Los Angeles Ballet's The Nutcracker was attended by a record estimated 15,700 people over 12 performances in 2013, adding to the holiday traditions of audience members throughout Southern California. Home / News / New Item Record Attendance at The Nutcracker November 30, 2013 Company News from the Staff at LAB Los Angeles Ballet's The Nutcracker was attended by a record estimated 15,700 people over 12 performances in 2013, adding to the holiday traditions of audience members throughout Southern California. The 2013/2014 Season continues in March 2014 with Quartet and May/June 2014 with La Sylphide and Balanchine's Serenade.

Los Angeles has been a hard nut to crack, but ballet duo Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary are determined to do it. The husband and wife team are staking their reputation and their supporter's money on a new Los Angeles Ballet that will be unveiled in December. Home / News / New Item L.A.'s ballet: A hard nut to crack but ballet duo is determined to do it November 17, 2006 Pasadena Star-News by Vicki Smith Paluch Los Angeles has been a hard nut to crack, but ballet duo Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary are determined to do it. The husband and wife team are staking their reputation and their supporter's money on a new Los Angeles Ballet that will be unveiled in December – their Christmas present to the sprawling county's dance lovers. View PDF to read the full article. DOWNLOAD ARTICLE (PDF)

Los Angeles Ballet presents a company of outstanding dancers from local communities and around the world. LAB dance artists master classical as well as contemporary techniques. Poppy Coleman Hometown Portland, OR Seasons with LAB 5 Seasons with LAB Poppy studied at The Portland Ballet and joined the Pacific Northwest Ballet Schools' Professional Division program in 2020. While a student, she performed in company productions of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake . Poppy joined the Los Angeles Ballet as a company member in 2022.

American Ballet Theater icon Misty Copeland has over 402,000 followers on Instagram. To compare, athletes like Venus and Serena Williams have 89,500 and 992,000 followers, respectively. Michael Phelps has 462,000. Danica Patrick has 26,900. Home / News / New Item These Are The Ballerinas And Ballerinos Of Instagram February 5, 2015 HuffingtonPost.com by Katherine Brooks American Ballet Theater icon Misty Copeland has over 402,000 followers on Instagram. To compare, athletes like Venus and Serena Williams have 89,500 and 992,000 followers, respectively. Michael Phelps has 462,000. Danica Patrick has 26,900. Of course, ballet is easily the most photogenic of the sports. An art form that toes the line between performance and feats of athleticism, it’s filled with pirouettes and arabesques that when frozen in a frame appear like paintings or perfectly sculpted statues. Misty’s Instagram account is filled with shots both on and off a stage, flexing her muscles and practicing her craft. And she’s hardly the only ballerina — or ballerino — to grace the platform. One glimpse at the popular Ballerina Project account, followed by an impressive 641,000, and it’s easy to see why dance fans are quick to double click on the endless stream of posed portraits. We’ve explored the power of a ballet hashtag before. But now we’re focusing on the photos we share and their ability to communicate so much about a realm built on visual splendor. Below we’ve compiled a list of our favorite ballet and dance-related Instagram accounts, from principals and soloists across the country to the companies that document their every performance and rehearsal with the touch of an iPhone. For those not lucky enough to live down the subway line from Lincoln Center, it’s pretty astounding the degree of backstage access you can get from perusing your favorite dancers’ accounts. READ ARTICLE AT SOURCE

