I am so delighted and honored to be a part of Festival Ballet’s 25th Anniversary Season. As many of you know, my parents, Christine Hennessy and Winthrop Corey, founded this company in what was once the Hennessy Milk Dairy. From the ground up, through much hard work and dedication, they created a gem of a ballet company that breathed life into RI’s arts world, while awing and uplifting thousands of audience-goers time and time again. My family is extremely proud that Festival has gone on to thrive. Many thanks should be given to the Board of Directors, to Misha, to the Artistic Staff and of course, to the wonderful dancers that make the company what it is.
I know my mother would have been especially proud to see the company where it is today. She would have been thrilled with its beautiful new Hope Street home. She would have applauded the support given by the city of Providence and the State of RI. Most importantly, she would have delighted in the fact that the dancers have the opportunity to perform more often. Although she would not have taken any credit, she built the solid foundation that has allowed this company to survive beyond her and flourish today.
Prior to founding the company, my mother had an impressive dance career. For those of you who have read her biography, you know that she danced all over the world with companies such as the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, the Joffrey Ballet and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. She was the real deal, a true ballerina who, for a good part of her life, danced 8 performances week-in and week-out, whether she was in Russia or Germany, whether she felt well or not, whether the stage was raked or flat, whether it was raining on the out-door stage or freezing inside the theatre itself. She danced through it all. She received critical acclaim wherever she danced – my brother and I have reviews written in numerous different languages. She won a gold medal in Paris for best female interpretation after balancing on pointe on one leg for over 64 counts – yes, she brought the house down.
When she came back to RI, she brought her tremendous talents and wealth of knowledge with her. She gave everything she had to the ballet company and school. She used her abilities and extensive knowledge to train countless dancers, to sew and mend costumes, to design sets and scenery, to run a for-profit school and a non-profit ballet company, to fund raise… and the list goes on.
Growing up, I remember that my mother’s artistic and professional life permeated our personal lives. Costumes were washed in our washing machine, tutus were strung to dry in the sun on our clothes line, our attic served as storage for sets and costumes, our kitchen was a second rehearsal studio where my mother would try out new steps. I remember her roping me in to paint the original Midsummer costumes on our kitchen table. Oh what fun we had! For years that wooden table had ingrained in it sparkles of glitter. It always reminded of my mother’s outlook on life, that life is art.
One of the most special things about my mother, however, was the way she treated dancers. Dancers were always her first priority. She had the utmost respect for them, and she loved and nurtured all of her students regardless of their talent or their ability to pay. Although much of the community and many of her dancers were not fully aware of her accomplishments - she was intensely private and very humble - they did know that when they were in her presence, they were in the midst of greatness. Her spirit, the essence of her being, lifted dancers up and made them feel as though they could accomplish wonderful things. Her laughter, her joy of dance, and her nurturing guidance continually made you strive just to keep up with her. After a class or rehearsal with my mother, you always felt as though you had been given a gift. You never felt like you left her presence empty-handed.
I am so happy to honor her memory this evening and to celebrate what really
was her third child, the ballet company. It is my hope that Festival Ballet
will continue on and thrive, just as she would have wanted it to. RI would
be very lucky to have someone with her grace and ability again.
