Former new york city ballet star wendy whelan returns to help lead the company into bright new horizons of dance. October 18, 2014 jerry hochman last night was wendy whelan s farewell performance with new york city ballet, after thirty years. There are two series of educational workshops ballet essentials, for all ages, and ballet breaks, for children ages 3 to 8. Here, she shares with us her excitement about restless creature, a documentary directed by linda saffire and adam schlesinger, presenting an intimate portrait of whelan as she prepares to leave new york city ballet after an astounding 30year career. Wendy whelan, who recently retired as a principal at new york city ballet, is touring the country with her program restless creature, which features her in duets with four choreographers. How ballerina wendy whelan overcame the shame and stigma. The company was founded in 1948 by george balanchine and lincoln kirstein, and it quickly became worldrenowned for its athletic and contemporary style. Damian woetzel is a former ballet star with a storied career in dance. When she decided to retire from ballet, wendy whelan s entire life changed.
But what keeps ringing in my mind is something pacific northwest ballet artistic director and former nycb dancer peter boal says. Her instantly recognizable figure slender and sharp is what one notices first. Wendy whelan, 51, a star ballerina who danced with the company for 30 years, will become city ballet s associate artistic director. One of the most acclaimed dancers of her generation, she followed a storied 30year. Wendy spent the next 30 years at the new york city ballet. Watch an nyc arts segment about the school of american ballet and learn more about new york city ballet s history and repertoire. Apr 24, 2017 an exclusive look at wendy whelans forthcoming documentary, restless creature, and a conversation with the ballet legend.
Wendy whelan returns to the new york city ballet departures. On october 18, 2014, the ballerina wendy whelan took her final bow as a principal dancer with the new york city ballet, the company to which she. Whelan grew up in louisville, where her mother enrolled her in ballet classes at age three. Wendy was accepted to the summer program at age 14. Dec 09, 2014 heather watts as dewdrop in the 1,000th performance of the nutcrackerpeter martinss farewell performancedecember 6, 1983. Learn more about whelans life and career, including her notable performances. After 30 years, new york city ballet principal dancer wendy whelan will.
Her second solo project, a full evening of new works, choreographed for wendy and edward watson of the royal ballet, is scheduled to premiere at the royal opera house in london in 2015. She is a guest artist with the royal ballet and the kirov ballet and has performed all over the u. New york city ballet george balanchines symphony in c. American dancer wendy whelan has long been regarded as one of the worlds top ballerinas, famed for her artistry and her striking muscularity. Inside wendy whelans triumphant return to the new york city ballet. One of them was her vulnerability in talking about leaving new york city ballet after 30 years.
However, while whelan s incredible career as a classical ballerina may be drawing to a close, shes far from hanging up her. Wendy whelan leaves city ballet after 30 years the new york. Wendy whelans farewell to nycb a ballerinas career in. Wendy whelan, widely considered one of the worlds leading dancers, began dance lessons at the age of three with virginia wooton in her hometown of louisville, kentucky. Oct 17, 2014 after 30 years, new york city ballet principal dancer wendy whelan will bid farewell to the company with a special performance on saturday 18 october 2014. Balanchine, the russianborn father of american balletand nycb cofounder dissuaded his female dancers from marrying or having children. Restless creature, now available on netflix, chronicles wendy whelan s recovery from hip surgery and her final performance with the new york city ballet. Leap back through her incredible career paris opera ballet city ballet ballet art dance ballet shall we dance just dance ballet photos ballet images ballet pictures. Jul 10, 2017 wendy whelan feared she would never dance again after undergoing hip surgery.
Watch this video of a young wendy whelan taking on the role of dewdrop in waltz of the flowers. When i was 6 years old, i saw my first ballet, and it was the nutcracker. Aug 10, 2018 after 30 years, new york city ballet principal dancer wendy whelan will bid farewell to the company with a special performance on saturday 18 october. In this 2011 interview from the audio archive of the new york public library for the performing arts, whelan speaks frankly about the heartbreak that led to a transformation in her dancing at age 30, partnering with jock soto and. Wendy whelan announces her retirement from new york city ballet. See more ideas about city ballet, dancer and royal ballet. This new position was the start of a beautiful career with the new york city ballet. Jonathan stafford and wendy whelan new york city ballet. Wendy whelanwidely considered one of the worlds leading dancersspent 30 years at new york city ballet dancing virtually all the major balanchine roles, working closely with jerome robbins on many of his ballets, and originating roles in ballets by such notable choreographers as william forsythe, twyla tharp, alexei ratmansky. Wendy whelan has danced with the company since 1984. As she and her partner, craig hall, slowly went through. Inside wendy whelans triumphant return to the new york. January 10 its a royal birthday party and everyones invited.
