Archive for sab
January 5, 2008 at 4:19 pm · Filed under SLOAN, ballet, dance, injuries, washington, new york city ballet, sab, school of american ballet, physical therapy
Here’s more about the Wellness Workshop programs I’ll be helping with today in Washington DC (And later in the month in Santa Monica, CA). If you are in the area, there are three workshops today, at 2:45, 4:15, and 5:45, all lead by NYCB physical therapist Marika Hartog at the Washington School of Ballet. Everyone is welcome, and the workshops are free. Such a great program for helping educate people about the importance of taking care of your body as a dancer.
NYCB and SAB announce a series of free Wellness Workshops for Adolescent Dancers, to be held in January and February 2008. The one-hour program, “Injury Prevention for Adolescent Dancers,” is designed for dance students, parents, and dance instructors and will be facilitated by a NYCB physical therapist. The workshops will be held in Boston, Chicago, Fort Worth, Miami Beach, Santa Monica, and Washington.
SAB began a Wellness Program in the 1990s as part of a comprehensive Student Life program. The program includes nutrition counseling, physical therapy, and psychological counseling. NYCB’s Wellness Program began in 2001 and is aimed at reducing the number of injuries sustained by dancers and improving dancers’ overall health and well-being. The program is the result of a research study conducted by members of the NYCB Wellness Team: Linda Hamilton,Ph.D., psychologist; William Hamilton,M.D., orthopedist; Marika Molnar, physical therapist; and Larry DeMann, Jr., D.C., chiropractor. In their research, the team discovered that the majority of injuries could be prevented if dancers were made aware of certain risks and taught the best ways to stay healthy.
Last year, NYCB and SAB held Wellness Workshops in four East Coast cities. Following the popularity of those sessions, NYCB and SAB have expanded the program, with the goal of reaching a wider population of dance students.
Registration for the Wellness Workshops will be available one hour before the start of each session. For more information, e-mail wellness@nycballet.com or call 212-870-4068, M-F, 10 am-5 pm.
All participants will be asked to read and sign an Assumption of Risk Agreement. Participants under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian sign and complete all fields in the Agreement. Click HERE for Assumption of Risk pdf.
Click here for future dates and times and to see if the Wellness Workshop will be coming to your area.
Recent Posts by kristin sloan
November 19, 2007 at 5:11 am · Filed under dance, chicago, sab, contemporary dance, LAUREN
Program, ticket and advertising insert
Last night I attended ASFB’s debut in Chicago at the Harris Theater. Tom Mossbrucker and Jean-Philippe Malaty, who direct the company, are both former Joffrey dancers. The company comprised of ten dancers performed Jorma Elo’s “1st Flash,” set to Jean Sibelius’ Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Minor; Twyla Tharp’s rarely seen “Sweet Fields,” set to early American hymns by 19th-Century composer William Billings; and “Noir Blanc,” set to a New Age collage and created for the troupe by Moses Pendleton. Each piece showcased the versatility and strength of the dancers; they especially excelled in Elo’s “1st Flash” with its demanding choreography and non-stop movement. A former SAB roomate of mine, Samantha Klanac, is now dancing with ASFB in her sixth season. It was great to see her perform with such magnitude after not seeing her since the SAB summer program in 2000. Enjoy some photos I uncovered from that summer and you might notice a fellow winger in the bunch!
Blast from the past: summer 2000 roomates-(left to right) Me, Ashley Dawkins, and Samantha Klanac
Matt Murphy and I with our friend, Danielle Welch, that same summer course at SAB
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August 5, 2007 at 12:09 am · Filed under SLOAN, dance, injuries, travel, new york city ballet, motorcycle, lincoln center, sab, physical therapy, iphone
Posted by Kristin Sloan
Baby blue in her primo parking spot, directly in front of West Side Dance Physical Therapy.
Yesterday I had a few things to wrap up before leaving for Savannah Sunday morning. I went to my bi-weekly (soon to be tri-weekly) physical therapy appointment where I got a bit of a pep talk from Rocky (my PT), and also had the pleasure of bumping into/meeting for the first time Bad Boy dancer, soon to be Montréal resident and Cas Public dancer, and Winger contributor Bennyroyce Royon. He’s just as nice and personable in person as he seems in his posts. So nice to meet you Benny!
NYCB’s offices are lined with old show posters from all over the world. It’s really amazing. Inside Debra’s office are New York State employee/employer information and lots of travel books from the many countries city ballet has visited over the years.
