FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2003
CONTACT: Mark Fleisher [ Mfleisher@festivalballet.com ]
Festival Ballet Providence, 401.353.1129
Festival Ballet Providence Center for Dance Education's
May 31st Performance
Providence, RI - The Festival Ballet Providence Center for Dance Education announces its Culmination Performance May 31st at Rhode Island College’s Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts. This two-hour production by some of the region’s most promising young dancers is appropriate for the entire family.
The Center for Dance Education, under the leadership of Mihailo Djuric, is the official school of Festival Ballet Providence, Rhode Island’s leading professional dance company, and is housed in the company’s new state-of-the-art studios at 825 Hope Street. Over 400 students from throughout Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts study dance with the school’s international faculty.
The May 31st performances of choreographed dances showcases the talents and skills of over 180 of the school’s young dancers aged 6 to 18 who are finishing the year of study at the Festival Ballet Providence Center for Dance Education. In addition to ballet pieces, the professionally staged performance will also feature jazz, modern, and character dance styles.
In keeping with the school’s emphasis on ballet training, the major work of the production is Raymonda, a classical ballet danced by the school’s top three levels of dancers. Joining the students will be two special guests, FBP professional company standouts, Venezuelan native Eivar Martinez and Italian-born Davide Vittorino.
Also featured in the performance is the Festival Ballet Providence Junior Company, members of whom will dance in Djuric’s The Once Over to music by Astor Piazolla. Little Compton’s Sarah Medeiros will be partnered by Mr. Vittorino in Chanson Romantique. Barrington’s Mary Ellen Beaudreau will dance a modern solo she created for her successful entry in the Youth American Grand Prix ballet competition.
Other works include Italian Concerto, Pizzicatto, Migra, Polka, Teacher’s Dream, Hoedown, A Little Less Conversation, Sweet Chocolat, Chanson, and a character medley. Pre-ballet classes will charm audiences with Musical Clock, Yasoo, and Stroll Through the Park.
This performance is an excellent introduction to the school’s standards of dance education for parents who are considering dance classes for their children.
There will be two performances on Saturday May 31st at 1:30 PM and 6:30 PM at Roberts Auditorium, Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts, Rhode Island College, 600 Mt. Pleasant Street, Providence. Reserved tickets priced at $15 are available for purchase now at the Festival Ballet Providence reception desk, or by calling 401.353.1129. Tickets may also be purchased at the door on the day of the performance. The theater is handicapped-accessible.
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The Festival Ballet Providence Center for Dance Education offers a comprehensive dance program for children and adults suitable for the professional, pre-professional and recreational dancer. The Young Children’s Program is available for students ages 3-7 and the Core Dance Program is designed for students ages 8-adult. In addition to its classical ballet training, the Center for Dance Education offers enrichment classes such as Hip-Hop, Jazz, Ballroom, Character, The Festival Ballet Workout and more.
Summer courses of study are available from June 16 to August 22. For further information or a registration package, please call 401-353-1129.
The international faculty at the Center for Dance Education includes: Mihailo "Misha" Djuric, Mary Ann Mayer, Vera Kurmsheva, Ann Morsilli, Milica Bijelic, Gleb Lyamenkoff, Dawn Brown, Rebecca Moore, Richard Caruso, Heidi Henderson, Cass Plater, Marrie Hadfield, Barbara Malloy, Jody Green, Cheryl Turnquist-Zuba, Audrey Monahan, Caitlyn Novero and Zhanat Baidaralin.
Junior Company member Mary Ellen Beaudreau will dance her solo modern work that lead her to a top 3 finalist position in the March 2003 Youth American Grand Prix (YGAP) regional final in Torrington, CT, and placing in the top 20 of 120 in the April 2003 YGAP national finals in New York City.
Festival Ballet Providence and the 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.