In this episode of talks at gs, new york city ballet leaders jonathan stafford and wendy whelan discuss the experience of taking over the largest ballet company in the us during a. Our 4 favorite ballet documentaries on netflix right now. Oct 20, 2014 wendy whelan gave her final performances with new york city ballet after a 30year career that created roles for some of the most notable ballets of the 21st century. Jonathan stafford and wendy whelan will lead new york city. The documentary restless creature chronicles her recovery and final performance with the new york city ballet. Wendy whelan life at new york city ballet after balanchine duration. After 30 years, new york city ballet principal dancer wendy whelan will bid farewell to the company with a special performance on saturday 18 october. The dancer triumphantly returns to new york city ballet offstage but with more influence than ever. Wendy whelan says farewell to city ballet the new york times. Wendy whelan, the principal dancer with new york city ballet who became a major star of the postbalanchine era, plans to give her farewell performance with. Five years after taking her last curtsy with new york city ballet, wendy whelan has relinquished the most rigorous aspects of a star dancers life.
Wendy whelan has reinvented herselfand doesnt care what you. Wendy whelan gave her final performances with new york city ballet after a 30year career that created roles for some of the most notable ballets of the 21st century. At the age of eight, she performed as a mouse in the louisville ballet s production of the nutcracker. New york city ballet the nutcracker new york, david h. At the age of eight and after performing as a mouse in the nutcracker with the louisville ballet, she joined louisville ballet academy, where she. Wendy whelan, american ballet dancer who performed for three decades 19842014 with new york city ballet nycb and was celebrated for her technical precision, modern sensibility, and defined musculature. Nycb wendy whelan new york city ballet about official site. The intriguing corps dancer, claire kretzschmar, who has something of the sharp profile and mystery of wendy whelan about her, gave a remarkably free, strange, angular rendition of the sometimes vapidly exotic arabian coffee. The nutcracker city ballets wendy whelan and nikolaj hubbe as the sugar.
See more ideas about ballet dancers, dancer and city ballet. While growing up in kentucky, she trained at louisville ballet academy. One of the most acclaimed dancers of her generation, she followed a storied 30year career at nycb with a variety of multidisciplinary projects with cultural organizations around the world. Watch an nycarts segment about the school of american ballet and learn more about new york city ballets history and repertoire. For one, there was no sorrow, and no tears at least none seen. As a child she was cast in the role of a mouse in louisville ballets nutcracker, and at age 10 she began intensive training at the louisville ballet academy.
See more ideas about city ballet, dancer and ballet. New york city ballet darci kistler and damien woetzel in. After 30 years, new york city ballet principal dancer wendy whelan will bid farewell to the company with a special performance on saturday 18 october 2014. But the occasion was much more than just a farewell. One of the foremost dance companies in the world, with a roster of nearly 100 extraordinary dancers and an unparalleled repertory. In this episode of talks at gs, new york city ballet leaders jonathan stafford and wendy whelan discuss the experience of taking over the. Her name was lisa patrick and she was a teenage dancer with the louisville ballet company. May 22, 2017 on october 18, 2014, the ballerina wendy whelan took her final bow as a principal dancer with the new york city ballet, the company to which she belonged for three decades. Oct 23, 2017 this emotional documentary follows former new york city ballet principal wendy whelan as she makes the decision to retire from the company that she called home for 30 years. At 8, whelan was chosen by artistic director alun jones to appear as a mouse in the louisville ballet s nutcracker, and she also started studying at the louisville ballet academy.
