***Experience The Education***
Welcome to your free, MONTHLY, online connection to Ballet Class!
KAT'S Class Updates for the month of March:
The Ailey Extension - Real Classes for Real People
The Ailey Studios Location:
at the Joan Weil Center for Dance
405 W. 55th Street (at 9th Avenue)
New York, NY 10019
212-405-9500
ONGOING CLASS UPDATES
Our regular class schedule: check here.
*MARCH 29th is our first Student Showcase performances in the theatre. SPECIAL Guest Artists include the ballerinas from Les Ballets Grandiva, LiNK contemporary jazz dance co, Synthesis Dance Project, Bev Browns Hip Hop dancers, Sue Samuels' jazz dancers, debut of B. Coover's new choreography, the Congolese dancers & musicians, and many of your fellow adult students appearing in excerpts from Les Sylphides & Napoli, and so much more in this action packed showcase in the theater this time!
Tickets are $12.50 if purchased by 3/15/09, or $15 if purchased after 3/15/09.
Tickets: 4:30pm Performance tickets here. 7:00pm Performance tickets here
Extension Students/Seniors 10% off regular ticket price = $11.25.
4:30pm Performance discounted tickets here. 7:00pm Performance discounted tickets here
*Daylight Saving Time begins on March 8, 2009. Set your clocks one hour ahead
*National Dance Week April 24- May 4th
*Sunday private lessons will be available again starting March 22nd, and there are a few spots still open on Thursdays also! Email Kat.
A Word (or more) from Kat
Wow already March 2009. Last month, as most of you know, I completed the 2nd week of the training intensive in the AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE® National Training Curriculum. It was another interesting week of learning the upper levels of the curriculum with the illustrious ABT alumni. Hopefully soon our examination results will be posted. (some pictures posted here) This month as always we work on a jig during petite allegro time in class. In pointe classes, it's variation month again (every other month - May is next). We are working on another beautiful Les Sylphide variation. I head to Boston to teach on the 15, so Saturday the 14th I'll take part of class with you before my plane, and Jeanette Hoffman will teach also pointe, just that day! Springtime is on the way. Can hardly wait! Drink lots of water. All my best, Kat
Classroom Confidential: TMI and Honorable Mentions
March is birthday month for the following dancers/classmates: *Happy Birthday Judith Jamison, Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, on the 10th! Alyona K in London; Kathryn B; Sarah W; Yasmine L, Karen A'; John R; Jen D, Francois C,Evgenia I, Eugene P,Allyson A, Brynlyn L (Kat's pole dancing teacher); George D.P; Andrea T (a.k.a Alec B); Sherrie Zielke Cole (Madison's mom); Amy M; Casey L.R; Juan I.E (a.k.a Nacho); Serena S, Frank P (ballroom instructor); Tony M (Kat's Gyrotonic's trainer at Circular Power, Regina P in Italy, and Gretchen WD...
Obama's all attended a sold-out performance of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC...Taylor just performed at Radio City with David Byrne World Tour...Laura D'O is featured in the ballerina project - book one, and also wrote the book's introduction…See Jun M on this CNN video in his very dapper yellow blazer…Hey Hadley S, nice head shots. Which ones did you pick?...On the 29th of April, every year since 1982, will be celebrated all over the world by the international community of dancers and dance enthusiasts, look here in next months newsletter for what our Extension Director Yvette Campbell plans for us…Jeremy C is on tour with HAPPY DAYS The Musical through June!...Andrea K will be performing "Baile en la Noche," a new dance work at the Two River Theatre Company in Red Bank NJ on March 1st at 2 pm…My very favorite POWER ASHTANGA YOGA class with Irini R is now here @ Ailey on Sunday @ 5pm…Jaime G is back from visiting rainy Rome, and brought Kat some yummy creamy Lemoncello. Oh yeah!...Claudia B was featured and filmed a few minutes at the start of morning class for her jobs profiles of employees…Casey L R says just "wanna say hi and let you know that he gives his self the barre that Kat passed on to him every day before the show. He also gives a class twice a week. And let me tell you, I sound exactly like you "Get up and Over it" and then I'll talk about the femur bone, our longest and strongest. And Friday night Adagio happens every Friday. And people have ask who designed this? And I tell them Kat Wildish, the most fierce Ballet Teacher in NYC." Thanks Casey for sharing and best wishes for the run of Wicked…Serena S congrats on choreographing your super Super bowl commercial…Are you in this picture with Kat? Dancing with the pros at The Ailey Extension... Les Folies Bergere will seduce audiences for the last time on March 28th, and while you are visiting Las Vegas check out the New Cher show Jackie D is featured in it!!...Lil Allie P found out she has received a full scholarship to the Hungarian Dance Academy in Budapest will be in Hungary on March 5th - June 15th. Allie is hoping to come to NYC after she returns from Hungary for summer intensives…Diane B was admitted to the New York Bar on February 23, 2009! She is now a licensed attorney in both New York & New Jersey. Congrats Diane!
