Ballet Tech Cincinnati Presents 8th Annual Gala of International Dance Stars

Cincinnati, OH, August 09, 2009 --(PR.com)-- ballet tech cincinnati, winner of the 2008 Scripps-Corbett Innovation Award and One Award Finalist, will host its Eighth Annual Gala of International Dance Stars at Cincinnati’s premier venue, the Aronoff Center. Featuring 5 World Premieres by world renowned choreographers, the best dancers from the best companies and the best choreography in the world, the Gala of International Dance Stars will once again astonish, astound and amaze the audience with the gravity defying athleticism, artistry and strength of the dancers, the traditional and new, on-the-edge choreography, remarkable diversity of cast, music and dance styles and the sheer joy of the experience. This year’s cast of 12 fabulous dancers represent 9 world renowned companies and 9 Countries. The only International Dance Gala in the Midwest and one of only a few in the entire nation, each year the Gala of International Dance Stars brings audiences to their feet with rousing standing ovations and comments like, “ This was the most thrilling thing I’ve ever seen” “It was spectacular”… “The performance was absolutely Awesome.”

Balletny’s Kellye A. Saunders will return for her fifth Gala appearance with partner, Dancer-Choreographer Matthew Prescott, of Suzanne Farrell Ballet and formerly with Joffrey Ballet. “…time spent with Kellye A. Saunders, a dancer of special eloquence and elegance, is time unwasted” New York Times. They will perform a world premiere choreographed by Prescott to the Satie music “Gymnopedie” and a duet from the ballet "Once Before, Twice After" choreographed by Thaddeus Davis. Once Before Twice After, was named one of the top ten moments in dance for 2002 by The New York Times.

National Ballet of Canada’s Sonia Rodriguez and Aleksandar Antonijevic return for their fourth Gala appearance together to perform George Balanchine’s “Agon” and Val Caniparoli’s acclaimed “Lady Of The Camellias”. “Caniparoli's choreography is rooted in the classical vocabulary but is presented in a contemporary manner. He favors a constant flow of movement much like the liquid seamlessness found in ice skating.” Sheryl Flatow, Dance Magazine

Carolina Aguero and Yaroslav Ivanenko of Hamburg Ballet will perform “Just Like That” with music from Slavonic Dances, a wonderful, exciting and virtuosic world premiere by Ivanenko, an award winning choreographer with a uniquely athletic style evolving out of his background as a classical ballet dancer and “Invisible Grace” also by Ivanenko.

Jamal Story, Complexions “ a standout young technician with heart … The strutting male in a solo excerpt from the group dance "This is Your Dance Life" is also familiar, but here the beefcake is bashful... The performance by Jamal Story was as serious and stunningly danced as it was comical.” Jennifer Dunning, NY Times and partner Francesca Harper, founder of The Francesca Harper Project, a New York City based company dedicated to creating groundbreaking dance, music, and theater works, will perform a duet, Documotion : Two choreographed by Harper to Sub Rosa by Gavin Bryars. Story will perform a Donald Byrd solo, Solitude, to Duke Ellington music and Harper will perform her own solo, Subtext B

“The remarkably engaging Alejandro Alvarez” David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer formerly of the National Dance Company of Spain and Bernard Martin formerly of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal will each perform World Premiere solos and a World Premiere duet commissioned by Bravo Network, all choreographed by Award winning Choreographer Shawn Hounsell, whose work is "a sparkling, delightful spoof on classical dance" (Halifax Mail Star).

Drew Jacoby and Rubinald Pronk, partners/co-founders of Jacoby & Pronk and principal dancers with Morphoses/TheWheeldon Company, were formerly with LINES Ballet and Dutch National Ballet. They will return with Cincinnati premieres of two new works. “Their relationship was positively palpable; almost juicy in its connection.” Art & Seek “The independent duo of Rubinald Rofino Pronk, a sleek dancer...and Drew Jacoby, a tall, perfectly-ripped woman...were sensational -- all sinewy dynamite and flexy agility -- in Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's angular showpiece, One.” - Houston Chronicle They will perform “One” by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and “B Sonata"; Choreographed by Leo Mujic.

Tickets

Tickets are available now; to purchase, call 513.621.ARTS (2787) or go to www.ballettechcincinnati.org or www.cincinnatiarts.org . Enjoy the Arts/START, Senior and Group Discounts available. For more information call 513.841.2822.

Sponsors

Macy’s is the Performance Sponsor, PNC Bank is a Couple Sponsor, The Millennium Hotel is the Hotel Sponsor. WGUC 90.9 FM and The Cincinnati Herald are Media sponsors for the Gala of International Dance Stars. This production is made possible, in part by the support of the Aronoff Center Rental Subsidy Grant of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, the Fine Arts Fund, Ohio Arts Council, Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./US Bank Foundation, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Duke Energy, and The Robert H. Reakirt Foundation, PNC Bank Trustee. Carl Lindner, the State of Ohio and the City of Cincinnati are Raising the Barre Capital Campaign Sponsors.

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