http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?fid4ct=46 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 13:00:00 EST Sun, 04 Nov 2007 12:40:56 EST http://backend.userland.com/rss RapidFeeds v0.1 -- http://www.rapidfeeds.com en-us http://www.backstagepasspnb.org/images/bsp_logo.jpg http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?fid4ct=46 239 60 Two hundred and forty students took part in Pacific Northwest Ballet School’s intensive summer camp this year. Between the ages of twelve and eighteen, they came from 35 states and Canada—and one even came all the way from Italy. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=2227493 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=2227493 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:25:00 EST Jerome Robbins looms large in pop culture. Ten years after his death, America remembers him as the choreographic genius behind "West Side Story" and "Fancy Free." http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1943318 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1943318 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:41:00 EST Jerome Robbins won awards for his work on West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof. Today, Pacific Northwest Ballet's Peter Boal recalls Jerome's legacy and mentorship. We also get tips for selecting fresh salmon and meet a Seattle resident who is reaching out to Palestine. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1174646 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1174646 Sat, 31 May 2008 13:16:00 EST The dance world lost a great American choreographer 10 years ago this summer: Jerome Robbins, whose long career encompassed both Broadway and ballet, was born in 1918 in his beloved New York City (whose streets he would immortalize in his best-known work: the urban jazz of "West Side Story") and died in 1998. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1174645 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1174645 Sat, 31 May 2008 13:15:00 EST The ballets of Jerome Robbins, who died nearly a decade ago, are seemingly omnipresent this year with performances by major companies everywhere in the Western world, including Pacific Northwest Ballet, which opens an all-Robbins program Thursday night at McCaw Hall. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1174644 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1174644 Sat, 31 May 2008 13:14:00 EST Nearly 10 years after his death, the imprint left by Jerome Robbins seems to have grown, rather than diminished. Four biographies have been written about his life—brilliant, creative, checkered, and troubled—but his choreography appears to matter now more than ever. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1174643 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1174643 Sat, 31 May 2008 13:14:00 EST White Bird marks its 10th year with a 4 X 4 program drawing on the talents of four of the West Coast's ballet troupes http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1067908 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1067908 Tue, 20 May 2008 13:14:00 EST The short, happy life of Pacific Northwest Ballet's Laugh Out Loud Festival came to a close Sunday at McCaw Hall. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792634 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792634 Sun, 20 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST Ballerinas aren't really supposed to be funny; all those dying-swan and sleeping-princess roles require seriousness of purpose, or at least an unbreakable serenity. And yet I've long suspected that Louise Nadeau, longtime principal dancer at Pacific Northwest Ballet, could be a crackerjack comedienne if given the chance. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792631 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792631 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST Not only is Laugh Out Loud a remarkable name for a festival, it is a remarkable concept. Pacific Northwest Ballet, which has gotten into the habit of doing the unexpected, launched its Laugh Out Loud Festival Thursday night at McCaw Hall. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792630 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792630 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST For 11 years, Olivier Wevers has performed as a principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet. But if ballet is his constant companion, his paramour is choreography. For the past six months, Wevers has been creating a new dance for ten of his PNB colleagues. As KUOW's Marcie Sillman reports, the process of choreography requires vision, perserverance, and most of all, courage. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792629 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792629 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST The ballerina, willowy and tragic, wafts through the final minute of the familiar Michel Fokine solo "The Dying Swan." She is a vision in white, though her tutu appears to be molting just a bit. She is graceful, fluid, a bit husky through the shoulders, and just short of 7 feet tall on pointe. She is, after all, a man. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792628 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792628 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST “Everyone’s here!” This from the person in front of them, and from a person in the aisle. And it’s true. Patricia Barker is sitting in front of them. Glenn Kawasaki, PNB’s eager patron saint of the new [not afraid of the different] is over there on the left. Choreographer Donald Byrd is there; he’s artistic director of Spectrum Dance Theater. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792627 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792627 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST It was George Balanchine's love of not only the play A Midsummer Night's Dream, but also of the evocative, gossamer incidental music Felix Mendelssohn wrote for it (in 1826 and 1843), that inspired the choreographer to create this full-length ballet in 1962. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792625 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792625 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet artistic director Peter Boal has announced the remainder of the company's 2008-09 season. "Swan Lake," the lavish full-length Tchaikovsky ballet choreographed by former PNB artistic director Kent Stowell, will return to the McCall Hall stage in April 2009. The season will conclude with a "Director's Choice" evening of neoclassical ballet, including Jerome Robbins' "Dances at a Gathering," Christopher Wheeldon's "After the Rain" pas de deux and George Balanchine's "Symphony in C." http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792624 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792624 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST A Midsummer Night's Dream a delight for all ages? At least that's what it says on the website of the Pacific Northwest Ballet. I wanted to find out myself and decided to take my daughters to one of PNB's matinees that are specifically tailored to children. At these matinees, children can come dressed up and enjoy crafts, drop-in dance classes and other fantastic surprises. On Saturday, the surprise was a magician who kept the children entertained prior to the performance. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792623 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792623 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST In a ballet as magical as George Balanchine's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," currently on fine display at Pacific Northwest Ballet, it's easy to forget that dancers are mortal. Ballerinas clothed in fairy wings delicately whirl on the tips of their toes; impish sprites seem to fly as they race across the forest floor; and Mendelssohn's delicious score (led off with those four haunting chords that seem to cast a spell over the production) wraps itself around the dancers, helping them soar. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792622 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792622 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST "A Midsummer Night's Dream," one of Balanchine's few narrative ballets, and perhaps his most sublime, has been a staple of Pacific Northwest Ballet's repertory for more than two decades and was the vehicle for the company's European debut at the Edinburgh Festival in 1998. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792621 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792621 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST Don’t bother asking Seattle ballet fans to do anything most of April or early June: we’re busy. And if your friend likes modern dance, well, you can count out some of May too. There is too much going on! http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792620 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792620 Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST Call it a dance bonanza. Next week, two local and one visiting dance troupe will hit our stages, with strikingly different offerings. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792619 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792619 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST Noelani Pantastico, a principal dancer and graceful audience favorite at Pacific Northwest Ballet, will leave the company at the end of this season to take a position with Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo. Pantastico, 27, has been with PNB since she was a teenager, joining as an apprentice in 1997. She recently earned much praise for dancing the role of Juliette in every performance of PNB's February production of "Roméo et Juliette" (choreographed by Jean-Christophe Maillot, who is the director of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo). http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792615 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792615 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EST The long-legged women at Pacific Northwest Ballet often are the subject of comment when the company tours. Less so the long-legged men. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792614 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792614 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST 1986…2000…2006…2007—These are the dates of the premieres of the pieces that make up PNB’s current rep. (Modern!) Add them all up? 7,999—pretty much the number of questions I had while watching the performance. I’ve never been to an evening of ballet that made me think so hard. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792613 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792613 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST In an evening filled with adventure but nonetheless a little flat, Pacific Northwest Ballet continued its turned-out march toward a more contemporary identity. Earlier in the season, artistic director Peter Boal presented an evening of "Contemporary Classics" that was perfectly balanced and often thrilling, blending neoclassic Balanchine with the strobe lights of "Caught," the melancholy swaying of "Kiss," and the edgy, sneakered bounce of "In the Upper Room." http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792612 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792612 Sat, 15 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet began its mixed repertory program Thursday night at McCaw Hall with the hint of mystery amid genteel gestures and ended with cacophony. For some, it was a progression of sensibilities. For others, a regression. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792611 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792611 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST The company is rehearsing for "Director's Choice," an evening of four contemporary ballets opening Thursday. And those tables — 20 of them — are part of William Forsythe's "One Flat Thing, reproduced." In a rehearsal studio, 14 dancers lightly skim over, under and around the tables; pound on them in a percussive thump; partner with each other briefly then split apart again. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792610 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792610 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet's mixed bill opens Thursday night at McCaw Hall. Works range from a revival of Paul Gibson's "Sense of Doubt" to the local premieres of Ulysses Dove's "Vespers" and William Forsythe's "One Flat Thing, reproduced." http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792609 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792609 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet has announced much of its 2008-09 season, which continues to reflect artistic director Peter Boal's interest in both exploring the company's classical roots and expanding its reach into contemporary dance. The season will begin in September with a repertory program of works from modern-dance legend Twyla Tharp, including "Nine Sinatra Songs" (performed by PNB in 2006) and two world premieres created especially for the company. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792608 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792608 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST We met with the modest and very talented Karel Cruz at Pacific Northwest Ballet’s studios during their busy preparations for the upcoming 2007-08 season. This is an edited transcription of that conversation. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792607 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792607 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST Jean-Christophe Maillot's Roméo et Juliette banishes significant parts of more traditional versions—no colonnaded sets or lavishly detailed costumes creating a Renaissance setting. Instead, we've got a set of blank panels shifting back and forth, making a series of open spaces for different scenes, and a collection of very soigné costumes that could find a home on Project Runway. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792606 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792606 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST The story goes that in 1935 the Bolshoi declared Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet score impossible to dance to. If they could have seen Thursday’s performance of Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette at PNB, they would have had to retract that statement. This beautifully danced piece was so suited to the music that in many places the movement seemed to be markings in the score. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792605 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792605 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST For two decades, Pacific Northwest Ballet had its own "Romeo," titled "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," choreographed by former co-artistic director Kent Stowell. The work is conventional in style and period dress. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792603 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792603 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST A desperate Friar Laurence (Olivier Wevers) presses up against a white, curving wall as it moves, propelled by forces we cannot see; he's powerless to stop it. Wevers seems to throw his entire body — arms splayed, fingers spread — against that wall, to no avail. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792602 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792602 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST In a gray rehearsal studio on a bright winter afternoon, two Pacific Northwest Ballet dancers are becoming teenagers again. Principal Noelani Pantastico and corps de ballet member James Moore scamper and whirl as if caught in a windstorm of love. To the strains of Sergei Prokofiev's luscious music, they chase each other, embrace, writhe on the floor and visibly shiver, overwhelmed by the sensation of each other's touch. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792601 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792601 Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:00:00 EST Peter Boal has conceived any number of bold ventures as artistic director of Pacific Northwest Ballet. This week brings another remarkable performance: a contemporary version of one of the most famous tales in Western literature that will be given its West Coast premiere Thursday night at McCaw Hall. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792600 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792600 Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:00:00 EST For many a Northwest theatergoer, the prospect of watching a Shakespeare play summons up balmy weather, a picnic on the grass, iambic pentameter under the stars. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792599 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792599 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:00:00 EST We interviewed Pacific Northwest Ballet soloist Lesley Rausch in late summer 2007, as PNB was just back from their tour to Vail, Colorado for the Vail International Dance Festival and as the Company was preparing for its fall season opener and Gala (PNB’s “First Look”). http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792595 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792595 Thu, 27 Dec 2007 13:00:00 EST There are 40 performances in total, sometimes two a day, running right up to Christmas Eve afternoon, a quick break for 48 hours, then resuming for another four days. "The Nutcracker" is a marathon experienced by all American ballet companies, although not in Europe, where the sugar-coated fantasy does not possess the same kind of appeal. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792594 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792594 Wed, 21 Nov 2007 13:00:00 EST Peter Boal brought a reputation for strong classicism, a penchant for contemporary ballet and a vision for an utterly diverse repertory, when he came to Seattle to head the Pacific Northwest Ballet in July 2005. Now, almost two years later, he's realizing that vision. This past season, the company performed more than 30 different ballets. What's more, the company reported a fiscal surplus last year. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792591 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792591 Sun, 04 Nov 2007 13:00:00 EST When I first saw any work by Twyla Tharp, it was on a PBS television special – and I was so smitten, that very night I dreamt I auditioned for her company. She had me do rélevé turns à la seconde and the Tharpian part was that at the same time I had to pull apart string cheese – like saltwater taffy. It all seemed logical – and plausible at the time. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792589 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792589 Sat, 03 Nov 2007 13:00:00 EST “Contemporary Classics,” Pacific Northwest Ballet’s second repertory program of the 2007-2008 season at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, in Seattle, Washington, began with George Balanchine’s “Agon” and ended with Twyla Tharp’s “In the Upper Room.” Each choreographer worked with specifically commissioned scores from their composers (in 1957 and 1986, respectively). http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792588 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792588 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:00:00 EST Classical ballet usually calls to mind tutus and tiaras. But in PNB's new program, "classic" expands to mean any perfect example of its kind, a stylistic benchmark. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792587 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792587 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 13:00:00 EST Counting down, it was day 11 before the Orange County Performing Arts center's inaugural Fall for Dance festival and complications needed stamping out like brush fires in Southern California's dry hills. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792586 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=792586 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 13:00:00 EST Watch George Balanchine's "Agon," currently in splendid form at Pacific Northwest Ballet, and see a signature move that seems to symbolize exactly what the ballet meant at its debut 50 years ago. It's as if Mr. B saw a dancer in arabesque — that elegant classical line of one leg raised high — and gave his ankle a yank from behind, pulling the arabesque off-balance and the supporting foot back on its heel, with the toe up. In doing so, he not only created a beautiful diagonal shape but gave ballet itself a tug, moving it into new territory. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=411216 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=411216 Sun, 04 Nov 2007 12:41:50 EST Over the past couple of years, since Peter Boal arrived as artistic director, Pacific Northwest Ballet has been busy accumulating Twyla Tharp, one of the icons of American dance in the latter half of the 20th century, including a new work promised for next year. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=411214 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=411214 Sun, 04 Nov 2007 12:34:05 EST he first thing you notice about the two talented French dancers new to Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) is that they are absolutely charming. They are Liora Reshef and Jérôme Tisserand, ages 19 and 20, the former from Paris and the latter from Lyon. Apart from the nerve-wracking wait for visas that each experienced, there are not a lot of similarities in the long journeys they’ve taken to PNB. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=408586 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=408586 Sun, 04 Nov 2007 12:40:56 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet artistic director Peter Boal commented on "Caught" in an e-mail interview from Salt Lake City, where he's staging Ulysses Dove's "Red Angels" for Ballet West: http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=403420 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=403420 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 10:40:03 EST David Parsons' "Caught," part of Pacific Northwest Ballet's upcoming "Contemporary Classics" program, is only six minutes long — but it's a stunner. This 1982 piece opens with a solo dancer moving from spotlight to spotlight through an assortment of "test movements," trying out a rapping motion, a spin or two, an "attacking monster" pose, a dream of flight ... http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=402877 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=402877 Sun, 28 Oct 2007 19:19:38 EST There is no mistaking Ariana Lallone, a principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet. Start with her height -- 5-foot-11, rising to 6-foot-5 on pointe -- then proceed to her intensity, dramatic temperament and individuality as she speeds across the footlights. She operates on a scale different than most dancers -- larger, longer, more expansive. Her profile could have been sculpted in marble, and her line is so extended, it seems to stretch to infinity. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=402876 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=402876 Sun, 28 Oct 2007 19:17:59 EST Last spring, Andrew Bartee was an Everett High sophomore commuting to the Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle. He still lives in Everett, but his talents have taken him to summer studies with the New York City Ballet's School of American Ballet and three weeks with the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=402875 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=402875 Sun, 28 Oct 2007 19:17:24 EST It may be called All Balanchine, but there’s actually some variety in Pacific Northwest Ballet’s current rep. The three pieces presented show Balanchine in the ’20s, ’40s, and ’50s, and it’s fun to see the difference. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=370007 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=370007 Sat, 29 Sep 2007 15:41:10 EST Since the death of George Balanchine in 1983, his choreography has become the lingua franca of international ballet. Companies that pride themselves on having a Giselle or a Nutcracker unlike, in major or minor ways, those of other companies have acquired from the Balanchine Trust versions of Serenade or The Four Temperaments that are, in costume, décor and dance text, virtually identical to those being danced by other companies around the world. What is true around the globe is more intensely true within the United States, where Balanchine lived and worked from 1934 on. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367283 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=367283 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 21:13:17 EST George Balanchine, who wanted to make classical ballet an American art form, is the rock on which Pacific Northwest Ballet rests. So, it seemed especially apropos that the opening program Thursday night would be devoted to Balanchine. There were three ballets. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=365881 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=365881 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 12:55:48 EST To paraphrase Samuel Johnson: When a person is tired of Balanchine, he or she is tired of life. The great choreographer's ballets, in their astonishing variety, never grow old, and Pacific Northwest Ballet's energetic "All Balanchine" program demonstrated this anew at Thursday night's season-opener. The three selections, emphasizing the breadth of Balanchine's creativity, each had a distinct mood and style; each could be defined by its distinct central pas de deux. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=365439 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=365439 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 16:43:24 EST When he was 19 years old, Belgian born Olivier Wevers bought an open airplane ticket from Brussels to the U.S. “I did a summer program in Pittsburgh for two months. I told my parents that if I found a job over there I was staying for a whole year.” He did get the job—in South Carolina with Columbia City Ballet—but he has stayed on for more than just one year. Seventeen years later, he is now a principal dancer at Pacific Northwest Ballet. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=363726 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=363726 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 11:09:02 EST Ballet at Bumbershoot? This year I went to see for myself, and I have to say, Pacific Northwest Ballet’s program really did fit into this indie music/art festival. Only one tutu, no tiaras, and a lot of intense art. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=362757 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=362757 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 11:27:02 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet dancers are back in the studios after a critically acclaimed tour to the 2007 Vail International Dance Festival in late July and early August – just in time for performances at Bumbershoot: Seattle’s Music & Arts Festival , Monday, September 3, 6:45 p.m. in the Bagley Wright Theatre at Seattle Center. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=342693 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=342693 Tue, 28 Aug 2007 22:16:45 EST The final work on Wednesday's performance by the Seattle-based Pacific Northwest Ballet aptly sums up the attitude - and the altitude - of the Vail International Dance Festival: In the middle, somewhat elevated. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=301687 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=301687 Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:42:16 EST Seattle's Pacific Northwest Ballet might not have the history or cachet of its counterparts in cities such as San Francisco or New York, but make no mistake: It is a major American company. That was made resoundingly clear during the first two of the company's three impressively varied programs earlier this week, offering audiences glimpses of 50 years of European and American dance history. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=299812 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=299812 Thu, 02 Aug 2007 18:43:51 EST The 20th century’s foremost choreographer will be center stage Monday, July 30, as Pacific Northwest Ballet presents “Balanchine Celebration,” a trio of works by the legendary George Balanchine, at the Vilar Center for the Arts in Beaver Creek. The 7:30 p.m. performance will be the group’s second offering in conjunction with the 2007 Vail International Dance Festival. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=299548 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=299548 Thu, 02 Aug 2007 14:50:33 EST It was the weekend for farewells at Pacific Northwest Ballet. Saturday's performance of mixed repertory was dedicated to principal dancer Christophe Maraval. On Sunday night there was a special performance dedicated to Patricia Barker. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=179061 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=179061 Tue, 12 Jun 2007 10:33:35 EST Christophe Maraval said his goodbyes simply Saturday night at McCaw Hall. There were flowers thrown across the orchestra pit and from the wings, a few tears and thunderous applause from the audience, standing on its feet. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=177275 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=177275 Mon, 11 Jun 2007 12:46:20 EST For more than two decades, Pacific Northwest Ballet's Patricia Barker has thrilled audiences with her technical perfection, liquid grace and almost shocking artistry. Night after night, she's delivered world-class performances — the kind that lead to that catch-in-the-throat moment when you experience sheer, staggering beauty. Tonight, Barker retires from PNB. Below — in the words of her colleagues, mentors and fans — is our tribute to her. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=177274 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=177274 Mon, 11 Jun 2007 12:45:52 EST We all knew it would end like this: the gossamer ballerina in a dazzling white tutu bid farewell to her handsome prince with a light touch to his bowed head. Mist rolled across the stage; a romantic Tchaikovsky score swelled. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=177273 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=177273 Mon, 11 Jun 2007 12:44:55 EST Four of the world’s top ballerinas are giving their farewell performances this month. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=177271 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=177271 Mon, 11 Jun 2007 12:44:20 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet has had a number of European dancers during the past 30 years or so, some of them from France. Christophe Maraval is the latest. The company's performance Saturday night will be dedicated to him as he retires from the ensemble but not dancing. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=172146 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=172146 Fri, 08 Jun 2007 13:26:56 EST Featuring a smorgasbord of artistic choreography and lucid talent, Pacific Northwest Ballet’s production of Stravinsky 125 opened last Thursday and continues through this weekend. Honoring the 125th anniversary of Igor Stravinsky, the production features 4 different ballets:“Circus Polka”, “Rubies”, “State of Darkness”, and “Symphony in Three Movements.” http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=172145 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=172145 Fri, 08 Jun 2007 13:26:25 EST When Vaslav Nijinsky premiered his choreography to Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring in 1913, the story of pagan sacrifice—combined with bizarre costumes and never-seen-before moves—resulted in catcalls and a flashing of the house lights followed by a public riot in Paris. Molissa Fenley's State of Darkness, though similar, didn't cause quite the same reaction. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=172144 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=172144 Fri, 08 Jun 2007 13:25:42 EST As the prima ballerina at Pacific Northwest Ballet since 1986, she has pirouetted in front of thousands. Her slippers have taken her all over the globe. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=172143 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=172143 Fri, 08 Jun 2007 13:25:06 EST There seemed to be an entire cycle of dance onstage for Pacific Northwest Ballet's "Stravinsky 125," which opened Thursday night and continues through next weekend. An array of beaming little girls, all PNB School students (48 of them, ages 7 to 13), showed off their budding turnout and precise training in the first of four pieces on the program, Jerome Robbins' charming big-top ballet "Circus Polka." Seeing their joy in the spotlight, it was a pleasure to imagine where their love for dance might take them. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=165746 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=165746 Mon, 04 Jun 2007 11:54:43 EST Many choreographers have taken on Igor Stravinsky's groundbreaking "The Rite of Spring" since its riotous premiere in Paris in 1913 but perhaps none so audaciously as Molissa Fenley. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=165745 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=165745 Mon, 04 Jun 2007 11:54:13 EST "You just really feel like you've accomplished something that was right on the edge of human possibility," says Pacific Northwest Ballet artistic director Peter Boal. He's talking about dancing "State of Darkness," Molissa Fenley's fiendishly difficult solo, set to Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring." It's one of four dances comprising PNB's "Stravinsky 125" repertory program, Thursday-June 10. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=157306 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=157306 Tue, 29 May 2007 10:26:44 EST For Igor Stravinsky's 125th birthday, Pacific Northwest Ballet kicks off a two-week celebration with the PNB orchestra playing his Greeting Prelude. It's a 50-second take on "Happy Birthday!" written in 1955 as an 80th-birthday tribute to his friend, conductor Pierre Monteux. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=152362 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=152362 Thu, 24 May 2007 19:06:57 EST Peter Boal: "Speed skaters, first of all, move one arm and two legs. And the rest of the body is stable. There's no articulation of the torso. Only shifting eyes. So you don't see all the intricacies of dancing. You see a stillness, a balance. So I would have thought it wouldn't have worked. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=129255 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=129255 Wed, 02 May 2007 11:43:50 EST Andrew Bartee lives in two worlds. His days start at Everett High School, where he's a 16-year-old sophomore taking English, French, algebra, chemistry and world history. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=124310 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=124310 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 10:40:41 EST Perfection is theoretically attainable in the realm of classical ballet. Not so in the act of walking. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=118557 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=118557 Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:31:11 EST Celebrate Seattle Festival, the groundbreaking child of Pacific Northwest Ballet, closed Sunday at McCaw Hall, after more than two weeks of dance adventure. So much territory was covered in so little time, the festival seemed astonishing in its scope and perspective. Rarely, if ever, has a Seattle arts institution called attention to the wider context in which it operates. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=113952 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=113952 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 10:19:38 EST At the premiere of the third program of Pacific Northwest Ballet's Celebrate Seattle Festival Wednesday night at McCaw Hall, there was only a handful of company dancers on stage. The majority, opening and closing the evening, were from Ballet British Columbia and Spectrum Dance Theater. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=112823 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=112823 Mon, 23 Apr 2007 10:43:09 EST If the second program of Pacific Northwest Ballet's Celebrate Seattle Festival, which opened Tuesday night at McCaw Hall, has a theme, it would be a diversity of viewpoint. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=112822 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=112822 Mon, 23 Apr 2007 10:42:46 EST You have to hand it to Pacific Northwest Ballet artistic director Peter Boal. His three-week Celebrate Seattle Festival, which ends Sunday at McCaw Hall, briefly brings Seattle's modern dance and ballet worlds — usually light years apart — into the same orbit. For once in this artistically divided city, sneakers and patent-leather pumps are comfortably sharing the same space. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=112821 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=112821 Mon, 23 Apr 2007 10:42:19 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet's ambitious Celebrate Seattle dance festival continued full force Wednesday night with a program of hard-driving contemporary works. Performances by guest companies Spectrum Dance Theater and Ballet British Columbia, two premieres by PNB and a comic dance on a tiny stage during intermission made up Program B of the three-week festival, which is presenting more than 20 works by choreographers with connections to the Northwest. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=110802 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=110802 Sat, 21 Apr 2007 11:54:46 EST "Never in a million years would I have imagined my work on the same program as these three!" exclaims exuberant dancer/choreographer Kiyon Gaines. The 'three' are internationally respected choreographers Robert Joffrey, Merce Cunningham and Val Caniparoli. As for a million years, Gaines has waited a mere 24 years for this glorious moment in his evolving choreographic career. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=106473 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=106473 Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:07:25 EST If the second program of Pacific Northwest Ballet's Celebrate Seattle Festival, which opened Tuesday night at McCaw Hall, has a theme, it would be a diversity of viewpoint. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=106466 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=106466 Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:01:47 EST Peter Boal, nearing the end of his second season as artistic director of Pacific Northwest Ballet, is proving himself a master at the art of composition, of concocting an evening of ballets that balance each other artfully. Tuesday's opening night of the Celebrate Seattle Festival's Week 3 (celebrating Northwest choreographers) was a vivid example. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=105941 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=105941 Wed, 18 Apr 2007 19:00:30 EST Memo to the flock of starlings seated in row V: When the curtain goes up and the choir begins to sing, that's your signal to SHUT UP. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=102954 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=102954 Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:08:07 EST "YOU SHOULD SEE Jeffrey Stanton disco dance," says PNB house manager John Tangeman, referring to the principal dancer. He's describing the potential shenanigans at the Backstage Bash on April 20, after an evening performance during the Celebrate Seattle Festival, and I'm sold. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=98756 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=98756 Mon, 16 Apr 2007 16:47:22 EST Toni Pimble's European roots lend a sunshine sparkle to the Pacific Northwest's cloud-shrouded terrain. "America and Europe tend to be isolated from each other in the realm of dance," notes Pimble. "In some ways, PNB's Festival abates this continental disconnect. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=98553 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=98553 Mon, 16 Apr 2007 11:05:09 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet opened its Celebrate Seattle Festival last night with three weeks of works from Pacific Northwest choreographers. The first two weeks features a welcome revival of Kent Stowell's wildly popular Carmina Burana and the PNB premiere of Mark Morris' Pacific. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=97898 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=97898 Sun, 15 Apr 2007 17:05:37 EST One Tiny Dance will be presented every night during Week Three of PNB's Celebrate Seattle Festival (April 17–22) on a 4' x 4' stage in the north entry corner of McCaw Hall's interior atrium/lobby during the first intermission. This video excerpt shows live performance of Ten Tiny Dances, Capital Hill Arts Center, Feb 2007. Works and artists include: It feels good to be loved, Oscar Gutierrez and Giavanna Enriquez, choreography and performance; Love Bird Shout Out, Heather Budd and Jody Kuehner, Artistic Directors--Left Field Revival, choreography and performance; Dogs of Love, Crispin Spaeth Dance Group (CSDG), Crispin Spaeth choreography, performed by members of CSDG; and, Untitled Solo, Amy O'Neal, Artistic Director--locust, choreography and performance. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=96098 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=96098 Fri, 13 Apr 2007 13:39:10 EST As we mentioned the other day, Seattlest was very excited for the PNB production of Carmina Burana, but we left a bit perplexed and frustrated. To start, we enjoyed Mark Morris' Pacific, a light and dreamy piece that found our thoughts wandering in a pleasant way about halfway through, befitting of a day spent listening to the ocean advance and retreat while pretending to read a book. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=96097 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=96097 Fri, 13 Apr 2007 13:36:15 EST Well known to PNB audiences, Stowell served as artistic director of the company for more than 25 years. Although he was born in Idaho, Stowell spent his early years as a dancer in San Francisco and New York. His influence on dance in this region did not begin until he and wife Francia Russell agreed to lead the fledgling PNB. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=92067 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=92067 Thu, 12 Apr 2007 10:37:29 EST Since his arrival at Pacific Northwest Ballet, new artistic director Peter Boal has been tweaking some things, but this month's Celebrate Seattle Festival represents not just readjustment but radical change. Over the three weeks of the festival, PNB will perform or present pieces by 14 different choreographers—as many dances as the company traditionally does over the whole season. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=91186 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=91186 Thu, 12 Apr 2007 10:36:36 EST What gave Peter Boal, PNB's Artistic Director since July 2005, the idea for the upcoming Celebrate Seattle Festival (April 5-22, McCaw Hall)? http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=90307 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=90307 Tue, 10 Apr 2007 10:43:34 EST A pas de deux in 16 square feet? Get out your yardstick! You are about to be surprised. It all started in Portland, Oregon with Ten Tiny Dances (TTD) -- the brainchild of Mike Barber. Barber initiated this experiment in confined space in 2002. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=89670 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=89670 Mon, 09 Apr 2007 10:39:11 EST With suitable fanfare, Pacific Northwest Ballet launched its Celebrate Seattle Festival Thursday night at McCaw Hall. The three-week festival, with four programs comprising 15 choreographers and several guest ensembles, is a grand venture embracing a vast stretch of Northwest dance over several decades. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=84879 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=84879 Sat, 07 Apr 2007 00:32:22 EST Artistic director Peter Boal joked with the crowd before the curtain rose on the opening program of Pacific Northwest Ballet's Celebrate Seattle Festival, a three-week tribute to Northwest choreographers. "I hope the ushers told you that we're not letting you out," he said. "You're here for three weeks." http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=84559 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=84559 Fri, 06 Apr 2007 16:50:13 EST Last year, Seattle's Pacific Northwest Ballet performed a pirouette worthy of applause when the company managed to turn itself back into the black for the first time in years. Now, the ballet is looking to capitalize on last year's momentum with a risky expansion of its performance season that, so far, donors and patrons alike are embracing. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=84065 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=84065 Thu, 05 Apr 2007 18:41:40 EST Mark Morris cuts to the chase. With absolutely no mincing of words, he candidly reflected on his upcoming PNB debut, his life in Seattle and Northwest artists: http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=83173 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=83173 Wed, 04 Apr 2007 10:51:01 EST A rundown of Celebrate Seattle's mixed repertory programs: http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=82262 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=82262 Tue, 03 Apr 2007 10:31:48 EST Ballet is, by its very nature, a risk. Think of a dancer impossibly balanced on the very tips of her toes, or another hurling himself into the air, striving to defy gravity for just one more instant. This month, Pacific Northwest Ballet is taking a risk bolder than the highest leap. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=81681 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=81681 Mon, 02 Apr 2007 10:19:28 EST Is it something in the rain? How else to explain that three of the 20th century's most influential choreographers hail from the Northwest? http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=79796 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=79796 Fri, 30 Mar 2007 11:00:16 EST For decades, Pacific Northwest Ballet never paid much attention to choreographers born and bred in its backyard, even though some were among the most famous in the country. Excuses were invariably offered but they were inevitably lame. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=79494 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=79494 Thu, 29 Mar 2007 18:44:18 EST We met with the lively Pacific Northwest Ballet soloist Jodie Thomas in mid-August to discuss her career and training. This is a summary of that chat. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=76314 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=76314 Mon, 26 Mar 2007 10:58:14 EST It's not really fair to label Christopher Wheeldon the savior of classical ballet-a combination of artist and EMT-but he seems to wear the badge lightly enough, and the 2001 Polyphonia, entering the Pacific Northwest Ballet repertory, is certainly a powerful argument for the title. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=72529 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=72529 Thu, 22 Mar 2007 10:00:00 EST Ariana Lallone, whose eloquent arms seem to reach to the sky, usually dances alone. Too tall for most conventional partnering, she's most often seen in featured solo roles that show off her soulful quality (sometimes melancholy, as her trademark "Nutcracker" peacock) and loose-limbed abandon. Thursday night, as Pacific Northwest Ballet paid tribute to her 20th anniversary with the company, she showed us two sides: the contemporary, barefoot dramatic artist, and — a side we rarely see — a romantic ballerina. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=69449 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=69449 Mon, 19 Mar 2007 10:00:00 EST There was much to admire at Pacific Northwest Ballet Thursday night at McCaw Hall, and some not to admire. Unqualified praise goes to two ballets -- Christopher Wheeldon's "Polyphonia" and Nacho Duato's "Rassemblement" -- and the dancers who performed them. They revealed a company at a peak of excellence, in terms of repertory and dancing. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=69448 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=69448 Mon, 19 Mar 2007 10:00:00 EST While many young choreographers today are eager to kick off the pointe shoes, Christopher Wheeldon prefers his dancers to keep them on. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=66379 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=66379 Fri, 16 Mar 2007 11:00:00 EST Casting for the leading roles of the second week of Pacific Northwest Ballet’s WHEELDON, DUATO & BALANCHINE mixed-repertory program, March 15-25 at McCaw Hall, was announced today by Artistic Director Peter Boal. PNB is also honored to have former New York City Ballet principal dancer Miranda Weese, who performed as a guest artist in last February’s production of Richard Tanner’s Ancient Airs and Dances, return to dance with the Company for select performances of Polyphonia and La Sonnambula. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=65098 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=65098 Thu, 15 Mar 2007 10:00:00 EST Wheeldon, Duato & Balanchine: Pacific Northwest Ballet on Thursday presents the premiere of the musical "Polyphonia" by choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. The Seattle show will also feature the premiere of George Balanchine's "La Sonnambula (The Sleepwalker)," as well as the return of Nacho Duato's "Rassemblement," performed in honor of principal dancer Ariana Lallone's 20th anniversary with PNB. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=61438 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=61438 Sat, 10 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST Since the arrival of Peter Boal in Seattle to assume the artistic control of Pacific Northwest Ballet, all sorts of choreographers have been introduced to the company. However, none is brighter than Christopher Wheeldon, whose "Polyphonia" will have its local premiere Thursday night at McCaw Hall. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=60327 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=60327 Fri, 09 Mar 2007 10:00:00 EST What might a gal from New Jersey and a guy from Montana do together in Seattle? Explore geography, of course! That's what choreographer Mary Sheldon Scott ("Molly") and composer Jarrad Powell are doing this year. PNB and its audiences will enjoy the results during PNB's Celebrate Seattle Festival April 5–22, 2007, which features Northwest choreographers. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=59004 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=59004 Thu, 08 Mar 2007 11:00:00 EST Casting for Week 1 of Wheeldon, Duato & Balanchine. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=58057 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=58057 Wed, 07 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EST Much has been written about the Northwest School (of art)… Tobey, Graves, Callahan, Anderson and others. Kitty Daniels, Chair of the Dance Department at Cornish College of the Arts, suggests that PNB's Celebrate Seattle Festival invites exploration of a similar movement in dance. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=50133 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=50133 Mon, 26 Feb 2007 20:49:10 EST Can you have an abiding affection for cheesy Mexican food and still find work as a professional ballerina? http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=43992 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=43992 Mon, 19 Feb 2007 10:48:32 EST For his latest "studio series," in the intimate Madrona Dance Studio, Spectrum Dance Theater's artistic director, Donald Byrd, has chosen to bookend his own works with two choreographers who both deal with the limitations and possibilities of ballet. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=41840 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=41840 Thu, 15 Feb 2007 10:32:41 EST Former Pacific Northwest Ballet directors Kent Stowell and Francia Russell spent 28 years building an excellent company that was devoted to the Balanchine tradition, with some 19th-century classics and mainstream modern works thrown in. After a year and a half on the job, Pacific Northwest Ballet's new artistic director, Peter Boal, has already made it clear that PNB audiences can expect a much broader repertoire, with more guest artists and local choreography. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=40292 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=40292 Fri, 09 Feb 2007 17:50:53 EST Swan Lake There was a full moon inside the theater as well as outside last weekend for the opening of Pacific Northwest Ballet's production of Swan Lake, rising over the poignant story of love found and lost. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=39646 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=39646 Wed, 07 Feb 2007 15:37:18 EST Of all the many reasons to come to New York City Ballet during the winter season, one of the most bittersweet is that February is the last chance to catch Principal Dancer Miranda Weese with the Company. After this season, Ms. Weese will move to the West Coast to dance with the Pacific Northwest Ballet as a guest artist. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=38968 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=38968 Mon, 05 Feb 2007 21:54:02 EST Before the curtain went up on opening night of Pacific Northwest Ballet's "Swan Lake" Thursday, you could sense an elegant shadow in the theater — that of a dancer who wasn't there. Prima ballerina Patricia Barker retires at the end of the season, after 26 years with the company, and it's hard to imagine PNB without its icon: It's Barker's regal image that floats serenely on the cover of the current program. While she did not appear in Thursday's cast (she'll dance tonight and Feb. 9), the evening provided a happy opportunity to consider the company's ballerina talent pool in a post-Barker era. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=38073 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=38073 Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:53:07 EST The moon has risen near a quiet lake, and we see them: a flock of women in white, their tutus glowing softly. They move as one; their arms tremulously floating, their melancholy presence contributing to the almost ghostly mood. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=36502 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=36502 Mon, 29 Jan 2007 10:30:35 EST Despite the advent of videotapes and various notation systems, dance is still primarily an art form that sustains its past, present and future via one-on-one teaching. Many ballet companies also rely on coaching individual dancers to help them refine movement and develop character in narrative works, once they have learned the steps. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=35629 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=35629 Fri, 26 Jan 2007 13:36:08 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet's 2007-08 season, announced today, will introduce a number of new choreographers and new works to Seattle. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=34084 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=34084 Mon, 22 Jan 2007 11:25:01 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet's 2007-08 season continues to move the company closer to the contemporary dance scene, while still respecting its classical roots. The new season, which features trademark story ballets and a generous helping of George Balanchine, also includes the return of the Spring Dance Festival and 13 PNB premieres, several from choreographers introduced by artistic director Peter Boal in his first two seasons. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=33457 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=33457 Fri, 19 Jan 2007 19:09:30 EST Dance comes to Seattle in a variety of forms, principally at Pacific Northwest Ballet, Meany Hall for the Performing Arts and On the Boards. But there are others that enrich and enliven the scene as well. Here's a look at 10 events/developments that enhanced the Seattle dance scene this past year.. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=32847 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=32847 Wed, 17 Jan 2007 19:36:58 EST Ballet. For the last hundred years, the word has done little more for many than conjure stock images of swirling tutus, romantic music, and swans. An overwhelming sense of boredom pervaded all aspects of the art. Whether or not these are your feelings on the matter, consider this article a challenge to attend a ballet. You may be surprised by what you find. Ballet today is more than any past dancer, choreographer, or lover of the arts could ever have imagined: it is jeans and t-shirts, 45-foot long ropes, electric violins, and above all, it is powerfully expressive. Peter Boal, approaching his second year as artistic director of Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) here in Seattle, is on a mission to prove it. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=14756 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=14756 Fri, 10 Nov 2006 10:06:39 EST If you think ballet is just a bunch of dancers in tutus and toe shoes, you haven't been to a Pacific Northwest Ballet performance lately. This weekend, P.N.B presents four contemporary dances, including a world premier by a choreographer who blends hip-hop moves with classical ballet technique. KUOW's Marcie Sillman reports. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=14478 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=14478 Thu, 09 Nov 2006 12:09:18 EST With its "All Premiere" program, which opened Thursday at McCaw Hall, Pacific Northwest Ballet and its audiences can say, "We're there." http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=14077 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=14077 Wed, 08 Nov 2006 10:45:10 EST In his long career with New York City Ballet, Peter Boal performed the work of both proven masters and up-and-coming stars. Now Pacific Northwest Ballet is the beneficiary of his experience: Boal, as the company's artistic director, is bringing along some of his favorite choreographers. In "All Premiere," a stirring and often thrilling collection of ballets new to PNB, four of those artists were featured, in an evening whose energy built to an exuberant peak. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=13820 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=13820 Tue, 07 Nov 2006 12:25:54 EST When Peter Boal took over the artistic reins of Pacific Northwest Ballet last year, he promised to introduce new work and new choreographers to the company's repertory. This season he is making good on his promise in a major way, with premieres of one sort or another all season. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=13539 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=13539 Mon, 06 Nov 2006 10:53:23 EST In rehearsal for Victor Quijada's new work "Suspension of Disbelief," the classically trained dancers of Pacific Northwest Ballet look like a modern-dance troupe. The cast of 11, in socks rather than ballet slippers, spins low on the floor, pushes into handstands, jumps sideways into a partner's grab, fluidly shifts weight from limb to limb. Knees are bent, arms hang, and traditional ballet technique, with its pulled-up and precisely aligned vertical plane, is mostly absent. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=12282 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=12282 Wed, 01 Nov 2006 18:33:59 EST What happens when ballet meets hip-hop? Ask Pacific Northwest Ballet dancers, who've been madly rehearsing for the world premiere of Victor Quijada's edgy new work, "Suspension of Disbelief." http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=11621 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=11621 Mon, 30 Oct 2006 10:32:48 EST Victor Quijada, whose "Suspension of Disbelief" will be premiered Thursday night by Pacific Northwest Ballet, is articulate, passionate, committed about dance. And from all accounts, possesses plenty of talent. However, that is not what makes him stand apart from the basic pool of young and ambitious choreographers. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=10780 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=10780 Fri, 27 Oct 2006 12:10:05 EST Casting for the first weekend of All Premiere. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=10462 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=10462 Thu, 26 Oct 2006 10:55:40 EST The original idea was simple: Male dancers would take the stage, one after another for an entire evening concert. And Richard Jessup made it happen in 1995 by founding the Against the Grain/Men in Dance project. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=9620 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=9620 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:26:44 EST When the Tudor Choir began under artistic director Doug Fullington, it was one of the first indigenous groups here singing in the style of that time, with pure harmonies requiring total accuracy of pitch and no vibrato, and countertenors augmenting altos. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=8993 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=8993 Fri, 20 Oct 2006 10:35:10 EST Of the nine pieces presented, two were very appealing, some had a few striking moments and some were disappointing. Not surprisingly, the two best were by Spectrum Dance Theater Artistic Director Donald Byrd and Pacific Northwest Ballet Principal Dancer Olivier Wevers, whose evolving choreographic skill suggests a major talent in the making. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=7993 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=7993 Mon, 16 Oct 2006 10:19:51 EST In an attempt to salvage as much of the choreography of the legendary George Balanchine as possible, the foundation created in his name (after he died in 1983) has initiated a "Balanchine Rescue Project," reports The New York Times. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=6993 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=6993 Wed, 11 Oct 2006 10:47:28 EST The New York premiere of "The Piano Dance," by ballet master and choreographer Paul Gibson of the Pacific Northwest Ballet was emotive and visually stunning. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=6594 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=6594 Mon, 09 Oct 2006 15:43:13 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Olivier Wevers, selected this summer to participate in New York City Ballet’s prestigious New York Choreographic Institute, joins four other choreographers setting new works on City Ballet dancers during the Institute’s fall session, September 18 - 29. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=5712 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=5712 Thu, 05 Oct 2006 12:12:32 EST Tonight is the Backstage Pass Performance Night for Director's Choice. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=5188 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=5188 Fri, 29 Sep 2006 18:35:58 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet calls the opening show of its subscription season "Director's Choice," and the pieces chosen for the program by artistic director Peter Boal strongly reflect the breadth of his taste. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=5031 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=5031 Thu, 28 Sep 2006 10:53:58 EST Last week in the print edition of Seattle Weekly, dance writer Sandra Kurtz speculated that Carla Körbes and Casey Herd might soon be promoted to the principal ranks of Pacific Northwest Ballet. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4910 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4910 Wed, 27 Sep 2006 10:33:22 EST Dances depicting Russian elegance and American joie de vivre opened and closed "Director's Choice," Pacific Northwest Ballet's season-opening triple bill on Thursday in McCaw Hall. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4807 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4807 Tue, 26 Sep 2006 10:22:22 EST Sixty-two years ago, Jerome Robbins' sailor ballet "Fancy Free" exploded onto the stage of New York's Metropolitan Opera House. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4692 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4692 Mon, 25 Sep 2006 10:20:10 EST The 2006-07 season of Pacific Northwest Ballet will be remembered as a season of premieres: an astonishing 20 works, which is a record in the company's 34-year history. Some are famous but for one reason or another never made it to the Northwest, others not-so-famous and, in some cases, brand-new. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4544 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4544 Sat, 23 Sep 2006 12:42:48 EST Last season Jerome Robbins' dreamy "In the Night," set to various Chopin nocturnes, entered Pacific Northwest Ballet's repertory. Opening its 2006-07 subscription series is the Seattle premiere of one of the choreographer's most famous works -- "Fancy Free." http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4505 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4505 Fri, 22 Sep 2006 10:17:21 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet opens its 2006-2007 season Thursday with artistic director Peter Boal's selections for "Director's Choice." http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4391 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4391 Thu, 21 Sep 2006 10:24:43 EST Every studio is in use. A tightly scheduled maze of daily rehearsals extends from noon until 7 p.m. Dancers keep five or six new choreographies in their minds. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4300 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4300 Wed, 20 Sep 2006 10:32:55 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet offered a tantalizing glimpse of its new season at its annual opening gala Saturday night, featuring previews and selections from both new and familiar ballets, as well as an accompanying performance by soprano Jane Eaglen. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4246 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4246 Tue, 19 Sep 2006 10:27:57 EST If Pacific Northwest Ballet's appearance Saturday night at McCaw Hall is any indication, the company is on a roll, with a solid new repertory and dancing that is bold and telling yet refined. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4152 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=4152 Mon, 18 Sep 2006 10:21:56 EST It wasn't always so, but galas are becoming fashionable in Seattle. Since the opening of McCaw Hall in 2003, Pacific Northwest Ballet has followed suit. Its galas have become a hit with audiences as well. They also come with two options: the performance only or performance and post-performance dinner/dance for considerably more money. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=3833 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=3833 Fri, 15 Sep 2006 10:23:11 EST Casting for September 9th through September 23rd. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=3268 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=3268 Wed, 13 Sep 2006 10:25:52 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet kicks off its new season Saturday with a gala performance at McCaw Hall, providing a sampler of what audiences will be seeing from the company in the coming year. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=3236 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=3236 Tue, 12 Sep 2006 20:17:53 EST Pacific Northwest Ballet launches its PNB $5 Fridays tonight. At each of the six, one-hour long previews, PNB dancers will present excerpts from upcoming programs, and artistic director Peter Boal will chat with the audience at each performance. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=3049 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=3049 Sun, 10 Sep 2006 14:25:56 EST Opening night of Fancy Free was the stuff of artists' dreams. Nobody, least of all Jerome Robbins, whose first ballet it was, or Leonard Bernstein, whose first theatrical score it also was, or any of the cast, including Janet Reed, imagined that they would take more than twenty curtain calls and make history. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=2830 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=2830 Fri, 08 Sep 2006 13:41:37 EST Energized by a fabulous first season under the direction of Peter Boal, Pacific Northwest Ballet is reaching past its traditional audience at McCaw Hall to connect with new people. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=2739 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=2739 Thu, 07 Sep 2006 10:37:53 EST You'll have three chances to see Pacific Northwest Ballet at Bumbershoot. The world-class ballet company usually dances at the 2,900-seat McCaw Hall (the best tickets there cost $145), but if you get to Bagley Wright Theatre, the site of the Bumbershoot performances, early enough, you can snag a front-row seat with your $30-a-day pass. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=2169 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=2169 Fri, 01 Sep 2006 18:41:41 EST When Pacific Northwest Ballet does Bumbershoot Saturday, choreographer and teacher Sonia Dawkins' "Ripple Mechanics" will get its first Seattle performance. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=2129 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=2129 Tue, 01 Aug 2006 18:49:38 EST What a pleasure to see pure, wonderful ballet — crisp, clean and LEGGY — where every performer brings such distinctive individual talents to bear! http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1920 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1920 Tue, 29 Aug 2006 11:00:42 EST In the world of dance, ballet and hip-hop would appear to be strange bedfellows. The formal clarity and controlled elegance of ballet seem antithetical to the raw, athletic exuberance of street dance. But the two aesthetics are brilliantly melded in the choreography Victor Quijada creates for his Rubberbandance Group. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1817 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=1817 Mon, 28 Aug 2006 10:24:26 EST Adjectives may vary when describing the annual concert of the Pacific Northwest Ballet School every June, but they are usually positive. How could they not? The students, recent graduates of the nursery to the brink of college, are invariably charming, fresh, earnest and very carefully coached. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=90 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=90 Mon, 19 Jun 2006 20:01:29 EST After one season under the leadership of Peter Boal, Pacific Northwest Ballet is on the rise. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=89 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=89 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 19:59:32 EST A favorite game in the lobby during Jewels is to pick your favorite section. But what girl wants to decide between emeralds, rubies and diamonds? All are dazzling. http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=86 http://feeds.rapidfeeds.com/?iid4ct=86 Thu, 08 Jun 2006 19:58:30 EST