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A Day In the Life of Dance with New York Theatre Ballet
By Christine Jowers/Follow @cmmjowers on Instagram
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Published on February 8, 2011
www.nytb.org
Christine Jowers finds the New York Theatre Ballet company in rehearsal and speaks with Executive Director Christina Paolucci about choreographic relationships, coaching a ballet, and working fully, as the company prepares for their Signatures 11 Series beginning February 11th and 12th 2011.
A Day in the Life of Dance with the New York Theatre Ballet
©Christine Jowers 2011
When Christina Paolucci, Executive Director of New York Theatre Ballet, speaks about choosing members for the company she says,"We look for real people. People that have a story to tell and can tell that story with skill. We have all different sizes and shapes and levels of experience. (and) We look for people who are going to look out for one another too."
Relationships are important when the group is a chamber sized ballet company and has much work to accomplish.
"We are on the road constantly," says Paolucci. "We have three Signature Series in New York, plus, we have our Once Upoon a Ballet Series and are working with as many stagers and choreographers as possible. Choreographers can only come at a certain time. We might have them for just a couple of rehearsals. If the dancers have only two hours with someone,they can't blow it off. These dancers know how to do that, and this group, this year, has taken their job to the next level by really focusing in the studio."
The New York Theatre Ballet is renowned for deftly recreating masterpieces of 20th century ballet and contemporary dance for their audiences. The opening of NYTB's Signature Series is rich with dance treasures : two works by Anthony Tudor; one by American dance master, John Butler; Game Two, a playful romp created by Philadelphia-based choreographer, Matthew Neenan; and a special revival of Septet by contemporary genius Merce Cunningham which was recreated in part by the National Endowment for the Arts as part of the American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius. ( For tickets and info about the upcoming performances at 7pm at Florence Gould Hall in NYC click --tickets or info)
The company is also very excited about starting work with innovative British choreographer Richard Alston, currently the Artistic Director of The Place in London, formerly the Resident Choreographer and Artistic Director to Ballet Rambert, and lauded for the repertory and mastery of his own Richard Alston Dance Company. Alston is set to create a new piece specifically for NYTB's May Signature Series Performance. It is quite a coup for the group.
