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Satin & Steel

Bellevue's own professional chamber ballet company lights up the territory from Bellevue to Bellingham with the brilliance of Satin and Steel to music from Chopin to Copland. With two mid-week Tuesday and Wednesday evening performances, Ballet Bellevue aims to dodge everyone's already very busy weekends in May. John Bishop of Bellingham's Northwest Ballet Theater has been invited to direct this treasury of 20th Century ballets with music from Chopin to Copland. Opening with the breathtaking and unforgettable European "white ballet" Les Sylphides (1909), the program ends in the new world with a grand finale adaptation of ballets choreographed by John Bishop to the famous music of American composer, Aaron Copland, including Billy the Kid (1938), Rodeo (1942) and The Red Pony (1948). Delight and surprise are in store with the elegance of ballerinas in satin pointe shoes announcing the beauty of spring paired with the fun, all-American cowboy themes, promising that rodeo season is not far away! Starring in Les Sylphides are Sayoko Knode and Eric Glenn of Idaho Dance Theater in the pas de deux, and soloists Elizabeth Belyea and Natasha Keeley. "Although Copland's music is among American's most favorite, it has seldom if ever been enjoyed with ballet on the west coast and only rarely outside of NYC," says Guest Director, John Bishop. "These three Copland pieces are part of the American vernacular, part of our cultural heritage as Americans, based on our own history, the history of the American West." This west coast premiere will feature Mija Bishop of Northwest Ballet Theater as The Cowgirl, a role first performed by Agnes de Mille in 1942 (with 22 curtain calls!). John Bishop performs a cameo appearance in the role of Billy; and performing as the Champion Roper in Rodeo, as well as Alias in Billy the Kid is Terry McKinnon of Ballet Bellevue. Soloist Miye Bishop of NBT performs The Red Pony. Also on the program is California Poppy (1923), a stunning solo originally choreographed for Anna Pavlova, danced by Natasha Keeley. Just because it's spring, a special 19th Century feature has been tucked into the program: everyone's favorite pas de deux from Flower Festival at Genzano (1858) danced by Sayoko Knode and Eric Glenn. The long history of collaboration between Ballet Bellevue and NBT is picking up speed with the obvious crucial benefits of arts organizations sharing their assets. From Ballet Bellevue van loads of costumes, backdrops and the entire musical score and parts have gone north to assist NBT in their upcoming June production of Coppelia with live orchestra; and Ballet Bellevue's neighbor, La Residence Suite Hotel, is generously hosting Mr. Bishop during his treks from Bellingham to rehearse in Bellevue. Bishop's engaging talent to round up the goods accounts for shirts and boots for the Copland ballets to be borrowed from Stowe's Shoes in Burlington and Oliver Hammer in Sedro Woolley. With many future collaborations in mind, NBT board president, Christopher Keys, is sharing his much needed fundraising expertise over lunches in Bellevue. Fans from the north will travel to Bellevue to applaud their favorite NBT dancers in the Meydenbauer, and Ballet Bellevue dancers will travel to Bellingham for the NBT matinee encore of the Copland ballets at the Mount Baker Theatre on June 2nd.

Location

The Theatre at Meydenbauer Center (View)
11100 NE 6th Street
Bellevue, WA 98004
United States

Contact

Owner: BALLET BELLEVUE

On BPT Since: Dec 04, 2008

Ziyoda Djalilova

www.balletbellevue.org

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KIRKLAND, WA United States

May 15, 2012 11:21 PM

Name Withheld

Bellevue, WA United States

May 15, 2012 7:40 PM

Name Withheld

Bellevue, WA United States

May 15, 2012 7:40 PM

Name Withheld

Lakewood, WA United States

May 15, 2012 10:48 AM

Name Withheld

Lakewood, WA United States

May 15, 2012 10:48 AM

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