The Dog Days of Summer -- at the Movies . . .

We usually think of the 'dog days of summer' as referring to the hot, humid weather.  However, I'm thinking of two movie dogs -- 'Jurassic World' and 'Magic Mike XXL' -- this summer.  They both fall somewhere on the quality scale from merely mediocre to perfectly dreadful.

'Jurassic World'
The latest movie in the 'Jurassic' series that started with Steven Spielberg's 'Jurassic Park' based on a Michael Crichton novel.  Spielberg directed the first two movies in the series and moved on to producing the third and fourth (this one) installments.  Crichton wisely left the building after the first two.

Banner for 'Jurassic World'

Despite setting box office records, 'Jurassic World' is mediocre at best.  It's burdened with too many villains, too many species of dinosaurs and a very confusing plot.  Chris Pratt is actually quite good as the velociraptor whisperer, but Bryce Dallas Howard is totally unconvincing as the operations manager of the new theme park, Jurassic World, and the indifferent aunt of two young troublemakers.  The failure to provide a coherent sense of organization for the Jurassic World enterprise leaves the viewer in a complete fog regarding who's working in what capacity for whom.  Ultimately, the dinosaurs seem to be in charge while the humans struggle for power (maybe it's a metaphor for our government in Washington).

In any event, the special effects are all-powerful.  Spring for the IMAX and 3D if you're into that sort of thing.  Otherwise, just stay out of the multiplex or pick a really hot, humid day and go for the air-conditioning.

'Magic Mike XXL'
'Magic Mike XXL' is the sequel to 'Magic Mike', the 2012 movie about a band of male strippers that was saved by Matthew McConaughey's savvy, sleazy performance as the leader of the group of 'male entertainers' in Tampa, FL. 

Banner for 'Magic Mike XXL'.

The sequel has a salacious title, but little more to recommend it.  The script is virtually incoherent, jumping from scene to scene with no apparent logic.  It strains to find situations for its male 'entertainers' to strip and while those bodies are sometimes beautiful they are seldom photographed with adequate or interesting lighting.  Channing Tatum, wasted in the title role, seems to be working out some unexplained and uninteresting grudges with the other strippers.

Jada Pickett Smith, Andie MacDowell, Elizabeth Banks and Amber Heard play (with varying degrees of success) the women the guys meet on their way to an annual male strippers convention in Myrtle Beach, where they supposedly rock the rafters.  It's loud and flashy and dull and exploitative.  Don't even go to this one for the air conditioning.

Albert Evans: A Life in Dance Cut Short

It was a shock to learn that Albert Evans had died at Mount Sinai Hospital on Monday evening, June 22nd, after [what the New York City Ballet spokesman described as] 'a short illness'.  Albert was a vital and vivid presence around the Lincoln Center campus for many, many years.  As a black man, he was a source of inspiration for a growing cadre of young black dancers -- students at the School of American Ballet and dancers in the Company -- Craig Hall, Taylor Stanley, Olivia Boisson, Silas Farley, Preston Chamblee -- still too few but many more than when he came on the scene.  As a man, he was inimitable -- gracious, funny, kind, thoughtful, supportive.

Albert Evans grew up in Atlanta, GA.  He first came to the School of American Ballet's for the Summer Session in 1982 when he was just 13.  In September 1986 he came back to the School's Winter Term on full scholarship.  While still a student at SAB, he was chosen by Elliot Feld to perform in 'The Unanswered Question' choreographed for New York City Ballet's American Music Festival in 1988.  It was one of Feld's surrealist circus pieces and Albert played a young man wearing a gold crown and twirling drumsticks as he marched slowly around the stage to a selection of short pieces by Charles Ives.  He was also chosen by William Forsythe as a last-minute substitute for his 'Behind the China Dogs' in that Festival. 

Albert Evans and Maria Kowroski in the pas de deux from Balanchine's 'Agon'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Albert was invited to join the Company's corps de ballet later in 1988 and was promoted to soloist in 1991 and to principal in 1995.  He was the first black dancer promoted to principal by New York City Ballet since Arthur Mitchell in 1955.  While he performed in a wide repertoire of ballets, Albert was best known for roles in the Balanchine 'black-and-white' pieces -- 'Agon', 'The Four Temperaments', 'Stravinsky Violin Concerto', 'Symphony in Three Movements', 'Episodes', 'Concerto Barocco' and 'Movements for Piano and Orchestra'/'Momentum Pro Gesualdo' -- which he infused with unexpected warmth and humanity as well as exceptional strength.

Alfred Evans as Puck in George Balanchine's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' with Arch Higgins and Alexandra Ansanelli.  Photo by  Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Albert brought his special charisma and superb technique to lots of other ballets from the Balanchine repertory -- memories of an indelible Puck in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'; an elegant Cavalier in 'The Nutcracker'; the swaggering Rhinestone Cowboy in 'Western Symphony'; the suave song-and-dance man of 'Who Cares?'; the haughty leader of the Czardas in 'Cortege Hongrois'; and the antic sailor in 'Union Jack' all come flooding back.

And who can forget his sensual young ballet student in Jerome Robbins' 'Afternoon of a Faun'?

Peter Martins created a wide range of roles for Albert including the swaggering and sinister Von Rotbart in 'Swan Lake'; the playful 'Puss'n'Boots' in 'Sleeping Beauty'; and original roles in 'Jazz in Six Syncopated Movements'; 'Jeu de Cartes'; 'Slominsky's Earbox'; and 'Todo Buenos Aires'.

He was sought out by choreographers to dance in many of the Company's new works.  Among the many memorable roles that were created for Albert were parts in Christopher Wheeldon's 'Klavier'; Ulysses Dove's 'Red Angels'; 

Albert Evans with Maria Kowroski in Ulysses Dove's 'Red Angels'.  Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Miriam Mahdaviani's 'Appalachia Waltz' and 'Correlazione'; Christopher D'Amboise's 'Circle of Fifths'; Garth Fagin's 'Ellington Elation' from 'Duke!'; Alexei Ratmansky's 'Russian Seasons'; 

Albert Evans with Rebecca Krohn, Jon Stafford and Rachel Rutherford in Alexei Ratmansky's 'Russian Seasons'.
Photo by John Ross

Susan Stroman's 'Makin' Whoopee' from 'Double Feature'; and Twyla Tharp's 'The Beethoven Seventh'.

Wendy Whelan and Albert Evans in the pas de deux from Forsythe's 'Herman Schmerman'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Albert retired from the stage after a farewell performance on June 20, 2010.  For his farewell Albert danced the pas de deux from William Forsythe's 'Herman Schmerman' with Wendy Whelan; and 'Phlegmatic' in Balanchine's 'Four Temperaments'. 

Albert Evans as 'Phlegmatic' from 'The Four Temperaments' by George Balanchine.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Denying the sadness of his retirement from performing, Albert used the final moments of his farewell performance to remove his ballet slippers and fling them into the audience and then to lie down behind the mound of flowers he had received from current and former company members.

Albert Evans lying down with the floral tributes at the end of the farewell ovation.

Following his retirement from the stage, Albert was appointed a Ballet Master for the Company.  Among his many assignments, Albert worked closely with Justin Peck on his new ballets for the Company -- including 'Paz de La Jolla' where his supportive presence was evident in the movie 'Ballet 422' which tracked its creation.

Albert taught occasional classes at the School of American Ballet where he was a wonderful teacher and mentor for a generation of adoring students.

Here's a link to a beautiful tribute that Faye Arthurs posted on her blog, 'Thoughts from the Paint', about her memories of working with Albert:

http://www.thoughtsfromthepaint.com/thoughts/for-albert


And here's  a link to a posting on 'Oberon's Grove' that discusses Albert's career:

http://oberon481.typepad.com/oberons_grove/2015/06/beloved-albert.html

By being himself -- a superb performer and a wonderful human being -- Albert Evans had an enormous impact on everyone who knew him or saw him dance.  He left us too soon -- he will be missed.

NYC Ballet's (Mis)Adventures with Bournonville: Part Four, 5/24 Performance of 'La Sylphide'

Before we saw the all-Bournonville program at NYC Ballet on Sunday, May 24th, I had attended a dress rehearsal of 'La Sylphide' on May 5th and together we went to the NYCB Seminar on " Peter Martins' 'La Sylphide' and the Bournonville Style" on May 18th.  This is the fourth of four posts about these events.


La Sylphide:
SUNDAY MATINEE, MAY 24, 3:00 PM [Conductor: Capps]
LA SYLPHIDE: Lovette, Huxley, King, Schumacher, Smith, Muller

During the Spring season the Company programmed eight performances of Bournonville's 'La Sylphide' with four different principal casts.  After seeing the opening night cast at the May 5th dress rehearsal, I was pleased to see another excellent cast on May 24th.  At this performance I was less distracted by the sets and able to concentrate more on the dancing and mime.

Lauren Lovette as the Sylph and Anthony Huxley as James in Act II of Bournonville's 'La Sylphide'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Lauren Lovette made a lovely, airborne Sylph filled with mischievous joy.  She has a very expressive face with large sparkling eyes which she uses to captivate the audience as well as James.  Her dancing was both fleet and secure.  

Anthony Huxley as James executed the beats and spacious jumps of the role with elan and his mime scenes were delivered with clarity and force.  For such a reserved dancer, this was an impressive breakthrough into a more expansive, confident performing style.

Lauren King was lovely as the baffled Effie and Troy Schumacher's Gurn was an earthy, grounded rival of the daydreaming James for Effie's hand in marriage.  Gretchen Smith's old crone, Madge, lacked the overwhelming sense of aggrievement that should provide the basis for her actions.  Gwyneth Muller looks like James' older sister rather than his mother.

The Royal Danish Ballet has a different life cycle for dancers than NYC Ballet.  RBD can move dancers on from dance roles to character roles as they mature.  It's in keeping with the Danish welfare state to provide dancers with meaningful work as they mature while giving the RBD a ready supply of character dancers for roles like Madge and James' mother.  NYC Ballet lacks the resources or infrastructure to support such a system -- although Darci Kistler, Jock Soto and Albert Evans did take on character parts in Peter Martins' 'Romeo+Juliet'.  This puts a burden on young dancers in mime-heavy ballets like 'La Sylphide'.  Not only do they have to learn the mime gestures, but they must also do it as characters who are two or three times as old as they are. 

Act II of Peter Martins' staging of Bournonville's 'La Sylphide' for New York City Ballet.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

The corps of sylphs in Act II danced as if they had been dancing in the Bournonville style their entire lives.  While there is some lovely dancing in Act II, as a whole 'La Sylphide' is about half mime and lacks the urgency and excitement that is at the heart of the Company's dance profile.  

As an exercise in expanding and improving the Company's dance technique, the restaging of 'Bournonville Divertissements' and the introduction of 'La Sylphide' was entirely successful.  However, I don't think that New York City Ballet's audience is ready for an entire evening (or afternoon) of Bournonville.  In fact, it quickly becomes boring and repetitious.

NYC Ballet's (Mis)Adventures with Bournonville: Part Three, Dress Rehearsal of 'La Sylphide'

Before we saw the all-Bournonville program at NYC Ballet on Sunday, May 24th, I had attended a dress rehearsal of 'La Sylphide' on May 5th and together we went to the NYCB Seminar on " Peter Martins' 'La Sylphide' and the Bournonville Style" on May 18th.  This is the third of four posts about these events.

May 5th Dress Rehearsal for 'La Sylphide':
I attended the piano dress rehearsal for 'La Sylphide' on Tuesday, May 5th, which was lead by Peter Martins and  Petrusjka Broholm with the opening night (May 7th) cast including:  Sterling Hyltin (Sylph), Joaquin De Luz (James), Daniel Ulbricht (Gurn) and Georgina Pazcoguin (Madge).

