FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Meghan McNamara
412-454-9117
mmcnamara@pittsburghballet.org
PITTSBURGH BALLET THEATRE SCHOOL DIRECTORS HOLD PITTSBURGH AUDITIONS TO CONCLUDE NATION-WIDE TOUR
PITTSBURGH, PA (February 2013) –Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School - the official training institution of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre – concludes a nation-wide audition tour for its 2013 Intensive Summer Program with Pittsburgh auditions on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 1 p.m. at the PBT Studios in the Strip District.
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall and School Principal Janet Popeleski kicked off PBT School’s 2013 audition tour in January, and held auditions at 28 sites, in 27 cities and 16 states to bring young dance talent to Pittsburgh. In addition to U.S. sites, Mr. Marshall also held auditions in Osaka, Japan in August. The audition team selects students from each audition to attend the school’s 2013 Intensive Summer Program (ISP). The U.S. audition tour concludes in Pittsburgh on February 17, 2013, at the PBT Studios, 2900 Liberty Avenue.
PBT School’s ISP is a five-week program of diverse dance curriculum, including ballet technique, partnering, pointe and repertoire as well as jazz, modern and character dance. Under the direction of PBT Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr and School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall, ISP includes instruction by prominent PBT faculty members and guest instructors of international acclaim. With classes six days a week, students will also attend seminars and workshops focused on nutrition, choreography, injury prevention and the psychology of dance. The PBT School Intensive Summer Program is designed to instill long-term value for the art form through the study of diverse, high-quality techniques that adapt well to the demands of professional ballet companies.
The nation-wide audition tour draws more than 600 candidates and places more than 170 students from around the United States into the program. Students living outside the United States are invited to audition by video, and the program often accepts students from around the world, including Australia, Brazil, China, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Hungary and Taiwan. The PBT School ISP has recently seen a surge in participation by young Japanese students as a result of Mr. Marshall’s engagement with the annual Japan Grand Prix ballet competition, where he serves (2009-present) on an international panel of judges. PBT School has earned the distinguished reputation as an artistic and instructional leader of dance training and offers aspiring dancers a comprehensive curriculum in a professional, fast-paced environment.
The auditions and program are open to male and female ballet dancers ages 12 and older. The program features a strong male to female ratio; generally 1:4, a competitive ratio that distinguishes PBT School from other programs by allowing students to maximize their partnering classes.
The Intensive Summer Program takes place June 24, to July 27, 2013 and is held in the spacious PBT Studios, which are fully equipped with new Harlequin sprung floors, in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. Find the complete list of audition tour sites and dates at http://www.pbt.org/pittsburgh-ballet-theatre-school/audition-tour.
MEDIA NOTE: PBT School’s Pittsburgh ISP audition will be open to media representatives for photographing and filming. Please contact Meghan McNamara at 412-454-9117 to make arrangements.
ISP Faculty and Guest Instructors
Under the direction of PBT Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr and School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall, the Intensive Summer Program includes instruction by prominent PBT faculty members and accomplished guest instructors. Faculty members at the Intensive Summer Program include: PBT Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr; PBT School Directors Marjorie Grundvig and Dennis Marshall; PBT School Principals Janet Popeleski and Anastasia Wovchko among others. The Intensive Summer Program also includes opportunities for students to study with a number of esteemed guest instructors, including: PBT Ballet Master Steven Annegarn; PBT Ballet Mistress and former ABT Principal Dancer Marianna Tcherkassky; former PBT Artistic Director Patricia Wilde, Li Chou Cheng, Anna-Marie Holmes, Mireille Leterrier, Gyula Pandi and Larissa Ponomarenko. Seminar presenters will include Antoine Douaihy, M.D. (Psychology of Dance), Kathleen Nachazel, A.T.C. (Injury Prevention), and Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D., LDN, CSSD (Nutrition).
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School is the official training institution of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and has an enrollment of more than 900 students, including the Children’s, Student, Pre-Professional and Open Divisions. The Children’s Division gives young students an introduction to ballet and prepares them for advancement to the Student Division. Dancers in the Student Division work to refine their technique and dancers in the Pre- Professional Program prepare for professional ballet careers. Many students perform in an annual School Spring Performance at the Byham Theater, and some students are chosen by Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr to perform with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre at the Benedum Center.
ISP Housing
Supervised room and board accommodations for students are available at Fickes and Woodlands Halls on the beautiful campus of Chatham University as well as PBT’s own Byham House.
Chatham University is situated on 35 park-like acres in the Shadyside area of Pittsburgh and is one of the most idyllic locations in the city, located only 2.1 miles from PBT studios.
The Byham House occupies three floors in a historic 7,000-square-foot property located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, less than one mile away from Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre studios. It originated as the rectory for what once was St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, immediately adjacent to the property. The Byham House is a co-ed housing opportunity with separate floors and bathrooms for young men and women and can accommodate up to 20 students.
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