January 10 its a royal birthday party and everyones invited. The nutcracker city ballets wendy whelan and nikolaj hubbe as the sugar. That sentence alone should be sufficient to recognize and memorialize the evening and its significance. How ballerina wendy whelan overcame the shame and stigma of.
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. Nyc ballet troupes are streaming performances, workouts. Whelan as arabian coffee in george balanchines the nutcracker. 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. She is a guest artist with the royal ballet and the kirov ballet and has performed all over the u. 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. 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. 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. 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. October 18, 2014 jerry hochman last night was wendy whelan s farewell performance with new york city ballet, after thirty years. Wendy whelan announces her retirement from new york city ballet. After 30 years, new york city ballet principal dancer wendy whelan will. Nycb wendy whelan new york city ballet about official site. Jonathan stafford and wendy whelan will lead new york city.
Heather watts as dewdrop in the 1,000th performance of the nutcracker peter martinss farewell performancedecember 6, 1983. Pages businesses nonprofit organization new york city ballet videos george balanchines symphony in c. Dec 31, 2019 former new york city ballet star wendy whelan returns to help lead the company into bright new horizons of dance. Wendy whelan from new york city ballet in atlanta ballets studios. One of the most acclaimed dancers of her generation, she followed a storied 30year. As she and her partner, craig hall, slowly went through. Wendy whelan says farewell to city ballet the new york times.
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. 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. New york city ballets sixweek digital spring season. Wendys final performance with new york city ballet is scheduled for october 18, 2014, but her career continues. This new position was the start of a beautiful career with the new york city ballet.
In this episode of talks at gs, new york city ballet leaders jonathan stafford and wendy whelan discuss the experience of taking over the. Today, shell inspire you with her energyfilled schedule, fantastically creative ideas and more. 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. New york city ballet s prima ballerinas of 2018 duration. See more ideas about city ballet, dancer and ballet. Wendy whelan, principal dancer of nycb share your story. However, while whelan s incredible career as a classical ballerina may be drawing to a close, shes far from hanging up her. Wendy whelan is a former principal dancer with the new york city ballet and performed with. One of them was her vulnerability in talking about leaving new york city ballet after 30 years. It was a christmas surprise for her ballet academy east studentsand an experiment. One of the foremost dance companies in the world, with a roster of nearly 100 extraordinary dancers and an unparalleled repertory. Oct 22, 2014 last night was wendy whelans farewell performance with new york city ballet, after thirty years. Wendy whelan gave away all her leotards in december. The dancer triumphantly returns to new york city ballet offstage but with more influence than ever.
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. Wendy whelans farewell to nycb a ballerinas career in. At 3, she was sent to ballet as an outlet for her excessive. Wendy whelan has danced with the company since 1984. Damian woetzel is a former ballet star with a storied career in dance. Watch an nyc arts segment about the school of american ballet and learn more about new york city ballet s history and repertoire. 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. New york city ballet george balanchines the nutcracker. Learn more about whelans life and career, including her notable performances. Wendy whelan, 51, a star ballerina who danced with the company for 30 years, will become city ballet s associate artistic director. Dec 09, 2014 heather watts as dewdrop in the 1,000th performance of the nutcrackerpeter martinss farewell performancedecember 6, 1983.
After 30 years with city ballet, almost to the day, whelan, 47. 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. 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. Jonathan stafford and wendy whelan new york city ballet. The new york city ballet offered the first of its annual holiday. How ballerina wendy whelan overcame the shame and stigma.
From injury to recovery, a ballet dancer fought to. Whelan grew up in louisville, where her mother enrolled her in ballet classes at age three. Wendy whelan new york city ballet about official site. The new york city ballet loved her and named her an apprentice in 1984. Wendy whelan has reinvented herselfand doesnt care what you.
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. New york city ballet george balanchines symphony in c. New york city ballet principal dancer wendy whelan interview. 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. 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. In april 2014 she announced her plans to retire from new york city ballet a company she has been with for 30 years. Wendy was accepted to the summer program at age 14. Wendy whelan life at new york city ballet after balanchine duration. Wendy whelans farewell to nycb a ballerinas career in pictures. There are two series of educational workshops ballet essentials, for all ages, and ballet breaks, for children ages 3 to 8.