I was struck by Peter Martins' detailed coaching of the mime passages which are important in conveying the plot.  He spent quite a bit of time working with Joaquin De Luz and Georgina Pazcoguin on the mime passage where Madge reluctantly gives James the poisoned scarf.

I found Susan Tammany's sets for both acts very distracting, making it hard to concentrate on the dancers and the dancing.  In the Act I Manor-House set, the fireplace and beams created too many strong diagonals.  In the Act II Forest set, the complicated backdrop of trees and clouds and moon which I had loved in the promotional materials seemed to distract from the sylphs dancing in their natural environment.

Sterling Hyltin and Joaquin De Luz in the opening scene of 'La Sylphide'.  Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Ms. Hyltin and Mr. De Luz, although mismatched in height, danced brilliantly.  His precise beats and wonderful elevation make him ideal for the Bournonville choreography.  Ms. Hyltin danced with both airiness and new found technical strength and looked like a 19th century lithograph come to life.  Mr. Ulbricht seemed wasted on the small part of Gurn.  Ms. Pazcoguin, the Company's finest mime artist, played Madge with wonderful expressiveness and clarity.  

Here's a link to a video of Ms. Hyltin and Mr. De Luz dancing in Act II:
  
https://www.facebook.com/nycballet/videos/vb.112319735528/10155556052500529/?type=2&theater

And here's a link to Sterling and Joaquin dancing with the corps of sylphs:

https://www.facebook.com/nycballet/videos/10155576659685529/

Note that the single partnered moment in this ballet is the one at the end of this second clip.

NYC Ballet's (Mis)Adventures with Bournonville: Part Two, The Seminar

Before we saw the all-Bournonville program at NYC Ballet on Sunday, May 24th, I had attended a dress rehearsal of 'La Sylphide' on May 5th and together we went to the NYC Ballet Seminar: 'La Sylphide' and the Bournonville Style on May 18th.  This is the second of four posts about these events.

May 18th Seminar: "Peter Martins' 'La Sylphide' & the Bournonville Style":
On May 18th we attended the NYC Ballet seminar about 'La Sylphide' and Bournonville style.  It was moderated by Faye Arthurs -- a long-time member of the company.  In addition to Peter Martins, the panelists included the lead dancers from the first cast of 'La Sylphide' -- Sterling Hyltin, Joaquin De Luz and Georgina Pazcoguin; the stager, Petrusjka Broholm; the stage manager, Marquerite Mehler; and the set and costume designer, Susan Tammany.

Ms. Arthurs first presented a brief history of 'La Sylphide' which originated at the Paris Opera Ballet in 1832 in a production made by Filippo Taglioni as a vehicle for his daughter, Marie Taglioni.  The score was by Jean-Madeleine Schneitzhoeffer.  It was the first ballet that integrated dancing en pointe into the plot.  Taglioni had her skirts shortened -- which was considered scandalous -- to show off her excellent pointe work.

Marie Taglinoni dancing 'La Sylphide' in Filippo Taglinoni's Paris Opera production of 1832.

Bournonville saw 'La Sylphide' in Paris and began to prepare a production for Copenhagen.  Stymied by the high price demanded by the Paris Opera for Schneitzhoeffer's score, he commissioned a new score from the Danish composer Herman Severin Lovenskjold.  The Sylph was danced by Lucile Grahn and Bournonville himself danced James.  The Danish version premiered in 1836 and has remained in the Royal Danish Ballet's active repertory ever since.

It is this version that Peter Martins danced in as a child and later in the mid-1960's he danced the role of James with the Royal Danish Ballet.  He staged this version in 1985 for the Pennsylvania Ballet with decor by the artist Susan Tammany.  
In discussing Ms. Tammany's sets, Ms. Arthurs showed a slide of  'Mountains at Collioure' painted in 1905 by the Fauvist, Andre Derain.  With the Act II 'La Sylphide' set behind and the Derain painting on a large screen in the center it is certainly plausible to see the connection between Ms. Tammany's set design:

Backdrop by Susan Tammany for Act II of Peter Martins' staging of 'La Sylphide'.

and Derain's painting:

'Mountains at Collioure' by Andre Derain, oil on canvas, 1905.

