Oh Nutcracker...

...how quickly it sweeps us all up! As out last post was just three days prior to our first Nutcracker audition, I think it's pretty clear that we've all been bustling about in the whirlwind that is The Nutty season!

Our ballet students have spent the last four months preparing for our 23rd annual full length performance of The Nutcracker. Spend long days and nights in rehearsal, all while maintaining their academics and attending regular technique class.

 

Our musical theatre students have been busily working on The Best of Fiddler on the Roof, to be performed in January and The Little Dickens Holiday Chorus which will perform this weekend before The Nutcracker Holiday Teas at The Grand Del Mar.  

Our jazz and tap students (most of which are also ballet students) have been working on technique in class, and some, preparing for the Tap Show, Peter Pan, which will officially begin in January. 

With a special performance of our Nutcracker schedule to be performed by Scripps Ballet Theatre at Ronald McDonald House and our Winter Audition Preparation Workshop beginning December 26th, it'll be a whirlwind of a year, right up to the end of it!

Skylar, 13, at The Scripps Performing Arts Academy Pre-Professional Intensive

Skylar in Ballet Technique Class during Week 1

This summer I had an opportunity to dance my way through the SPAA summer intensive. My experience was absolutely perfect and involved training from experts from around the nation such as Michael Fothergill, Brik Middlekauf, Robyn Shifren, Jenny Gilmore, Khamla Somphanh, Audrey Bondoc and one of my great inspirations, Miah Nwosu!

        

In each class, I learned and grew from corrections that helped to build my core strength, technique, Pointe work, jazz, modern, character, choreography and ballet. I am also getting combinations down faster, and built muscle strength each week with hard work and determination.

        

The first week was 9:00-3:00 to help us get ready for the next 2 intense weeks. It was based on ballet and pointe with Michael Fothergill, Miah Nwosu, Robyn Shifren and Jenny Gilmore. Through the first week my technique as a dancer grew while paying attention to my placement, foot work, etc. When the week was done I was exhausted and sore, but that shows how much I grew in just one week.

Character Class with Artour Bajanov, Bolshoi Ballet

The second and third week was great! I was there from 9:00-5:00. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday consisted of ballet, pointe, choreography, character and Pilates. These days were definitely full with plenty to do and many opportunities for growth. Tuesday and Thursday was ballet, pointe, choreography, jazz, modern, and stretch class. This was my favorite day because it included not only ballet but also jazz and modern!

This Summer Intensive I really bonded with all of the other dancers. Before this experience I was still great friends with all of them but I think this intensive brought us all together even more! So much so that at the end of the 3 weeks we all got together had a beach day and a sleepover, what a blast!

        

Skylar during Showcase Performance

On the last day of the intensive we had an amazing performance showcasing our talent within the dances we learned in intensives.  Every seat was filled with parents, siblings, teachers, friends and even people who just wanted to see our growth. The performance was amazing and I felt like I grew so much. With the help of the amazing instructors they fulfilled my dream of becoming a stronger and better dancer.

Even though I was sore, my toenails bruised, toes blistered, and had to use Ora-gel to numb my big toes, each morning I woke up excited to take on the day filled with dance and more opportunities to become even stronger!

Carly, 11, at The Scripps Performing Arts Academy Intermediate Intensive

Carly in ballet class during the Intensive

After waiting all summer for these two awesome summer intensive weeks to come, they had finally arrived. I was looking forward to putting my ballet shoes on again and dancing with my friends. This was my second year of summer intensive, and I knew I would be learning so many more new skills.

What I really love about summer intensive is that I get to learn a variety of dancing styles that expand my knowledge of dance. There was a little bit of everything such as modern, jazz, choreography, pre point practice, pilates, and of course ballet.

Carly during the Showcase performance

It is sadly now the end of the two weeks, and my body feels so much stronger and I am far more confident in my dancing. I loved all the teachers and how supportive they were to me and my dancing friends. Because of summer intensive I am ready and prepared for my fall classes. I can’t wait for summer intensive next year. I will definitely be coming back!!

