TURNING POINTE. Year in Review How your support helps Ballet Arizona continue to entertain, enlighten and educate SPRING 2015

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1 BALLET ARIZONA DONOR IMPACT REPORT Foundation The Marley Foundation Corporate BMO Private Bank Donor Kay Martens & Phil Cram Q&A: Artistic Director Ib Andersen TURNING POINTE Year in Review How your support helps Ballet Arizona continue to entertain, enlighten and educate Ballet Arizona dancers Michelle Vagi and Eric White, photo by Alexander Iziliaev. SPRING 2015 BAZ0360 Gratitude Report Spring 2015.indd 1

2 Ballet is important and significant yes. But first of all, it is a pleasure. ~ George Balanchine As the dancers and I prepare for the upcoming performances of our All Balanchine program, it is amazing for me to think that 25 years have passed since I retired from New York City Ballet, the company founded by George Balanchine. It has been 15 years since I became artistic director and began staging this master s works for your enjoyment. The Balanchine dances that you will see in this program Allegro Brillante, Stravinsky Violin Concerto and La Sonnambula remind me that he said, Ballet is important and significant yes. But first of all, it is a pleasure. It is also a pleasure for me to dedicate this final Turning Pointe of the season to you, our loyal donors. I would like to highlight just a few of the achievements your generosity has made possible. We began the season, as we have for the last 17 years, with our free outdoor performance series in September, Ballet Under the Stars. Once again, the children in the audience charmed us all by dancing on park lawns from Sun City West to Fountain Hills. In Swan Lake, we saw an expanded corps de ballet, with the addition of the dancers from the School s new Studio Company. Thanks to the meticulous coaching of Maria, Lisbet and Joseph, they blended seamlessly with our professional dancers. Our American premiere of Bournonville s Napoli brought us newfound acclaim. The New York Times reported what you already knew: This Company has become one of America s finest. In Today s Masters at the Orpheum Theatre, Nayon s world premiere to the music of Pink Floyd showed us all that ballet and rock-and-roll do belong together. All too soon we will close the season in the Dorrance Theatre with the return of Innovations, our showcase of cutting-edge dances created by our dancers, for our dancers. On Sunday, May 3rd at the final All Balanchine performance, we will honor and celebrate six dancers who are retiring Paola Hartley, Tzu-Chia Huang, Kanako Imayoshi, Ilir Shtylla, Michelle Vagi and Astrit Zejnati. Please join us at the 1 pm performance for some surprise and special tributes to these remarkable artists who have given us so much pleasure through their performances. Thank you for making it possible for these artists and all the dancers of Ballet Arizona to remind us that as Balanchine said, Dancing is music made visible. Gratefully, Ib Andersen, Artistic Director BEHIND THE SCENES with Ib Andersen Q: Why Balanchine? A: Balanchine is heavily rooted in my background. I danced for New York City Ballet for a long time. Plus growing up in Denmark they actually performed a lot of Balanchine s work. I continue to do a Balanchine program each year because, in my opinion, he is the number 1 choreographer that we have ever seen in ballet. There is no one like him; no one is as diverse as him and I don t think there ever will be. That s reason enough. It is a teaching tool for dancers. I watch them really grow when they dance his ballets. You continuously find something new each time you dance them. He is classical in the truest sense. He will never be out of style. He is timeless. Q: What was it like working under Balanchine? A: He was not a man of many words. He said very little, but he would correct. And if you were receptive, you knew what he meant. I only had the opportunity to work with him in the last years of his life. He may have been different at that time in his life than in his younger years. Once you dance a few of his ballets, they teach you everything you need to know. You learn how he works with the music, and how everything you do relates to the music in a certain way. Eventually just listening to the music tells you exactly how to do it. Other choreographers are very specific, but he has a wide margin of how you could perform them and it s up to you to bring that out in a more chiseled way. Q: The Balanchine Trust has strict standards as to who can stage Balanchine s ballets, and we are fortunate to have you as one of their repetiteurs. A: I danced for the company and when I retired in 1990, I started to stage some of his ballets as a Ballet Master. I guess I did a pretty good job (ha!). I have staged La Sonnambula, Stravinsky Violin Concerto and Allegro Brillante before, so I am able to do BAZ0360 Gratitude Report Spring 2015.indd 1

3 all of them again. I m very critical and I don t allow them to be performed if they do not look right. Ballet Arizona dancers Jillian Barrell and Brian Leonard, photo by Alexander Iziliaev. It is very time consuming to stage a ballet for the first time. Writing down all of the steps and the counts could take up to 6 weeks just to learn it from scratch. We watch videos but they only tell you so much initially. The earliest dated videos are the best because they are closer to the source and better reflect his intent. Q: Tell us about new works and Innovations? How involved are you with their choreography and new pieces? A: I choose the choreographers based on their interest and whoever might want to do it. We have been lucky so far with such talent among the dancers. I am proud of them. Now that we have the room to produce programs like Innovations, it is about finding talent within. All I need to do is give them a chance and nurture that talent. Nayon just finished his third ballet and has proven there is definitely talent there. I only get involved if they want me to. Sometimes they want me to come watch and hear my opinion. I might help them tighten something up here or there. But really you have to go with your own instinct. You need to find your own way. You need to be true to yourself. I want to give them the freedom to do that. When I choose to choreograph a new work myself, it is often because it is an economical decision. We have to pay anyone else when we commission a new piece. A new minute ballet could cost between $75,000-$100,000. But I am free (ha!). First you need to get the rights which is the most expensive part, then costumes, painted backdrops and someone to come and stage. Balanchine is classical in the truest sense. He will never be out of style. He is timeless. INNOVATIONS an evening of captivating choreography Innovations is back for a second annual showcase of original choreography by select Ballet Arizona company members. This year, Innovations will feature dance works from returning choreographers Tzu-Chia Huang, Nayon Iovino, Myles Lavallee and first-time Innovations choreographer, Joseph Cavanaugh. Innovations provides a platform for these up-and-coming artists to find their artistic voice through the exploration of movement and the challenge from Artistic Director Ib Andersen to use more than two dancers to create pieces longer than they ve done before. Innovations happens at the Dorrance Theatre, offering audience members an intimate performance experience. The audience is going to see what is trending in dance and will get a glimpse into the minds of young artists it s going to be exciting, says Joseph Cavanaugh. Cavanaugh is creating a piece that consists of 8 dancers and sets out to answer questions about the human condition. I m interested in discovering what drives people and finding out what is happening underneath; these concepts motivate me. The three other dance pieces that make up Innovations will offer a multiplicity of emotions, concepts and personalities. Joseph Cavanaugh wears many hats at Ballet Arizona. He danced with the Company from and currently works as Ballet Master, and Education and Outreach Manager. He works behindthe-scenes bringing dance to youth in Arizona through our Class Act program, Performance Hour and Student Matinees. Now, he is branching out into yet another form of creative expression by choreographing new work for Ballet Arizona. Innovations runs May Don t miss being a part of the tradition that supports the cultivation of young dance-makers. DONOR IMPACT REPORT 2 BAZ0360 Gratitude Report Spring 2015.indd 2

4 IN THE SPOTLIGHT Ballet AZ: You are such longstanding supporters of the arts in Arizona. What inspired such generosity to the arts and specifically Ballet Arizona? Kay & Phil: Kay moved from NY to Arizona in the 70s and felt that going to a ballet performance was a disappointment. In the 80s, she took Phil to a Ballet Arizona performance of Alice in Wonderland. While it wasn t NYC Ballet, it was clear that Phoenix was committed to growing a ballet company, and we became subscribers. In the 90s, we became donors and when Ballet Arizona was faced with possible extinction, we decided to consolidate our cultural support to Ballet Arizona. We felt that the ballet is important to not only us, but to all of Arizona. We are pleased to see all the exciting, new things the Company can do with everyone s support. Ballet AZ: Why do you give? Kay & Phil: Purely selfish reasons we love Ballet Arizona and we want more! The ballet deserves and needs our support. To grow and flourish, it needs support and every little bit helps. Corporate Spotlight BMO Private Bank Donor Spotlight Kay Martens & Phil Cram From supporting Ballet Arizona s first production at the Desert Botanical Garden to its most recent sponsorship of the exquisite Swan Lake, BMO Private Bank has been a devoted and committed supporter of Ballet Arizona. Through extraordinary generosity over the years, BMO Private Bank has helped to make Ballet Arizona a nationally recognized ballet company that presents exceptional productions. Established in 1817 as Bank of Montreal, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified financial services organization. In the United States, clients are served through BMO Harris Bank, a major U.S. personal and commercial bank, and BMO Private Bank, a wealth management division. 