Los Angeles Ballet Artistic Directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary are pleased to announce the company’s fifth season as Los Angeles’ own professional ballet company. Home / News / New Item Los Angeles Ballet Announces Season 5 August 10, 2010 LAB Public Relations Celebrating Landmark Fifth Season! (Los Angeles, CA) Los Angeles Ballet Artistic Directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary are pleased to announce the company’s fifth season as Los Angeles’ own professional ballet company. This season the company will dazzle viewers with The Nutcracker , Balanchine masterworks, a World Premiere , and the beloved romantic ballet Giselle . Back to thrill audiences during the holidays and begin the fifth season, LAB will perform its Neary- Christensen choreographed production of The Nutcracker , the city's most enduring holiday tradition. Celebration comes to Los Angeles in March, featuring Balanchine's luscious Raymonda Variations and riotous Western Symphony , plus another World Premiere created specifically for LAB dancers by the returning Sonya Tayeh. In May, the 2010-2011 landmark season culminates with the timeless, full-length romantic Giselle, with choreography by Artistic Director Thordal Christensen, (after Coralli, Perrot and Petipa). The Season 5 Gala Celebration will take place on Saturday May 28th, 2011, at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, after a performance of Giselle. Additionally, Los Angeles Ballet continues its commitment to the workshop process, to the identification and nurture of emerging choreographers, composers and designers. LAB’s Choreographic Workshop will take place May 24, 2011. The Company continues to build a repertoire that underscores the creative leadership of its artistic directors, presenting timeless classics as well as innovative choreography from today’s contemporary artists. DOWNLOAD PDF

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Los Angeles Ballet presents a company of outstanding dancers from local communities and around the world. LAB dance artists master classical as well as contemporary techniques. Jasmine Perry Hometown Charlotte, North Carolina Schools The School of American Ballet, Charlotte Ballet (formerly North Carolina Dance Theatre) Companies Los Angeles Ballet 9th Season

Los Angeles Ballet presents a company of outstanding dancers from local communities and around the world. LAB dance artists master classical as well as contemporary techniques. Julianne Kinasiewicz Hometown Portage, IN Seasons with LAB 8 Seasons with LAB Julianne began dancing at age four at the Ruth Page School of Dance, where she trained under Patricia Klekovic, Dolores Lipinski Long, and Birute Barodicaite. After attending two summer courses at The School of American Ballet, she was invited to join them as a full-time student in New York. At SAB, Julianne danced in many lecture demonstrations and donor performances, as well as performances of "Scenes de Ballet" and "The Sleeping Beauty" with the New York City Ballet. In her graduation workshop performance, she danced a Principal role in George Balanchine's "Western Symphony" and led roles in Justin Peck's "In Creases". Julianne was also awarded the Mae L. Wien Award for Outstanding Promise. At 17, Julianne received a corps de ballet contract with the Los Angeles Ballet. Now in her seventh season, some of her notable repertoire have included George Balanchine's "Western Symphony", "Concerto Barocco", as well as Principal roles in “Agon" and “Serenade”. Other notable roles include principal and soloist roles in Christopher Wheeldon’s “Fool’s Paradise”, Justin Peck’s “Belles Lettres”, and Edward Liang’s “Cinderella”. Outside of her work with the Los Angeles Ballet, Julianne is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of dancers, teaching and coaching students of all ages throughout Los Angeles. In addition to her artistic pursuits, she is currently earning a degree in Business Administration.

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Search Results / Search LAB 324 items found for "" LAB to Perform in Grand Park | Los Angeles Ballet LAB to Perform in Grand Park February 1, 2013 Company News from the Staff at LAB Los Angeles Ballet will perform at Grand Park on July 6, 2013 as part of The Music Center's L.A.'s Rite: Stravinsky, Innovation, and Dance, a festival honoring the 100th anniversary of Igor Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring). The performance is free to the public and will be followed by a discussion with LAB Artistic Directors Colleen Neary and Thordal Christensen. "Los Angeles Ballet is pleased and honored to present collaborative masterpieces of George Balanchine and Igor Stravinsky for this occasion. George Balanchine was the innovator that changed classical dance forever, and is responsible for what it has become today. Together with his dear friend Igor Stravinsky they created works of pure musical and choreographic genius. These ballets remain timeless, an inspiration to us all," said Christensen and Neary. Home / News / New Item Jonas Tutaj – Company Dancer | Los Angeles Ballet Jonas Tutaj Hometown Chicago, Illinois Seasons with LAB 2022/2023, 2023/2024 Bio Available Shortly LAB Dancer Christopher McDaniel