What does Houston Ballet have that other companies lack?
"Other ballet companies just perform for you. Houston Ballet wants to take you on a date and make out with you in the back of the car," says Natasha Gauthier of The Ottawa Citizen (May 5, 2006) after seeing Houston Ballet's 2006 tour to Canada.
Houston Ballet's transformation into a fresh and fiery company is spearheaded by Artistic Director Stanton Welch, who arrived in 2003 from The Australian Ballet. Welch has successfully fused classical ballet with a fresh modern approach that audiences and critics alike have responded to with great enthusiasm. "For Houston Ballet fans, Welch has almost certainly been the 'it' they were looking for" says Continental Magazine (February 2005).
COMING SOON: THE NUTCRACKER, NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 27, 2009
Featuring glorious scenery and costumes by Tony Award-winning designer Desmond Heeley, Ben Stevenson's breathtaking production of The Nutcracker is, in the words of The Houston Chronicle, "the crown jewel of holiday entertainment." Set in nineteenth century Germany, the ballet opens at a charming Christmas party at which the mysterious Dr. Drosselmeyer gives his little niece Clara a magical toy that takes her on an unforgettable journey. From the Christmas tree that grows to a towering forty feet in the first act to the cooks who fly magically through the air in the second act, The Nutcracker is sure to enchant audiences of all ages. Running November 27 - December 27, 2009. For more information, please visit www.houstonballet.org.
THE HISTORY: Founded in 1969, Houston Ballet is America's fifth largest ballet company featuring 53 dancers who have won gold and silver medals at international ballet competitions. The company performs a wide variety of ballets, ranging from classics like The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, and Swan Lake to exciting new ballets commissioned from some of the world's most prestigious contemporary choreographers.
THE SCHOOL: The company's affiliated school, Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy, has emerged as one of America's foremost dance training institutions, producing dancers who have gone on to appear with such prestigious companies as Houston Ballet, The Australian Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet.
THE TOURS:Houston Ballet serves as a cultural ambassador for the city of Houston on its many international tours. Over the last decade, Houston Ballet has performed in London, Moscow, Beijing, Hong Kong, Toronto, Los Angeles, New York City, Canada, and Washington, D.C.
HOUSTON BALLET ON THE WEB:
-For performance information, please visit our website.
-Visit Houston Ballet's blog.
-Add Houston Ballet as a friend on Facebook.
-Follow Houston Ballet on Twitter.
-Watch Houston Ballet on YouTube.
Wishing you and yours a Very Happy, Safe, Healthy, Merry Christmas, Happy Channukah, and the Very Happiest New Year 2009, all filled with joy, inspiration, music, light, blessings, peace and the beauty of the holiday season.
May the Houston area's recovery from hurricane Ike go swiftly and as smoothly as possible. I grew up in the area and have many friends and relatives on the same path to recovery. My thoughts are with you, JoLynn
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