In discussing the costume designs, Ms. Tammany noted that the colors for the tartans of the three main human characters were chosen to reflect aspects of their characters -- blues and purples for James, the dreamer; browns and rusts for Gurn, the practical farmer, and blues and greens for Effie, the optimist. 

Skirts in tartans for (left to right) Effie's clan, James' clan, and Gurn's clan in NYC Ballet's Costume Shop.
Photo from NYC Ballet website.

Petrusjka Broholm, the stager, worked with the company for eight months teaching and perfecting its Bournonville dancing in order to mount 'La Sylphide' in the Danish style.  All of the dancers on the panel -- Ms. Hiltyn, Mr. De Luz, Ms. Pazcoguin, and Ms. Arthurs -- agreed that Ms. Broholm's Bournonville classes had improved and strengthened their overall technique.

Peter Martins spoke briefly about the importance of effective mime passages for the audience's understanding and appreciation of 'La Sylphide' and of the need to train NYC Ballet dancers in the Danish style of mime.  All of the dancers expressed the view that Peter really wanted to play the mime role of Madge, the old fortune teller and witch, but Peter denied it.

Peter Martins working on a mime passage with Georgina Pazgoquin (Madge) and Joaquin de Luz (James).

This was an impressive debut for Faye Arthurs as a seminar moderator.  She had clearly prepared for the program with extensive research and had a definite agenda that she followed, but with enough flexibility to allow the panelists to expand on their responses to her questions and make additional comments where appropriate.  It was also to her credit that there was enough information presented that there were only two questions/comments from the audience. (The questions and comments from the audience are usually the low point of the NYC Ballet seminars, since they are often silly or self-serving.  So the less, the better in our view.)
  
The seminar handout points out that Ms. Arthurs was the valedictorian when she graduated from Fordham University and from her performance here we know why.  You can read Faye's blog, 'Thoughts from the Paint' here:

http://www.thoughtsfromthepaint.com/

It's interesting to read about NYC Ballet from the viewpoint of an intelligent, articulate dancer immersed in the company's activities.

NYC Ballet's (Mis)Adventures with Bournonville: Part One, 'Bournonville Divertissements'

Before we saw the all-Bournonville program at NYC Ballet on Sunday, May 24th, I had attended a dress rehearsal of 'La Sylphide' on May 5th and together we went to the NYCB Seminar on " Peter Martins' 'La Sylphide' and the Bournonville Style" on May 18th.  This is the first of four posts about these events.

August Bournonville (1805 to 1879) was a Danish dancer, ballet master and choreographer who studied ballet in Denmark and later in Paris, then danced briefly with the Paris Opera Ballet before returning to Copenhagen where he was a principal dancer and ballet master at the Royal Theater.  For over 45 years he shaped the Danish ballet tradition.  Several of the full-evening works he created for the Royal Danish Ballet remain in their active repertory including 'La Sylphide', 'Napoli', and 'Flower Festival in Genzano'.  In addition, there are lots of surviving excerpts from other ballets that he choreographed for the RBD.

Bournonville traveled extensively and brought back folk dances and settings from many regions he visited and included them in his works for the Royal Danish Ballet.

Bournonville Divertissements:
SUNDAY MATINEE, MAY 24, 3:00 PM [Conductor: Capps]
BOURNONVILLE DIVERTISSEMENTS: Pereira, Peiffer, Reichlen Mearns, T. Angle, Adams, Pollack, Mann, Isaacs, Janzen, Scordato, Gordon

George Balanchine was a guest ballet master at the Royal Danish Ballet for a brief period in 1929 and greatly admired the Danish style.  In 1964 Balanchine invited Stanley Williams, the great Danish ballet dancer and teacher, to teach at the School of American Ballet.  He was a revered member of the SAB faculty until his death in 1997.  In 1977, Balanchine asked Williams to stage several excerpts from Bournonville's ballets for New York City Ballet and the result became 'Bournonville Divertissements'.  