Gets Published | Los Angeles Ballet LAB Dancer Christopher McDaniel Gets Published August 2, 2013 Company News from the Staff at LAB Los Angeles Ballet dancer Christopher McDaniel has added published author to his long list of accomplishments. His story, "A Dance with Destiny," was included in the recently published Chicken Soup for the Soul: From Lemons to Lemonade. Purchase the book now to read Christopher's inspiring story. READ ARTICLE AT SOURCE Home / News / New Item Colleen Neary in Orlando | Los Angeles Ballet Colleen Neary in Orlando January 31, 2007 Company News from the Staff at LAB In January and February of this year, Colleen Neary is traveling by invitation to Orlando, Florida to set George Balanchine’s Agon and stage his Serenade and Who Cares? for Orlando Ballet. Home / News / New Item Los Angeles Ballet polishes 'The Nutcracker" | Los Angeles Ballet Los Angeles Ballet polishes 'The Nutcracker" December 5, 2011 Los Angeles Times by Jean Lenihan Continuing to establish itself as a spirited and sophisticated -- if itinerant -- ballet company, Los Angeles Ballet opened its 2011-12 season over the weekend at the Alex Theatre in Glendale with a memorable cast for its distinctive, inspired “The Nutcracker.” As helmed by artistic directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary, Los Angeles Ballet’s “Nutcracker” delivers an admirable depth and intelligence of design combined with a light-handed approach to the ballet’s traditional Christmas-party characterizations and plot line. Catherine Kanner’s luscious Act 1 setting is 1912 Los Angeles, an interior drawing room so plush and timbered that even with its electric lights it still feels redolent of Tchaikovsky’s time. Inhabiting this velvety parlor, the pale, winsome Clara (Mia Katz) and her incandescent Uncle Drosselmeyer (Nicolas de la Vega) make a poetic pair, and it’s easy to root for their partnership. Usually an aged, menacing creature, Drosselmeyer is drawn here as blessedly young and gregarious. De la Vega’s sweeping gestures and scampering feet swell to light the whole stage. In lovely contrast, young Katz’s pale, long limbs move tentatively toward full expression, finally unleashing a full rush of joy when she receives her enchanting, full-sized Nutcracker doll (Nathaniel Solis). All the ensuing Act I scenes -- mice battles, tree expansion, blizzard of human snowflakes -- seem to extend from and amplify Clara’s core excitement over this special gift. Set in the amorphous “Palace of the Dolls,” Act 2 fails to sustain the momentum of Act 1, but that’s no shock. Few “Nutcrackers” figure out how to unify this hodgepodge of revved-up divertissements. Christensen and Neary attend to the structural flaw with some lovely touches (members of the different sections interact frequently on the sidelines; Clara comes from her viewing perch to hug the fairies before they depart), yet there’s room to improve their thematic grouping here. The divertissements -- a mix of Land of Sweets and Exotics (Arabian coffee, Spanish, Russian, Mother Gingerbread) combined with a reprisal of the commedia dell’arte dolls (in place of Chinese) and no Mirlitones section -- really become a smorgasbord of free-floating fairy-tale dreams. As Marie and her Cavalier, newly named company principals Allyssa Bross and Christopher Revels hit all the fouettés and fish dives, though Bross looks somewhat defrocked in Mikael Meybye’s short, simple tutu with three vertical red bows. Vivid power shone from standout soloists Chehon Wespi-Tschopp (Cossack doll) and Allynne Noelle (the Rose), while the crowd went mad for the repeat partnership of Julia Cinquemani and Alexander Castillo (Arabian). While Los Angeles Ballet certainly deserves its own theater, the troupe is a mightily impressive touring company. The quality of the recorded music, from musical director Michael Andreas, boosts this further. Los Angeles Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,” Royce Hall, UCLA, 340 Royce Drive, Los Angeles. 