Ballet Uncovered ~ Balancing Pointe Podcast

In this episode I talk with Trygve Cumpston who was born in Des Moines, Iowa. He trained at the School of Classical Ballet and Dance, Orlando Ballet School and San Francisco Ballet School. Mr. Cumpston joined The National Ballet of Canada as a RBC Apprentice in 2012 and joined the Corps de Ballet in 2013.  

Recently, Mr. Cumpston danced in the Canadian premiere of Nijinsky by John Neumeier as well as The Nutcracker and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.  

Also in this episode I share with you my first ever giveaway - and your chance to win.  My previous guest and "Curtain Call" dance photographer Kent Becker has graciously offered to send a large print to one lucky listener.  Go to his website at notmydayjobphotography.com to browse through the photos and then send me your request at [email protected].  Drawing will be held June 6th - so best of luck and keep listening!

My guest today is Melissa Lineberg, who dances with the MOVEIUS Contemporary Ballet Company located in Washington DC.  MOVEIUS Contemporary Ballet was founded in 2010 to catalyze the creation and public presentation of innovative, accessible, and thoughtful contemporary ballet. Melissa not only shares with us some of MOVEIUS's exciting upcoming performances and the mission of MOVEIUS, but also of her personal journey in dance.  As a trained classical ballerina, Melissa originally had her sights set on joining a classical ballet company.  Upon graduation from college, Melissa embarked on almost a year of auditioning for a ballet company  before she auditioned and was hired as a dancer for this amazing company ~ and has not looked back since.

Nichelle Strzepek is the founder of Dance Advantage,  an all inclusive dance website providing blogs, dance links, and information for all stages of dance life.  Dance Advantage provides solotuions, inspiration, motivation and tips on dance training and teaching.  If you would like to connect with Nichelle and Dance Advantage, you can follow her at DanceAdvantage.net.

Amy Seiwert is a choreographer and Artistic Director of im'ij-re a contemporary dance company.  Amy moved to San Francisco in 1999, the same year she won the Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur Choreography Competition in Quebec,  after a nineteen year performing career (Smuin Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, LA Chamber Ballet).  Amy is currently the Choreographer in Residence at Smuin Ballet. Her work is also in the repertory of Ballet Austin, Sacramento, Colorado, Oklahoma City, Carolina and American Repertory Ballets as well as Robert Moses KIN and Ballet Nouveau Colorado. Amy was named one of "25 to Watch" by Dance Magazine and one of "Hot 20 under 40", she was also awarded the Gerbode Emerging Choreographers Grant in 2006. She has twice been invited to participate in the NY Choreography Institute by Peter Martins, having the opportunity to create on dancers from NYCB.

Today's guests are NYCB Principal dancer, Ask La Cour and Choreographer,David Fernandez who are working tirelessly, co-producing a most amazing event coming up on the night of April 28 in NYC ~ Some Dance Company - Encore!

The event will feature 8 pieces choreographed by David Fernandez, performed by over 40 of NYC's finest dancers from some of the most prestigious dance companies. The event will raise money for "Career Transition for Dancers", which helps recently retired dancers with assistance in re-defining and re-designing the next chapter of their lives.

Important to know is that each of the dancers performing for the event will be donating their talent and time solely to help raise money for the Career Transition for Dancers project.

If you would like to donate to Some Dance Company's Kickstarter campaign, please click on the link:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2108768239/some-dance-company-encore-2014

And be sure to follow Some Dance Company and their latest updates on Facebook and on Twitter @SomeDanceCo.

Born in Cincinnati, America Madison began dancing at the age of five.  She trained pre-professionally at a local studio, Ballet Tech of Ohio, under the direction of Claudia Rudolf Barrett.  At sixteen, Madison was accepted into University of North Carolina School of the Arts.  While attending UNCSA, Madison was awarded the Melissa Hayden Endowed Scholarship.  She was chosen to perform such leading roles as Sugar Plum, both Odette and Odile inSwan Lake, and in George Balanchine'sValse Fantaisiepas de deux.  Madison graduated from UNCSA in May 2012 and joined the Royal New Zealand Ballet in September for The TelstraClear Season of Giselle. 

 Kent Becker is a ballet fan who lives in in New York City.  Years ago he began to blend his passion for photography with his love for ballet when he began taking photographs of dancers during their Curtain Calls.  These amazing photos capture the myriad of emotions dancers display during this moment.  From elation to gratitude and every emotion in between, Kent has a gift of capturing a magical moment in these dancer's lives.  You can find Kent's work at www.notmydayjobphotography.com.

Jillian Vanstone was born in Nanaimo, British Columbia where at age six she began ballet studies at the Kirkwood Academy of Performing Arts. Within two years she had already determined that dance was her life’s calling. In 1994 she passed the rigorous audition process to be accepted into Canada’s prestigious National Ballet School in Toronto where she later earned two coveted awards.

Following her graduation Vanstone entered the National Ballet of Canada in 1999, was promoted to second soloist in 2003, to first soloist three years later before being appointed a principal in 2011.

Gabrielle Lamb is a native of Savannah, Georgia and was trained at the Boston Ballet School. She joined Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal in 2000 and was promoted to soloist in 2003. In 2009 moved to New York City and began working with choreographer Pontus Lidberg, as well as Morphoses, then under the direction of Christopher Wheeldon.

Her repertoire as a performer also includes principal roles in works by George Balanchine, Jiri Kylian, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, Nacho Duato, Luca Veggetti and Shen Wei.

She won the 2009 National Choreographic Competition of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and in 2013 won first prizes in both Milwaukee Ballet's International Choreographic Competition and Western Michigan University's National Choreographic Competition. During the 2013-2014 season her work will be performed by BalletX, Milwaukee Ballet, Ballet Memphis, and Ballet Austin.

Ms. Lamb is also a self-taught video artist and animator, and her dance films have been presented by Dance on Camera at Lincoln Center, the American Dance Festival, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, and Dance Theatre of Harlem, among others.

In this Part Two interview with Helen Pickett, she shares more about her journey into choreography and some of the amazing experiences she has had along the way.