Vivian at The Scripps Performing Arts Academy Pre-Professional Program

Vivian in a Technique Class During Week

Of all the ways to fill a summer day, dancing until every inch of my body aches is among my all-time favorites. Thanks to our SPAA intensives right here in San Diego, I've had the opportunity to do that for three, going on four, summers. It's always been a fantastic experience for technical and artistic improvement, as well as just having fun! This year is no exception.

The intensive started two weeks ago, with a technique class taught by Michael Fothergill, whom we had never met. At first, his combinations seemed really tricky and I could never seem to remember them or get them quite right. But right from plies, his combinations proved to be a lot of fun. By the time technique and pointe class were over, I was pretty close to exhausted. (Though I can probably attribute that to taking only a handful of classes in July and letting myself get a little out of shape!)
The exceptionally long adagios-- which include a fair amount of turns and quick movements as well as the usual, indulgently slow developpes and promenades-- are the highlight of Michael's classes. I also love that we nearly always finish off class with a zig-zag grande allegro! It's such an invigorating way to end. My absolute favorite thing about having Michael as a guest teacher is that he comes from a Balanchine background. This makes class fairly different, but it also means that we get the opportunity to learn some Balanchine choreography (a snippet from Symphony in Three Movements) as well as Michael's own Balanchine-influenced choreography. Both are an incredible amount of fun to perform, because the movements can be so exaggerated and dynamic!

Vivian in Variations/Rep. Class

In addition to Michael, we also have Brik Middlekauf as a guest teacher. So far, I've only gotten to take two of her technique classes, but both of them have been good opportunities to improve and gain new insight. Robyn Shifren also taught one of the classes in the first week-- it was a pretty challenging class, and Robyn gave a lot of helpful corrections (both individual and general). Jenny Gilmore taught class last Saturday and this morning. The first week, Saturday was a conditioning class with ballet barre immediately following. That really made my muscles sore! Our class with Jenny the second week was one of my favorites of the intensive thus far. We did an allegro combination that included what I think to be the most fun and exciting step in the ballet vocabulary (a sissone croise), and even revived a great piece of choreography that Jenny made earlier in the year during a Friday evening class.

Outside of ballet, I've also enjoyed taking Horton modern classes with Khamla Somphanh and jazz with Audrey Bondoc. We met Khamla at last year's intensive and really liked her style of modern technique, so all of us were looking forward to taking more classes with her this summer! Though modern class is tough, includes some awkward movements, and uses muscles that I'm really not used to working, it's a fun experience to try out new ways of moving. Jazz class with Audrey has also been a good opportunity to move differently than I do in ballet technique class, the way body is accustomed to move. I'm learning about letting go and putting more passion into my dancing, while also working on my technique with things like triple turns, fouettes, and barrels.

And of course it hasn't all been just learning and hard work-- though there's definitely been a significant amount of both! This year's intensive has also been full of memories and shared experiances with the amazing girls at the studio. We play children's board games, walk to Trader Joe's, reminisce about Nutcracker, and just have a great time together laughing and hanging out before and in between our classes.

I'm thoroughly enjoying this year's summer intensive at SPAA, and looking forward to the third and final week. Hopefully the years to come will be equally, exhaustingly fun!

Angela at The Rock School for Dance Education

Angela during a Jazz Class at The Rock School

This summer I chose to attend the Rock School for Dance Education summer intensive. It was my first intensive away from home, so I was pretty anxious and excited. I only stayed for two weeks, but still, I feel I learned a lot. The Rock definitely lived up to my standards.

The studios were gigantic; across the floor was so much fun! Each room had windows that let in a lot of natural light. On the walls, there were also photos of dancers; it was very inspiring. The only downside was that the whole place was five stories tall (crazy right?), and my studio was on the top floor, so each class we would have to walk up.

 The faculty was very diverse, so we got exposed to many different styles. The teachers gave us both personal corrections and general ones. We were lucky enough to have Isaac Hernandez, a soloist with San Francisco Ballet and the Rock alumni, teach us a technique class. He could probably jump straight over me and land perfectly; he’s that amazing.

