Leading the Way special faculty issue

Peter MartinsArtistic Director

Marjorie Van DercookExecutive Director

Today’s SAB faculty consists of 16 talentedteachers, all but one of whom were once, orstill are, members of New York City Ballet.Twelve of those 16 trained at SAB as childrenor teenagers.

In an extended feature starting on page 6,they share personal anecdotes about theirpassion for teaching and reminisce abouttheir beginnings as members of the School’sfaculty.

The School ofAmerican BalletAT L I N C O L N C E N T E R

Fa l l 2010

I N S I D E this issue

2010 WorkshopPerformancesand SummerCourse Highlights

A Conversationwith SAB’sPrincipal GuestTeacher VioletteVerdy

SAB FacultySpotlights

AlumniNews

Photos by Rosalie O’Connor

SAB's seventy-sixth year proved to be just as much of a landmark as theseventy-fifth anniversary that we celebrated last year. In February, we hadthe thrill of traveling to the White House to receive the National Medal ofArts—the nation's highest honor for artistic excellence—from the NEA andPresident Obama. Our exceptional faculty demonstrates this excellenceevery day in the studio. The rich history of ballet—and George Balanchine’sincomparable aesthetic—is passed down to our students with passion anddedication. In this newsletter we salute the faculty, from our longest servingmembers—Suki Schorer and Andrei Kramarevsky—to the very newest addi-tion, Arch Higgins. We are honored to include in this group Violette Verdy,SAB’s first Principal Guest Teacher, who has just been named the inauguralrecipient of the Kathy Ziliak Anderson Chair in Ballet at Indiana UniversityJacobs School of Music.

SAB’s International Audition Tour, in its second year, is currently underwaywith stops in Paris, Madrid, Hong Kong and Buenos Aires. Thanks to lastyear’s inaugural auditions in Paris and Tokyo, the 2010 Summer Coursestudent body was the most globally diverse in the School’s history, with 24students from France, Japan and six other countries. As a result of new out-reach initiatives locally for the Children’s Division, the 450 students in thecurrent Winter Term represent a burgeoning and increasingly diverse stu-dent body. We are grateful to the many friends and supporters who are mak-ing all of these initiatives possible. Please be sure to check the calendar ofupcoming events on the reverse side. We look forward to seeing our friendsand donors at SAB during the upcoming year.

In late June, SAB opened its doors to 205 talented ballet students from around the country andthe world. International students have long been participants in Summer Course thanks to auditionvideos, but SAB’s first-ever international auditions in Paris and Tokyo in 2009 dramatically in-creased the number of foreign students in attendance this past summer. In addition to 10 studentsfrom France and 7 from Japan, we welcomed students from Australia, Belgium, Canada, China,Spain and the United Kingdom. Language barriers were quickly overcome with translated materi-als, friendly roommates, and a good amount of pantomime. Summer Course students also repre-sented 35 U.S. states.

Another new feature of Summer Course is the participation ofadvanced students in the New York Choreographic Institute. Inthe second annual NYCI Summer Session, Lauren Lovette andJustin Peck, SAB alumni and New York City Ballet dancers,choreographed new ballets on the SAB Summer Course stu-dents. Justin’s work (restaged with Winter Term students)was part of the programming for the New York Choreo-graphic Institute’s 10th Anniversary celebration at ColumbiaUniversity’s Miller Theatre in early November.

Along with rigorous ballet training, Summer Course studentsparticipated in numerous outings and activities organized byour committed Student Life staff. A highlight as always was

the day trip to Saratoga Springs to see New York City Ballet perform in its summer home. Stu-dents also saw Broadway shows Mamma Mia and The Lion King, and visited quintessential NewYork attractions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural Historyand Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center. A special pointe shoe-fitting at Freed of London inQueens was also a very popular outing.

2010 SUMMER COURSE

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Summer Course students at Six Flags Great Adventure.

Justin Peck choreographing at the NYCIsummer session.

French Summer Course students who received FlorenceGould Foundation scholarships.

2010 WORKSHOPSAB's Workshop Performances on June 5 and 8 celebrated the50th anniversary of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, whichhas served as home to both SAB and the annual student per-formances for over 40 years. As bright new ballet talents haveemerged on the Workshop stage year after year, it is clear thatSAB's students and faculty have thrived as integral members ofLincoln Center's artistic community.

The Workshop program opened with Scènes de Ballet (picturedupper right), which Christopher Wheeldon first choreographed onSAB students in 1999 to music by Stravinsky. Set in a Russian ballet studio designed by Ian Falconer, the slightly skewed classroom is bisectedby a barre and an imaginary mirror. The dancers—64 ranging from the very young to soon-to-be-professionals—were rehearsed by SAB facultymembers Katrina Killian and Garielle Whittle, and by Mr. Wheeldon himself.

Next was George Balanchine’s Valse Fantaisie (lower right), with a lead couple and four soloiststo music by Glinka. Suki Schorer staged the ballet for the fifth time at an SAB Workshop (previ-ous productions were in 1973, 1983, 1996and 1999). The eight-minute piece is awindswept tour de force for its dancers,who performed it with great aplomb.

The program concluded with Balanchine’sBourrée Fantasque (left), to music byChabrier. Susan Pilarre staged the ballet forthe second time at an SAB Workshop. Thelarge cast and upbeat finale left dancers andaudience alike on a high note. An orchestraof professional musicians was conducted byMartin West of the San Francisco Ballet.

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A conversation with VIOLETTE VERDYSAB’s Principal Guest Teacher

Throughout SAB’s long history, the School’s excellent faculty has been regularly enhanced with guest teachers who broaden andenrich the classroom offerings. In 2008, Peter Martins endeavored to forge a more permanent relationship with an exception-ally gifted and distinguished teacher, Violette Verdy, by appointing her as the faculty’s Principal Guest Teacher. During hersemi-annual visits under this new appellation over the past two years, SAB’s studios have been graced with Ms. Verdy’s lumi-nous presence and the wealth of experience she brings from her many years as an acclaimed performer (including 20 years asa Principal working with George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins at New York City Ballet), artistic director (the first woman tolead Paris Opera Ballet and Boston Ballet), author and teacher. Since 1996 she has been a Distinguished Professor of Ballet atIndiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, where she has just become the inaugural recipient of the Kathy Ziliak AndersonChair in Ballet.

Ms. Verdy graciously took the time to chat with the SAB newsletter about both her past and present experiences at SAB while teaching at the Summer Course in July.

What is the difference be-

tween teaching at SAB and at

other schools?

SAB is really a tremendouslyimportant first chapter of thedevelopment to become adancer in a ballet company.The School furnishes thedancer with the purity of atechnique that they can manip-ulate artistically and creativelythe way they want. So itensures for the dancers astraight road of always beingable to come home in theirwork, in their center, and theycan purify their technique con-tinuously as they go along ifneeded.

And you don’t see that in

other places?

Oh, no. I don’t see that thetraining in other places fitswhat would be done in NewYork City Ballet. The presenceof Balanchine [made the differ-ence]. He was not just a greatchoreographer, but an educa-tor in a deeper sense, and hewas concerned that the tech-nique would purify itself ratherthan pollute itself as it wentalong. A lot of the good tech-nique from the past has beenpolluted by different opinionsof different teachers who mightnot have been challenged bysuch a great choreographer.

But with Balanchine, he stayedin the “church,” he never wentfor effects external. He never

used anything extraneous that was not related. He had enough with this huge vocabulary.

When you were in NYCB,

did you ever take class at

SAB and what were your

impressions?

Oh, yes. Actually I startedbefore I joined NYCB. OnMadison Avenue [SAB’s firstNYC location] I had classeswith Mr. Oboukov and in frontof me was an absolutelyadorable ballerina all in white—Vera Nemchinova—and thosewere my days in the early ’50s.Then I took so many classes

on Broadway [SAB’s secondNYC home].

Mr. B came to watch me inParis dancing with Roland Petitin 1953 and then he would

watch me as I took MmeDoubrovska’s pointe class atSAB, which I religiouslyattended when I was in NewYork because I had neverbefore had that kind of oppor-tunity to concentrate on pointework. In Europe we used tohave pointe for ten minutes atthe end of class. Then I cameback to New York with LondonFestival Ballet in 1954-55 andagain Mr. B came to watch mein class at SAB. Then he sawme dance with Ballet Theatre.When Ballet Theatre closed,Mr. B called me on the phoneand invited me to dance withNew York City Ballet.

Your European background

made you fairly unique in

comparison to most of your

contemporaries at NYCB.

What were your impressions

of the other Company

dancers who had trained at

SAB?

I marveled at the discipline ofthe Americans and their open-

ness to obey orders and dowhat was asked of them. In myday the teachers couldn’t resistteaching “styles,” and distor-tion could occur. It would givea chance for the personality to

manifest itself too soon. WithBalanchine your personalitywas not solicited until you hadthe steps and choreographyclearly, and then he was hop-ing you would get, as Danilovasaid, the perfume.

How soon did you first teach

at SAB?

Mr. B knew that I was inter-ested in teaching and he toldme, “You can do anything youwant.” And that was when Iwas injured in the ’60s. Everytime I was injured Mr. B hadme teach at the School. In the1960s I was operated on fortendon problems so I oftentaught technique and pointeclasses.

I also used to come take Dudinand Tumkovsky in the after-noons when professionals werenot barred from taking theintermediate classes. I alsotook many classes with MurielStuart, Oboukov, Vladimiroffand Doubrovska. At first I was

“We have a responsibility to the audience to givethem something transcendent...We can show theaudience beauty and happiness because we havethe music and the dance.” –Violette Verdy

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Ms. Verdy teaching at SAB in July 2010

“I’ve included SAB in my will and joined the Founders Soci-ety because I want future generations of youngsters withstars in their eyes and magic in their limbs to keep themiracle going.” —Saskia Shakin, Founders Society Member

The Founders Society is a special patrons group namedfor George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein and dedicatedto their visionary ideals for ballet in America. Founders Society members have made the School of American Ballet a part of their estate plans to help ensure the long-term vitality of SAB and future generations of dancers.There are many ways to make a planned gift—from a simple bequest to a more complicated trust arrangement.For more information about making a gift that can benefityou, your family and SAB, please contact Carrie Hinrichs,Director of Development & Planning, at (212) 769-6615or chinrichs@sab.org.

EARN INCOME FOR LIFEEstablish a Charitable Gift Annuity with theSchool of American Ballet

Did you know that you can receive a lifetime income annuity of up to 9.5% from SAB?

When you donate $10,000 or more in cash or appreciated marketablesecurities to the School of American Ballet to establish a charitable giftannuity, your rate—which is based on your date of birth—will neverchange, regardless of market fluctuations. You are also entitled to anincome tax charitable deduction and a portion of your payments will betax-free. Your charitable gift annuity can be established to benefit oneor two people, and you can choose to receive payments immediatelyor to have them deferred. When the income is no longer payable toyou, the remaining assets will support SAB.

Sample Single-Life Charitable Gift Annuity RatesAge – Rate of Return*65 – 5.5%70 – 5.8%80 – 7.2%90 and over – 9.5%*Rates recommended by ACGA as of July 1, 2010; subject to change.

For a personalized illustration please contact Carrie Hinrichs at (212)769-6615 or chinrichs@sab.org. All requests are strictly confidential.

EVEN

TS Almost 600 guests attendedthe Workshop PerformanceBenefit on Tuesday, June 8,2010, chaired by PaigeBluhdorn, Elizabeth McCreery,Suzanne Allen Redpath andLaura Zeckendorf along withDinner Chairmen Sasha andJohn Galantic, and CorporateChairman Jack Watters ofPfizer. The event honoredSAB board member andalumna, Coco Kopelman, and her husband Arie for theirlongtime dedication. Guestsenjoyed an electrifying per-formance of Scènes de Ballet,Valse Fantaisie and BourréeFantasque at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater, followed by a fes-tive dinner in the SAB studios, which were transformed into

chic monochromaticdining rooms for theevening. SAB’sadvanced students keptthe party going in ‘ClubOne’ long after dinner.The evening raised over$700,000 for theSchool, a recordamount for this event.

Event Honorees Coco & Arie Kopelman.

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Workshop WeekendSAB’s Workshop Performances were, as always, a highlightof the year for SAB patrons. Association and Donors Circlemembers attended the Workshop Final Rehearsal at thePeter Jay Sharp Theater on June 4 for a sneak preview ofthe weekend’s performances. They had the opportunity towatch the faculty stagers and students rehearsing with afull orchestra. SAB alumni who had performed in BourréeFantasque, Scènes de Ballet, and Valse Fantaisie in theirstudent Workshops attended the rehearsal as specialguests and gathered for a post-rehearsal cocktail party atSAB to reminisce. With The New York Times calling the2010 Workshop “…a talent-spotting highlight of the NewYork balletomane's year,” the Saturday performances werefilled with donors, friends, students’ families and balletlovers.

Bradford Race: A TributeSAB lost an outstanding friend when board memberBradford J. Race passed away in July. Brad was a distin-guished attorney and served New York State with greatdistinction in many capacities, including as Secretary andChief of Staff to Governor Pataki from 1995 to 2002. Adevotee of ballet, he had served on the SAB board ofdirectors since 2004 and was instrumental in helping theSchool build the Lincoln Kirstein Wing’s two floating glassstudios in 2009. His strong presence and wise counselare deeply missed. SA

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FOUNDERS SOCIETY

SAVE THE DATESaturday, December 11, 2010The Nutcracker Family Benefitis hosted by the School ofAmerican Ballet and New York CityBallet. Guests attend a matineeperformance of GeorgeBalanchine’s The Nutcracker fol-lowed by a festive party completewith visits from the Sugar PlumFairy and Santa.

D O N O R s p o t l i g h tThe School of American Ballet’s numeroussupporters—individuals, foundations, corporationsand government agencies—each play an essential rolein helping SAB’s young artists pursue their training atthe very highest level. The School is truly fortunateto have such loyal and generous friends. We extendheartfelt thanks to each and every supporter of SAB.

Horace W. Goldsmith FoundationHappy 10th birthday to the Pilates Program at SAB! Thanksto the generous support of the Horace W. GoldsmithFoundation, SAB board member Lee Slaughter and her latehusband James Slaughter, SAB’s advanced students have hadaccess to a fully-equipped Pilates studio and individual

instruction,onsite andfree of charge,for the past10 years.SAB’s pro-gram istaught bygifted Pilatesinstructorand SABalumna,Phoebe

Higgins, who works with students every afternoon to preventinjury by strengthening and lengthening core muscles. SAB’sstudents are incredibly fortunate to have a dedicated Pilatesprogram and facilities, and all of us at SAB salute the HoraceW. Goldsmith Foundation and the Slaughter family for mak-ing such a crucial aspect of SAB possible.

Van Cleef & Arpels

GeorgeBalanchine’sfriendshipwith ClaudeArpelsfamouslyinspired thecreation ofthe master-piece balletJewels forNew YorkCity Balletin 1967. Over the past four years, Van Cleef & Arpels hassaluted this legendary relationship as the sponsor of theSchool of American Ballet’s Winter Ball. With Van Cleef &Arpels’ exceptional leadership support, the SAB Winter Ballraises essential funds to award scholarships, maintain state-of-the-art studios and a residence hall, and offer vital studentlife programs beyond the studio. We look forward to celebrat-ing Van Cleef & Arpels and Winter Ball Corporate Chairman,Nicolas Luchsinger, on March 14, 2011.

Tabletops at The Nutcracker Family Benefit

Photos by Patrick McMullan

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2009 & 2010 Nutcracker Family Benefit Co-Chairman Julia Koch with her husband Davidand NYCB principal dancer Sterling Hyltin.

