James Whiteside News

KidsFest 2016 in Manila, which features the acclaimed stage adaptation of THE GRUFFALO, based on Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's beloved picture book, plays Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, in Makati City from tomorrow, January 27, to Sunday, January 31. Tickets can be purchased at TicketWorld.com.ph.

The Vail International Dance Festival announces its 2016 season (July 30- August 13) and celebrates the10th Anniversary of its Artistic Director, former New York City Ballet star Damian Woetzel. In celebration of his 10th year, the season will feature Isabella Boylston as Artist-in-Residence, Company-in-Residence BalletX, and other companies appearing will include Dance Theatre of Harlem, Dorrance Dance, and Paul Taylor's American Modern Dance. Under Woetzel's direction the Festival has presented over 45 new works, and 2016 will add at least ten world premieres to that list with new pieces by choreographers Jodie Gates, Rashaun Mitchell + Silas Riener, Matthew Neenan, Claudia Schreier, Shantala Shivalingappa, Jodi Melnick and more. This year's special UpClose performance (Aug. 3) will feature artists who regularly make Vail their creative summer home under Woetzel's direction, including Carla Körbes, Tiler Peck, Lil Buck, and Robert Fairchild.

The Joyce Theater held the premiere of Daniil SImkin's INTENSIO. The downtown venue was the intimate setting for this well-received production. The personal side of Daniil Simkin, American Ballet Theatre's principal dancer, was one of the highlights which expressed to us his ballet training and his passion of this beloved dance style.

The Joyce Theater Foundation, Inc. (Linda Shelton, Executive Director) is proud to present the New York premiere of Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO, a program of works featuring an exceptional company of dancers, including Simkiin's fellow American Ballet Theatre members Isabella Boylston, Alexandre Hammoudi, Blaine Hoven, Calvin Royal III, Hee Seo, Cassandra Trenary and James Whiteside and guest artist Céline Cassone. Featuring works by acclaimed choreographers Gregory Dolbashian, Alexander Ekman, Jorma Elo and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, this must-see event will take place from January 5-10 at The Joyce Theater. Tickets range in price from $10-$75 and can be purchased through JoyceCharge at www.Joyce.org, or by calling 212-242-0800. Please note: ticket prices are subject to change. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street.

Misty Copeland gave her first performance as principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre on November 24, 2015. I felt fortunate to be in attendance, as she began to weave her ballerina magic on yet another mesmerized full house.

American Ballet Theatre's 2016 Spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. A World Premiere work by Alexei Ratmansky and the American Premiere of Ratmansky's THE GOLDEN COCKEREL will highlight the season, which includes six additional full-length ballets.

A tiny mouse and a giant Gruffalo with 'knobbly knees, and turned-out toes, and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose' will take New York by storm when London's Tall Stories (The Snail and the Whale, New Vic 2014) brings its adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's beloved award-winning picture book The Gruffalo out of the deep dark wood and into the big city. Created for ages four through seven, The Gruffalo runs at The New Victory Theater, New York City's premier performing arts venue for kids and families, from October 17-25, 2015.

Los Angeles is in for a treat next month! Tony and Grammy-winner Audra McDonald comes to the Hollywood Bowl to sing classics from Broadway and the American Songbook with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the direction of Bramwell Tovey, Tuesday and Thursday, September 1 and 3, at 8 pm. Audiences on both nights will be entertained by McDonald singing famous tunes by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Mancini and Mercer, and others. The evenings also feature gifted American Ballet Theatre dancers on stage to bring Bernstein's Fancy Free to life performing Jerome Robbins' 1944 choreography.

Casting for American Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker, co-presented by Segerstrom Center for the Arts and ABT, was announced today by Kevin McKenzie, ABT Artistic Director. Choreographed by ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky, The Nutcracker will be given 14 performances at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, December 10-20, 2015.

American Ballet Theatre opens its Fall season on Wednesday, October 21 at 6:30 P.M. with a special opening night Gala performance, highlighted by the New York City premiere of a new work by Mark Morris, with music by Johann Nepomuk Hummel (Septet in C Major, No. 2 'Military') and costumes by Issac Mizrahi, and the Company Premiere of Frederick Ashton's Monotones I and II set to music by Erik Satie with costumes by Ashton.

Programming for American Ballet Theatre's 2015 Fall season at the David H. Koch Theater was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. Highlighting the season will be the New York City Premiere of a new work by Mark Morris and the Company Premieres of Frederick Ashton's Monotones I and II, George Balanchine's Valse-Fantaisie and AfterEffect by Marcelo Gomes. The 2015 Fall season at the David H. Koch Theater, October 21 through November 1, marks the conclusion of ABT's 75th Anniversary celebration.

At the matinee performance of Swan Lake on Wednesday, June 24, 2015, Misty Copeland spread her wings, giving her first New York City performance of Odette-Odile in ABT's Swan Lake, choreography by Kevin McKenzie after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, to the glorious music of Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky. Costumes and extraordinary sets by Zach Brown and lighting by Duane Schuler embellished the ambiance.

Casting for the seventh and eighth weeks of American Ballet Theatre's 2015 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Following the critical acclaim and record-breaking attendance of Festival 2014, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival opens its 2015 season in June.

May 26, 2015 - (Becket, MA) Following the critical acclaim and record-breaking attendance of Festival 2014, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival opens its 2015 season in June. Highlights of Festival 2015 include Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host, a special dance and radio stage production starring Ira Glass, host of This American Life; the return of Nederlands Dans Theater 2; the world premiere of American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO; Cuban contemporary ensemble Malpaso Dance Company, performing with GRAMMY Award-winning pianist and composer Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble; and the launch of Martha Graham Dance Company's 90th Anniversary, including a world premiere by eminent choreographer Mats Ek. 

On Wednesday evening, May 20, 2015, a superb cast of ABT principal and soloist dancers performed Lar Lubovitch's dramatic ballet, Othello, A dance in Three Acts, premiered by the Company on May 23, 1997 and now presented to commemorate its 75th anniversary.

Adam Spiegel Productions, Robert G. Bartner and the Ambassador Theatre Group are delighted to announce the full cast for the UK and Ireland tour of "LOVE ME TENDER" - the new musical inspired by and featuring the music of Elvis Presley. 

Adam Spiegel Productions, Robert G. Bartner and the Ambassador Theatre Group are delighted to announce the full cast for the UK and Ireland tour of "LOVE ME TENDER" - the new musical inspired by and featuring the music of Elvis Presley.

American Ballet Theatre's 75th Anniversary will be the subject of a category on the television quiz show JEOPARDY! on Tuesday, May 5, 2015. The featured ABT category will include performance footage from several of the upcoming Spring season's iconic ballets, with clues read by ABT dancers.