MARCH 2015
NEWSLETTER
The Studio is the official academy of Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre
Robert Kelley and Diane Cypher, Directors | Sandy Nelson, Academy Registrar
THE STUDIO 2015 SUMMER COURSES
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
The Studio has announced its annual Summer Programs:
Jada Francis ~ March 6
Tabitha Bane ~ March 9
Gianna Gularte ~ March 10
George Janour ~ March 11
Cliff Owen ~ March 16
Tera Carney ~ March 21
Summer Session June 22-July 24
Intensive Programs July 27-August 7
These courses have something to offer all of our students,
both professionally-minded and recreational. CoreStrengthening classes taught by Linda Lock, Choreography
Course taught by Robert Kelley and Semi-Private lessons
with Diane Cypher are special features of the Summer
Session. The Intensive Programs feature intensive study
with both resident and guest faculty. For the first time Level
II students receive their own special classes with guest
instructors. Refer to the summer brochure or the academy
website for more information and details. Brochures will be
mailed home later this month.
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CONGRATULATIONS, DANCERS!
The Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre Junior and Petite Companies
performed with the Santa Cruz Symphony on the
symphony’s Family and Children’s Concerts. Artistic
Director and choreographer Robert Kelley was charged
with making dances for the concerts to music programmed
by conductor and music director Daniel Stewart. The
dancers danced superbly and were a highlight of the
concerts which entertained a couple thousand school
children from across the county. Thank you, dancers!
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“THE NUTCRACKER” PHOTOS
View and purchase photos by Michael Gerald-Yamasaki
from the 2014 production of “The Nutcracker” through this
link: http://yamo.zenfolio.com password is SCBTmatch
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CLASS PHOTOS
Class photos will be scheduled for this spring — April or
May — and we remind you to purchase the required attire if
you have not already done so. Girls in the Professional
Program need a black, scoop neck, tank leotard. Refer to
your Dress Code insert from the 2014-2015 brochure or go
to www.thestudioschoolofclassicalballet.com/dresscode
The same attire is required for the Student Demonstration.
The Studio will be Closed
Friday and Saturday, March 27 and 28
due to the Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre
In Concert Performances
Level III students learn how to sew their pointe shoes. Photo contributed by Ysena Pimentel.
thestudioschoolofclassicalballet.com | scbt.org
SANTA CRUZ BALLET THEATRE IN CONCERT
SATURDAY, MARCH 28 CABRILLO CROCKER THEATER
Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre presents its annual
spring concert on Saturday, March 28. Don’t miss this
exciting array of new works! Pictured below is Robert
Kelley with lighting designer Sylvie Vray and singer/
songwriter Nancy LeVan and guitarist/composer Bill
Walker. This artistic team is collaborating on a new work
titled “Every Little Thing You Try” which showcases the
contemporary ballet talents of our Senior Company.
Featuring Amelia Busenhart and Lilly Richards, this piece is
sure to grab audience members, especially with the score
being played and sung live!
Another collaboration between guest choreographer Eva
Stone and local favorite Watsonville Taiko will highlight the
performance. Eva’s piece “Cadence and 1” demonstrates
the Modern dance abilities of this season’s dancers,
showcasing their energetic youthfulness. This new piece
has been chosen to close the RDA/Pacific Festival
performances, a huge honor for our company.
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Also on the program are Debra Pearse Rogo’s haunting
“La Volonta” and appearances by the Junior and Petite
Company dancers.
Tickets can be purchased online at
cabrillo.edu or at the Cabrillo College
Theater box office Thursday-Saturday
12:00 noon-6:00 pm or by calling the
box office at 831.479.6154
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Left, the artistic team prepares for rehearsal.
Below, Senior Company dancers in an opening
pose for “Every Little Thing You Try”.
PARENT OBSERVATION WEEK MARCH 2-7
Parents are invited to observe classes all week long. Please arrive on time and plan to stay for the entire class
so as not to disrupt the class environment. Recording devices of any kind are not allowed as they disrupt the
concentration of the class. If you bring young siblings into the studio, please be courteous of the work at hand
and monitor their activity and keep them as quiet as possible. Thank you for your cooperation.
thestudioschoolofclassicalballet.com | scbt.org
FUN FACTS ABOUT OUR DIRECTORS
The San Francisco Ballet’s recent performances of “Giselle”
inspired us to dig up some history about our Directors. Did
you know these facts about their early training and
careers?
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Diane Cypher started dancing at the age of 4 because her
mother wouldn’t let her start at 3. She always loved it but
didn’t realize it could be a professional avenue for her until
she was finishing high school.
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Robert Kelley started dancing at the age of 18 on a dare.
He took the ballet class, loved the challenge and never
looked back.
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Diane’s first role in her professional career was Kitri in the
“Don Quixote Pas de Deux", performed in Santa Barbara in
1983; her partner was Gary McKenzie, who is now Ballet
Master of State Street Ballet.
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Robert’s first role was the Spanish divertissement in “The
Nutcracker” with Brooklyn Ballet, soon after he started
training.
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The first piece Robert ever choreographed was made in
two rehearsals in 1985. “Solace for a Friend” was a duet
danced by Robert and Diane and was performed that
season at several dance festivals and performances
throughout Sacramento.
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When asked about his choreography, Robert’s response is
that he doesn’t set out to make great ballets. Instead, he
aspires to make the dancers he is working with look their
best. He looks at who is in front of him, and that is what
inspires him to create. Having created many full-length
works as well as shorter pieces is to his credit, good
dancers or not, you must have a vision and the chops to
make a successful full-length work. We all know his
“Nutcracker” so well here in Santa Cruz. He also has an
evening length “Cinderella” and “Beauty and the Beast”
that live in the repertoires of professional companies.
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Diane danced the role of Myrtha, the Queen of the Wilis in
“Giselle” several times as a pre-professional dancer with
Sacramento Ballet. It was also the first role she ever
danced on tour as a professional. Santa Barbara Ballet
(now defunct) went on a month long vans-and-truck tour of
southern California, Arizona and New Mexico.
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Robert had many ballets choreographed for him by Jill
Eathorne Bahr, Charleston Ballet Theatre resident
choreographer. He loved the physicality and often dramatic
nature of her work, and especially the difficult and tricky
partnering. His partner for many of these pieces was Erika
Moe, a Sacramento Ballet alumna who also danced in
Charleston for several years.
!!
Photo of Robert and Diane by Shmuel Thaler for the 2009 Gail Rich Award
Robert and Diane danced together often at the beginning
of their careers, in fact the first day they met was as
understudies together for “Stars and Stripes Pas de Deux”.
Three years later, Robert left Sacramento to join Charleston
Ballet Theatre. Several years after that Sacramento Ballet
hired Robert back as a guest artist (he was currently with
Fort Wayne Ballet) to dance the Grand Pas de Deux in “The
Nutcracker” with Diane. The following season Sacramento
Ballet lured Robert back to dance full time, and the leading
role in Ron Cunningham’s “Carmina Burana” was created
for him, with Diane as his partner.
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Diane’s favorite roles were those where she had substantial
collaborations with a conductor, musician or partner,
besides those in which she enjoyed the choreography.
Working with conductor Alan Barker and partner Malcom
Burn made Odette/Odile in “Swan Lake” her favorite
classical role. Her collaboration with an amazing harpist
who played Ginastera’s Harp Concerto to her Mama
Wildebeest (yes, you read that right) in Ron Cunningham’s
“Etosha, Place of Dry Water” made that one of her favorite
contemporary roles; plus she loved working with Ron and
dancing his choreography. A beautiful soprano in “Carmina
Burana” inspired an otherwise simple role, opposite the
complex and dynamic choreography Robert was given to
dance in the same ballet. Diane worked opposite Brenda
Tom, a pianist for the Sacramento Symphony, often and
over several years. Brenda playing the celeste to her Sugar
Plum Fairy in “The Nutcracker” (Tchaikovsky) kept the role
fresh; Brenda playing the piano in George Balanchine’s
“The Four Temperaments” (Hindemith) made Choleric one
of her favorite challenges of speed; and Brenda playing
opposite her as the soloist in Balanchine’s “Rubies”
(Stravinsky) made the technical hijinks all the more
enjoyable. Interestingly, Brenda (now Vahur) played in the
Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre Orchestra several years before
moving on to play for San Francisco Ballet.
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Robert’s favorite roles throughout his career were those
which challenged both his partnering and dramatic abilities.
His favorite classical role was Prince Siegfried in “Swan
Lake”. He danced this role with several different ballerinas
over the course of his career, most notably with his
longtime partner at Fort Wayne Ballet, Judy Jacob (now the
School Director of the Richmond Ballet). The leading role in
Ron Cunningham’s “Carmina Burana” equally challenged
his physical and artistic abilities. Having a role created just
for him was an honor, and Robert enjoyed the whole
process working with Ron and the other Sacramento Ballet
dancers, not to mention performing with a full orchestra,
chorus and a breathtakingly beautiful soloist baritone.
thestudioschoolofclassicalballet.com | scbt.org