SFA welcomes American Ballet Theatre II
February 23, 2010
American Ballet Theatre II dancers perform one of the dances from "Swan Lake" as a part of its varied repertoire. The SFA College of Fine Arts will present the dance troupe at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 9, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.
NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS - American Ballet Theatre II will present a varied program of classical ballet and contemporary choreography during its performance at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 9, in W.M. Turner Auditorium as part of the Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts' University Series.
The troupe is composed of 12 dancers (ages 16 to 20) who were hand picked from around the world by the artistic staff of American Ballet Theatre. Typically, members of the troupe eventually join the ranks of American Ballet Theatre or other leading national or international professional companies.
"The performance will give East Texans a wonderful opportunity to see the rising stars of the dance world," said John W. Goodall, SFA associate dean of the College of Fine Arts.
The evening will open with "Barbara," a 10-dancer work American Ballet Theatre commissioned of Aszure Barton as a part of the three-year Voices and Visions: the Altria/ABT Women's Choreography Project.
The second portion of the program includes the Act II Pas de Deux from "Swan Lake," Roger Van Fleteran's "Pavlovsk" and "Le Corsaire Pas de Trois."
For the closing number, eight of the dancers will present Jerome Robbins' "Interplay," a work that combines ballet, jazz and popular dance forms.
"The program's variety will appeal to a wide audience," said Sylvia Bierschenk, director of Arts Information. "Come join us for an entertaining evening."
Prior to the performance, Dr. Elizabeth Rhodes, SFA professor of dance, will give a brief talk about the program at 7 p.m. in Griffith Gallery, across the hall from Turner Auditorium. The audience is invited back to the gallery after the performance for a reception honoring the event's corporate sponsor, Cataract, Glaucoma & Retina Consultants of East Texas.
Turner Auditorium is located in the Griffith Fine Arts Building, 2222 Alumni Dr.
Tickets range from $35 to $17.50, with discounts available for seniors, students and youth. For tickets or more information, please visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu or call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS.