Newly promoted Soloist Daniel Baker takes some time from his lunch break to tell us about his promotion and what he’s looking forward to the most this Season. Daniel joined Miami City Ballet as a Company Apprentice in 2006 and was promoted to Soloist this year. While still holding on to his Australian roots, Daniel has found a home at MCB. Look for him on the cover of this Season’s mailer, in MCB ads and as the Bugle Boy in most Company B performances (among other roles).
Daniel told us what he’s looking forward to performing. What are you looking forward to seeing?
Patrick Corbin — Artistic Director for CorbinDances and celebrated former dancer with The Paul Taylor Dance Company – is here casting and rehearsing the dancers for Company B. This signature Taylor work, performed to contagious hits by the Andrews Sisters (“Rum and Coca-Cola,” “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” etc.), is part of Program I.
We sat down with Patrick to discuss Company B and his experience staging the work for MCB.
The festival has been a success so far. MCB has received great coverage in the press including stories in the Denver Post and Vail Daily ( 7/16, 7/29, 7/30, 8/2).
How did the dancers deal with the high altitude and chilly temperatures? What went on backstage and on the bus? We look forward to dancer Leigh Esty’s Vail recap on MCB Blog this week.
Select members of the Company are headed to Colorado today to participate in the Vail International Dance Festival. Making our Vail debut on August 1, we will perform George Balanchine classics Tarantella, The Four Temperaments and Serenade. On August 2 we’ll perform “Rubies” in the Festival Highlights Spectacular. And on August 3 is a unique discussion/demonstration called Up Close: Edward Villella, which examines his famous dance roles (including Prodigal Son, “Rubies”, Tarantella, Afternoon of a Faun, Dances at a Gathering and more).
We handed over our video camera to Corps de Ballet member, Leigh-Ann Esty, to document this exciting experience.
Why Leigh? She’s enthusiastic, in her words “a fanatic about documenting trips,” and has a passion for photography. She was even published in National Geographic Traveler, when she won their 2008 World In Focus contest with this image of the Eiffel Tower.
Check back next week for Leigh’s behind-the-scenes coverage of MCB at the festival.
The time has come to bid farewell to the Summer Intensive Program students. The stage of MCB’s Lynn and Louis Wolfson, II Theatre was graced with the dancing of these young students yesterday as they showcased what they learned. The entire MCB building was buzzing with excitement. Five weeks of hard work was evident as the serious dance students, ages 12 years and older, displayed their abilities and strengths. Friends and family came from all over the world to watch their favorite dancer.
We are sad to see them go. During the past weeks, the studios and hallways were flowing with vibrancy and positive energy. It was something else to watch students who didn’t even speak the same language come together and form friendships. We’ve been chronicling the Summer Intensive through videos and pictures on MCB School’s Facebook page.
We look forward to having these bright dancers return next summer. Watch out for them! There are big things ahead for our students. Lucky for us, some of them will be training at MCB School during the Winter Program.
But we don’t have to wait until the Winter Program begins in September to have students in the studios! On Monday, the 2-week Summer Program (for 11 & 12-year-olds who are just starting on pointe) begins.
MCB Artistic Director Edward Villella teaches class during the Summer Intensive
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