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AMERICAN REPERTORY BALLET
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ARB's February 2013 Newsletter: Access & Enrichment Edition
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Spreading the love...
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Here at American Repertory Ballet, there is so much that goes on beyond the studio and the stage that serves our mission of bringing the joy, beauty, artistry, and discipline of classical and contemporary dance to New Jersey audiences. Through our Access & Enrichment programs, we bring dance to our local community and students - spreading our love of the art form in a way that's accessible and enriching (hence the name...).
This January, ARB launched its 2nd grade DANCE POWER program in 16 classrooms. The 3rd grade program, now in its 27th year, is preparing for the annual Waiting in the Wings performance at New Brunswick High School. This year's 3rd grade show is on March 18 at 7:00pm, and the 2nd grade performance will be on April 8 at 7:00pm. Come check out the shows and meet the new class of DANCE POWER scholars when they are introduced!
We're so excited about DANCE POWER and all of our Access & Enrichment programs (school assemblies, residencies, On Pointe and more!), we're highlighting them in this newsletter and at our annual gala in New Brunswick on April 20. Read on for much more!
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| Upcoming Free Community Events |
Join us at our upcoming On Pointe events and our lecture-demonstration at the Princeton Public Library!
February 22 at 5:15pm: "Spring Repertory Preview" On Pointe
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Photo: Karen Leslie Moscato
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Get a sneak peek at ARB's spring repertory, including Douglas Martin's new Rite of Spring. Set to Stravinsky's score, Martin's new Rite of Spring puts a mid-20th century modern spin on the libretto of the original ballet's look at pagan rites and tribal relationships. Princeton Ballet School (301 N. Harrison St., Princeton), free and open to the public.
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Photo: Leighton Chen
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March 7 at 7:30pm: ARB at the Princeton Public Library
Artistic Director Douglas Martin will discuss his world premiere productions of Rite of Spring and Romeo and Juliet. Martin will talk about his unique vision for each of the ballets, and how he tackled the great, iconic scores by Stravinsky and Prokofiev. There will also be a question and answer section. Princeton Public Library (65 Witherspoon St., Princeton), free and open to the public.
March 15 at 5:15pm: "Romeo and Juliet Preview" On Pointe
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Photo: George Jones
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"Of all the ballets I performed throughout my career, including Nutcracker, I think I performed Romeo and Juliet the most. With the Joffrey Ballet, I performed the roles of Paris and Romeo in John Cranko's version. I danced Romeo in Francis Patrelli's version with his company, Dances Patrelle. Most recently, with ARB, I performed the roles of Tybalt and Romeo in Septime Webre's version. I've even performed Romeo with [my wife] Mary [Barton, ARB Ballet Master] as Juliet. I know the ballet inside and out, and felt prepared to make my own." - Douglas Martin
Get an inside look at Martin's new Romeo and Juliet and hear more insights from Douglas Martin. Princeton Ballet School (301 N. Harrison St., Princeton), free and open to the public.
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| DANCE POWER now (see sidebar for DANCE POWER then...) |
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2nd Grade pilot class taking a bow at last year's DANCE POWER performance. Photo: George Jones
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In January, our 2nd grade DANCE POWER program took off! This program was piloted in one classroom last year and has now expanded to reach 16 classrooms - two in each of the eight New Brunswick public schools. The program's curriculum features the concept of creating movement based on a text. This year, all 16 classes are utilizing the book The Relatives Came as the basis for their choreography. The 2nd grade DANCE POWER residency takes place in the general classroom, while the 3rd grade DANCE POWER program takes place during the physical education period.
 "The curriculum includes a variety of assessments in order for both ARB and the school district to gauge if the program is having a positive effect on students' speaking, writing, literacy, and fluency skills," Associate Director of Educational Programming Lisa Beth Vettoso explains. "These assessments include recorded discussion, pre- and post-residency tests, journal writing after every session, and video assessments of students' progress. We hope to expand the program to all 2nd grade classroom next year!" The 2nd Grade DANCE POWER Program will culminate with a performance for friends and family on April 8th.
The 3rd Grade DANCE POWER program is now in its 27th year. This 20-week program concludes with the Waiting in the Wings show, featuring students from every 3rd grade classroom in New Brunswick. Teaching Artists are currently prepping their classes for the performance. The theme this year is "Animation Imagination," and all pieces will feature music from an animated film.