3 TURNING POINTE Ballet AZ: What ballets or contemporary works have inspired you the most? Kay & Phil: That s almost like asking which is your favorite child! We love the classics, particularly Swan Lake. We always enjoy Balanchine and have also been excited about Ib Andersen s original ballets. Ballet AZ: What are you most looking forward to next season? Kay & Phil: Another ballet at Desert Botanical Garden! A perfect partnership of two organizations that we love, Ballet Arizona and Desert Botanical Garden Topia was wonderful and we are eagerly anticipating the next performance in that beautiful setting! Ballet AZ: Any other comments you might like to contribute? Kay & Phil: We have truly enjoyed watching Ballet Arizona mature, and we are looking forward to more! Ib has transformed the ballet into a firstclass Company. We are excited to have a wonderful new facility for our dancers and for the School, and we appreciate the hard work of everyone involved with the ballet. And we cannot leave out the soul of the ballet, the dancers. Their dedication and effort are what makes Ballet Arizona. BMO Private Bank believes it has a special responsibility to help businesses and communities grow while creating a stronger, healthier and happier place for our families to live, work and play. What sets BMO Private Bank apart? a genuine commitment to doing what s best for its customers. Driven by its core values of honesty and fair dealing, BMO Private Bank s goal is to help you make informed decisions that will maximize your wealth potential. Through their volunteering, donations and sponsorship programs, BMO Private Bank invests in its neighborhoods, towns and regions because it is a part of the community. BMO s goal is to assist in meeting the needs of the many non-profit organizations and groups that make our communities strong and unwavering. Visit bmo.com/privatebank/us, like them on Facebook, or follow on Twitter. Foundation Spotlight The Marley Foundation Simply put, the Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation is one of Ballet Arizona s most important funders. The Marley Foundation has granted a total of $1,400,000 to Ballet Arizona since its establishment in 1990, shortly before Mr. Marley s death. Capital Campaign Co-Chair Carol Schilling said, The Marley Foundation s early and transformative gift for our new building inspired many others to give generously, too. Two grandsons of the Marleys Stephen and Daniel Corrigan now sit on the foundation board. They continue the family tradition of philanthropy, including an abiding interest in agriculture, education, the arts and children. Foundation President Stephen Corrigan was quoted in 1997 after his grandmother s passing that, she had a real hard time turning away any worthy cause for kids. Today, hundreds of children pass the Kemper and Ethel Marley Box Office on their way to dance classes in Ballet Arizona s new headquarters on East Washington Street. Given Kemper Marley s major role in developing Arizona s cattle industry, it is an interesting coincidence that the new ballet building is located just down the street from the former Phoenix stockyards! Other Marley Foundation grants have supported Ballet Arizona s Education and Outreach programs, which reach almost 35,000 people in central Arizona each year. Low-income, disabled and foster-care students have benefited particularly from Marley Foundation-funded programming, including Ballet Under the Stars, Angel Nights and Student Matinees. Ballet Arizona thanks the Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation for planting the seeds that grew into the vibrant, thriving organization we are today. BAZ0360 Gratitude Report Spring 2015.indd 3

5 LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR David Tompkins During this time of year, as our season draws closer toward its finale, I like to reflect on everything we have accomplished together. From settling into our new facilities, to implementing new programs and outreach efforts, we have reached more members of our community than ever before. Our year in review includes some highlights from new programs and old such as Angel Night, Performance Hour and our Dance for Parkinson s Training Workshop. We continue to bring Ballet Arizona to our community in unique ways. Over 4,000 individuals experienced our Community Angel Night program this year which provides free tickets to social service organizations, underserved and at-risk children, and families. This performance is held before the opening night of The Nutcracker annually, and is dedicated exclusively to Angel Night recipients. Many people do not know that our Community Angel Night program runs throughout the year