Students, please take note I am not teaching on 10/11 and 10/12!
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Showing posts with label dance performance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dance performance. Show all posts
Friday, September 30, 2022
Happy Halloween! Ballet & jazz & zombies - oh my!
LPBC News
Thursday, May 26, 2022
Are you a guest at my Hotel?
Hello beautiful dancers!
Today is my birthday and I know exactly what I want for a gift: buy a ticket (or 2 or 3) to my nonprofit ballet company's upcoming performance of "Hotel at the End of the Universe"!
On June 18 at 7PM and June 19 at 4PM, Leigh Purtill Ballet Company will be on stage at the Madrid Theatre in Canoga Park, CA. The show will be filmed and edited for streaming on the weekend of July 9 & 10 so whether you're in the area or not, you can catch our science fiction-themed time-traveling adventure.
Travel along with our 3 spunky bellhops as they take the hotel for a joyride through time and space. They'll visit Renaissance Italy, 40s Paris, and more - they'll even face down an alien attack!
So get your tickets now! You'll be glad you checked in!
Happy dancing!
Monday, September 23, 2019
Tickets for Sweet Sorrow™ A Zombie Ballet are ON SALE NOW!
Have you gotten your tickets yet?
No? Why not!
This year's show is going to be even bigger and better than last year (which was pretty awesome!) and I know I have said that before but this time, it really will be.
How?
New characters:
Benvolio - Romeo's cousin and possibly in love with Rosaline
Werewolves - what's a supernatural ballet without werewolves?
New music:
Witches!
Werewolves!
New venue:
The brand new gorgeous Manoukian Performing Arts Center!
And of course, many dances have changed because I have such tremendously talented dancers. Roles that weren't en pointe are this year. Some dances are longer, some are more complex. I have two lovely pas de deux!
But most important is story. Last year we introduced some plot lines and character relationships but this season those are all more fully developed. Where things might have been confusing, I have tried to simplify or clarify. Where music wasn't quite supportive of the movement or emotion, I changed it.
When: Saturday October 26 at 7PM & Sunday October 27 at 4PM
Where: Manoukian Performing Arts Center, 2495 East Mountain St, Pasadena CA 91104
Until the end of September, we have discounts on our General Admission seats (we also have reserved seating for the first seven rows but honestly, there is not a bad seat in the house!).
Here is the link to our Zombie Ballet website where you can find the discount codes and links to purchase tickets.
Come see us!
No? Why not!
How?
New characters:
Benvolio - Romeo's cousin and possibly in love with Rosaline
Werewolves - what's a supernatural ballet without werewolves?
New music:
Witches!
Werewolves!
New venue:
The brand new gorgeous Manoukian Performing Arts Center!
And of course, many dances have changed because I have such tremendously talented dancers. Roles that weren't en pointe are this year. Some dances are longer, some are more complex. I have two lovely pas de deux!
But most important is story. Last year we introduced some plot lines and character relationships but this season those are all more fully developed. Where things might have been confusing, I have tried to simplify or clarify. Where music wasn't quite supportive of the movement or emotion, I changed it.
When: Saturday October 26 at 7PM & Sunday October 27 at 4PM
Where: Manoukian Performing Arts Center, 2495 East Mountain St, Pasadena CA 91104
Until the end of September, we have discounts on our General Admission seats (we also have reserved seating for the first seven rows but honestly, there is not a bad seat in the house!).
Here is the link to our Zombie Ballet website where you can find the discount codes and links to purchase tickets.
Come see us!
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Holiday weekend classes & Fun teaser video!
Beautiful dancers in the LA area!
YES, there are classes AS USUAL over this Memorial Day weekend! Come take ballet with me!
YES, there are classes AS USUAL over this Memorial Day weekend! Come take ballet with me!
Inspire Dance Studio
457 Foothill Blvd
La Canada CA 91011
Saturday, May 25:
Beginner - 9AM
Intermediate - 10:10AM
Pointe - 11:35AM
Monday, May 27:
Intermediate - 6:30PM
Beginner - 8PM
Just for fun, here is a teaser video for my new ballet, Hotel at the End of the Universe, which will premiere on Saturday, June 29 at the Colony Theatre Company in Burbank, CA. If you're in the area (or plan to be!) I hope you'll see the show. Right now we have a discount on tickets! Until June 1, you can get 2 for $42 - a great savings over the regular price of $30/ticket. Visit Eventbrite to order yours!