There were so many amazing teachers, but I especially liked the ones that didn’t just focus on technique, but also artistry, like Phillip Otto, the Director of Huntsville Ballet Company. In his class, we didn’t just “move and jump around”, we actually danced. We did a few combinations across the floor that were to swingy jazz music, allowing us to loosen up. Then, he had us sit down and think about why we dance. Our reason for starting, pursuing, and loving. He gave us a technical, artistic, and physiological view of ballet.

We stayed at Cabrini College; the campus is so green. I felt like I was strolling through a rainforest. I often took walks around the campus, and saw a lot of wildlife. Seven deer, one fox, five chipmunks, and countless birds and squirrels. I really enjoyed it there because it was so different from San Diego. Honestly, I haven’t seen that much green since I visited Sequoia National Park.

I stayed in a dorm with six other girls; I had a single room. I know that some people like that, but for me, it meant that I would have no instant friend. It took me about four days to warm-up to the girls living with me. But by the weekend I was on good terms with all the girls in my classes, and getting along fairly well with the other girls in my suite.

I’m not going to lie about this part, the food wasn’t that appetizing. I ate salad everyday for lunch and dinner. I mean, the first week it was great, but by the second each time I saw green leaves, I felt nauseous. I know that the chefs worked hard to prepare the meals, so I did my best to pile it in.

This experience has definitely been something that I want to do again. I wish I could have stayed for all five weeks, but even just those two weeks were amazing!

Alexandra at The San Francisco Ballet School

Alexandra and Friends in Front of the SFB Building

This summer, I had the amazing opportunity to attend San Francisco Ballet School to train in their Summer Intensive.  It was such an incredible, life-changing experience and I made friends and memories that will last a lifetime.

ARRIVAL IN SAN FRANCISCO

Although I was super excited to be able to attend such a world-renowned program, I was also a little nervous.  I knew that everybody was going to be amazing because it is a hard program to get into and along with such talent can come big personalities and sometimes even bigger egos.  But as soon as I reached the dorms, I was welcomed by cheerful chaperones and kind-hearted dancers.

 DORMS AND CAFETERIA:

We resided at the San Francisco State University campus during our stay in the city. I was both surprised and overjoyed to see that the bedrooms, lounge areas and bathrooms were all nicer than standard dorms.  Students of the SFB Summer Intensive stayed on the 2^nd and 3^rd floors of Mary Park Hall, just one of the many dorm buildings at SFSU. Mary Park Hall was walking distance to a shopping mall, bus stops and college common areas that include restaurants, a book store and also the school’s cafeteria.

BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY (commute and freedom in the city):

The commute from the dorms to the San Francisco Ballet studios was long. However, this was one of my favorite parts of my experience because I could really get a feel for traveling around the beautiful city of San Francisco.  Every day we walked through campus to the MUNI bus-stop to catch our ride. After boarding the MUNI, a public transportation system (half subway, half bus), we would travel about 40 minutes to our destination where we walked 6 blocks through the city until we reached the gorgeous company studios. Overall, the commute took about an hour.

Alexandra in the SFB Studios

Students were definitely not held back from exploring San Francisco.  We were given the freedom to go anywhere as long as we did not miss class or curfew.  Besides the studios where there was lots to see, we were able to take trips to see the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square and experience the beauty, art and unique personality of San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO BALLET’S STUDIOS:

The San Francisco Ballet School facilities are gorgeous. All studios have wood flooring, multi-level bars, and a ton of natural light. There was even one particular studio that had floor to ceiling windows that gave you a view of the city. It was really nice to be able to dance and still see the day go by outside.

