| | Posted by David
Hello all!

I would first like to welcome Evan to the Winger family… Evan and I go back to a summer intensive in 1998 (ages ago) and was my room mate for the whole summer. A person very close to my heart!

This past week, I finalized my crazy travel schedule, and danced in a gala in Verona, Italy. It was a gala headlined by Alessandra Ferri and my partner was Alexandra Ansenelli, former principle dancer with NYCB and first soloist now with Royal Ballet. Although being in Verona was a treat unto itself, there was much work to be done…. my repetoire was Tchaikovsky pas de deux and Apollo (both Balanchine rep), two very hard ballets and both with a new partner.

I arrived after two long flights to this gorgeous city and even more gorgoeus theater, rehearsed with Alexandra, and tried to soak up a little Italian lifestyle. THE FOOD!!! THE CAPPUCCINOS!!! It was a major toss up between the food in Japan and Italy, but whose to compare… they are night and day.

This theater was called ‘Teatro Philharmonico’. A lavish, ornate theater fully equipped with the ‘presidential box’ (like in Russia) and a full on rake. Dancing on a rake (where the stage in inclined downward towards the audience) is something to have to get used to. It changes your weight and balance for everything. It is a true test unto itself.

Nevertheless, the performance was a joy. I danced with Evan’s fellow company members, Alicia Amatriain and Friedemann Vogel along with Robert Tewsley, Ms. Ferri and others from Hamburg Ballet and Roland Petit’s company.

A great trip to finish off the chaos that was summer… but its honestly good to be home.