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4th Biennial New American Talent/Dance

Ballet Austin

February 17th through 19th

The Long Center for the Performing Arts

Three New York-based choreographers are Texas-bound, having been selected as finalists for Ballet Austin's 4th Biennial New American Talent/Dance. The latest installment of the national choreographic competition brings the country's most compelling young American dance-makers to Austin to showcase their latest world premieres in a competitive arena running February 17th through 19th at The Long Center.

"New American Talent/ Dance is born out of Ballet Austin's commitment to foster new talent, among both dancers and dance-makers," said Stephen Mills, Ballet Austin's Artistic Director and creator of the event. "It serves as a platform for choreographers to develop their craft in an environment that gives them access to some of the best production facilities, staff and dancers in the industry."

When it began in 2006, Ballet Austin's New American Talent/ Dance forged a then-unheard-of model in this country: investing in American choreographers by giving them significant studio time with world-class dancers and artistic staff, along with major cash prizes as decided upon by a nationally renowned jury and a live voting audience. The finalists for the 2012 competition - in a first-time twist - all hail from New York City:

- Gregory Dolbashian, Founder of The DASH Ensemble;

- Loni Landon, Founder of Loni Landon-projects; and

- Bradley Shelver, Artistic Director of Bradley Shelver

Contemporary Dance Theater.

Dolbashian and Landon also serve as co-founders of The Playground, an open-door, critically acclaimed choreographic program.

In early 2011, Ballet Austin initiated the selection process by calling out to the national dance community for choreographer contestants. Ballet Austin Artistic Director Stephen Mills and staff then culled the national pool of entrants to the three finalists.

The chosen finalists are currently in the process of completing a 40-hour choreographic residency with Ballet Austin company dancers, and they will return to Austin in February 2012 to debut their world premiere works at The Long Center for the Performing Arts. The finalists' original works will compete for more than $24,000 in cash prizes to be awarded by the industry-renowned jury and audience members - who will be voting by text-message. Jurors for the 2012 competition are:

- Anik Bissonnette, Artistic Director of the Festival des Arts de

Saint-Sauveur and President of the Regroupement Québécois

de la Danse (RQD);

- Molly Lynch, Assistant Professor of Dance in the Claire Trevor

School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine,

Founder and Artistic Director of the National Choreographers

Initiative, and former Artistic Director for Ballet Pacifica (1988-

2003); and

- Zachary Whittenburg, former dancer and current writer

including Dance Editor for Time Out: Chicago.

Winners and previous finalists of New American Talent/Dance include Thaddeus Davis, Thang Dao (Thang Dao Dance Company), Victor Kabaniaev, Sidra Bell (Sidra Bell Dance New York), Dominic Walsh (Dominic Walsh Dance Theater), Nelly van Bommel (NØA DANCE), KT Nelson (ODC Dance) and Amy Seiwert (Resident Choreographer, Smuin Ballet).

Tickets for the performances of the final works are now on sale for $15 to $74. For more information and reservations, call (512) 476-2163 or visit www.BalletAustin.org.




4th Biennial New American Talent/Dance Ballet Austin February 17th through 19th The Long Center for the Performing Arts Three New York-based choreographers are Texas-bound, having been selected as finalists for Ballet Austin's 4th Biennial New American Talent/Dance. The latest installment of the national choreographic competition brings the country's most compelling young American dance-makers to Austin to showcase their latest world premieres in a competitive arena running February 17th through 19th at The Long Center. "New American Talent/ Dance is born out of Ballet Austin's commitment to foster new talent, among both dancers and dance-makers," said Stephen Mills, Ballet Austin's Artistic Director and creator of the event. "It serves as a platform for choreographers to develop their craft in an environment that gives them access to some of the best production facilities, staff and dancers in the industry." When it began in 2006, Ballet Austin's New American Talent/ Dance forged a then-unheard-of model in this country: investing in American choreographers by giving them significant studio time with world-class dancers and artistic staff, along with major cash prizes as decided upon by a nationally renowned jury and a live voting audience. The finalists for the 2012 competition - in a first-time twist - all hail from New York City: - Gregory Dolbashian, Founder of The DASH Ensemble; - Loni Landon, Founder of Loni Landon-projects; and - Bradley Shelver, Artistic Director of Bradley Shelver Contemporary Dance Theater. Dolbashian and Landon also serve as co-founders of The Playground, an open-door, critically acclaimed choreographic program. In early 2011, Ballet Austin initiated the selection process by calling out to the national dance community for choreographer contestants. Ballet Austin Artistic Director Stephen Mills and staff then culled the national pool of entrants to the three finalists. The chosen finalists are currently in the process of completing a 40-hour choreographic residency with Ballet Austin company dancers, and they will return to Austin in February 2012 to debut their world premiere works at The Long Center for the Performing Arts. The finalists' original works will compete for more than $24,000 in cash prizes to be awarded by the industry-renowned jury and audience members - who will be voting by text-message. Jurors for the 2012 competition are: - Anik Bissonnette, Artistic Director of the Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur and President of the Regroupement Québécois de la Danse (RQD); - Molly Lynch, Assistant Professor of Dance in the Claire Trevor School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine, Founder and Artistic Director of the National Choreographers Initiative, and former Artistic Director for Ballet Pacifica (1988- 2003); and - Zachary Whittenburg, former dancer and current writer including Dance Editor for Time Out: Chicago. Winners and previous finalists of New American Talent/Dance include Thaddeus Davis, Thang Dao (Thang Dao Dance Company), Victor Kabaniaev, Sidra Bell (Sidra Bell Dance New York), Dominic Walsh (Dominic Walsh Dance Theater), Nelly van Bommel (NØA DANCE), KT Nelson (ODC Dance) and Amy Seiwert (Resident Choreographer, Smuin Ballet). Tickets for the performances of the final works are now on sale for $15 to $74. For more information and reservations, call (512) 476-2163 or visit www.BalletAustin.org.

		(Photo by Tony Spielberg)

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