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...round 2!

We asked Shira Lanyi, the second Richmond Ballet dancer portraying Giselle, to answer the same questions Cecile did last week. Below are her answers...some similar and some completely different. It's so interesting how two different ballerinas can bring two different interpretations to the same role, isn't it?

Why is Giselle your favorite ballet?

Giselle was one of the first classical ballets that I ever saw performed at the Carpenter Center as a little girl. I vividly remember loving the score as well as the story of the ballet. Giselle is a huge challenge as a dancer because the two acts are entirely different from one another-- not only in terms of character portrayal, but also in terms of the dancing style. This stark contrast brings a unique quality to the ballet that moves the audience and brings a sense of fulfillment to the dancers.

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

Unlike The Nutcracker or even Romeo & Juliet, Giselle requires much softer shoes for the amount of jumping and articulation that is required to play this role. I have been going through about two pairs a week during rehearsal. In act two, Giselle is a supernatural being, and therefore must not make any noise, so the pointe shoes must be very soft for this to happen.

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 love watching Carla Fracci and Erik Bruhn [American Ballet Theatre] just for inspiration on video. However, I have also read several books that explain the libretto, or story of Giselle in greater depth, and delve into the characters and relationships that exist in the ballet. 'The Ballet Called Giselle' by Beaumont is one such book that I sometimes read before bed. I also always keep a notebook for corrections that Malcolm gives to me on a daily basis, which is now quite thick!

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

I had the rare opportunity of working with Malcolm three years ago privately on the role of Giselle in act two. Malcolm has a breadth of knowledge and is a magnificent coach. Also, working with my partner Tommy has been amazing since we both really connect with each other on stage and also work on connecting the story in rehearsal.

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

My greatest challenge has been to create the contrast between act one Giselle and act two. The two acts are so drastically different in terms of character development as well as the style and form of the dancing. Act one Giselle is vibrant and full of life, while act two Giselle is an ethereal creature who is full of a more mature love of Albrecht. I love the dichotomy of the role, it definitely presents a new challenge.

What has been most rewarding part of playing this role?

I love playing this character because I have to completely lose myself in the story in order for it to be believable to the audience. I am still Shira, but I have to become Giselle, and that to me is a rewarding journey to take from the beginning of the ballet through to the end. It is full of emotion and discovery, and every rehearsal is a little different since you must connect with the other characters on stage as well.

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

Giselle is a girl who is so trusting in the good of others and love that she finds herself in a very terrible situation. She is full of life and just loves to dance despite the fact that she has a very weak heart. Her vibrancy and trust in others draws people to her side, and all of the townspeople call her a friend. However, she is also a girl who is very fragile and that is why things go so badly when Albrecht betrays her.

How has it been rehearsing with Thomas Garrett?

Working with Tommy has been a magnificent experience. He brings so much knowledge and interest to the ballet and really delves into his character. He has become Albrecht and that makes it even easier for me to become Giselle with him.

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?

This was a huge challenge for me because I had to discover a part of myself that I have yet to discover in my real life. I just have to imagine that my true love has just broken my heart and I have to feel the hurt that drives me into a state of madness. The scene is so intense and full of drama it is hard to stop myself from shaking as I play the role of a broken hearted young girl. To tear myself from the floor after the end of act one is exhausting and it certainly resonates into the next act.

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

That love can live forever, even beyond death.

First week back

When August 16th finally arrived, it brought a wave of excitement and anticipation for the 2010-11 Season at the Richmond Ballet. Filing into the studio like students on the first day of school, all of the dancers greeted one another with huge hugs and kisses on the cheek, a reminder that we have all missed one another during the nearly three months we were apart over the summer. A few new faces stood out in the room, and of course it is custom at Richmond ballet to make everyone feel welcome and at home.

We began each day with an hour and a half technique class taught by Stoner, Malcolm, or Jerri; a warm up and salutation for our bodies before the rigors of a six hour rehearsal day.

We are so excited this year to have Salvatore Aiello's witty ballet, Clowns and Others, for our Studio One performances. Complete with white gloves, mime, jugglers, and a tight rope, this is a ballet that is just as much fun for the audiences as it is for the dancers. We have spent so much time laughing in the studios at one another and at our selves as we kiss, wiggle our hips, and even roar like lions. This is sure to be a new Richmond favorite.

Ma Cong returns this year to complete the staging of his ballet, Ershter Vals. Set to rhythmic Klezmer music, this ballet brought audiences to their feet almost every night last year during the New Works Festival. The dancers are all very excited to see what new and exciting components Ma will add to this luscious piece of choreography.

We have also begun our annual staging of lecture demonstrations for elementary school students throughout the state of Virginia. Our theme for the year is “perseverance.” A quality that dancers and successful human beings rely on throughout much of their student and professional lives, we wish to show students through dance how important perseverance can be in achieving one’s dreams. Lecture demonstrations are always a fun and easy way for us to get back into the swing of things and also to learn how to project our voices.

While sore muscles hint that last week has been rather strenuous, the dancers are all immensely happy to be back and working on what appears to be a fun and exciting 2010-11 season. I hope to see you all at our upcoming Studio One performances where I am sure you will leave inspired and uplifted by your very own Richmond Ballet.