The New York Baroque Dance Co.

Contributed by: Catherine

April, May and June have been most remarkable! I began April considering the symbolism of wild boar hunts in mythology and Baroque opera, Handel’s Atalanta to be precise. This was a beautiful production. It included a fantastic cast headed by Dominique LaBelle as Atalanta, Nicholas McGegan conducting and ended with fireworks on stage designed by an experienced rock music pyrotechnic artist.

Our performances continued through mid-May. Then it was time to go home to the family, attend Edward’s graduation from 6th grade and pack for our summer trip to the Catskill Mountains. Our 3 week residency with the dancers and my family popping in and out from excursions to the Herkimer Diamond Mine began with rehearsals in a picturesque barn occupied by a family of racoons. In fact, this was the perfect setting for our pastoral ballet to Handel’s Ariodante. Nature inspired us with spontaneous thunder storms, more fire flies than you can imagine and a night sky brimming with stars.

In June we went from the barn to the palace theater of Frederick the Great in Potsdam. I had confidence our show was incredible so when I was told we were not invited to the reception after the private performance for the Nobel Laureates and the President of Germany, I just smiled. That evening I was dressed…just in case… and, yes, upon leaving the stage door we were met with an invitation to the reception in the Shell Room of the Neues Palais for champagne and h’ors d’oeuvres! I spoke to President Kohler and his lovely wife for over 20 minutes about dance, architecture and our changing culture.

For me, the other highlight of the trip was to have our company perform in the theater whose very floor boards were touched by the feet of celebrated 18th century ballerinas:Marie Salle, Catherine Roland and Barbarina. In my own performance I felt an electric tie with the past. In watching my dancers I was transported to the timeless beauty of our art, proud of their accomplishments and proud to be living the life of a dancer.

The NYBDC triumphs at the Sansouci Music Festival in Germany, earning praise from President Horst Kohler.

Contributed by: Tim

Welcome to the first ever Baroque Blog! As I write this I am sitting in the Catskill Mountains after having hiked a waterfall, seen an expansive view of the Hudson River Valley from the site of the old Catskill Mountain House, and spent two weeks rehearsing. The Company has been in residence, dividing our time between the Catskill Mountain Foundation’s “Red Barn” and the River Theatre at the Lexington Center for the Arts, rehearsing during the day and discussing wildlife and dance history by night. We take turns cooking, breaking bread each day at a large round table as the fireflies light up the hillside. And as I sit here looking out at the gentle rise of the Catskills, I find myself amazed that we are taking the material we have learned in a barn to the Neues Palais of Fredrick the Great at Sanssouci Potsdam, Germany. Yes, it is amazing yet somehow appropriate since historical sources indicate that inhabitants of both places used remarkably similar bathing practices…seems there are some advantages to living in the twenty-first century!

We are introducing this blog as part of our website for several reasons: to show a bit of what is going on behind the scenes through-out the year, as a venue to discuss any early music and dance questions that might arise during our research, and as a way to communicate on other aspects of our lives as dancers outside of the realm of the Company. We hope that you feel welcome to respond to anything that piques your interest, to ask questions relating to the work that we do, and to share as you feel inspired.

Company member Rachel List receives her M.F.A. from University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee.