Dancing from out of the storm
21st May 2012 · 0 Comments
By Christopher Tidmore
Contributing Writer
One of the great unappreciated stories in the years following Hurricane Katrina is how close the arts community came to complete disaster, and how far it has come. While newspapers have reflected on music and the visual arts, dance—and in particularly ballet—has enjoyed one of the most glowing phoenix like returns. In fact, the New Orleans Ballet Association has drawn national attention for its return, and its work with young people to encourage interest and careers in classical dance.
In an interview with The Louisiana Weekly, Jenny Hamilton of NOBA said that despite the hurdles, there was never any question of a rebirth. “Post Katrina, there was never a doubt that the arts community of the city would not only survive but act as a catalyst for the rebuilding of this great city. We are creative leaders with creative solutions; our passion for the arts and its ability to effect change in the lives of others are the driving forces behind our work and our service.”
But, she also admitted that there were daunting challenges. In her case, for example, “NOBA had lost its office space, theater (Mahalia Jackson Theater), and 12 of 14 of our educational sites. Our staff were living in five different states; three chose to leave the city because of housing; one lost everything.”
But, the scattered organization would not quit. “With a core staff of four, we found temporary office space, and immediately began to proactively assess the needs of the community. By November 2005, we had created new partnerships with organizations in Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and Metairie to provide free dance classes for displaced students and others whose dance studios had not returned.”
“We hired teaching artists who were temporarily living in those communities, and we put out a call through the national dance service organization, Dance/USA, for dance supplies. Within six months, we had collected and distributed over $250,000 of dance supplies to a three-state region; supplies that had been shipped from all over the world by artists, studios, dance companies, and individuals. The first shipment that NOBA received was 100 pairs of pointe shoes donated by New York City Ballet.”
“We also shipped supplies to students who were displaced in other communities, such as Atlanta and Washington, DC, and helped them secure free dance classes and scholarships to schools in those communities. One of the biggest obstacles we faced was the lack of a theater in which to bring back our Main Stage Series. In May 2006, Tulane University so very generously opened its doors to not only NOBA, but many other arts organizations in the community, and the Season returned with Parsons Dance Company and The Joffrey Ballet at Tulane’s Dixon Hall.”
She recalled on particular story on how dance to help overcome the post-Katrina environment. “NOBA has an extraordinary faculty of teaching artists, each of whom used the power of dance in those devastating weeks and months following Katrina to bring a sense of normalcy and happiness to the lives of children. When we began offering classes at the St. Benilde Church and School in November 2005, I stood at the back of the room watching children of all ages in a ballet class. I looked over and saw a young mother crying as she watched her daughter. When I went to her to make sure she was okay, she replied quietly, ‘It’s the first time since Katrina that I’ve seen her smile.’ It was a recurring theme that we heard for years to come: providing our youth the opportunity to take class was sometimes the only ‘normal’ that existed in their young lives.”
Even seven years later, however, the obstacles are huge. “With the economic decline and changing priorities for many funders, raising the funds to present and produce dance on the stage has become more challenging.” Still, though, she added, “Dance has a deep rooted tradition in this city, and is part of the very fabric that defines us culturally.”
In fact, she added, there is a great misconception of ballet locally. “Dance is a very progressive art form. Artists are continually pushing the boundaries, as they create new and innovative works that astound and surprise our audiences. NOBA strives to bring some of the very best dance companies in the world to the City, and provide opportunities for the community to experience what is happening in the world of dance. On May 12, The Joffrey Ballet will bring a program that features a masterpiece by Jerome Robbins, a work by an emerging, young ballet choreographer in Edward Liang, and a brand new work by Val Caniparoli that will have just premiered in Chicago before coming to New Orleans.”
The focus of NOBA remains education as well as the preservation and promotion of dance in New Orleans. “In 1992, NOBA created a partnership with NORD that would level the playing field, making it possible for any child to study quality, sequentially based dance classes. Since the inception, the NORDC/NOBA Center For Dance has provided more than 35,000 free classes to over 10,000 children after-school. Currently, NOBA’s after-school programs with partners in Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard parishes offer more than 3,000 free dance classes and activities annually at 10 sites for over 750 children each year. A pre-professional program provides more intensive training, master classes with each of the companies on NOBA’s Main Stage Season; scholarships for talented youth to study dance at prestigious schools around the country, including, for example, American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, American Dance Festival, and The Ailey School; a four-week Summer Intensive with international renowned guest artists; $5 tickets for the students to see the Main Stage Companies, and more.”
NOBA also helps promote the arts culture of the city as a whole. “In 2008, NOBA launched an initiative to commission world renowned choreographers to create new work in collaboration with local musicians. The first commission in 2008 of choreographer Trey McIntyre and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band was so successful that NOBA commissioned them again in 2011. The resulting work is now touring internationally. A recent performance by the dancers and musicians in Chicago yielded the following from a critic, ‘This evening showed an enthusiastic Chicago audience why New Orleans matters.’ In 2012, choreographer Dwight Rhoden will premiere a NOBA commissioned work to an original NOBA commissioned score by Nicholas Payton. The work is in honor of Complexions Contemporary Ballet co-artistic director Desmond Richardson, who will retire from touring with the company as a dancer this season. On April 21, Richardson and New York City Ballet principal dancer Wendy Whelan, both superstars in the world of dance, will perform together for the first time – here in New Orleans.”
In fact, there is a great significance behind NOBA commissioning a duet between Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s Desmond Richardson and New York City Ballet Principal Wendy Whelan this April. “Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s Desmond Richardson and New York City Ballet’s Wendy will dance together for the first time in a world premiere duet at the centerpiece of Complexions Contemporary Ballet’s program on Saturday, April 21. Although Richardson and Whelan have long known and admired each other, their career paths never provided the opportunity for them to dance together. This NOBA commissioned premiere is choreographed by Complexions’ Dwight Rhoden and set to local music by New Orleans native Nicholas Payton. These four artists will come together to create a single, unforgettable moment in dance history.”
But, the greatest post-Katrina success, Hamilton explained to the Weekly, was the return of Joffrey Ballet returning to perform in New Orleans this May. “In March 2006, The Joffrey Ballet was supposed to have brought “Romeo & Juliet,” an enormous production, to the stage of the Mahalia Jackson Theater. Although the stage of Dixon Hall was too small to accommodate this large production, a decreased number of dancers from The Joffrey Ballet compiled and rehearsed a special program of works specifically tailored to fit the smaller stage. They donated their services and brought their incredible talent, huge hearts, and beautiful spirits to the city to help NOBA bring back its Main Stage Series in May 2006.”
“All of the dancers wanted a ‘disaster tour,’ and were deeply moved and affected by what they saw. Some of those dancers will return to the City for the first time in May 2012, as the full company of 35 dancers will return to perform on the stage of the Mahalia Jackson Theater. The Joffrey Ballet is just one example of the many artists from around the world who donated their time, talent, and resources to help keep dance alive in this city. “
Five years from now, she concluded, “Dance will continue to remain central to the cultural vitality of this region. We are all very fortunate with the number of amazing artists who have moved to the city — artists whose creativity and phenomenal talent are providing more and more opportunities for our community to experience and participate in the art form in all of its glorious forms. The future of NOBA will continue to be one of service to the field, to our artists, and to our community.”
This article was originally published in the May 21, 2012 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper