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Newly announced DANCE POWER Scholars and their school principals on stage at the 2012Waiting in the Wings
performance; Photo: George Jones
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Each year, four DANCE POWER students from each elementary school are selected to study at Princeton Ballet School on scholarship. These DANCE POWER Scholars are announced at each year's Waiting in the Wings performance. These students begin classes in the fall with new leotards, tights and shoes provided by Princeton Ballet School and are able to study dance through high school. First and second year DANCE POWER Scholars, who are in the Princeton Ballet School Middle School Ballet and Student 1 levels, will be performing a portion of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" from the animated Disney film Fantasia in the Waiting in the Wings performance.
"We're also adding something new to Waiting in the Wings this year - a performance by our Dance Mix students," DANCE POWER Coordinator Kathleen Smith notes. Dance Mix students are DANCE POWER Scholars who continue dancing but do not continue following the Princeton Ballet School student syllabus. They practice other forms of dance, including hip hop and jazz, in addition to ballet. "These students are in 7th-12th grade and haven't had the opportunity to perform in years. They are extremely excited about performing in the Waiting in the Wings show!"
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Join Us in the Theater this March and April!
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March 23 at 8:00pm: In Full Bloom at Raritan Valley Community College; Tickets: rvccarts.org, 908.725.3420. Featuring Artistic Director Douglas Martin's Rite of Spring, Resident Choreographer Mary Barton's Five Men and a Concerto, and a new work by Patrick Corbin
April 5 at 8:00pm: Viva Spring at South Orange Performing Arts Center;
Tickets: sopacnow.org, 973.275.1114. Featuring Douglas Martin's Rite of Spring, Gerald Arpino's Viva Vivaldi, and a new work by Patrick Corbin
April 12 at 7:00pm, April 13 at 2:00pm and 7:00pm: Romeo and Juliet at Hamilton Stage for the Performing Arts at UCPAC; Tickets: hamiltonstage.com, 732.499.8226. The full choreography of Artistic Director Douglas Martin's Romeo and Juliet, set to Prokofiev's score
April 20: American Repertory Ballet's Annual Gala Performance and Reception: White Nights. 6:00pm performance at Crossroads Theatre; 7:00pm dinner and reception at The Heldrich Hotel across the street in New Brunswick. This year's honorees are
Mayor Jim Cahill & Dr.
Anthony R. and Marlene M. Volpe
for their extraordinary support of ARB's DANCE POWER program &
Maria Youskevitch
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recipient of the Audrée Estey Award for Excellence in Dance Education
And from our students in DANCE POWER and Princeton Ballet School:
free and open to the public
SAVE THE DATE:
November 30, 2013
Celebrate the Legacy
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| DANCE POWER Through the Years | |
The DANCE POWER program was established in 1985.
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DANCE POWER Class with Gregory Hines (back, center), early 1990's
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In the late 1980's, Gregory Hines became DANCE POWER's Honorary Chairman, until his untimely passing, when his brother Maurice assumed the position. Mr. Hines established a DANCE POWER Scholarship at Rutgers University for a DANCE POWER student who continued dance studies until high school graduation, and matriculates into Rutgers.
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| Princeton Ballet School Enrollment |
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Photo Credit: Carrie Pallat and George Jones (right)
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Inspired by the student performers in The Nutcracker? Are you or someone you know interested in studying at Princeton Ballet School? Did you know we take mid-year registrations in classes with availability?
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Support Us
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Your gift today brings to light ARB's vision:
TO EXCITE: audiences all over New Jersey with the exciting new repertoire performed by the professional dancers of American Repertory Ballet;
TO ENLIGHTEN: the students of Princeton Ballet School with the highest quality dance education in studios in Princeton, Cranbury and New Brunswick. This year, Princeton Ballet School's property in the Historic District of Cranbury required serious renovations. Your support would be very valuable in helping Princeton Ballet School defray the costs of construction.
TO ENTERTAIN: the young and the old with ARB's Nutcracker, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2013.
AND TO INSPIRE: all dancers, young and old, including those whose families can't afford to pay for dance classes, and ARB's DANCE POWER students from the New Brunswick public schools.
...with the beauty and passion of dance. Your gift will brighten this vision for 2013 and beyond.
 Or shop online through iGive and designate American Repertory Ballet as your cause.
You can also help support us by volunteering or joining the Friends of Princeton Ballet Society. CLICK HERE for more information.
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Visit our website and our studios. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Keep up-to-date on all the exciting things happening with American Repertory Ballet. You'll always receive the most updated information in our monthly email newsletter, but if you'd like to receive periodic updates in the mail, and didn't receive our Nutcracker Postcard, let me know, and I will make sure you're on our mailing list!Sincerely,
Christine Chen
Managing Director, American Repertory Ballet
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