Nothing brings in the holidays better than Miami City Ballet’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™! With Thanksgiving just days away, here’s a special preview of the magic we’ll be making onstage to officially kickoff the holiday season. Enjoy!
Last week, répétiteur and Artistic Director of Oregon Ballet Theatre Kevin Irving visited our studios to teach our dancers Nacho Duato’s Jardí Tancat. This profoundly Spanish, soulful work challenged our dancers to move differently, breaking free from their typical ballet vocabulary. Dancer Chase Swatosh describes his experience learning Duato’s unique choreography below!
Christopher Wheeldon breaks down the ballet that made him one of today’s most important choreographers in our latest INSIGHTS video! Catch the final performance of this work during Program I: First Ventures at the Kravis Center, November 15-17. GET TICKETS NOW!
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Suzette Logue
We are back in performance mode this week, as we prepare for our Season Opening at the Kravis Center this weekend! First Ventures has been the perfect way to start the new season. From George Balanchine’s Serenade — the first ballet he created in America — to Christopher Wheeldon’s “edgy and electrifying Polyphonia“, as described by the Miami Herald, and Balanchine’s joyful, virtuoso Ballo della Regina, each ballet inspires a sense of excitement and anticipation for the rest of the season. To create lasting memories and capture our final performances of Program I: First Ventures on Instagram is corps de ballet dancer Suzette Logue!
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Jovani Furlan
Tonight, the worlds of Broadway and ballet literally collide during our first Open Barre of the 2013-2014 Season. The original Anita from the Broadway production of West Side Story, Chita Rivera joins us onstage to discuss working with Jerome Robbins, while the company gives a sneak peek of the “triple threat” premiere of West Side Story Suite. This will be the first time that our dancers test their signing talents in front of a live audience….and to capture it all on Instagram is dancer Jovani Furlan!
Legendary Balanchine ballerina Merrill Ashley discusses the ballet that made her a star! Discover what makes Ballo della Regina “sparkle” in our latest INSIGHTS video and see it at the Broward Center during Program I: First Ventures this weekend! Get your ticket now!
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Leigh Ann Esty
Anyone who attended opening night at the Arsht Center last Friday can agree that the energy and excitement was at an all-time high for the opening of our 2013-2014 Season! We can’t wait to do it all again at the Broward Center for the opening of Program I: First Ventures on October 25-27. While the PAPARAZZI will be snapping shots of our glamorous audience members on the red carpet, dancer Leigh-Ann Esty will be behind-the-scenes capturing the backstage action on opening night and throughout the weekend on Instagram. Find out why she is excited for our opening program at the Broward Center and follow her at #LeighMCBphotos!
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Patricia Delgado
The night we have been waiting for is finally here and we not only have one, but TWO stories from Principal dancer Patricia Delgado to wrap up the Opening Night countdown. We hope that you have enjoyed the series and that tonight, when the curtain rises on Program I: First Ventures, you and our dancers will make new memories together through a shared experience in the beauty of the ballet.
I have two very special opening night memories that I will never forget! The first one was during one of my first years in the company. It is one of my favorite All Balanchine Programs — Ballo de la Regina, Stravinsky Violin Concerto and Stars and Stripes.
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Jovani Furlan
We are keeping the Opening Night stories coming right up until the curtain rises tomorrow evening at the Arsht Center! Next, corps de ballet dancer Jovani Furlan brings us his most memorable story from Opening Night.
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Suzanne Limbrunner
We are only THREE DAYS AWAY from opening night, so get your tickets soon! The countdown continues with another exciting Opening Night story from corps de ballet dancer Suzanne Limbrunner.
The energy and excitement backstage was electric. We were focused and ready to perform but the anticipation of our Paris debut made this opening night exceptional. We were 16 girls all dressed in white leotards, pink tights and pointe shoes, making a perfect diagonal line across the stage. The curtain went up and I heard the audience take a deep breath from the beautiful opening image of Balanchine’s Symphony In Three Movements. No one moved, all eyes were on our conductor Gary Sheldon. He lifted his baton and dropped it down for the first note of music and we began to dance. It felt like we were one unit moving together in perfect grace and harmony. This was an opening night I will remember and cherish forever!