What was amazing was that I was able to dance in the same building as the professional company, San Francisco Ballet. The first floor of the building was the lobby, second floor was the ballet school, third floor was offices, and the fourth floor was the company’s rehearsal and class studios. A few times, I was lucky enough to take class in one of the studios on the fourth floor. What was crazy was that we were able to watch company classes and rehearsals whenever we wanted. One of my favorite ballet dancers, Maria Kochetkova, is a principal with the company. The highlight of my summer was being able to actually watch a dancer, who is my biggest inspiration dance and rehearse!  I also saw other remarkable dancers including Yuan Yuan Tan, Vanessa Zahorian, Sofiane Sylve, Frances Chung, Sarah Van Patten, Luke Willis, Pierre-François Vilanoba, and Davit Karapetyan.  It really helped me realize how badly I want to become a professional ballet dancer, possibly even with San Francisco Ballet. Also, after watching them in rehearsal and class showed me the hard work it takes to make everything look so effortless on stage.  It is just like how hard we as students work to get to the next level.  I was humbled to be able to dance in the same place as such amazing artists.

 TRAINING

Along with challenging Ballet and Pointe classes daily we were also able to take Pas de Deux, Pilates, Contemporary, Character and Repetoire classes. We were even able to learn some company repertoire, such as William Forsythe’s “In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated” and “Artifacts Suite”. We also learned more classical works like Paquita Pas de Trois and others.

The teachers were top-notch and were not only focused on technique but also on dancer’s artistry and use of upper body.  Some of my favorite teachers were Tina LeBlanc and Sherri LeBlanc, Shannon Bresnahan, Pascale Leroy, Jeffrey Lyons and Wendy Van Dyck.

FRIENDS

The dancers I met were some of the most amazingly nice and interesting people I have ever met.  They came from all over the world and all had all had a very strong work ethic, but knew how to have fun.  I was impressed by the diversity of the students and although all were extremely talented, there were many different body types and strengths represented in the dancers at this Summer Intensive.  Even more surprising to me was the fact that these dancers were all friendly and modest about their extraordinary talent in dance.

 LAST THOUGHTS

I am deeply grateful to have had the experiences I did this summer at San Francisco Ballet Summer Intensive.  It is a wonderful company and school. It gave me a much better idea of what I am working towards and why it is so important to keep my focus and attention on ballet and my future.  I would return to San Francisco Ballet in a heartbeat!

A Quantum Leap

Stretching to reach your personal best is a journey - not a destination. Quantum is the smallest possible change - so each time you enter the dance class focus on the smallest possible change... or adjustment that you can make in that class and over time... you will be leaping with JOY!

EnJOY your Joy filled life!

Miss Angela

Stephanie at The Rock School for Dance Education Performance

Stephanie Performing during SPAA's 2010 Intensive

So after three and a half weeks of strenuous rehearsals, fellow Rock School students and I were able to show off our hard work at the open-air Mann Center for the Performing Arts!  It definitely felt satisfying to have learned, cleaned, and perfected multiple pieces in just a short 3 week period. It was quite a long wednesday for just a short 55 minute performance; however it was completely worth it!

The day started at four in the morning, waking up to get ready for warm class at the studio at 6:45 am! Once our bodies were somewhat warmed up, we made our way to the Mann Center. Once there, we did a full run through of the performance, including Balanchine's Symphony in C and Rock the Beat 2011(which was performed to a mix of the top 10 hit songs for summer 2011), which I performed in. The actual show didnt start til 11 o'clock in the morning at which point it was already 102 degrees! The show was performed for many children attending summer camps in and around the Philadelphia area. Even though it was a very long and strenuous day it was very enjoyable! It got me very excited for the showcase performance this coming friday, july 29th, and it truly brings out the real dancer in me!

Next Week, we'll hear from Alexandra about her summer at The San Francisco Ballet School!

Stephanie, 14, at The Rock School for Dance Education

Stephanie Performing during 2010-11 Season

 Starting my second year at a summer intensive away from home, I was very anxious and nervous. The people at The Rock School for Dance Education have been very friendly and welcoming. 

From what I have experienced so far, I can truly say they provide an excellent dance education. The directors Bohan and Stephanie Spassoff always make sure that the faculty, guest teachers, and dancers support the philosophy of being the best while encouraging the students. Because of this, people from all over the world come to this summer intensive making it very large; however, after the first week, it feels like a small program.

