Newsletter – Spring 2015

Spring 2015
HARID Announces New Scholarship Initative
for Male Students
Alex Srb ©
The HARID Conservatory recently announced an
exciting initiative to support the training of male
dancers. HARID’s new Marcelo Gomes Scholarship
Program will provide a number of qualified finalists
the opportunity to attend HARID’s four-week Summer
School on full scholarship. During the Summer School,
they will compete for a grand prize: the Marcelo
Gomes Scholarship. The Scholarship will support the
winner’s continued studies at the school during the
following academic year.
Alex Srb ©
HARID director, Gordon Wright, stated, “We are pleased
to name this new scholarship initiative in honor of
Marcelo Gomes, one of HARID’s most-distinguished
alumni. Marcelo has enjoyed an esteemed career as
a principal artist with American Ballet Theatre in New
York City. He is revered worldwide for his technical
Marcelo Gomes (Class of 1996), principal,
expertise, artistic sensibility, and his exceptional
American Ballet Theatre
abilities as a partner. Being named the winner of
Photo: MIRA, American Ballet Theatre ©
a scholarship bearing Marcelo’s name will be a
tremendous honor and a feather in the cap of any young male dancer.”
If you would like to help underwrite this important scholarship program, please contact Annabel
Russell or Gordon Wright at HARID.
Winter Performances
HARID’s Winter Performances, presented last December 13 and 14, once again offered a
varied program of classical ballet, character dance, and modern dance.
Alex Srb ©
In an Excerpt from Esmeralda, five female dancers in bold black, red, and gold tutus
displayed their classical ballet technique with a Gypsy flair. Their dancing, accented by
the use of tambourines, portrayed a sense of excitement and abandonment.
IN THIS ISSUE
1 New Scholarship
Initative
2 Spring Performances
2 Support HARID While
You Shop
3 HARID’s Class of 2015
3 Summer School
Recruitment
4 Great Give Palm
Beach County
4 Alumni Spotlight
Danielle Armstrong’s newest modern-dance piece, Ever After, was wonderfully performed
by a cast of five couples. The use of intricate partnering was a great learning experience
for the dancers and added many interesting visual images. The piece was set to original
music composed by HARID accompanist, David Schanzer.
The Mazurka from Coppelia was staged by HARID’s character dance instructor Bertha
Valentin. Set in a village square, the dance is a joyful celebration of the harvest. The
dancers, in elegant, burgundy costumes, performed with energy and aplomb.
HARID’s holiday tradition, Divertissements from The Nutracker, Act II, once again served as
the program finale. The Russian Trepak and Chinese Tea dances were newly choreographed
by faculty member Meelis Pakri, who also staged the Grand Pas de Deux. The other
dances—Spanish Chocolates, Arabian Coffee, Dance of the Mirlitons, and Waltz of the
Flowers—were expertly staged by Victoria Schneider and Svetlana Osiyeva. As always,
the ballet was well rehearsed and beautifully performed by the dancers.
The Spring Performances Are Coming!
This year’s Spring Performances will be held on May 22, 23, and 24 at the Countess
de Hoernle Theater in Boca Raton. An ambitious, varied program is planned.
Paquita was first staged in Russia by Marius Petipa in 1847. Needless to say, the ballet
has passed the test of time! HARID will open its spring program with a version of
Paquita adapted for our students by faculty members Svetlana Osiyeva and Victoria
Schneider. It includes a corps de ballet, a number of soloists, and a pas de deux—an
excellent vehicle in which to showcase the talent found in each of the school’s levels
of study.
The waltz or garland dance from the first act of The Sleeping Beauty will provide an
additional opportunity for the dancers to demonstrate their classical ballet training.
In the complete ballet, the waltz takes place during a celebration of Princess Aurora’s
sixteenth birthday. It is danced to Tchaikovsky’s enchanting music. Victoria Schneider
has staged this charming dance for the upcoming performances.
Former artistic director of Colorado Ballet, Martin Fredmann, has kindly granted
HARID permission to present his ballet A Little Love in May. Created for three
Mark Godden’s Miroirs​
couples, this contemporary ballet is set to five songs performed by Nina Simone. It
​Photo: G
​ uillermo Galindo ©
is being staged for HARID by faculty member Meelis Pakri who performed the ballet
numerous times as a principal dancer with Colorado Ballet.
