We just completed three Nutcracker performances in Ogden and will open this Friday (December 5) at the Capitol Theatre.
Here are some pictures of Bruce Caldwell preparing Mother Buffoon and her little Buffoons in Ogden.
Bruce and Cory prepare and teach the children how to work with Mother Buffoon.
Mother Buffoon’s Wig and Bruce Caldwell with the little Buffoons.
There’s a lot new to Nutcracker this year. Make sure you get your tickets soon!
-Mark
Company and Children’s Nutcracker casts converged today. With Bruce Caldwell and Adam Sklute at the helm all ran very smoothly.
Jennifer Robinson and Jason Chinea Peter Christie with The Children’s Cast
Members of the Nutcracker Children’s Cast
Kira Smith as The Doll Jason Chinea and The Troops
Christopher Anderson as The Mouse King with Rex Tilton and Members of Ballet West
Jason Chinea and Clara
-Mark
We love when children draw what they saw at the ballet and send their drawings to us.
Below is a drawing of Ariel and Shakespeare from THE TEMPEST done by a 5th grader at Ridgecrest Elementary School.
-Mark
What must it be like to have not one famous designer but two famous designers create for you? Only Christiana Bennett would know because on November 1st she attended the Ballet West Gala party in a Keith Bryce original and then November 12 she danced her premiere in the role of Miranda in ‘The Tempest’ wearing a costume Willa Kim designed and executed especially for her!
Christiana Bennett as Miranda, redesigned by Willa Kim
Christiana in her Keith Bryce original with husband Christopher Ruud
-Mark
Ballet West Principal Artist Christopher Ruud danced the role of Ferdinand in Ballet West’s presentation of Michael Smuin’s THE TEMPEST this past weekend. Ballet West audiences are well aware of his fine artistry. He is athletic, poetic and charismatic. What some may not know is that the role of Ferdinand was created over twenty years ago by Tom Ruud, Christopher’s father! Father and son dancing the same role is quite rare and we in Utah are lucky to have the opportunity to witness this. There are five more performances next week. Check dates and casting on this website to plan which performance to attend.
Evelyn Cisneros, Little Christopher Ruud, Tom Ruud
Thank you for allowing me to post this rare photograph Christopher and Congratulations!
-Mark
As I’m sure you’ve read in the Salt Lake Tribune, our Gala on November 1st was a smashing success! Not only was the audience twice as big as last year but about 18 Joffrey board members flew in from Chicago. Adam Sklute told the Artists of Ballet West on stage, ” Our Chicago friends came here last year to support me, this year to support Ballet West!” Our thanks to the Utah public for supporting us in such big numbers and congratulations to all at Ballet West!
Capitol Theatre Marquise Ashlee Christofferson, Jami Michael Vieneau, Tamara Lindsey
New York City Ballet Stars Bart Cook and Maria Calegari, Newlyweds Carol Wood (in a Keith Bryce original) and Darrell Hensleigh
Ballet West Academy in Peter Christie’s DEFILE
Christiana Bennett & Hua Zhuang with Members of Ballet West in Balanchine’s CHACONNE
Ballet West 2 – Lindsay Duerfeldt & Alexander MacFarlan in Heather College Gray’s DISSOLUTION
Christopher Ruud & Romi Beppu and Members of Ballet West in Twyla Tharp’s BRIEF FLING
Guest Artist Sara Webb with Beau Pearson in Ben Stevenson’s THREE PRELUDES
The Gala program closed with DANSE GENERAL from Michael Smuin’s THE TEMPEST
THE TEMPEST will have it’s Ballet West Premiere in 2 days. Don’t miss it!
This Gala was dedicated to Gerald Arpino, Cofounder of The Joffrey Ballet. Mr. Arpino passed away last week after a very long and productive life. He was Ballet West Artistic Director Adam Sklute’s mentor and Mr. Sklute chose a solo from Mr. Arpino’s KETTENTANZ to be danced by Ballet West’s Prima Ballerina Christiana Bennett for “Mr. A”.
I’ve got to get to work so after performance party pictures will have to wait for another blog entry.
-Mark