SFB Scene

Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 | SFB Scene | No Comments

Whether or not the Company is on stage, 455 is buzzing with activity, so we’re starting a weekly post with some highlights of what’s happening! Check back each week for more behind-the-scenes tidbits.

• Even though there are still two performances left of Program 6, the Company is already busy rehearsing the works for Programs 7 and 8. Yan Godovskiy is currently in the studio staging the SF Ballet premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s Russian Seasons, and will be joined by Ratmansky on April 11. Also, Elyse Borne from the Balanchine Trust is rehearsing George Balanchine’s Jewels.
• If you’re want to read more about the work Godovskiy and Borne are doing, check out Ballet Master Ricardo Bustamante’s latest SF Gate blog entry about the process of taking a ballet from the studio to the stage. 
• If you haven’t seen Program 6 yet, join San Francisco Ballet’s ENCORE! for their second Pas de Trois event Thursday, April 9. Tickets include a pre-performance reception with sushi and wine, and a ticket to the final performance of Program 6.  
  

  San Francisco Ballet rehearses Balanchine's "Diamonds" (Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust; © Erik Tomasson)

Tags: Balanchine, ENCORE!, Program 6, Program 7

From Sandpaper to Sweeney Todd

Friday, March 27th, 2009 | All Posts by Katita Waldo, SFB Scene | No Comments

I’ve had a long break which has given my body a chance to rest; I wasn’t in Swan Lake and danced Sandpaper Ballet in Program 5, which was a blast. Now I’m very refreshed and eager to be working; we have started rehearsing Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Within the Golden Hour, and West Side Story Suite, all of which I’m in. I also have the added duty of being a ballet master (along with Anita Paciotti) for Within the Golden Hour and for the corps de ballet in Stravinsky Violin Concerto.

Principal Dancer Katita Waldo takes notes during a rehearsal. © Erik Tomasson

Bart Cook from the Balanchine Trust arrives today and hopefully, will be pleased with the work I’ve managed to do. I’m very proud of the dancers; they’ve gotten it together very quickly in a short amount of time. I was very nervous to go into West Side Story Suite rehearsals since I haven’t done any singing since we performed it last year. I guess the itch was scratched. However, about a week ago, I started singing to the Dixie Chicks and Sweeney Todd in the car, just to get ready. I was lazy and didn’t do any of my vocal exercises, yet the first couple of rehearsals have shown my voice improved over last year. I have no idea why that is but I’m very glad!

Tags: Balanchine, Katita Waldo, Sandpaper Ballet, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, West Side Story Suite