Category Archives: dance

Photo credit: Rachel Neville Photography

Fans of the ballet have an unique opportunity to see Boston Ballet company members perform at their rehearsal studio in the South End in February. Dubbed “BB@home”, the rehearsals will showcase a sneak peek of the stunning  choreography that will be presented on a more grand stage at the Boston Opera House when their upcoming show, Full on Forsythe opens in March.

“BBII@home”, will take place on Feb. 7 and 8. Boston Ballet II, Boston Ballet’s two-year program comprised of younger dancers, will present old and new works, including one work of choreography by a Boston Ballet company member and another by a BBII member.  Tickets to this unique opportunity will go fast. To purchase tickets and to learn more visit BB@home.

Tonight is opening night for the Boston Ballet’s The Nutcracker.  This classic holiday tradition is a wonderful way to introduce someone to the ballet. The music will be familiar and the story is easy to follow. The ballet and beautiful decorations at the Opera House will get you in the holiday spirit and turn an ordinary night into something special for you and whomever you bring with you.

Tickets can be quite affordable, starting at $37 and performances run through Sunday, December 30th.  If you need some dinner or drink suggestions on where to go either before or after the ballet feel free to ask for recommendations. Be sure to watch the Boston Ballet video, “Nutcracker Prince vs. Mouse King”.

Purchase Tickets to Boston Ballet’s The Nutcracker

The Boston Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker opens two weeks from today. Each year I like to give this classic ballet a plug, because the entire experience from walking into the Boston Opera House to watching the ballet  and listening to the orchestra puts me in such a wonderful mood.

Boston Ballet presents The Nutcracker Nov. 29 – Dec. 30

Consider picking up tickets for a show and making an evening of going to the ballet with friends or someone special. It makes for an excellent date night.

Tonight is opening night for the Boston Ballet 2018/2019 season. Unfortunately, I’m stuck in New York City for work so Sergio and I will not be able to see the production until Friday evening, but I would like to encourage everyone to consider attending the Boston Ballet’s production of Genius at Play

Genius at Play celebrates choreographer, Jerome Robbins career and contributions to dance. The ballet begins with an orchestral performance of Massachusetts native Leonard Bernstein’s Candide Overature followed by Interplay, comprised of eight dancers set to a jazz score and Fancy Free – his first of what would be many collaborations with Bernstein, which depicts the antics of sailors on leave in New York City in the 1940s. The program concludes with the Company premiere of Glass Pieces, a bustling tribute to urban life choreographed for 42 dancers and set to music by Philip Glass.

Genius at Play runs through September 16, 2018, at the Boston Opera House.

Genius at Play
More information & Tickets

The Boston Ballet 2017-2018 season will conclude with La Sylphide, which opens next week on Thursday, May 24th and will run through June 10, 2018.

Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen describes La Sylphide as the epitome of romantic ballet, which will be all the more special paired with the rarely-performed Bournonville Divertissements.  Boston Ballet premiered Bournonville’s La Sylphide in 1988, and it was performed again in 2005 and 2007 with additional choreography by Sorella Englund. Of the 2005 performance, Karen Campbell wrote in The Boston Globe, “Boston Ballet’s gorgeous…production of La Sylphide [is] deliciously sweet…the ballet’s only disappointment is that it leaves you wanting more.”

Karine Seneca in August Bournonville’s La Sylphide || Photo Credit: Sabi Varga

Boston Ballet presents cassic Balanchine: La Sylphide
Get Your Tickets Here

La Sylphide is Bournonville’s most famous ballet. Set in the Scottish Highlands, it tells the fantastical tale of James, a man on his wedding day, who falls under the spell of a beautiful and ethereal woodland sylph. Tricked into accepting the help of Madge, an evil sorceress, he tries desperately to possess his newfound desire. This ballet showcases challenging, bravura solos for male dancers and light, buoyant jumps executed by the sylphs.

The Boston Ballet’s spring season is opening later this week with Parts In Suite, a program of works by three very prolific choreographers. For those who may not be as familiar with ballet, programs like Parts In Suite provide an excellent introduction. This particular evening at the ballet will show three different styles that may challenge preconceptions you may have about modern ballet and impress you with the Boston Ballet’s grace and athleticism.

The program opens with Jorma Elo’s Bach Cello Suites and a live musical
accompaniment by cellist Sergey Antonov. In Creases marks the Company’s debut in a work by New York City Ballet Resident Choreographer Justin Peck. And lastly, we get to enjoy the ongoing with William Forsythe, when the Boston Ballet presents the Company premiere of hisPas/Parts 2018.

Rory Hohenstein dances Justin Peck’s In Creases Photo by Cheryl Mann, courtesy The Joffrey Ballet

Parts In Suite runs March 9–April 7, at the Boston Opera House. Tickets are currently on sale so don’t delay and come out to support Boston’s arts community.

More information and tickets here!

