Tag Archives: Youth

Anazella will be at IBT Studios for Ogden’s First Friday art stroll.

Anazella Morrison,

I have been drawing, and painting since I was 5. My biggest inspiration growing up was Bob Ross. We had a black and white TV with two antennas, and I would situate them in order to watch his shows. I mostly used pencil, until my aunt opened a new world to me with oils, I have now been painting by oil for four years.

My dream is to paint in a way that the viewer feels taken into my work and becomes a part of it. Taking them into a state of mind that offers peace, and serenity.morrison_rose

Bournonville in Ogden Utah led by Dinna Bjorn

Bournonville Workshop with the Masters Teaches Tradition of Joyful Movement

“I was already that kid who turned on classical music, moved all the furniture and just danced around the room to the music,” happily remembers Henning Albrechtsen, one of the master instructors teaching this week at Imagine Ballet Theatre in Ogden, Utah during the Bournonville Workshop with the Masters. “The first time I danced Bournonville, it felt liberating,” Albrechtsen smiles while talking about the technique famous for light and intricate footwork, “I remembered the reason I started dancing – to move to music, to express joy and freedom.”

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This week, students as young as age 7 spanning all the way to advanced teachers have enjoyed learning from Dinna Bjorn, Eric Viudes, Henning Albrechtsen, and Dianna Cuni Mancini, four master instructors of the techniques of Auguste Bournonville. Dinna Bjorn, who has been sharing her passion for Bournonville technique since 1975, is pleased to be teaching students of such varying ages. She says that it is wonderful to teach those that are so young, because they will then grow up with the knowledge. Bjorn recalls that in Denmark, education in Bournonville technique begins at age 8 and says that the students of the Ogden workshop are doing very well. “It is a very demanding technique when they are that young. It requires that you are already quite advanced in your ballet technique.”

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Bjorn says that the content of this workshop is unique because students are not only taking classes in technique and repertoire (choreography), but also in mime, which is a signature of Bournonville Ballet. “To do mime is really great,” Bjorn says enthusiastically, “You can relax and have fun playing a part.” She enjoys seeing the creativity of each individual student come out. Repertoire, as Albrechsten explains is exercises that are little perfect solos from a different century.

Mime is an important part of August Bournonville’s style because of the focus on storytelling. “Bournonville is ballet about normal, common people,” Bjorn explains. “It is always telling stories. It is joyful dancing and even if it is a bit dramatic, it always ends happy,” Bjorn shares. “Well, except La Sylphide,” she says under her breath with a smile.

“When I had my first taste of Bournonville, I did not fall in love,” says Eric Viudes, one of the quartet of master teachers visiting Utah. .” Viudes is the self-proclaimed “foreigner” of the group of instructors, yielding from France rather than Denmark. He jokes that this travelling group is a perfect union for him because he likes to dance and he likes to travel, but he doesn’t like to travel alone. “The more I got better in my profession, the more I know how important Bournonville is. It is a living tradition.” Viudes believes that the technique is ultimately important in the complete education of a good dancer. “It is like thinking you don’t need to write a language to speak it well.”

Albrechtsen praises the variety of age groups participating in the workshop. “It gives the little ones someone to look up to. If you are not looking up to anyone anymore, it is time for you to move on because you are the one being admired.”  After completing his education at Teachers Training Program for former professional dancers at the National Ballet School of Canada, Albrechtsen returned to the Royal Danish Ballet as full-time faculty. “I was surprised that they considered me a teacher,” Albrechtsen says of his invitation to join the touring team of Bournonville instructors, “Because I wasn’t a kid when I started and I am really too tall for Bournonville.” The key to teaching ballet is to tell them what TO DO and not always what NOT TO DO, Albrechtsen explains. “It is so fun to see when they surprise themselves—conquer an obstacle.”