1 and 5 p.m. Dec. 17 and 18. Also: Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redond DOWNLOAD PDF Home / News / New Item Los Angeles Ballet to Debut Giselle | Los Angeles Ballet Los Angeles Ballet to Debut Giselle April 19, 2011 ​ LAB Public Relations Season 5 Culminates with a Gala Celebrating the Achievements of Five Years April 19, 2011 – Los Angeles Ballet [LAB] Artistic Directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary are pleased to present Giselle , the timeless story of a young peasant girl who, betrayed by her lover, dies of a broken heart. The Company continues to build a repertoire that underscores the creative leadership of its artistic directors, presenting timeless classics as well as innovative choreography from today’s contemporary artists. The full-length premiere of Giselle , with choreography by Artistic Director Thordal Christensen (after Coralli, Perrot and Petipa), is no exception. First premiered in 1841, Giselle is one of the most beloved romantic ballets of all time, and the title role has given the world its greatest ballerinas. Giselle tells the tragic tale of a maiden who falls in love with Albrecht, a nobleman so enchanted by Giselle’s innocence and purity that he recklessly leads her to believe that he is a peasant. When his betrothed Bathilde reveals his true identity, Giselle dies of a broken heart. Albrecht visits Giselle’s grave, overcome with remorse. Giselle rises to protect him from the Wilis, vengeful female spirits that haunt the forest. Giselle’s forgiving, profound love saves Albrecht from certain death. The Season 5 Gala Celebration will take place Saturday, May 28th at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, following the 6:00 pm performance of Giselle. The event will hosted by LAB Board members/Gala Co-Chairs Lori Milken, Ghada Irani, and Jeanette Trepp. Designed by Billy Butchkavitz and catered by Wolfgang Puck, guests will be transported to an enchanting ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ setting. DOWNLOAD PDF Home / News / New Item Los Angeles Ballet's Season5 Gala Celebration | Broad Stage Santa Monica | Los Angeles Ballet Los Angeles Ballet's Season5 Gala Celebration | Broad Stage Santa Monica May 1, 2011 ​ ​ Giselle is a village girl courted by a prince disguised as a peasant. She falls in love with him, but when she finds out his identity -- and that he’s engaged to someone else -- she loses her mind and dies. End of ballet? Not by a long shot. In Act 2, she appears as a spirit newly enrolled in the ranks of the Wilis, night creatures that wreak vengeance on perjured suitors. Giselle resists her new duties and saves her prince. READ ARTICLE AT SOURCE Home / News / New Item Shelling Out Dividends, Los Angeles Ballet's Version of The Nutcracker is a bright season opener... | Los Angeles Ballet Shelling Out Dividends, Los Angeles Ballet's Version of The Nutcracker is a bright season opener... December 15, 2008 Los Angeles Times by Victoria Looseleaf James and the Sylph soon meet their destruction, however, James has deeply though mindlessly offended the witch Madge earlier during the wedding day. Now, seeking to bring his ideal Sylph into his arms, he drapes a veil he doesn’t know has been poisoned by Madge over the Sylph’s shoulders and winds it around her arms. The Sylph immediately loses her wings, comes to earth and quickly dies. James is stunned and collapses in grief. DOWNLOAD PDF Home / News / New Item 2014-2015 Season Expansion | Los Angeles Ballet 2014-2015 Season Expansion June 1, 2014 ​ LAB Public Relations LAB’s 9th season includes three full-length romantic story ballets with music by Tchaikovsky and a mixed bill program Los Angeles Ballet Co-Artistic Directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary are excited to unveil LAB’s 2014-2015 season, which includes the Tchaikovsky Trilogy, with three full-length ballets featuring the music of Peter Tchaikovsky, plus a mixed bill program of 20th century masterworks. LAB’s ninth season marks the addition of a fall program for a total of four programs, an expansion from 3 productions in all of its previous seasons. A major goal of Los Angeles Ballet’s long-term plan, LAB is pleased to achieve this in Season 9! The Tchaikovsky Trilogy includes a new production of The Sleeping Beauty , the return of the company’s critically-acclaimed productions of Swan Lake and The Nutcracker all with choreography by Artistic Directors Christensen and Neary, and closes with a mixed bill program that will include works by 20th century choreographic masters. Continuing LAB’s mission to offer world-class professional ballet to greater LA, its programs are performed at LAB’s home theaters: UCLA’s Royce Hall, Glendale’s Alex Theatre, Valley Performing Arts Center in Northridge and Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center. In addition, LAB is proud to announce that in December of this year it will present four performances of The Nutcracker at its newest venue - the prestigious Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. LAB opens the season and its first fall program with the full-length Swan Lake (October/November 2014). The company premiered