Then I stopped by the New York City Ballet offices (in the New York State Theater across from physical therapy) where I dropped off my passport to the lovely Debra Bernard, so that all the appropriate arrangements can be made for our upcoming tour to London in the Spring. (Luckily she only had to photocopy it, as I’ll definitely need it when I go to the Blue Lagoon in Iceland for a couple days with my mom at the end of august!) I also stopped by to see Serappio who graciously lent me a tape of Balanchine and Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements. I’m going to try teaching our students in Savannah the small girls dance (the one with the big piquée circle). Should be fun!
The NEW Empire Hotel
Also, while I was up there and grabbing a quick refreshment at Starbucks, I passed by what has been the bombed-out-looking former location of the Empire Hotel only to see a slick, modern interior with multiple doormen who asked if they could help me as I stared bewildered through the glass entrance. This was the hotel my mom and I stayed at when I first came to Lincoln Center to see the Royal Ballet when I was maybe 13, when I came to audition for the year-round program at the School of American Ballet, and many many times after that. It has been empty and abandoned-looking for quite a long time… it’s so nice to see that it is back!!
Recent Posts by kristin sloan
February 7, 2007 at 6:16 pm · Filed under SLOAN, music, architecture, art, moma, sab, cat power, school of american ballet, doug, ds+r, studios
Posted by Sloan
Last week I had the pleasure of attending an alumni event at the School of American Ballet in celebration of the new addition of the Lincoln Kirstein Wing. I wrote a bit about this before, but the addition involved two new studios, suspended over two existing studios. The architecture firm of Diller Scofidio + Renfro did an incredible job keeping the spaces light and airy… an improbable task considering they were greatly decreasing the ceiling height and incoming light in the original studios.
In the hall leading to the Lincoln Kirstein Wing they hung photos from the construction of the new studios. One showed the studios from the outside, with a massive red steel beam trying to make it’s way through the window.
Here’s the original studio 3, with the new studio hovering above it.
A few people compared it to a spaceship, but everyone agreed that the unique design was an amazing way of keeping the studio more open, and less like the reality of having an oppressive second studio bearing down on it.
Me and Doug in a studio… It was fun to get to show him where I spent three pretty important and intense years of my youth 
Although I was so distracted and excited by the changes that I probably didn’t make a very good tour guide. I kind of wish they would do an alumni event in the dorms as well. Perhaps in the summer when they are empty (between when the year round students and the summer students are there). Isn’t that what colleges do? Can’t you visit your old dorm? Anyway…
Here’s the entrance to the Lincoln Kirstein Wing, even though the new part is actually more like the Lincoln Kirstein “Level”. The letters are written backwards so that it’s legible in the mirror.
This is the stairway leading up to the new studios.
Once upstairs, the first thing you see is the mini lounge area - very important for the dancers to have a spot to stretch, chat, and put on their shoes before class. The glass walls on either side have liquid crystal technology… with the flip of a switch they can go from translucent to opaque. I’d heard of this cool techie trick before, but hadn’t actually seen it in person until now. It’s just as magical and impressive as you’d think. And they’re using naked half-silver bulbs for lighting. This always looks neat and design-y, although Doug pointed out that a compact flourescent solution may have been a bit more efficient.
Here’s a view of the boys in class downstairs, from the studio above. It really feels like the studio is floating above them.
The glass walls are double hung, with about 5″ between each panel for extra soundproofing. You could hardly hear the class going on downstairs and if there had been a class going on up here, you wouldn’t hear a thing. No danger of competing pianos.
I love smart details like this… A floor outlet, in the corner where the tv/vcr unit goes.
After visiting SAB, we went to one more MoMA party for Doug Aitken’s Sleepwalkers. This time it was being held by MoMA’s younger event group PopRally, and instead of Seu Jorge performing, it was Cat Power (another one of the 5 subjects in Aitken’s piece).
Again, we found ourselves cold and waiting for a few mintues to get in. But at least we both had hoods to shield the bits of rain.
On a side note, Doug has been growing a beard since January 1. It’s for Bearduary, a concept/website started in part by Doug’s friend from college Chris Rubino. The growing starts January 1, the progress is documented through photos on the site, and the shaving happens March 1.
Once we got inside, this was the scene…
Hanging lantern lights above Cat’s performing space, and Sleepwalkers outside in the background.
A great shot of the lights, by lizthegirl.
Cat Power, up close and personal. I love this photo… it’s also by lizthegirl.
Recent Posts by kristin sloan
January 21, 2007 at 7:22 pm · Filed under SLOAN, dance, schools, nycb, sab, students, education
Posted by Sloan
This week I attended a presentation by the New York City Ballet Education Department of their Ballet Bridges program, which exposes students in New York and New Jersey area schools to dance, choreography, and performance. They also get the opportunity to see dancers from the School of American Ballet perform at their school, and to see New York City Ballet dancers in performances at Lincoln Center.
