Kay Mazzo News

Casting for the first two weeks of American Ballet Theatre's 2014 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

New York City Ballet announced today that its 2014 Spring Gala on Thursday, May 8 at 7pm will feature a special one-time-only program designed by NYCB's Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins to pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of the opening of the New York State Theater (now the David H. Koch Theater) at Lincoln Center, as well as celebrate its future with a World Premiere ballet by choreographer Justin Peck and composer Sufjan Stevens.

The newly established Cleveland Ballet Youth Company will make its debut performance with the program Where it All Began, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. in PlayhouseSquare's Hanna Theatre. It is no coincidence that this production will take place on the very stage where the former Cleveland Ballet hosted its first professional performances during the late 1970's. Founded by former Cleveland San Jose Ballet principal dancer, Gladisa Guadalupe, who also serves as the company's artistic director, Cleveland Ballet Youth Company is laying the ground work to re-introduce professional ballet to Cleveland audiences. Where it All Began will feature the entire company of Cleveland Ballet Youth Company along with several guest artists from the company's professional division. Musical accompaniment will come courtesy of the newly-founded Cleveland Ballet Orchestra.

Nearly 31 years have passed since George Balanchine, the prolific and pioneering 20th century choreographer, died on April 30th 1983. Yet the New York City Ballet, the company he co-founded with Lincoln Kirstein 80 years ago, continues to revere and remember him with equal parts fondness and awe. That legacy of love and respect for Mr. B was especially evident on January 25th 2014, the 4th annual celebration of "Saturday at the Ballet with George" in honor of his birthday. He was actually born on January 22nd 1904 but scheduling the event on a Saturday allows for a daylong series of workshops and performances, all of them affordable and some of them free.

I have always told my ballet students that because the art form is kept alive by each new generation of dancers, we must be as proficient in historical styles as we are in contemporary techniques. The important works of the past cannot be hung on museum walls the way the paintings of the masters are. Instead, we have to recreate what came before us or else the ballets will be lost. Years ago when I made that speech, I was referring to the centuries-old ballet classics. Yet on the afternoon of October 13th 2013, when the New York City Ballet offered a mixed bill of Balanchine's iconic 'black and white' ballets at the Koch Theater, I was reminded that now the dance gems of the 20th Century

The School of American Ballet's Workshop Performance Benefit 2013 at SAB on Tuesday, June 4, 2013 honored Peter Martins' and Kay Mazzo's 30th Anniversary with the School and raised more than $820,000 for scholarships and school programs. The evening began with cocktails at 5:30pm, followed by the presentation of Mae L. Wien Awards for Outstanding Service to Mr. Martins and Ms. Mazzo respectively by Kate D. Levin, commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and Sterling Hyltin, New York City Ballet Principal Dancer.

The School of American Ballet announces the Workshop Performance Benefit 2013 tonight, June 4, 2013, honoring Peter Martins' and Kay Mazzo's 30th Anniversary at SAB. Cocktails begin at 5:30pm at Morse Hall at the Juilliard School, 155 W. 65th Street, followed by the performance at 7pm at Lincoln Center's Peter Jay Sharp Theater, 155 W. 65th Street, and dinner and dancing at 9pm in the School's Studios in the Samuel B. and David Rose Building, 165 W. 65th Street, 5th floor. Attire is cocktail or festive. Tickets begin at $300 and tables begin at $15,000.

The School of American Ballet announces the Workshop Performance Benefit 2013 on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, honoring Peter Martins' and Kay Mazzo's 30th Anniversary at SAB. Cocktails begin at 5:30pm at Morse Hall at the Juilliard School, 155 W. 65th Street, followed by the performance at 7pm at Lincoln Center's Peter Jay Sharp Theater, 155 W. 65th Street, and dinner and dancing at 9pm in the School's Studios in the Samuel B. and David Rose Building, 165 W. 65th Street, 5th floor. Attire is cocktail or festive. Tickets begin at $300 and tables begin at $15,000.

The School of American Ballet announces the Workshop Performance Benefit 2013 onTuesday, June 4, 2013, honoring Peter Martins' and Kay Mazzo's 30th Anniversary at SAB. Cocktails begin at 5:30pm at Morse Hall at the Juilliard School, 155 W. 65th Street, followed by the performance at 7pm at Lincoln Center's Peter Jay Sharp Theater, 155 W. 65th Street, and dinner and dancing at 9pm in the School's Studios in the Samuel B. and David Rose Building, 165 W. 65th Street, 5th floor. Attire is cocktail or festive. Tickets begin at $300 and tables begin at $15,000. To purchase tickets, a table, or for more information, please contact Natalie Schweizer at nschweizer@sab.org or (212) 769-6610.

The School of American Ballet's 2013 Winter Ball: A Night in the Far East at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater on Monday, March 11, 2013 raised more than $1.1 million for scholarships and school programs. The evening, sponsored by legendary French Maison Van Cleef & Arpels, began with cocktails at 7pm and dinner at 8pm, followed by a one-time-only performance, and The Encore dessert and dancing.

Gavin Larsen, former principal dancer of Oregon Ballet Theatre and on the faculty of the Oregon Ballet Theatre School, will be a member of the faculty for the Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet's Summer Program in Shreveport, Louisiana from July 23-27, 2012.

WPTV News Anchor Lauren LaPonzina will Co-Host with Caras & Emmy-Winning Director Deborah Novak While Taping a Pledge Event for Use at Other PBS TV Stations. WXEL-TV42, the area's public television station, today announced that it will be presenting the Florida broadcast premiere of the hot new documentary STEVEN CARAS: SEE THEM DANCE on Tuesday, June 7, at 8 p.m.

WPTV News Anchor Lauren LaPonzina will Co-Host with Caras & Emmy-Winning Director Deborah Novak While Taping a Pledge Event for Use at Other PBS TV Stations. WXEL-TV42, the area's public television station, today announced that it will be presenting the Florida broadcast premiere of the hot new documentary STEVEN CARAS: SEE THEM DANCE on Tuesday, June 7, at 8 p.m.

The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts will host the world premiere of the new public TV documentary STEVEN CARAS: SEE THEM DANCE on February 24. Presented by Arizona PBS, the film concerns the life and work of Mr. Caras, a former New York City Ballet dancer, who transformed his career to become one of the world's most renowned dance photographers. Currently a resident of West Palm Beach, Caras is also a published author, guest lecturer, ballet master and founding chairman of the Randolph A. Frank Prize for the Performing Arts in Palm Beach. For more information, please visit www.stevencaras.com.