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Greetings: It's Nutcracker Time!
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After a Fall full of fantastic dancing, American Repertory Ballet is getting cracking on its 49th Annual production of Nutcracker!
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From "Grand Pas de Deux" at last year's Nutcracker performances. Photos by George Jones (left, center) and Leighton Chen (right).
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See the Nutcracker Events side panel for a list of performances and special events with venues, dates, and times. Be sure to mark your calendars - you don't want to miss this holiday classic or any of the exciting community events!
The Company kicked off the season with a fantastic performance - Opening Night at Raritan Valley Community College. As Robert Johnson says in his review of the performance, Opening Night was an evening filled with "powerhouse lifts," "fluid gestures," and "intricate footwork." To read more ARB praise, click here to read a review by DIYdancer's Nicole Cerutti! Thank you to all of those who joined us at Opening Night. The energy in the theater was wonderful.
ARB's dancers are once again fresh off the stage this week - this time, in the Big Apple! This past Monday, ARB performed Douglas Martin's work Pathways in the Career Transition for Dancers Annual Jubilee - A Halloween Thriller at New York City Center.
The School is buzzing with excitement as November begins. Students are settled into their classes, Nutcracker rehearsals are in full swing, and School Director Mary Pat Robertson is gearing up for Princeton Ballet School's international Summer Intensive Audition Tour!
 | Princeton Ballet School student Evan Law at the November 2010 "Inside The Nutcracker" On Pointe. Photo by Christine Chen.
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The Access and Enrichment department is also bustling with activity. DANCE POWER classes in all eight New Brunswick Public Schools have begun. Read Teaching Artist Alexis Branagan's blog about teaching her first DANCE POWER class last month. This month's On Pointe Enrichment Series event is coming up soon! For a look behind the scenes at Nutcracker excerpts, costumes, and more, come to "Inside The Nutcracker"! See the On Pointe side panel for some detailed save-the-date information about this and our January On Pointe.
Read on for more...
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| The Company | |
On Halloween at the Career Transition for Dancers Annual Jubilee: A Halloween Thriller, ARB premiered Douglas Martin's Pathways. Douglas choreographed this ballet in honor of Gala Honoree Nancy MacMillan, who has been a longtime passionate supporter of both American Repertory Ballet and Career Transition for Dancers. He was thrilled to create a piece for Ms. MacMillan, who has done so much for ARB and for the art of dance. It was great to see ARB shine on the stage of the beautiful, newly-renovated City Center alongside other reputable dance artists and companies, including New York City Ballet, Houston Ballet, Les Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo and more.
Sights and sounds from Company rehearsals have quickly transitioned from Halloween to the Holidays! ARB is excited to be presenting its 49th Annual Nutcracker this November 25 through December 19th at theaters across the state!
See the Nutcracker Events side panel for a detailed list of performances and special events!
This year's production features acclaimed choreography by Company Founder Audrée Estey and Company Director Douglas Martin, as it did last year. We are excited to see this year's company members perform this choreography, which dance critic Robert Johnson praised as "a marvel of deliberate grace...filled with bounding energy." ARB's 49th Annual Nutcracker is performed by a cast of over 100 international, national, and local dancers, including ARB professionals, ARB trainees, and specially selected students from Princeton Ballet School. The production at the State Theatre in New Brunswick will feature a live orchestra, under the direction of maestro Michael Pratt, and the Princeton Girlchoir singing the vocals for the Snow Scene.
New to this year's production are Act II sets created by Carl Sprague, which were designed and created through the generous support of the Covance Foundation. Douglas Martin and Mr. Sprague worked together to imagine the look of the Kingdom of Sweets.
"I'm delighted to see the fulfillment of our impressionist era concept through the imagination of our wonderful designer Carl Sprague," says Douglas Martin. "His expressive watercolor design will bring our production to life."
The Company will also be hosting local Nutcracker events to spread some family-friendly holiday cheer. These events include ARB's annual Victorian Teas, Alumni Gathering, and costumed appearances at Mediterra and the Tree Lighting in Princeton, and, new this year, a Pre-Performance Insights discussion with Princeton Ballet School Director Mary Pat Robertson before the Saturday afternoon show at the State Theater in New Brunswick.
Our annual tea parties are beloved ARB Nutcracker traditions. Before the matinée performances at McCarter Theatre, come to one of ARB's Nutcracker Victorian Teas! It promises to be a unique, family-friendly event. (See the sidebar for details).
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ARB's Annual Nutcracker Teas. Photo by Christine Chen.
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The School
| Classes are in full swing, Nutcracker rehearsals are aflutter, and the weather seems to be bringing us an early winter, but it's not too early to start thinking happy thoughts of warm temperatures and summer!
Princeton Ballet School's 2012 Summer Intensive Programs will take place June 25-July 27, and the 2012 Audition Tour kicks off this January in cities around the country and Europe. CLICK HERE to find an audition near you. For more information about all our summer programs, including Summer Intensives Intermediates (for ages 11-14) and Summer Intensive Juniors (for ages 9+), visit our Summer Programs Website.