Special thanks to Raul Paredes (@rawlofthedead) who shot and edited this awesome teaser!
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Catching up!
Happy Autumn!
My favorite time of year: Halloween and dried leaves on the sidewalk and 90 degree weather.
Oh that's just us in Southern California!
I wanted to catch you all up on some fun things that have been going on.
First of all, my ballet company's debut performance was on October 8 at the Lanterman Auditorium. It was the world premiere of my original full-length ballet, Sweet Sorrow, A Zombie Ballet and it was amazing! I am so incredibly proud of all of my dancers and I am thrilled with how the show turned out, from costumes to lighting to set design to program design. Everything was so professional!
For those of you who wanted to make it but couldn't, here is a promo reel to tide you over until next year:
Doesn't that make you want to see the whole thing?
Next I have a couple of fun article links, both about my company and interviews with me:
The Advocate article about Sweet Sorrow A Zombie Ballet
And
Footloose Mission Health and Wellness Blog
I am so honored to be profiled and to have my company featured on both of these sites.
So now that all of that is over for another year, we can take a break, yes? No!
Bring on Nutcracker!
That's right, I'm preparing my brain for a Waltz of the Flowers invasion (I use a short version but it just sticks in my brain no matter how long it is!). We perform with Classical Ballet Theater at the Norris Theater in Palos Verdes, CA. It's a gorgeous stage and there is balcony seating, so classic and classy. We have a great time with Kotomi's students and we enjoy the camaraderie with her young students. We will be performing two matinees on Sunday, November 19, at 1PM and 4PM. Tickets will go on sale soon and I'll post the link.
Whew! Happy dancing, everyone~
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Upcoming holiday class schedule & The Nutcracker
Local students -
I'll be teaching ALL of
my classes as usual at Dance Arts Academy and Inspire from now until the
end of the year with the exception of Thanksgiving night.
This
*includes* the Saturday after Thanksgiving, 11/26, as well as my
classes on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve mornings. If you have any
questions, just ask or check the calendar on my blog and website.
Also,
if you're interested in seeing some of your fellow dancers perform in
the Nutcracker, we'll be doing 2 shows with Classical Ballet Theater on
Sunday Dec 4th at the Norris Theater in Palos Verdes. More info is
below.
Happy holidays and happy dancing~
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Halloween in Summer! ScareLA Horror Convention
Hi everyone! Still wondering if you should attend the ScareLA horror convention this August 6-7?
Check out this short promo and maybe it will help you decide!
Buying tickets? Use promo code scareshow and get 20% off~
Check out this short promo and maybe it will help you decide!
Buying tickets? Use promo code scareshow and get 20% off~
Monday, June 13, 2016
Sleeping Beauty this Sunday, June 19th!
Local friends and dancers! This Sunday, my adult dancers (beginner through advanced) will be performing a truncated version of the beautiful ballet, Sleeping Beauty, alongside the children and teen dancers of The Vault Dance Studio.
Our version of the ballet is simple, fun, and only about 45 minutes long!
Yes, it IS Father's Day and we know you want to be with Dad but the weather is predicted to be over 100 degrees. Trust me, Dad doesn't want to do a cookout that afternoon. He would MUCH rather be in a cool theater. And wouldn't you too?
The show begins at 4PM and is expected to last about 2 hours, including the ballet, a short intermission, and the second half recital dances from The Vault. All in all, a lovely afternoon. You can come to the show and be out in time to take Dad to dinner.
For the TLDR crowd:
Show Date: Sunday, June 19th
Time: 4PM
Tickets: $18 available at the door
Location: Lanterman Auditorium, 4491 Cornishon Avenue, La Canada Flintridge 91011
Our version of the ballet is simple, fun, and only about 45 minutes long!
Yes, it IS Father's Day and we know you want to be with Dad but the weather is predicted to be over 100 degrees. Trust me, Dad doesn't want to do a cookout that afternoon. He would MUCH rather be in a cool theater. And wouldn't you too?
The show begins at 4PM and is expected to last about 2 hours, including the ballet, a short intermission, and the second half recital dances from The Vault. All in all, a lovely afternoon. You can come to the show and be out in time to take Dad to dinner.