Co-Chairman Pamela Joyner with 2010and 2011 Masters of Ceremonies DeborahRoberts and Al Roker.

Peter Martins with faculty and students celebrating SAB’s 75th Anniversary at the2009 Winter Ball.

Peter Martins and Nicolas Luchsinger of Van Cleef & Arpels

Monday, March 14, 2011Enjoy dinner and dancing on thePromenade of the David H. KochTheater at the Winter Ball onMarch 14, 2011. This year’s eventis co-chaired by Pamela Joyner,Marissa Mayer, Elizabeth R. Millerand Betsy Pitts along with Foundingchairs Coco Kopelman and LizPeek. Van Cleef & Arpels will spon-sor the event for the fourthconsecutive year. For more informa-tion call 212-769-6610.

When Peter asked mein the 1990s if I wasinterested in teaching,I was kind of shocked.He tried to soften meby proposing that I’dfirst teach pas de deuxclass and later I’d gointo teaching men’sclass. I was terrified atfirst, feeling everyonewas watching and wait-ing for me to give themcombinations. Stanleyhelped me a bit andtold me not to beintimidated.

When I was 25 I didn’t think I’d ever stop dancing. Then I turned 30and I had two of my worst injuries. That’s when I started teachingmore and cooking more. Then I healed and danced a lot and taught alot too. The last few years of my career though, I felt teaching was mycalling.

“Something has to happen inside.”—Advanced Men

JOCK SOTOFaculty member since 1996

When I first came to the SchoolMadame Danilova was teaching there.There was a snow storm one day and Iarrived in boots and jeans. MmeDanilova came dressed in stylishclothes, beautiful fur lined boots, ashawl, etc. She looked at me and said,“Kay, what are you wearing?” I said,“Madame, I just trekked across townin the snow storm, so that's why Ilook this way.” She responded, “Mydarling, you were a ballerina and nowMr. Balanchine asked you to teachwhat you know to these students. You must teach them how to look,besides teaching them how to dance. You are their role model.”Needless to say, I never went to the school in jeans again!

I always thought I would have a family and teach ballet after I ended mycareer. And when I went to Mr. B and told him I could not dance andlook after my little boy who never slept, he told me that then I mustteach at the School. I, of course, said yes, because he taught me all Iknew of ballet and life and I trusted him, and he trusted me with teach-ing at his School!

“Sharp girls, like gangbusters!”—Advanced Girls

KAY MAZZOFaculty member since 1983Co-Chairman of Faculty since 1997

I was about 22 and fairly new inthe corps de ballet of NYCBwhen Balanchine asked me toteach. He said, "Just go in andteach them. See what they needand give it." He and Lincolnpeeked in the door part waythrough my first class; it wasChildren's II. As they left, Iheard Mr. B say, "I knew shewould get down on the floorand fix feet." A year later, in1962, he put together six inter-mediate boys and asked me toteach them for three weeks onlayoff. The Sackett brothers, Paul Mejia, and John Prinz were in thatclass. I believed totally in Mr. B's aesthetic; his trust in me as a teachergave me confidence and courage. He kept on asking me, and I alwayssaid “YES!”—to the Ford Foundation classes for teachers, to teachingthe Company, to joining the SAB faculty full-time, to the lecture demon-stration program.

There is also something of other teachers in me: the Christensens,Doubrovska, Danilova, Stanley Williams. I try to remain true toBalanchine's principles as I pass on what I was so fortunate to be givenby all of them. The longer I teach the more I recognize that there isalways more to learn and more to pass on. I am still at SAB, and I stilldance (the Argentine tango).

“Present yourself, present your pearls!”—Advanced Girls

SUKISCHORERFaculty member since 1972

I remember Mr. B told me,“You can’t start teachingwhen you retire. Must startyoung.”

Teaching is the hardest thingin the ballet profession. It ismore difficult than dancingor choreographing. Everysingle student expects you toknow and show everythingevery minute.

“That’s it! You see, anything is possible.”—Advanced students

PETER MARTINSChairman of Faculty since 1983

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“The faculty is paramount. I look for unconditional commitment when I choose teachers. And I look at eachteacher’s own individual qualities.” — Peter Martins

Teaching was more of a gradualrealization for me—that every-thing Mr. B taught us andstressed everyday in class waswhat I wanted to see on thedancers I taught. The words—more dear, bigger, faster, deeperplié, exaggerate, who are you sav-ing it for?—were all somehow inmy head all the time, and wouldcome out of my mouth some-times with his accent and funnyintonation. I started to under-stand why he wanted things so specifically one way or another. It justlooks more beautiful and after all, as he would say, "It's show business,dear."

I'd always done a little teaching here and there in my twenties at theSchool and in the Company. Mr. B always told us, "One day you're going toteach." When I was 18, he told a friend of mine I would be a good teacher.I was horrified. I only wanted to dance. Little did I know that was one ofthe best compliments he ever paid me. He gave me so much. I love toteach and am so lucky I have this wonderful place, SAB, to pass on whathe gave to us.

“Chest forward, like the lady on the bow of a ship.”—Advanced Girls

I began teaching forNYCB in 1988. In2003 I had the pleas-ure of helping to stagethe third act ofSleeping Beauty andthe pas de deux fromSwan Lake for theSchool’s Workshop,and shortly thereafterPeter Martins and KayMazzo invited me tobecome a member ofthe faculty.

