BEHIND THE SCENES

A PUBLICATION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FALL 2013
BEHIND THE SCENES
at Amherst Ballet
From your Director
by Sueann Townsend
The 2013/14 Season has begun. I started the
season by attending a Vaganova workshop for
teachers in Berlin. At the workshop I interacted
with dance teachers from around the world, learned
to communicate in a combination of languages
(mostly German and Russian), refreshed my love
for Vaganova training and renewed my acquaintance
with Berlin where I lived and performed in the 1990s.
Most importantly I got to dance – six hours each day.
Like AB students, I am happiest when I am dancing.
Even while I was away this summer many people
danced at AB: classes were held 4 days a week and
we had two camps for our elementary-aged dancers
which featured the ballet Giselle. Heather Reichgott,
the camp director, is a miracle worker and produced a
version of the romantic ballet with 12 dancers aged 6
to 10. Coincidentally, May’s repertoire performance
will present scenes from the second act of Giselle
– with teen-aged dancers from our Upper School.
Rehearsals for this classic white ballet have already
begun and our dancers are now experiencing the
process of demanding corps de ballet work.
AB students are happy taking class and happier when
they are performing. We are once again providing
performance opportunities for our dancers and
entertainment for our audiences by presenting
December shows utilizing the combined efforts of
our Upper and Lower Schools. Heather Reichgott is
directing and choreographing The Wild Swans based
on the Hans Christian Andersen story. The shows
will take place at the East Street Dance Theatre in
Hadley on December 7 and 8. You’ll find a ticket
order form in this newsletter; please order your
tickets early as seating is limited.
Amherst Ballet was invited to participate in the
Amherst Block Party in September – perhaps if
you attended you saw an ethereal dancer in a white
romantic tutu at a distance. A group of Upper
School students appeared in costume and although
rain poured from the sky, it could not dampen the
enthusiasm of the Block Party attendees or our
fearless AB representatives. Always keep your eyes
open for an AB dancer sighting – we are resolved to
become a more visible and giving part of the larger
community.
As part of this community outreach effort, and
to introduce young children to the story telling
capability of ballet, Heather took a few of her Wild
Swan cast members on a mini-tour of area libraries
in October. Employing a cast of three dancers aged
8 to 10, Heather narrated the Andersen story and
gave a taste of what the full story ballet with 28 cast
members would be like. We hope that the library
audiences will be inspired to attend the full ballet
and/or to consider taking ballet classes themselves.
All these activities take resources and fundraising is
a concern of all non-profit arts organizations. This
year Amherst Ballet is participating in the second
annual Valley Gives Day on December 12. This is
an area wide day of philanthropic giving coordinated
through various on-line and social media platforms.
Amherst Ballet has jumped into the deep end of
the social media pool and is actively Facebook-ing,
YouTube-ing, and Tweet-ing. So “like” us, “follow”
us, give us a “thumbs-up”.
En avant!
AMHERST BALLET 1
BEHIND THE SCENES
SPRING FLING 2013
Amherst Ballet held its Spring Fling on April 6,
2013 and continued the annual tradition of silent
auction, good food and drink, live music and dance.
This year there was the added plus of recognition
of honored guests Heidi Stemple and Jane Yolen,
lauded for their many years of patronage and service
to Amherst Ballet. AB parents Wendy Plummer
and Gillian Woldorf provided lovely music on flute
and violin. Additional entertainment included six
student choreographed pieces performed by AB
dancers (Jessie Abdow, Kelly Bernatzky, Naomi
Cooper-Monize, Adele Fisk, Paula Fernandez,
Nora Gallo, Maya Iimura, Clare Kelly, Lillian
Moskin, Sara Moss-Horwitz, Anna Plummer,
Anna Stanforth, Maddison Stemple-Piatt, Ira
Teveleva, Hannah Trobaugh and Izzy Wardlaw).
Board President Mark Horwitz served as master
of ceremonies, tearing up when he introduced his
graduating senior Sara. Jane Yolen was praised for
her great patronage of Amherst Ballet over the
years and presented with a bracelet from the board.
Heidi Stemple was thanked by board secretary Libby
Stanforth and given a scrapbook commemorating the
many costumes she created for AB performances.
The evening ended with winners of silent auction
bids gathering their treasures and dancing to a great
dance mix. Special thanks go to board members
Carlin Weirick, Libby Stanforth, Justyne Ogdahl,
Michele Cooke-Andresen, M. Fernandez, Andy Fisk,
Mark Horwitz, Julia Rueschemeyer, Heidi Stemple
and Ted Trobaugh for creating such a special event
this year. Thanks also to parents, students and staff
who solicited auction items and helped the day of
the Fling. Thank you to the businesses listed below
who donated goods for eating and the auction.
Please thank them on behalf of Amherst Ballet
when you patronize them. Very special thanks to
Wealth Technology Group and Gary Thomas who
sponsored the Bart’s Ice Cream Cart and said he’d
help “because everyone loves ice cream!” And he
was right!
Heidi Stemple, Gary Thomas, and Jane Yolen at the Spring Fling.
2 AMHERST BALLET
FALL 2013
We thank the generosity of our Spring Fling sponsors
Atkins Farms Country Market
The Kitchen Garden
Wealth Technology Group
Our food sponsors
Big Y
Black Sheep
Chez Albert
Dean’s Beans
Fresh Side
Panera Bread
Pekarski’s Sausage
Tart Baking Co.
And our silent auction donors
Amherst Cinema
Amherst Massage
Amherst Veterinary Clinic
Amrita Apothecary
Andrea Leibson
BJ’s Wholesale Club
Boston Ballet
Boston Red Sox
Brookfield Farm CSA
Bueno Y Sano
Casimir Kocot Salon
Chez Albert
Chipotle
Cinemark
Claw Foot Tub
Connecticut River Watershed Council
Cycon Family
Dean’s Beans
DV Den
East Heaven Hot Tubs
Elements Hot Tub Spa
Energia
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
Esselon Cafe
Faith Kaufman
Fancy Feet
Froyoworld
George Wardlaw
Heather Reichgott
Hope and Feathers
Interlink Books
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Jackson & Connor
Jacob’s Pillow
Jane Yolen & Heidi Stemple
Jonathan’s Sports World
Katherine Bervera
Kitchen Garden
La Veracruzana
Laura Rojo MacLeod
Lisa Oram
Loose Goose
LSSE
Lumber Yard
Mary Ann’s Dance and More
Mass MoCA
Maureen Manning
Meghan Godorov
Monkey Business
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Natania Hume
New Century Theatre
New England Patriots
Nicola Metcalf
Norman Rockwell Museum
Pioneer Valley Symphony
R&P Liquors
Robin Diamond
Russell’s Liquors
Shelburne Falls Coffee
Six Flags
Snow Farm
Sound Health Bodyworks
Spirit Haus
Springfield Symphony Orchestra
Stamell Stringed Instruments, Inc.
Ted Trobaugh
Tom Warnick
Tony DiTerlizzi
Toy Box
Trader Joe’s
UMass Press
Walt Disney Themepark
Wheatberry
Whirlwind Garden Design
Williamstown Theatre Festival
Zanna’s
AMHERST BALLET 3
BEHIND THE SCENES
THE YOUNG DANCER SCHOLARSHIP FUND
The Young Dancer Scholarship (YDS) is one
component of need-based financial aid available
to Lower School dancers (typically aged 5 - 11)
at Amherst Ballet. These tuition reduction
scholarships are assigned by a Scholarship
Committee comprised of members of the board
of directors. Some YDS awardees receive only a
YDS and some receive additional tuition reduction
and/or work scholarships.
Jillian Diamond endowed this fund in September
2001 as a 13 year old AB student, in honor of
becoming a Bat Mitzvah. Here is what Jillian says
about this scholarship now:
I started the Young Dancer Scholarship Fund
when I was 13 years old because I loved to
dance. As a child, dance gave me confidence,
a creative outlet, and it was really fun! I was
challenged both physically and mentally. Twelve
years later, I still love to dance and it continues
to fulfill me in much the same way it did as a
child. The training I received as a young dancer
at Amherst Ballet has allowed me to continue
to access dance in a variety of ways over the
years; from dance companies to drop-in classes,
I know that I can confidently walk into most
dancing scenarios and be refueled through
movement. This is more important to me now
than ever as I pursue a Doctorate in Psychology
at the University of Denver. It is my hope that
the Young Dancer Scholarship Fund continues
to thrive in order to provide young dancers
the ability to access classes so they may enjoy
dancing wherever life takes them.
Jillian as a Ballet 1 dancer.
Jillian still dancing.
Beginning with Jillian’s initial gift in 2001, additional
specified donations to the YDSF have been made
over the course of the fund’s history including
memorial gifts to honor an AB loving grandmother.
The fund has received donations totaling $4286 but
now only $201 remains.
Since 2004 (the oldest records we have):
•25 dancers have been awarded Young Dancer
Scholarships.
•Of the 25 YD awardees, 3 are very committed
dancers who danced at AB 6 or more years
•An additional 4 dancers left AB to dance (some
seriously) elsewhere.
•Of the 25 dancers awarded YDS, 9 received the
award for 2 or more years.
The Scholarship Committee has tried to assure
continuous financial aid to families so that a child
“hooked on dance” can continue after the first YDS
award. YDS families often go on to receive work
scholarships after “aging out” of YDS eligibility.
Please consider a gift to this scholarship fund to
continue Jillian’s vision of opportunity for elementary
aged lovers of dance.
Photo by Joshua Sugiyama
4 AMHERST BALLET
FALL 2013
THE WILD SWANS
A ballet based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen
TICKET ORDER FORM
East Street Theatre
December 7 & 8, 2013
Your information
Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Email: Choose your tickets
Saturday, December 7 at 1pm
Number of Adults
@ $12
Number of Children
(aged 5-17) @ $5
Saturday, December 7 at 3pm
Sunday, December 8 at 1pm
Sunday, December 8 at 3pm
Total your order
Ticket Subtotal: Tax Deductible Gift: Grand Total: Please make check payable to Amherst Ballet.
Limited seating; very few tickets will be available at the door.
We cannot accept credit or debit cards at this time. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if
you would like tickets mailed.
Tickets will be held at Amherst Ballet until December 6 and thereafter at the door.
General Admission / No Exchanges / No Refunds
Amherst Ballet
29 Strong Street
Amherst, MA 01002
549-1555
www.amherstballet.org
AMHERST BALLET 5
BEHIND THE SCENES
DAE TYNER Senior Profile
Dae Tyner has been a quiet but self-assured member
of Amherst Ballet since he was 7 years old. Andrea
remembers Dae participating many years ago in
a dance demonstration given at AB for Wildwood
Elementary students. He was asked by one of the
children in the audience, “Don’t you get teased for
being a dancer?” His response: “It doesn’t bother
me; I just don’t tell anybody.”
Andrea asked Dae to write about his experience at
AB and what follows are his own words. Clearly AB
has impacted his life and we will miss him when he
graduates this spring.
Dae today.
“My experience at Amherst Ballet has been one that I
will remember for a lifetime. The first time I watched
a class I couldn’t help but notice the dancers avidly
jumping about with energy, seemingly ecstatic to start
combinations and use their bodies to create beautiful,
graceful movements. Ever since I decided to become
part of the school’s community, I’ve enjoyed taking
every class and summer intensive offered. After
many years of attending Amherst Ballet, I realize
how much more of a family it is to me than a school.
The teachers are friendly and relatable to the dancers,
and the dancers themselves all become really close
to one another. That’s what I really respect and
praise about the school; every dancer has a group
of friends that all have something in common, and
are all there to support each other. Amherst Ballet
also incorporates numerous recreational events for
the dancers of the school such as movie nights on
Fridays, and the annual Spring Fling where there are
student choreographies, auctions and delicious food.
Dae with Heather Eliot in Hungarian
Festival of Dance in 2007.
6 AMHERST BALLET
The combination of the enjoyment from dance and
these attributes of Amherst Ballet are what really
make me want to come back year after year. Over
my time here, I’ve grown to be a stronger dancer,
and become close with a tightly woven family who
warmly welcomes new peers and supports everyone
all the way up until they find themselves in my
shoes, ready to start a new chapter of their lives with
memories and experiences nothing else could offer.”
