Joffrey Ballet Concert Group Tours China for Beijing Dance Academy's 60th Anniversary Gala Today

Joffrey Ballet Concert Group, the pre-professional performance company of the Joffrey Ballet School, announces their first tour to the People's Republic of China. Fourteen of the troupe's 35 dancers will represent the United States at the Beijing Dance Academy's 60th Anniversary gala performance. The festivities will span two weeks in October, during which time the company dancers will interact with dance companies, artistic directors, choreographers, and dance students from around the globe.

"This trip will be a once in a lifetime experience for these dancers -- a remarkable growing opportunity in the professional realm," says Davis Robertson, Artistic Director of the concert group. "A constantly immersive environment, the dancers are asked to master a vast and versatile repertoire while in the company, working with some of the best mentors in the world."

The Joffrey Ballet Concert Group will depart for their 15-day journey today, October 10, 2014. The company will perform Kettentanz (1971) by Gerald Arpino, one of the co- founders of the Joffrey Ballet, at the 60th Anniversary gala performance. Seven dancers from the group have also been selected to compete in the Beijing International Invitational for Dance Schools with students from around the world.

Throughout the tour, a film crew will join the company to document the adventures of these young dancers. The final film will aim to capture every aspect of what it takes to be a pre-professional dancer. This first ever documentary will be presented in Spring 2015. A Kickstarter to raise funds for the travel and creation of the documentary has been launched in support of this wonderful opportunity.

Graduates of the Joffrey Ballet Concert Group have gone on to dance for major dance companies around the world, such as American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Miami City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Parsons Dance, the Forsythe Company, Martha Graham Dance Company, Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Joffrey Ballet, the Royal Ballet of New Zealand and other companies throughout the United States and Europe.

REPERTORY DETAILS

Kettentanz (1971)
Choreography: Gerald Arpino
Music: Johan Stauss
Staged by Nicole Duffy

Kettentanz is a classic salute to Old Vienna balls and weingartens and is one of the most beloved works of the Joffrey repertory. Of the work, New York Post's Clive Barnes said, "The ballet unfolds with a youthful zest that belongs to all time."

About Joffrey Ballet Concert Group - Located in the heart of New York City, the Joffrey Ballet Concert Group serves as a platform for some of the nation's best young dancers to launch their professional careers. Robert Joffrey created the company in 1981 as a performing outlet for the students of the Joffrey Ballet School. Under Artistic Director Davis Robertson, the company performs a diverse repertoire including classic works by Gerald Arpino as well as new works from emerging contemporary choreographers, such as Karole Armitage, Julie Bour, Africa Guzman, and Larry Kiegwin. The group is comprised of 35 dancers and has recently completed multiple tours in the United States to rave reviews and opened the 2013 Florence Dance Festival in Italy, confirming Joffrey Ballet School's world-renowned reputation as a premier institution of American dance.

About Joffrey Ballet School - Founded in 1953 by Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino, Joffrey Ballet School maintains the vision of its founders to transform passionate dance students into versatile, individualistic artists able to collaborate and evolve fluidly in a fast-changing society. With an accredited dance program that offers two core pieces of study - ballet and jazz/contemporary - Joffrey is known for its diverse curriculum as well as being the largest summer intensive training program in the country. As Joffrey celebrates its 60th anniversary, it remains at the forefront of American dance education, instilling a passion for dance in children, youth, adults, pre-professionals and professionals. Graduates of the School have gone on to dance for major classical ballet, modern and contemporary companies, both in the United States and abroad.