Victoria Morgan News

Celebrating its 13th year, The Kaplan New Work Series opens Cincinnati Ballet's groundbreaking 2017-2018 Season September 14-24 at the Aronoff Center's Jarson-Kaplan Theater. The series offers an up-close experience with a variety of exciting world premieres by today's most innovative choreographers.

Cincinnati Ballet has announced a new, annual Family Series, with an inaugural production of Beauty and the Beast. The production features the Cincinnati Ballet Second Company, with dancers from the new Professional Training Division, and students from Cincinnati Ballet's Otto M. Budig Academy. Beauty and the Beast comes to the Aronoff Center, with six performances April 6-8, and a sensory-friendly performance April 8 at 10:30 am.

Celebrating its 13th year, The Kaplan New Work Series opens Cincinnati Ballet's groundbreaking 2017-2018 Season September 14-24 at the Aronoff Center's Jarson-Kaplan Theater. The series offers an up-close experience with a variety of exciting world premieres by today's most innovative choreographers.

The Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition hosted just under 200 dancers from countries around the world for the June 6-10 event at Symphony Space, New York City.  The rich display of international talent was breathtaking as dancers in four categories, ages 11 to 26, performed for medals, scholarships to dance academies around the world, and company contracts with the Boston Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and Columbia Classical Ballet. 

The 7th Annual Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition, rewarding excellence in both classical and modern dance, will take place June 6-10 at Symphony Space, 95th Street and Broadway, NYC.

Over 100 talented dancers from around the globe will gather in New York next week when the Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition opens Tuesday, June 6th at 11:15 am with an opening ceremony and follows with Rounds - each dancer or couple having the opportunity to dance before the Jury.

The Kaplan New Works Series is Cincinnati Ballet's highly anticipated, annual experience offering an intimate presentation of brand new, cutting-edge works at the Aronoff's Jarson-Kaplan Theater.

As expected this time of year as TV ads, wreaths and shopping center crowds, 'The Nutcracker' has by now gone beyond being merely a beloved holiday tradition to possibly being the country's most performed work of any type - dance, music or theater. Multiple productions of it appear in dozens of cities year after year and is as much a part of family custom by now as opening presents.

Cincinnati Ballet has been invited to present seven performances of The Nutcracker at the famed John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., November 23 through 27, with the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra performing Tchaikovsky's sensational holiday score.

Cincinnati Ballet marks its full company debut at the Kennedy Center with Victoria Morgan's charming production of The Nutcracker, November 23-27 for seven performances in the Opera House. A cherished holiday tradition that has become an annual Cincinnati-area favorite, this production features elaborate scenic design by John Ezell, whimsical stage effects with lighting by Trad A Burns, vibrant costumes by Carrie Robbins, awe-inspiring acrobatics, and entrancing choreography by Artistic Director and CEO Victoria Morgan. Morgan, who is celebrating her 20th season with the company, is also one of very few female Artistic Directors in the ballet world. Following tradition, dozens of local children from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area will join the company on stage, while the Arlington Children's Chorus lend their voices to the dazzling snow scene. The Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra will accompany this production, led by conductor and Cincinnati Ballet Music Director Carmon DeLeone.  

Red Phoenix Theatre is producing works that have never been performed in Adelaide.

Cincinnati Ballet has been invited to present seven performances of The Nutcracker at the famed John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., November 23 through 27, with the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra performing Tchaikovsky's sensational holiday score.

Cincinnati Ballet marks its full company debut at the Kennedy Center with Victoria Morgan's charming production of The Nutcracker, November 23-27 for seven performances in the Opera House. A cherished holiday tradition that has become an annual Cincinnati-area favorite, this production features elaborate scenic design by John Ezell, whimsical stage effects with lighting by Trad A Burns, vibrant costumes by Carrie Robbins, awe-inspiring acrobatics, and entrancing choreography by Artistic Director and CEO Victoria Morgan. Morgan, who is celebrating her 20th season with the company, is also one of very few female Artistic Directors in the ballet world. Following tradition, dozens of local children from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area will join the company on stage, while the Arlington Children's Chorus lend their voices to the dazzling snow scene. The Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra will accompany this production, led by conductor and Cincinnati Ballet Music Director Carmon DeLeone.  

Director's Cut, Cincinnati Ballet's first series of the 2016-2017 Season, takes the stage Friday, September 16 at 8 pm and Saturday, September 17 at 2 pm and 8 pm at the Aronoff Center. The star-studded program, curated by Artistic Director & CEO Victoria Morgan, includes six short and diverse works ranging from classical to contemporary, including the world premiere of Morgan's latest ballet, Patriotic Pas, world famous New York City Ballet dancer/choreographer Justin Peck's Capricious Maneuvers, a farewell performance of Raymonda from retiring dancers Sarah Hairston and Zack Grubbs, with students from the Otto M. Budig Academy, and a world premiere from esteemed choreographer Ma Cong.

Cincinnati Ballet announces today that respected performing arts leader Scott Altman will join the organization as Executive Director, working alongside Artistic Director and CEO Victoria Morgan to lead the company into its next era of innovation and success.

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) will host three free Hip Hop Poetry Open Mic events this spring on March 7, April 4 and May 9. All Hip Hop Poetry Open Mic events will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Black Swan on the OSF campus (15 S. Pioneer St., Ashland, OR 97520). Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.; space is limited.

 Kansas City Ballet Artistic Director Devon Carney today announced the appointment of two new members, Elysa Hotchkiss and Thom Panto, and two new apprentices, Lilliana Hagerman and Naomi Hergott to the Kansas City Ballet Company. Additionally there are 10 new members of Kansas City Ballet's Second Company comprised of KCB II dancers Ivan Braatz, Nikolas Gaifullin, Aaron Steinberg and Goldie Walberg and Trainees Miranda Dafoe, Lindsay Dekleva, Elizabeth Dennen, Melanie Jensen, Zoe Stein, and Kara Troester. High resolution photos can be downloaded here.

Brand new and completely unique to Cincinnati was the decision to have the ballet open in the Kitchen. I found the scene to be inventive and whimsical and the focus on the food made the intrusion of the mice more practical during Clara's dream. I loved that the big blue cake made during the opening scene and used during the party served as the scenic backdrop in the Sugar Plum Fairy's kingdom. This larger than life cake also served as an entrance for the different acts which left the audience with plenty of mystery as they wondered how the dancers were appearing and disappearing on and off the stage. Also unique this year was the inclusion of Frisch's Big Boy during the battle scene, which was of course included for the ballet's opening night performance as this year marked Frisch's 40th year of sponsorship for the Nutcracker. This was my first year seeing Cincinnati's version of this Christmas classic and I can't wait to see what they have in store for us next year.

Kansas City Ballet Artistic Director Devon Carney today announced the appointment of three new members of the artistic staff: Grace Holmes as the new Director of Kansas City Ballet School, Kristi Capps as the new Ballet Master and Anthony Krutzkamp as newly created position of Manager of KCB II. Carney also announced eleven new members of the Company, increasing the Company from 28 to 29 members for the 2014-2015 season. He also announced the appointment of four new KCB II dancers, which stands at six members. Carney also announced the creation of a Trainee Program with five students, two selected from Kansas City Ballet School.

Kansas City Ballet's 56th season will conclude with the highly anticipated evening-length Kansas City Premiere of Victoria Morgan's Cinderella. The delightful score by Sergei Prokofiev will be performed by the Kansas City Symphony, conducted by Kansas City Ballet Music Director Ramona Pansegrau.