Photo by Rachel Neville courtesy of the Boston Ballet

The Boston Ballet returns with their latest production Parts In Suite, later this week; opening night is on Friday, March 9th at the Boston Opera House.

This ballet is a collection of works by three of today’s most prolific choreographers: William Forsythe, Justin Peck, and Jorma Elo. The program opens with Elo’s Bach Cello Suites, followed by In Creases, which marks the Company’s debut in a work by New York City Ballet Resident Choreographer Justin Peck. The program concludes with the second year of a five-year partnership with Forsythe, when the Boston Ballet presents the Company premiere of his Pas/Parts 2016.

Parts In Suite runs March 9–April 7 
Click here for more information and to get your tickets today

I love it when the Boston Ballet shares a collection of works by different choreographers. It provides a glimpse at often very different styles. Last year’s Forsythe production really blew my mind so Sergio and I will be very curious to see his ballet, but it was NYC Ballet Resident Choreopgrapher, Justin Peck, who makes his debut here in Boston that caught my attention. Check out his video below where he describes his creative process for choreographing dance.

One week from today, Friday, April 28th is opening night for Boston Ballet’s production of The Sleeping Beauty, which will run through May 27th at the Boston Opera House.

Click here for more information or to purchase tickets 

For those unfamiliar with this popular ballet, The Sleeping Beauty begins with the christening of Princess Aurora. All the fairies are invited to bestow gifts on the young princess, except for the Fairy Carabosse, who is outraged and gives a spindle to Aurora, announcing that one day the princess will prick her finger on it and die. The Lilac Fairy who has yet to present her gift, undermines the curse by promising Aurora will not die but fall into a deep sleep for 100 years until awakened by a prince’s kiss. As predicted, Aurora pricks her finger on a spindle on her 16th birthday. The Lilac Fairy intervenes and puts Aurora and her kingdom under a sleeping spell. A century later, Prince Desiré meets the Lilac Fairy who leads him to Aurora. His kiss breaks the spell and the ballet concludes with a grand wedding celebration.

Sergio’s next performance is April 22nd 

Come and join me as I cheer on Sergio at his dance performance showcase on Saturday, April 22nd in Arlington. He has been learning hip hop dancing at Boston Mobile Dance Studio through the winter and later this month he will be taking to the stage to show off his moves.

Performances have been choreographed by talented teachers including  Carl Alleyne and Chanel Miss 5678 who Sergio has been working with since the fall.

Choreographers Carl Alleyne and Chanel Miss 5678 with Sergio Mazon

Tickets to the performance will go from $15 to $20 the day before the showcase so if you’d like to join me in cheering on Sergio get your tickets today. I’ve included a link below for you to purchase tickets.

Yes! I want to buy tickets to see Sergio dance with BMDS

Saturday, April 22, 2017 || 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Arlington Center For the Arts
41 Foster Street, Arlington, MA 02474

Boston Ballet in Alexander Ekman’s, Cacti || Photo by Rosalie O’Connor

Following Boston Ballet’s amazing production Artifact 2017 their inspiring spring season continues on Thursday night with Kylián/Wings of Wax, a trio of ballets by three choreographic masters.

Kylián/Wings of Wax
March 23 – April 1
Purchase Tickets Here

Kylián/Wings of Wax opens with George Balanchine’s charming and spirited Donizetti Variations set to excerpts from the composer’s final opera Don Sebastian, followed by Jiří Kylián’s hauntingly beautiful Wings of Wax with a score of musical selections. Alexander Ekman’s delightful and witty Cacti closes the program accompanied by a collage of orchestral music performed by the Boston Ballet Orchestra and a string quartet. 

A few tickets may actually still be available for opening night tomorrow, Thursday, March 23rd. If you will be there let me know and we will join you for a glass of Champagne either before the ballet or between acts.

Kylián/Wings of Wax Performance Schedule
Thursday, March 23 at 7:30 pm
Friday, March 24 at 7:30 pm*
Saturday, March 25 at 1 pm
Saturday, March 25 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 26 at 1 pm
Thursday, March 30 at 7:30 pm
Friday, March 31 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 1 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, April 2 at 1 pm

Tickets to any of the above performances start at just $35. You can purchase a pair from the Boston Ballet website here.

Late last year Sergio made a personal commitment to return to dance after a 34 year hiatus. Over the past few months he has been taking classes at the Urbanity Dance Studio and later this week on Friday, March 24 he will be performing a hip hop routine choreographed by Jessie Alegria (shown above with Sergio) and a contemporary routine choreographed by Brenna Robinson at the Blackstone Community Center.  I’ll be there cheering him on, and I wanted to give his dance crew a shout out on my blog as well.

His performance starts at 8PM and a $10 donation is suggested at the door. The proceeds will be donated to Urbanity Dance’s Equal Opportunity And Access Fund, which allows Urbanity to provide scholarship to youth dancers who would not be able to afford classes.

What: Come watch Sergio dance
When: Friday, March 24th (starting at 8PM)
Where: Blackstone Community Center, 50 West Brookline St.