Sara webb, who has been a shimmering presence at houston ballet for 21 years, did not want to make a fuss about retiring. Nov 30, 2011 nutcracker rhodes elliott and artists of houston ballet photo amitava sarkar herehouston. The houston ballet first presented the family classic in 1987, with choreography by ben stevenson. Houston ballet is preparing for its final performances of ben stevenson s beloved holiday classic, the nutcracker. Hisd students performing in the nutcracker news blog. A native of fairfax, virginia, walsh trained at the houston ballets ben stevenson academy and the kirov academy of ballet. Houston ballet is preparing for its final performances of ben stevensons beloved holiday classic, the nutcracker.
From a dance company as renowned as the houston ballet, one could expect no less than a splendid nutcracker for the christmas season. Houston ballet dancers say goodbye to ben stevensons the. Since its premiere in 1987, ben stevenson s version of the nutcracker performed by the houston ballet has become a constant for the city of houston during the holiday season. Texas ballet theater presents ben stevensons the nutcracker. Ballet theatre and the reno philharmonic orchestra will host almost 6,000 people for the nutcracker at the pioneer. Nutcracker to feature acclaimed guest dancers yuriko kajiya. Born in fairfax, virginia, connor walsh began his training at the age of seven under the direction of his mother constance walsh. Saying goodbye to sara webb, houston ballets prima. His is an exquisite interpretation of the classic french fairytale by charles perrault. Ben stevenson dancer born 1936, english ballet dancer and artistic director ben stevenson footballer born 1997, english footballer ben stevenson american football 19061969, american football player see also.
I know that some houston ballet academy students who started out as children in the original frederic franklin nutcracker went on to perform as adults in. Houston, tx she really dances like a fairy, i heard a small girl whisper behind me. Summer training for professionals nashville ballet. The ben stevenson setting has been in the estonian national ballet repertory for a few years. But when the wortham announced last month that it would be closed for repairs. Its rich with the kind of dense storytelling that stanton welch is known for, with all kinds of complicated family dynamics going on. Discovering stanton welchs the nutcracker part 2 of 3. Houston ballets 28th year performing ben stevensons vision. Oct 14, 2016 houston ballet artistic director stanton welch and melody mennite as clara rehearsing welchs new nutcracker with the young artists of the ben stevenson academy. Nov 27, 2016 houston ballet took a chance by stepping away from the tried and true to say, this was wonderful and treasured, but lets try something else. Dec 10, 2012 the nutcraker, played by simon wexler, battles king rat, played by thomas kilps, in texas ballet theaters the nutcracker during dress rehearsal at bass hall in fort worth. Despite hurricane harvey, houston ballets nutcracker is. During this holiday season, houston ballet will honor ben stevensons beloved version of the nutcracker with 37 final performances. Sep 17, 20 mireille mimi hassenboehler is ben s last ballerina, in that she is the last remaining principal appointed by former houston ballet artistic director ben stevenson.
Ben stevenson now serves as the artistic director of texas ballet theater in fort worth, texas. Mireille mimi hassenboehler is bens last ballerina, in that she is the last remaining principal appointed by former houston ballet artistic director ben stevenson. Houston ballet nutcracker market 1 nrg park, houston, texas 77054 rated 4. Nutcracker to feature acclaimed guest dancers yuriko. We have the houston ballet the nutcracker tickets in stock at the moment and you can buy them today if you are planning to experience its magical performance on december 5th. Saying goodbye to sara webb, houston ballets prima ballerina. We are honored to be the only arts organization to serve as resident company for bass. Houston ballets joyful nutcracker exceeds expectations. She has performed soloist and leading roles in ben stevensons cinderella. Stevensons invitation, sir kenneth macmillan and christopher bruce joined the houston ballet in 1989 as artistic associate and resident choreographer. Ben stevenson s production of the sleeping beauty was built after the company moved into its glorious performance space at the wortham theater center.
He joined the houston ballet in 2004 and was promoted to the fondren foundation principal dancer in 2007. A worldclass production for a worldclass city, ben stevensons beautiful choreography set before a live orchestra unfolds like the collision of a. This is the last year the houston ballet will perform ben stevensons version of the nutcracker, which has a houston holiday staple for 28 years. The dancers of houston ballet ii were highlighted last weekend at houston ballets ben stevenson academy spring showcase the group includes 19 dancers 18 of whom performed in the showcase from the academys preprofessional training division. See more ideas about ballet costumes, nutcracker costumes and ballet. Nov 25, 2009 houston ballet unveiled ben stevensons production of the nutcracker over 20 years ago. Ball has also been on the teaching faculty of houston ballets ben stevenson academy, boston ballet school, pittsburgh youth ballet, pittsburgh ballet theatre school, kansas city ballet, hope stone dance, rice universitys opera studies program, vail valley dance intensive, and the saratoga summer dance intensive. Discovering stanton welchs the nutcracker part 2 of 3 en. The mission of texas ballet theater is to create, present and tour worldclass ballet, from classical to cuttingedge, and promote its appreciation, accessibility, and technical mastery among students, preprofessionals, and audiences of all ages. Tuts presents the secret garden, houston family musical. The average price of the ticket for that show is currently at.
Uncsas nutcracker to feature dancers yuriko kajiya, connor. Artistic director ben stevensons version of the nutcracker performed by texas ballet theater friday night at the winspear opera house, where it continues through dec. This page features a ballet video titled ben stevensons the nutcracker. Queensland ballets nutcracker and cinderella are from the hand of ben stevenson, who was lis artistic director and father figure in houston. In 1995 she was invited by ben stevenson to teach at the internationally aclaimed houston ballet academy, where she received the distinction. Houston ballet presents nutcracker for final year this christmas.
Strictly ballet s2 e1 one ballet students sacrifice for her dreams strictly ballet season 2, episode 1 duration. Dont mess with nutcracker after flooding from hurricane harvey caused extensive damage to the wortham center, houston ballets home theater, the company was forced to reschedule and relocate two of its programs this fall. She joined the houston ballet in 2014 and was promoted to the robert f. Ben stevenson dancer born 1936, english ballet dancer and artistic director ben stevenson footballer born 1997, english footballer ben stevenson american football 19061969, american football player. Houston ballet is throwing a little holiday gettogether, at least thats what it looks like from my seat at the front of the rehearsal room as the company enacts the famous party scene from the nutcracker. Houston actress cast in matilda the musical national tour. More than one million people have seen the houston ballet s performances over 26 seasons. Reimagined nutcracker dances into houston ballet in time for. Bass performance hall 525 commerce st, fort worth, tx 76102. Stevenson introduces the theme of parting and leavetakings.
Houston ballet bids farewell to ben stevensons the. Karina gonzalez and simon ball, principal dancers of the houston ballet, will appear as guest artists in the shreveport metropolitan ballets. Since its premiere in 1987, ben stevensons version of the nutcracker performed by the houston ballet has become a constant for. Ben stevenson, artistic director of texas ballet theater, is proud to present the ballets most celebrated production of the year, the nutcracker, performed at fort worths bass performance hall and dallas music hall at fair park. Houston ballet will give 34 performances of ben stevenson s version of the nutcracker, to a live orchestra, in the brown theater at wortham theater center in downtown houston, november 27. Texas ballet presents ben stevensons nutcracker huliq. More than one million people have seen the houston ballets performances over 26 seasons.
As a frequenter of the houston ballet and the nutcracker, i was very excited for a new rendition of the ballet that got me loving the ballet. Stevenson was appointed artistic director of houston ballet. Houston ballet took a chance by stepping away from the tried and true to say, this was wonderful and treasured, but lets try something else. Its a holiday tradition for thousands of houstonians. Houston ballet will give 34 performances of ben stevensons version of the nutcracker, to a live orchestra, in the brown theater at wortham theater center in. Houston ballets 28th year performing ben stevensons. A lavish production that premiered in 1990, stevenson s the sleeping beauty is recognized as one of the supreme achievements of classical ballet.
I went to houston ballets tuesday night performance of the nutcracker on a nostalgic whim, to pay last respects to ben stevensons version of the tchaikovsky chestnut. Dec 16, 2016 discovering stanton welchs the nutcracker part 2 of 3 our treasured and talented company dancers, hailing from dozens of countries with unique backgrounds, are the backbone of houston ballet. Coppelia franz the nutcracker prince the sleeping beauty prince florimund and bluebird twyla tharp. May 07, 2020 she joined the houston ballet in 2014 and was promoted to the robert f. Houston ballet unveiled ben stevensons production of the nutcracker over 20 years ago. The fabric takes on another shape above a couple in a love duet, danced strongly. A native houstonian, tim okeefe was awarded a scholarship to houston ballet academy in 1981, joined the company one year later, was promoted to soloist in 1985, and was named principal dancer in 1995. The 50th anniversary season would not be complete without a signature ben stevenson production. That same year, houston ballet performed frederic franklin s nutcracker for six postchristmas performances in jones hall. In november there was a nutcracker fashion show here, and a recent local tradition places particular emphasis on how children at the ballet are attired. In 1963, they briefly exchanged their original lovett blvd. The nutcraker, played by simon wexler, battles king rat, played by thomas kilps, in texas ballet theaters the nutcracker during dress rehearsal at bass hall in fort worth. Houston ballet performs the nutcracker once again houston press.
Over the next twentyseven years, he choreographed for houston ballet distinguished versions of the full length works swan lake, romeo and juliet, cinderella, the nutcracker, the sleeping beauty, coppelia, don quixote, and original productions of peer gynt, dracula, the snow maiden, and cleopatra. The spellbinding production of the nutcracker now open at the houston ballet has the kind of magic that captivates generations old and new alike. A final look behind the scenes of ben stevensons the. She did not want to feel pressured about making her final performance or. He introduces a snow queen just for that section and in this role, nanae marayuma partnered by sergei upkin as the nutcracker prince. Ballethub is an online education, news, event, and discussion resource for the art of ballet. Over the next twentyseven years, he choreographed for houston ballet distinguished versions of the full length works swan lake, romeo and juliet, cinderella, the nutcracker, the sleeping beauty, coppelia, don quixote, and original productions of peer gynt, dracula, the.
