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8/11/2010 - Sept. 30 "Raising the Barre" - Honoring a Legacy

Summer Course Dancers' Feedback
Words are not sufficient to express the depth of gratitude we at Ballet Chicago feel for the contributions of Phil and Marsha Dowd, two patrons of the arts who have truly raised the bar very high when it comes to a legacy of faithful giving.

Phil and Marsha began supporting Ballet Chicago in 2002, when they settled on us as a cultural/educational institution worthy of major support. Since then, they have provided scholarship assistance to over 100 talented young dancers, many of whom have gone on to professional careers in companies from coast to coast. Their steady support has helped us to grow sufficiently that we were able to move to beautiful new quarters here at 17 N. State Street just under a year ago. Their interest in our teaching methods and artistic niche in Chicago runs deep and is multi-layered, as they attend our performances, visit our studios often to see classes and rehearsals, and are close to the impact we have on the many aspiring young artists they have helped support.

Thus, on September 30th, 2010 Ballet Chicago will honor Phil and Marsha with a special benefit event entitled "Raising the Barre," to be held in our new studios.

A special program including new choreography by rising young choreographer Ted Seymour will be presented. Members of the internationally renowned Orion Ensemble will play sublime live music, and my wife Patricia and I will host a historical tribute to this wonderful couple. In honor of their legacy of giving, Studio 1 (our largest studio) will be permanently given the name "The Phil and Marsha Dowd Studio".

The event is a fund-raiser as well as a tribute. Donations to the Phil and Marsha Merit Scholarship Program are as vital as ever to Ballet Chicago, and attendees' generosity is encouraged. A silent auction will also be held. We've already acquired some wonderful items, and are looking for more offerings of donated services and items of $50 value and up. To RSVP to the event and/or offer a silent auction item, please contact Bob Bondlow at raisingthebarre@balletchicago.org, or call him at 312-251-8838. You can also RSVP via our website at www.balletchicago.org, by clicking on the "Raising the Barre" link. "Raising the Barre" will be an event to remember --- don't miss it!

"Dancing in the Light", and BC Summer Course Dancer Feedback

On July 22 we held our 2010 summer course workshop showing in two "informance" style presentations at the University of Illinois Theater. This annual showing is the culmination of five weeks of intensive training in classical ballet, modern dance, and East European character dance, and parents of attendees from coast to coast travel to Chicago each year to pack the theater. Several hours prior to the first showing at 4 PM, an area power outage darkened the lights at the theater, putting the showings in jeopardy. But UIC Theatre management's quick and resourceful actions to restore power resulted in the first show going on no more than 30 minutes behind schedule. The cooperative spirit of all parties in this circumstance was quite special, and our record group of over one hundred dancers lit up the stage as planned in two vibrant showings, drawing tremendous applause. Through it all we felt truly "held in the light".

Dancer responses to our 2010 summer course were overwhelming in their enthusiasm. Herewith some quotes:

"It's an amazing experience with outstanding faculty. I have learned so much, it is mind-blowing. As a Cechetti student I have fallen in love with Balanchine-based technique and intend to pursue it."

"Ballet Chicago is intimate with personal instruction, small class sizes with students at the same level, plenty of classes with a nice balance between classical ballet and other forms of dance, and a summer full of great improvement and personal growth."

"Ballet Chicago is: nurturing, challenging, fun, a personal growth period, and technically stimulating."

Nice to look to the coming year with such heartfelt testimony from the recipients of our training.

Remember "Raising the Barre" September 30th!

With deep thanks,

Dan Duell
Artistic Director

7/15/2010 - Ballet Chicago Springs Into Summer

Artistic and Critical Triumph "Classical Twist"

Precedes Record-setting Summer Course

What a glorious success we had at the Athenaeum Theatre May 21 - 23! One of the strongest programs we've ever presented garnered wonderful critical praise from Zac Whittenburg of "TimeOut Chicago", who favorably compared our performance of Balanchine's challenging Divertimento # 15 with that of one of America's major professional companies, Pacific Northwest Ballet. He also praised our performance of Balanchine's Who Cares? as "sparkling with raw energy."

Our dancers' performances of Divertimento # 15 brought classical technical execution to the fore. Difficult steps were delivered with lightness, delicacy, precision, and control, allowing viewers to experience the sublime musicality and witty invention of Balanchine's choreography. For many, this was their favorite work.

Our program closer, Who Cares? put serious technical challenges into the framework of playful romance and jazzy high spirits. Our dancers took off and ran with this one, bringing down the house.

These two masterpieces surrounded newer work that further extended the dancers' interpretive range and provided audiences great variety:

Ted Seymour's stunningly beautiful world premiere, A Pulse Stolen, delivered a series of short vignettes that develop into a compelling narrative of contemporary movement themes. Ted has a wonderful capacity to change the classical canon in inventive and surprising ways, and audiences were deeply moved by the group of five performers dancing individual and shared journeys to Ted's selections of affecting, exquisite music. Chicago lighting designer Margaret Nelson used her superb lighting skills as a full partner in this endeavor, resulting in a noteworthy collaboration. A Pulse Stolen strongly marks Ted's continued emergence as a choreographer with a truly original voice.

Conceived to evoke the power of cultural rituals, my Mono No Aware delivered martial-arts flavor and high athleticism for five men and one woman in a test of stamina, technique, and artistic style. Frequent guest artist Hamilton Nieh delivered the central role with power, abandon, and deep commitment. And again, Margaret Nelson's wonderful lighting contributed rich atmosphere to the work.

As has been so for many years, audience members expecting to see a student-level recital were astonished at the professional-level troupe they saw, performing demanding ballets with powerful technique and interpretive skill. Indeed, our talented young artists deliver performances that transcend their age. And our increasing roster of alumni guest artists from professional companies around the nation (and Chicago!) adds depth and power to our talent line-up, making Ballet Chicago's Spring Repertory an exciting, fulfilling audience experience each and every time.

Now we are in the midst of our biggest summer course yet, populated with over one hundred young dancers hungry for the forward-looking American classical training that only we offer in this region. Coming from around the area, the nation, and from other countries, these dancers will be brought to a new level over the next few weeks by our diverse, intensive training. Those whom we ask back are eligible to join our annual program, beginning once again the process that culminates each year in our beautiful "Nutcracker" and our annual Spring Repertory.

A Chicago-born organization, Ballet Chicago continues to foster American classicism in this deeply American city.

"Save the date" --- We are excited to announce our Fall fundraiser to be held in our new studios on Thursday, September 30, 2010. This very special event will showcase the Philip and Marsha Dowd Merit Scholarship Program. It will include a silent auction, live performance by Ballet Chicago artists, and dedication of our main studio. Most importantly, all funds raised will benefit the Dowd Merit Scholarship Fund! Watch your email for more details and an invitation later this summer.

Sincerely,

Dan Duell
Artistic Director

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