FALL 2013
TALIA RUESCHEMEYER-BAILEY
Talia Rueschemeyer-Bailey started dancing at Amherst
Ballet in the first grade. She has vivid memories of
Nutcracker performances with the Moscow Ballet,
in which she was a sentinel, a party girl (with party
girl curls), a party boy, and a rat. Later she danced
in performances of Dances from the Arctic, Emily of
Amherst and Don Quixote, among others.
Talia appreciates the discipline and rigor of ballet:
“You need to work a lot harder than other sports, but
the hard work is more rewarding because you can see
yourself improving. It’s not like other sports where
you work hard and maybe you win the game or maybe
you lose. If you work hard in ballet you always keep
getting better.” Talia says that ballet is the hardest
thing she’s every done, “You need all of your mental
attention and so much physical strength….and ballet
dancers ‘turn out’ better than other people. Get it?”
Talia also loves the family atmosphere at Amherst
Ballet, where everybody is so nice.
Talia encouraged her mother Julia to try ballet. “I
never imagined myself as a ballet dancer,” says Julia,
“but Talia begged me to join her in a ballet class as
Senior Profile
a birthday gift for her. It was actually a gift to me.
I have been bitten by the ballet bug, and I go even
when Talia can’t join me.” Talia has not only inspired
her mother, but has also been an inspiration for
younger sister Noe: “Talia has always helped me in
ballet, whether it’s a challenging step to learn or a
bun to fix. She’s told me about the performances and
good times she had at Amherst Ballet from a tiny
pink to a Level 5. Even if Talia is tired when she goes
to Amherst Ballet, she always comes back energetic
and happy.”
When Talia’s not dancing she’s volunteering as a
tutor at ARHS through the Prism Program, running
meetings at ARHS for Model United Nations and
Women’s Rights Club, and playing basketball and
soccer. She is currently busy applying to colleges,
where she plans to study languages and political
science and continue dancing. In March she will be
going to England with her family on sabbatical. She
will greatly miss her Amherst Ballet “family” but she
will always have the love of dance Amherst Ballet has
instilled in her.
Talia & Noe Rueschemeyer-Bailey.
AMHERST BALLET 7
BEHIND THE SCENES
DONORS
Patron
$500 - $999
Annette Cycon
Florence Savings Bank*
Nicola Metcalf
Gary Thomas of Wealth
Technology Group*
Whirlwind Fine Garden Design*
Principal Dancer/Sponsor
$250 - $499
Jan Kelly
Justyne Ogdahl*
Howard & Sybilla Sonoda
Valley Technology Outreach*
Andrea Leibson & Jack Wileden*
Soloist/Friend
$100 - $249
Audrey Altstadt
Atkins Farms Country Market*
Julia Rueschemeyer & Benjamin
Bailey
Sarah Boy
Lisa Oram & Steve Brown
Robin & Ted Diamond
Jim Duda
Tom Dumm
Maria Gallo
Ed Leibson
Rona Metcalf
Monkey Business
Sam & Anne Morse
David & Camela Moskin
Panera Bread*
Robin Palmer
Paragus Strategic I.T.*
Jean & Larry Rankin
State Senator Stan Rosenberg
Genelle & Michael Rudd
Catherine Sanderson
Libby Stanforth*
Larry & Ann Steinhauser
Sueann Townsend
Gerda Wald
Ann Feitelson, Peter & Henry
Weis
Corps de Ballet
$50 - $99
Hannah Abbott
Steve & Susan Abdow
Amherst Farmers Supply*
Margaret Arsenault
Black Sheep Deli*
Maria Fernandez
Fresh Side*
Fay Zipkowitz & Gordon Fretwell
Annie Heath
Nancy Huntley
Cindy Stein & Mike Kolendo
Ed Leibson
Kathleen Lugosch
Marion Rosenau
Linda Slakey
Judy Smith
Tart Baking Company*
Elizabeth Vierling
Donor
$25 - $49
Mira Bartok
Tina & Michael Berins
Nonny Burack
Juan & Braulia Caban
Michele Cooke-Andresen*
Chez Albert*
Nancy D’Amato
Dean’s Beans*
Doris Holden
Edy Howe
Sarah McKee
Eve Weinbaum & Max Page
Pekarski’s Sausage*
Melanie Sage
Ellen Story
George Wardlaw
Marla Zippay
Supporter
$1 - $24
Anonymous
Melanie DeSilva
Therese Donohue
Kent and Scottie Faerber
Rebecca Fricke
Pauline Heffley
Clare Hoffman
Jill Horton-Lyons
Pete Houlihan
Claire Joo
Judy Kelly
Satomi Kondo
Laura MacLeod
Sidney & Miriam Moss
Charles Nunn
Michael Ortiz
Galina Ponomareva
Sara Powell
Jan Tyner
Meg Vickery
*includes in-kind donation.