Jennifer enjoyed a 12year career with dayton ballet, louisville ballet and ballet west, specializing in soloist roles in many contemporary ballets, such as val caniparolis lambarena, antony tudors echoing of trumpets, leaves are fading and continuo, ben stevensons cinderella and alice in wonderland, john butlers carmina burana. Oct 20, 2019 queensland ballets nutcracker and cinderella are from the hand of ben stevenson, who was lis artistic director and father figure in houston. I know that some houston ballet academy students who started out as children in the original frederic franklin nutcracker went on to perform as adults in the two ben stevenson productions. Shreveport metropolitan ballet presents the nutcracker. Houston ballet, operated by houston ballet foundation, is the fourthlargest professional ballet. The nutcracker did not make it to america until 1944, when it was first presented at the san francisco ballet. All included opening night photos by amitava sarkar. Kajiya joined houston ballet as a first soloist in 2014 and was promoted to principal dancer in november 2014 following her performance as the sugar plum fairy in ben stevensons the nutcracker.
This year, current artistic director stanton welch is. Dallas ballet fort worth ballet texas ballet theater. Houston ballet the nutcracker tickets the nutcracker. When nina popova began selecting and training dancers for a professional company in the spring of 1968, houston ballet and its academy were occupying their third rented quarters. Houston ballet presents nutcracker for final year this. Discovering stanton welchs the nutcracker part 2 of 3 our treasured and talented company dancers, hailing from dozens of countries with unique backgrounds, are the backbone of houston ballet.
Dec 24, 2015 i went to houston ballet s tuesday night performance of the nutcracker on a nostalgic whim, to pay last respects to ben stevenson s version of the tchaikovsky chestnut. While with houston ballet, he performed in john neumeiers yondering, and in ben stevensons sleeping beauty and the nutcracker. The houston audience is the dressiest in ballet ive seen anywhere this year apart from galas. The strength of the production lies with the dancing from the snowflakes onwards.
Nov 24, 2015 strictly ballet s2 e1 one ballet students sacrifice for her dreams strictly ballet season 2, episode 1 duration. Scores of ballerinas have made their act ii appearance as the sugar plum fairy. The second facet well be discovering in this threepart blog series is the performance aspect from two of our company dancers. Jul 05, 2018 sara webb, who has been a shimmering presence at houston ballet for 21 years, did not want to make a fuss about retiring. I went to houston ballet s tuesday night performance of the nutcracker on a nostalgic whim, to pay last respects to ben stevenson s version of the tchaikovsky chestnut. The 20182019 season leaves houston much to look forward to. We will explore this timeless tale of good and evil from our 21 st century perspective and identify moments in the story and ballet that have significance for dancers and audiences alike the moderator for the evening is dr. Cinderella, the nutcracker, the sleeping beauty, coppelia, don quixote, and. In 1997, houston ballet artistic director ben stevenson created the title role of dracula for tim. Ben stevensons nutcracker in tallinn criticaldance.
Its no surprise that the current season was almost completely sold out before it opened because thats been the happy state of affairs at qb since li took over the artistic directorship three. Houston ballets joyful nutcracker exceeds expectations the. A worldclass production for a worldclass city, ben stevenson s beautiful choreography set before a live orchestra unfolds like the collision of a worlds fair and a christmas parade. Houston ballet presents the nutcracker tickets event dates.
She has performed soloist and leading roles in ben stevenson s cinderella. The ballets previous production, choreographed by former artistic director ben stevenson, was beloved by houston audiences for 29 years. Nutcracker rhodes elliott and artists of houston ballet photo amitava sarkar herehouston. Uncsas nutcracker to feature dancers yuriko kajiya. In 2016, the company will premiere an all new version of. This season, houston ballet bids farewell to ben stevensons beloved production of the nutcracker. Visitors can enjoy many educational tutorials and tips for ballet technique, create and join discussions in the forums, and see nearby or search for dance schools, summer programs auditions and performances. Dec 02, 2014 artistic director ben stevensons version of the nutcracker performed by texas ballet theater friday night at the winspear opera house, where it continues through dec.
Ben stevenson served as artistic director of houston ballet from 1976 to 2003. Sep 23, 2009 featuring glorious scenery and costumes by tony awardwinning designer desmond heeley, ben stevenson s breathtaking production of the nutcracker is, in the words of the houston chronicle, the. Feb 12, 2018 4 reasons to leap into houston ballets new 201819 season. Sweet exchange with a sugar plum fairy dance advantage. The ballet company performing in this ballet video include houston ballet. Since then it has become an audience favorite in houston and beyond. The nutcracker opens friday, december 11 at bass performance hall, and runs through december 27. He has trained at the kirov academy of ballet, the harid conservatory, and houston ballets ben stevenson academy, where he was awarded the rudolf nureyev foundation scholarship and the ben stevenson scholarship award. Ben stevensons the nutcracker ballet video ballethub.
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