Ever wonder what it takes to be a dancer with the Pacific Northwest Ballet? Listen in as corps de ballet dancer Barry Kerolis talks about his training, background and his favorite parts of class.
The Joyce welcomes Pacific Northwest Ballet to its stage Jan 5-10. Tickets are available here.
See more PNB videos here
Before their October 2009 performance at Dance Umbrella, Wally Cardona and Rahel Vonmoos sat down with Donald Hutera to talk about A Light Conversation. With thanks to Dance Umbrella, we now share that interview with you:
A Light Conversation is a deft, eloquent and beguiling new duet made and performed by the American dancer-choreographer Wally Cardona and the Swiss-born, London-based Rahel Vonmoos, with the audience surrounding the pair on three sides. Below this dynamic duo reflects on what motivated this collaboration and what they’ve gleaned from it.
Donald Hutera: How did this creative partnership come about?
Wally Cardona: We first worked together when I made a work for Ricochet. A fifth dancer was needed and [artistic director] Karin Fischer-Potisk told me about a woman named Rahel who’d danced with many people, including [frequent Umbrella-supported choreographer] Charles Linehan. I’d seen a Linehan performance in New York City earlier in the year and enjoyed it immensely. I remember being mesmerised by a woman performing in it. Karin said, ‘That’s Rahel.’
Rahel Vonmoos: Funny coincidence: not knowing Wally, I actually stayed in his flat in 1993 while touring in New York City with a Swiss company. So I’d heard about him and his work. When Ricochet asked if I wanted to join them for his production, I was curious and said yes. Wally’s ability to verbalise his ideas and the whole working process I found very inspiring. When he proposed that we make something together, it was very clear to me that I was interested.
WC: I suppose my selfishness initiated the project: I wanted to dance with her. When I look at something, or somebody, and don’t understand what’s making it work the way it does, I become very interested. I want to learn something I don’t know.
(more…)
Do you ever feel stressed and overwhelmed as New Year’s Eve approaches? You want to celebrate but there’s so much going on that you have no idea what to choose; you don’t want to spend a fortune for a fun night out; it’s too cold outside to walk around looking for the perfect cozy and fun atmosphere…
We suggest a fun-filled evening that has it all: culture, flavor, entertainment and convenience! Join us at The Joyce Theater at 5pm on New Year’s Eve for a special performance of Rock The Ballet. Get into the groove with Rasta Thomas and the Bad Boys of Dance, a young, sexy and spectacular troupe of well-trained dancers. After the show, keep the party going by heading right across the street to the Rocking Horse Cafe, a fun and stylish bar and restaurant with funky décor, amazing margaritas and a vibrant young crowd.
Toast the New Year with drink specials like the Cranberry Caipirinha, or treat yourself to something from the cafe’s special New Year’s Eve menu. Show your ticket stub from Rock The Ballet to your waiter or waitress and you will get a 10% DISCOUNT on your meal!
Visit www.rockinghorsecafe.com for a menu, directions to the restaurant and more information.
Have a Happy Rockin’ New Year!!!
We were thrilled to have producer Ojinika Obiewke backstage at The Joyce last week “Rockin’ the Ballet” with Rasta Thomas. Ojinika donned her “Beyonce outfit” and learned some of the Bad Boys of Dance’s signature moves. The segment for the WPIX morning show aired early this morning. In case you missed it, here’s the footage:
The A.W.A.R.D. Show! 2009 series came to an end on Sunday night, when Amelia Reeber was named winner of the Seattle competition. On the Boards has a great Q&A with Amelia posted on its blog, along with some other interesting A.W.A.R.D. Show tid-bits (do I even want to know why there were 10 utilikilt costumes???). Check it out.
The Joyce thanks all of the talented artists who presented their work in New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia and Seattle, as well as all of the administrators at Joyce SoHo, The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and On the Boards for their hard work and dedication to the series.
And, to all the audience members who shared their voices and opinions, in the words Neta Pulvermacher, founder of The A.W.A.R.D. Show!, “discussion/response/action/pro-action are actually the goals of this series… So thank you… for participating.”
We’ll see you again next year!
While looking for some interesting Pacific Northwest Ballet trivia and behind-the-scenes tid-bits to bring you on The Joyce blog, I stumbled upon “PNB Unleashed” on the company’s website. Have you seen it? It’s a terrific wealth of information about everything PNB, from upcoming performances to glimpses backstage to a weblog by Artistic Director Peter Boal.
