Barnett Serchuk - Page 9

ROBERTO VILLANUEVA, born in the Philippines, is the Executive/Artistic Director and Founder of BalaSole Dance Company. He trained briefly at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance and received his BA in Dance Performance from University at Buffalo. Acclaimed nationally and internationally for his abilities as a dance artist, Roberto has performed, conducted dance residencies, judged dance competitions, and taught master classes in U.S., Europe, and Asia. He has worked with renowned choreographers such as Dwight Rhoden, Kevin Wynn, Milton Myers, and Eleo Pomare and performed with dance companies such as Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance Company, Steeledance, Marie-Christine Giordano Dance, Pick of the Crop Dance, and Buffalo City Ballet. Roberto has mentored/worked with artists from renowned companies such as the Limon Dance Company, Elisa Monte Dance, Lucinda Childs Dance, Parsons Dance, Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Philadanco, Joffrey Ballet, Donald Byrd/The Group, Ballet Frankfurt, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Twyla Tharp Dance, Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble, The Isadora Duncan Dance Company, Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, and Rockettes.

Antonia Katrandjieva, a native of Bulgaria, is an internationally acclaimed scholar, director, writer and choreographers, exploring the realms of dance and theatre. Her works are informed by her extensive studies: she holds a B.A. in Physical Theatre Acting, MFA in Theatre Directing, Ph.D. and D.Sc. in Theatre from the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria, and is a graduate of Zurich Tanz Theater Schule in Switzerland. Antonia has traveled, lectured and researched dance and theatre traditions in Asia, South America, Europe and the U.S. and has presented over 40 cutting-edge works at dance and theatre festivals across the globe. She is the NY correspondent for the Bulgarian magazine Teatar and has authored a manual for contemporary actors and dancers, as well as a doctoral thesis entitled Contemporary Trends in Physical Theatre, along with numerous articles on theater, philosophy and dance for Bugarian, Swiss and American journals. In addition to founding and directing Overground Physical Theatre Company, Antonia is creator of Yogea Artflow, an innovative yoga style.

In my next life, I'm returning as the world's foremost dance historian to write the ultimate chronicle of Tchailovsky's Sleeping Beauty from 1890 to 2013. It's going to be a huge tome, one that encompasses every move, scene shift and cast change that was ever seen. Actually, by the time I finish my epic work, it will be superseded by an even larger tome, but that's life. What led me to this decision was American Ballet Theater's production of Sleeping Beauty that I saw on the July 6, 2012, the closing night of the season. This sent me back to my books, DVDs, CDs, balletomane friends and YouTube to decide just what Sleeping Beauty is all about, or should be about.

David MacGillivray, DOM AP, (www.davidmacg.com), spent more than 20 years as a ballet dancer and Broadway performer. He appeared with the National Ballet of Canada and in the original production of Susan Stroman's Contact, performing with the musical throughout its entire three year run.

To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure if I liked Frederick Ashton's Sylvia at the Metropolitan Opera House on Wednesday evening, June 26, or not. It had lots of things in its favor, but where was the spark? What's special about this ballet, and how did it get from Paris 1876 to New York City 2013? Is there something that eludes me? I decided to do a little excavating on my own.

Andris Liepa was born in 1962 into a famous artistic family; his father Maris Liepa was one of the Bolshoi's legendary dancers. Andris trained at Moscow Ballet School and then joined the Bolshoi Ballet Company, dancing the leads in The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Swan Lake and many more.

on tour with the Bolshoi Ballet in the US, she defected and immediately was in great demand internationally as a guest artist. She marked her Broadway debut in 1982 as Vera Baronova in the revival of On Your Toes, featuring Balanchine's Slaughter on Tenth Avenue ballet. Ms. Kozlova joined the New York City Ballet in 1983 as Principal Dancer and remained with the company until 1995, dancing lead roles choreographed by such dance icons as George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, Richard Tanner and Eliot Feld.

Naomi Goldberg Haas is a dancer, master teacher, choreographer and director of DVP. She is the creator of Variable Pop Expressive Dance Method and Movement Speaks - a Community Collaborative Dance Program. Highlights from her work in theater, opera and film include collaborations with The Klezmatics, composer Michael Nyman, playwright Tony Kushner, directors Brian Kulick and Oskar Eustis and Disney animation. Her work with the Silesian Dance Theater and persons with disabilities was presented in 2010 at the International Contemporary Dance Festival in Poland and in 2011 at Chutzpah Festival in Vancouver, B.C. Recent projects include Golem with the Czech American Marionette Theater for the 50th anniversary of La Mama etc. She formerly danced with Pacific Northwest Ballet and holds an MFA from Tisch Dance at NYU. She has taught dance at Cal State, Long Beach and Loyola Marymount University and currently teaches at NYU, the Harkness Dance Center at the 92 Y and in DVP's programs.

RENEGADE (under the umbrella of the Pottporus Association) realizes free dance theater productions with national and international partners, dancers, choreographers and cultural institutions - with a focus on street art. The hallmark of Renegade Productions is the equal combination of different dance styles and the influence of the artistic elements of street art (graffiti, breakdancing) and takes this principle nationally and internationally acclaimed. Renegade was awarded the main prize at the theater forced NRW 2004, the Herald Angel 2004, the Guardian's Best Physical Theatre and the Fringe First Award 2004. Recently, Renegade was invited to the Germany Dance Platform 2012 in Dresden, presenting one of the 10 best dance German productions.

The Bolshoi's production of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet is, in the words of Rodgers and Hammerstein, 'A Puzzlement.' Big, sprawling, clashing swords, crying on the floor, it just fails to come to life.

I was looking forward to American Ballet Theater's triple bill on May 21 with anticipation, because I had seen one of the ballets, Frederick Ashton's A Month in the County, years ago, and always held it in warm esteem. I remembered how moved I was as the curtain fell on the dancer (was it Lynn Seymour?) portraying the heroine, Natalia Petrovna, alone on the stage with nothing but a loveless and frustrating future awaiting her.

John Cranko's Onegin was recently presented by American Ballet Theatre. As I expected, the reviews weren't great. It seems Cranko never commands much respect over here. The reviews all describe the work in the same way: empty, boring, sleep-inducing. But I don't agree. Sure, the ballet could be shortened, but aren't there many ballets like that. One thing it does offer: wonderful acting parts for dancers.

It is with great sadness that we report Frederick Franklin's death at age 98. One of the most elegant, charming and seemingly versatile male ballet stars of the 20th century, and into the 21st, Franklin brought real class to whatever he was performing. He danced with almost every major ballerina, and had works choreographed for him by Balanchine, Massine and de Mille, among a host of others.

Being a student of history is enlightening. You can learn about so many new things that may, or may not, be of interest .I felt that way about Esmeralda. I've heard about it. I know there's an Esmeralda variation that's sometimes done at competitions. But it's gone beneath my radar. So, with a great deal of trepidation, I went to see the Ballet in Cinema from Emerging Pictures film on April 22. After watching the performance, transmitted from the Bolshoi Ballet, in what is billed as a new production, I can understand the reason for the ballet's infrequent showings.

The Juilliard School presented an interesting program on the afternoon of April 7, 2013, at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre. Before I even start my review , I want to extend my congratulations to Lawrence Rhodes, the Juilliard Artistic Director, for his commitment and dedication in producing, what is in my mind, some of the best graduate dancers I have ever seen-and I've seen many of them over the years. These dancers are what we need in our artistic venues, whether as performers, or, as I hope, future administrators, teachers and choreographers. Time will tell. My only problem: will there be enough places for the dancers when they graduate? I hope so. When you scrutinize highly gifted college artists, you want them to exit, blazing and seething with their talent, ready to change the artistic world around them. By their ardor and enthusiasm, they only help to reinforce our country's need for greater commitment to the arts, which is sorely lacking and much needed. Mr. Rhodes, keep up the splendid work. I'm always watching your dancers.

Maria Tallchief, the first Native American to win acclaim as a prima ballerina, passed away on April 11, 2013. While she worked with many companies and choreographers, she is most renowned for her collaboration with George Balanchine, first at The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and then, most importantly and famously, at the New York City Ballet. She was married to Balanchine from 1946 until 1952 when the marriage was annulled. Despite this interruption in their private lives they continued their professional association.

One of America's most versatile, popular and highly acclaimed choreographers, Lar Lubovitch leads the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in New York City, which he founded 44 years ago. Lubovitch's dances are renowned for their musicality, rhapsodic style and sophisticated formal structures.

Tiffany Rea Fisher is the Associate Artistic Director of the Elisa Monte Dance. She received her BFA from the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College SUNY, where she co-founded ForArts, the school's first interdisciplinary presenting organization, which provided opportunities for students from different conservatories to create collaborative works.

It wasn't until Frederick Ashton undertook a new creation of the ballet that it finally became an international hit. He referred to it as his 'poor man's Pastorale,' a lovely reference to Beethoven's symphony where things go from simplicity to thunderstorms and back to normalcy and contentment with the world. He commissioned The Royal Opera House conductor, John Lanchberry, to orchestrate a new score that, while recalling French culture and manners (it did begin as a French ballet after all), is firmly rooted in an English sensibility

Elisa Monte Dance, an emotionally charged and highly acclaimed dance company that champions individuality, returns to The Ailey Citigroup Theater on April 11 for the company's 32nd season. The season features three premieres: Artistic director Elisa Monte's world premiere of Terra Firma; Associate Artistic Director Tiffany Rea-Fisher's company premiere of Identity; and dancer Joe Celej's company premiere of Portals & Passageways.