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Show Pt Th Dc5y Ulsh Cftrcnisfr, Frtdry, PtcggrlVlttl Twenty Mem' QtoiffetaM 0 A nine ( vtJ 7 IVxN e?n ' Ballet West continues Utah Christmas tradition In Deeeinlxr I9.".. the rniversity Theatre Ballet presented the lii i fully ore hcsiraicd American production of Peter Ilyieh Te haikovsky's Xulcracker ballet. The produc lion was well received, and the Xutcrarkrr has Ixe omc one of Salt Lake's biggest traditions. The first American production of The Xutcracker was e hoicographccl by Willam Chi isicnsen. founder of the rniversity's Department of Ballet. His first c horeography of in 1911 by the San Fram iseo Ballet, the ballet was but the rniversity Theatre Ballet H'i fortnecl The Xultrat kn in America for the first lime with a complete orc hestra. Chrisicnseti has guided I'tah ballet shier he came to the rniversity in 1951. and his Xulcracker has Income known throughout the world as one of the foremost annual produc tions of the Tc haikovsky ballet. There are 110 ballet groups who now annually present the ballet in Ameiica. but lite Ballet West production is one of only a few in Ameiica whic h is jkiToi meel with the full ore bestial ion for wbic h lite piccv was written. The rniversity's Department of Ballet, founded by Christenseti in I9l was ihe nation's first ballet depait men t in l he col lege el fincMits. Cliristensen loimedthe l'nieisii Ballet Ihcaire in I9.V in order to keep some of the I'lmast'ty' students in t'lah. It was the fiisi ballet eompanx to lx' inccHxrateel into a utmetsiiy, The tl;ih Civic Ballet was stat led in l:?.wiih grants fioni Vdi l ake ballet the Fort! Foundation ami the- illotis a lull paid. was Ballet Civic ers. The ltah . - support in HNil professional company, and gave its fiist with guest dancers from the New York City Ballet. The name of I he I'tah Civic Ballet was changed to Ballet West in I98 to icflcel the expanding status of the organisation. The t'nivcrsiiy remained the organisation's olfic ial school, and in 1970. Ballet West a summer residener for the company in Aspen. Colo. Bruev Marks joined Ballet West in 197). after having danced with the MciroMliian ()x-rBallet and the Royal Danish Ballet. In I97t. he Ixramc the associate aitistie dim lor of Ballet West, and he has remained with Ballet WcM ever since. Willam Chrisiciiscn resigned as artistic dim tor of Ballet West in I97fi. and was replaced by Marks. Marks has staged a oih-iicc- I a number of ballets by different choreographers since artistic dim tor. inc luding c lassical and modern creative w inks. In Dccrmlxr 1980. the rniversity and Ballet West formed a stronger relationship when Ballet West formed a second company. Ballet West II. at the. rniversity. Cliristensen rcttiined to the t'liivtisiiy with a nieiitus stains, and Bruce Marks and Toni Lander Marks were given faculty apiNiinintcnis in the rniversity Ballet Department. Ballet West II is headed by Christenseti as artistic dim lor. and the company will lx' used to augment Ballet West in procluc lions which lecjuiie a larger number of dancers. In addition. Ballet West II dance is will iiudcistudy Ballet West's dancers and an le place injuicd inemlx tsof the scnioi ballet. 1 The Xutcracker is Ballet West's biggest produc lion and the ballet company tours annually throughout the West x t forming the Christmas lassie . Ballet West's Xutcrat her is still choreographed by Christcnscn. Last year. Ballet West got new costumes for The Xutcracker, and the ballet this year will include new sets, designed by Ronald Crosby, an associate professor in ihc rniversity's Theatre Department. Ballet West annually auditions for dauceis ia the minor roles of The Xultrnt ker. "I he redes are often . filled by rniversity students and c hilelreii from the Salt When ihe company is on lour, it uses dancers from the ity visited to fill minor roles. The iit ire company started this year's Xutnarker tour Dec. I in Long Beach. Calif. In addition, they have in foi manevs sc heclulcd in Tenix Ariz.: Portland, Ore.; Salt Iike City and Ogdcn. While the company w as in Long Beac h. it was filmed Un a movie which will lx- released next Detrmbcr. Ihe film. 6 iceeks stars Man Tyler Mexrr and Dudley Mcxht. It's the story of a girl with leukemia whose dream is to dance the role of Clara in the Nutcracker. In the movie, Clara's part is danced bv Kathetine I leal v. a former dancer with the New Yolk City Balle t. The Suit rat kefs Salt I -- ike mi formatters begin Dec. 17 at the Capitol Theater. 1 non-compan- y Lake-valley- 1 - |
