Corps Member and Choreographer Garrett Smith’s Work to be Performed at Jubilee of Dance

Guest writer: Lorena Capellan, PR intern

Each year Houston Ballet performs the Jubilee of Dance, a one-night-only gala performance of audience favorites and dancer showcases.  This year’s Jubilee of Dance, held on December 3, will feature the second movement of Garrett Smith’s Vivacious Dispositions.  A corps de ballet member with Houston Ballet, Mr. Smith is a burgeoning young choreographer whose work has already been performed in the United States and abroad.  I had a chance to chat with him about his work and what it means to him for his choreography to be featured in a Houston Ballet performance.

LC:  What inspired you to create this piece? Is there a story/meaning behind it?
GS:  The music is what inspired me because there is something special and unique about Baroque music.  The distinct harpsichord accompanied by the dramatic strings act like the bass of a modern pop song.  Vivaldi has a way of bringing dramatic sound to the strings with the heavy and pounding beat that intensifies but is also playful.  When I hear his cello concertos in a minor key, I relate so well to the dark and mysterious tones.  Also, the liveliness and vivacious energy you feel when listening to the music of his double cello concerto immediately draws me in, making my body move which inspires contemporary movement.

LC:  How did you pick the music? Is it a piece you always wanted to choreograph to?
GS:  I was searching for cello concertos, mainly works composed by Antonio Vivaldi when choosing music for this piece.  I was actually on YouTube when I first heard his double concerto in G minor.  I loved it! I played the music over and over, that whole night.

LC:  What essence or mood were you trying to capture with your choreography?
GS:  There were specific moods I wanted to capture through the three different movements, or “dispositions”.  The first movement was first created when I heard “La Nolte,” which means “The Night.”  This was a very fast and energetic flute concerto by Vivaldi and was meant to be the “Vivacious” disposition.  It is full of energy with a hint of flirt and dramatics.  The ideas were mainly about vivacious personality or energy.  The second movement was inspired by a calm beautiful oboe concerto.  This dance happens first as a pas de deux between a man and a woman.  It also represents a calm, shy, expressive, and more intimate disposition.  The last movement is inspired and created from the music itself, Vivaldi’s Double Cello Concerto in G minor. The music says it all: power, playful, friendly, expressive, and positive.  This music just makes me want to dance!   For the Jubilee of Dance, we’ll be performing the second slower movement.

LC:  How was it choreographing on your fellow company members?  Did you pick the cast?  If yes, why did you pick who you did?
GS:  Choreographing on my fellow company members was a huge treat.  I really had no limitations.  The talent in this company is crazy!  I did select a certain few dancers from pieces I had choreographed in the past because I am a big fan of their movement and versatility.  I also picked some others I had not yet had a chance to work with yet.  I was very anxious to work with them because I knew they would bring my ideas to life without words.

LC:  Were there any unanticipated challenges?
GS:  There were of course challenges here and there.  Sometimes I get a crazy idea or lifts in my head that are almost impossible, so I recreated them in rehearsals and changed the vision a little.  This cost time, but I grew from the experience and any other challenge I faced.

LC:  What does it mean to you for an excerpt to be performed on the Brown Theater with the professional company?
GS:  For me to have an excerpt from my choreography on the Brown Theater stage for the very first time is some of the most exciting news Stanton could have told me this season.  The Brown Theater stage is massive.  I am so excited to have my work on such a great stage so the dancers can utilize all the space and let the movement really come to life as they dance this again.  It really is a big step for me to have the opportunity of using this professional venue to show the viewers the second movement of Vivacious Dispositions on this stage at the gala.  I think the most exciting part of this opportunity is it gives my mom and dad a good reason to fly here to see my choreography!  They have never seen Houston Ballet perform, and have never been in the Brown Theater.  I’m so happy that they will be here to see an important first moment for me.

-Lorena

Houston Ballet will receive $50,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts!

Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, today announced that Houston Ballet  has been approved for a grant of $50,000 to support the world premiere of a new work by the celebrated Finnish choreographer Jorma Elo and the American premiere of Christopher Bruce’s Grinning in Your Face, two works featured as part of the spring repertory program Raising the Barre, running May 26 – June 5, 2011.

Houston Ballet is one of 1,057 not-for-profit organizations recommended for a grant as part of the federal agency’s first round of fiscal year 2011 grants. In total, the Arts Endowment will distribute $26.68 million to support projects nationwide.  An independent agency of the federal government, the National Endowment for the Arts advances artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. 

The National Endowment for the Arts has a generous two-decade history of supporting projects at Houston Ballet with substantial gifts.  Most recently in 2010, the NEA awarded Houston Ballet $50,000 for the company premieres of Jerome Robbins’s Fancy Free and George Balanchine’s Ballo della Regina.  For more information on the National Endowment for the Arts, visit their web site at http://www.nea.gov/.

Join Us for the 23rd Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

Guest writer: Lori Lang, PR intern

Happy holidays from Houston Ballet! To get into the holiday spirit, join us at Wortham Theater Center as we celebrate the 23rd Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on November 24 from 11 AM to 1 PM.  The best part: this family favorite is free and open to the public! Come watch as corps de ballet member Lauren Ciobanu, as the Sugar Plum Fairy, lights the 25 foot Christmas tree in the theater grand foyer. Entertainment includes live holiday music, and delicious drinks and snacks will be served. Kids will also have the chance to get their picture taken with Santa Claus! What better way to kick off your holiday season than with Houston Ballet and all of your favorite characters from The Nutcracker? See you there!

Photo by Zuzana Leckova of Art Institute of Houston North

More information about the Tree Lighting Ceremony can be found on our website.

The Rat Stanley Project

Guest writer: Sarah Meals, marketing manager

If you have kids or nieces/nephews, I’m sure you’re familiar with the “Flat Stanley Project.”  Started in 1995 by a Canadian elementary school teacher, the Flat Stanley Project involved school children creating a two-dimensional cutout of a little man, then mailing him to friends and family members, who would take pictures of Flat Stanley around the city they lived in.  Stanley would be passed from family member to family member until eventually Flat Stanley made his way back to the original owner with the photos of where he had traveled.

We at Houston Ballet are very familiar with the Flat Stanley idea.  Many of our ballerina mommies and daddies have taken stuffed animals (or other assorted toys) on tour with them, and documented their travels with said objects.  Former principal dancer Barbara Bears took “Teen Titan Robin” on our 2009 Spain tour for her little boy Ethan.

Teen Titan Robin boarding Air France

One day, as I was having lunch with some pals from Schipul the Web Marketing Company (thanks Michael and Katie!), we brainstormed the idea of Rat Stanley.  How funny would it be for a rat from our production of The Nutcracker to “travel” around the world via our Facebook fans?  The possibilities are endless!  The rat on the Great Wall of China, the rat in front of the Taj Mahal…maybe I’m getting carried away.  But the rat is just so darn cute, who wouldn’t want to tuck him in their pocket and take his picture?

I have a confession to make…this project did present a special perk for me.  Since I began working for Houston Ballet I’ve had a dream to be a rat for just one day.  Thank goodness our costume shop played along and let me use the costume for a very quick photo shoot around Houston so I could show you “samples” of good Rat Stanley pictures.  After two hours of sweating in the costume, I can safely say I will never repeat the process again.  But it’s one more thing to be checked off my bucket list!

Photo by Zuzana Leckova of Art Institute of Houston North

So here’s how it’s going to work:

1) Visit this link and download your very own Rat Stanley (don’t forget to cut him out!).  When you get to the landing page, click the “download the large size of this photo” link toward the top of the page.

2) Take pictures of your Rat Stanley in front of well-known tourist attractions in your city.

3) Submit your favorite image (one only, please!) to me, Sarah Meals, at houstonballet1@yahoo.com with the subject “Rat Stanley Project.”  Also include your full name and a brief description of your Rat Stanley’s backdrop in the email.  The deadline for submissions is Friday, December 17 at 12pm Central.

4) Houston Ballet staff will narrow down the submissions to ten semi-finalists.  The semi-finalists will be posted to Houston Ballet’s Facebook page by Saturday, December 18, where our Facebook fans will vote for their favorite by “liking” the picture. 

5) The photo with the most likes by Monday, December 27 at 12pm Central will be declared the winner.  The winner will receive a Houston Ballet poster signed by the company, as well as a pair of pointe shoes signed by principal dancer Mireille Hassenboehler.

We are SO looking forward to seeing all of your photos, and thanks for participating!

-Sarah

Recap from Houston Ballet Ball’s Kick-Off Party

Houston Ballet patrons gathered at Festari for Men on October 5 to kick off the 2011 Ballet Ball, themed Designed to Dance. Kick-off Chairmen Beth and Bryan Muecke planned, alongside host Debbie Festari, a fabulous reception including light bites from RDG and Belvedere cocktails. Festari for Men, featuring the finest in made-to-measure and ready-to-wear men’s fashions, provided a scene of contemporary elegance at their storefront in BLVD PLACE.

Kick-Off Chairman Beth Muecke with Host Debbie Festari. Photo courtesy of PWL Studio.