*Quote of the month: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain (submitted by Brandon aka Chris's little bro)
*Andros on Andros. Happy Birthday Mr. A and thank you for a lifetime of dancing inspiration and knowledge!
Taylor's Tales
A column by our webmaster, Taylor.
Blogging Dance
Recently I gave a presentation at Career Transition for Dancers about dance blogs and the benefits of writing online. Since it was such an insightful panel discussion and a fun topic, I thought I'd share some of my favorite dance blogs you may be interested in reading. These people come from diverse backgrounds within the dance world: major ballet companies, a critic's eye, an avid balletomane, and more. Take a minute to read up with some unique voices:
*WNYC's Art.Cult (by NY Times dance critic Claudia)
*Swan Lake Samba Girl (friend and major blogger Tonya)
*Dancing Perfectly Free (dancer and Columbia grad Evan)
*Oberon's Grove (NYCB's biggest fan Philip)
*The Arts et Al (writer Ariel)
*Great Dance (technology expert Doug)
*Ranting Details (former ABT dancer Matt)
*The Winger (20+ dancers combined)
*A Full List of Dance Bloggers (a great resource)
*Off Center (my blog :)
Kat's Monthly Mailbag
*Hi Kat, I wanted to write you quickly to send a friendly hello. It's been so long since I've been able to come to class. But wanted to thank you for picking on me at the last class I did have with you. I enjoy every minute of your class. Work has been slow so I've had to very careful. But I can't wait to get back and get some more torture! All my best, B.
*Dear B, Thanks so much for your note, times are tough for many dancers now, check into maybe working the
front desk in exchange for classes, and other out-o-the-box solutions. Hope to see you soon, Kat
*Dear Kat, 2 weeks ago I was in New York City after being home for over a year. Before I left New York last time to go back to the Netherlands people were telling me about your class and that I had to take it. Unfortunately I couldn't that time but a couple of weeks ago I had the chance to take your class. And I have to say I loved it! I would love to have such a class here in the Netherlands. Thanks for the great class and when I'm back in New York I will take it again! kind regards,D.
*Dear D, thanks for choosing my class, and thanks for your kind words. I look forward to seeing you again, hopefully soon. All my best wishes, Kat
*Kat,Thanks so much. They were so happy about the newsletter. The general manager subscribed to it because she said it had so much interesting stuff! Address please (I want to send you a thank you).M.
*Okay M, so glad it was so helpful. You can always write me here: C/o The Ailey Extension, 405 West 55th Street, NYC 10019.
Monthly Tips: Stretching, Pointe, Health, & More
*Stretch-o-da-Month: March 2009: Bridge Pose. Strengthens neck and back; builds wrist flexibility; tones spine; opens chest, hips, and front of thighs
*Pointe Shoe Tip 'o the Month:
*Comprehensive guide to 29 pointe shoe makers, plus how they are made, what's new, and accessories.
*Exercises For Pointe Work: Rises With Transfer. This will help improve the control of all the small muscles of your feet quite quickly.
*The Healthy Dancer: ABT Guidelines, available for you here
And Finally...
Re've'rence:
*Pearl Lang, dancer who was a was a soloist & major interpreter of Martha Graham's choreography and who as a choreographer and teacher founded a distinguished company of her own, the Pearl Lang Dance Theater, died Tuesday in Manhattan. She was 87 and lived on the Upper West Side and taught at the Yale Univ. School of Drama and the Juilliard School of Music. No stranger to the Broadway stage, Ms. Lang danced in the musicals "One Touch of Venus", "Carousel", "Finian's Rainbow" and "Allegro", as well the 1951 revival of Ibsen's "Peer Gynt," starring John Garfield.
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Casting Call: Hot Auditions and Gigs Here
*Michael Clark Company is seeking male and female dancers with extensive performance experience. Auditions will be held in New York City March 2. To be considered, submit a resume and photo Holly Conneely, Administrator, holly@michaelclarkcompany.com or mail to: Michael Clark Company, Stage Door, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS, UK. More here
*The Ballet Master, a new documentary tv series, is seeking dancers ages 18 to early 20s who have the potential and determination to achieve a professional ballet career. Must be willing to commit to a 16-week, full-time intensive training program and be available to accommodate a dynamic filming schedule. Auditions will be held every 12 weeks for subsequent episodes. More here.
*The John W. Engeman Theater at Northport is casting its upcoming production of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple; Richard T. Dolce, producing artistic director; B.T. McNichol, director; Neil Simon, playwright. Rehearsals begin April 20th in Manhattan; runs May 7-June 7. Performance schedule is for 5 performances/week from Thursday to Sunday. All performers must have excellent comic timing. Equity Principal Auditions will be held at Pearl Studios, 500 Eighth Ave, 4th Fl., NYC on Saturday, March 7th from 10:00 AM-1:30 PM and 2:30 PM-6:00 PM. Non-Union performers will be seen if time allows. Prepare a comic monologue of your own choosing. Open local auditions will be held at The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main Street, Northport, NY on Wednesday, March 18 at 6PM. Union and Non-Union performers will be seen on this day. Sides will be provided. Performers of all ethnicities are strongly encouraged to attend. Auditionees are asked to prepare a comic monologue of their own choosing for the NYC auditions.
*The Rebecca Davis Dance Company is seeking strong male and female dancers for the 2009-1010 season. Part time and full time contracts are available. All professional dancers who are well trained in Ballet, Modern and Jazz are encouraged to attend. Auditions will be held on Sunday March 8, 2009 from 2-4pm located at 1802 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145. The audition will consist of a ballet barre, center combinations, and company repertoire. Please bring headshot, resume and pointe shoes. Those auditioning should pre-register by March 5, 2009 by calling 215-755-9510 or emailing williams@rebeccadavisdance.com. For more information about the Company go here
*Boston Ballet's company audition tour includes New York City on the March 15th. Be sure to download and submit a registration form on-line prior to the audition.
*Do you want to make your Jazz dance company dreams come true? Don't miss River North Chicago's open call audition April 19th in Chicago.
*Alabama Ballet is considering men and women for company and apprentice positions. An audition will be held March 14 at the Alabama Ballet Center for Dance. Height requirements: men, 5'7" minimum, women 5'7" maximum. If you are unable to attend, send resume, photos and DVD to Joelle Tucker, Alabama Ballet, 2726 1st Ave., South Birmingham, AL 35233. For more: call (205) 322-4300, ext. 29 or email joelletucker@alabamaballet.org
*OperaRepo, Columbia University's new opera company, seeks 3-4 female dancers for the upcoming production of baroque opera Alcide al Bivio (performance April 4th). We are looking for creative and collaborative types willing to explore a range of movement from period gesture and dance to contemporary style and beyond. There will be little "dance," strictly speaking, but a great deal of stylized movement. Dancers will be encouraged to contribute creatively to the process. Experience with opera is preferred, but not necessary. Rehearsals will take place in March. Contact stage director Sarah Meyers at sarinameyers@yahoo.com for more information.