Oct 22, 2014 last night was wendy whelans farewell performance with new york city ballet, after thirty years. New york city ballet principal wendy whelan on why she is retiring after three decades on the stage. However, while whelans incredible career as a classical ballerina may be. Wendy whelan new york city ballet about official site. New york city ballet is one of the foremost dance companies in the world, with a roster of spectacular dancers and an unparalleled repertory. New york city ballet george balanchines the nutcracker. New york city ballet principal dancer wendy whelan interview. It was also the farewell performance of wendy whelan, an aweinspiring ballerina who danced with the company for 30 years. Nyc ballet troupes are streaming performances, workouts. Well over a year after the retirement of peter martins, new york city ballet has announced that former principal dancer jonathan stafford will lead the company and its affiliated school of american ballet as artistic director. Nycb associate artistic director wendy whelan will be on instagram live each wednesday, starting april 22, at 5pm with a series of ballet inspired movement classes for. From injury to recovery, a ballerina fought to retire on her. In april 2014 she announced her plans to retire from new york city ballet a company she has been with for 30 years. Wendy whelan is the associate artistic director of new york city ballet.
At 3, she was sent to ballet as an outlet for her excessive. After a year of upheaval, new york city ballet names new leadership team wendy whelan and jonathan stafford have been named to head the new york city ballet. Retiring wendy whelan has fond memories of spac for the past 30 years, wendy whelan has been a symbol of the best of city ballet at saratoga perform by wendy liberatorefor the. Apr 01, 2014 wendy whelan announces her retirement from new york city ballet take a video journey through wendy whelans 30year career at new york city ballet and beyond. Wendy whelan is a principal dancer at the new york city ballet. Feb 17, 2019 wendy whelan was a principal dancer with the new york city ballet and performed with the company for 30 years. The new york city ballet loved her and named her an apprentice in 1984. A magic prince, a dreamy young girl, a mysterious old man and a christmas tree that grows sky high. Wendy whelan has inspired many with her technical strength and artistic versatility. I will never forget the girl who was dancing the arabian dance.
By getting rid of her uniform of more than 30 years, she hoped her muscle memory would let go of old movement patterns. Oct 19, 2014 after 30 years, new york city ballet principal dancer wendy whelan will bid farewell to the company with a special performance on saturday 18 october. Jerome robbins joined nycb the following year and, with balanchine, helped to build the astounding. She was named nycb associate artistic director in february 2019. Oct 05, 2014 wendy whelan, a principal dancer with new york city ballet, will give her farewell performance on oct. He was a principal dancer at new york city ballet from 1989 until his retirement from the stage in 2008, where he had works created for him by jerome robbins, eliot feld, twyla tharp, susan stroman, and christopher wheeldon. New york city ballet s prima ballerinas of 2018 duration. How ballerina wendy whelan overcame the shame and stigma of. Wendy whelan gave away all her leotards in december.
Today, shell inspire you with her energyfilled schedule, fantastically creative ideas and more. With diamondlike clarity, wendy whelan dances a wide variety of starring roles with new york city ballet. Wendy whelans farewell to nycb a ballerinas career in pictures. It was a christmas surprise for her ballet academy east studentsand an experiment. By rebecca milzoff on december 31, 2019 when wendy whelan took me on a minitour of her office at new york city ballet, it was a bit like a tour of her career, too.
New york city ballets sixweek digital spring season. Enter the world of george balanchines the nutcracker, featuring the new york city ballet, and let this allnew movie version of a timeless yuletide fantasy, narrated ny academy awardr winner kevin kline, draw you under its spell. With plenty of dance footage starting with her childhood training in louisville, kentucky, restless creature offers an intimate portrait of one of the worlds most famous. New york city ballet wendy whelan as dewdrop in george. Dec 31, 2019 former new york city ballet star wendy whelan returns to help lead the company into bright new horizons of dance. New york city ballet is one of the foremost dance companies in the world with a roster of 90 extraordinary dancers and an unparalleled active repertory of mo. That sentence alone should be sufficient to recognize and memorialize the evening and its significance.
From injury to recovery, a ballet dancer fought to. But what one remembers of this new york city ballet principal is. Wendys final performance with new york city ballet is scheduled for october 18, 2014, but her career continues. After 30 years with city ballet, almost to the day, whelan, 47. Wendy whelan is a former principal dancer with the new york city ballet and performed with.
At she came to nyc to study at the school of american ballet and joined nycb five years later. Wendy whelan from new york city ballet in atlanta ballets studios. She spoke about retirement, sexism, and how the ballet world has and hasn. Wendy whelan, principal dancer of nycb share your story. After a year of upheaval, new york city ballet names new. Whelan plans to depart city ballet after 30 years the. Whelan as arabian coffee in george balanchines the nutcracker.
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