Festival Ballet Providence

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 22, 2007

Festival Ballet Providence, 401.353.1129

Festival Ballet Providence
Announces 2007-08 Company Roster

Providence, RI – Festival Ballet Providence artistic director Mihailo Djuric announces the roster of 23 Company Artists, including ten men and thirteen women for the company’s 30th
Anniversary season (2007/2008).

Returning to the company are Ashleigh Andries, Alexander Akulov (Russia), Ilya Burov (Russia) Erica Chipp, Roger Fonnegra (Venezuela), Courtney Fraga, Leticia Guerrero (Venezuela), Mark Harootian, Elizabeth Jessee (Canada), Lauren Kennedy, Gleb Lyamenkoff (Bellarus), Eivar Martinez (Venezuela), Lauren Menger, Henry Montilla (Venezuela), Heather O’Halloran, Vilia Putrius (Lithuania), Jennifer Ricci, and Davide Vittorino (Italy). Ms. Menger has been promoted from apprentice to Company member. Milica Bijelic, former principal at the National Ballet and Opera of Belgrade will return for her sixth season as Ballet Mistress.

In February and March of 2007, Mr. Djuric and Ms. Bijelic auditioned more than 155 dancers from over twenty countries for positions with the company, and have hired five new dancers. They welcome new company members Joo-Hee Baek (South Korea), Christine Blanck, Nathan Powel (Canada), Järvi Raudsepp (Canada/Estonia), and Fan Shi (China). Jolanta Valeikaite, former principal dancer with the Lithuanian National Ballet, Bonn Ballet and Essen Aalto Theatre Ballet, will join the artistic staff in a half-time position as Company Teacher and Ballet Mistress.

Mr. Djuric noted, “I saw many talented dancers this year, and have chosen from them five dancers who I feel will greatly complement the existing roster of dancers. Each has the potential to grow tremendously during there time here, and I look forward to seeing what they can become. While it’s a group that’s young and from a broad span of training and nationalities, each one is talented and will add something special to our performances.”

Ms. Baek received her professional training as a scholarship student at the Novosibirsk National Ballet Academy in Russia from 2000 to 2004, returning to her native South Korea to join the Korean National Ballet in 2005. Ms. Blanck received her early training in Connecticut and recently graduated from the University of Utah’s strong ballet program, where she was a member of the Utah Ballet and the Character Dance Ensemble. Mr. Powell trained in his hometown of Regina Saskatchewan before heading to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. On graduation in 2006 he joined Northern Plains Ballet. After training for 9 years in Ontario, Canada, Ms. Raudsepp joined the Estonian National Ballet in 2003. After two seasons there, she danced with Orlando Ballet and then Ontario Ballet Theater. Mr. Shi graduated as a ballet major from the Shanghai Dance Academy in 2006, and spent the last year as an intern performing with the Shanghai Ballet Troupe.

Not returning from the 2006-2007 roster are Carolyn Dellinger who has retired from dancing; Maxime Podshevalenko who has joined the Kirov Ballet; Vanessa Widmer, who will be attending college; and Nikki Cuozzo, attending University of Connecticut. Company member Heather O’Halloran will miss much of the season in anticipation of the upcoming birth of her first child.

The dancers will begin the season officially August 28, 2007, rehearsing with Viktor Plotnikov as he creates the company’s season opener, the world premiere of his Cinderella. (October 19-21, 2007 at VMA Arts and Cultural Center).

For full biographies and headshots of the dancers, and additional information about the company and its 2007-2008 Season, visit www.festivalballet.com.

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.

2007/2008 Festival Ballet Providence Company Roster
Alexander Akoulov
Ashley Andries, (apprentice)
*Joo-Hee Baek
*Christine Blanck (apprentice)
Ilya Burov
Erica Chipp
Roger Fonnegra
Courtney Fraga
Leticia Gerrero
Mark A. Harootian
Elizabeth Jessee
Lauren Kennedy
Gleb Lyamenkoff
Eivar Martinez
Lauren Menger
Henry Montilla
Heather O’Halloran
*Nathan Powell (apprentice)
*Jarvi Raudsepp (apprentice)
Vilia Putrius
Jennifer Ricci
*Fan Shi
Davide Vittorino

* Denotes new dancers this season