Fresh Vision Inspiring New Audiences
LazarBalleynyc is a new name for a company that Elie Lazar founded five years ago for the Joffrey Ballet School. Mr. Lazar has taken the com-pany independent, lending it his now
well-recognized name in the dance community. LazarBalletnyc embodies the vision and passion of its founder/Artistic Director. Its mission, put simply, is to promote dance. To that end, the mission includes the following tenets: To Exhibit a superior level of technique to master repertoire encompassing classical and contemporary ballet; To Create works that broaden the parameters of known ballet repertoire through Mr. Lazar's own artistic creativity and by employing contemporary
choreographers; To Make Ballet Accessible by visiting locations and venues overlooked by companies with
limited touring engagements;
To Inspire and Educate the next generation of dancers through outreach programs for school cultural arts education.
Mr. Lazar's history begins with training in Israel and performances with the Israel National Ballet Company, the Israel National Opera, the Haifa Ballet, and the Inbar Dance Company. When he came to the US, he built a performance reputation as principal dancer with the New Jersey Ballet, where he also began to choreograph and teach classes. His experiences laid the groundwork for a ballet company that would fulfill his concept of promoting dance.
At the Joffrey Ballet School, Lazar's vision began to take shape as the Ensemble that was the official com-pany of the school. He trained talented student dancers, honing and polishing their skills to a professional level. When he showcased the Ensemble at the School's annual spring workshop, the results were astonishing! In September of that year, a regular rehearsal schedule was established. (For a complete history of the Joffrey School Dancers, see Dancer Magazine - June 2005, "Inside Dance"). By May 2004,
The New York Times wrote in its review, "They have learned some good
lessons...Careful coaching was
evident...The company's overall clarity was always admirable." Part One of Lazar's mission had been realized.
Part Two of Lazar's mission is to expand repertoire. Within the structure of LazarBalletnyc, Elie Lazar launches a repertoire of forty-six ballets by classical and contemporary choreographers. Bournonville. Fokine. Petipa. Saint-Leon, and Taglioni represent the classical; Baudendistel, Lazar and Perry represent the contemporary. In the quest to challenge dancers and keep them sparkling with fresh energy, Lazar continues to welcome input from contemporary choreographers and seeks out exhilarating music to inspire his own creativity.
Part Three of the mission--to expand audiences' tastes--is realized through programming. At each performance Mr. Lazar assembles several genres so that audiences see an array of works. Those who come to see classical pieces are exposed to the contemporary, and those who are drawn to the contemporary view fresh staging of old favorites. The works are so well integrated that the audience is hardly aware that they are absorbing more than their traditional preferences.
Equally comfortable on large and small stages, LazarBalletnyc is particularly effective in small venues. Full costuming, minimal sets and dramatic lighting can make even a small stage look exciting. A pleased director of the Reif Performing Arts Center of Grand Rapids, MI, commended the company for their appearance in May 2005, "They provided...an evening performance for an audience that typically does not have the chance to see such fine ballet performance in this region." Congruent with the fourth part of Lazar's vision--to make ballet accessible--he brings professional dancers to the audience.
The task of perpetuating the art is the final component of the mission. With the Joffrey Ballet School, Lazar implemented an Intensive Workshop program designed to improve artistic and technical awareness. The in-depth experience offers daily technique classes in ballet, pointe, variations, pas de deux, and choreography. The element that sets this workshop apart from other summer intensives is the Residency. The LazarBalletnyc members accompany Mr. Lazar to the location hosting the seminar, where they participate in all aspects of the program and act as role models for budding students. Attendees are introduced to selections from company repertoire: advanced level dancers may take company class and observe LBnyc rehearsals. Each residency culminates in a pre-performance show by the students, followed by a performance of the full company.
The innovative Intensive Workshop program originated in Morehead City, NC, in the summer of 2001. News of its success spread to Greenville and Goldsboro, NC and to Andalusia, AL, where the program took root and has been presented annually. This summer will mark its third year in those locations and will see a return trip to the originating city. The calendar for the 2006 summer intensive/residencies is as follows:
Greenville, NC - June 12-24;
performance Friday, June 23
Morehead City - June 26-30;
performance Friday, June 30
Andalusia, AL - July 10-22;
performances Saturday, July 15 and Friday, July 21
Goldsboro, NC - July 23-August 4; performance TBA
A fifth residency is under negotiation for Charlotte, NC
LazarBalletnyc has a busy summer schedule indeed, and many lucky young dancers will have an opportunity to study with the company. In addition to the intensive/residency program, the LBnyc reaches out to school children through lecture demonstrations designed for school cultural arts education.
LazarBalletnyc and its Artistic Director, Elie Lazar, have big plans! Building on its history of performances, tours, master classes, residencies, and lecture demonstrations throughout the US, the company has its eye to the future. In 2006, LazarBalletnyc is scheduled for twenty weeks of touring, a return to Wilmington University in September to inaugurate a newly renovated theater, and a New York season in November. Looking forward, tours expand internationally to Israel in 2006-07 and Japan in 2007-08! This company is going places!
To contact LazarBalletnyc for information and bookings, phone: 646.662.4222;
e-mail: info@lazarballetnyc.com, or look for them on the web at www.lazarballetnyc.com.