this production during the 2011-2012 season with sold out shows. “After Swan Lake sold out most performances, we had many requests to bring it back. Swan Lake is the perfect way to launch this expanded season and respond to our audience requests.” Mr. Christensen explained. The holidays welcome LAB’s popular The Nutcracker set in 1913 Los Angeles (December 2014). Additional matinees offer more opportunities to see this family favorite and enjoy some of Tchaikovsky’s most beloved music. Spring 2015 opens with the premiere of LAB’s new production of The Sleeping Beauty (February/March) with choreography by Mr. Christensen and Ms. Neary after the original choreography by Marius Petipa. “We have wanted to present The Sleeping Beauty for several years. The Tchaikovsky score is irresistible, but it is a big, classical ballet that requires a lot from all of the dancers, not just the Principals,” Ms. Neary said. “It’s an important measure of how the company has grown that we know LAB is ready to bring this magnificent ballet to life.” The season will close with Directors’ Choice , a mixed bill program that will include Theme and Variations by George Balanchine, (also with music by Tchaikovsky), and two other choreographic luminaries (May/June 2015). The specific repertoire will be announced later in 2014. About Los Angeles Ballet Founded in 2004 by Artistic Directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary, and Executive Director Julie Whittaker, Los Angeles Ballet is known for its superb stagings of the Balanchine repertory, stylistically meticulous classical ballets, and its commitment to new works. LAB has become recognized as a world-class ballet company in eight seasons, presenting 24 productions encompassing 50 works, including 15 commissioned world premieres. Los Angeles Ballet ‘tours’ throughout LA County, regularly appearing at four venues. In 2013, the Los Angeles Music Center presented Los Angeles Ballet at Grand Park, with more than 3,000 attending the outdoor performance. In June 2014, Los Angeles Ballet will tour outside of California for the first time, presenting La Sylphide and Serenade to Seattle, Washington audiences at McCaw Hall at Seattle Center. Since its inception in 2006, LAB’s Power of Performance (POP!) program has provided thousands of free tickets to underserved or disadvantaged children, seniors, veterans, and their families. LAB's A Chance to Dance Community Days outreach program was launched in October 2012. About Thordal Christensen Among Thordal Christensen’s many credentials are an impressive performing career, successful leadership of one of the world's major ballet companies, critically applauded original choreography, and a proven commitment to dance education. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, Christensen received his ballet training at The Royal Danish Ballet School and at the School of American Ballet in New York City before a performance career that included the Royal Danish Ballet, New York City Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Christensen then returned to Denmark where he was Artistic Director of the Royal Danish Ballet. This blend of Bournonville and Balanchine tradition is one of the defining themes of his career, and has shaped the unique artistic vision that Christensen, along with his wife Colleen Neary, bring to Los Angeles Ballet. In 2002, he was made Knight of the Dannebrog by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. About Colleen Neary Colleen Neary brings to Los Angeles Ballet the benefits of her vast experience as one of George Balanchine's quintessential ballerinas. In her experience as a dancer, teacher, and ballet mistress, she also worked closely with other luminaries of 20th century dance, including Rudolf Nureyev, Maurice Béjart, and Jiří Kylián. Born in Miami, Florida and trained at The School of American Ballet, Neary danced in New York City Ballet under the direction of George Balanchine, then for Maurice Béjart's Ballet du XXième Siecle , and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Neary was personally selected by Balanchine to teach his choreography to major companies all over the world as a repetiteur for The George Balanchine Trust. DOWNLOAD PDF Home / News / New Item LA Ballet Opens Fifth Season with Exuberant 'Nutcracker' | Los Angeles Ballet LA Ballet Opens Fifth Season with Exuberant 'Nutcracker' December 16, 2010 Culturespot LA by Penny Orloff In an era of catastrophic personal belt tightening and calamitous corporate downsizing, too many promising arts organizations have fallen face-first into