and that Ballet Arizona makes available a minimum of 4,000 tickets free of charge to all of our performances throughout the season. We are in partnership with over 70 different organizations to provide these live performance opportunities. The Community Angel Night program would not be possible without the support of Ballet Arizona s generous donors because they believe in the transformative experience that dance can provide. For many children, attending an Angel Night performance is their first exposure to ballet or any performing art. So we thank you for making this a success yet again this year. New this year is Performance Hour, an exclusive presentation featuring The School of Ballet Arizona and the Company of Ballet Arizona. Audience members experience a class demonstration and previews of our upcoming works. This significant event offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the career of a professional dancer and the training it involves. Performance Hour demonstrations are entirely without cost, open to the public, and are held 5 times annually. We want our community to know our doors are open and there are many ways to experience Ballet Arizona. Last issue, I wrote about an upcoming Dance for Parkinson s Introductory Workshop designed to enrich, inform and inspire practitioners to deepen their knowledge and training. The two-day workshop was held with resounding success and was facilitated by one of the program s founding teachers, David Leventhal from Mark Morris Dance Group. The workshop also provided a class that allowed practitioners to participate in an actual Dance for Parkinson s class with members of the community. Workshops like these provide an important catalyst in creating an active, engaged Parkinson s community. Ballet Arizona appreciates our supporters for creating an environment of integrated performing arts experiences that will continue to entertain, enlighten and educate for years to come. These programs and initiatives would not have been possible without donors like you! David Tompkins, Executive Director NEW WORKS I N I T I A T I V E $50,000 Anonymous Challenge Grant to Support New Work Ballet Arizona is proud to launch our New Works Initiative with the return of Innovations. An anonymous donor has generously offered a challenge grant of up to $50,000 to be matched dollar-for-dollar between now and June 30, supporting Innovations in conjunction with our New Works Initiative. Any gift made before our year-end will be doubled! The New Works Initiative: presents Arizona audiences with a wide range of dance in familiar and new locations, including the Desert Botanical Garden provides choreographers a flexible environment to create new ballets develops dancers through performances builds a diverse and interesting repertory, and contributes to the advancement of the art form New works are an integral part of the vision of Ballet Arizona, making it one of the most highly acclaimed cultural institutions in the Valley. This year, we celebrated the US premiere of Napoli; our Today s Masters program that premiered Ib Andersen s newest ballet, the beautiful Pines of Rome; and Nayon Iovino s Resonance set to Pink Floyd s Echoes. Innovations returns to the Dorrance Theatre this May, premiering new choreography from 4 of our multi-talented Ballet Arizona dancers. This continues to fulfill Ib Andersen s commitment to dance innovation and cultivating emerging choreographers in Ballet Arizona s new home. For more information about doubling your impact call DONOR IMPACT REPORT 4 Ballet Arizona dancers Jillian Barrell and Nayon Iovino, photo by Rosalie O Connor. BAZ0360 Gratitude Report Spring 2015.indd 4

6 THE SCHOOL OF BALLET ARIZONA I m proud to announce that The School of Ballet Arizona performed its first ever fulllength classical ballet, The Sleeping Beauty April This is a huge achievement for the School because The Sleeping Beauty is a technically and artistically-demanding production. There were 65 dancers that performed, and I take pride in all of my students for being able to accomplish this immense achievement. I am grateful and thankful to everyone who supported the School this year; this milestone would not have been reached without their help and dedication. This performance also takes us one step closer to my vision of putting The School of Ballet Arizona on the map. I want to have national and international students considering us as one of the possibilities for their dance education. As part of that vision, I want to be able to provide every student that walks through the door with all the necessary tools and options that they need to succeed, such as housing opportunities, scholarships and stipends. These are benefits that other top ballet schools offer their students and ultimately that is what The School of Ballet Arizona needs in order to be on the same level. Our next show is the Spring Performance at the Orpheum Theatre, May This is an opportunity for all of our students to showcase what they ve learned throughout the year and gain performance experience. I invite you to join us and witness the growth and quality of the instruction at the School and our students, as well as celebrate another successful school year. I am grateful and thankful to everyone who supported the School this year; the school s first ever full-length classical ballet milestone would not have been reached without their help and dedication. I hope to see you all there! The School of Ballet Arizona dancers in The Sleeping Beauty, photo by Alexander Iziliaev. Carlos Valcárcel, School Director, The School of Ballet Arizona 5 TURNING POINTE BAZ0360 Gratitude Report Spring 2015.indd 5

