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News from Dance Alive National Ballet
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From: Judy Skinner
BACK STAGE
MARCH 2010
FUSED TUTU
Proudly presented by Sweetwater Branch Inn
An extraordinary evening of dance! AUDACIOUS!
WHEN: FUSED TUTU
WHEN: March 27th @ 7:30 PM
WHERE: Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
TICKETS: $15-$35 @ Phillips Center box office & Ticketmaster
Before the performance, join us at aTALK & TOAST at 6:30 PM in the Fackler Foyer West. You will have the opportunity to meet our
special guests:
* Liston Bochette, III: Olympian/drawing (decathlon & bobsled)
* Cathy Oerter: Widow of Al Oerter Olympian/painting (discus)
* Stella Sung: Composer
* Larry Young: Olympian/sculptor (race walk)
THEN ... join us for FUSED TUTU. Associate Director and Principal Dancer Andre Valladon will take you on a journey from that most
romantic of ballets, Giselle, to the most classical, the Black Swan Pas de deux from Swan Lake, to a Cossack-style high flying
character dance. He then climbs on his motorcycle to take you on a wild ride for a contemporary twist - an exotic fusion of dance
forms and styles. Latin, Chinese, Hip-Hop, Contemporary, Jazz, African, Modern ... all mixed together as only Kim Tuttle can do!
Special guests for this section include African expert Omoniyi Osoba, hip-hop expert Courtney Holmes and the amazing DAZZLERS from
the UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA!
The final part of the program, SOAR, is the result of a partnership between DANB and Art of the Olympians/AOTO. The common thread
between both organizations is the well-known Olympic ideal of the 'pursuit of excellence'.
Part I, The Dream, is inspired by Liston Bochette's 'Affirmation' and features Beth Ann Maslinoff with Elitsa Zafirova, Rostislav
Dzabraev and Eivar Martinez with music by Composer In Residence Stella Sung.
Part II, The Passion, inspired by Larry Young's 'Tango', features Andre Valladon and Michelle Incollingo dancing to Stella Sung's
'Tango Zarabande' , recorded live by pianist Kevin Sharpe.
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Part III, The Athlete, is in memory of Al Oerter; Olympian, artist, gentleman. His 'Ignite', 'Blueness' and '8th Movement' serve as
backdrops for the dancers. Heather Martinez, Eivar Martinez, Reka Gyulai, Rostislav Dzabraev, Isabel Garcia-Rose, Tak Kwan Chu and
Carla Amancio dance to music provided by Kurt Bestor and Sam Cardon - produced for the Olympics.
Part IV, The Celebration, features the entire cast in a breath-taking finale; each holding the flag of their country of origin while
dancing to the powerful music of Stella Sung. Guaranteed to bring you to your feet!
Following the performance, join us for
a RECEPTION honoring all of our artists
in the Fackler Foyer East hosted by
The Friends of Dance Alive National
Ballet.
Tickets for the performance range from
$15 to $35 and are available at the
Phillips Center box office and all Ticket-
master outlets. There is no charge for
the TALK & TOAST or RECEPTION.
A very special "Thank You" to Sweetwater Branch Inn for sponsoring FUSED TUTU.
The management and staff at the Inn have been particularly helpful in the production of this performance. Our special guests during
this past month were charmed. They said they "felt as if they were in a magical story book".
HOW BIG IS IT!
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'Tango' under construction. Missing its 3' round platform!
It's REALLY REALLY BIG!
Artistic Director Kim Tuttle selected sculptor Larry Young's "Tango" for the a pas de deux featuring Andre Valladon and Michele
Incollingo that is titled "The Passion". Mr. Young generously offered to provide the actual sculpture. When we explained that we
intended to tour the work, he provided permission to replicate his work and sent a smaller casting. Gainesville artist Paul
Costanza was given the job of duplicating the work so that it could be toured. You will remember Paul's work from earlier DANB
productions; the amazing Ganesh in Mata Hari, the huge jackal in Queen of the Night and the exquisite praying angels from A Mass
Celebration.
This work had to be light enough to travel AND be able to be hung or turned. Many phone calls between Paul, Kim and Larry resulted
in a magnificent piece of art. It is HUGE! Over 15 feet and absolutely gorgeous. We can hardly wait for Larry to see it!
When not on tour, the work will be on display at the Al Oerter Center of Excellence in Ft. Lauderdale; home of AOTO.
AOTO's Al Oertoer Center of Excellence Opens
Cathy Oerter and Liston Bochette III at the ribbon cutting of the opening of the Al Oerter Center of Excellence in Ft. Myers, FL..
DANB Artistic Director Kim Tuttle, Associate Director/Principal Dancer Andre Valladon, Composer In Residence Stella Sung, Principal
Dancer Carla Amancio, Resident Choreographer Judy Skinner and Trainer Tim Heflin were special guests at the opening of AOTO's Center
of Excellence.
As part of the opening ceremony, dancers Andre Valladon and Carla Amancio performed Bailero.