the chasm of disappearing dollars. When even an established, respected old organization like the Pasadena Playhouse had to close its doors for a time, it is beyond astonishing that a new classical ballet troupe not only survives, but thrives. Since the debut of its original production of “The Nutcracker” in November 2006, the Los Angeles Ballet has been met with critical and commercial success, nearly doubling its budget over five seasons without a penny of government support. “Considering the colossal events of the last five years – Katrina, the tsunami in Indonesia, the financial collapse and subsequent recession, the Haiti earthquake – LAB’s steady growth from $900,000 to $1,624,000 is nothing short of a miracle,” says Julie Whittaker, the company’s executive director. The central ingredient in LAB’s success is the consistent high quality of the product. Artistic Directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary are clearly the stars of this enterprise. Their uncanny selection and inspired mentoring of some of America’s finest young dancers have resulted in a world-class corps de ballet and several important break-out soloists. Their vision and tireless dedication to the work have produced a large and reliable fan base, and ever-increasing ticket sales. LAB’s “Nutcracker” – playing in venues around LA County this month – is proof of the company’s stature as a game-changing force in the realm of international ballet. The original choreography by Christensen and Neary is fresh and exhilarating, demonstrating the technical skill, individual virtuosity, and razor-sharp precision ensemble work that distinguish this young company. After several reports, I am running out of superlatives to describe the exemplary work of the women’s corps de ballet in the Dance of the Snowflakes and the Waltz of the Flowers, two highlights of the production. Other highlights of this season’s LAB “Nutcracker” include the annual appearance of guest artist Sergey Kheylik as the Cossack Doll. The ecstatic cheers greeting his Act I entrance escalated to a roar as he flung himself into impossible leaps and turns. He was joined in Act II by LAB newcomers Aaron Bahadursingh and Christopher Revels, who matched Kheylik vault for astonishing vault. The off-the-charts athleticism of this Russian Dance whipped the audience into a prolonged, ear-splitting demonstration, literally stopping the show. Returning as Marie (Sugarplum Fairy), Monica Pelfrey remained serene and confident through the long and demanding pas de deux. Her dancing showed off clean stepwork, lovely ports des bras, and marvelous balance. She was partnered by Zheng Hua Li, her cavalier in last season’s Balanchine “Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2.” Li’s emotional physicality contrasts beautifully with Pelfrey’s cool elegance, creating a wonderful chemistry. The audience rewarded his big, floating jetees and effortless lifts with ample appreciation. Making her LAB debut in the Arabian Dance, Julia Cinquemani’s jaw-dropping beauty managed to stun a fairly demonstrative crowd into pin-drop silence. Wrapping her supple, snakelike torso in coils around her partner, newcomer Alexander Castillo, she mesmerized adults and children alike. The breathless silence was broken by an extended, vociferous ovation. Also new this season is Allyssa Bross as the Rose in the Waltz of the Flowers. This young ballerina clearly won over the crowd, her incandescent smile radiating throughout her performance. Thirteen-year-old Helena Thordal-Christensen plays Clara with fragile beauty and dramatic intensity. Having danced the role for the first time last season, this year she exhibits complete confidence and authority. Her long, slender legs extend forever, making an event of each arabesque. She has an arresting innocence about her, a lack of artifice which made her nightmare scene all the more harrowing as she darted, terrified, around the vast stage of Glendale’s Alex Theatre. Perhaps the most moving moment in the performance, for me, came when Clara’s mother – played by Thordal Christensen’s real-life mother, the great Balanchine ballerina, Colleen Neary – kissed the little girl before walking off the stage, a symbolic passing of the torch from the past to the future. Clara’s Nutcracker-turned-Prince is 18-year-old Jordan Veit of the Pacific Northwest Ballet School’s Professional Division. Dancing with strength and ease, and resembling a young Leonardo Di Caprio, this young man exudes charm. The long line of infatuated little girls waiting to meet him after the performance may be the