Richmond Ballet
| Richmond Ballet, State Ballet of Virginia | |
|---|---|
| General Information | |
| Name | Richmond Ballet, State Ballet of Virginia |
| Year founded | 1957 |
| Website | www.richmondballet.com |
| Artistic Staff | |
| Artistic Director | Stoner Winslett |
| Other | |
| Official School | The School of the Richmond Ballet |
The Richmond Ballet, named the State Ballet of Virginia in 1990 by then Governor Douglas Wilder, is a nationally recognized education and performance institution, founded in 1957.
Founding
In 1957, the Ballet Impromptu, founded by Richmond natives Robert C. Watkins Jr.[1] and Marjorie Fay Underhill[2] and Donna Comstock Forrest, became Richmond's first ballet company.[3] Later, the Ballet Impromptu became the Richmond Ballet. In 1980, Stoner Winslett became the founding artistic director.
Performances
In his 2011 article on American productions of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, the New York Time's Alastair Macaulay singled out the Richmond Ballet production as one of the best in the country.[4] The company debuted in New York City in 2005 with performances at the Joyce Theater.[5] In October 2013, during the company's 30th season, the ballet premiered the contemporary work “Phoenix Rising”, choreographed by Philip Neal, a former student of the Richmond Ballet school and dancer for 23 years with the New York City Ballet.
References
- ↑ Slipek, Edwin. "Remembrance: Robert C. Watkins Jr., 1920-2013". Style Weekly. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
- ↑ "Obituary for: Marjorie Fay Underhill". Bennett Funeral Homes. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
- ↑ Carvell, Susan (16 August 2009). "Reaching Out Through Dance". Discover Richmond. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
- ↑ Macaulay, Alastair (2 January 2011). "'Nutcracker' Question with Many Answers". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
- ↑ "Richmond Ballet at the Joyce". BWW. 14 April 2010. Retrieved 17 December 2013.