Marjorie Berlin Fink Merit Scholarship Auditions to take place on Sunday, April 15, 2012 at BGLV Studios

Ballet Guild of the Lehigh Valley, Inc. announces the fifth annual Marjorie B. Fink Scholarship auditions, named to honor the legacy of Miss Fink, the organization’s founder. Deserving dancers will receive scholarships of half tuition for the 2012-2013 school year to study ballet in the Ballet Guild’s Pre-Professional Dance Division.  Auditions for these scholarships will take place on Sunday, April 15, 2012 at Ballet Guild studios, 556 Main Street, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

A panel of distinguished dance educators will judge the applicants.   The winners will be presented at the Ballet Guild’s Spring Ballet on Saturday, May 19, 2012 at Foy Hall, Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Dancers – beginning, intermediate, and advanced – from all schools are encouraged to audition.  Applicants will audition by age as follows:  ages 7-9, 12:30-1:45 p.m.; ages 10-12, 1:45-3:00 p.m.; ages 13 and up, 3:45-5:00 p.m.  Applicants must be age 7 by the date of the audition.  The audition will be in the form of a ballet class; applicants should wear proper dance attire.  Applicants and a parent or guardian should arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time in order to fill out the application form.  Female students on pointe should bring pointe shoes.  The audition fee is $20. For more information, please call the Ballet Guild office, 610-865-0353; or visit the website, www.bglv.org

Summer Intensive Updates!

Congratulations to the Ballet Guild’s pre-professional students who have been accepted into the following excellent ballet summer intensives:  Harid Conservatory, American Ballet Theatre (New York, Texas, North Carolina, Alabama, Bermuda), Carolina Ballet, Briansky Ballet Center, The Rock School, Joffrey Ballet (New York, Bolshoi Exchange), and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. We applaud your accomplishments and look forward to hearing about your summer experiences!

Christopher Fleming to Teach Master Class – Saturday, March 31, 2012

Christopher Fleming will be teaching a Master Class at the Ballet Guild studios on Saturday, March 31, 2012, 12:00-2:00 pm, with a 1/2 hour question and answer session immediately following the class.

As a member of the New York City Ballet, Mr. Fleming danced solo and principal roles in works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins and Peter Martins. He also headed a group of soloists and principals from the New York City Ballet, which toured Europe and performed his choreography as well as that of George Balanchine. With Mr. Balanchine’s encouragement he embarked on a career as a choreographer and received a Fellowship from the National Choreographic Institute.

Mr. Fleming served as the Artistic Director of the Compañia Colombiana de Ballet at the Teatro Colon in Bogota, Colombia from 1985 to 1990. He was named Artistic Director of Bay Ballet Theatre in Tampa, Florida in 1993. In the mid 2000’s, Mr. Fleming was Co-Director of Contrast Dance Theatre based in New York City.  He served as Assistant Director and Resident Choreographer for The Rock School for Dance Education, formerly of the Pennsylvania Ballet, for nearly ten years.  His personal student roster has yielded professionals in nearly every division of the field, including members of some of the most prestigious companies in the United States.  He has and continues to guest teach at countless schools and companies across the country and globe.  Mr. Fleming has enjoyed and is currently undertaking a freelancing choreographic and teaching career.

While Mr. Fleming continues travel abroad hosting Master Classes, Guest Teaching, and staging and creating his works on schools and company throughout the world, he is excited to be entering the second year with his school and newest dance company to Philadelphia, BalletFleming.  His ballet The Myth and Madness of Edgar Allan Poe is being performed at Drexel University’s Mandell Theatre March 9 & 10, 2012.

This class is for upper intermediate/advanced ballet students with at least 4 years of training.  Limited space is available – reserve now!

$35 – Non-BGLV students/$30 – BGLV students/$5 – Observers

Christopher Fleming Master Class Registration Information Form

Oleg Briansky to Teach Master Class – Saturday, February 25th!