'Bournonville Divertissements' has been out of the Company's repertory for many years.  It was restaged for this all-Bournonville program by Nilas Martins, Peter Martins' son.  Nilas studied at the school of the Royal Danish Ballet and at SAB before joining NYCB, where he rose to principal dancer, retiring in 2010.  Since 2013 Nilas and his wife, former NYCB principal and ABT soloist Monique Meunier, have been co-directors of the Academy of Nevada Ballet Theater in Las Vegas.  

The costumes (by Ben Benson) and sets (by Alain Vaes and David Mitchell) for the revival are from the original 1977 production.  The current production omitted the pas de deux from 'The Kermesse in Bruges' and the pas de trois from 'La Ventana' that were part of Williams' original staging.

Airborne corps of 'Ballabile' from 'Napoli, Act I' by Bournonville.  Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

The divertissements begin with the 'Ballabile' from Act I of Bournonville's 'Napoli' (1842) set in a fishing community on the Bay of Naples.  (We saw the Royal Danish Ballet perform the entire three-act work a few years ago at the Kennedy Center in Washington.)   With Erica Pereira and Allen Peiffer plus a corps of 12, it introduces the light, airy Bournonville style danced here to music by Simon Paulli.  The (very unattractive) costumes are similar to the costumes from the RDB's current production including 'pedal pushers' and shorts over bare legs for the men and 'do rags' for the corps women.

Erica Periera and Allen Peiffer in the 'Ballabile' from Bournonville's 'Napoli'.  
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

The pas de deux from 'Flower Festival in Genzano' (1858) to music of Edvard Helsted followed.  It was beautifully danced by Teresa Reichlen (replacing Sara Mearns) and Tyler Angle.  They nicely captured the flirtatious interactions of Bournonville's choreography and the crisp lightness of the Danish style.  I had glimpsed Tess rehearsing this piece with Ask la Cour in an SAB studio and was pleased to see her in the finished product at this performance.

Teresa Reichlen in the pas de deux from 'Flower Festival in Genzano'.  Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Tyler Angle in 'Flower Festival in Genzano' pas de deux from 'Bournonville Divertissements'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Next came a pas de six with an amalgam of dances from Bournonville's 'Napoli, Act III' with music by Paulli and 'Abdallah' (1855) with music by Helsted.  The seven dancers were Sara Adams, Ashly Isaacs, Meagan Mann, Brittany Pollack, Russell Janzen, Andrew Scordato and Joseph Gordon.  They dance beautifully in solos, duos, trios, etc.  Ms. Pollack, Mr. Scordato and Mr. Janzen looked especially elegant dancing in the Danish style, which requires both precision and naturalness.

The pas de six segued into the 'Tarantella' from 'Napoli, Act III' danced by the entire cast with several additional corps dancers thrown in for good measure.  It went on ad infinitum, ad nauseam.  Surely, these divertissements are more than enough of the Bournonville style for one program.  And personally, I would cut the entire tarantella and replace it with the pas de deux from 'Kermesse in Bruges' -- which I remember fondly from the 1977 production danced by Patricia McBride and Helgi Tomasson.

Post Script for SAB's 2014-15 Winter Term -- Just Ended

More on the SAB Workshop Performances:
I've found a few more pictures from the Workshop Performance on Saturday evening, May 30th:

Kennard Henson and Larisa Nugent in Bournonville's 'William Tell Pas de Deux' staged by Darci Kistler.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for The School of American Ballet

Kennard Henson (17, Baltimore, MD) and Larisa Nugent (16, Ellicott City, MD) were especially well-matched in this delightful courtship pas de deux from the opera 'William Tell' by Giacomo Rossini.  Bournonville staged the opera in Copenhagen in 1873.

Thomas Davidoff and Leah Christianson in Suki Schorer's staging of Balanchine's 'Valse Fantaisie'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for The School of American Ballet

Thomas Davidoff (16, Marietta, GA) and Leah Christianson (18, Batavia, IL) danced the evening performance of George Balanchine's 'Valse Fantaisie' to music by Mikhail Glinka, in the gloriously windswept staging by Suki Schorer.

Christopher D'Ariano dancing the Double Bass with ladies of the String Section  in Jerome Robbins' 'Fanfare'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for The School of American Ballet

Christopher D'Ariano (17, New York, NY) was the airborne Double Bass in Jerome Robbins' 'Fanfare' staged by Susan Pillare and Christine Redpath to 'The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra' by Benjamin Britten.  Christopher's solo ended with a somersault -- applauded by the adoring ladies of the String Section.

Where Are the Capstoners Going Now?
The School of American Ballet's 2014-15 Winter Term ended on Friday, June 12th.  Jon Stafford has guided the students in the Capstone Program (http://zylopho.blogspot.com/2015/01/more-ballet-quibbles-and-bits.html) to successful opportunities with a number of professional companies.

Five students -- Sasonah Huttenbach, Rachel Hutsell, Christopher Grant, Alec Knight, and Clara Ruf-Maldonado -- have been invited to become apprentices with New York City Ballet in the coming months.  They will be attending classes at the School until they get the call to begin rehearsals with the Company across Lincoln Center Plaza.  They will join Miriam Miller who is now an apprentice and Preston Chamblee who started the Winter Term as an apprentice.  He is now a member of the corps and just made a successful debut in Peter Martins' 'Morgen'.  Miriam, while still an apprentice, just debuted as Titania in Balanchine's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' on the final day of NYC Ballet's Spring Season.

Two students -- Dammiel Cruz and Leah Terada -- will enter the Professional Division of Pacific Northwest Ballet -- the feeder program for PNB's corps de ballet.  Dammiel wore a Seattle Seahawks shirt to School on Tuesday, so he seems excited about moving to the other coast.

Four students will be joining three international companies -- Joscelyn Dolson goes to the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen; Eric Beckham goes to the National Ballet of Canada in Toronto; Kaitlyn Casey and Audrey Lawrence go to the Dresden SemperOper Ballett.

Alicia Holloway goes to Suzanne Farrell Ballet; JeongKon Kim and Saxon Wood to Los Angeles Ballet; and Luke Potgeiter to Cleveland Ballet.

Alexandros Pappajohn will join ABT Studio Company; Josiah Cook and Samantha Riester join Cincinnati Ballet II; and Aaron Hilton goes to Boston Ballet II.

Leah Christianson has elected to go to Depauw University to pursue her academic education.

Twenty-four students graduate from high school this spring.  Of those 24 students, eight applied to colleges and received a total of 18 acceptances including from Columbia, Princeton and Yale in the Ivy League; from City College, Fordham University, Hunter College, and New York University in New York City; from California Institute of the Arts, Indiana University and the University of Michigan around the United States; and from the Paris campus of American University, the Rome campus of John Cabot University, and the London campus of Regents University around the world.

We wish all of the Capstone students enormous success as you move on to your futures.  Your dedication to your art and your ability to handle the pressures of academic and ballet schedules are a real inspiration to all of us who stand on the sidelines and watch in awe of your accomplishments.

Most of the students who appeared in the 2015 Workshops not mentioned above will be back at SAB again this fall for the 2015-16 Winter Term.  Some of them will be capstoners next year.

During the summer many SAB students will be attending summer sessions around the country and perhaps the world.  And while they're out exploring the wider world of ballet and honing their technique, we'll see new students from around the country and the world at the School's Summer Course and still more students will attend the Summer Intensive in Los Angeles.  And some students from the Summer Course and Summer Intensive will be invited to return to SAB for the 2015-16 Winter Term.