Summer Plans: Company Women

The Company's on summer break from their rehearsals and performances here at Richmond Ballet, but it doesn't mean they've slowed down! Here's what the Company Women and Apprentices are up to this summer:

Cody Beaton hopped on the plane with some of her fellow Richmond Ballet dancers to Humboldt County, California, to perform as a guest artist in New World Ballet’s Cinderella. She also traveled to New York to throw a baby shower for her sister before coming back to RVA where she will take ballet classes with the School of Richmond Ballet until company rehearsals start up again on August 8^th!

Elena Bello spent the first part of her summer relaxing, spending time with her family in New Jersey, and attending Broadway plays in New York City. Now, she’s back in Richmond dancing in the School of Richmond Ballet’s 5-week Summer Intensive Program, along with her fellow SRB students, trainees, and apprentices.

Lauren Elizabeth’s summer started out with a trip home to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where many of her family and friends live. Soon after she returned to Richmond and moved into a new apartment! Now, Lauren is teaching ballet classes and taking class herself at Richmond Ballet while excitedly awaiting the start of her first season in the company!

Lauren Fagone is filling her days away from the rehearsal studio working on her condo, planting in her garden, hanging out around Richmond, drinking wine, and sewing new leotards to add to her high-quality collection of “Fagone-wear” (from which all the company ladies love to borrow). She is also taking trips to visit her niece, and she traveled to Humboldt County with several other Richmond Ballet dancers to take part in New World Ballet’s Cinderella.

Shira Lanyi had some minor toe surgery immediately following the end of the season, so the first item on her summer agenda was recovery and physical therapy so that she was ready to strap the pointe shoes back on as quickly as possible! Shira also traveled to California to serve as rehearsal assistant to Victor Temple, artistic director of Arcata’s New World Ballet, for the production of Cinderella. Shira got to visit family while she was in California as well. Following her time on the West Coast, Shira came back to Richmond where she was honored with the Alumni of the Year award from the Jewish Federation at the Chesed Award Dinner, before she headed to Israel to study Hebrew and take ballet class with Israel Ballet. Now, Shira is home in Richmond, where she is choreographing on students in the School of Richmond Ballet’s Summer Intensive workshop.

Maggie Small has a summer chock full of trips! First, she performed in San Angelo, Texas, with Thomas Garrett in Swan Lake. Continuing west, she joined the group performing Cinderella in the city of Arcata, and she also spent some time visiting her friend Lauren Breen (former Richmond Ballet company dancer) in Sacramento. Maggie is also spending more time in California, dancing for the second time as a part of the National Choreographer’s Initiative. On top of all that, Maggie is teaching ballet to students in Austin, Baltimore, and Harrisonburg. Whew!

Julie Smith has stayed mostly in the RVA area to intern in the development department at Richmond Ballet, while also taking a few courses with Regent University’s distance learning program and taking ballet classes in the School of Richmond Ballet. Julie has taken a few trips to Norris Lake in Tennessee to visit family and got to have some quality boating and swimming time!

Valerie Tellman started off her summer dancing the Blue Bird pas de deux from Sleeping Beauty in Williamsburg with fellow dancer David Neal before she joined the group in Humboldt County, California, for Cinderella. While out west, she spent some time visiting former Richmond Ballet dancers Lauren Breen and Christopher Nachtrab, who are both continuing their dancing careers in Sacramento. Valerie also traveled to Texas for her brother’s “honky-tonk wedding,” and made a trip to visit her sister and friends for a girls’ weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada. The rest of her time is spent here in Richmond babysitting, teaching ballet classes, and taking ballet classes.

Cecile Tuzii is using all of her free time this summer working on designing and constructing tutus, as well as developing a new website for her budding tutu business. At the end of May, she and Igor went on vacation to Aruba for a week, and then they traveled to France (bon voyage!) for a few weeks in June to visit her family. Since their return, Cecile has been working some odd jobs, taking ballet class in addition to teaching in the School of Richmond Ballet Summer Intensive Program, and finally teaching for the last two last weeks of the summer in Harrisonburg and Norfolk before company rehearsals commence again in August!

Giselle Q&A, part II

Cecile Tuzii answered a few more FAQs about the rehearsal process, her own preparation for the role, and why she has always wanted to be Giselle.

