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FOR RELEASE APRIL, 2010
CONTACT: SHAUNA TYSOR
KIM ESPINOSA
713 535 3226
pr@houstonballet.org
HOUSTON BALLET'S BEN STEVENSON ACADEMY PRESENTS ITS
2010 SPRING SHOWCASE
Performances mark 55th Anniversary of the Founding of the Academy
Ma Cong, Resident Choreographer
and Principal Dancer at Tulsa Ballet, Creates Calling,
a World Premiere for Houston Ballet II
Houston Ballet II Gives First Performances
in Germany and California in April and May
Houston, Texas -- On Friday, April 16 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 17 at 1:30 p.m., Houston Ballet II, Houston Ballet's second company and uppermost level of Houston Ballet's Academy, will present its 2010 Spring Showcase in the Cullen Theater at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Tickets start at $25 and may be purchased by calling 713 227 ARTS (713-227-2787) or online at www.houstonballet.org. All proceeds raised by the performances will benefit the Houston Ballet's Academy.
Houston Ballet II is composed of artists from the uppermost level of the academy, who are preparing for careers as professional dancers. Many of the artists of Houston Ballet II have trained for over ten years, making great sacrifices to achieve their dreams. Performing on the Cullen Theater stage allows the students to demonstrate to their peers and the public how they have developed as artists during their training years at the academy just as they're getting ready to enter the professional world. The Spring Showcase is a unique opportunity for Houston Ballet II to perform for their home audience after a busy schedule of touring.
From April 21-April 27, 2010, Houston Ballet II will make its debut in Germany. The company will perform a mixed repertory program at Theater der Stadt Schweinfurt in the centrally located Schweinfurt, Germany about 100 miles east of Frankfurt from April 21-24 and at Amt für Kultur - Theater am Ring in Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany on April 27. Villingen-Schwenningen is the largest city of the Schwarzwald-Baar district located south of Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Houston Ballet II performed at University of New Hampshire at Durham in October 2009, and on May 7, 2010, Houston Ballet II will perform in Protegés & Stars, a showcase for second companies in Orange County, California.
Of the upcoming tour to Germany, Shelly Power, associate director of the academy explains, "Houston Ballet II's debut in Germany this spring is not only exciting but a turning point for these young dancers and Houston Ballet. Touring abroad is a win-win for everyone. Having our second company exposed to different cultures, audiences and theatrical experiences is momentous. Audiences abroad will experience this fine group of young dancers and be amazed at their talent and virtuosity. This is further testament to the progress we have made to increase performance opportunities for our dancers and to educate them in a global fashion."
HBII Ballet Master Claudio Muñoz and Ms. Power carefully select each piece for the Spring Showcase to fully showcase the abilities of every dancer.
The 2010 Spring Performance will include Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch's The Long and Winding Road, a witty neoclassical ballet set to the music of The Beatles in a special arrangement entitled Beatles Go Baroque by Peter Brenner orchestrated in the style of Antonio Vivaldi and Johanna Sebastian Bach. Included in the piece are nine songs, including favorites such as "And I Love Her" and "Goodnight." Mr. Welch originally choreographed The Long and Winding Road as a collaboration between State University of New York at Purchase (SUNY Purchase) and American Ballet Theatre Studio Company in 2001. ABT Studio Company also performed The Long and Winding Road on tour to the United Kingdom in 2003, where they made their debut. The production will feature eye-catching, bright costumes realized by Houston Ballet Wardrobe Manager Laura Lynch.
The program will also include a revival of David Linchpin's crowd-pleasing comic ballet Graduation Ball, set to the lilting melodies of Johanna Strauss and staged by Claudio Muñoz. Set in 1840s Vienna, the ballet tells what happens when young cadets from a local military academy visit a girls boarding school for their graduation ball. A perennial favorite in the repertories of the Royal Danish Ballet and the London Festival Ballet, the work is full of entertaining divertissements and romantic flirtations.
A classical pas de deluxe from Ben Stevenson's staging of The Sleeping Beauty will also be featured. The program will close with Mr. Welch's classical showpiece Studies, set to music by Carl Czerny and showcasing 241 students from all levels of the academy.
Choreographer Ma Cong Creates Calling,
His First Piece for Houston Ballet II
Adding to the excitement, Tulsa Ballet Resident Choreographer and Principal Ma Cong recently choreographed a new piece for Houston Ballet II entitled Calling. Mr. Cong commented that he is "glad to have the chance to work with and create with this talented young generation. I'm impressed by the dancers of Houston Ballet II. Their experience is evident and they have great physicality. It's been a wonderful time working with them."