Take a look. http://www.pnbunleashed.com/PNB_Unleashed/Directory.html
Rasta Thomas’ Rock the Ballet is a deliciously different show that combines amazing ballet technique with musical theater, video, rock and hip hop set to some of today’s hottest hits. Rasta Thomas’ Bad Boys of Dance ignite the stage with athletic jumps and turns in this show for dance lovers and first time theatergoers of all ages.
Download the tunes now and watch the Bad Boys of Dance rock it out at The Joyce Dec 15-Jan 3. Tickets are available for purchase here.
The Joyce offers you not only the gift of amazing dance, but so many more opportunities to make yourself and your loved ones happy during the holidays!
As Rasta Thomas will be rocking The Joyce during this holiday season, we want to make this dance experience all the more festive and trendy for our audiences by offering discounts for a variety of Joyce Theater products. Join us for Rock the Ballet and get special gifts for yourself or your friends:
Receive a Joyce Theater Jacket at the discounted price of $25 (regular price: $30) or a Joyce Theater T-shirt for $10 (regular price: $15) when you purchase two regular priced A section tickets ($59). With the purchase of a pair of B section ticket ($35), enjoy a Joyce Theater t-shirt for $10 (regular price: $15) or a tote bag for $15 (regular price: $20).
The Joyce also gives you the opportunity to share and promote the beauty of dance by buying a gift certificate for any performance during The Joyce Theater Fall/Winter season (pending availability). Contact rjohnson@joyce.org for details and to order your certificate.
Our partner organization Steps on Broadway is offering Gift Certificates that may be used to pay for classes, workshops and special events at Steps or The School at Steps and for merchandise at the Steps En Corps Boutique. The card, with a monetary value of your choice, may be purchased at the front desk at Steps, the boutique or at The School at Steps, by calling 212-874-2410, or visiting www.stepsnyc.com
If you love what you see at The Joyce and appreciate what it does for the dance community in New York, you can show your support every time you purchase your holiday gifts online by choosing iGive. iGive is an online shopping website that facilitates donations to The Joyce every time you shop through their stores – at no extra cost to you.
Here’s how it works:
1. Go to www.igive.com
2. Create an account and choose The Joyce Theater Foundation as your cause
3. Find a-z stores (the “mall”) and click out from their to your favorite retailers. As long as you click to the store from the igive website, the store will donate a percentage of whatever you spend there to The Joyce! Hundreds of stores participate, including amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and Macy’s.
*NEWLY ADDED* iGive.com is going to attempt to donate $5,000 in just 24 hours to Joyce Theater Foundation and other causes. For each person who joins iGive using the link below and does just one web search on the iGive site between now and noon Thursday, The Joyce will receive a dollar.
5,000 new members = $5,000. No purchase necessary.
Of course, if you search more (or buy something) you’ll help The Joyce earn even more money. Right now, iGive is donating $.02 per search and a bonus $5 for that first purchase plus the usual percentage.
Here’ the link: http://www.igive.com/welcome/warm_reg_promo.cfm?c=5926
Or consider making a gift to The Joyce in the name of the special dance enthusiast in your family. Dance touches each one of us personally and speaks to our hearts like no other form of art. Keep the mission of The Joyce Theater Foundation alive by giving a special gift this year. Each dollar you give will help provide necessities to our artists and companies such as lighting for performances, staff support, and rehearsal space. Give a unique gift to your loved ones this holiday season and help shape the future of dance!
Click to give the gift of dance!
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Enjoy your holidays!
Is the present economic situation transforming the family tradition of enjoying a holiday show in the city to a hard-to-afford luxury? In a recent article, The New York Times asked its readers: “Have you altered your year-end entertainment plans because of the economy? Are there holiday shows or other events you normally attend but aren’t buying tickets for this year?”
Many of the readers’ responses demonstrate a disappointment with the over-the- top prices of many holiday shows and an even more alarming (for theaters and arts institutions) decision on the part of many families to abstain from any shows this season:
“A huge luxury! $80 tickets are insane. Going to skip the shows going forward”
Such observations make The Joyce Theater proud to be among the institutions that have steadily provided New Yorkers and their families with high-quality, affordable entertainment: tickets as low as $10, special discounts for young members, tickets for children starting at $6, and free educational programs, open rehearsals and discussions available all year long with top dance companies from the country and the world, allow our audiences to enjoy quality holiday entertainment without having to compromise.
So, as the holidays are on their way, consider treating your family to the nationally acclaimed art of Ballet Hispanico in a Family Matinee, or celebrate the holiday fun with the versatile, energy-packed dance of Rasta Thomas’ Rock The Ballet. Happy holidays!
Ballet Hispanico’s Family Matinee is on Saturday Dec 5 at 2pm.
Rasta Thomas’ Rock The Ballet will run at The Joyce Theater from Dec 15 to Jan 3