*NYC-based Ballet Deviare is seeking experienced ballet dancers with the ability to pick up non-traditional choreography for a video project. Performance pay only. The audition will be held Saturday, March 14 from 3 to 6 pm. Submit a resumé and dance photo to info@balletdeviare.org for consideration. More here
*Call to Artists! International Dance Day (World Dance Day) - April 29, 2009 - is celebrated through promotion by the United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for dance around the world. International Dance Day was introduced in 1982 by the International Dance Committee of theUNESCO International Theatre Institute. The date was suggested by Pyotr Gusev to commemorate the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre. DANCE PARADE kicks off the this year's Dance Parade season with an annual "Funraiser' event 3 weeks prior to the Dance Parade and Festival. Artists who wish to participate MUST be registered in this year's Parade Parade. Invitation to perform is a first registered, first invited basis. (Whoever registered first gets invited). We love all of you, but can only choose one dancer / dance group from each dance genre. Final Decision will be made by Tuesday, March 31, 2009. To get involved in this year's International Dance Day contact karen@danceparade.org
*Companies & Auditions Guide 2009
*Playbill On-Line's Casting and Job Listings
*Dance NYC audition listings
*Backstage Casting listingsKat's Klassifieds
This is a section of the newsletter we need to add for your classmates offering/needing services. Please note, these are not reccomendations just announcements:
*Study dance in an Italian Paradise! Spend two weeks in Italy training with an international faculty made up of names that will inspire by simply hearing them. Imagine this…Dancing in an open-air studio in scenic Castellana Grotte, Italy. Your study-vacation is full of dancing, swimming, sailing, amazing Italian cuisine, dancers from 20 different countries and one-on-one attention from top-notch faculty!
*S p e c i a l i n v i t a t i o n : Freeds MARCH MADNESS WAREHOUSE SALE One Day Only! Monday March 2, 10am-7pm. Malakhov & Chacott Knitwear $15 per item - two for $20 ( c a s h o n l y ) Co n v e ni e n t ly l o c a t e d 10 mi n u t e s f r om mi d t own Ma n h a t t a n. E o r V t r a i n t o 2 3 S t - E l y Av e ( f i r s t s t o p i n L o ng I s l a n d Ci t y ) 44-01 21ST Street Third Floor/ Long Island City, NY 11101 Store Hours: M-TH 9-4/ Fri 9-2. Customer Service: 866-MY FREED x232. www.freedusa.com Pointe shoe fittings available by appointment only M-F 9am-4pm.
*A selection of some of Hart of the Apple's scrumptious hors d' oeuvres can be seen in a new and exciting video.Or just Talk to David Hart: info@hartoftheapple.com after 7:30 class for all your catering needs.
*Visit www.dancedistributors.com today for a preview of brand new dancewear featured in the Spring 2009 catalog
*Enter your nomination now for 2009 Dance Teacher of the Year!
Nominations due April 17th. Send 2009 Dance Teacher Award nominations to khildebrand@dancemedia.com today!
*Dancers Responding to Aids: When AIDS is stopped we will dance for joy. Until then we will dance for Life! Become a dancer responding with action. Make a difference, a donation of as little as one dollar can make a difference in a dancers life. For more info and to make a secure online donation visit here
*Thai Massage intensive 2 day training. Instructor, Chris Holmes is the founder and director of 'Yoga On North', Pittsfield, Ma. and Rising Star Bodywork.
Starts March 14 `09 (1 weekend) Schedule: Sat 9 AM-5:30 PM and Sun 9 AM-1:30 PM Location:Waldwick, NJ 07463 For more information about Chris Holmes please visit www.yogaonnorth.com . For more information on the course, please call Karen at 201-888-6156, or email Karen at: kadhome@aol.com.
*Yuka has Tue 12:30-1:30 pointe class. at Arias Dance NYC. 300 W43st 5FL.
*Need Nutritional and supplement advice? Go see Roy Alexander, Mgr Vitamin Shoppe 931 8th Ave (@ 55th/ Hood) 212-582-8965, good friend and nutritional supplement advisor for Kat. Store Hours: Monday-Saturday 9-9, Sunday 11-6. Email: store350@vitaminshoppe.com
*eye-popping microfiber crop tights, on sale now at Discount Dance for $7.48!
* NEED a tutor? annathetutor@gmail.com>
Dancer of the Month
Eva Evdokimova
*Teacher's wisdom: Dance Magazine, Dec, 2005
*YouTube - Grand Pas de Quatre
*Eva Evdokimova Sylphide
Read all about each month's featured dancer here for all archives.
Performance Corner: Catch Your Fellow Students and More
*Andrea K will be performing "Baile en la Noche" a new dance work at the Two River Theatre Company in Red Bank NJ on March 1st at 2 pm. Info: 973-222-8844 Or visit here
*Alice RH is performing in "The Woman" March 11th-14th (wednesday, thursday, friday, saturday at 8 and saturday matinee at 2) at the riverside theater on 120th-121st streets and claremont avenue. Tickets http://www.columbiastages.com">here. Free with a student ID or $15 general admission
*Cheap Seats for NYC's Performing Arts: Music, Opera & Ballet
*Vancouver International Dance Festival, March 3-April 4, 2009
March 3-April 4, 2009 -- Various venues, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
The Vancouver International Dance Festival Society and Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad present a diverse roster of local, national and international dance artists.
*Mariinsky International Ballet Festival
March 14-22, 2009 - Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg, Russia
The festival will feature international ballet stars from around the world.
*If you have performance info you wanna share with your fellow classmates, please send it to kat_wildish@yahoo.com.
Fun Stuff: Take a Break and Enjoy
*CLASS PICTURES: FUN PICTURES MANY HAVE BEEN ASKING ABOUT. Be sure to scroll down.
*Books on ballet published in 2008
*Sho Botham (sho@thedecopartnership.co.uk) from Eastbourne, UK is "hoping to collect the views and experiences of as many professional dancers as possible around the world and in all dance genres by asking them to complete the Ethics and Safety Survey for Professional Dancers.
If you are a professional dancer you can contribute to a new research project by completing an anonymous, online survey about your experiences of working in the dance profession. This is your opportunity to share your experiences and say what it is really like. The survey takes about 5-10 minutes to complete. You can access the survey via www.ethicsdance.co.uk and then go to the research page. If you know of any professional dancers (in any dance genre) please tell them about the survey."
*Amazing Art
*Balance is a key component in overall coordination and conditioning of all sorts of activities. Check out this balance exercise and let me know how long you can hold the stork stance. A test of balance: blind stork test
*Email Kat: Kat_wildish@yahoo.com
*In the grand tradition of the Ballets Russes comes Bertrand Normand's portrait of five Russian ballerinas from the Mariinski Theatre. The dancers profiled in Ballerina are uniquely individual - tough, insightful and exceptionally talented; onstage they reveal no hint of the sweat, pain and hard work of the rehearsal studio. From Swan Lake to Romeo and Juliet, from the backstage studio to performing on stages around the world, Ballerina captures the sublime beauty of ballet, in all its resplendent glory. See the Ballerina trailer
*Dance Theatre of Harlem 40th Anniversary Exhibit through May 19, 2009
at the Vincent Astor Gallery at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts 40 Lincoln Center Plaza
THIS MONTH IN DANCE HISTORY
*Were you in Our ballet class in March 2007? We were in the New York Times! Remember?
*Read all about March ballet history here
*Read all about each month's ballet history here for all archives.
BALLET TERMS
*Faire les Tiroirs: Indicates that two opposite lines of dancers are to cross each other and crossback again to their original positions. (What we would like so much to happen nicely in our Les Sylphides rehearsals)
These excerpts are provided here for you from the "Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet" by G. Grant. A reference book you should have in your library!
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