Thank you for being such an instrumental part of Ballet Arizona’s 2016-2017 season. Together we’ve traveled the world – from India to Verona to Rio. We are thrilled to conclude our season at Desert Botanical Garden this May with “Topia” and hope to see you at “All Balanchine” this week.
In the evening I volunteered to do the costumes for a street theater group, and there I learned how to make something out of nothing and how to observe the way fabrics move, and how the director and the actors work.
Take a peek behind the curtain as Ballet Arizona dancers share the physical, emotional and mental strength Balanchine performances demand and what it’s like to learn from one of George Balanchine’s protégés, Ib Andersen.
I had a neighbor in Cuba who lived in AZ for a while. His only description of Arizona was “hot”. I had no idea just how beautiful Arizona would be with or without its summer heat. I was unprepared for everything it holds.
I continue to do a Balanchine program each year because, in my opinion, he is the number one choreographer that we have ever seen in ballet. There is no one like him; no one is as diverse as him and I don’t think there ever will be.
The personal is political. Personal choices and experiences do not happen in a vacuum. They are shaped by the political and social environment in which they live. Additionally, they shape the narrative of future discussions, analysis, and actions.
Ballet is a passion first, then a discipline. And because of this discipline, ballet teaches you as much about life skills as dance steps. At one point, you emotionally change. You physically change. And you continue to change in ways that make you connect with your body and learn how to use your energy correctly.
To me, ballet is about nature in a big way. So what I bring to the plate is everything that I’ve done since I was born. I have a very raw interest in most everything. You can do almost anything with dance. It’s like painting a picture. Whatever you want to do you can do.
Breathing life into original choreography requires a gift of artistry, vision and execution, all within the realm of infinite patience. No one does this better than our Artistic Director Ib Andersen!
2835 E. Washington Street Phoenix, AZ 85034
For Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Dial 711 for the Arizona Relay Service. For more information on Arizona Relay Service, please visit www.acdhh.org.
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2835 E. Washington Street Phoenix, AZ 85034
For the Hearing Impaired: Dial 711 for the Arizona Relay Service. For more information on Arizona Relay Service, please visit www.acdhh.org.