Feb 17, 2019 wendy whelan was a principal dancer with the new york city ballet and performed with the company for 30 years. 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. Watch an nycarts segment about the school of american ballet and learn more about new york city ballets history and repertoire. New york city ballet principal wendy whelan on why she is retiring after three decades on the stage. 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. Jerome robbins joined nycb the following year and, with balanchine, helped to build the astounding. Wendy whelan leaves city ballet after 30 years the new york. At she came to nyc to study at the school of american ballet and joined nycb five years later. 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. By getting rid of her uniform of more than 30 years, she hoped her muscle memory would let go of old movement patterns. 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. There will also be wednesday with wendy, a series of ballet inspired movement classes taught by nycb associate artistic director wendy whelan. But the occasion was much more than just a farewell.
New york city ballet wendy whelan as dewdrop in george. With diamondlike clarity, wendy whelan dances a wide variety of starring roles with new york city ballet. New york city ballet the nutcracker new york, david h. See more ideas about ballet dancers, dancer and city ballet. 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. Inside wendy whelan s triumphant return to the new york city ballet. 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. See more ideas about city ballet, dancer and royal ballet. But what one remembers of this new york city ballet principal is. She was named nycb associate artistic director in february 2019. When she decided to retire from ballet, wendy whelan s entire life changed.
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. There were many wonderful things about the new documentary wendy whelan. Her name was lisa patrick and she was a teenage dancer with the louisville ballet company. While growing up in kentucky, she trained at louisville ballet academy. 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. However, while whelans incredible career as a classical ballerina may be. Her instantly recognizable figure slender and sharp is what one notices first. Balanchine, the russianborn father of american balletand nycb cofounder dissuaded his female dancers from marrying or having children.
Whelan plans to depart city ballet after 30 years the. Inside wendy whelans triumphant return to the new york. 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. 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. When i was 6 years old, i saw my first ballet, and it was the nutcracker. From injury to recovery, a ballerina fought to retire on her. Oct 05, 2014 wendy whelan, a principal dancer with new york city ballet, will give her farewell performance on oct. 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. At the age of eight, she performed as a mouse in the louisville ballet s production of the nutcracker. 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. 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. But what keeps ringing in my mind is something pacific northwest ballet artistic director and former nycb dancer peter boal says. Wendy whelan has inspired many with her technical strength and artistic versatility. Our 4 favorite ballet documentaries on netflix right now.
Having retired last fall from the new york city ballet after a 30year career there, she is now embarking on a second act in contemporary dance. It was also the farewell performance of wendy whelan, an aweinspiring ballerina who danced with the company for 30 years. Wendy whelan returns to the new york city ballet departures. American dancer wendy whelan has long been regarded as one of the worlds top ballerinas, famed for her artistry and her striking muscularity. 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. A magic prince, a dreamy young girl, a mysterious old man and a christmas tree that grows sky high. Wendy whelan is a principal dancer at the new york city ballet. After a year of upheaval, new york city ballet names new.
I will never forget the girl who was dancing the arabian dance. 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. Restless creature, now available on netflix, chronicles wendy whelan s recovery from hip surgery and her final performance with the new york city ballet. Former new york city ballet star wendy whelan returns to help lead the company into bright new horizons of dance. The company was founded in 1948 by george balanchine and lincoln kirstein, and it quickly became worldrenowned for its athletic and contemporary style. From april 21 through may 29, new york city ballet presents digital streams of two ballets a week, along full slate of other online programming, including new podcast episodes and livestreamed classes, to coincide with the dates of our nowcancelled spring 2020 performances at lincoln center. 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. 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. 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. New york city ballet darci kistler and damien woetzel in. 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. New york city ballet is one of the foremost dance companies in the world, with a roster of spectacular dancers and an unparalleled repertory. Wendy spent the next 30 years at the new york city ballet. Wendy whelan is the associate artistic director of new york city ballet.
1054 112 1547 1278 819 33 664 1452 791 513 864 774 1438 1538 1316 1569 913 1409 133 356 785 57 1323 1383 120 683 1588 100 1323 982 99 1356 204 929 556 562 593 674 811