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American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company, formerly ABT II,
is a classical ensemble made up of 12 dancers of outstanding potential.
The mission of ABT Studio Company is to train young dancers (ages
16-20) in preparation for entering American Ballet Theatre’s
main Company or other leading national and international professional
ballet companies. The program serves as a bridge between ballet
training and professional performance.
Training
Under the Artistic Direction of ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie
and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School Principal Franco De Vita,
members of this pre-professional training program will participate
in an extensive schedule of classes and rehearsals including classical
ballet technique, pointe, partnering, men’s technique, character,
modern, variations, mime and acting, dance history, ABT’s
National Training Curriculum, Pilates and men’s strength training.
Workshops in composition, nutrition, women’s health, stress
management, injury prevention and audition preparation are also
included in the curriculum.
Choreography
ABT Studio Company dancers will work closely with members of ABT’s
Artistic Staff and guest faculty to learn ABT repertoire and other
masterworks by noted choreographers including George Balanchine,
Marius Petipa, August Bournonville, Antony Tudor, Paul Taylor and
Jerome Robbins as well as emerging classical and contemporary choreographers.
Performances
Dancers in ABT Studio Company will gain performance experience through
residencies, cultural exchanges and regional touring. All ABT Studio
Company dancers will learn Alexei Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker
and a select group of dancers will apprentice with ABT’s main
Company for performances of The Nutcracker at the Brooklyn
Academy of Music.
Outreach
In order to reach the widest possible audience, ABT is dedicated
to developing the next generation of audience members. Participation
in outreach programs for children and other selected groups is an
important part of the ABT Studio Company mission. ABT Studio Company
acts as ABT’s principal outreach arm by participating in educational
and outreach programs throughout New York City and beyond.
Current ABT Studio Company
To view the current roster for ABT Studio Company, click
here.
Faculty
ABT Artistic faculty members for this program will include: Kevin
McKenzie, Franco De Vita, Harriet Clark, Olga Dvorovenko, Susan
Jaffe, Susan Jones, Irina Kolpakova, Jessica Lang, Clinton Luckett,
Raymond Lukens, Kate Lydon, Clarice Marshall, Nancy Raffa, Lupe
Serrano and Martine van Hamel.
Schedule
ABT Studio Company dancers will train at the Jacqueline Kennedy
Onassis School at ABT Monday through Friday from 10:00am-5:30pm,
with additional class on Saturdays.
Alumni
More than half of the dancers in ABT’s main Company started
their career in ABT Studio Company, including Principal Dancers
Herman Cornejo, David Hallberg and Cory Stearns. Dancers from ABT
Studio Company have also gone on to join such notable companies
as Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Houston Ballet, Staatsballet Berlin,
The Washington Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Alberta
Ballet and The Royal Ballet.
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