We were fortunate to sit in on the final performances of the Dancing Day Camp with SDSB last Friday! We took some videos and put them all together in this blog for you to enjoy! Take a break from whatever you are doing today and indulge in some cuteness!
Every Wednesday this Spring our Artistic Director Javier Velasco took time out of his very busy schedule to teach dance to the Dewey Elementary 3rd Grade class. He taught his final session with them two days ago and the class gave him some lovely hand-made cards. Some were just too cute not to share:
The students really enjoyed learning to “chasse”!
Trinity is super thankful for all she learned!
A budding artist! A sad budding artist…
Jayden enjoyed ballet despite the minor back injury.
We think you are COOL as well Mr. V! We also think it’s funny how tall Gladys thinks she is!
We have a future ballet teacher in Mariah! She shared her knowledge with her sister!
See? Adorable! Arts education makes a difference!
Here is a little Friday treat for SD Ballet fans, some short video clips from our Fundraiser last weekend! Enjoy:
And one more:
Short and sweet but lovely. Thank you Dancers for an amazing season! We hope you enjoy your much-needed rest!
As promised, here is another short clip of one of the other beautiful Pas De duexs featuring Abby Avery and Max Tchernyshev as our fabulous Romeo and Juliet in our upcoming production. This time we take a glimpse into a very intimate moment with the “Bedroom Scene”. Take a look:
Again, these two are breathtaking together and this short clip hardly does them justice. The show is going to be absolutely stunning, and we can’t wait! When asking the pair how this Pas was comparatively Max replied: “This piece still maintains the youthful playfulness as the last, but it is a much more physically challenging- it is the hardest of the three that we do.”
Abby said “I agree that is is the most difficult. There is a lot of interesting choreography that is less traditional, and harder for me to remember in my body- but I love it. It is the couple’s last dance together, and it is bittersweet.”
Thanks again you two! You are doing a beautiful job! ‘Romeo and Juliet’ opens next weekend!
Our production of “Romeo and Juliet” is rapidly approaching and we couldn’t be more excited! The chemistry between Abby Avery and Max Tchernyshev is absolutely electric to watch, so we realized we just had to share a little taste of the Pas de duexs that are currently developing in our studios. This first clip is from the infamous “Balcony Scene ” just after the lovers have met, and their infatuation has begun:
How beautiful do they look together?
When asked how the two felt about this specific Pas de deux Ms. Avery responded with: “This is my favorite part of the ballet. We just met, we are allowed to be joyous and carefree with our love. We don’t know what lies ahead, and we are allowed to believe in each other and the moment.”
Mr. Tchernyshev expressed that: “It’s like the feeling of a first kiss- the most emotionally exciting connection out of all other duets in the piece. It is weightless.”
So well put, and so beautifully danced! Stay tuned for our second sneak peek- and get those tickets soon!
The dancers are working hard on SDB’s final show of the season: ‘Romeo and Juliet’. This will be a breathtaking production that will close out a wonderful season, and we can’t wait to see it realized in two weeks. In the meantime, we think it’s a good time to introduce you to one of our new company members in this installment of “Dancer of the Day”! Caitlyn Ross has been gracing our stage and has proven to be not only a stunning dancer, but a lovely person as well. We hope she sticks around! Here is what Caitlyn has to say in response to our interview questions:
Q: What does dance mean to you?
A: Since I was a toddler, dance has been my life. Dancing is everything to me and makes up such a large part of who I am, that expression through movement is vital to my well-being. Asking me to retire from dancing would be like asking me not to talk for the rest of my life…which would be nothing short of a miracle for me.
Q: What prepares you for a long rehearsal day? What sort of emotional commitment do you experience in such a physically demanding role?
A: Neither I nor my husband are anything resembling morning people…We get up around 6:30AM, so as to actually be prepared for class by 9:30. While I do my girlie business, I ask Kyle to make coffee and something to eat, throw some food in a plastic bag, and help me remain sane. I am a food-aholic. We burn so many calories at dance that in order to survive I eat constantly. First things first though, music is a must. We rock out in the morning, and try to keep the mood somewhat laid back- otherwise I can become quite the ball of nerves, stressing about every detail…everything and nothing really. Once we have had at least three epic sing-along moments, and I’ve checked the house at least four times for any “forgotten” (but most likely un-necessary) items, we embark on our little journey to Pt. Loma. On the way we pray and talk about expectations for the day ahead. Arriving at the studio just before 9 gives me plenty of time to stretch before class and prepare mentally, as well as a quick chat with the lovely Karen in the office.
Through heavy prayer, God’s love, the love of my beautiful neighbors, and the love of my amazing husband, as well as family from afar, I’m able to repair my mind and body daily, getting back to 100% faster than I ever could alone.
Q: What has been the most rewarding moment of your career so far?
A: When I was 15 I attended a summer program called the Salzburg International Ballet Academy, SIBA, in Salzburg, Austria. The director invited me to return and dance for his company after a few months in the academy. I left the second semester of my Junior year and lived in Austria until the start of my Senior year. While with the company I had the extreme privilege to perform in “The Tchaikovsky Ballet” and “Carmen”. Touring was an experience and a half for sure. When I returned home I was greeted by the beautiful Amy Stoddart, who then made me the principle dancer for Montana Ballet Company. What a relief that moment was after going through a rough period in my life that I like to call my “European Days”. I was a crazy teenager, handed some big opportunities, and here we are today. God has always blessed me in abundance, and Amy was heaven sent for sure. The first time I saw my bio on the company’s website, with me listed as the Principle Dancer, I nearly peed. So, I suppose that has been the most rewarding moment so far.
Q: Can you imagine yourself in any other job?
A: Yes and no..I love to sing, and could see myself making a career out of it, but I wouldn’t be me without ballet. A dancer never makes much for their art, but we love what we do, so you take those side jobs (sometimes more than you can chew), and I waitress on the side. Currently I’m just dancing, but normally I steer toward service in the restaurant industry. My family are food people, and I’ve been waitressing since I was 9 at whatever restaurant they were working in, and let me tell you, no one makes more tips than a 9 year old.
Q: What was the last thing you saw/heard that inspired you as an artist?
A: This is a tough one because I love to search youtube for new things in the dance world, but here’s a link to a piece I discovered a little while back and still watch time to time…
Q: What do you believe to be your biggest challenge as a dancer?
A: My back and my hips haven’t exactly aged at the same rate as the rest of my body. Some days are very painful and I find it difficult just to get up in the morning. In the end though, you always feel at least a little bit better after you pray, move your body around, and make it through a class.
Q: What message would you like to communicate to young aspiring dancers who watch you in your
upcoming performance?
A: Do your best not to say you can’t do something, or chances are you won’t be able to do it.
Thanks Caitlyn! You and your positive attitude and kindness is a blessing in our company! Check out this little slideshow of the beautiful Caitlyn Ross:
San Diego Ballet is nearing the end of the second show of the season with the final performances of “The Nutcracker” showing this Thursday and Friday at the Mandeville Auditorium at UCSD. It has been a wonderful run for our dancers! They took the show on the road to Texas and Montana and received standing ovations and amazing reviews from the communities out there. We also had our first two performances at The Birch in North Park, where the show was loved by San Diego families as well. During the week between performances San Diego Ballet brought excerpts of the production to different schools and outreach programs all over town, spreading holiday cheer to those who may otherwise never be able to see a ballet. These productions have been some of the most rewarding- exposing people to the amazing world of dance is the best gift we can think of during the holidays
We have been so pleased with our productions and while our dancers deserve their winter break, we know that our final productions will go out with a bang.
It is with great pleasure that we present to you a special Dancer of the Day Jr. edition with our child star of the production: Gwen Snyder. She is gracing the stage with her beautiful Clara- a huge honor and opportunity for any young dancer. She has been doing a fabulous job, so we are so happy she could take a little time to answer our questions about her experiences for this blog. Here is what she had to say:
Photo by Graham Blair
Q: Hi Gwen! Tell us a little bit about what made you want to start dancing!
A: Well, I started dancing when I was 3-ish, because one of my friends was dancing and she was having a lot of fun, so I started.
Q: What is your favorite Ballet, and why?
A: I don’t really know. We watched Don Quixote on the bus in Texas, and that was really impressive, and I saw a preview of Romeo and Juliet, and that was incredible, but I haven’t seen that many ballets.
Q: Do you imagine yourself being a professional ballerina one day?
A: Sometimes; after I accomplish a certain goal or step, I feel like “Wow! I want to do that again.”
Photo by Graham Blair
Q: Who is your role model in the dance world, and why?
A: All of the SD Ballet company dancers (including Chelsy Meiss, even though she’s not at SD Ballet anymore) because not only are they AMAZING dancers, they also are really nice and offer great advice!
