Looking for something to do this Friday night that doesn’t include jeans, keg stands, or your boyfriend’s crappy interpretation of romance in the form of Pay Per View and take-out? How about a night at the ballet? This Friday, there’s no need to travel to Boston or New York to see great dance; the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company of New York City, the University of Southern Maine, and the Portland Ballet Company are working together for a single performance of “La Vivandiere” at Merrill Auditorium, in an effort to raise money for USM’s dance program.
Guest dancer Eric Tamm of the ABT Studio Company will be joining the Portland Ballet Company for the Friday evening performance; Tamm’s classical training has included rigorous study with the Irine Fokine School of Ballet and Kaatsbaan’s Extreme Ballet program. The American Ballet Theatre Studio Company will arrive in Portland on Wednesday, October 27, at which point Tamm will join a cast of accomplished performers from the Portland Ballet Company, as well as guest dancer Daniela Malta, of Brazil, for rehearsals and preparation for Friday’s big event.
In addition to hosting this event, USM has five students working as crew for the production: Seniors Graham Allen, Josh Hurd, Casey Pratt, and Jillian Shapleigh, as well as sophomore Jessie Pilgrim, were each nominated by the University theatre faculty for their dedication to the craft of theatre and demonstrated ability to excel in their chosen mediums. By hosting the ABT Studio Company’s performance, USM “provides an opportunity for…theatre students to work crew for professional dancers from NYC, it allows local dancers the same opportunity on stage, and it allows the region — and the USM community –? to see ballet performed at a level not ordinarily seen in Portland,” according to the press release.
Tickets for the October 29th performance of “La Vivandiere” range in price from $20 – $44, and are available through PortTix at 207-842-0800, or visit www.porttix.com.