Archive for joffrey ballet
May 29, 2008 at 7:43 pm · Filed under dance, injuries, joffrey ballet, LAUREN
Last week I sprained my ankle in company class and have been in physical therapy since starting the healing process. It was the first sprain of my career, so it was pretty severe. The day it had occurred I had an ankle bone similar to the size of a tennis ball, but in less than a week the swelling has decreased dramatically and bruising has been flushed in directions away from the ankle bone(i.e to my toes and outside of my calf). Luckily, Joffrey is on layoff for the next four weeks and I have ample time to recover. My progress is going well and I have been working on releves this week in therapy on the reformer. 
I have been having my ankle taped for support and bruising in my toes is clear in this picture.
Joffrey uses Athletico in the East Bank Club in Chicago for therapy.
Recent Posts by lauren
February 28, 2008 at 4:22 am · Filed under dance, chicago, joffrey ballet, dress rehearsal, LAUREN
Valerie Robin and ensemble in the 1st song.
Joffrey is currently performing a trio of ballets by Anthony Tudor at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago; celebrating the centennial of Tudor’s birth. Our winter season opened February 20th and runs through March 2nd. The middle ballet on the program is Dark Elegies, a personal favorite of mine. Set to Gustav Mahler’s ‘’Kindertotenlieder'’ ('’Songs on the Death of Children'’), which are sung by Stephen Salters, the ballet depicts a community in mourning. Yet the nature of the disaster that has struck remains unspecified and one is free to speculate and imagine all sorts of catastrophes. The texts of the songs concern the deaths of children, cradling gestures recur and the dancers resemble devastated parents. It is such a powerful piece with so many opportunities to interpret and reflect upon one’s own life experiences. It is such a joy to watch my fellow peers bring an equal amount of skill and emotion to their dancing. As a dancer, it’s also an amazing experience to have live accompaniment on stage - whether it be vocal or instrumental.
1st song.
Stephen Salters and dancer Heather Aagard kneeling.
Victoria Jaini and Michel Levine in the 2nd song.
Erica Lynette Edwards in the 4th song.
Victoria Jaini and Michel Levine in 2nd song.
Recent Posts by lauren
January 29, 2008 at 4:41 am · Filed under dance, tour, florida, joffrey ballet, LAUREN
Joffrey recently toured to Florida January 15th thru the 22nd with a “Cool Vibrations” program. We traveled to West Palm Beach, Naples, and Sarasota with one performance in each venue. The program consisted of Twyla Tharp’s Deuce Coupe, Donald Byrd’s Motown Suite and Laura Dean’s Sometimes it Snows in April. It’s a pretty upbeat mix of repertoire with music of the Beach Boys, Motown classics, and Prince. It was a special treat for the company to escape the frigid and snowy conditions in Chicago, but the overwhelming response from the Florida audiences was especially rewarding. We returned to Chicago after tour to prepare for our upcoming winter season at the Auditorium Theater. We will perform Anthony Tudor’s Dark Elegies, Lilac Garden and Offenbach in the Underworld to celebrate the Tudor Centennial.
Maia Wilkins and Michael Levine in Motown Suite (Above and below)
Mauro Villaneuva in his solo in Motown Suite.
Dancer Calvin Kitten observes from the wings during Motown Suite.
Thomas Nicholas and Jennifer Goodman during their pas de deux in Motown Suite.
Sometimes it Snows in April. (above and below)
Lido Beach Resort in Sarasota, FL.
Recent Posts by lauren
December 11, 2007 at 5:44 am · Filed under dance, tour, Nutcracker, joffrey ballet, LAUREN, theater
For the past week, Joffrey has been on tour in St. Louis opening our 2007 season of Robert Joffrey’s Nutcracker. We arrived on Sunday December 2nd and departed back to Chicago on Sunday December 9th. Having finished 6 performances at the Fox Theater in St. Louis, we embark on the bulk of our season at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago opening on Wednesday December 12th-December 30th.
On our day off, many dancers visited St. Louis’ Gateway Arch located in the downtown area.
The ornate ceiling and upper balcony of the Fox Theater.
The backstage area of the theater is covered with murals of each show that passes through–the ceilings, doors, elevators, walls are heavily decorated to insure that every performer is remembered. It’s such a treat to see each one and recognize friends that have performed in the past at the Fox Theater. Above is our 4th floor dressing room door, The Full Monty.
Dancer Mauro Villanueva signs our own creation for the 2007 Joffrey Nutcracker season.
During Friday Night’s performance I was able to capture a few moments from Act II. Above, dancer Joanna Wozniak as a flower.
The opening of the waltz of the flowers.
Mother Ginger, performed by puppeteer Francis Kane.
Clara, performed by Heather Aagard and Drosselmeyer, performed by Michael Smith react during Mother Ginger’s dance.
Sugarplum pas de deux-performed by Valerie Robin and Fabrice Calmels.
Recent Posts by lauren
November 17, 2007 at 4:21 am · Filed under dance, chicago, Nutcracker, joffrey ballet, contemporary dance, LAUREN
 |
LAUREN STEWART
Joffrey Ballet
Chicago, Illinois USA
BIO | POSTS |
After a two week layoff following the closing of Giselle in Chicago, Joffrey returned to work this past Monday to start rehearsals of Nutcracker and Tudor’s Dark Elegies. We will tour to St. Louis to first perform Nutcracker, December 3rd-9th and return to Chicago for our Auditorium Theater season until the 30th of December. It has certainly been a busy week for us, to say the least! The first few days after layoff are always rough and our demanding schedule this week made it especially challenging. Over the layoff, I visited my family back home in New Hampshire and Boston, got a chance to rest, and guest taught at my home studio, Southern NH Dance Theater in Bedford, NH. I returned to Chicago a week ago, and got a chance to see Complexions perform at the Auditorium Theater. This was my first time seeing them dance as a member of the audience, the last time they were in Chicago, Joffrey dancers appeared with them on the same bill for the Chicago Dancing Festival in August at the Pritzker Pavillon. Their energy and obvious talent was much inspiring and their demanding program made it even more so exhilarating to watch. I especially enjoyed Rhoden’s Solo danced by Desmond Richardson, his movement quality is so expansive and unique. Following the performance, a few friends and I celebrated Jonathan Dummar’s birthday. Jonathan is a fellow dancer at the Joffrey. It was great to see everyone rested from their break and ready to start Nutcracker! Tis’ the season!
A program page from Complexions performance at the Auditorium Theater
Happy Birthday:from left to right-Katherine Selig, Jonathan Dummar, Michael Smith, David Gombert, Jessica Wyatt, and myself.
Recent Posts by lauren
November 1, 2007 at 2:53 am · Filed under dance, joffrey ballet, frederic franklin, giselle, LAUREN
After a two week stint, the curtain closed on Sunday, October 28th, ending Joffrey’s performances of Giselle at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago. However, this does not mark the end of performances this season, for we will be touring to Detroit in March 2008 and performing it there at the Detroit Opera House. Staged by Frederic Franklin and his assistant Christina Johnson(former dancer of Dance Theater of Harlem), the version staged by Mr. Franklin was based on the creole one he did for DTH. It was truly a success, and was received well by audiences and critics alike.
Currently Joffrey is on a two week layoff until we resume to rehearse Nutcracker and Tudor’s Dark Elegies on November 12th. For the female corps, it will be a much needed rest from the demanding work executed in Giselle.
Below are a few pictures from backstage:
Prop table: urn, goblets, rakes for villagers, etc.
Act II: A view of the corps from the wings.
Village Men prepare for their scene opening Act II with Hilarion’s entrance.
Willies prepare for Act II.
Recent Posts by lauren
·
Next entries »
