NYCB Seeks 50 Local Children and Teens to Fill Roles in Balanchine’s Coppélia and Mozartiana for Saratoga Season
SARATOGA SPRINGS – On Sunday, March 10 at 1 pm, New York City Ballet Children’s Ballet Master Dena Abergel will audition area children to dance with New York City Ballet during its Saratoga season, July 16 – 20. Auditions are for approximately 50 children and teen roles in Balanchine’s Coppélia, which first premiered at SPAC, and Mozartiana, one of Balanchine’s last works.
“Bringing story ballet Coppélia, which features a large cast of local children, back to SPAC’s stage where it first premiered is another wonderful way to involve the community and to give children an unforgettable opportunity to experience great art-making from the other side of the stage,” said Elizabeth Sobol, President + CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
Casting for Coppélia includes roles for twenty-four girls who are between four feet, two inches and four feet, eleven inches tall. Understudies will also be cast. Mozartiana includes roles for four girls and two understudies ages 9-12 with advanced ballet technique who are between four feet, six inches and four feet, ten inches tall. Applicants for both roles should have at least two years of ballet training.
In addition, there will be roles in Coppélia for six girls, ages 14-18 years old, who are between five feet, two inches and five feet, six inches, and six boys ages 14-18 years old, who are five feet, five inches or taller. Applicants should have at least two years of dance training.
Pre-audition videos are highly encouraged and should be submitted by February 10 to cbm.nycb@gmail.com. Videos should be less than five minutes long and include one movement across the floor combination with jumps, and one adagio combination.
Photo: Paul Kolnik
The children’s cast for Coppélia will rehearse starting on June 30 at the National Museum of Dance School of the Arts. Mozartiana rehearsals will begin on July 7. Teenagers in Coppelia will have two rehearsals that will begin on July 14, in advance of the company’s stage rehearsal.
Considered one of the greatest comedic ballets of the 19th Century, Coppélia premiered in Saratoga in 1974 and was co-commissioned by SPAC. Choreographed by George Balanchine and Alexandra Danilova after Marius Petipa, it has remained one of the best-loved classical works in the ballet repertory. Balanchine’s strong belief in the importance of the performance tradition for young people is perhaps nowhere better demonstrated in this work which features a large cast, including 36 children and teens. Coppélia performances will be held at 8 p.m. on July 18 and 19, and at 2 p.m. on July 20.
Mozartiana choreographed to a Tschaikovsky composition derived from Mozart piano pieces, creates an atmosphere of hushed contemplation. Balanchine first choreographed to this music at the start of his career in 1933, and nearly 50 years later, he returned to the score to create a new ballet, one of his last works. Mozartiana will be featured as part of the Tschaikovsky and Balanchine program at 8 p.m. on July 16 and at 2 p.m. on July 18.
Audition check-in on March 10 will commence at 12:15 PM at the National Museum of Dance School of the Arts Studios, 99 South Broadway, Saratoga Springs.
