Cleopatra Avery: A New Apprentice

Cleopatra Avery was a trainee for 2 years before becoming one of our new Apprentices for the 11-12 Season. We asked her what it's like to make the exciting transition...

What was it that first attracted you to the Richmond Ballet?

I honestly didn’t know much about Richmond Ballet before coming here, but when I came for my audition class I had the chance to watch the company rehearse Cinderella. I liked everything that I saw. Valerie Tellman was rehearsing the role of Cinderella, and I was impressed by her facility and artistry. I also remember her wearing a hot pink leotard with a matching pink skirt; she looked just like a princess!

What was the most enjoyable aspect of your experiences as a trainee with the School of Richmond Ballet?

I really have enjoyed the chance to take modern dance classes.

How did your two years in the trainee program at Richmond Ballet prepare you to earn the apprenticeship?

Being a trainee for two years made me aware of the way that the artistic staff likes things, stylistically. Plus, I already am familiar with some of the company’s repertoire; for instance, I already know a lot of the choreography from The Nutcracker from dancing in it as a trainee.

How does it feel to be starting out your career dancing full time with a ballet company?

It’s definitely exciting, but I know it's a lot of hard work. Starting at 10am instead of 1pm is definitely different, but it's a relief to not get up at 5:30am to go work before ballet class, like I did when I was working on my own in addition to doing the traineeship.

What are you most excited for this season?

I can’t wait to begin working on Coppelia. I love that ballet!

What are you most nervous about?

Picking up and learning modern choreography. The company is so quick when it comes to learning new movement!

How have your family/friends supported you in this process of preparing to dance with a professional company?

They’ll be coming down to see as many shows as they can! They’re definitely happy for me, and are glad that I’m here.

So far, how has your perspective towards dance/this profession changed since your being promoted to an apprentice?

Sometimes it’s frustrating to think about how far I have to go in my growth as a dancer. Even after dancing for 10 years, I feel like I know nothing, and want to be able to do certain things already. But, even though I have so much to learn, I’m glad to be working on it every day a little bit more!

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!