All the teachers give individual corrections and feedback which is imperative when creating the foundation for a professional career. Speaking of a professional career, The Rock School hires guest teachers for the summer which include professional dancers such as Isaac Hernandez, soloist with San Francisco Ballet and Rock School Alum. After taking multiple technique classes with him, and a partnering class, I am truly inspired; especially since San Francisco is a world-class company and one of my favorites. 

After this week, my favorite teacher here at The Rock School will have to be Jennifer Wheat. I love how she focuses more on the artistic side of dance. I feel like I'm actually "dancing" in her class rather than just going through the movements. Also, her class feels very comforting because it's very similar to Miah Nwosu's (Artistic Director, SBT) classes home at SPAA. 

Stephanie and One of Her Suite-mates

The Rock School is also a very performance oriented school also similar to SPAA and SBT. This past Wednesday, we started rehearsing for the two performances at the end of the 5 week program. The two upper levels (5 and 6; I'm in level 5) are working on George Balanchine's Symphony in C, which truly embodies all that Mr. B and his technique are. The fast and sharp movements are very challenging, but I've been able to express myself in them. We have also started working on a jazz piece which is very fun and exciting. I like how it breaks up the intensive so it's not just ballet. With a daily schedule of two technique classes,  one pointe, variations, or partnering class, and a rehearsaI, I feel like I've improved already, just after the first week! 

The Rock School has set up very comfortable living arrangements. My suite-mates Charlotte, Madeline, Michelle, and room-mate Hattie are very fun and friendly; it already seems like I've known them for years! Just after this first week, I can say I love The Rock School and will definitely be back again for another summer intensive!

Several Dancers Begin Their Summer Training Adventures!

Alexandra during SPAA '10 Intensive

 Our commitment to excellence in dance education is recognized when our students are annually accepted to some of the most competitive and prestigious summer intensive programs across the country.

Angela during SPAA '10 Intensi

This year we have three students spending their summers working on their technique in new cities with new teachers. Stephanie C. and Angela X. at The Rock School in Philadelphia, and Alexandra P. at San Francisco Ballet School. All three dancers are pre-professional students at the Scripps Performing Arts Academy and members of our youth ballet company, The Scripps Ballet Theatre.

Stephanie during SPAA '10 Intensive

Beginning July 8th until the end of the summer, we'll have brief entries written by the dancers at their various summer programs, including our very own SPAA Intensive in August!

Earthkalah Opens This Week!

Princess Golah and the
Evil Sorcerer Greedious, in rehearsal

This year's All School Production will open this weekend, Friday at 6:30, Saturday and Sunday at 4pm in the Vincent Paul Black Box Theatre.

Earthkalah is a contemporary fairy tale, inspired by a trip Miss Angela took to the desert with Shirley MacLaine. Written by Executive Director Angela Amoroso, the narrated contemporary ballet illuminates the vision that together, we may have the courage to live our lives to the fullest and to contribute to humanity with a sense of selfless joy rather than selfish destruction.

Earthkalah has been performed several times since it's 1988 premiere and has become an audience favorite and a Scripps Performing Arts Staple! As a narrated ballet whose characters include bunnies, birds, flowers, mermaids and fisher boys, it's great for small children!

Earthkalah will be presented with Les Rendez-vous, a one act ballet about friends gathering in a park, performed by the Scripps Ballet Theatre.

This cast features dancers aged 3-19 years old and we hope to see you there!

Call 858-586-7834 to purchase your tickets today!

Tappy-Ella Shuffles on Stage Next Weekend!

SPAA Tap Students in "The Hoofer's Club" 2010

The Academy's Annual All Tap Show will take the Stage May 21 and 22 at 2pm and 6pm, in the Vincent Paul Black Box Theatre, with Tappy-Ella!

Tap students of all ages will unite to perform the classical Cinderella tale with a few tap-tastic twists! An entirely original show, created and choreographed by Miss Sarah DeGuzman, it's sure to entertain and impress!

Summer at The Academy...

