Wrap-Up to the SAB 2015-16 Winter Term

Workshop Gala Dinner at David Geffen Hall following
the performance on Tuesday evening, June 7th. 

The last day of The School of American Ballet's 2015-16 Winter Term was Friday, June 17th.  Following the successful Workshop Performances on Saturday, June 4th, and the Workshop Performance Gala Benefit on Tuesday, June 7th, the students in the advanced division were back in the SAB studios again on Wednesday, June 8th, refining what had already seemed perfect at the performances.

2016 Mae L. Wien Award winners with Kay Mazzo, Co-Chairman of the SAB faculty
were (left to right): Jon Stafford (faculty award), Ms. Mazzo, Ethan Fuller,
Emma Von Enck, and Christopher D'Ariano
Photo by Paul Kolnik for SAB

Advanced students at the end of the last class on June 17th.  Jon Stafford is at left.

Of the Capstone students (those that aged out of the School's programs this June) 18 have accepted offers of apprenticeships, second company positions and traineeships.  Look for these students (now SAB alumni) on professional ballet stages during the years ahead:

New York City Ballet apprentices:

• Eliza Blutt
• Christina Clark
• Ethan Fuller
• Jennifer Hackbarth
• Kennard Henson
• Emma Von Enck

Pacific Northwest Ballet professional division trainees:

• Christopher D'Ariano
• Hailey Dupont
• Dallas Finlay
• Marie Millard

Other companies around the U.S. and the world:

• Lillian Casscells, apprentice at Dresden Semperoper Ballett
• Lucia Connelly, apprentice at Joffrey Ballet
• Rachel Costin and Wilson Livingston, apprentices at Sarasota Ballet
• Gabriela Schiefer, member of Boston Ballet II
• Marc LaPierre, apprentice at LA Ballet
• Taylor Ayotte, trainee at Carolina Ballet
• Lucy Nevin, trainee at Washinton Ballet

In addition, four students have elected to go on to universities and colleges:

• Ana Maria Del Mar, Harvard University plus London University of the Arts
• Trevor Dines, Columbia University
• Michael Garcia, The Julliard School
• Xhosa Scott, University of Virginia

Thirty students graduate(d) from high school this spring.  Twelve of them received a total of 37 acceptances from 31 different colleges and universities.

Capstone students with Suzy Pilarre (second from left), Suki Schorer (third from right) and Kay Mazzo (far right).

Obviously, Jonathan Stafford's efforts as Professional Placement Manager (one of the three positions Jon fills at SAB and NYC Ballet) and the Student Life staff directed by Kelly Novitski have done another wonderful job this year in assisting students as they move along their paths toward professional careers or other opportunities.

Most of the remaining advanced division students will be attending summer programs at ballet companies and schools around this country and the world, before returning to SAB in September for the 2016-17 Winter Term.  And SAB will be hosting 200 students from around the world during its own 5-week Summer Session and then several more students at its 2-week summer workshop for younger dancers in southern California.

We wish them all further successes as they move forward now and anticipate learning more about their future achievements both on ballet stages and in the wider world. 

On a Sadder Note:

The SAB 2015-16 Winter Term has had some sad moments as well.

Jock Soto with Luis Fuentes and their dog Bandit in near their home in Eagles Nest, NM this June.
Photo from Laura Ortman's Hair Today on Tumblr

Jock Soto, a highly regarded member of the SAB faculty, retired at the end of 2015 to pursue his interests in the culinary world.  Jock hopes to write more cookbooks (he co-authored 'Our Meals' in 1997 with Heather Watts -- his long time partner at NYC Ballet).  He and his spouse, Luis Fuentes, also hope to open a restaurant and catering business.  Jock had been a teacher at SAB since 1996.  His Adagio (Partnering) classes were widely admired in the ballet world and produced a long line of superb male partners for New York City Ballet -- including Jared Angle, Craig Hall, Amar Ramasar, Tyler Angle, Chase Finlay and Taylor Stanley.

Violette Verdy teaching an Advanced Division class at SAB.
Photo from http://www.bigouden.tv/ obituary (probably by Rosalie O'Connor)

Violette Verdy, the School's first permanent guest teacher, died in early February 2016 after a short illness.  Her regular visits to the School were always highly anticipated by SAB's advanced students.  As one of George Balanchine's favorite ballerinas during her years with New York City Ballet (1958 thru 1977), Ms. Verdy had danced in a wide variety of the company's repertory and creating memorable roles in Mr. B's 'Liebeslieder Waltzer', 'Emeralds', 'Tschaikovsky Pas des Deux', 'La Source' and 'Sonatine' and in Jerome Robbins' 'Dances at a Gathering'.   Following her retirement from the stage, Ms. Verdy had a distinguished career as artistic director of the Paris Opera Ballet and Boston Ballet and as a dance educator at Indiana University.  During her brief residencies at SAB her students were privileged to have both a link to the great ballet creators of the 20th century and an inspiring and caring teacher.