NYIBC Gala, March 22, 2011
Celebrating the life and work of Ilona Copen
Honoring Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux & Patricia McBride
NYIBC presented a breathtaking gala evening of dance showcasing dancers from seven acclaimed companies: American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble, The Joffrey Ballet, Limón Dance Company, New Jersey Ballet and North Carolina Dance Theatre.
The stage of NYU's Skirball Center for the Performing Arts was graced by magnificent artists, including members of the NYIBC family (Click here to see the Gala photo album!):
Image credit: The O Group
Victoria Jaiani of The Joffrey Ballet, NYIBC Alumna 2003, performed The Dying Swan (music by Camille Saint-Saëns, choreography by Mikhail Fokine) with remarkable strength and beauty.
New Jersey Ballet's Ana Luiza Luizi and Junio Teixeira, NYIBC Alumnus 2005, danced Meditation (music by Jules Massenet, choreography by Vladimir Salimbaev), a portrait of romance and artistry.
NYIBC Coach, Roxanne D'Orléans Juste of Limón Dance Company, took the stage by storm with a powerful fusion of modern and flamenco in Spanish Dance: An Impression of Flamenco Dance (music by Genevieve Pitot, choreography by Daniel Nagrin © Daniel Nagrin Theatre, Film and Dance Foundation).
José Manuel Carreño, NYIBC Alumnus 1987, performed the intimate solo piece Ave Maria (music by Franz Schubert, choreography by Igal Perry) with aesthetic prowess.
North Carolina Dance Theatre's stars Alessandra Ball and Addul Manzano shone bright in their exquisite performance of Tschaikovsky Pas De Deux (music by Pyotr Ilyich Tschaikovsky, choreography by George Balanchine, © The George Balanchine Trust).
Matthew Rushing of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater delighted audiences with a technically flawless and moving performance of A Song For You (music by Leon Russell, choreography by Alvin Ailey).
Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble's DaVon Doane and Flavia Garcia danced Diana and Acteon (music by Cesare Pugni, choreography by Agrippina Vaganova) with picturesque storytelling and animation.