Oleg Briansky will be teaching a Master Class at the Ballet Guild on Saturday, February 25, 2012, 12:00pm-2:00pm, with a 1/2 hour question and answer session immediately following the class. As both premier danseur and choreographer, Mr. Briansky has performed with such renowned companies as the Ballet des Champs-Elysees, the Ballet de Paris, London Festival Ballet, the New York Metropolitan Opera Ballet, the Munich Opera Ballet, the Teatro Colon of Buenos Aires and the Chicago Opera Ballet. As international teacher and coach, Mr. Briansky has directed principal dancers from the New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, the Boston Ballet, and the National Ballet of Canada. He was one of the founders and directors of the Briansky Saratoga Ballet Center summer ballet intensive which was in operation for 43 years, and currently teaches the Briansky Ballet Center summer dance intensive at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.

The master class is for upper intermediate/advanced ballet students with at least 4 years of training. Limited space available – reserve now.

$35 – Non BGLV students, $30 – Registered BGLV students, $5 – Observers

Click here for Master Class Registration Form.

Youth America Grand Prix Results!

The Ballet Guild is proud to announce that the five students who recently competed in the Youth America Grand Prix Semi-Finals in Philadelphia received excellent scores – Abigail Altemose (Pre-Competitive Division), Natalie Hedrick, Natalie Krupka, and Jillian Sinko (Junior Division), and Rachel Altemose (Senior Division). In addition, Natalie Hedrick has been invited to the New York Intensive, including Master Classes and the Stars of Today Meet Stars of Tomorrow Gala, to be held in April! We congratulate our students on their accomplishments and their dedication to the art of dance!

Paul Taylor Master Class at the Ballet Guild!

We are very excited to announce that the Paul Taylor Dance Company will be performing at Allentown Symphony Hall on Saturday, January 28th at 8:00pm, and will be offering a Master Class at the Ballet Guild on Friday, January 27th, 4:30-6:00pm! The Paul Taylor Dance Company is described as “one of the most exciting, innovative, and delightful dance companies in the entire world” (The New York Times).

Space for the Master Class is limited to 30 intermediate/advanced students, so contact the Ballet Guild to register NOW! Cost for BGLV students is $10, for non-BGLV students $20. The class will be followed by a showing of “Dancemaker”, an Oscar-nominated documentary about Paul Taylor and his company.

Checks payable to “Allentown Symphony” only will be accepted for this class. Contact the Ballet Guild at (610) 865-0353 for further information. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity!

Class Update for Saturday 1/21

Due to the weather, all classes for Saturday, 1/21/12 have been cancelled. Parent observation will take place next Saturday, 1/28/12, for the missed classes.

Youth America Grand Prix Semi-Finals in Philadelphia This Weekend!

The Ballet Guild is pleased and excited to announce that five students will be competing in the Youth America Grand Prix Semi-Finals in Philadelphia from January 13-15. Rachel Altemose will perform in the Senior Division (variation from Coppelia), Natalie Krupka (variation from Paquita), Natalie Hedrick (variation from Fairy Doll), and Jillian Sinko (variation from Don Quixote), will each perform in the Junior Division, and Abigail Altemose (variation from Sleeping Beauty) will compete in the Pre-Competitive Division. We are very proud of all our dancers and wish each of them the best of luck!

Ballet Guild Students Perform In Rioult Dance Company Production!

Ballet Guild students Alex Vogelgesang, Rachel Starr, Emma Meckfessel, Caitlyn Lazzarini, Elizabeth Burke, & Maya Biechlin auditioned and were selected to perform in Rioult Dance Company’s charming production of Fables and Small Steps, Tiny Revolutions, taking place at Zoellner Arts Center on Sunday, January 15th at 3:00pm.  The Ballet Guild dancers, and other local students, will perform along with professional dancers in the production. The performance re-imagines Aesop’s fables as family-friendly modern dance pieces, and “Small Steps” is the story of a boy whose father forbids him from dancing. Tickets may be purchased through the Zoellner link listed below. Bring your family and support these talented Ballet Guild students for this wonderful performance!

Get Tickets Here – Zoellner Arts Center.

Happy New Year!

Just a reminder that all Pre-Professional and Community Classes resume on Monday, January 2nd! We’re looking forward to seeing everyone in the New Year!