VALLEY GIVES - DECEMBER 12
Amherst Ballet will be participating in Valley Gives, so tell all your
friends, neighbors, and colleagues! Valley Gives is a 24-hour on-line
celebration of generosity that provides area non-profits a unique way
to raise donations for their work. Last year over 6,000 individuals
invested over $1,000,000 in hundreds of local non-profits.
Mark your calendars and be generous in supporting Amherst Ballet on
December 12th!
8 AMHERST BALLET
FALL 2013
DID YOU KNOW?
•Four of our current dancers were enrolled at AB in the 2003/04 season: Anna Plummer, Talia
Rueschemeyer-Bailey, Dae Tyner and adult dancer Gabrielle Engel.
•Senior Talia Rueschemeyer-Bailey was recently named as one of 6 Amherst Regional High
School National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.
•Senior Elizabeth Ortiz has been named as an ARHS Commended Student in the 2014 National
Merit Scholarship Program.
•Junior Anna Plummer received rave reviews (“Broadway bound”) for her Cosette in Ludlow’s
Exit 7 Players production of Les Miserables this fall.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Camille Kemache was back in the US for
auditions this past spring. She reports that
she was offered several apprentice positions in
companies and chose Nashville Ballet II because
of the company’s repertoire and prestige.
Congratulations to Camille!
An interview with former board member Delcie
Bean was featured as the cover story of a March
issue of BusinessWest, the business journal of
Western Massachusetts. Delcie is the CEO of
Paragus Strategic IT and a long time supporter
of AB.
Melanie Lahti emailed that she’s been working
on developing the curriculum for Chamber
Music Campania, a cross-disciplinary summer
music festival based in southern Italy that
had its inaugural season this past summer.
For more information check their website:
http://www.chambermusiccampania.org
New mom Laurel Steinhauser wrote to say
that she, Melanie Lahti and Ella Stocker
will be in Amherst in November to participate
in a fundraiser event for the Emily List
Fund. The fund offers small stipends to
support theater, dance and music projects
Former board member Lesley Smith reports aimed at helping the sick and disadvantaged.
that daughter Emily Smith is teaching yoga in http://emilylistfund.com/.
San Francisco.
Posing for the Block Party by Pete Houlihan.
AMHERST BALLET 9
BEHIND THE SCENES
ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY
Last year, Shannon Napier, a non-dancer, came to Amherst
Ballet to conduct ethnographic fieldwork for an anthropology
class at Amherst Regional High School. Below is an excerpt
of her report used with her permission.
The more time I spent observing and chatting
with members of the community, the more certain
I became that this was no ordinary ballet school.
Although the dancers of Amherst Ballet, as all ballet
dancers, are somewhat self-critical by comparing
themselves to others, staring at their form in the
mirror, and feeling the need to continuously improve,
the Amherst Ballet community attempts to decrease
some of the constant pressures dancers face in ballet
as well as daily life and promote a professional yet
inclusive, comfortable, and expressive environment
in which any body type is welcome, people from all
social groups are friends, and the teachers provide
criticism and praise in equal amounts…
The dressing room is a central place for building
friendships, and one dancer informed me that you
form a certain bond with people after hanging out
in underwear together (Unknown 5/12/12)…They
also revealed to me that at Amherst Ballet they are
able to connect with people outside of their social
group at school, noting that “it’s not a popularity
contest” (Unknown 5/12/12). After all these happy
words, and the way they spoke so lovingly about each
other, I was about ready to lace up some pointe shoes
and ask if they could adopt me into their family.
