Westover School Hosts the Renowned Bolshoi Ballet's Summer Intensive
Young ballerinas in a class in Westover's dance studio (photo at right) during a recent Summer Intensive. Dancers (in group photo below) recently gave a Final Performance for the public in Westover's Performing Arts Center.
This summer Westover will again welcome the renowned Bolshoi Academy of Moscow, which will give aspiring ballet dancers the opportunity to train with teachers from the most revered Russian academy in the ballet world, during three-, five- or six-week programs. Dancers take classes in four dance studios at Westover.
Students in the Summer Intensive hail from throughout the United States and abroad.
During January through March, students audition throughout the country to join the Summer Intensive program. Younger students aged 9 through 14 train at Westover, while older students train in New York City. Students who participate in the summer intensives will study all manner of classical Russian ballet technique including classical ballet, pointe, variations, character dance, repertoire, partnering, and folk dance.
The Bolshoi Ballet Academy summer program, the Academy's exclusive U.S. engagement, is presented by the Russian American Foundation, a cultural foundation based in New York City that promotes increased understanding of Russian heritage and culture through the presentation of Russian arts events in the U.S. as well as a month-long festival of Russian culture in New York each June.
Throughout the Bolshoi summer sessions American students will study with the Bolshoi Academy's top instructors.
Rina Kirshner, Vice President of Russian American Foundation, said the Summer Intensive is, in effect, an exclusive opportunity for interested dancers to audition for the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Ten students from the Summer Intensive will be accepted to further their studies at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow.
The Bolshoi Ballet Academy's continued alliance with RAF and Westover brings the famed academy to the U.S. for intensive training for the first time since 1999, when the Bolshoi concluded its years-long affiliation with the Vail Valley Foundation in Colorado.
The Bolshoi Academy's Dean Marina Leonova noted that partnership between the Academy and RAF "works towards expanding the dialogue among professionals who are responsible for directing the development and preservation of ballet, and who are teaching the next generation of dancers. This will not only contribute to promoting methods of teaching of Russian classical dance, which helps mastering all styles of choreographic art, but will also foster cross-cultural understanding. This will be an extremely important step in breaking down cultural biases and facilitating a meaningful exchange."
Ms. Kirshner noted that "Russian history and culture have shaped the evolution of ballet on all levels, from choreography to music, to staging and, of course, the performers. RAF believes that this cross-cultural initiative will benefit the present day artistic communities of both countries by allowing them a direct dialogue and to learn from each other's experiences."
For information about "Bolshoi Ballet Academy: Summer Intensive" call 212-687-6118 ext. 207 or visit the Bolshoi Ballet Academy's website .
