The New York Baroque Dance Co.

Ballo dell Ingrate with stage direction and choreography by Catherine Turocy. Commissioned by Ars Lyrica. Photo by Amitiva Sarkar

For the First time in the history of Baroque Dance one company has given simultaneous performances on the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and at the Palace of Frederick the Great in Sanssouci. All performances were within hours of each other (depending on your time zone) on June 8/9 with continued performances on the 10th. Congratulations to The New York Baroque Dance Company Dancers (20 dancers) who weathered the outdoor elements in Germany and Virginia and who went to Hell and back in Houston!

See this behind the scenes video  for our performances with Ars Lyrica Houston:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7Iy7KYRoA4s

I would like to thank Caroline Copeland for leading our dancers in Operation Sail 2012 and Sarah Edgar for managing the premier of Pygmalion and His Statue at Sanssouci.  They not only managed the two tours on location, but danced as well.

Our part time administrator, Lorna Omessi, helped to organize the complicated itineraries.  Rehearsals began in April at Ohio State University(Sarah and I are alums) where they donated space and video.  We are also grateful to Contemporary Ballet Dallas for donating rehearsal space at the end of May and June.  Shakespeare Dallas helped us with period costumes when we found ourselves in a panic.  Thank you Brian McDonald for your assistance!  Dancer Meggi Sweeney Smith was with us in spirit… she is recovering from an injury … and her understudy, Natalie Young came with us to Houston. Amanda Salituro (just graduated from Hofstra Universitywhere Rachel List is the Director of Dance) and Marisa Clementi (Sarah Lawrence) are also new to the company and did a beautiful job.

Pygmalion (Justin Coates) and His Statue (Sarah Edgar) at the Potsdam Music Festival in Sanssouci, photo by Stefan Gloede

A big thank you to Linda Tomko who was able to arrange a performing schedule with the Berkeley Festival that allowed Ken Pierce and Olsi Gjecito join us in OpSail.  Ken danced regularly with our company in the 1980’s before starting his own company in Boston.  Olsi joined us last fall and also works closely with Carlos Fittante and Caroline in their period choreography.

In the world of dance our company is perhaps the only professional dance company where all its members read and use a dance notation system.  Some dancers are more accomplished than others, but all are trained in the notation system and encouraged to do their own reconstructions.  This tool empowers our performers, helps us mount dances quickly and contributes to the spontaneity and discussion crucial to the creation of art.  I am grateful to the dancers for learning this system, being stimulated to do their own research and contributing to the artistic wealth of the company.

Thank you to the sponsors at each venue with whom we worked very closely to create an environment where everyone could do their best work.  And a heartfelt thank you to the conductors, instrumentalists and singers who inspired us with their art.