The Amherst Ballet community provides not only
a comfortable environment, but also an escape
from life’s stressors through the full usage of one’s
mind and body. Sueann Townsend, after long
consideration of why it is that she dedicates her life
to ballet, has come to the conclusion that “Dancing
to me, provides stimulation physically, emotionally,
and intellectually at the same time.”… One girl also
told me that before she did ballet she was stressed,
anxious, and cranky. Then, when she began to take
classes at Amherst Ballet the stress resolved and she
was so much happier (Unknown 5/12/12). Other
girls reported that class is very meditative and they are
always cheerful afterwards. They said that they have
become so accustomed to this feeling that they do
not know how not to dance (Unknown 5/12/12)…
The teachers at Amherst Ballet enforce their high
standards of hard work in a supportive, honest,
and professional manner which causes the students
to respect their instructors and motivates them
to be their best….In order to show respect to the
teachers, students must be on-time looking “clean
and professional,” in their tights, leotard, and bun
(Wardlaw, Moskin 5/21/12). At the end of class
they all clap and say thank you to their teacher
(Observation 5/8/12)…
Even with their expectation of extremely hardworking dancers, teachers at Amherst Ballet still
want their students to feel comfortable enough to
laugh during class and express their confusion if they
get stuck….Most of the dancers seemed to be very
comfortable talking to their teacher casually, asking
questions when confused (Observation 5/8/12).
Such an environment is ideal for learning, and the
results are evident in the skill expressed in class…
From these girls, I have learned that ballet is not only
about what is on the exterior. It is about proving
something to yourself, making lasting friendships,
working as a team, and challenging yourself mentally,
physically, and emotionally….Though each person at
Amherst Ballet has their own reason for pursuing
ballet, they are all similar in their genuine commitment
and love for dance and for their community as a
whole.
Students at the Spring Fling.
10 AMHERST BALLET
FALL 2013
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
Sat, November 2
Mon, November 11
November 28 – 30
Mon, December 2
December 7 & 8
Thurs, December 12
Sat, December 14
December 16 – 21
Sat, December 21
Dec 23 – Jan 4
Mon, January 6
Sat, January 11
Mon, January 20
Sat, February 1
February 7 – 9
February 16 – 22
February 18 – 21
Mon, February 24
Upper School Meeting, noon
NO CLASSES. Veterans’ Day
NO CLASSES. Thanksgiving Break
Classes resume
Winter Performance, The Wild Swans
Valley Gives Day
Upper School Meeting, noon
Visitors’ week for Lower School
Auditions for May performance, 3-5:00
NO CLASSES. School Vacation
Classes resume
Upper School Meeting, noon
NO CLASSES. Martin Luther King Day
Upper School Meeting, noon
YAGP, Providence, RI
NO CLASSES. School Vacation
Vacation Camp for ages 6 – 11
Classes resume
Coralli Pose by Heidi Stemple.
AMHERST BALLET 11
AMHERST
Since
1971
Ballet
NON-PROFIT ORG.
US POSTAGE
PAID
AMHERST, MA
PERMIT NO. 119
29 Strong Street
Amherst, MA 01002
413.549.1555
amherstballet.org
info@amherstballet.org
Sueann Townsend, Director
Therese Brady Donohue, Founder
Andrea Leibson, Business Manager
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mark Horwitz, President
Angeline Shenje Peyton, Former President
Andrew Fisk, Vice-President
Justyne Ogdahl, Secretary
Michele Cooke-Andresen, Treasurer
M. Fernandez
Lisa Karlin
Eun Mi Kwon
Sarah McKee
Carlin Weirick
ADVISORY BOARD
James Duda
Mitch Gaslin
Pam Glaven
John Montanari
DeAnne S. Riddle
Stan Rosenberg
Howard Sonoda
Ellen Story
12 AMHERST BALLET
The Wild Swans will be performed on December 7 & 8. See page 5
for the ticket order form.