Posted by Sloan
My dad just passed along Gabe’s photoblog of his experiences in Italy with my cousin Jonathan. If you missed it before, Gabe and Jon stopped in New York for a few days on their way to Italy for their semester abroad. They’re Architecture students at USC.
Anyway, he takes beautiful photos, and it sounds like their travels should be a lot of fun, so check it out 
| | 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.
Delicious/tag/wingmark