I genuinely love working with the students at the School. I findtheir eagerness and enthusiasm so appealing, and teaching themis tremendously rewarding. I am truly proud to be part of thiswonderful school.

“Bend, don’t look like a fish stick in the air!”—Advanced Men

SUSANPILARREFaculty member since 1986

In the late 1960s, for six monthsbefore I got into the Company, Istudied at SAB when it was locatedat Broadway and 82nd Street,where Barnes and Noble nowstands. The School was very old,but walking through the door Iwas keenly aware of entering aplace that was rarefied andextraordinary. It was in the air,palpable. Here were the greatdancers who had passed throughthose studios where Balanchineand Stravinsky had created Agon. There existed a clearly unspoken eti-quette. It was found in the great Russian teachers who taught us, intheir passion for the art, and from seeing men like Lincoln Kirsteinand Stravinsky; and from the exquisite beauty and uniqueness of eachfemale Principal, some of such delicacy that they seemed ethereal. Butmost of all, from watching Mr. B—his elegance, dignity, proud bearing,and such pride. Those six months shaped my feelings about theSchool and gave me a reverence for it. That’s why, when I found out14 years later that I would be teaching at SAB, I felt so honored.

When I walked in my first day I ran right into Tumey who, with asmile, waved her stick at me and said, “GARIELLE! FIRST YOU WILLWATCH! THEN YOU WILL DO!” So I watched and wrote and tried todo, and after many years I believe I did.

“Immaculate positions girls.”—Girls IV

GARIELLEWHITTLEFaculty member since 1987

SEAN LAVERYFaculty member since 2003

The first time I came to the School wasMarch 2, 1976. I arrived in New York afew days before and came to see NatalieMolostwoff. All I had to show her wasa book with a sculpture of me dancingin it from Russia. The KGB had takenall of my photos. Suddenly Ms. Mologot a phone call and told me that ateacher was ill and could I teachadvanced men’s class right away? “Ofcourse,” I told her. After class she toldme that they had no class for me at thatmoment but maybe in the SummerCourse.

It turned out that Colleen Neary hadcalled Mr. Balanchine to tell him aboutmy class. Ms. Molo called me to cometeach the next day and told me Mr. Balanchine would come watch.Balanchine sat through class with no emotion on his face. I was in goodcondition so I showed every pirouette and tour en l’air. He left ten minutesbefore class was over and I thought, “Oh no, he must not like me.” When Igot to the dressing room, he was waiting for me and said, “My dear, I’vebeen waiting for you 40 years! Go teach at the theater and here at theSchool.” So since March 8, 1976, I’ve been an official teacher here. Then hecalled me to do character roles at the theater in Harlequinade andNutcracker. Balanchine made this life for me—like from God.

“Save your legs more than money.”—Advanced Men

ANDREI KRAMAREVSKYFaculty member since 1976

FACULTY SPOTLIGHTS WITH PHOTOS BY ROSALIE O’CONNOR

Stanley Williams had me take allof his classes and it was really heand Natasha Gleboff who urgedme to become a teacher. “You can’tjust quit and become a teacher,”they told me, so I watched a lotand then filled in for Tumey andDudin early on. My first class wasGirls II, which was hard. Teachingthe younger ones takes a lot moreenergy than the older girls. Thenwhen I was pregnant, I taughtGirls V.

What I teach to the 6 and 7-year-olds is all in the curriculum, thesame way that it’s all inBalanchine’s choreography. I justfelt it would be better to get the kids a little younger so we couldstart shaping their feet and turnout sooner. Patience and energy arethe key with the little ones, especially those first three months. Oncewe’re past learning plié, tendu and the first 5 positions, I see a light gooff in them, and then it’s pure fun. You really have to be willing togive them so much because they are like sponges; and you have toshow them everything because the little ones especially are copyingyou! Sometimes I play games with them and they love it.

“What are pointe shoes for? To make magic!”—Advanced Girls

DARCI KISTLERFaculty member since 1994

During my early orienta-tion to the School in 1994,I was permitted to observeMadame AntoninaTumkovsky’s class in orderto learn the children’s cur-riculum for young SABstudents. She was a verysignificant figure in myearly training as a studentat SAB from 1968 through1970, and when I firstbecame a member ofNYCB. My most outstand-ing memory of herinfluence however came from that 1994 experience while observing herclass as a potential faculty member of the School. Along with the bril-liant insight and knowledge she offered about the foundational trainingof young dancers, I also became suddenly aware of the process of contin-uation of Mr. Balanchine's original vision and how clearly it was revealedin the training of students at the School.

The evolution of the School and the evolution of a dancer seemed likeone and the same process, first stemming from his brilliant vision,passed by him to his devoted teachers, and their exchange of that visionshared between each other, and finally the passage of that vision on tothe student, some of whom will, much like myself and the other facultymembers, continue the process. I recall seeing clearly the growth of theschool and growth of a student as a product of many influences.

“Use your full plié.”—Intermediate Girls

SHERYL WAREFaculty member since 1996

My earliest teaching memory atSAB is from the audition classKay Mazzo asked me to teachwhen SAB was about to launchits new 6 and 7 year-old classesin the fall of 2007. I was "com-ing home" for the first time sinceI had left NYCB to join ABTmany years before.

During the class, I started to feelvery old muscle memories of

classes with Stanley Williams, Alexandra Danilova, Mme Tumkovskyand others as if they were in the room with me. By the time I foundmyself rushing each girl diagonally across the room as they executed abourrée diagonal at high speed while I "partnered" them (to movethem further and faster), I was hooked on this idea of teaching—hereat this place that I had always loved from the moment I arrived tostudy at age 13. Mr. B had always harassed all of his company mem-bers to "TEACH! You must TEACH!" I didn't understand why, backthen, but now I feel a sense of overwhelming responsibility.

“Stand tall and strong like a tree.”—Children's Division

LISA DERIBEREFaculty member since 2007

The first time I taughtadvanced men in stu-dio one I was reallyblown away. I wastransported back tothe first time I ever setfoot at SAB back whenI was 13 and I wasauditioning for thesummer program. Ihave a vivid image oflooking into that samestudio and seeingStanley Williamsteaching advancedmen. Darci Kistler and

Damian Woetzel were in the class and I was completely in awe. I didnot want to leave the doorway. To be teaching in that same studioand the same level as someone that I admired as much as StanleyWilliams was so humbling and so exciting, I had to try to control thehuge smile that was creeping onto my face. I have a passion forteaching ballet and I love working with students.

“Not 5th, PERFECT 5th.”—Boys IV

JONATHAN STAFFORDFaculty member since 2007

“Nearly all of the School’s faculty was trained here and that was Mr. B's idea. He liked the idea that the process comesfull circle: First you are a student here, next you dance in NYCB, and then you come back and teach what you learnedhere and what you learned from performing.” — Kay Mazzo

I had been religiouslywatching Tumey teach GirlsI for a year. Suddenly oneday I got a call fromMadame Gleboff to come tothe School. I had no ideawhat I was coming for, butshe asked me to come so Icame. Next thing I knew Iwas on the phone withTumey, who was sick thatday, and she asked me totell her the class for GirlsI—right then and there withno notes or preparation. SoI told her: demi pliés 4counts down 4 counts up1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th posi-tions. “Ok, Trina, next,” shesaid. And so I went through the entire class on the phone with her. Then Itaught the class and afterward called her to tell her how it went. Every detailwas so important to her.

I am so thankful that I had that year to study Girls I from MadameTumkovsky. The tempo in Girls I was extraordinarily clear because shewould pound out the musicality for the children with her stick. I thinkhearing and seeing her work made me absorb the true sense of the class.

“Energy! I am here, and then I am there.”—Advanced Girls

KATRINA KILLIANFaculty member since 1998

Toward the end of my careerI became interested in teach-ing and wanted to pursuethat path. I thought a lotabout the teachers I hadhere and how important itwas for me to use theknowledge they had givenme. I spoke with Peterabout it and he was excited.I don’t think he knew thatwas something I was inter-ested in. I’d say my maininfluence was my mom,Susan Borree, who dancedwith ABT and NYCB andwas a wonderful teacher.She was one of my teachersand that was very special tome. She was caring, fun,supportive, loving andstrong. These are the quali-ties I hope to pass on to mystudents.

When I thought about what comes next after performing, I realized thatSAB is where I want to be and teaching is what I want to do. I realizedhow important it is for me to teach what I love so much.

“Think tall, like the most beautiful flower.”—Girls V

YVONNE BORREEFaculty member since 2008

We were on a break between acts inan NYCB dress rehearsal for SleepingBeauty a few years ago when Peterfirst approached me with the idea ofteaching at SAB. I was waiting onmy "throne" dressed in the Queen'swhite silk gown. Peter sat in theKing's chair and said, "So what doyou think about teaching?" I wastotally taken off guard, didn't asktoo many questions and said, "Sure,I'll give it a try." I think he wasexpecting it was something I hadbeen thinking about for years, butuntil then the idea had actuallynever crossed my mind. I had noidea what I'd do once I finished per-forming. I kept trying to preparemyself for whatever might come myway; I went to college, did somewriting for dance publications and often thought of teaching ballets—but more as a ballet master than a classroom teacher. I never imagined Iwould join this select group of people who had such an influence inshaping my life. Now that I'm here, it feels so natural and right.

“Feel the music as you move.”—Girls V

DENA ABERGELFaculty member since 2009

My Dad is an archi-tect and before Istudied ballet Ithought that waswhat I would do. Asa child I spent somuch time at thedrafting table withthe tracing paper andartist’s tools, lookingat architecture books.But once I startedballet I was hooked.Before I began teach-ing I had somereservations about it,

but once I got my feet wet it clicked. I have learned a great deal alreadyfrom teaching and wish I had done it much earlier while I was dancing.

Something I try to communicate to the boys I teach is absolute commit-ment to what you’re doing at any given moment—whether that ends upbeing ballet or anything else. This pertains to every aspect of life. WhenI see a student with that commitment, I am most impressed.

“Map it out. Know where your body is going.”—Boys III

ARCH HIGGINSFaculty member since 2010

Jared and Tyler Angle leda group of NYCB dancersincluding Teresa Reichlin,Tiler Peck, AmarRamasar, AndrewVeyette, and MeganFairchild, to perform atthe 22nd InternationalBallet Festival in Havana,Cuba in early November.