Save the Date for American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School's 27th Annual Gala and Performance and see the sidebar to find out how to get involved:
March 10, 2011, 7pm Patriots Theater at the War Memorial, Trenton, NJ 
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| ARB's Annual Appeal |
American Repertory Ballet's Annual Appeal makes a significant difference in our ability to sustain our 2011-2012 programming, including the Company's world class dance performances, Princeton Ballet School's outstanding dance education and the continued expansion of our acclaimed Access and Enrichment programs. We can not continue our work without your help. Here are some programs that your support can help fund:
- "Keep the Magic Alive" Nutcracker Fund: Help make our stage reflect the caliber of dancing that graces it.
- Princeton Ballet School Scholarship Fund: During this economic crisis, we kept many students dancing by offering unfunded need and merit based assistance.
- Alumni Named Scholarships: Each year at our Princeton Ballet School's Spring performance we award merit-based scholarships named after Audrée Estey, Ruth Petit, Philip Jerry, Molly Clifton, Nora Orphanides, and Sally Edwards. These funds insure that these amazing alumni will honor our history as we continue to inspire a new generation of dancers.
- American Repertory Ballet's Pointe Shoe Fund: It costs ARB over $15,000 every year to provide pointe shoes for our female dancers.
- Organizational Support Help: Help empower the organization to reach greater heights.
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Support Us:
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American Repertory Ballet survives and thrives because supporters like you are willing to invest in our mission and vision. Please continue to support our positive momentum, and help us bring the joy, beauty, artistry and discipline of dance to NJ and beyond.
Or shop online through iGive and designate American Repertory Ballet as your cause.
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| Nutcracker Events |
Performances:
Fri., Nov. 25th-Sat., Nov. 26th: 1pm, 4:30 pm
Sun. Nov. 27th: 1pm
Sat., Dec. 3rd: 6:00 pm
Sat., Dec. 10th: 1pm, 4:30pm
Sat., Dec. 18th-Sun. Dec. 19th: 1pm, 4:30pm
November 26th: 1-3pm
29 Hulfish Street, Princeton
Palmer Square Tree Lighting
November 25th, 4:45pm
Princeton Palmer Square Green
November 26th and 27th, 11am McCarter Theatre West Lobby
$50 adults, $30 children (<12) Reservations required:
7th Annual Alumni Gathering
Sat. Nov. 27th, 6:30pm
McCarter Theatre West Lobby
Reservations requested:
Lisa de Ravel: lderavel@arballet.org, 609.921.7758 ext. 11
 | | From last year's Alumni Gathering. Photo by George Jones. |
New Brunswick Tree Lighting
Friday, December 2 5pm-7pm
Monument Square Park
(George St. & Livingston Ave.)
Pre-Performance Insights
with School Director Mary Pat Robertson
December 17th, 12:00pm
United Methodist Church, 323 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ
Free admission
 | | At our Alumni Gathering, you can visit our archival displays from our Nutcracker productions through the years. Photo by George Jones. |
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Check out our Nutcracker Production Video:
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 | | ARB presents - 49th Annual Nutcracker |
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Access and Enrichment
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"Inside The Nutcracker"
On Pointe Series Event @ PBS
November 18 at 5:15pm
See a sneak preview of Nutcracker excerpts and learn what's new.
"The Music of Romeo and Juliet" January 20, 2012 at 5:15pm
In anticipation of ARB's March premiere of Douglas Martin's new pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet, Prokofiev expert, music scholar, and Princeton University Professor Simon Morrison will discuss Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet.
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ARB dancer Karen Leslie Moscato; Photo credit: Peter Cook
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On Pointe brings the dance world to you, with guest speakers, lecture demonstrations, performance previews and panel discussions. For seasoned dance enthusiasts and new students alike. Held Fridays, once a month, 5:15pm at the Princeton Ballet School's studios, 301 N. Harrison Street in Princeton:
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| Student Trainee Spotlight |
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Carola Goldoni at the 2010 Summer Intensive. Photo by George Jones.
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Carola Goldoni, from Rome, is spending two months at Princeton Ballet School doing a specialized Trainee independent study on American methods of teaching ballet (specifically the Princeton Ballet School syllabus). You'll see Carola observing many classes over the next few weeks. Carola is also studying Pilates for the first time, to help understand the muscle usage of ballet even better. Carola has attended Princeton Ballet School's Summer Intensive multiple times, as well as the Royal Ballet School's summer program in London. She studies at Fabula Saltis in Rome, and trained before that
at the Accademia Nazionale di Danza di Roma.
"It is very interesting and exciting for me to be able to look at dance from a new perspective. This gives me a chance to think of what I've learned and how I can transform it into something useful for others, too."
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Join the Gala Committee
| Get Involved! Planning is under way for the ARB's 27th annual Performance and Gala: OLE! to be held at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial March 10, 2011.
To volunteer contact Naomi Levecchia, at call 732.249.1254 x25 or nlevecchia@arballet.org
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