For the TLDR crowd:
Show Date: Sunday, June 19th
Time: 4PM
Tickets: $18 available at the door
Location: Lanterman Auditorium, 4491 Cornishon Avenue, La Canada Flintridge 91011
Monday, May 23, 2016
Help! I'm having trouble picking up choreography!
Spring recitals and shows are upon us which means many students are going to be on stage soon in pretty costumes and pink tights. They will be expected to perform for their family and friends and strangers under hot lights and on a surface that is unfamiliar. They will also not have any mirrors to look at - so no peeking at other dancers when they forget what they are doing.
One thing I like to do is to reverse combinations, whether for my students or for myself. In this way, I really get my brain and body attuned to what a step is: where do I go with pas de chat, which positions am I really in on glissade, what exactly is temps de fleche?
Breaking a step down into its components like that in order to reverse them singes the image on my brain and helps me stamp it with a bit more permanence than if I simply did it in sequence.
Remember that there is a difference between the reversal of a step and the opposite of a step.
--Example: Reversing a glissade jete over means doing glissade jete under and the foot will land in sur le coup de pied devant (in front of the ankle and in fondu, naturally).
--Example: Doing the opposite of a entrechat quatre would mean doing royalle.
Another thing to challenge yourself with is to go first in a group across the floor. Now, don't go if you have no idea what you are doing! The teacher and other students won't appreciate that. However, if you usually go in the second group - or the third or fourth - step up and go with the first group. Volunteer if you are not placed in the group so the teacher sees you want to try.
By going with the first group, you force yourself to pick up the choreography more quickly because you will have that much less time in which to prepare for it.
As a teacher, I sometimes don't allow much "marking" time during a combination for this very reason. I want students to push themselves to pick up the steps. Sometimes dancers ask so many questions that they prevent themselves from trying things. For brand new dancers or for brand new vocabulary, yes, I will take more time but students who require everything to be "spoon fed" to them do their brains a disservice. They are not challenging themselves to figure it out. And that challenge often sears the step into their heads.
Hope this helps! Happy dancing~
Help!
The first thing to remember about learning choreography is that it takes practice. Not just the actual piece you are learning but also practice in general. Every class you take has choreography and attending consistently helps train the brain and body to pick things up quickly. We often do similar sequences of steps so that can help too.
One thing I like to do is to reverse combinations, whether for my students or for myself. In this way, I really get my brain and body attuned to what a step is: where do I go with pas de chat, which positions am I really in on glissade, what exactly is temps de fleche?
Breaking a step down into its components like that in order to reverse them singes the image on my brain and helps me stamp it with a bit more permanence than if I simply did it in sequence.
Remember that there is a difference between the reversal of a step and the opposite of a step.
--Example: Reversing a glissade jete over means doing glissade jete under and the foot will land in sur le coup de pied devant (in front of the ankle and in fondu, naturally).
--Example: Doing the opposite of a entrechat quatre would mean doing royalle.
Another thing to challenge yourself with is to go first in a group across the floor. Now, don't go if you have no idea what you are doing! The teacher and other students won't appreciate that. However, if you usually go in the second group - or the third or fourth - step up and go with the first group. Volunteer if you are not placed in the group so the teacher sees you want to try.
By going with the first group, you force yourself to pick up the choreography more quickly because you will have that much less time in which to prepare for it.
As a teacher, I sometimes don't allow much "marking" time during a combination for this very reason. I want students to push themselves to pick up the steps. Sometimes dancers ask so many questions that they prevent themselves from trying things. For brand new dancers or for brand new vocabulary, yes, I will take more time but students who require everything to be "spoon fed" to them do their brains a disservice. They are not challenging themselves to figure it out. And that challenge often sears the step into their heads.
Hope this helps! Happy dancing~
Monday, January 26, 2015
My first time collaborating with a professional company!
Beautiful dancers, teachers, choreographers and dance aficionados~
I'm so excited for the show with Nancy Evans Dance Theater this weekend (January 31 and February 1). A 9 minute section of my zombie ballet will be shown as part of the Friends/Family/Dance/Festival. It's a work-in-progress but I'm really thrilled at how good it looks already.
I wrote an article about collaborating with Nancy and her dancers at Dance Advantage. I interviewed Nancy herself about her work and working with outside choreographers and offered up my own list of helpful hints when you're working with other people. Here is a link to the article:
If you'd like to see the show this weekend, just go to Nancy's website to order tickets. And if you come on Sunday (which is Super Bowl Sunday, who knew?), simply say "What Bowl?" at the door and you'll get $5 off your ticket - for the Sunday matinee only.
Get show tickets here. Happy dancing!
I'm so excited for the show with Nancy Evans Dance Theater this weekend (January 31 and February 1). A 9 minute section of my zombie ballet will be shown as part of the Friends/Family/Dance/Festival. It's a work-in-progress but I'm really thrilled at how good it looks already.
I wrote an article about collaborating with Nancy and her dancers at Dance Advantage. I interviewed Nancy herself about her work and working with outside choreographers and offered up my own list of helpful hints when you're working with other people. Here is a link to the article:
If you'd like to see the show this weekend, just go to Nancy's website to order tickets. And if you come on Sunday (which is Super Bowl Sunday, who knew?), simply say "What Bowl?" at the door and you'll get $5 off your ticket - for the Sunday matinee only.
Get show tickets here. Happy dancing!
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Upcoming event: Friends/Family/Dance/Festival with NEDT
At the end of this month, Nancy Evans Dance Theatre, a modern dance company based in Pasadena, California, will be hosting its semi-annual festival which is always a lot of fun. They are an exciting, young and vibrant company, generously including top-notch talent in their programs. Before I ever had the opportunity to work with them, I loved attending their shows. They have a wonderful mix of humor and gravitas and they are master storytellers.
That, in fact, is one of the primary reasons I approached them about collaborating with me on my Sweet Sorrow zombie ballet. Nancy and her dancers are intelligent and thoughtful and they bring experience and their own ideas to a project, specifically their characters. I knew they would be ideal to work with. So as much as I say I'm setting the ballet on them, I'm actually collaborating with them. In the nearly four months I've been working with them, I have never once heard anyone say they couldn't do something. They try everything I ask and if my ideas don't work the way I thought they would, they are quick to help fix the problem. They don't impose their will on my material or me; rather, they seek ways to make my ideas come to fruition in the best way possible.
So mark your calendars for Saturday, January 31 and Sunday, February 1, Porticos Art Space in Pasadena. You can see a tremendous program - remarkable work from Nancy herself and other talented contemporary and modern dance companies. And you'll see 2 pieces from my zombie ballet: a group work titled Infection and a pas de deux titled Plague Pit. I'm so excited for people to see them! They are still works-in-progress but I'm thrilled about how they're developing.
More information can be found at Nancy's website: www.nancyevansdancetheatre.com
So mark your calendars for Saturday, January 31 and Sunday, February 1, Porticos Art Space in Pasadena. You can see a tremendous program - remarkable work from Nancy herself and other talented contemporary and modern dance companies. And you'll see 2 pieces from my zombie ballet: a group work titled Infection and a pas de deux titled Plague Pit. I'm so excited for people to see them! They are still works-in-progress but I'm thrilled about how they're developing.
More information can be found at Nancy's website: www.nancyevansdancetheatre.com
Friday, October 19, 2012
Back on track and hurtling toward Nutcracker!
It's that time of year again - Nutcracker season. You'll hear the whispers of the dancers in the hallways, "What did you get?"/"I'm in Snow and Flowers"/"Aw, man, a mouse again?" And the sounds of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite" on every CD player in every studio everywhere.
Le Studio, where I teach, is no different. We are full-on into Nutcracker rehearsals. My Senior Company began a few weeks ago (and we are almost finished with Snowflakes!) and my Adult group will begin next week (contact me if you are interested!). It's all on track for December 16th, our only show date.
Such a lot of work for just one show! But it's worth it. Rehearsals for a show push dancers in many ways. For one, they often have to perform steps they have never done before so they increase their vocabulary. For another, they are typically working with a group of dancers who have different skills so they see what other people can do. And yet another, they want to look their best so they work harder in classes.
Choreography also tests dancers. Some of the most talented dancers in class will frequently choke when it comes to dancing on stage. Choreography for a class is vastly different than for stage work. There is a lot of acting involved on stage. There are patterns to be made. There are entrances and exits. And yes, the pieces are far longer and more complex. You must memorize steps and music and somehow avoid running into other people. And look good while doing it. It's not for everyone and sometimes you won't even know it's for you (or not) until you try it.
