When the Blankenship Ballet Company performs Saturday, women will pirouette en pointeand fold their bodies into arabesques. Men will soar and spin, and lift dainty dancers onto their shoulders. But it won’t be a typical night at the ballet — far from it. The evening is being styled instead as cabaret theater. For creative producer Mark Blankenship and his wife, artistic director Bertha Suarez Blankenship, the event illustrates a commitment to time-honored classic technique in a way that is accessible and entertaining for audiences who aren’t necessarily ballet aficionados. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Ballet
[Blog] Misty Copeland + Ballet Musings
“The first time I danced I felt that I had found my voice,” says Misty Copeland in this Payless shoes advertisement. I’ve been reading about Misty Copeland in the pages of Pointe and Dance magazines for years. She is not a little bit unique for being a black ballet dancer in a prominent company, American … Continue reading
Los Angeles Ballet’s Dance of Success
Thordal Christensen transforms from Artistic Director to dancer as he roars “Bigger! Like this!” and demonstrates the Mouse King’s grand leap in the battle scene of The Nutcracker. Each detail of the move from deep plie to outstretched limbs is executed to precision, showcasing a fierce attack. The cast gathered in the rehearsal studio is transfixed, as is co-Artistic Director Colleen Neary. Although Christensen and Neary have danced in countless Nutcracker performances, this time they are focusing all efforts on their newly formed company, Los Angeles Ballet. Continue reading
[Blog] Prodigal Son at Los Angeles Ballet
The audience holds its breath: Melissa Barak is balancing on the toes of one foot while sweeping a long blood-red velvet cape around her thigh. The leg alone is a sight – sculpted, thin muscles bulging even under the thick white tights. A miniscule skirt of thin white pleats covers the bottom of her leotard. … Continue reading