Guests included Honoree Rose Cullen, Dancing with the Houston Stars celebrities Phoebe Tudor and Diane Lokey Farb, along with other prominent Ballet patrons including Mary Alice and Michael Parmet, Diane and Phil Bazelides, Merrill and Joe Hafner, Ginni and Richard Mithoff, Mickey Rosmarin, Kathy McCord, Katie Cullen, and Melza and Ted Barr.

Chairman Jo Furr (right) with Honoree Rose Cullen at Festari. Photo courtesy of PWL Studio.

Chairmen Jo and Jim Furr toasted the crowd of more than one hundred, graciously thanking all supporters. Jo and Jim encourage you to secure your tables/seats soon to enjoy a fabulous evening at the Designed to Dance Houston Ballet Ball on February 19, 2011. You’ll enjoy a not-to-be missed auction, dine on sumptuous Jackson & Company cuisine while surrounded by a spectacular environment by Richard Flowers and The Events Co. Get your tickets and “design yourself” to dance the night away with the amazing retro sounds of the Washington D.C. band Doc Scantlin and His Imperial Orchestra.

 For more information or to purchase tickets to the 2011 Ballet Ball, contact Colleen Wade at 713.535.3276 or email cwade@houstonballet.org.

HBII Touring Update from Guatemala and the U.S. Midwest

Guest writer: Jim Nelson, general manager

We are in the home stretch of Houston Ballet II’s fall touring schedule.

Earlier this month, Houston Ballet II gave two performances in Guatemala City at the Universidad Francisco Marroquin. The program featured Stanton Welch’s Long and Winding Road and Blue, Ma Cong’s Calling (created on HBII last season), and Claudio Muñoz’s staging of Act III of Raymonda. The dancers performed beautifully for the two packed performances and were received warmly by the audience. After the first performance, a dinner was held in the company’s honor given by our presenter—Geraldina Baca Spross and her board of directors. Following the second performance, the dancers were congratulated by Stephen McFarland, U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala, on their tremendous performance, and he thanked Houston Ballet for the outreach activities conducted during HBII’s time in Guatemala.

Ballet master Claudio Munoz teaching a master class in Guatemala

Luckily, we had the very good fortune to be able to fit in an excursion to the ancient former capital of Guatemala, Antigua. The dancers spent the morning learning about Antigua and visiting ruins and restored structures before heading back to Guatemala City for their second performance.

We’re now nearly finished with the 7-performance, 5-city tour of the Midwest, and this hasn’t been a leisurely tour for anyone. With the exception of Kansas City, each location required some significant travel. We left Houston on October 25 and flew to Kansas City. Production manager Brian Walker and I each drove a 15 passenger van filled with dancers and costumes to our first stop in Springfield, Missouri. After a full day of travel, the dancers had an evening class to get their bodies ready for the next day, which involved a 10:00 am student performance followed by a short rehearsal and an evening performance. We performed at a terrific venue called the Juanita K. Hammons Hall on the campus of the Missouri State University to an extremely responsive audience. It was a great performance and a great way to kick off the Midwest tour.

On October 27, we traveled to Emporia, Kansas for Stop #2. In retrospect, I question the wisdom of relying on Google Maps for navigation. We drove for four hours without seeing much of anything other than cows and farmland. It was two lane roads with no gas stations, no fast food, and not a rest stop in sight. The dancers cheered when we pulled up to a Subway about an hour outside of Emporia.

Our view for most of the tour.

The Emporia performance was on the campus of Emporia State University at Albert Taylor Hall, and the dancers were very warmly received. I have to say that I’ve been very impressed with the dedication of the presenting organizations who have booked Houston Ballet II. For a city like Emporia with a population of 26,000 people, I’m encouraged to see arts presenters bringing dance to their communities. The dancers performed a student show on Friday morning before making the two hour drive to Kansas City.

Kansas City was well positioned in the middle of the tour and on Halloween weekend. The dancers enjoyed being in a bit larger city with more food options and with a fraction more free time than the previous two cities. They also raved about their sleep number beds! The afternoon that we arrived, Claudio led a master class at Kansas City Ballet. All of the HBII dancers attended, along with the top level students of Kansas City Ballet.

Ballet master Claudio Munoz teaching a master class at Kansas City Ballet. Photo courtesy of William Jewell.

For the Kansas City engagement, Houston Ballet principal dancers Mireille Hassenboehler and Jun Shuang Huang joined HBII to perform The Sleeping Beauty pas de deux and the lead roles of Raymonda and Jean de Brienne in Raymonda, Act III. I could tell how excited the young dancers were to be performing with our principals, and it was a spectacular performance. Academy director Shelly Power also joined us for Kansas City. Thanks Shelly for the making the trip to support HBII!

On Sunday, we flew from Kansas City to Chicago and Chicago to Duluth, Minnesota. Then we drove an hour and a half from Duluth to Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids is the smallest town on the tour with a population of 8,000. It was a great surprise a few weeks ago to learn that one of our former HBII dancers, Daniel Blake, is now heading the dance program at the Reif Center in Grand Rapids. Daniel and his wife Julia hosted a post-performance party at their home for the HBII dancers.

Today we’re traveling to Winona, Minnesota for the last city in our Midwest tour. It’s a long trek to Winona, and I know the dancers will be glad to get a good night’s sleep before their final show at the Page Theater on the campus of St. Mary’s University.

This year marks the most ambitious touring schedule ever for Houston Ballet II, and having seen every performance so far, I’m thrilled to report that the effort has paid off. Dancers need performances to grow as artists, and these opportunities are golden in developing young dancers. The level of responsibility we’re giving these 16-19 year old dancers is huge, and they have truly risen to the occasion. The next time you see one of the HBII dancers, please give them a word of congratulations for representing Houston Ballet so well.

-Jim

Q & A with Nutcracker Market Chairman Shawn Stephens

Guest writer: Lorena Capellan, PR intern

This year’s 30th Annual Nutcracker Market, running November 11-14, is chaired by S. Shawn Stephens. I caught up with Shawn to discuss how she came up with this year’s theme, what she loves about the Market, and her awesome volunteering relationship with Houston Ballet.

Q: How long have you been a part of the Nutcracker Market and what motivated you to become a part of it?
A: I’ve volunteered at the Nutcracker Market since the late 1980s and have been part of the committee since the early 1990s. I got involved with the Houston Ballet Guild and the Market because I’d been a serious dancer before going to college, and I really love ballet. When I moved to Houston for law school, I was thrilled to be in a city with a fabulous ballet company. I began taking classes in Houston Ballet Academy’s adult program and looked for ways to support the Ballet. My first volunteer job for Houston Ballet was selling tickets at the Nutcracker Market, and I was hooked on the Market from that moment on.

Q: How did you react when the committee selected you to become the 2010 Chairman? Was there anything you started doing right away?
A: I was surprised and honored to be asked to chair this year’s Market. The job kicked in pretty quickly. I selected a theme and started putting my leadership committee of about 100 people together.

Q: What have you seen change/grow about the Nutcracker Market over the past years?
A: The Market has really grown over the years. Not only are there more merchants, but the sales have grown exponentially. The most important changes are the conveniences that have been added for shoppers. They include an information booth, package check, a café, ATM machines, wider aisles, and more space in general.

Q: What went into deciding the theme “Holiday Under the Big Top”?
A: Several factors were involved in selecting a theme. I wanted a theme that had not been used before (after 30 years of Markets, that is a challenge). The theme should be as big as the Market and also happy and fun. I also wanted something that would be easy to translate into decor for the building and onto the invitation. The “Holiday Under the Big Top” theme seemed to fit all those requirements.

Q: What are the advantages of doing holiday shopping at Nutcracker Market?
A: There are lots of advantages to shopping at the Market. The three big ones that immediately come to mind are:

1) You are able to purchase the gifts you need AND help Houston Ballet.
2) You have access to vendors from all over the country under one roof.
3) There is something at the Market for everyone on your list.

We try to have things for all pocketbooks and for women, men and children—even pets. We have gourmet food, clothes, fine jewelry, costume jewelry, house wares, ornaments, gift items, art, garden items and so much more.

Q: What are some special events that go on during Nutcracker Market?
A: There are three special events related to the Market. Many companies and firms like to entertain clients at these events. Wells Fargo sponsors the Preview Party on November 10 which allows those with tickets to shop at the Market before it opens to the public. Saks Fifth Avenue sponsors a fashion show and luncheon, and Macy’s sponsors a fashion show and brunch. All ticket holders can enter the Market an hour before the public. You can find out more about these events here.

Q: What do you think first-timers should know about the Nutcracker Market?
A: First time shoppers should know that the vendors come from all over the country. They should know that general admission tickets can be purchased at the door of Reliant Center for $12 or at any area Randall’s for $11, and there is an information booth at the Market if there are any questions. If shoppers buy bulky or heavy items, items can be checked at our package check and continue to shop unencumbered by those items. Reliant Center can be accessed via Metro rail too! Shoppers should think about the items they need and bring a list with them (including the sizes they need). It is also a good idea to use the program that you get at the entry for note taking. This allows you to note the number of a booth you may want to return to later.

This year’s Nutcracker Market will be held November 11-14 at Reliant Center. The Market will be open from 10 am – 8 pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10 am – 6 pm Saturday and Sunday. You can find out more information about the Nutcracker Market at http://www.houstonballet.org.

-Lorena