“There is intense musicality in this piece which is one of its most valuable attributes,” said GCB Artistic Director Barbara Pontecorvo. “It’s fast and very difficult requiring very precise, clean footwork. This piece makes the dancers stronger just by rehearsing it because they are required to do this level of movement quickly. But if the dancers have a desire to be professional dancers they need to be pushed, which is the whole point of doing a Balanchine piece.”
In addition, the program features Peter LeBreton Merz’s exuberant, Beethoven-driven “Allegro ma non Troppo,” one of the first ballets created for GCB in 1993, and Stuart Sebastian’s “Fast Company,” originally produced by Dayton Ballet in 1980 and a popular staple during Sebastian’s tenure as Dayton Ballet Artistic Director from 1980-1991. Pontecorvo specifically danced with Dayton Ballet during Sebastian’s era and is pleased to bring the jazz-themed piece, featuring music by noted pianist/composer Erroll Garner, back to the Victoria stage.
"'Fast Company' is simply a jewel," she said. "It involves three couples who are out for a night on the town. Each couple has a distinct personality. It's such a fun ballet. Stuart was very talented, very inspired and intensely musical. I love bringing his ballets back to the stage. There are so many memories."
The concert concludes with Pontecorvo’s “Graduation Ball,” a comedic piece about love and competition featuring music by Strauss. The piece concerns female graduates of an 1890s finishing school with the neighboring military school. Everyone is scared of each other until dancing makes everyone equal.
“I thought it would be a lot of fun to close the program with something lighthearted,” she said. “It’s a really cute ballet.”
GCB, a training ground for young dancers consisting of 30 members this season, is excited to return to the Victoria Theatre stage for the first time since 2013. Pontecorvo, who longs to turn the company into a semi-professional troupe, hopes audiences new and familiar support the gala and its emerging artists.
“I hope the people of Dayton see that the young people of GCB are worthy of being watched, encouraged and supported,” she said. “I want them to recognize their hard work and understand that it is not just sports that can be a viable path for young people. The arts are just as important when nurturing vibrant future leaders in the community. I want audiences to have a better realization of what happens when a young person follows their dreams into the arts.”
WANT TO GO?
What: "Gem City Ballet Spring Gala Performance"
Where: Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St, Dayton
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, April 29
Cost: $17-$32 for adults with a $5 discount for students and seniors
Tickets/more info: Call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit ticketcenterstage.com or call Gem City Ballet at (937) 550-9245
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