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American Repertory Ballet Sets 'Season Premiere' Performances & More at Rider University
By: Tyler Peterson Aug. 25, 2015
American Repertory Ballet's performance season will open at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ with a week of events, presentations, and performances celebrating 5 years of Artistic Director Douglas Martin's artistic leadership.
American Repertory Ballet will present Season Premiere in the theater at Rider University's Bart Luedeke Center on Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26 at 7:30pm. Season Premiere will feature three highlights from Martin's first two years of leadership: Martin's lyrical and poignant Ephemeral Possessions, set to Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings; internationally acclaimed choreographer Kirk Peterson's highly technical Glazunov Variations, set to sections of Glazunov's music for the classical ballet Raymonda; and ARB Resident Choreographer Mary Barton's imaginative and thrilling Straight Up With a Twist, set to music by contemporary folk music composer Kaila Flexer. Straight Up With a Twist was last performed on tour at Jacob's Pillow, an internationally-renowned center for dance history and performance in the Berkshire mountains.
"We look forward to bringing this wide-ranging program to Rider University," says Martin. "From classical to contemporary, tutus to unitards, we are showing a full range of what the ballet vocabulary can produce. It's a great education for the Rider dance students and a beautiful evening for the general public."
The company has begun its performance season with a residency at Rider University for the past several years. Rider University dance students take courses for credit at ARB's Princeton Ballet School throughout the year, and ARB's residency on campus affords the students additional master classes, unique insights into the workings of a professional ballet company, and the opportunity to watch the company perform, without having to leave the campus. This year, as a celebration of Douglas Martin's 5 years of artistic leadership, the week's festivities will include a "Meet the Dancers" On Pointe event, Open House Dress Rehearsal, and a State of the Art Address - ARB's first public meeting - in addition to the typical residency program. The "Meet the Dancers" On Pointe will be held on September 23 at 5:15pm and will provide attendees a unique opportunity to meet the company's international, professional dancers and see excerpts of the upcoming performance season. The Open House Dress Rehearsal will be on Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 4:30pm in the theater at the Bart Luedeke Center, and the State of the Art Address will immediately follow at 6:00pm in the Bart Luedeke Center fireside lounge. The On Pointe, Open House Dress Rehearsal, and State of the Art Address are all free and open to the public. RSVP for the Open House Dress Rehearsal and State of the Art Address at www.arballet.org/StateoftheArtAddress or call Kristine Farmer, Development Coordinator, at 732.249.1254 x11.
"American Repertory Ballet has made huge strides under Douglas Martin's artistic vision," says ARB Executive Director Vanessa Logan. "We are glad to celebrate these five years and the promise of many successful anniversaries to come with this opening week at Rider University. ARB's Princeton Ballet school has a unique, continued partnership with the university that was forged over 20 years ago by Princeton Ballet School Director Mary Pat Robertson and the then Chair of Rider University's Fine Arts Department Dr. Patrick Chmel. It is truly one-of-a-kind has played a large role in the providing enriching opportunities for Rider students throughout the years. Rider is such a fitting setting to celebrate not only ARB's artistic success, but also the organization's remarkable educational successes."
"Meet the Dancers" On Pointe
September 23 at 5:15pm
Open House Dress Rehearsal
September 24 at 4:30pm
State of the Art Address
September 24 at 6:00pm
RSVP: www.arballet.org/StateoftheArtAddress or call Kristine Farmer, Development Coordinator, at 732.249.1254 x11.
*Please note: "Meet the Dancers," Open House Dress Rehearsal, and State of the Arts Address are free of charge and open to the public. All Events Take Place in Rider University Bart Luedeke Center, Lawrenceville.
Season Premiere
September 25 & 26 at 7:30pm
Rider University's Bart Luedeke Center
Lawrenceville, NJ
Not to be Missed
Princeton Ballet School's fall session begins September 11. There are still spots in select classes at the school's Cranbury, New Brunswick, and Princeton locations. Call 609-921-7758 for more information.
American Repertory Ballet presents A Night of Dance
October 9 at 7:30pm
Union County performing Arts Center's Hamilton Stage
Rahway, NJ
About American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School
American Repertory Ballet's mission is to bring the joy, beauty, artistry and discipline of classical and contemporary dance to New Jersey and nationwide audiences and to dance students through artistic and educational programs. The organization comprises: the preeminent professional classical and contemporary ballet company in the state; Princeton Ballet School, one of the largest and most respected non-profit dance schools in the nation; and ARB's Access & Enrichment initiatives, including the long-running and acclaimed DANCE POWER program. The performing company is a classical and contemporary ballet company committed to presenting ballets from the 19th and 20th centuries alongside new and existing works by choreographers from today. Founded in 1963, the company is currently under the artistic leadership of Douglas Martin, former principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet. Its rich history of repertory includes established masterpieces by distinguished American choreographers such as George Balanchine, Gerald Arpino, Alvin Ailey, Paul Taylor and Twyla Tharp; cutting edge works by choreographers such as Val Caniparoli, Kirk Peterson, Dominique Dumais, Harrison McEldowney, Amy Seiwert, Susan Shields, Melissa Barak, Patrick Corbin, Trinette Singleton, and ARB Resident Choreographer Mary Barton; and former Artistic Directors Dermot Burke, Marjorie Mussman, Septime Webre and Graham Lustig. ARB has been designated a "Major Arts Institution" by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts consistently for the past two decades, and has repeatedly been awarded a Citation of Excellence by the Council. ARB was voted the Jersey Arts People's Choice for "Favorite Dance Company" in 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2015.
Princeton Ballet School has gained a national reputation for its excellent dance training since its founding in 1954 by Audrée Estey. Under the direction of Mary Pat Robertson, Princeton Ballet School currently serves approximately 1,200 students, starting at age three, and includes a large open enrollment division for adults. Princeton Ballet School has studios in Cranbury, New Brunswick, and Princeton and offers classes in ballet, modern dance, jazz, hip-hop, CardioBallet, and CoMBo - Conditioning for the Mind and Body. Students from the school have gone on to dance in professional ballet and contemporary dance companies in the US and abroad. Graduates have danced with such diverse organizations as New York City Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Miami City Ballet, Complexions, Mark Morris Dance Company, Twyla Tharp, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Ballet West and on Broadway.
The Access & Enrichment wing of American Repertory Ballet reaches out to the community not only through its DANCE POWER program and signature On Pointe series, but also with free programming, master classes, residencies, lecture demonstrations and School-Time Matinees throughout the state. In 1985, American Repertory Ballet partnered with the New Brunswick Board of Education to create DANCE POWER. Today, it's the longest-running uninterrupted arts/community partnership in New Jersey. The legendary Gregory Hines was DANCE POWER's Honorary Chair for 18 years before his untimely passing in 2003. In 2001, Mr. Hines endowed a scholarship at Rutgers University that earmarks annual funds for a DANCE POWER student to attend the university.
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