Jennifer Lauren & Rainer Krenstetter Take Center Stage in Austria

We can’t believe it’s already been a month since the end of our 2014-2015 season. Since then, our dancers have been enjoying their first 6-week layoff before returning to the studios for rehearsals in June.

This week, we caught up with soloist Jennifer Lauren, who shared all about her recent European adventure with fellow dancer, principal Rainer Krenstetter.

Jennifer writes —

I was thrilled when Rainer asked if I was available to dance at The 6th International Dance Gala in Graz, Austria. We were chosen to dance George Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes, which is one of my favorite pieces to perform. 

My husband, Blake and I decided to go a few days early to make the most out of being in Europe. We first explored Prague, and then Vienna, before heading to Graz. All three cities were charming in their own ways — beautiful art, food, architecture, rivers and theaters!

I even got to take class with the Vienna State Ballet where Rainer once danced.

It was so wonderful to represent Miami City Ballet and have the opportunity to perform Balanchine’s work in Graz with an orchestra and incredibly receptive audience. It was a delightful experience I will never forget.

After the Gala, we flew from Graz to New York. I’ll be here for three weeks working with Ariel Rose who is creating a piece on fellow MCB dancers: Jovani Furlan, Leigh Esty, Nathalia Arja, as well as myself, through the help of The Center for Ballet and the Arts.

Check out more photos from Jennifer’s trip below, and be sure to follow our MCB Summer 2015 blog series for more exciting stories from our dancers.