The Bournonville Workshop with the Masters has been ongoing from June 20 through June 27, 2015. The event will conclude with a performance at Peery’s Egyptian Theatre Satuday, June 27, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Bjorn describes the evening as a little performance and informal presentation of the week’s work. She anticipates sharing a film or information about Bournonville, but the only performers will be the workshop’s participants. Seats can be reserved at http://www.egyptiantheaterogden.com/ for $10 and $15.

This Bournonville workshop was first taught outside Denmark six years ago in 2009. It has been taught in France, Tokyo, and now in Ogden, Utah. Bjorn has known Imagine Ballet Theatre’s Artistic Director Raymond Van Mason for many years due to IBT’s participation in the American Ballet Competition, who is co-sponsoring the event. Bjorn had been teaching seminars for teachers at ABC when Van Mason became interested in a Bournonville intensive for the students of his Ogden, Utah-based youth ballet company. Bjorn was enticed by the collaboration, “I had taught some Bournonville in 1985, in Michigan and I really wanted to do it again in America.” Both Bjorn and Van Mason are hoping to make the union and the intensive an ongoing event in Utah, perhaps with an earlier date to avoid other ballet instruction intensives and facilitate more participation for area dancers.

“If people want to learn something about Bournonville, you only have to know it is here and now in Ogden,” concludes Viudes.

Article by Chaundra Wilson

The Winners of the RMCF 2015!

ThisThatLargeThis is the results from the panel of Judges.

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The Grand prize Winner: This & That by Rodolfo Rafael

 

 

 

 

 

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Second Place: Not Alone by Alicia Trump & Carrie Lee Miles

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Third Place: Except from “Antologia” by Loren Fletcher

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Junior Division: Reflections by Sonya Kryzhanovsky

 

 

 

People’s Choice awards from the audience voting.

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First Place: Meant for the Stage by Kassie Searle

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Second Place: Def.i.(d)ance by Eric Bean Jr.

 

 

 

 

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Third Place: This & That by Rodolfo Rafael

11001604_10155229309175117_1107498915937158360_oJunior Division: Simultaneously Unshaken by Danielle Dreis and Seth Gonzales

 

 

 

 

Nutcracker Perspectives!: Thoughts From A IBT Veteran Nutcracker Dancer : Part 3

 YAGP 2014 SEATTLE SEMI-FINALS
Nutcracker Memories ’07 – ‘14
I have been with Imagine Ballet Theatre in the Nutcracker for the past 7 years. My name is Danielle Lee Dreis and every December I have been a part of The Nutcracker directed by Raymond Van Mason. This ballet is filled with magic, dreaming, dancing snowflakes, romance, and childhood memories.
In 2007, I had the honor of performing as a Party Girl, Toy Soldier, Page, and a Gingerette. The opening scene attending Clara’s Christmas party is a fun and exciting scene. The little girls wear bright colored dresses with big bows in their curly locks. I fondly remember the vibrant color of my blue dress that year. The boys wear cute little vests and bow ties around their necks. Dancing as a Party Girl is a huge role for character development. The children play with Clara, happily receive gifts, get excited for the toys, and tire when it’s time to go home. Throughout the entire scene I was able to develop my character by interacting with Clara and the other characters while reacting to the main focus of the scene. As a Gingerette, I jumped out from under the skirt of Mother Ginger performed by Burke Stone. This has always been one of my favorite roles. I loved dancing to the fun and joyful music. Entering under a giant tent like dress and surprising the audience with our colorful appearance was a great way to start the dance. Clapping and cartwheeling until the very end of the song. I always felt special to get the part of blowing the audience a Great BIG Kiss and running off stage. I love that Ray created Imagine Ballet Theatre’s Nutcracker with various parts, levels, and characters. As you get older and increase in skill the roles and dancing get harder. I always looked up to the older dancers playing parts like Doll, Snow, Arabian, and Mirliton. 
In 2008, I danced Party Girl once again in the same blue dress. This year I was no longer one of the youngest Party Girls but was continuing to advance in roles. From Party Girl, I changed quickly into a Toy Solder costume. The Toy Soldiers had wooden guns as props and fought next to the Nutcracker. I always enjoyed fighting the Rats because my cousin Vince Hendricks was one of them. In Act 2, I danced as a Page and an Arabian Girl. The Pages enter at the beginning of Act 2 and act as the Sugar Plum Fairy’s servants. We had purple capes and purple feathers on our hats. I enjoyed the spritely dancing and framing of Clara’s entrance into the Land of the Sweets. Backstage I will always remember the quick change from Page to Arabian.  Arabian was always fun for me because I related it to Princess Jasmine from Aladdin. We wore two piece blue silk and chiffon customs with gold coins around the bodice. We also got the opportunity to dance with a silk scarf. I worked extremely hard to get my right splits all year because I knew this dance required the ability to slide into the splits without hands. I love watching and dancing with the Arabian Queen and her Prince dreaming one day I would get the opportunity to dance that part.
In 2009, we performed Nutcracker and I was once again a Party Girl. I received many of the same parts as the year before. I continued to improve as a Toy Soldier, Page, and Arabian. As a Page this year, I felt special because I pushed the sleigh out for Clara. In Arabian I danced every year prior with my favorite Arabian Queen Jessica Barraza. Each year the Nutcracker brings the Christmas spirit and one of the things IBT does as a company is perform to the schools. As a young dancer I really enjoyed performing to children my own age. I knew not very many kids had the opportunity I had to miss school and perform with a wonderful family of
dancers. Another thing IBT does each year is they enter a float in the Ogden City Christmas parade to prepare the community for a rendition of The Nutcracker.
            In 2010, this was the last year I would perform with my sister Marquelle Dreis. I danced both the Snowflake and Waltz of the Flowers with her. She also danced as the Maid, a Mother at the Party, and Spanish. She is and will always remain to be my favorite Spanish dancer of all time. I have always looked up to her and am thankful to have received the opportunity to dance with her for so many years. She is the reason I joined Imagine Ballet Theatre. My other roles included Party Girl and one of the Chinese characters.
            In 2011, I was given the opportunity to perform as the Toy Drummer and did not share this role with anyone. I enjoyed dancing every show. I was a tall Snowflake and flower in Waltz of the Flowers. I shared the role of Mirliton and the main Chinese Queen. I switched characters every other night. I felt very special to have been the first Main Chinese pointe girl where in the previous years it had been a male. Being the first to receive this role the choreography was choreographed on me and Tessa Parkinson.
The next year, 2012, I loved dancing as a Snowflake alongside my best friend, Rachel Duffin, who was Snow Queen at the time. I danced in Waltz of the Flowers and Mirliton and shared the roles of Toy Drummer and Chinese Queen.
The year 2013 was one of my favorite years because I received the honorary role of the Snow Queen. I loved dancing this character because I have always enjoyed dancing in the snow scene as well as getting to wear the beautiful tutu and ice crystal crown. As Snow Queen, in every show, I pushed out the sleigh at the end of the act and danced with the Nutcracker Prince and my favorite Clara, MaKayla Woods. This will always be one of my favorite roles in closing Act I. I was also a flower in Waltz of the Flowers. I not only got the main role of Snow Queen but also played the main role of Main Chinese Queen for every show. This year the main roles were performed by some of my best friends, Catherine Aoki as Clara, Ashleigh Richardson as Sugar Plum Fairy, and I as Snow Queen.
This year 2014 will be the seventh year I am dancing in The Nutcracker with Imagine Ballet Theatre. I’m excited to dance with all the younger dancers in the roles I once had including the pages, angels, and divertissements.  I am so excited to be highlighted in the star role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Sugar Plum was performed in previous years by many great dancers I have always looked up to. My favorite who has danced this role is Christie Freebairn. Looking back when I first began dancing two of the older company dancers I admired were Jennifer Jackson and Macall Bowden who both danced Clara and Sugar Plum at one time. I have always hoped to dance in their shoes, and now the role of Sugar Plum Fairy is mine.
By Danielle Lee Dreis

Smith’s Community Rewards supports Imagine Ballet Theatre!

Smiths_CommRwds_600x160Please link your already existing Smith’s rewards card to #93138 and just by doing your normal shopping you will be making a donation to Imagine Ballet Theatre and help young dancers realize their full potential as performing artists here in Utah.slider-img8

Nutcracker Perspectives! Thoughts from first-time dancers and seasoned professionals. Part 1

 Week four was a difficult weekend, I had two young dancers have to pull out of the Nutcracker due to some problems at school so they could concentrate on their studies.  I have always maintained that a dancers education is very important and must be a high priority,  however this has left me a bit short in a couple of numbers so I have to rework or find some replacements for these parts.  Never is an easy task getting this large show onstage.  We will make it because the show must go on! Right! Right!discovering tree

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                My favorite memory of performing the Nutcracker ballet with IBT is the very first year Ray choreographed it. Can you imagine being the first one to dance a part? To be the first one in a brand new costume designed to fit you? Of course, every corps member had one just like mine. But it wasn’t the same one. And all of us together, we were dancing brand new choreography in our brand new costumes. It was magnificent. Never had I felt so beautiful in my life. My part is special. I performed Clara’s friend as a Party Girl, a Snowflake, a Flower, and Spanish. And I am very protective of those parts. I strive to help the people in them because I want them to look good, doing my part. I, myself, work very hard at the new parts I’m given, because those parts had an original person to them too. They even had multiple people before me. My mother role that I have now was even played by a dancer who danced with Ray at Ballet West. Nobody can tell me that isn’t intimidating.

The best part about dancing with IBT is I’m lucky enough to not get 1 part, but more than one. And some schools, you get one, and you even share that part with another person. But I will never complain if it gets cut down because we have more people. Why shouldn’t other people get the opportunity to dance with us? Can you imagine watching a little girl take your spot that you had originally, and dancing it the best she can? I remember the joy I had when I performed Spanish and I love seeing other people get the opportunity to do it.  Written by Tessa Parkinson

Third week of Nutcracker rehearsals, took back seat to a show by the Choreographer Carrie Lee Miles “Gatherings” which took place Saturday night at the Peery’s Egyptian Theater.  However, we did do a bit with our Angels and I might say they are retaining and remembering rather well.  I worked with Tessa Parkinson on her new role as Snow Queen.  I have had Tessa as part of the company since 2003 which was the first year we IBT.  She is a very conscientious dancer and thinks about everything, it is finally her turn to shine in this new role. Tessa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imagine Ballet Theatre is now into it’s second week of Nutcracker ballet rehearsal and already the magic has begun.  I would guess I might be considered the seasoned professional around here, as this will be the 42nd year I have been involved with Nutcracker. First I danced as a child with Ballet West and then I danced with the company for 17 years, moving from the corps to Principal dancer, and later as a guest artist for Clytie Adams School of Ballet (Utah), Ballet Etudes (Phoenix), West Virginia Ballet, Ballet Pacifica (California), Dance West Ballet (Chicago), Grandiva Ballet (Japan), Tyler Texas Ballet. Eight years ago I created my own Nutcracker ballet for IBT in Ogden, Utah.

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It’s hard to believe we are two weeks into Nutcracker rehearsals! This past Saturday we had our second angel rehearsal. These are some of our youngest and newest dancers. In this number, at the opening of Act II, the dancers hold candles. During rehearsal we have the dancers practice by holding a water bottle to get used to the weight. A couple of dancers were holding magic wands. Suddenly, one of the youngest dancers — I believe she is 4 — tapped me with her wand and informed me that I was now a frog. So I obliged her and got down on all fours and started jumping.  I asked for a kiss on the cheek so I could become a prince and she said no. Finally, after a lot of laughter she tapped me and made me a prince.  Back to rehearsal we went.