Perhaps you’ve thought about the ballet or may be you even enjoy a show once or twice. What’s holding you back?  How much do you know about our ballet and the dancers?

There are so many ways to get involved with the Cincinnati Ballet!

I’ve already told you about Ballet and Beer (I think the spots fill up as soon as registration opens), and you can easily find the dates for the upcoming production by visiting this site or cballet.org. And yet there’s more!

When the upcoming season is starting, be sure to purchase that season’s subscription. Or, show your support by  donating* to the Cincinnati Ballet allowing not only the beautiful art of ballet to continue but the educational outreach programs that are run enriching this great city even more.                   (*See site for donation amounts and benefits)

After each evening’s performance the Cincinnati ballet holds a party just for subscribers. Except for  New Works, after party’s will be held at the Aronoff. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar while mingling the dancers and getting to know them personally.

The new 2010/2011 season will be announced on March 14th. One great new addition to the season, which was announced first by Victoria Morgan during opening night for Cinderella, is a performance of Sleeping Beauty danced with the Cincinnati Symphony at Music Hall October 22-24!

Don’t miss out on your subscription and all it’s benefits!

Tonight I had the pleasure of seeing the Cincinnati Ballet’s production of Cinderella, made that much more intense by the privilege of having the live orchestra thanks to patron’s support.

The rich velvet curtain opened to a scene of Cinderella scrubbing the floor, the step-mother and the father working at a spinning wheel while the wicked step-sisters, danced gloriously by two of the ballet’s male dancers, embroidering a silk scarf. A comedic fight breaks loose over the scarf that is eventually torn in half by the step-mother to make both girls happy.

Tonight, the lead role of Cinderella was danced by Janessa Touchet. Throughout the entire ballet performance, I was memorized by Ms. Touchet’s hand and arms. While this may sound strange to some, the entire body is used expressively in dance and the arms in ballet most definitely. Janessa played a most exquisites role with her perfected art that has blossomed and embrassed over the years. An amazing confidence as a dancer, a special treat for the rest of us.

The quirky step-mother danced by another favorite, Kelly Yankle, was perfectly cast and held a wonderful balance of protective mother and producer of laughs. Speaking of laughs, the step-sisters, danced by Stephen Jacobson and Selahattin Erkan could have easily stolen the show. What fun they had in these parts! On more than one occasion the audience laughed with glee at the antics these two conspired usually against each other.

The father, danced by Devon Carney, Associate Artistic Director for the Cincinnati Ballet, is the part that I mentioned before I have never had the privilege of seeing. In this version, based off of Charles Perrault’s 19th century tale and using the beautiful music of Sergei Prokofiev, I enjoyed watching the attempts of the father to rescue his daughter from the step-family even though he is too weak in nerve to stand up to this woman he married and her own selfish wicked daughters.

The tale goes on by showing Cinderella’s own good natured heart as she offers to feed what she believes is a beggar, who turns out to be her fairy godmother, danced by the ever so lovely Sarah Hairston.

One of my most favorite parts in any ballet, which was performed in the third act tonight, is when the male role, the Price danced ever so powerfully and convincing by Olgucan Borova, lifts the female through the air with such grace and ease it looks like no work at all. Involving years of practice and technical genius if you ask me, I never fail to have chills run across my arms and the breath escape my lungs.

If you have not made plans to see the ballet this weekend, you must check it out and enjoy this lovely story for yourself.

I just checked out the blog of an acquaintance and was so pleased to see her post about the Cincinnati Ballet’s upcoming performance of Cinderella. Yeah!

I am so excited, I cannot wait until Friday!

Thanks Kate and please check out Kate’s Random Musings for well put words.

This weeks Ballet & Beer introducing the Cincinnati Ballet’s production of Cinderella appeared to be the most crowded event I have had the pleasure of attending at the ballet’s rehearsal building. Young and young at heart alike joined together to delight in the magic that is the fabled children’s story where good overcomes wicked and happiness prevails.

Since I have never seen the ballet’s rendition of Cinderella, I was honestly a bit confused by the male part acted out by Devon, the Cincinnati Ballet’s artistic director.

After 36 years, I am even more thrilled to learn of a version of this classic tale to which I’ve never been introduced. The male figure in the evenings partial performance was Cinderella‘s father, who is this version has not left her life in body yet only in will against the step mother who takes over the household along with her own selfish daughters. The story is a version taken from the original written by Charles Perrault in 1697.

The production of Cinderella performed by the Cincinnati Ballet’s amazing company opens Friday evening, February 12th at 8:00PM.  Purchase Event Tickets

I checked the Cincinnati Ballet’s website for some new goings on and found this article written by David Lyman with Cincinnati.com, and can completely understand what Ms. Touchet is feeling. In my own world of course. That of course is another story all together though.