HARID’s resident choreographer, Mark Godden, visited the school again this winter and, for the first time, staged one of his
existing ballets for the Spring Performances. (Godden traditionally creates a new work for the students each year.) Miroirs
was created for and first performed by Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Set to Maurice Ravel’s suite for solo piano (of the same
title), the ballet includes five movements and features a solo, a duo, a trio, and several other small groupings of dancers. Do
not miss the American premiere of this captivating work!
Tickets for the Spring Performances are available online at www.harid.edu/performances. They may also be ordered by
telephone at 561-998-8038, or purchased at HARID’s ticket office located at 2285 Potomac Road in Boca Raton (Monday –
Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.).
Please join us at this year’s Spring Performances!
YoungArts Foundation Winners
Two of HARID’s seniors have been named winners in
the 2015 National YoungArts competition. Andrea
Fabbri and Hayden Slaff (who are also Rudolf Nureyev
Education Fellowship recipients) were selected
as winners after participating in the YoungArts
competition in Miami this past winter. Founded in
1981, the National YoungArts Foundation recognizes
and supports America’s most talented 15–18 year olds
in the visual, literary, and performing arts.
SUPPORT HARID WHILE YOU SHOP!
Amazon will donate .5% of your online purchases to HARID.
Please follow this link and add The HARID Conservatory as your
benefitting organization: www.smile.amazon.com. Then,
each time you shop, you will be supporting our talented
dancers. (And, it will cost you nothing!)
Please Support Our Dancers
Although all HARID students receive full-tuition
scholarships, the Conservatory must charge fees
for housing, meals, and dance supplies. To ensure
that talent remains the sole criterion for admission,
HARID provides more than $100,000 in financial aid
annually to students whose families cannot afford
these fees. Over the years, hundreds of students have
received such assistance and, without it, many of our
most-notable alumni could not have completed their
studies at the school.
The funds used to provide student financial aid
are raised each year through HARID’s annual-fund
campaign. The success of the campaign is vital to
HARID’s mission. Please help make HARID’s annualfund campaign a success by making a generous, taxdeductible contribution at this time.
Your support will be greatly appreciated.
Page 2 | Spring 2015 | The HARID Conservatory | 561.997.2677 | www.harid.edu | info@harid.edu
Summer School Recruitment
This past winter, more than three-hundred-fifty young dancers applied for admission to HARID’s Summer School
by attending auditions conducted in eighteen cities across the United States. Just sixty-two of the candidates have
been accepted and those fortunate few will move into HARID’s residence hall in June to spend four rewarding weeks
studying with the faculty. In addition, they will enjoy many of South Florida’s special activities and attractions. HARID’s
annual Summer School serves as an extended audition for the academic year. Throughout the program, the students
will vie for an opportunity to become a member of HARID’s 2015–16 incoming class.
HARID’s Class of 2015
Eleven talented dancers will receive their diplomas at
HARID’s Commencement and Awards Dinner in May.
The trustees, faculty, and staff are proud and happy to
congratulate Coco Alvarez-Mena, Iago Bresciani, Kristin
Cowger, Fiona Dassum, Julia Doering, Andrea Fabbri,
Morgan Froehlich, Nika Jurich, Bryce Mitchell, Hayden Slaff,
and Kelsey Tierney as they prepare to graduate and move
on to a new stage of their young lives. Best wishes to the
Class of 2015!
Alex Srb ©
National Honor Society
Inducts New Members
HARID’s Class of 2015 (incomplete)
An Inspiring New Benefit
for Contributors
Five new members were inducted into The HARID
Conservatory Chapter of the National Honor Society
on March 25. Congratulations to Livia Bedwell,
Morgan Froehlich, Natalia Lascano, Ingrid Thoms, and
Rebecca Trionfo. The criteria for NHS membership
are outstanding scholarship, leadership, service, and
character.
On the final Saturday of each semester, HARID’s students
gather in Studio C (the school’s largest practice space) and
present an informal demonstration of the work they have
accomplished in their character, modern, Spanish, and jazz
classes. Traditionally, attendance at the demonstrations has
been limited to the students, faculty and staff members,
and the families of any local students.
Invariably, the work presented during these class
demonstrations is extremely impressive. For this reason,
it has been determined that others should have an
opportunity to enjoy it. This year, an invitation for two to
attend HARID’s end-of-semester class demonstrations (the
first is in mid-January; the second is in mid-May) has been
established as an annual-fund benefit at the $250+ level.
Please support our young artists by giving generously to
HARID’s annual-fund campaign and take advantage of this
inspiring new benefit. You will not be disappointed!
2015 National Honor Society inductees
info@harid.edu | www.harid.edu | 561.997.2677 | The HARID Conservatory | Spring 2015 | Page 3
Visit From An Alumnus
Jacob’s Pillow, Here He Comes
On March 8, the dancers attended “Stars of International
Ballet”, a gala performance presented by Festival of the Arts
Boca at Mizner Park. After the performance, the students
were invited back stage to meet the artists. The following
morning, the producer of the gala, Matthew Bledsoe (HARID
Class of 2000), visited HARID and spoke to the students
about his transition from being a dancer with Zürich Ballet
to an arts manager and producer. Matthew is currently vice
president—artist management & special projects (touring,
attractions, & dance) with IMG Artists in New York.
HARID dancer, Iago Bresciani, has been awarded a full
scholarship to attend the Jacob’s Pillow Ballet Program,
June 15–28. Iago is from Curitiba, Brazil, and has been
enrolled at HARID for the past three years. He will
graduate in May. Iago looks forward to studying and
performing at this year’s “Pillow”, where he will have
the opportunity to work with numerous accomplished
dance professionals, including Matthew Neenan,
artistic director of BalletX.
Alumni Spotlight
​ egan Zimny Kaftira (formerly Megan Gray) grew up in
M
Harlingen, Texas. She began studying dance at the age of
four and eventually—as a high-school freshman—found her
way to The HARID Conservatory in 2001. Megan’s talent and
physical gifts were immediately apparent. She made quick
progress in her classes and began gaining performance
experience dancing in various ballets including The
Nutcracker, Raymonda, and George Balanchine’s Serenade.
2003 was a big year for Megan. In March of that year, she
was selected to perform the pas de deux in Paquita as part
of HARID’s 15th anniversary gala performance at Mizner
Park. Later that year, she
was awarded a Rudolf
Nureyev Fellowship and
danced the grand pas de
deux in The Nutcracker.
HARID dancers backstage with gala artists and Matthew Bledsoe (far right)
In May, HARID will be a participating organization in the
Great Give Palm Beach & Martin Counties, a 24-hour online
giving event led by the Community Foundation for Palm
Beach County, United Way of Palm Beach County and United
Way of Martin County. The campaign is designed to raise as
much money as possible for local nonprofits in a single day.
Every local gift will be multiplied by additional funds from a
bonus pool raised by the Community Foundation.
Please mark May 5 and 6 (5:00
p.m.–5:00 p.m.) on your calendar.
During that time, simply visit
www.greatgiveflorida.org, select
The HARID Conservatory as your
benefitting organization, and make
a generous contribution. The more
money HARID raises, the more
bonus money it will qualify for. Help us take full advantage
of the Great Give!
We hope you have enjoyed reading HARID’s Spring Newsletter.
The next issue will be published in November.
Altin Kaftira photo ©
GREAT GIVE PALM BEACH COUNTY
Megan left HARID in
2004 to join Boston
Ballet II. The following
year, she was awarded
the Bronze medal at the
Megan Zimny Kaftira in Romeo and Juliet
Helsinki
International
Ballet Competition. In 2006, she was promoted into the
main company of Boston Ballet where she performed for
four seasons. In 2010, Megan accepted an invitation to join
the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam. There, she was
promoted to soloist just two years later. Megan has built an
outstanding career for herself in Europe. She has danced
leading roles in Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, Don Quixote, The
Sleeping Beauty and other classics. In addition, she has been
featured in works by George Balanchine, William Forsythe,
Hans van Manen, John Neumeier, Jiri Kylian, Christopher
Wheeldon, Alexei Ratmansky, and other world-renowned
choreographers. Megan Zimny Kaftira (HARID Class of 2004)
is truly an artistic force to be reckoned with!
Sponsored in part by The State of Florida,
Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs
and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.