Before entering studio 3 of the Samuel B. & David Rose Building, where the event was starting, I slid into studio 2 to take a few shots of the School of American Ballet students getting ready for their rehearsal, which we would see later on in the night.
(Notice the ubiquitous knit booties. These were popular back when I was at SAB, as I am sure they were even before then. There also happens to be a Himalayan Crafts store which sells them on Broadway, just a few blocks from Lincoln Center.)
The projection in the back is part of the presentation they give at various schools.
And in the left corner… Dance Demonstration Technology in action.
The first part of the evening was a presentation by Mr. Ronald Treanor (first photo above), principal of the Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in Union City, NJ, and three of his teachers who participate in the Ballet Bridges program.
All of them spoke passionately about the program and how much it meant for their school to be a part of it. Mr. Treanor was so proud of his school and its students - and it showed. I heard a few of the teachers in the audience half-joking about asking him if he had any positions available. Inspiring stuff.
Prompted by a question from an audience member, Mr. Treanor explained that the program also helped his students bond in a new way with their parents. He said many of his students live in Hispanic homes, where language can be a barrier between the parents and their children who learn all their classes in English. But this dance program transcends this language barrier, and the projects the children do are things that their parents can more easily be involved in. Amazing.
They also showed a few videos of the students in school, learning steps, learning how to choreograph steps, giving dance performances for their peers, and visiting Lincoln Center. Two adorable students from Woodrow Wilson were also in attendance and answered some questions from the audience. (They said they enjoyed the choreography and performance aspects of the program the best).
It really blew me away how massive this program is, which I was told reached about 3,400 students last year. The schools also make an effort to incorporate the dance training with the students’ academic training, sometimes by using the theme of their academic studies to inspire their dance projects. For instance, one school made a dance about interacting molecules, because that’s what they were learning in their other classes.
John, from NYCB’s Education Department, tells us all it’s time to move along to studio 2 to watch a rehearsal of what the SAB students will perform for the school students.
This is such a great opportunity for both sides of the equation. The school students get to see nearly professional level dancing, and demonstrations of Balanchine ballets and technique, and the SAB students get to learn, rehearse, and perform ballets that hopefully they will be performing with a professional company someday.
My seat from the second row of chairs. On the wall is a projection of portraits of Lincoln Kirstein. Throughout the lecture/demonstration, the “teaching artist” tells students about the beginnings of SAB and NYCB.
The teaching artist (above) is someone who goes to the schools, teaches the students dance moves, works with them on choreography, and presents these lecture/demonstrations with the SAB students. He was very enthusiastic and entertaining.
Two SAB students showing a pas de deux from Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments.
The proud and watchful “mom”…
Former NYCB soloist Katrina Killian (standing by the piano) now runs SAB’s lecture/demonstration program, which was originally started by Suki Schorer at the suggestion of Mr. B himself.
On this particular program is a Theme from Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments, and Tarantella. They will also perform the Four Little Swans from Swan Lake and an excerpt from Stars and Stripes, both of which we did not see.
… Taking a breather after the notoriously difficult Tarantella.
Smiling and waiting to take their bows.
The kids did such a great job! And that’s always such an uncomfortable performing environment (at least I always thought so) with the bright studio lights and rows of people watching you from a few feet away.
Thanks to the SAB students for doing such a great job and letting us in on their rehearsal, to the teachers and students from Woodrow Wilson Elementary School for sharing their experience, and a big thanks to John for inviting me to come see some of the wonderful things the NYCB Education Department does outside Lincoln Center!
Recent Posts by kristin sloan
January 19, 2007 at 7:40 pm · Filed under SLOAN, architecture, lincolncenter, construction, dillerscofidiorenfro, sab
Posted by Sloan
Image courtesy NY Times.
In the Times today there’s an article on the new Lincoln Kirstein wing of the School of American Ballet. All housed within the same space as before, the architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro(see back of head below:) created additional studios by suspending them above the studios that already existed. Here are the studios in the construction process from a previous post…
I can’t wait to see the final product! This is all part of their larger project of breathing new life to the entire Lincoln Center complex…
I spent yesterday doing various things at the Rose Building (where the SAB and some NYCB studios are, as well as the SAB and Juilliard Residences, and Lincoln Center corporate offices) and as I passed the torn up spot outside Alice Tully Hall I got to chat with some of the guys working on the project like Jaime (I’m pretty sure that was his name, it was hard to hear over the construction noise). He enjoyed showing off his hat.
They told me a few of the things that will be happening in the complex… I’m not sure if I’m allowed to disclose the info or not, so I’ll keep it safe and just say it sounds smart and exciting.
Here’s the rendering of what that area will look like… eventually.
Image ©Diller Scofidio + Renfro
You can check out more details here.
Recent Posts by kristin sloan
