Indiana Ballet Conservatory Announces New Studios

IBC student, Elise Shea                                                          Siggul/VAM Productions 2012

The Indiana Ballet Conservatory announces an open house Fri., July 27, 5 - 7 pm to introduce its new studios located at 849 W. Carmel Drive and allow students to enroll for the fall semester.

All students enrolled in the fall semester will participate in The Nutcracker performed at the Indianapolis Museum of Art's Tobias Theater in December.

Since opening in 2010, the world-class faculty, consisting of Alyona Yakovleva, Tatiana Pali, Sergey Sergiev and Hailey Agran, has garnered both international attention and hometown support. Each year the number of students has consistently increased. Over the summer semester, IBC tripled the enrollment of its student body.

Students were invited April 25 to participate in the Youth America Grand Prix International NYC Finals, the largest international student ballet scholarship competition in the world. With more than 115 ensembles from America, Brazil, Mexico, Italy, Korea, South Africa, Spain and Switzerland, IBC placed in the top 12 with an ensemble piece created by faculty member, Sergey Sergiev, and danced by senior-level students Sterling Manka, Mark Pecar, and Alex Ray.

Sergiev was named the Outstanding Choreographer at this year's YAGP Indianapolis regional competition, which he received also in 2009 as well as the Choreography Award at the World Ballet Competition in 2010. In 2011, IBC earned the Outstanding School Award, while Yakovleva and Pali both received Outstanding Teacher awards.

The general public is welcome to attend an informal End-of-Summer Gala Friday, July 27, 7 pm at the new studios. There is no admission fee, but donations are encouraged. 

For open house and 2012-13 enrollment information, visit IndianaBalletConservatory.org.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated columnist, travel writer, performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her newest column, Infused at GottaGo.us and FoodandDrinkDigital.com and as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC. Gotta Go is published on Gottago.us, BroadwayWorld.com, in M magazine and these newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

The Nutcracker performed by Indianapolis School of Ballet Dec. 16-18

INDIANAPOLIS SCHOOL OF BALLET Presents

The NUTCRACKER

Press Release-Indianapolis School of Ballet will perform its fifth annual production of The Nutcracker Dec. 16-18 at the historic Scottish Rite Cathedral Theater, 650 N. Meridian St., in downtown Indianapolis. The Friday, Dec. 16 performance is at 7:30 pm. There will be two performances on Saturday, Dec. 17; a matinee at 2 pm and 7:30 pm. The Sunday, Dec. 18 performance is at 3 pm. 

Tickets are on sale now for all performance and can be purchased indyballet.org, or by calling 317-955-7525, 10 am - 7 pm, Monday through Friday, or 9 am -2 pm on Saturday.

E.T.A. Hoffman's charming holiday tale, The Nutcracker, is brought to life in a classical ballet presentation by Victoria Lyras, ISB founding artistic director. This interpretation is set in Victorian Indianapolis recreated by master scenic artist and designer C. David Higgins through his 25-foot by 50-foot backdrops, replicas of the Morris-Butler House, an Indiana Landmarks museum house. Exquisite hand-made costumes are by Loukia Finale, former seamstress in Oscar de la Renta’s Manhattan atelier and costumer for the Piraeus Theater in Greece. Barrymore Award-winning designer James Leitner crafts the production’s lighting and design.

Lyras is again combining forces with ballet mistress and master teacher Fiona Fuerstner to set choreography performed by more than 80 dancers including ISB pre-professional students and faculty, with professional guest artists. Ballroom dancers from Indianapolis-based Riolo Dance will portray the adult partygoers in the first scene depicting a holiday gathering as part of an ongoing professional collaboration between Lyras and Marie Riolo Roach. Professional choreography in the ballet includes pieces by Robert Rodham, Fuerstner, Lyras and George Balanchine. 

The Indianapolis School of Ballet has again received permission from the George Balanchine Trust to use Balanchine’s famous Act Two Grand Pas de Deux in this production.  The Trust requires the engagement of approved repetiteurs to stage Mr. Balanchine’s choreography. Ms. Lyras has been honored with staging this work for ISB’s production.

Featured guest artists include Paul Vitali and Chris Lingner. Vitali, formerly of the Pennsylvania Ballet and Feld Ballets/NY, returns as Herr Drosselmeyer, the benevolent maker of magic who gives young Clara her beloved nutcracker. Lingner, a native of Indianapolis who danced in national tours of Movin’ Out and Hairspray, will perform the role of Cavalier and Snow King.

For more information, tickets and schedule of performances, visit indyballet.org or call 317-955-7525.

Photo Credit: Freddie Kelvin
Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated columnist, travel writer, performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as Indy’s Arts & Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC, and follow her on Twitter @GottaGO and Facebook. Gotta Go is published in the following newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter.