"Adult" Dance Companies

[gerlonda]

Has anyone ever heard of the Classical Repertory Dance Theatre at the Joy of Motion Dance studios in D.C.? It looks like an interesting "adult" ballet company... just looking for anyone with any personal experience with it...... ;')

[colas]

I was one of three men in the company in the first year, 2009-2010. I was in scenes from La Paquita by Petipa and a new ballet. We had rehearsals on Saturdays for 1.5 to 3 hours and on Sundays for 3 hours. This was my second job. I enjoyed the experience. I improved as a performer a lot.

 

I auditioned in 2010 and 2011; however, I was not accepted because I am too short. Tall men are needed to partner the tall ballerinas.

 

I am performing only the role of Don Quixote in scenes from the ballet by Petipa this season.

 

The company contains one tall man and 25 women. The dancers are at the advanced beginner to professional level.

 

Apparently six pieces will be performed this season. The dream scene from Don Quixote and a scene from Raymonda will be performed in addition to new ballets. Rehearsals vary according to the pieces.

 

There will be performances at 8 PM on Saturday, December 10, 2011, and at 7 PM on Sunday, December 11, 2011, at the Jack Guidone Theater in Washington, DC. This is a small theater so tickets may sell out. You may obtain further information as follows: http://joyofmotion.org/concerts.php

 

Rehearsals will continue for the annual concerts at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in Washington, DC, at 8 PM on Friday, March 16, 2012, and Saturday, March 17, 2012. Tickets are not yet on sale.

 

You can order DVDs of the concerts in 2011 as follows: https://clients.mind...p?studioid=4077.

 

Each season there is an audition in August. The accepted dancers are required to pay several hundred dollars dues for the rehearsals. The cost is reasonable considering the many hours for rehearsals. The dancers must also buy costumes costing around a couple of hundred dollars. Dancers must learn their assigned roles.

 

I am pleased to participate in my single role this season.

 

There is also a one-week intensive adult ballet camp each summer. A piece to be performed during the season is learned. This past summer we learned the dream scene from Don Quixote. In 2010, we learned scenes from Le Corsaire. In 2009, we learned the opening and the prefinale from La Paquita. I hope to participate in the ballet dance camp in summer, 2012. I do not know the dates.

[LaFilleSylphide]

I believe that presently, Salt Lake City Ballet is focusing more on the adult dancer to build its company later this year. I spoke to the directors of the school and they're interested in proposing a more mature/post-grad dancer approach to the non profit performance branch of the organization. In all of their previous shows, they've had adult dancers working with the youngsters of the academy, performing alongside the students.

 

Because there is a university there that has a dedicated dance program, there are constantly older dancers that are looking for performance opportunities and I think that SLCB is trying to acknowledge that, of course - it's a young group, a new model, and untried in that region so I'm unsure of what the result will be. In any case, the academy students loved having the adult dancers working with them.

 

Also, I'm not exactly certain about this, but last time I remember: those adult dancers that were chosen to perform were not paid, but instead were given free classes in the adult program. I don't know if that included the Master Class program as well or not. I also believe that the adult performers did not pay fees, but costumes were covered with what was already on hand or created in a simple crafty way.

[gerlonda]

"....The accepted dancers are required to pay several hundred dollars dues for the rehearsals..."? Is that right? (I mean is that proper? Is it supposed to be that way?) PAYING to rehearse sounds quite off to me.

 

Thanks for the help guys.

Any other adult performing companies out there?

[gav]

In my experience and knowledge, yes, non-professional adults pay to rehearse. Also in my experience and knowledge, participants' fees plus income from ticket sales will barely cover the production costs (rehearsal space, theatre rental, costumes, marketing, etc.)... if you're lucky -- and I'm not talking about extravagant artistic choices here. Gerlonda, if you want any more details, feel free to PM me.

 

I know of several non-professional adult companies in my city. They range in philosophy and focus, but none does a full-length production and all incorporate multiple dance genres into their shows.

[gerlonda]

I have been reading alot about Berkeley Ballet Theater. They seem to have many classes and do offer performance opps. Anyone have any experience there?