Week of September 21-25, 2020

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ABT Studio Company Week!

Monday

Meet ABT Studio Company

Welcome to ABT Studio Company week! And thank you for your interest. We hope you enjoy this window into our world.

ABT Studio Company dancers perform masterworks of the classical and neoclassical canons as well as contemporary works. And each season, Studio Company commissions new creations from a variety of established and emerging choreographers.

The highly mobile Studio Company serves as an ambassador for American Ballet Theatre, performing in venues large and small, conventional and unconventional. In recent years, Studio Company has toured to such international cities as London, Athens, Manila, and St. Petersburg, presenting programs in venues ranging from grand opera houses to museums to public school auditoriums.

The vibrant young dancers of ABT Studio Company bring the artistry, professionalism, and innovation of American Ballet Theatre to a worldwide audience, engaging and learning from local cultures and communities along the way.

A Note from ABT Studio Company Artistic Director Sascha Radetsky

ABT Studio Company dancers perform masterworks of the classical and neoclassical canons, alongside contemporary and newly created works. The group commissions a wide variety of choreographers to create new, custom pieces on the dancers each season. As part of the ABT Women’s Movement, the Studio Company is committed to commissioning works by female choreographers each year.

The highly mobile ABT Studio Company serves as an ambassador for American Ballet Theatre by touring to venues large and small. In recent years, the Studio Company has performed in such international cities as London, Athens, Manila, and St. Petersburg, and to a wide variety of US performing arts centers, outdoor festivals, museums, and college campuses.

The vibrant young dancers of ABT Studio Company bring the artistry, professionalism, and innovation of American Ballet Theatre to a worldwide audience.

Video by Cy Doherty.

Tuesday

Rehearsal Highlights

One of the first things a dancer will notice upon entering ABT Studio Company is that their day is structured just like ABT’s main Company. Dancers begin every day with technique classes, followed by an afternoon of rehearsals. While dancers in the school have some rehearsals as well, much of their year is spent in the studio primarily focusing on the development of their training.

ABT Studio Company spends a minimum of three hours each day in the studio learning classical repertoire or working with choreographers to create brand new ballets. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from ABT Studio Company rehearsals.

Wednesday

A Day in the Life

Have you ever wondered what daily life is like for a dancer in New York? This video takes you through a typical day in ABT Studio Company, from morning coffee to afternoon rehearsals!

Video by Cy Doherty.

Thursday

Going On Tour

Most dancers in ABT Studio Company experience touring for the first time as a pre-professional dancer. While all of the dancers have performed often during their years of training, they may not have had to navigate traveling on planes, trains and busses, sleeping in hotel rooms before performances, or even having to adjust to dancing in different time zones. Remember: in California, a performance that starts at 8pm would mean it would be 11pm for the Studio Company dancers because they are based in New York City! It’s hard to be performance-ready when your body is telling you it’s time for bed!

Video by Cy Doherty.

Friday

International Tours

American Ballet Theatre is the largest international touring ballet company in the United States. For 80 years, ABT has toured the globe bringing classical ballet to 45 countries in addition to having performed across all 50 states plus Washington, DC!

If traveling to California has its challenges, learning to travel and perform on the other side of the globe is even more challenging. However, it is also incredibly rewarding and exciting for the dancers. One of the best parts of the job for the dancers is getting to travel and experience other cultures, while bringing classical ballet and American dance to audiences around the world.

In 2019, ABT Studio Company joined ABT Principal Dancers Stella Abrera and James Whiteside for a series of performances in the Philippines. It was an amazing experience for the dancers to prepare themselves for future international touring when they become professionals!

Video by Cy Doherty.