................61
SOHO Hair Studio ....................................60
Dr. Kathleen Duerksen, F.A.C.S. ................28
Tavolino Ristorante Italiano .......................71
Dr. Nathan S. Conlee ................................65
The Jim Click Automotive Team ................29
Drs. Ray Harrell & Nancy Johnson, DDS ....29
The Melting Pot .......................................72
Fast Signs ...............................................43
The Practical Chef ...................................71
Finesse Interiors ......................................47
The Rumrunner/The Dish .........................72
Fisher Marantz Stone .................................5
Tohono Chul Park ....................................18
Geico Local Office....................................19
Town West Realty.......................................4
Hirsh’s Shoes ..........................................63
Tubac Golf Resort & Spa...........................47
House ‘N Garden .....................................14
Tucson Chamber Artists ...........................35
J. Gilbert Footwear...................................15
Tucson Lifestyle .......................................75
Jane Hamilton Fine Art .............................21
Tucson Tune ............................................59
Jim Brady Recording Studios ....................65
Villa Feliz Flowers ....................................23
John Lebbs, CPA .....................................55
Wolf & Sultan P.C.......................................7
Khalidi Law Firm, PLLC ............................57
Zeches Wealth Management ....................43
Littlered Media ........................................52
P A G E 74
P A G E 75