Dancers (from left) Pedro Gamino, Tara Lee and D. Hansel. Photo by Charlie McCullers
For 78 years, Atlanta has had a ballet company of its own, a Company that has truly embodied the spirit, resilience, and joy of the city. The foundation was laid on the vision, grace, and stamina of pioneer, Dorothy Alexander, who was the very first in the nation to believe that smaller communities could have their own dance companies. In 1929, she launched the Dorothy Alexander Concert Group (rehearsals were held in her garage), which later became the Atlanta Civic Ballet and finally, in 1967, Atlanta Ballet.
Much has changed since 1929. Today the Company’s third artistic director, John McFall has cultivated Atlanta Ballet’s artistic vision into one of the country’s premier dance companies. Led by a strong commitment to imaginative and innovative programming, the company is as diverse and provocative as the city they call home.
For the 2011-2012 season, the Company offered up the “Here. Now. In Atlanta.” theme as a nod to its presentation of an elite repertoire of the world’s most influential and innovative choreographers. The company holds true with its message to seize the city’s creative chasm to the very end with New Choreographic Voices. The season-ender features dancers turned choreographers, modern day legends and innovators including Tara Lee, Helen Pickett and Christopher Wheeldon.
Atlanta Ballet honors its own with a world premiere by longtime corps member Tara Lee, who joined the company in 1995 and has danced with Joffrey II and studied with the Connecticut Dance Theatre. Her latest work, Pavo, bridges the world of classical and contemporary dance, resulting in “a pleasurable marriage of traditional and trendy styles” (ArtsATL).
Wheeldon, one of the world’s most celebrated young choreographers and an Olivier Award winner, has six couples explode through a symmetrical rush of contrasting movement and order in his work titled, Rush. The New York Times called the piece, “a snapshot of Mr. Wheeldon at his most ardent and enigmatic.”
Helen Pickett, a former Ballet Frankfurt principal, premieres her latest piece, Prayer of Touch on this program. She boasts a long list of choreographic works with prominent companies, and holds the distinction of being featured in the permanent collection in New York’s Museum of Modern Art (due to playing the Queen in her experimental film, 89). Pickett believes that “art, after all, is about sharing experiences and inviting people to feel the thrill of movement.”
Atlanta Ballet’s New Choreographic Voices runs May 18-20 on the Alliance Stage at the Woodruff Arts Center. For ticket and show information please visit: www.atlantaballet.com
If you’ve ever read Gone With the Wind, then you may appreciate a visit to the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum. Located in the Midtown part of the city, at 990 Peachtree Street, you will also catch sight of one the oldest buildings in the area, that was known as the Crescent Apartments when the author and her husband lived in Apt. 1 on the ground floor from 1925 to 1932.
This year the Atlanta History Center’s “Margaret Mitchell’s House (MMH)” proudly celebrates the 75th anniversary of the publication of Gone With the Wind with a variety of exclusive programs, lectures, and tours, as well as community initiatives such as the MMH Summer Camp 2012 (from June 4th to August 3rd). According to the official site, “With 10-15 participants per camp, each writer receives individual attention while learning how to create meaningful prose through a variety of techniques, like stream-of-consciousness writing, journaling, free verse poetry and more!”