Ashley Bouder and DanielUlbricht performed

Tarantella at the WhiteHouse in September aspart of a dance serieshosted by DamianWoetzel.

Puanani Brown wrote anarticle for the Septemberissue of Dance Spiritabout her journey fromapprenticeship at NYCBto Harvard University toAmerican Ballet Theatre.

Sandra Brown is the bal-let mistress at ColoradoBallet. She recently had ababy girl, Emma TaylorBoggs.

Kurt Froman stagedBenjamin Millepied'sTriade at Paris OperaBallet and was recentlynamed the ResidentChoreographer of thesecond National Tour ofBilly Elliot. He dances therole of “older Billy” insome performances.

Marcus Galante taughtballet workshops at theNational Ballet Schools ofBulgaria and Montenegroas well as for BalletChicago this summer.His ballet Arietta was per-formed at theBaryshnikov Center. Heis currently choreograph-ing and staging aproduction of SweeneyTodd in NYC.

Tom Gold led a group ofdancers to France andSpain this summer. InOctober, his group per-formed his newchoreography in Tel Aviv.Merrill Ashley alsoappeared with the groupin Israel to lecture andteach.

Lydia Harmsen is thehead of fundraising at theMauritshuis Museum inThe Hague.

Lane Harwell is the newdirector of Dance/NYC,the city’s leading danceadvocacy organization.

Emily Hendrickson is alicensed funeral directorat Sperling Funeral Home in Pittsburgh, PA.

Vanessa Henke graduatedfrom Harvard MedicalSchool and is completingresidency in anesthesiol-ogy at MassachusettsGeneral Hospital.

Jennifer Homans, aDistinguished Scholar inResidence at New YorkUniversity, is the authorof Apollo’s Angels: AHistory of Ballet.

Gelsey Kirkland hasopened the GelseyKirkland Academy ofClassical Ballet in NYC.

Cate Leach exhibited hersecond show, “Lost andFound: Paintings, Collageand Assemblage” atManhattan’s Prince StreetGalleryin June.Her cur-rentshow atArtPlaceGalleryin Fairfield, CT, is titled"Otherworld, NewPaintings."

Susie Linfield's book TheCruel Radiance:Photography and PoliticalViolence will be published

in November. Linfielddirects the CulturalReporting and Criticismprogram at New YorkUniversity, where she isan Associate Professor ofJournalism.

Lauren Lovette appearedon Fox and Friends, Fox'snational morning showon September 13th.

LaurenandTaylorStanleywerefea-turedon thecover

of Dance Spirit inSeptember.

Nilas Martins is undertak-ing a nine-monthfellowship at the DeVosInstitute for ArtsManagement at theKennedy Center inWashington, D.C.

Essence McGill Arzu hasbecome a partner at thelaw firm Foley Hoag.

Aubrey Morgan hasjoined the Broadway castof Phantom of the Opera.

Oswaldo Muniz has cre-ated tutus and costumesfor former members ofNYCB as well as figureskating Olympic goldmedalist Sarah Hughes.

Eva Natanya is beginninga PhD program inReligious Studies at theUniversity of Virginia,concentrating in TibetanBuddhism.

Miami City Ballet hasnamed former NYCBprincipal dancer PhilipNeal its Palm BeachCommunity Liaison. Heis also staging ballets forthe Balanchine andRobbins Trusts.

Seth Orza has been pro-moted to the rank ofprincipal dancer at

Pacific Northwest Ballet.Laura Gilbreath andSarah Ricard Orza werenamed soloists.

Tiler Peck performedDonizetti Variations andTheme and Variations atArgentina’s Teatro Colónin September withJoaquin De Luz.

Avi Scher's group per-formed at Jacob's PillowInside/Out this summerfeaturing dancers AshleyBouder, Andrew Scordato,Savannah Lowery andRalphIppolito(pic-tured).Thegroupalsodanceda fullprogram at the KennedyCenter Millennium Stagewhich included a newsolo for Sokvannara Sar.Avi’s Mingling recentlypremiered for Ballet WestII. In addition, Avi is per-forming in theMetropolitan Opera's pro-duction of Les Contesd'Hoffman.

In August, the DogwoodCenter for the PerformingArts in Fremont,Michigan commissioneda new ballet by TroySchumacher. His Satellitewas danced by fellowSAB alumni and NYCBdancers Ashley Laracey,Justin Peck, Marika

Anderson, Lauren King,and Daniel Applebaum.Andrew Scordatodesigned the costumes.

Peter Stark is the newDirector of the DanceProgram at the PatelConservatory of the StrazPerforming Arts Centerin Tampa.

Miriam Wenger-Landispublished her novel enti-tled Girl in Motion.

Wendy Whelan spent aweek in Stockholm work-ing on the newest dancefilm by Swedish choreog-rapher and film makerPontus Lidberg.

Matthew White is theauthor of Italy of myDreams, the story of anAmericandesigner'sreal lifepassionfor Italianstyle.

The Vail InternationalDance Festival’s artisticdirector Damian Woetzelbrought together dancersfrom around the worldfor the InternationalEvening of Dance.Among the internationalstars were SAB alumniHerman Cornejo, RobertFairchild, Carla Körbes,Misa Kuranaga, TilerPeck, Sokvannara Sar,Eric Underwood andWendy Whelan.

