Boulder Ballet School News

Be sure to pick up our Student Handbook, available in Studios 1 or 2 . The handbook contains information to help our students get the most out of their experience at Boulder Ballet School. The handbook also contains the schedule of major events for the year and is a handy reference while planning vacations. Of particular importance is planning for the End of Year Showcase.

The schedule can also be viewed here on our classes page.

One item from the handbook to highlight currently is the suggestion that dancers label dance garments and shoes to simplify return of lost items and avoid confusion that can occur as students pack their bags after class, sometimes with someone else's shoes by mistake!

Chimney Sweeps from the 2008 Storybook Ballet, Mary Poppins
Photo by Catrine Turillon

During the month of January, the once weekly "special class" for levels 3B - 7 will be devoted to dance composition. This will be an excellent preparation for participants of the Choreographers Showcase, and fun for all.

Summer students participating in Boulder Ballet's two-week Master Class session in August trained with Mark Carlson, a former dancer with several European companies and current director of the International Ballet School in Littleton. Mr. Carlson provided excellent feedback on the students' dancing, and provided training in various styles of ballet. The students benefitted greatly from the viewpoints and expertise offered by Mr. Carlson.

Master Class

Guest teacher Mark Carlson works with Zoe Henrot
Photo by Catrine Turillon

Ava Ashby, of level 7, will create and dance the role of the Princess in Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat, part of the Parlando/UnStaged collaboration coming to the Dairy on October 10. For further info, visit thedairy.org

Alex Davison, of level 7, will travel to New Hampshire to perform with the City Center Ballet Academy in a tribute to Margot Fonteyn on October 19. Alex will dance in the classic Les Sylphides and the Giselle Peasant Pas de Deux.

Boulder Ballet School Students Accepted to Summer Programs Throughout the US

Several BBS Students auditioned for summer programs during the winter and spring, and were accepted to these wonderful programs for summer study.

American Ballet Theater Detroit: Freddie Kolwey, Maithreyi Gopalakrishnan
American Repertory Ballet: Helen Driftmier, Emily McNeeley
Boston Ballet: Fiona Horner
Interlochen School of the Arts: Julia Donahue, Kayli Weiss
Jillana Summer Program: Kate Adams, Riley Jane Bergquist, Dylan Perito, Kayla Bellitt, Marin Govett, Sierra Govett, Chelsey Wiley
Joffrey NYC: Camille Henrot, Carissa Chen
Joffrey South: Jordan Richardson
Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts: Claire Molle, Holly Prohs
Pacific Northwest Ballet: Daphne Takahashi, Heather Hilson
Perry Mansfield: Sarah Moley
School of American Ballet: Annette Buvoli, Claire Davison, Ellie Driscoll, Jacob Taylor
Washington Ballet: Felix Levy

BBS Alumni Joining Professional Companies

Congratulations to former students taking new contracts for 2008-09 -
Mara Driscoll - Richmond Ballet (Apprentice)
Ben Goodman - Eugene Ballet (Company Member)
Max Levy - American Repertory Ballet: (Company Member)
Jordan Richardson - Pittsburgh Ballet Theater (Apprentice)

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Gyrotonics and Pilates - Great ways to tune your body.

Boulder Ballet is offering a four-week pilot session, Mondays, starting October 27th.

3:45 - 4:45 Gyrotonics Mat Class taught by Deb McBride , a great warm-up for levels 6 and 7 before their 5 PM class!

5:15 - 6:15 Pilates Mat Class taught by Debora Kolwey, an excellent "after office" workout while you wait for your dancer to finish ballet class.

Classes held Mondays in the V-Room at the Dairy. Bring a mat if you have one. Must register for all four weeks. Register by October 20th - $48 total for the session.

On October 3, Boulder Ballet held a reception at the chapel of The Academy, one of Boulder's premier retirement communities, as a "Thank You" to our Pas de Deux Program members who support Boulder Ballet as individual donors, and an introduction of Boulder Ballet to Academy residents. The Academy chapel is a beautiful facility that was formerly a dance studio used by CU and the Colorado Dance Festival, as well as a performance venue for numerous artists.

Many thanks to BBS students Annette Buvoli, Felix Levy, Melissa Pite, Jacob Taylor and Genevieve Waterbury who performed a pas de deux class demonstration, and to company dancers Jennifer Aiken and Alex Davison who performed the Don Quixote Pas de Deux.

Reception at The Academy

Jacob Taylor and Genevieve Waterbury demonstrate pas de deux at The Academy Chapel. Photo by Nancy Parker

Auditions for Boulder Ballet's new production of Beauty and the Beast will take place Sunday, January 4th in Studio 1. Auditions are open to Boulder Ballet School students in levels 3A and up. Beauty and the Beast will be performed on Mother's Day, May 10.

This will also be the audition for casting BB2, for levels 6 and 7. BB2 will be performed on May 17th.

Rehearsals will begin right after the Boulder Valley School District spring break. Students in Beauty and the Beast will rehearse Saturday and /or Sunday afternoons. BB2 will rehearse Friday evenings 7 - 8:30 PM, and Sunday mornings 9:30 - noon.

Audition Schedule:
Levels 3A and 3B : 12 - 1 PM
Levels 4 and 5 (bring pointe shoes): 1 - 2 PM
Levels 6 and 7 (wear pointe shoes): 2 - 3 PM

The sign-up sheets for Storybook Ballet - Peter Pan will be posted in the studios in December. Open to all BBS students levels 3 through adult. Peter Pan will be performed March 13 - 15.