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NK Ballet Foundation presents I Have A Dream - INAUGURAL FUNDRAISING GALA


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NK BALLET FOUNDATION PRESENTS

I HAVE A DREAM - INAUGURAL FUNDRAISING GALA

FEATURING BALLET STARS FROM THE WORLD’S BEST-KNOWN COMPANIES

 

Natalia Kremen (NK) Ballet Foundation presents its inaugural Fundraising Gala, which will take place on 18 June at the Cadogan Hall in London. 

 

The Gala’s aim is to raise funds for the NK Ballet Foundation, established in 2015 to grant scholarships to talented children from lower income families to enable them to attend ballet classes and participate in all aspects of professional ballet training.

 

The Gala is a must for all ballet and dance fans and will star internationally renowned dancers from the world’s best ballet companies and young rising stars, performing a variety of well-loved and new dance pieces. 

 

Among confirmed participants are Kristina Kretova, Marianna Ryzhkina, Dmitry Gudanov and Andrei Merkuriev from the Bolshoi Theatre; Igor Kolb and Andrei Batalov from the Mariinsky Theatre; Liudmila Konovalova and Jakob Feyferlik from Vienna State Ballet; Ksenia Ovsyanick and Dinu Tamazlacaru from Staats Ballett Berlin; Brandon Lawrence and Delia Mathews from Birmingham Royal Ballet, as well as dancers from the Paris Opera Ballet, the Dutch National Ballet, La Scala Ballet, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, Kazan Ballet Theatre and Kyiv Modern Ballet. 

All profits raised will go towards the NK Ballet Foundation Scholarships and Bursaries Programme, which is currently supporting studies of 15 students at the Natalia Kremen Ballet School in London.   

 

Performance details:

Sunday 18 June 2017 at 7:00pm 

Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace

London SW1X 9DQ

 

Tickets are at £15 - £70. For more information, call +44 (0) 20 7730 4500 or visit 

 

Commenting on today’s announcement, Natalia Kremen, Chairwoman and Director, said: 

“Established five years ago, today the Natalia Kremen Ballet School is a successful institution providing the highest standard of training for all of its students, who are aged 3-16. We believe that any child can benefit from ballet classes and enjoy dancing, regardless of natural ability and socio-economic background.

 

Some of our scholars aspire to become ballet stars of the future. It is a great pleasure to give them this opportunity and to see them succeed.  The NK Ballet Foundation would like to invite all ballet and art lovers, dance critics, and anyone who would like to make a difference and help our current and future scholars become the stars of the future, to our Gala on 18 June. Please come and be a part of what promises to be a very enjoyable evening.”

 

*The programme can be subject to change due to circumstances beyond the organisers’ control.

 

About NK Ballet Foundation: The Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides financial support to ballet students of exceptional talent but limited means. Talent, past performance and financial background are taken into consideration as criteria for scholarship eligibility assessment. Established in 2015, the Foundation is working towards obtaining charity status.  

 

About Natalia Kremen Ballet School: The School was formed in 2012 and it has grown from three students to over 150 today. The School offers a wide range of classes, examinations and performance opportunities to students age 3-16, based on the Vaganova method. The School’s teachers are former ballet dancers from leading ballet companies. The School’s alumni have been offered to continue their professional ballet training at the Bolshoi Academy in Moscow, the Vaganova Academy in St Petersburg, Perm Ballet Academy, Royal Ballet School, American Ballet Theatre School, Canada National Ballet School, Elmhurst Royal Ballet School and others. 

 
 
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  • 2 weeks later...

Here is the list of dancers confirmed as appearing at the NK Ballet Foundation Inaugural Gala next Sunday June 18th, 7.00pm, Cadogan Hall, London.  As always with these events, dancers/programme subject to change.....

 

 

MARTINA ARDUINO

La Scala Ballet

 

ANDREI BATALOV

Mariinsky Ballet

 

MELISSA CHAPSKI

Dutch National Ballet

 

GABRIELE CORRADO

 La Scala Ballet

 

JAKOB FAYFERLIK

Wiener Staatsoper Ballet

 

ANNA HERUS

Kyiv Modern Ballet

 

IGOR KOLB

Mariinsky Ballet

 

LIUDMILA KONOVALOVA

Vienna State Ballet

 

KRISTINA KRETOVA

Bolshoi Ballet

 

BRANDON LAWRENCE

Birmingham Royal Ballet

 

DELIA MATHEWS

Birmingham Royal Ballet

 

ANDREI MERKURIEV

 Bolshoi Ballet

 

KSENIA OVSYANICK

Berlin Staatsballett

 

GIOVANNI PRINCIC

Dutch National Ballet

 

CHLOE REVEILLON

 Paris Opera Ballet

 

MARIANA RYZHKINA

Bolshoi Ballet

 

DINU  TAMAZLACARU

Staatsballett Berlin

 

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14 hours ago, Bruce Wall said:

Any idea as to what they might be dancing?  

 

I have information about one piece only. Marianna Ryzhkina & Andrei Merkuriev will dance adagio from "Raymonda".

Edited by Amelia
Edited for a problem with the Quote.
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Last night's Gala was really enjoyable, and it was so lovely to see such an array of wonderful dancers, performing pieces different from the usual gala fare.  Interspersed with this were performances by some of NK Ballet School's students, so the audience could see how some of them have benefitted from scholarships and bursaries provided by NK Ballet Foundation.

 

As one of the organisers and a director of the Foundation, I guess I shouldn't really review our own evening, but I just wanted to say a big thank you to all of the forum members who came along to support us;  it was great seeing some of you. 

 

I will just say that some of the dancers who particularly struck me were Chloe Reveillon (POB corps member;  she is absolutely beautiful and I think/hope will go far.  Those of you lucky enough to see POB regularly, do keep an eye out for her) and Dinu Tamazlacaru (Berlin State Ballet), who danced a lovely pdd from La Syphide.  Even more impressive is that they had never met before yesterday afternoon!  Melissa Chapski and Giovanni Princic were also memorable.  Liudmila Konovalova and Jakob Feyferlik were very moving in Casta Diva, as were Kristina Kretova and Andrei Merkuriev in Anyuta.  Brandon Lawrence and Delia Mathews shone in the Nutcracker pdd.  It was also such a treat to see the wonderful Ksenia Ovsyanick dance in London again.

 

It almost seems unfair to single any dancer out as they were all excellent and had different things to offer, but one thing in common they all offered was their time to come and dance for the Foundation, so a huge thank you to them all.

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This was quite an occasion. I always try to go to galas, as they are mad and odd, and often one sees amazing things one would otherwise not have the chance to. This gala was no exception but had the advantage of being in aid of an obviously good cause (not always the case) and featuring some wonderful dancers. For my taste Kretova was the absolute highpoint of many, wearing her superstardom truly gracefully, showing the most perfect lines. Just breathtaking.

 

Also I had never seen The Rain before (since found two excellent recordings on YouTube) and was knocked out, both by the piece and the dancers.

 

Too many other good things to list here, but very much hope the very strong line-up is matched when (as one assumes) this event becomes an annual part of the London ballet scene. All credit to the organisers, pity to see empty seats (as I wrote about elsewhere), let's get the word out next time!

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9 hours ago, Geoff said:

... I always try to go to galas, as they are mad and odd, and often one sees amazing things one would otherwise not have the chance to. This gala was no exception...

 

I very much agree, Geoff, with your statement above.

 

It is interesting to observe how the excitement of the audience usually grows as the gala progresses. The introductory pieces in the programme are usually more tranquill, sometimes idyllic, allowing the viewers to settle into the right mood for balletic evening. Bravura pieces gradually come later and rise the ’temperature’ in the audience. Even more after the interval. :P   

For me the highlight of the gala last Sunday was the very first piece - the Adagio from “Raymonda”. Its choreography complements the mood of the music very well. I had my own reason to enjoy this piece even more - I have a soft spot for the right physical proportions of dancers performing classics. Luckily, we could see it. Marianna Ryzhkina, with her long neck and inpeccable coordination, was weightless, noble and serene. She is never flashy and has style, or class.

Another piece in the gala, the Gypsy dance, kept me smiling non-stop and I am smiling broadly even now when writing about it. It was performed by a large group of girls of different age and height. A little soloist with a shawl who appeared later was a remarkable extrovert, she was teasingly flirting with the audience. However, my eyes were fixed on the tiniest Indian (?) girl in the group. She was the smallest but her concentration on what she was doing was second to none. Perhaps just 4-year-old, she was often positioned on the extreme left of the group. How enthusiastically this little chick was proving that she deserved to dance with these girls, all obviously older than her. While waving her little arms she would  frequently cast a quick glance at other girls, checking that she is doing the right movements in unison with them. From time to time a faint smile was stirring her lips as she was satisfied that she was doing well. Then her little face would show her concentration on the next task. Especially before she, with her little feet, had to run round and to cover the same distance as the bigger girls. She showed such dedication! I really hope to see her in the future.

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Ryzhkina was indeed exquisite and such a privilege to see Mekuriev again.  Anyuta never comes to London so a real treat to see the romantic pas de deux,  I was lucky enough to see Maximova in the role in Moscow but Kretova is a more than worthy successor in the role.

 

Even in such a star environment the little gypsy was a sweetheart, I think she won quite a few hearts on Sunday evening.

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8 hours ago, capybara said:

Perhaps the seat prices were pitched a little too high? 

 

I enjoyed the evening very much ... but did wonder somewhat about the venue as a fulcrum for this fine and wonderfully varied presentation.  The sight lines from the gallery area were strained at the best of times with a substantial portion of the stage being obscured for people on both sides; (not to mention the discomfort of trying to view it from such) and hand rails for all placed at unusual and obscuring angles.  (For a concert this, of course, would not be of such a concern.  For dance it is a distressing.)  The stage is clearly a concert platform and for the audience down below the house rake is slight - with - for many in the very front - none at all to speak of at all so heads (and their sway) can easily play havoc with views.  That said, the lobby is very generous and the bathrooms glorious in their appointment.  

 

Edited by Bruce Wall
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I remember that the predecessors of the Russian Ballet Icons galas started at Queen Elizabeth Hall and eventually moved to much larger venues. The capacity of Cadogan Hall is 950 and of QEH is over 900. The latter has an excellent view of the stage from every seat. It is currently closed for renovation though and is due to reopen in 2018. It would be nice to see galas there from time to time.

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Thank you everyone for all your comments and suggestions, positive and negative.  These things are always a learning curve, so we really appreciate what the audience has to say.  We will be taking into account all of the comments when we meet soon.

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One more comment, an official (?) photographer with an incredibly noisy shutter was a huge distraction to those sitting in the rear stalls, I understand complaints were made to the staff.

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1 hour ago, Sim said:

Thank you everyone for all your comments and suggestions, positive and negative.  These things are always a learning curve, so we really appreciate what the audience has to say.  We will be taking into account all of the comments when we meet soon.

 

Maybe it would be an idea to consider also the balance between the star guests and the students? My guess is that we had about an hour of the former and around 45 mins of the NK School and speeches/film clips. Some of the children's pieces also felt over long to me in this context.

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