Salzburg, Austira 2005
CDA dancers given rare European experience
(Pictured is world renown Maya
Plisetskaya with Erin Holt,
director of California DanceArts and
California Theatrical Youth Ballet.)
Salzburg, Austria is a city rich in history and culture. It was home to Mozart and has since become the modern-day cultural mecca of Europe. The majestic Alps provide an amazing backdrop for the steeples erected in the traditional style of European architecture that comprise the skyline of Salzburg. Being surrounded by such breath-taking beauty and culture, what young musician, dancer or poet doesn’t dream of one day performing on the stage of one of Salzburg's many grand historic theaters?
This past summer, nine dancers from California DanceArts were given such an opportunity. Accompanied by ten other dancers from across the country, these fortunate dance students were selected by Erin Holt, the director of California DanceArts, to participate in a rigorous 4-week dance program offered by the Salzburg International Ballet Academy or SIBA. Upon their arrival in Salzburg, the American dancers were joined by nearly 20 additional Intermediate to-professional level dancers from all over Europe to take advantage of this advanced training.
Ms. Holt was flattered to receive, and indeed accepted, an invitation to join the ranks of an array of world-renown dance educators and performers to serve as a guest instructor at SIBA. Each guest instructor was given the opportunity to teach a variety of master classes and lectures to the attending students. One such star of SIBA’s summer program was the famous Maya Plisetskaya who became a principal dancer of the Bolshoi Ballet in 1943. She became and remained the company's prima ballerina throughout the 1960's and was awarded the highest honor of Prima Ballerina Assoluta, thereby establishing herself as one of the 20th century's greatest ballerinas. Students were given the rare opportunity to meet and attend a lecture given by Ms. Plisetskaya. Having the distinct pleasure of seeing her dance and demonstrate movement was an event these students are unlikely ever to forget. Now in her 70's, she is still very agile as she demonstrated, with ultimate grace, the amazing port de bras, a type of movement with the arms for which she became famous while performing such dances as the Dying Swan. The students worked arduously in daily dance classes, followed by evening rehearsals during which they learned the original choreography of Bolero developed by Salzburg Ballet's Artistic Director, Peter Breuer. Mr. Breuer is himself an international ballet star, having been principal dancer with the London Festival Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. Guest teachers prepared students to perform variations from many ballet classics such as Giselle and Don Quixote in preparation for the closing gala performance.
Despite these physical demands, the dancers mustered the energy to tour Salzburg's old city with its grand churches overlooked by a fortress situated high on a mountain. When time allowed, many students relaxed at the outdoor cafa's and pubs and several took advantage of the many interesting shops offered in the city. Several California DanceArts students also took the rare opportunity to accompany Ms. Holt on weekend excursions to Vienna, Austria and Venice, Italy. Notice the photo on the ealier page of the four travelers in Venice!
On their final day, students were delighted to see the residents of Salzburg fill the seats as they prepared for their performance, marking the end of the summer intensive program. Several of Ms. Holt's own students were awarded soloist roles and were highlighted in the program. At its conclusion, tearful good-byes and hugs were exchanged as Ms. Holt and her students climbed into shuttles, prepared to whisk the dancers to the airport for the 15- hour return flight back home. Armed with newly acquired skills, an immersion in a new culture, plenty of souvenirs and a touch of German in their vocabulary, these dancers will forever continue to reminisce about this Experience of a Lifetime.
See more about Maya Plisetskaya and and the International Opportunies that we create for our students in this section of our site.
