Festival Ballet Providence

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2, 2004

Festival Ballet Providence, 401.353.1129

"Up CLOSE, On HOPE"
Studio performance series, January 17 & 24
Dance so near you can touch it!

Providence, RI - After a sold-out inaugural performance program in November, Festival Ballet Providence Artistic Director Mihailo Djuric announces the second in a 3-part limited seating performance series, Up CLOSE, On HOPE, that will showcase exciting contemporary repertory works in an intimate studio setting. This is dance in its purest form. These performances offer the chance to see thrilling, original dance, to meet the dancers, and to mingle with the choreographers.

This series consists of two more dynamic programs offered in January and March at the company’s East Side studios at 825 Hope Street. Each program will be performed on two consecutive Saturdays at 7:30 pm by Festival Ballet Providence in the Grand Studio for a maximum of 90 audience members. Mr. Djuric has chosen choreographers who are young, talented and vibrant, and are emerging as the next creative voices in dance.

This second program of the series will take place January 17th & 24th with a total of six works by Colleen Cavanaugh, James Brown and Mihailo Djuric. The previous series in November was sold out for both performances, so those wishing to attend should purchase tickets early.

Ms. Cavanaugh, an independent Providence-based choreographer who was director and choreographer for Cadence Dance Project, will set Scarlet Tangents on the company. Described by Bill Gale in the Providence Journal on its 1997 premiere as “poetic magic”, Scarlet Tangents was inspired by Robert Schumann’s exquisite Piano Quartet, Op. 47.

A Festival Ballet Providence company member, Mr. Brown will set Sketches from Life for three of the company’s men (Davide Vittorino, Ty Parmenter and Cameron Baldassarra – it was originally set on three women!), and the full version of Hard Times on the company with guests Erin Petitjean, Beth Reilly (former Festival Ballet Providence company dancer) and five students from the Festival Ballet Providence Center for Dance Education. Both works were part of Mr. Brown’s acclaimed program for his modern dance company “Modern Populus”, presented this past summer in New Bedford.

Mr. Djuric will round out the program with several of his shorter original works, including Hush, Bums and For Susan. Hush is a jazzy, whimsical piece for two dancers, to Bobby McFerrin’s rendition of “Hush Little Baby”. Bums premiered in 1989 as part of an annual gala of Yugoslavian dance artists in Slovenia. Set to a tango from Kurt Weill’s “Three Penny Opera”, this comical work depicts street bums dealing with their various living infestations, and features James Brown, Beth Petkus, and Caitlyn Novero.

When asked about the conception for Up CLOSE on HOPE, Mr Djuric noted, “I want to develop choreographers and give them opportunities. I also want to give more chances for my dancers to dance roles they might not normally have on our larger, main-stage production. And I want to have audiences experience dance performances in its most intimate setting: the studio. It is my job to promote and develop dance in the community, and to share my love for dance with everyone in the audience and in my company.”

With a capacity of only 90 seats, this performance series offers audience members a very intimate view of dance, and an opportunity to tour the Company’s studios. Tickets for individual productions are available for $25 as general admission. During intermission and following each performance, audience members will have the opportunity to meet and converse with the evening’s performers and choreographers.

The third and final program for the Up CLOSE, On HOPE series, will take place March 20 and 27, 2004.

Reserved tickets and series subscriptions are available by contacting Festival Ballet Providence, 401.353.1129 or by sending email inquiries to info@festivalballet.com.

This production is made possible in part by season Presenting Sponsor Sovereign Bank, season television sponsor NBC10, ClearChannel Radio, season Principal Sponsor Cox Business Services, the Festival Ballet Providence New Works Fund and ongoing support from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts.

The Festival Ballet Providence and the Festival Ballet Providence Center for Dance Education are together a not-for-profit arts organization whose EIN is 05-0377245 and whose Rhode Island Corporate ID number is ND-27-137.

Those coming for the first time to this area of the East Side will be pleased to learn that there are a wealth of shops and restaurants to linger at before or after the performance. These include playbill advertisers Pizzico, Seven Stars Bakery, Frog and Toad, Studio Hop, Not Just Snacks, Rue De L’Espoir, Field and Rose, India, Chez Pascal, Green River Silver Co., East Side Marketplace Andreas, Cat’s Pajamas, Books on the Square, Uncle Sig’s, Swan Wines, KFC and the Hot Wok Cafe.

Reviews from Up CLOSE on HOPE’s first program

The Providence Journal noted “Proximity is priceless for ballet… Overall the performances are very good, and the opportunity offered the audience is excellent. Up CLOSE on HOPE is as advertised: up close.” Bryan Rourke, The Providence Journal

“The variety in the selection for Up CLOSE, On HOPE makes for a great evening of Dance.” Johnette, Rodriguez, The Providence Phoenix.