 

SPAA Pre-Pro Student in Class During
2010 Summer Intensive

...means Full Artistic Immersion, Education and Creative Expression! Summer Camps and our two Summer Intensive programs give students who have an interest in the performing arts an opportunity to explore their passions, make new friends and prepare a performance.

Our Themed Week Long Musical Theatre Dance Camps Begin June 20th and include Pop Stars Rock, The Best of Broadway, Glee Club Superstars, Pixar LIVE, Angelina and YOUR Ballerina and MORE! All camps culminate in a fully costumed performance at the Vincent Paul Black Box Theatre in Scripps Ranch at the end of the week. We offer camps for all ages from 3.5 to 14 years old!

Same Student During SPAA
Intensive Performance 2011

For the Serious Dancer, the Summer is a great time to focus on artistic training without the distractions of the school year. Our Pre-Professional and Intermediate Intensive Programs, designed for serious dancers aged 10-19 years old, balance the high demand of classical ballet, with the nurturing and guidance necessary for long term success. Daily ballet, pointe and variations classes, with traditional character dance immerses aspiring dancers in the rich tradition that is classical ballet. Students are also exposed to weekly Jazz and Modern classes as versatility is a necessity in the current dance climate. Class sizes are kept small (12-14 or less) and guest and current faculty are selected for their technical knowledge and experience as much as their personality and ability to nurture the best in students as dancers and individuals.

Summer is coming and we're looking forward to the beautiful San Diego weather and studios full of excited, young artists!

Scripps Ballet Theatre...Grand Pas de Quatre, Les Rendez-vous and Beyond Technique!

Don't Miss our Youth Ballet Company in Residence in a Mixed Program This Weekend!

Grand Pas de Quatre: The historical Romantic ballet that united the four
greatest ballet dancers of the era on one stage 

Les Rendez-vous: a NEW choreographic take by Miah Nwosu on Sir Fredrick Ashton's
plotless ballet about friends gathering in a park 

Beyond Technique II: A contemporary program, showcasing the versatility of the dancers of the Scripps Ballet Theatre and Scripps Performing Arts Academy.
Contemporary Ballet, Lyrical Jazz and more will be featured.

 Performances April 1st at 7pm and April 2nd & April 3rd at 4pm
at The Vincent Paul Black Box Theatre

9920 Scripps Lake Drive, Suite 105
San Diego, CA 92131

Little Shop of Horrors

Joey Kirkpatrick as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors

Little Shop Of Horrors presented by the Musical Theatre Department in the Vincent Paul Black Box Theatre in Scripps Ranch was fantastic! The cast featured several talented singers and actors and Gemini Burke, son of Grammy Award Winning Artist, Solomon Burke played the voice of the plant "Audrey II"!

If you missed it this past weekend, we'll be holding an encore performance of Little Shop of Horrors in May! Stay tuned for details!

"Best of Annie" Workshop Performances Make Us Proud!

Cast Mates After A Performance of "An Annie Review"

It was a semester of exciting change and incredible growth for us in the Musical Theatre Department as we all came together and gave audiences something to smile about! Over the course of two busy weekends we produced 14 performances of "The Best of Annie" featuring wonderfully talented students ranging from ages 5-15. And boy did we all learn a lot! I joined our students back in September, and was exceptionally proud of their rise and dedication through out the workshop process.

It is truly inspirational to see the workshop environment cultivate a love for the arts and a passion for performing in each of these young minds.

I am tremendously excited to take what we all learned from the experience and bring that energy into our new workshop of the "Wicked of Oz". The workshop will take every one's favorite moments from "Wicked," "The Wiz" and "The Wizard of Oz" and combine them all into one showstopping performance! Dorothy and all of her friends will light up the stage for what is sure to be one of most memorable workshop experiences to date! Performances will be held in June and it isn't too late to sign up and join the fun!

