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Week #3: More Thoughts From the ABT Summer Intensive Program in Alabama - Getting Ready For Our End-of-Program Performances

Charles Maple, Director of the Maple Conservatory of Dance

July 13, 2007

So here we are in the third and final week of the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive Program in Alabama. The dancers arrived here a mere two and half weeks ago, full of excitement. During the program, they have been on an intense and rewarding journey that will culminate in two performances on Saturday. It is so inspiring for myself and my fellow teachers to see so much improvement in these young dancers in a short amount time. Their improvement is remarkable and we are proud of them and feel rewarded as their guiding lights.

Gage Bush working with the Blue level dancers

I defined the performance program order last week. The dancers will begin with the repertoire pieces in the first half of the program, then dance the new choreography in the second half. The teachers and I have been busy preparing for these performances.

Lorin Johnson explaining an important point

For the repertoire section, a cute garland dance from The Sleeping Beauty was staged by fellow teacher Denise Limoli. Our other teachers, Gage Bush and Rita Snyder, staged a Don Quixote dream scene for the dancers in the Yellow level. Another teacher, Lorin Johnson, staged a hysterically comical Graduation Ball dance for our Blue level dancers that will be one of the highlights of the performances. The Green level dancers are performing La Bayadere and fellow teacher Amy Rose did an absolutely marvelous staging of Don Quixote for the Violet level dancers that is sure to bring the house down.

Did I mention that I will be dancing? Yes, Denise and I are performing as the Head Mistress and Head Master in Graduation Ball. Denise put together and decorated a general's jacket for me. Now, if I can just remember my steps, all will be well!

Oh my! Who is that??

The second half of the program is new choreogrphy. Rita did a wonderful and very clever dance about dolls for the Red level dancers called Small World. Our modern teacher Sarah Barry created a nice modern piece called Allegro Assai. And I just finished my ballet for the Blue level dancers on Wednesday, in-the-nick-of-time, before our first stage rehearsal on Thursday. At this point, it was still a mess on Thursday and I was unsure as to how my piece would ultimately look. I decided to call my piece Fast Forward Four Forty. (Four Forty is the length of my music 4:40.)

Denise created a beautiful classical piece called Holberg Suite and Lorin finished his ballet piece last week. It is a very powerful neo-classical piece called Rewind to Now. Lorin is clever with titles. Since he called his ballet "Rewind," I decided to call mine "Fast Forward." Why not?

Tonight we held a great rehearsal. My "Fast Forward" ballet actually looked pretty good. The dancers pulled off a miracle! The performances are tomorrow. Nancy Raffa, the director of the ABT Summer Programs, is flying in to see our work. The pressure is on, but our teachers and dancers are ready!

Denise Limoli for her Head Mistress role

Lorin Johnson (right) and
Eddie Barnes who helped start the ABT Alabama Summer Program

Inez gets us breakfast every morning

Richard Richards, the ABT Alabama Coordinator is called "The Glue"

Our Technical Crew Lyndell and Bryant

Charles A. Maple
Director, Maple Conservatory of Dance
Email: info@mapleconservatory.com