Former company member & SD Ballet friend Chelsy
Q: How has the experience of performing as “Clara” in SDB’s ‘Nutcracker’ been for you so far?
A: It’s a lot of fun. Before a show, it can be nerve-racking, but once the music starts the nerves go away. It’s definitely an awesome experience.
Thank you Gwen! You are dancing beautifully in our production and we are grateful for your hard work!
Are you a student or educator who loves dance? San Diego Ballet has started a program called Dance Card that is specially catered to your needs. We are hosting a special event at our December 16th production, and are offering 10$ tickets to members of the Dance Card club. All you have to do is “like” our group on FACEBOOK, and e-mail DanceCardSD@gmail.com to get the special promotional code to get in on this discount. We want to spread Christmas cheer to everyone, and we hope Dance Card can help make dance accessible to all.
Trystan Rocks!
Have you heard about Trystan Loucado? If you haven’t, we suspect you will soon. He is currently a San Diego Ballet principle superstar, and he is our current Dancer of the Day!
He just finished rocking the stage as our lead male in ‘Firebird’, and now he is gliding into his massive roles of our upcoming ‘Nutcracker’. We feel lucky just watching him dance in various rehearsals and shows, but on top of being such a gifted performer, he is genuinely kind and wonderful to be around. So this ‘Dancer of the Day’ segment was a real treat for us. Here is what he had to say:
Q: Who or what inspired you to make a life in dance?
A: If it wasn’t for Ahita Bergman (SDB’s Ballet Mistress) I would have stopped coming to ballet classes a long time ago, let alone become a professional dancer. I’m thankful everyday for the education and inspiration that she has given me in dance and the everyday.
Q: How do you prepare yourself for a physically demanding day of dance?
A: I usually am wide awake at 7:30 am so I will put a movie on and a pot of coffee while I wear my Yoga Toes. I check in with my body by doing some light stretching, so I know what might be sore from the day before. I make sure to eat breakfast because you never know when you will have an opportunity to eat during the day.
Q: What is the most rewarding moment of your career so far?
A: It’s hard for me to be specific about that. I feel like being able to support myself in my art is the most rewarding thing I could think of. Its always wonderful when you hear the applause of the audience after you’ve done something you didn’t think you could.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
A: Still dancing I hope, I want to take this for the long haul.
Q: What is one of your weaknesses as a dancer? What is your strength?
A: I started late in life, so my muscle memory is not very strong. But It has forced me to pick things up faster. Learning to dance from the perspective of an adult rather than that of a child has also been my greatest advantage. It has allowed me to look at things more analytically rather than just copying movement.
Q: What is the last thing you saw or heard that inspired you as an artist?
A:
Q: What would you like to say to aspiring dancers who watch your performances?
A: Educate yourself about your body, you only get one. The rest comes with practice, patience and humility.
Thank you Trystan!
Check out Trystan working out his “Nutcracker” solo in this slideshow:
He can fly! You do not want to miss him in our upcoming production of ‘Nutcracker’! Tickets are on sale now!
The 20th Anniversary Gala and our ‘Firebird’ performances were a huge success! Big thanks to everyone involved who made that weekend so special to the San Diego Ballet.
As there is never time to rest in the world of Ballet our dancers are back in the studio now working on our critically acclaimed ‘Nutcracker’.
We happily watched a rehearsal, and enjoyed some fabulous work by our company members Trystan and Abby. Here are two clips of what is already shaping up to be a great year for ‘Nutcracker’.
Here is Trystan working on a solo:
Abby and Trystan:
‘Nutcracker’ tickets are on sale now! Come join us for the magic!
San Diego Ballet invited a very special audience to come and watch our “Firebird” dress rehearsal today! Thanks to a partnership with Young Audiences of San Diego we were able to invite schools around town to our latest ballet. An opportunity rarely given to young ones.
We were there to be part of the excitement and took some cell phone shots of the joyous event.
Pretty cute, huh? Here are some of our favorite overheard quotes of the students after the show:
“I want to be a ballerina! I can dance and jump!”
“I liked the guy with the thingie, he was handsome!”
“I want her dress!”
“That was the COOLEST THING EVER!”
“Daddy! Help me do a lift like they did!”
‘Firebird’ is a wonderful inspiration for all ages. We’re pretty sure there are some newly-inspired future professional ballet dancers in our audience.
Bring your family to Firebird tomorrow at 2:30 or at 8:00pm!