What has been the greatest challenge for you so far in the rehearsal process?

The most challenging task is trying to make the right movements and shapes in order to give the impression of effortlessness. One inch difference in an arm movement makes a totally different look, so you have to analyze every corner of each step and position in order to do it correctly and further along the story.

What has been most rewarding part of playing this role?

I love when I can reach the end of the emotional journey of this ballet without having to force it; it’s just there. When I simply follow the story and get so into the character that everything takes place at the right time and in the right way, it is incredibly rewarding. By the end I'm exhausted, but it’s a good type of exhaustion. It’s a full journey; you go through all the emotional temperatures that Giselle experiences, and when you finish you have the satisfaction of organically telling the story in a way that works.

How has it been rehearsing with Kirk?

It’s been very nice; he’s a great listener and is always there for me. We’ve also had some amusing moments together of making each other laugh with funny faces or encountering laughable slip-ups during the rehearsal process. All in all, Kirk does a great job of playing the character and we have a great connection, which helps a lot!

At the end of Act 1, you have a very dramatic scene in which you lose your mind from heartache. How do you portray such a tragedy?

The emotion is so extreme, it’s basically like taking a knife and torturing yourself. In order for it to be real, you have to be in a certain mood, and the story is really what brings you there. I mentally put myself through all the moments; when Giselle thinks she has found her true love, then when she starts doubting, and that sequence brings me to the point where she hurts so badly she wants to kill herself. Finally she dies anyway because she's too weak to take the pain. I have to bring myself into the story by envisioning losing my own love in real life until I actually become the part. It’s truly exhausting! I was out of breath at the end of Saturday’s rehearsal, to the point where I was shaking and even dizzy at the end of the scene! Each day I rehearse I bring those feelings of Giselle home with me until my fiancé gives me a hug.

What does the story of Giselle say about love to you?

True love and real passion never dies.

Giselle Q&A, part I

Cecile Tuzii, one of our talented ballerinas playing Giselle, answered some FAQs about the rehearsal process, her own preparation for the role, and why she has always wanted to be Giselle.

Why is Giselle your favorite ballet?

Giselle has always appealed to me because it exemplifies the technique of romantic ballet. While it's supposed to look effortless, it’s actually very challenging in every aspect. Both the acting and the dancing involves much more than you might think.

How long has Giselle been your dream role?

The first time we ever approached it was in variation class while I was a ballet student in Monte Carlo. We used the material from Giselle for exams, and I also had the chance to perform the role of “Myrtha” (the Queen of the Wilis) when I was graduating at 18 years old. I fell in love with the story, all the characters, and everything that you have to portray without much movement. I loved being able to see the principle roles performed by professional dancers when I was young, and ever since then I had always been hoping to have a chance to be Giselle.

How many pairs of Pointe shoes have you been going through each of these grueling rehearsal weeks?

I actually have only been using 1-2 pairs per week. As Giselle, you jump a lot, but you’re not supposed to make noise. It’s all about articulating your feet, which is easier when your shoes are softer.

What do you do on your own outside of rehearsal to prepare yourself for this role? How do you remember all of that choreography?

I use my iPod a lot. If you just listen to the music [Adolphe Adam], it tells you the story. Sometimes I just sit on the couch and close my eyes and envision myself being there, doing the steps, and being the character. I also go through all the notes and corrections that our Ballet Master, Malcolm Burn, gives me.

What has been most helpful in preparing you for the performance?

Working with Malcolm is so amazing. He has so much knowledge, not only because he has danced in Giselle, but because he has researched so much prior to our rehearsal process. You have to enter that character in order for it to be believable. He gives me the exact text so precisely that it makes it easy to just act it, which is exactly what you need because there’s no space for doubt in this ballet.

Who is Giselle; what is she like, in your interpretation?

She is a very genuine person, a true friend to others, and a loving daughter. She has an irresistible honesty about her; because she is just herself. I see her as doing everything with a full heart, because she has never been hurt yet. In Act 2, her character doesn’t change. She is such a good person that she forgives Albrecht, still loves him even more, and actually saves him after all that he has done to her. She demonstrates true love and beyond.

Cecile answered a few more questions for us that we'll post tomorrow! Stay tuned!