7 COMPANY CONNECTION Meet dancers Mimi and Eric Mimi Tompkins Washington, DC In your first year with Ballet Arizona, what is your best memory? I d had have to say my best memory would be performing in Balanchine s Walpurgisnacht during Ballet Under the Stars. It was my first time as a professional dancing a solo role in front of so many people. Walpurgisnacht was very free and feminine and that s my favorite type of role; it s my natural way of moving. I also liked doing my part in the Pas de Six from Napoli because dancing Bournonville is so different than anything I ve danced before. And to be coached by Ib was amazing; it was a learning process and I felt like I grew a lot. What inspired you to become a dancer? My mom was a professional dancer so it was a natural step for me to be put in ballet at a very young age. I was about 8 when I realized I had a true affinity for ballet, so that s when I really started to love it. What advice would you give to the next generation of aspiring young dancers? I would say that nobody is like you. Everyone has different facilities and different bodies. So your path as a dancer is going to be completely different than someone else s. Many people get caught up in comparing themselves with others and put a lot of pressure on themselves trying to be like someone else. I ve found that if you focus on yourself, that s when you make the most progress, instead of holding yourself back trying to fit into someone else s mold. What do you like to do outside of work or ballet? I am always reading, and I also love to paint and draw. One of my favorite pastimes is lying in bed with my cat Franklin; it doesn t seem like a real thing, but I could be with my cat for hours! He is also on his way to being Insta famous! You can follow his account, Nakedfranklin, on Instagram. Eric White Scottsdale, AZ What has been your favorite role/performance so far? I d have to say doing the first movement Pas de Deux of Balanchine s Western Symphony during Ballet Under the Stars. I grew up in the Valley, so cowboys have had an influence on me from a very young age. So on top of a great role, my family had the chance to see me perform. The whole situation was really special and probably some of the most fun I ve ever had on stage! You are also an artist in other ways tell us about that? Yes! I love to paint! I find the entire process extremely soothing. It s also a completely refreshing way for me to express myself. What inspired you to become a dancer? I wasn t immediately inspired to be a ballet dancer. When I was about six, I saw The Nutcracker for the first time, so that initially exposed me to ballet. I started dance classes casually at age nine and really enjoyed it! Years later my ballet studies took me to San Francisco Ballet where I was exposed to more professionals and students. I realized then that making a career out of ballet would be the right thing to do. What skills have you learned from ballet that you use in your everyday life? Definitely discipline. This particular art form is demanding on so many different levels. Having and keeping a strong mind is absolutely necessary in our profession. What advice would you give to the next generation of aspiring young dancers? Be yourself. I think individuality is one of the most under-preached things in our line of work. Someone may have something that you don t, but chances are it s the exact same or vice-versa. We all have our own paths to walk, and we should embrace that. DONOR IMPACT REPORT 6 BAZ0360 Gratitude Report Spring 2015.indd 6

8 Ballet Arizona dancers Jillian Barrell and Brian Leonard, photo by Alexander Iziliaev. Ballet Arizona 2835 E. Washington St. Phoenix, AZ INNOVATIONS AN EVENING OF CAPTIVATING CHOREOGRAPHY May 14 24, 2015 at Dorrance Theatre We would love to hear from you! Please send any comments or suggested articles about our new donor impact report to Development Officer Jami Kozemczak at or call SPRING 2015 Ballet Arizona dancers Jillian Barrell and Astrit Zejnati, photo by Alexander Iziliaev. How your support helps Ballet Arizona continue to entertain, enlighten and educate Year in Review BALLET ARIZONA DONOR IMPACT REPORT TURNING POINTE Foundation The Marley Foundation Corporate BMO Private Bank Donor Kay Martens & Phil Cram Q&A: Artistic Director Ib Andersen BAZ0360 Gratitude Report Spring 2015.indd 7