Some of the simplest things are hard on stage. Walking. Running. Posing. Smiling. Often you can't hear the music or you get sidelined by other dancers who are in the wrong place or there is suddenly a tree where you used to stand in the studio. The first time you perform can be wildly different from what you expected it to be. And that's fine! It's all a learning experience and the next time you do it, you will have that much under your belt.
But of all the things a show does for a dancer, perhaps the most important one is the bond that it creates between the members of a group. You are all going through the same thing, all learning the same stuff, all have the same goal in mind: entertain your friends and family and show off what you have studied. You graduate from students to dancers. When I put together groups for shows, I try to include dancers who will encourage each other and support each other. Who needs drama? The show is dramatic enough. If there is extra stuff going on, that will prevent people from learning the choreography and bog people down in personal things that are ultimately detrimental to the performance.
NB: My classes are also back on track! Stretch/Strengthen is back on Fridays, 5:30-6:30. Happy dancing!
Le Studio, where I teach, is no different. We are full-on into Nutcracker rehearsals. My Senior Company began a few weeks ago (and we are almost finished with Snowflakes!) and my Adult group will begin next week (contact me if you are interested!). It's all on track for December 16th, our only show date.
Such a lot of work for just one show! But it's worth it. Rehearsals for a show push dancers in many ways. For one, they often have to perform steps they have never done before so they increase their vocabulary. For another, they are typically working with a group of dancers who have different skills so they see what other people can do. And yet another, they want to look their best so they work harder in classes.
Choreography also tests dancers. Some of the most talented dancers in class will frequently choke when it comes to dancing on stage. Choreography for a class is vastly different than for stage work. There is a lot of acting involved on stage. There are patterns to be made. There are entrances and exits. And yes, the pieces are far longer and more complex. You must memorize steps and music and somehow avoid running into other people. And look good while doing it. It's not for everyone and sometimes you won't even know it's for you (or not) until you try it.
Some of the simplest things are hard on stage. Walking. Running. Posing. Smiling. Often you can't hear the music or you get sidelined by other dancers who are in the wrong place or there is suddenly a tree where you used to stand in the studio. The first time you perform can be wildly different from what you expected it to be. And that's fine! It's all a learning experience and the next time you do it, you will have that much under your belt.
But of all the things a show does for a dancer, perhaps the most important one is the bond that it creates between the members of a group. You are all going through the same thing, all learning the same stuff, all have the same goal in mind: entertain your friends and family and show off what you have studied. You graduate from students to dancers. When I put together groups for shows, I try to include dancers who will encourage each other and support each other. Who needs drama? The show is dramatic enough. If there is extra stuff going on, that will prevent people from learning the choreography and bog people down in personal things that are ultimately detrimental to the performance.
NB: My classes are also back on track! Stretch/Strengthen is back on Fridays, 5:30-6:30. Happy dancing!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Zombie Ballet & ArtNight Pasadena schedule
Since everyone's been asking (thank you!), here is the schedule for the ArtNight Pasadena events at ARC (A Room to Create) studio/theater:
ART NIGHT ARC PARTICIPANTS/Friday, October 14, 2011
6:00-6:15 Pennington Dance Group
6:20-6:30 Leigh Purtill and Dancers (Zombie Ballet!)
6:35-6:45 Pasadena Civic Ballet
6:45-7:05 Laurie Sefton-ClairobscurDance
7:10-7:20 Leigh Purtill and Dancers (Zombie Ballet again!)
7:25-7:35 Deborah Rosen Dancers
7:40- 8:10 Benita Bike
8:10-8:30 Danza Floricanto
8:30-8:50 Paula Present -Ptero Dance
8:55-9:05 Jessica Kondrath
9:05-10:00: Laurie Sefton, Pennington Dance Group, Deborah Rosen & Ptero Dance
As you can see, my group of 19 fantastic dancers is performing the Zombie Ballet twice on Friday night, at 6:20 and again at 7:10. I am very excited to watch Pennington Dance Group and my friend Laurie's Clairobscur Dance. Two amazing modern dance companies!
These times are approximate, of course. When you're dealing with such a large number of dances and dancers, you never know exactly how long things will take! My piece is under 2 minutes, just fyi...
Here is the address for ARC:
1158 East Colorado Blvd. (west of Michigan Ave and across the street from Michael's crafts)
Pasadena, California 91106
http://www.arcpasadena.org
Entrance in back. Parking on side streets or in the back of the theater. There will be food trucks plus free shuttles to take people to other performance venues and galleries. And it's all free!
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