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News Release

Last modified: Thursday, April 10, 2008

IU ballet at the BCT focuses on choreography

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2008

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Continuing its ongoing partnership with the community, the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music presents the annual "Ballet at the BCT: The Choreography Project" at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater in downtown Bloomington on April 15-16 at 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Presented by the IU Department of Ballet, the workshop will feature 13 new works choreographed and danced by its ballet majors. While all choreography will be based on classical ballet, the choice of music is limitless and thus pushes the choreography -- and hence ballet in general -- in new directions, said Michael Vernon, chair of the department.

"There will be some live music, featuring Jacobs School composers and musicians, and some recorded music because we did not want to restrict the students' choices," said Vernon. "The selection will be very broad and varied, inspiring some very interesting choreography.

"The event is a rare opportunity to see world-class ballet students perform in an intimate setting, something you don't get at the larger productions in the Musical Arts Center," Vernon continued. "Just like the American Ballet Theatre company in New York, we use a smaller theater for experimental, more contemporary works. Since the audience members can see the dancers so well, they develop a very close connection to them, and it is an even more personal experience."

The IU Ballet Department provides the highest level of professional ballet training within an academic, intellectual and artistic university environment. The department trains dancers of a technical and artistic level who succeed as performers, choreographers, teachers and administrators. The faculty is comprised of experienced ballet teachers, each with major professional company experience.

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