CCM s Spring Ballet Ensemble Highlights Modernist Choreography

The

University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music’s (CCM) Dance Division

presents its

Spring Ballet Ensemble

on

Friday and Saturday, May 26 & 27 at 8 p.m. in Corbett Auditorium

. Featured pieces include

The Firebird

, choreographed by CCM Associate Professor of Dance Michael Tevlin and

George Balanchine’s Serenade

, the first-ever performance of a Balanchine work at CCM.

“Balanchine is a brand new challenge for our students,” says Division Head Shellie Cash. “It is a very difficult piece and our dancers love it.”

Set to Tchaikovsky’s Serenade in C major, Serenade premiered in 1935. It was the first piece Balanchine choreographed in the United States and is considered a milestone, marking one of the points at which classical ballet moved into its modern form. The ensemble includes 17 dancers continuously moving without interruption.

Serenade is staged by official Balanchine repetiteur Bart Cook, a former principal dancer with New York City Ballet who now works with the George Balanchine Trust to preserve the artistic integrity of the master choreographer’s work. In addition to working with CCM students, Cook will spend part of his time in Cincinnati visiting with the city’s ballet community at several pre-performance discussions at CCM and the School for the Creative and Performing Arts. A schedule of his appearances is listed below.

CCM faculty member Michael Tevlin’s choreography is featured in The Firebird, set to music by Igor Stravinksy.. Tevlin was inspired by choreography created by Michael Fokine, who first staged Firebird Suite for Ballet Russe in 1910. Fokine worked closely with Stravinsky to create a piece that helped usher in the modern era of ballet—emphasizing the importance of music and shunning the traditional rules of choreographed symmetry.

The CCM Concert Orchestra accompanies the ballet ensemble on both pieces.

Ticket and Parking Information
Tickets for the Spring Ballet Ensemble are $10 for the general public, $5 for non-UC students, and free for UC students. Please call the CCM Box Office at (513) 556-4183 or order online at www.ccm.uc.edu.
 
Parking is available in the CCM Garage (at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the University of Cincinnati campus. For directions and parking information, visit the CCM website at www.ccm.uc.edu.

UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI COLLEGE-CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
Event Details

Friday and Saturday, May 26 & 27, 8 p.m.
CCM Dance
Spring Ballet Ensemble
Bart Cook, George Balanchine repetiteur
Michael Tevlin, choreographer
 
Program:
Tchaikovsky: Serenade, originally choreographed by George Balanchine, ©The George Balanchine Trust
Stravinsky: The Firebird, choreographed by Michael Tevlin

Location:
Corbett Auditorium, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
 
Tickets:
$10 general admission, $5 non-UC students, UC students FREE
Call (513) 556-4183 or order online at www.ccm.uc.edu.

CCM Dance also presents two special events in anticipation of the Spring Ensemble:

Wednesday, May 24, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Open Rehearsal of Balanchine’s Serenade
Directed by Bart Cook, former New York City Ballet principal dancer, with a Q&A session to follow
Location: Corbett Auditorium, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

Thursday, May 25, 2 p.m.
Panel Discussion
Featuring repetiteur Bart Cook, Cincinnati Ballet Artistic Director Victoria Morgan, SCPA Dance Division Director Patricia Rozow and CCM Assistant Professor of Dance Michael Tevlin
Location: School for Creative and Performing Arts, Abigail Cutler Theater; 1310 Sycamore Street, Cincinnati  

This event receives support from the National College Choreography Initiative (NCCI), a Leadership Initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts that is administered by Dance/USA, the national service organization for professional dance.

Media Partner for CCM’s Spring Ballet Ensemble is WGUC 90.9.

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is recognized both nationally and internationally as one of the leading conservatories for the performing arts and electronic media.
CCM also is the largest single source of performing arts events in Ohio with an annual calendar of nearly 1,000 performances and presentations, ranging from solo recitals to full-scale opera and musical theater performances.

Visit www.ccm.uc.edu for more information and a schedule of events.