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SAVE THE DATE 2011 Alumni Weekend—February 4 and 5

The annual Alumni Weekend is open to all alumni. Join usFriday, February 4, for a cocktail party at SAB followedby a performance at NYCB. On February 5, guests areinvited to view intermediate & advanced classes at anopen house during the day. The School looks forward towelcoming back old and new faces in the upcomingyear. Please save the date and be sure to register forour Online Community at sab.org/alumni.

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American Ballet Theatre Puanani Brown (Silver Spring, MD)

Ballet MetMadelyn Serafin (New Albany, OH)

Boston Ballet IITrevor Felixbrod (New York, NY)

Kansas City BalletArielle Espie (Fort Myers, FL)Alexander Peters (State College, PA)

Los Angeles BalletAaron Bahadursingh (Roseville, CA)Dina Bilofsky (Hollidaysburg, PA)Allyssa Bross (Charlotte, NC)Alexander Castillo (Bayside, NY)Katherine Cowgill (Minneapolis, MN)Christopher Revels (Ocoee, FL)Faith Score (New York, NY)Alexandre Scupinari (Parana, Brazil)

Miami City BalletAdriana Piercy (Verona, NJ)

Nashville BalletJudson Veach (Westerville, OH)

New York City BalletStephanie Chrosniak (Carlisle, PA)

Peter Martins has invited seven advanced SAB students to become apprentices with NewYork City Ballet during the 2010-11 school year. Pictured above (left to right): SpartakHoxha, Jillian Harvey, Elizabeth Wallace, Lily Balogh and Lars Nelson. Not pictured:Emily Kikta and Claire Kretzschmar.

In the school year that ended on August 31, 2010, SAB students joined the companies listed below. Many others began apprenticeships with these and other companies across the United States.

continued from page 3Violette Verdy

Emilie Gerrity (LaGrangeville, NY)Brittany Hillyer (Monroe, GA)Ashly Isaacs (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)Dana Jacobson (Glenelg, MD)Lauren Lovette (Raleigh, NC)Shoshana Rosenfield (New York, NY)

Taylor Stanley (West Chester, PA)Lara Tong (Palos Verdes, CA)Sarah Villwock (Roswell, GA)

Pacific Northwest BalletRyan Cardea (New York, NY)

Pennsylvania BalletAmy Holihan (Dayton, OH)

The Royal BalletBeatriz Stix-Brunell (Miami, FL)

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT

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concerned that I would losesome of the things I liked frommy European teachers, andthen I realized it was all there.In those days the teacherstaught what they had learned.Balanchine clarified the size ofthe steps in relation to the timeof the music, making sure thatthe small steps were fast, themedium ones medium and thelarge ones more daring andlarger. Also [essential was] themusicality and how to psycho-logically train dancers withoutmaking them abandon them-selves in the sound ofwonderful music in class, but in the rigor of time and spacewithin the music. [He wouldchallenge us to dance certain]counts over the music, likedoing steps in a 5 in a phraseof 8.

Suki Schorer and Suzy Pilarreare going on in what is already

a different chapter of prepara-tion. I am more of a bridgewith the past.

Does teaching fulfill you in

ways that performing didn’t?

I don’t have to worry aboutmyself as much as I used to.Also I don’t face my limitationsthe same way. In a way I feel Ihave more possibility of beinguseful. I knew that Mr. B wouldgive me things that wouldmake me shine, but as ateacher I feel more useful.

Are there things you miss

about performing?

To arrive onstage and have afull orchestra play for you—that is a unique experience.Also the pleasure of dancingwith colleagues.

You often teach some of your

well-known Balanchine solos

in SAB’s variations class.

What are some of the lessons

you hope to convey to the

students?

To make sure that they respectthe choreography. Also tomake them aware of the factthat even in lovely choreogra-phy you are doing somethingtechnically correct. And classis a first stage, so to speak,but when you go onstage youhave to have more to offer. Itis a bigger responsibility andmore of an output.

What should students know

beyond perfecting technique

to succeed as dancers?

We have a responsibility to theaudience to give them some-thing transcendent-—some-thing we all aspire to, some-thing that religion, philosophy,

parents and teachers also tryto give you. We can show theaudience beauty and happinessbecause we have the musicand the dance.

I don’t enjoy pieces that bringyou back to the ugly or sadside of life. With ballet we canshow people somethingextraordinary. �

A promotional photo for Jewels, 1967.

Introducing SAB’s

LOS ANGELES WORKSHOP FOR YOUNG DANCERSfor dancers ages 10 to 14 (by audition only)

at the Westside School of BalletSanta Monica, California

August 1 – 12, 2011

visit www.sab.org/LAWorkshop for more information

UPCOMING EVENTSPlease visit www.sab.org for more details.

Class Visiting Days* November 16–18January 19–23

February 23–26Association Seminar* November 22Charitable Planning Seminar November 29Nutcracker Family Benefit December 11Lecture Demonstration Rehearsal* January 22Alumni Weekend February 4–5Valentine’s Day Open House* February 14Patrons Circle Seminar* March 3Winter Ball March 14Workshop Preview* April 12Spring & Community Auditions April/May Workshop Final Rehearsal* June 3Workshop Performances June 4 & 7Workshop Performance Benefit June 7

* These events are available to Association andDonors Circle members only. To learn aboutbecoming a member, please visit usat www.sab.org.

Newsletter Editor: Dena Abergel

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Photo by Rosalie O’Connor

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