Calling is a modern piece for six dancers set to the music of Goran Bregovic, a Yugoslav musician of Serbian and Croatian descent whose music and life inspired the piece, combined with the music of Kroke, a Polish musical group. The passionate voice in the Mediterranean music lends itself to the playful and energetic movement of the piece, which is filled with delicate partnering. Mr. Cong explains that the piece is very musical and has "a gypsy feel to it". Houston Ballet Wardrobe Manager Laura Lynch designed the costumes, working closely with Mr. Cong. The three women will wear long, silk, dark dresses while the men will complement them in grey pants and top.
After graduating from the Beijing Dance Academy with honors, Cong joined the National Ballet of China and in 1999 joined Tulsa Ballet. He has created many works for Tulsa Ballet and received various awards including 1st prize and Audience Favorite in the 21st Century Choreographic Competition in 2008. He was also named one of the four choreographers for the National Choreographer Initiative 2008.
Prizewinners from Prix de Lausanne
to Be Spotlighted at Spring Showcase Performance
The Academy Spring Showcase on April 16-17 will feature several of the talented young Houston Ballet II artists who won awards at the prestigious Prix de Lausanne ballet competition January 26-31, 2010, which featured 70 elite pre-professional dancers aged 15-18 from around the globe.
Houston Ballet II Dancer Emanuel Amuchastegui won the Prix de Lausanne ballet competition in Switzerland, while Aaron Sharratt placed fifth and Liao Xiang advanced to the finals. The competition was held from January 26th to 31st, 2010, at the Théâtre de Beaulieu in Lausanne. Mr. Amuchastegui is the first student in Houston Ballet history to win the top prize. Houston Ballet II Ballet Master Claudio Muñoz along with academy artistic staff members Sabrina Lenzi, Andrew Murphy and Priscilla Nathan Murphy coached the students. Mr. Muñoz accompanied them to the competition.
Shelly Power, associate director of Houston Ballet's Academy, was honored to have been selected to serve as one of the nine judges of the 38th edition of the prestigious competition. As the only American on the jury, she joined an illustrious group of colleagues from across the world including representatives from such companies as Royal Danish Ballet and the National Ballet of China.
"Houston Ballet was honored to have three students make it into the final round of the Prix. This strong showing at one of the world's most highly watched ballet competitions speaks to the high level of training at our academy and the hard work and dedication of academy associate director Shelly Power and the academy staff," observed Houston Ballet Managing Director C.C. Conner.
Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy
The 2010 Spring Showcase marks the 55th anniversary of the founding of the school. Houston Ballet's Academy is the official school of Houston Ballet and supplies 50% of the professional company's dancers. Houston Ballet Principal Dancers Ian Casady, Mireille Hassenboehler, Melody Herrera, Sara Webb, and Connor Walsh were all once students of the prestigious academy. As one of the most respected dance training institutions in America, graduates of the academy have gone on to dance with numerous leading companies, including American Ballet Theatre, The Australian Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, Boston Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, San Francisco Ballet, Texas Ballet Theater, BalletMet, Memphis Ballet, State Street Ballet, Ballet Florida, Pacific Northwest Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada.
The academy's main school division takes students from introduction to ballet through a full course of ballet study. The rigorous program offers classes in technique, pointe work, pas de deux, character dance and music. Students as young as four take creative dance, and six year olds take pre-ballet, both of which lay the foundation for further study of classical ballet. Students follow a structured sequence of training phases designed to enhance their technical skills, stamina and discipline.
Stanton Welch assumed leadership of the company and the academy in July 2003. As artistic director, Mr. Welch is extremely involved in the Academy and is committed to the development of its students. Academy students have had the opportunity to perform with the professional company in Stanton Welch's Marie, Ben Stevenson's staging of The Nutcracker and Stanton Welch's recent world premiere La Bayadère.
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HOUSTON BALLET'S BEN STEVENSON ACADEMY
2010 SPRING SHOWCASE
FACT SHEET
WHAT: Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy Spring Showcase
WHERE: Cullen Theater at Wortham Theater Center
501 Texas Avenue
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday, April 16, 2010
1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 17, 2010
TO PURCHASE TICKETS: Call 713 227 ARTS (2787)
Or purchase online at www.HoustonBallet.org
WORKS TO BE PERFORMED:
CALLING
Music by Goran Bregovic and Kroke
Choreography by Ma Cong
Costumes Realized by Laura Lynch
THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD
Music by Peter Breiner Beatles Go Baroque
Choreography by Stanton Welch
Costumes Realized by Laura Lynch
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Staged by Claudio Muñoz, after Marius Petipa
GRADUATION BALL
Music by Johann Strauss (1825-1899)
Arranged and orchestrated by Antal Dorati
Choreography by David Lichine
Staged by Claudio Muñoz
STUDIES
Music by Carl Czerny (1791-1857)
Arranged for two pianos by Robert Bridges
Choreography by Stanton Welch
All lighting by Christina R. Giannelli
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit Houston Ballet online at
www.houstonballet.org for more information or to purchase tickets.
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