beerandballet at the Washington Ballet
April 17, 2008
I often travel to Washington, DC for work and have always wanted to check out the Washington Ballet. Last night I went to “beerandballet,” a TWB event for their Jeté Society for young professionals. Beerandballet was an open studio rehearsal of Cinderella, which the company had just finished setting the day before. The studio was packed with an audience of over 100 people aged 20-35. After the ballet free beer and snacks were served. What could be better?
Beerandballet at TWB was a great experience. The staff was incredibly helpful and the entire event had a refreshingly friendly and unpretentious feel. TWB has 20 dancers, many of whom hold BAs from prestigious colleges, and they do not rank the company by Corps, Soloists and Principals. Offering events for young professionals is a brilliant way to reach out to ballet afficionados in their 20s and 30s, who are interested in watching ballet but can’t afford to be season ticket holders for another 10 years or so.
Some of the best photos from the studio rehearsal are below (click to enlarge). See more pictures here!
Corrections for Cinderella (Brianne Bland)
Fairy Godmother (Erin Mahoney-Du) and her fairies
Jade Payette
Brianne Bland as a very sweet Cinderella
This sounds like a wonderful event! I love Prokofiev’s score for Cinderella, especially the big waltz section.
Aw, what a fun event. Jade and Brianne have beautiful lines!