harbinger of good things to come for Veit. Fans in search of guaranteed holiday magic have several chances remaining for performances of LAB’s “Nutcracker” in venues around LA: UCLA’s Royce Hall, Dec. 18 at 1 and 5 p.m., and Dec. 19 at 1 and 5 p.m.; and at Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center on Dec. 24 at 2 pm., and Dec. 26 at 1 and 5 p.m.. Tickets and information are available at (310) 998-7782, or at www.LosAngelesBallet.org . DOWNLOAD PDF Home / News / New Item Supporting Los Angeles Ballet | Los Angeles Ballet Supporting Los Angeles Ballet October 1, 2009 Company News from the Staff at LAB Guests came from the worlds of entertainment, finance, healthcare and other industries to a gala at the Bel-Air home of Stephanie Murray in support of Los Angeles Ballet. Guests enjoyed dinner in the garden and a performance of "The Evangelist," originally created for Neary and Christensen, and selections from the great choreographer George Balanchine. Home / News / New Item A ballet's next steps | Los Angeles Ballet A ballet's next steps October 11, 2006 Company News from the Staff at LAB Los Angeles Ballet announces its first season, to be presented in three areas of the sprawling city By Lewis Segal, Times Staff Writer October 11, 2006 Aiming to become what artistic directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary call "a major company that belongs to L.A. - that has a local flavor at an international level," the newly formed Los Angeles Ballet has announced its first season of performances and placed subscription tickets on sale. The company's debut will take place Dec. 2 at the Wilshire Theatre in a brand-new Christensen / Neary "Nutcracker," with repeat engagements through December at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center and the Alex Theatre in Glendale. Programs dominated by the works of George Balanchine are scheduled for mid-March and early June at these same three venues."We feel that it's part of our mission to bring ourselves to audiences in all of the areas," Neary explained in a recent interview. Christensen added: "You can't blame audience members for not wanting to sit in traffic when they go out at night. By being in the Wilshire Theatre, we're covering the Westside. By being at the Alex, we're covering Glendale and Pasadena. And by being down in Redondo, we're covering the beach communities." Christensen danced with Pacific Northwest Ballet before becoming artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet. Neary (his wife) danced with New York City Ballet and has staged Balanchine choreography for a number of major companies. Their Los Angeles Ballet has no connection with the company of the same name run by New York City Ballet alumnus John Clifford from the early 1970s to the mid-'80s, or with Clifford's attempt to restart that company 10 years later. The current roster includes 21 resident professional dancers on 21-week contracts. Home is the Malibu Performing Arts Center. The projected annual budget is $1.7 million, and Christensen said that enough money is on hand, from unspecified sources, to carry the company through the "Nutcracker" engagements "without selling any tickets. We have paid for our production, we have paid for the theaters, and on top of that we have a cash reserve of approximately two- to three-hundred-thousand dollars." "Nutcracker" costumes are being donated by the Royal Danish Ballet, but the sets are newly created by locally based designer Catherine Kanner. "They'll be traditional but a little bit different," Christensen promised. "We wanted to make something very specifically for Los Angeles." Negotiations continue with musicians needed for the "Nutcracker" orchestra and with guest dancers as well. American Ballet Theatre principal Paloma Herrera has been signed for three "Nutcracker" performances. In addition, the company subscription brochure lists Artem Shpilevsky of the Bolshoi Ballet and five principals from New York City Ballet (Yvonne Borree, Nikolaj Hübbe, Maria Kowroski, Nilas Martins and Benjamin Millipied) as guest artists, but who will appear when has to be determined. Christensen and Neary have been working for years for this moment of launch. "Los Angeles is ready for its own ballet company," Christensen declares. "The timing is right for this. We're going to have to develop our own audience — to prove ourselves, to show that the level of excellence that we put on is at a very high level. That's going to be our challenge. But we feel now that we're ready to begin." 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