At Ballet Theatre of Maryland, the first two weeks of the season are always busy. Our mainstage performances of Napoli and The Nutcracker feel like distant shapes on the horizon, but there are much closer landmarks that fill the foreground! This year, that includes performances at the Maryland Renaissance Festival, Hammond-Harwood House, and Ballet on the Beach on Assateague Island. Juggling rehearsals for so many different events makes for busy days, but after our summer break it's a challenge we relish.
I'm checking in today with an update on just three of the many different pieces we've been working on. Catch us this weekend for Ballet in the Garden at Hammond-Harwood House or next month in Napoli at Maryland Hall!
Something Wicked: Macbeth at the Maryland Renaissance Festival
As a kid growing up in this area, I took for granted just how cool the Maryland Renaissance Festival is. Returning to it as a performer with BTM has made me appreciate it much more!
Starting with our return to the studio on August 26, we had less than five days to rehearse before our blocking rehearsal at the Globe Theatre stage. Pulling together a 30-minute production so quickly is a testament to how well the company works together, and the end result is well worth it. There is something particularly festive about celebrating the first week of the season at Ren Fest.
Audiences for the last two years have seen us perform Roman Mykyta's crowd-favorite The Little Slippers, but this year he staged the Ren-Fest premiere of his Macbeth. This one-act production of Shakespeare's famous tragedy appeared in Momentum earlier this year through the support of the Mark Ryder Original Choreography Grant. The atmospheric setting and our openhearted audiences made Macbeth feel at home in its new venue!
Soil, Rain, and Sun: Preparing for Ballet in the Garden
We might have only had a few days to put Macbeth together, but we've also made time to rehearse for Ballet in the Garden at Hammond-Harwood House this Saturday. We like to think of Ballet in the Garden as one of the hidden gems of our season. Each year we bring something a little different, but it's always a chance for audience members to visit Hammond-Harwood House in the heart of downtown Annapolis.
Smaller classical works lend themselves well to this charming garden setting. This year, that includes excerpts from La Bayadère, a 19th-century ballet by Marius Petipa. In the Kingdom of the Shades scene, the warrior Solor misses his lost love Nikiya so much that he envisions numerous shades, or spirits, who look just like her. In the photo below, Michael West Jr. and Clara Molina rehearse the ballet's famous scarf pas de deux.
Other classical repertory for Hammond-Harwood House includes the Princess Waltz from Act III of Swan Lake. At this point in the ballet, Prince Siegfried is obligated to attend the royal ball his mother is throwing for his birthday. Siegfried has already met and fallen in love with Odette, but his mother invited princesses from far and wide in the hopes he'll choose one as his bride. Playing the role of the princesses, Madison Sweeney, Catherine Welch, Amanda Cobb, and Jenna Fritts must do their best to capture Siegfried's attention.
The show also features a few works by talented choreographers within the company. Isaac Martinez presents Piccola Danza Stroffica, which features five dancers. Lindsey Bell's work Linda Rae, which premiered in Momentum earlier this year, will return for Ballet in the Garden. Below, Isaac and Erin Jenkins rehearse her work.
Our Ballet in the Garden performance also features a few works by Roman Mykyta. Below, Karissa Kralik and newcomer Allen Sizemore dance together in Roman's An American in Paris pas de deux. Set to the iconic music of George Gershwin, this dreamy dance suggests a story of love and passion a young lady finds on her visit to France.
Here Come the Holidays: The Nutcracker with our Student Cast
Although the company won't focus on Nutcracker rehearsals for at least another month, our student cast joins us each Saturday to begin learning and perfecting their roles. For the members of the company who love the winter season, hearing the familiar strains of Tchaikovsky's score is their first sign that the holidays are approaching.
Our student cast is integral to every major scene, meaning that much of The Nutcracker was represented in our first Saturday rehearsal. Young dancers are taking on roles such as party guests, mice, and pages, some for the very first time. They bring with them a fresh sense of wonder that can make even the most Nutcracker-fatigued dancers soften. Over the next few months, we'll check in again with an update on our student casts' progress!
It's been a busy couple of weeks, but you can catch the company in performance this Saturday, September 14, at Ballet in the Garden at Hammond-Harwood House! Each ticket includes a complimentary glass of wine.
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Macbeth photos by John Maloney
Rehearsal photos by Lauren Martinez
Promotional photo by Joanne Marie Photography
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