WRBA Spring Performance 2021
June 5, 2021
During this pandemic year, WRBA students worked on three mini Ballet’s choreographed by Director, Jackie Stanton-Conley:
- Beethoven Contradances
- Mozart Contradances
- Valse Fantasy
An In-House Virtual Performance filmed by videographer, Robin Allen LaPlante.
Check out the Portfolio Page for Spring Performance 2021 >>Peter and the Wolf
June 9, 2019
Sergei Prokofiev composed Peter and the Wolf in 1936 on commission from Natalya Sats, the director of the Central Children’s Theatre in Moscow, who wanted a musical symphony written specifically for children. The narrator tells a children’s story, while instruments in the orchestra illustrate each part. It is Prokofiev’s most frequently performed work, and one of the most frequently performed works in the entire classical repertoire. As the original musical score runs only 25 minutes, we lengthened the performance by including additional works by Prokofiev.
Check out the Portfolio Page for Peter and the Wolf >>Celebrating Ten Years
June 9, 2018
Our anniversary performance was a two-part program that included several of WRBA’s best pieces from the past ten years as well as excerpts from the ballet, Raymonda, a new premiere for WRBA. This performance featured WRBA students as well as WRBA alumni.
Check out the Portfolio Page for Celebrating Ten Years >>Masquerade
June 10, 2017
This year we revived one of our original ballets: Masquerade. Created by Jackie Stanton-Conley, this ballet was inspired by two things: the beautiful music of Louis Moreau Gottschalk, an American composer/pianist, and her fondness of mysterious masks.
Check out the Portfolio Page for Masquerade >>The Magic Flute
June 11, 2016
The Magic Flute is a comic ballet originally by the Russian choreographer and ballet master Lev Ivanov from the Imperial Russian Ballet (now known as the Mariinsky Ballet). Our Magic Flute story begins with the villagers arriving in town, happily dancing and enjoying each others company. Suddenly, a curious villager finds a magical flute that causes everyone to dance uncontrollably. Realizing the flute is cursed, another villager puts a stop to the madness. She breaks the flute and reprimands the mischievous youngster. Beautiful dancing returns to the village and all is merry again.
Check out the Portfolio Page for The Magic Flute >>Napoli
June 11, 2016
Napoli is a ballet in three acts and is a work by August Bournonville. Napoli was first danced but The Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen in 1842 and today, they and many other companies continue to carry on the original, brilliant, playful and complex choreography including WRBA students. Additionally choreography is set by myself and Ruth Mayer.
Check out the Portfolio Page for Napoli >>Soiree
June 7, 2015
It’s the Roaring’ 20’s… but Adeline and her sisters, Isabelle and LuLu are having trouble catching the spirit. Adeline’s father has gone on an extended business trip. No one knows how long he’ll be away and the girls and his mother miss him terribly. Despite their sadness, the family moves ahead with Adeline’s 16th birthday. The party really gets swinging after a surprise gift from Adeline’s father is revealed… and there are more surprises to come!
Check out the Portfolio Page for Soiree >>A Visit to the Museum
June 21, 2014
A Visit to the Museum included two new ballets, Carnival of the Animals and Degas. Modern/Contemporary pieces were also included as part of this evening of new work. Inspiring artwork by Degas, Hopper, Rodin and more was projected on the backdrop while our dancers graced the stage.
PART 1: Carnival of the Animals is a children’s story come to life on stage. Carnival is one of Saint-Saëns’s best-known works, using instruments to evoke animal sounds or movements. Our version was choreographed primarily by Deb Young with solos by Jackie Stanton-Conley and additional assistance from the advanced level students.
Check out the Portfolio Page for Carnival of the Animals >>PART 2: Three modern dances choreographed by Kate Gamble were inspired by works of Edward Hopper and Edward Degas. Using vocabulary from modern technique class and generated through some improvisation by the dancers, the dances had three very different qualities.
Check out the Portfolio Page for Modern Dance >>PART 3: Degas is known for his work featuring ballet dancers. With moments of humor, melancholy, sweetness and love, our Degas ballet had something for everyone. Audience members found themselves chuckling one minute at our “Horse and Jockey” piece and then the next minute shedding a tear as they watched Degas’s paintings come to life in our dancers on stage. It will forever be a part of our repertoire and we plan to build onto it in the future.
Check out the Portfolio Page for Degas >>Student Choreography Presentation
December 2, 2013
Our first student choreography presentation was performed in 2009. It was such a huge success that we decided to do another in 2013.
6 Students. 6 Choreographers. Their own chosen music. Their own, original choreography and casting. Their first time conducting and running rehearsals. Custom made costumes from scratch. All of this together resulted in yet again another amazing performance. Congratulations Shiloh, Anjali, Lauren, Alicia, Lydia and Lucia!
Celebrate Dance
June 2, 2013
Celebrate Dance is a three part program we designed around three composers: Carl Orff, Debussy and Brahms with live accompaniment by Upper Valley music instructor, Victoria Dobrushina and her students.
PART 1: Jackie Stanton-Conley re-staged a contemporary ballet she originally created in 2004 for Vermont Ballet Theatre. The original, performed by only 6 dancers, was now performed by 22 dancers. The sweet, fun-loving story line depicts a Japanese proverb: See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil.
PART 2: Dancing for Mr. Debussy was a lovely mini ballet created by Deb Young featuring students from our Primary levels, Level 1 and Teens.
PART 3: Brahms’ Waltzes was a beautiful ballet choreographed by Ruth Mayer with live accompaniment. Ruth took 16 of Brahms’ waltzes and created short pieces for over 20 of our upper level students and adults. A truly beautiful ballet with costumes by Robina D’arcy Fox.
Check out the Portfolio Page for Celebrate Dance >>Masquerade
June 16, 2012
Tonight our charming host opens the doors to an evening filled with festive flirtation and intrigue. Come in, dance, and feel free to be yourself.
Oh, who’s this? A mysterious stranger with a sad heart. There is no reason to be forlorn. We can see your beauty behind the mask. True beauty always shines from within. Let’s all take off our masks so we can celebrate our unique beauty together.
Check out the Portfolio Page for Masquerade >>Excerpts from Don Quixote
June 18, 2011
Don Quixote is a ballet originally staged in four acts and eight scenes, based on an episode taken from the famous novel Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes. White River Ballet Academy staged excerpts from each Act with 30 students and guest artists, Carrington Lorenz of Nashville Ballet and Daryl C. McIntyre, Artistic Director of Western Chicago Ballet.
Check out the Portfolio Page for Don Quixote >>The Nutcracker
December 12, 2009
The Nutcracker is a holiday classic that thousands of ballet schools and companies all over the world perform year in and year out. Although WRBA produces NEW ballets for the Upper Valley, every once and a while we tap back into this classic and present excerpts from this sweet ballet!
A Tribute to The Beatles
February 6, 2009
Who doesn’t love the Beatles?!
We certainly love this iconic band and we were inspired to create pieces around their amazing revolutionary music that changed the face of Rock and Roll. With choreography by Jackie Stanton-Conley and Christina Megli, our dancers performed to songs including Here Comes the Sun, Yesterday, Blackbird, and Let it Be. Our audience was left feeling refreshed and ready to pull out their own collection of vinyl!