A highlight of the event was the opportunity to meet and talk to Olympians Bob Beamon (long jump) and Cameron Myler (luge), artists
DANB hopes to work with for 2011 projects. Ms. Myler commented, "your dancers were phenomenal!"
When not on tour, art work that has been developed for SOAR will be on display at the Al Oerter Center of Excellence.
To the right, the large reception area of the Center of Excellence. Carla Amancio and Andre Valladon in the final pose from Bailero.
Guests were amazed at the artistry. Prior to the opening, Mr. Valladon conducted a master class at Cypress Lake High School for
advanced dance students in their performing arts program. Patty Gair, director of the program, reflected upon the time when she
studied dance in Ft. Myers and DANB came to perform when there was no other professional dance around. One of the students taking
the class remarked that she was inspired to study dance after being selected by Kim Tuttle for the role of 'Soldier' in DANB's
Nutcracker performance in Ft. Myers. All in all, a wonderful experience!
For more on AOTO, the artists and the opening; see www.artoftheolympians.org
Dance Alive National Ballet
TAK KWAN CHU
Principal dancer, ballet master, coach, and teacher to retire.
Tak Kwan Chu as 'Apollo' by Colleen Rand.
"Tak Kwan Chu turns 62 this March and retires after 49 years of dance. In 23 years of performing as Principal Dancer with DANB, he
has never missed a performance.
Born in Guangzhou, China in 1948, he trained at the Beijing Ballet School and danced with Hong Kong Ballet and Hartford Ballet
before joining DANB as Princip[al Dancer. He earned his 'Green Card' while performing with DANB and later became a US citizen. He
loves Gainesville and cares deeply for Dance Alive. As he often says, "Not Dance Alive. Dance alot!"
He was the first Chinese in America to perform the lead role in George Balanchine's masterpiece, 'Apollo'. The late Marie-Jeanne,
Mr. Balanchine's ballerina muse for 'Apollo' and other ballets, said that Mr. Chu was a great Apollo. And she was only one of
thousands who sing his praises. He performed the Nutcracker pas de deux as Cavalier for 15 years with Principal Dancer Michele
Incollingo - 23 performances in a row one year! Together they set the standard for The Nutcracker. He was memorable for the
elegance and strength and presentation that he brought to the role. He was one of very few dancers allowed to dance the title role
in William Dollar's 'Le Combat', a ballet made famous by American Ballet Theatre. He has performed the lead roles in all of the
great ballets - among them Swan Lake, Giselle and Don Quixote.
He has dignity, humor, intelligence and artistry. He is disciplined, devoted, loyal and a consummate artist and master teacher. He
brings 100% energy to every role he creates onstage, no matter how large or small.
His fellow dancers call him 'The Master'. Mr. Chu is respected and loved by all who know him. He will be greatly missed.
We love you.
Xie xie ni.
Kim Tuttle, Artistic Director
Special Guests from Brazil Share Their Talents
Pictured above from left to right: Carla Amancio with her former teacher choreographer Cristina Helena, dancer/assistant Paula Assis
and Cristina's daughter and dancer Estefania Elias de Faria.
Choreographer Christina Helena arrived from Brazil along with her daughter and assistant to set a solo and two pas de deux on
dancers Andre Valladon and Carla Amancio. Audiences will remember her work Bailero, an exquisite pas de deux which has been seen on
TV, DANB programs at home and on tour and on YouTube. While here, Ms. Helena taught Company classes as well as advanced classes at
Pofahl Studios.
It was a delightful week! DANB looks forward to more exchanges with Ms. Helena and her company. We anticipate the exchange of
dancers and choreography, enriching both companies.
Brazilian Choreographer Cristina Helena and DANB Principal Dancer Andre Valladon working on a new solo for Mr. Valladon.
Reka Gyulai Photo by Rostislav Dzabraev
Principal Dancers Reka Gyulai and Rostislav Dzabraev joined DANB's Judy Skinner at the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art for Museum
Night. Ms. Gyulai is one of the two dancers that DANB was able to employ thanks to a grant from the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 by the National Endowment for the Arts. Following performances in Delray Beach and Coconut Creek, Ms.
Gyulai traveled to Ft. Myers to set 'the fairies' from Sleeping Beauty.
Backstage - On the Road
Beth Ann Maslinoff, on the left, and Elitsa Zafirova, on the right, in the dressing room at Huntington Pointe in Delray Beach. The
Company premiered sections of SOAR. The two dancers are costumed for 'The Dream' section of Kim Tuttle's new work.
The audience was delighted, expressing their appreciation at a reception following the program in the dancers honor.
Especially good news, we're already booked there for the coming season!
Dance Alive National Ballet is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 by the National Endowment for the Arts,
a federal agency in partnership with the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts
and Culture. Dance Alive National Ballet is sponsored in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes
that a great nation deserves great art, the City of Gainesville, Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs and a Tourist
Development Tax Grant from the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners in conjunction with the Alachua County Tourist
Development Council.
Granting Agencies or Organizations that DANB belongs to:
Dance Alive National Ballet | 1325 NW 2nd Street | Gainesville | FL | 32601
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