Auditions....A Dancer's Life

SPAA Pre-Professional Student Stephanie Cotton in Class During our 2010 Summer Intensive

January marks the beginning of the mayhem that will forever be a part of a dancers life: AUDITIONS.  From students to professionals, summer intensives to company and college dance programs, the audition process isn't going anywhere. This mayhem continues until mid to late February and to Early to Late March for some.  The audition process is hard and almost no dancer likes it, but it is a necessary evil of the art form. Day after day in class, year after year in auditions, you are constantly trying to prove yourself to someone else. To prove that you're focused, talented and want to reach your full potential. At a young age, dancers must learn how to deal with rejection and disappointment, jealousy and excitement. Now tell me which other art form will give you all that plus self confidence, determination, a solid work ethic and all the benefits of classical music?

This past December we held our 2nd annual Winter Audition Preparation Workshop with students from Ballet schools all over San Diego coming in to participate. The program features daily pilates, ballet technique (modern is added in years where students are auditioning for college programs) and pointe classes, with seminars on topics pertinent to the audition process, allowing dancers to feel confident and ready to put their best foot forward.  So far, our students and workshop participants are doing quite well. To date they've collectively received acceptances to summer programs with American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, The Gelsey Kirkland Academy, Joffrey Chicago and New York programs, The Harid Conservatory, Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, The Rock School, San Francisco Ballet School, School of American Ballet, Walnut Hill, Washington Ballet School and the letters are still coming in.

If you're still in the throws of the audition season, I encourage you to take a moment to pat yourselves on the back. Pre-Professional Ballet training is hard, going to auditions is hard and you are doing it, nonetheless!

Natalia Osipova, Maria Kotchekova, Polina Semionova in works by Karole Armitage, Jorma Elo and MORE!

Absolutely AMAZING! Last night a couple SPAA students and I attended a wonderful performance, The Bolshoi Ballet Project: Reflections, featuring graduates of the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. The melding of contemporary work with strong classical dancers is always an exciting combination and I believe it showcased the relevance of classical technique within the contemporary arena quite nicely. Some of the choreography was not necessarily to my liking, but the beauty of classical ballet training still continued to shine through.

It really is vitally important that those working in ballet and dance, and students of ballet and dance, are given the opportunity to see professional dancers at an international level and we just don't get enough opportunities here in Southern California. Seeing live performances at a national/international level inspire and validate our daily class work, both as teachers and students. I  encourage those of you parenting dancers, both aspiring professionals and lovers of the art, to take the family to a live performance. There really is nothing like it.  YouTube and the internet has brought the dance world to our desks, but nothing beats live performance.

I have to thank Orange County Performing Arts Center (now Segerstrom Center for the Arts) for continually offering a varied and innovative Dance season in Southern California year after year.

From Nutcracker to American Girl and MORE!

With Nutcracker now more than a month behind us, the new year has taken off at full speed! With the American Girl Fashion Show in March at the Irwin M. Jacobs Qualcomm Hall, the dancers of Scripps Ballet Theatre and Scripps Performing Arts are changing gears from Tchaikovsky to Pugni's Pas de Quatre and Auber's Les Rendez-vous.  We're about two weeks into rehearsals, setting Pas de Quatre and working on several new works including an original Les Rendez-vous and a new contemporary solo to music by Yann Tiersen. The piece is inspired by the pull between what one knows in their heart and what it looks like on the outside. So far the choreography is a contrast between organic and quick, sharp movements and the music really drives you to keep moving. The variations of the Romantic ballet Pas de Quatre are definitely stretching the dancers and I don't think any one anticipated the difficulty of this piece (except for me of course). They're all approaching the work with great focus and gusto and I'm confident it will be beautiful by opening night and each dance will add their own touch to the interpretation of the stars of the Romantic Era: Lucile Grahn (Laura Xiao), Carlotta Grisi (Vivian Zhang), Fanny Cerrito (Alexandra Polaski), Marie Taglioni (Stephanie Cotton). The dancers are grasping the new material quickly and both the American Girl Fashion Show performance and Scripps Ballet Theatre performance in April will show the versatility and passion of these young, skilled dancers.

*Scripps Ballet Theatre is the youth ballet company in residence at the Scripps Performing Arts Academy