Rebecca King

Thanksgiving with MCB!

Patricia Delgado

Patricia Delgado

While most of you are digging your nose deep into cookbooks and fighting the crowds at the local grocery store, we are preparing for Thanksgiving with rehearsals of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™!  This weekend, we head to Naples for our first Nutcracker performance of the season! Dancer Rebecca King will be capturing the magic of this holiday classic on our Instagram feed and shares how The Nutcracker has become an annual Thanksgiving tradition in its own right below. Follow Rebecca #RebeccaMCBphotos!

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The Man Behind ‘Polyphonia’

A very important guest is paying MCB a visit! He happens to be the artistic genius behind one of the ballets that is making its company premiere during Program I: First Ventures.  You guessed it! The mastermind behind Polyphonia — Christopher Wheeldon!

Polyphonia was Christopher Wheeldon’s first ballet that he choreographed after retiring from a successful

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MCB Summer: Rebecca King Ties the KNOT!

RebbecaKing_HeadshotCorps de ballet dancer Rebecca King shares the special moments of her wedding day as part of our ‘MCB Summer’ series.

After 365 days of anticipation, organizing and planning, our big day had finally arrived on June 1, 2013.  After a rainy and dreary week, suddenly the sun was shining, illuminating

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Rebecca King is back on Instagram!

RebbecaKing_HeadshotCorps dancer Rebecca King will be snapping pics around the studios as this week’s guest photographer on Instagram.  Follow her #RebeccaMCBphotos to catch dancers Jeanette Delgado and Kleber Rebello preparing for the world premiere of Justin Peck’s new work Chutes and Ladders, which will debut at the New World Center on April 20. Also, stay tuned for a sneak peek at our 2013/14 Season as the dancers already begin rehearsals for Balanchine’s dreamlike masterpiece Serenade.

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Rebecca King Makes History on Instagram!

RebbecaKing_HeadshotThis week’s guest photographer on Instagram is no other than corps dancer Rebecca King!  Rebecca will be capturing an important piece of dance history as Liam Scarlett’s Euphotic makes its world premiere debut on Friday, January 11.  From rehearsals in our studios, to the dressing rooms, to the stage, Rebecca will make sure that no one misses out on the exciting action this week!

Fun fact about Rebecca: She has her own blog! Check it out by clicking here!

The Art of and Science of Pointe Shoes

Corps dancer Rebecca King caught up with Marie Johansson, manager of Freed of London’s New York store, to discuss a pointe shoe’s perfect fit.  Each year, Marie visits Miami City Ballet’s studios for pointe shoe fittings, helping dancers select a shoe that matches their unique needs.  In addition to performing expert pointe shoe fittings, Freed of London also sponsors Miami City Ballet School’s annual audition tour for its Summer Intensive Program.  All of us at the ballet thank Freed for its generosity!

Discover the science behind the perfect fit in this video created by Rebecca King.

Giselle: “The Wilis”

The Wilis have to work extra hard on their appearance before going on stage to take revenge on men in the forest and making them dance to their deaths! Act two of Giselle requires special hair and makeup, and some of the girls have just a 20-minute intermission to get it all done! Corps member Suzanne Limbrunner talked to some of the Wilis while they were getting ready for show time.

There is still one more chance to see Giselle! MCB performs the romantic classic this weekend at Kravis Center. Click here for more information.

A Conversation With Maestro Gary Sheldon on the Music for Viscera

Post by Rebecca King, Corps de Ballet

As we gear up for the World Premiere of Viscera tomorrow evening at Adrienne Arsht Center, we’d like to continue the conversation on the music: Lowell Liebermann’s Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra.  I had the pleasure of discussing the piece with Mr. Liebermann earlier this week to get his perspective on the powerful score. Today we bring you a conversation with our very own, Maestro Gary Sheldon.  Throughout the season, audience members will spot him in the orchestra pit, leading the Opus One Orchestra.

Mr. Sheldon and I talked a little bit about the music and it’s interpretation through dance:

RK: Have you ever conducted a Lowell Liebermann work before?
GS: This is the first time I’ve conducted a work by Lowell Liebermann.  It’s especially helpful and inspiring to be able to consult with the composer and I’ve had the opportunity to discuss the music with Mr. Liebermann who lives in New York.

RK: What do you see as the defining element of this piece?
GS: I can see why Liam Scarlett was drawn to the music.  The accents and phrases in the music are clearly defined, making it inviting to choreograph.  While the idiom is relatively modern, with clashing dissonances, the form of the music is quite classical, making this music easy to digest on first hearing.

RK: As you anticipate conducting this piece for Miami City Ballet for the first time on Friday, January 6th, what do you most look forward to?  What element, if any, do you anticipate to be a challenge?
GS: It’s always exciting to work with a choreographer on a new work for me as a musician, just as it is for the dancers.  As part of the creative process, I have the opportunity to shape the music in ways that support the dancers and meet the choreographer’s vision.
I always enjoy presenting a new work to the orchestra.  My greatest challenge in conducting a new score is to reflect the nuances of the music as represented by the choreography to the orchestra.

RK: What should the audience be listening for when they are sitting in the audience?
GS: I think that the music will be quite accessible to the audience, as Liam Scarlett’s choreography itself is so ‘musical’.  The choreography mirrors the music in a natural and beautiful way.

RK: You have sat in on quite a few rehearsals for Viscera.  Mr. Scarlett told the dancers how important the music is to his piece, citing it as the main source of his inspiration.  After studying the music, how was the experience of seeing the music come to life?
GS: There is nothing quite as exciting as seeing the music come to life onstage when the choreography is so naturally entwined in it.  Liam has created an outstanding ballet that audiences are sure to enjoy.


Come and experience this powerful piece of music come to life through Miami City Ballet’s World Premiere of Liam Scarlett’s
Viscera! For ticket information, click here.

Our Nutcracker Memories – Part 1

Everyone has a special Nutcracker memory they will always cherish, whether it be a childhood experience or watching The Nutcracker for the first time as an adult. ‘Tis the season to reminisce about those special Nutcracker times. Corps de ballet dancer Rebecca King gathered some of the dancers to talk about their Nutcracker memories in this heartwarming video (which she produced =) ). Check back next week for Part 2!

Want to take part in the action? Leave a comment and tell us your favorite Nutcracker memory!