At age 15, Janessa had already been dancing for more than a decade. How can you be sure that something you have done since you were a child is something that you really want to do and not just something that you are good at through years of practice? Quit.

What’s that saying? If you love something set it free. If it comes back to you, it’s yours. This is exactly what she did and now Janessa knows that she not only is great at dancing, but loves it too.

So, why doesn’t she leave the Cincinnati Ballet and run off to a bigger company perhaps in a bigger city or even a different country? Why would she when she has everything she needs and wants here.A great company, friends and the stage. As one of only two female principle dancers Ms. Touchet definitely has the stage as she plays the lead role in the Valentine’s weekend performance of Cinderella.

Don’t miss seeing the productions:

• February 12, 2010 / 8:00pm /
  Purchase Event Tickets
• February 13, 2010 / 2:00pm /
  Purchase Event Tickets
• February 13, 2010 / 8:00pm /
  Purchase Event Tickets
• February 14, 2010 / 2:00pm /
  Purchase Event Tickets

2010′s upcoming production of Cinderella is soon upon us. The anticipation! I just found out that the lead roles of the Prince and Cinderella will be danced by Olgucan (Borova) pairing with Janessa (Touchet) and Anthony (Krutzcamp) paring with Kristi (Capps).   

Jaleni with the Kansas City Collegian online was certainly charmed by Olgucan and Janessa:

A duet from “Le Corsaire” was presented next. Janessa Touchet and Ogulcan Borova delivered a vigorous, energetic display that was enhanced by the color schemes of their costumes… 

Anthony and Kristi were written highly of in the Alexandra Ballet newsletter:  

Guest artist Anthony Krutzkamp possessed the perfect combination of rascal and rogue as Franz, the fickle love interest of Swanilda, who was portrayed by the thoroughly charming Kristi Capps.

If you take the time to Google these two partners names, accolade after another speak of the same strength, grace and charm that I have seen with my own eyes. The choreographers in each situation see what they want for each production and who they feel would dance it best and this is certainly true of the upcoming Cinderella. 

Do I feel that they are the only one’s that could dance these lead rolls? Not necessarily. Each dancer has their own strengths and rank certainly plays a role in each scenario. Take  Jill Marlow and Liang Fu. Both of them played lead rolls in this past December’s Nutcracker and were ever so charming.  

I will have to wait and see how the dancer’s perform next month. Come check it out with me. I am sure that the Cincinnati Ballet will not disappoint! On that note, dancers schedules are always subject to change if needed.

A famous world know story, Cinderella is a love story and fairytale that we see from the time we are a little girl or boy. Over the last three decades, I have seen the  story of Cinderella used in many other movies and books, where the lead role is not always played by a woman character and not just for children either. One site that I was reading today states it as “individual elements of the story can be found in almost every culture of the world”.

We all know the movie version story of Cinderella however, since I have never seen it danced out in a ballet, I was really curious on what I will be watching next month.

When I looked up the plot for Cinderella danced out in a ballet, this is what I found on wikipedia:

Cinderella lives with her wicked stepsisters, until a beggar (who reveals herself to be a fairy) comes, and rewards Cinderella by giving her a coach and a new look. At the ball, Cinderella falls in love with the prince. She stays only until midnight, when the spell wears off. But, she leaves her slipper behind, which the prince uses to find her again. The ballet is based on Charles Perrault’s Cendrillon.

Other sites like balletmet in Columbus, the ballet too is the same as written in wikipedia however, offering a bit more detail. I am curious about this beggar that turns in the fairy Godmother and why are there then a total of 5 fairies? Another difference in the ballet is that the Prince himself returns to find his Princess, instead of sending out others to do it for him. Now, that’s true love! 

Speaking of true love…how cool would you be if you took your

girl to the ballet on Valentine’s day!?

Ballet & Beer is unfortunately already sold out however, you are welcome to show up and hope that someone who requested a spot is unable to make it! That is on February 5th, 2010 at 5:15pm. Ballet productions are on:

February 12th 8:00pm

February 13th 2:00pm (Cinderella’s Ball @2:30)

February13th  8:00pm

February 14th 2:00pm (Cinderella’s Ball @12:30)

For those of you with your very own Prince or Princess, the Cincinnati Ballet cordially invites you to the Cinderella’s Ball 2010! On both Saturday and Sunday, February 13th and February 14th, children dressed in their finest attire (not required but preferred) with enjoy dance, crafts and fairy tale fun before the ballet at 2:00pm. A light lunch and delicate treats will also be served. The fun begins at 12:30. Don’t forget your ticket for the ball available when you purchase you ballet tickets for only $35.00.