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OREGON ARTS WATCH: Anne Mueller works with BodyVox-2 - The new artistic director of OBT puts another company through her paces
"Sometimes events conspire to raise the stakes (and excitement level) of a performance long in the works. That's exactly what happened last Thursday, when BodyVox staged the first of its behind-the-curtain rehearsals for a concert coming in March.
That's because it featured Anne Mueller as the choreographer, and Mueller was just named the interim artistic director at Oregon Ballet Theatre, following Christopher Stowell, who resigned late last year." - Read the Oregon Arts Watch Interview
"Because of external events, the signal work among the four new pieces is Anne Mueller's "Tuesday, 3:47 p.m.," a witty, swift and prop-laden ... short dance that blends contemporary pop motifs with a ballet sensibility." - Read the Oregon Arts Watch Review
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Oregon Ballet Theatre announces a 2013-'14 season full of transitions and tributes
"'... [T]he message is that we are retaining our core values,' Mueller says. "That doesn't mean that everything is going to look the same way that it has. We need to continue to grow and evolve.There are three new works on the upcoming season that will help us grow into whatever this next incarnation of the company might be. But I want everyone to be absolutely confident that the values we've held we continue to hold."
She says that paying tribute to Stowell, who led OBT for nearly a decade and raised it to greater national prominence , was 'a guiding principle for how the season was constructed.' Some of his earlier works will be revived, and he'll create a new piece for the company's winter program. But there also are slots for new choreography by Mueller and by Stowell's yet-to-be-named successor. Here are the highlights. - Read The Oregonian Article
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Oregon Ballet Theatre names Anne Mueller as interim artistic director THE OREGONIAN: "Oregon Ballet Theatre has taken two steps forward in the rebuilding of its leadership, naming former principal dancer Anne Mueller as interim artistic director and promoting financial controller Diane O'Malley to a new position, director of finance and administration.
The choice of Mueller to guide the company's artistic choices, at least in the near term, might be an indication that OBT hopes to keep an aesthetic vision similar to what it had under previous artistic director Christopher Stowell, who announced his resignation three weeks ago." - Read The Oregonian Article
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Anne Mueller Accepts Position as Interim Artistic Director of Oregon Ballet Theatre: Retired Principal Dancer and Director of Artistic Operations steps up to guide OBT through transition - Read more
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Christopher Stowell resigns as Artistic Director
Oregon Ballet Theatre's Christopher Stowell to resign Dec. 31 - The Oregonian, November 28, 2012
Oregon Ballet Theatre loses artistic director Christopher Stowell to mid-season resignation - The Oregonian, November 29, 2012
"Big split at OBT: Stowell calls it quits:
A board shift in priorities is behind the departure of the man who gave the ballet company a national profile" - Oregon Arts Watch, November 28, 2012
Christopher Stowell Resigns from the Ballet: After taking the helm of Oregon Ballet Theatre in 2003 and expanding its size and ambition, Stowell leaves to let OBT pursue a new "business model." - Portland Monthly, November 28, 2012
Q&A: OBT's Christopher Stowell on Leaving the Ballet - Portland Monthly, November 29, 2012
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Just Out Interview with Christopher Stowell on Growing Up With Ballet and the Upcoming Body Beautiful Program
Christopher Stowell gained great exposure to the art of dance from an early age. His parents, Kent Stowell and Francia Russell are the founding artistic directors of Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. “I was an only child for six and a half years,” Stowell says. “We lived in New York and in Europe, and wherever they went they took me along. I was very engaged in their artistic life. - Read More
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OBT Invited Back to the Kennedy Center
OBT will perform James Kudelka's "riveting" Almost Mozart for Ballet Across America III, June 4 - 5, 2013 - Read More
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Edmund Stone interviews Christopher Stowell as part of his weekly nationally syndicated radio program, The Score: This week on The Score, scores to films about the on- and off-stage world of ballet, with guest Christopher Stowell of Oregon Ballet Theatre. We'll hear music from The Black Swan, The Turning Point, Billy Elliot and more. - Listen
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Timbers player Futty Danso makes debut with Oregon Ballet Theatre
Hundreds who came out to Keller Auditorium for the Oregon Ballet Theatre's Nutcracker Ballet got a special surprise Wednesday night. Portland Timbers defender Futty Danso made his debut with the ballet, as part of a group of special community walk-on guest dancers. "I'm ready for it, I've been working on my dancing moves," said Danso. "Hopefully whenever the dancing comes up, I'm ready for it." - Read Full Article
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The Company departs Monday, July 25, 2011 for the long trip to Seoul, South Korea, where the dancers will perform George Balanchine's The Nutcracker! - Learn More
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OBT Company Artist Lucas Threefoot and playlist guru Claire Willett appeared on Portland alternative radio station 94.7 fm (KRNK) on April 20, 2011 to join DJ Gustav for his 5 p.m. drive-time “Perfect Playlist” show. We picked five songs that tied in with the works in Song & Dance (April 21 - May 1, 2011). Want to hear our show and learn more about the songs we picked? - Read More / Listen |
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OPB ART BEAT: A glimpse at a day in the life of young dancers, rehearsing for The Nutcracker. - Watch Now
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WATCH: Video messages from Christopher Stowell and Diane Syrcle were recorded as part of the It Gets Better campaign in support of LGBT youth. - Watch Now
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WK12 Partners With OBT to Create a Ballet Font / June 2010
While looking for inspiration, a team at WK12 (an experimental agency based within the Wieden + Kennedy advertising firm) came across a story about a young girl who needed to move in order to learn. - Read about the WK12 Font Project
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OBT Takes The Nutcracker to Seoul, South Korea / August 9 - 23, 2010
Here at OBT, we're used to hearing Nutcracker music throughout October, November and December, but this year the twinkle of the Sugar Plum Fairy filtered through the studios starting in July. The Company departed Monday, August 9th for the long trip to Seoul, South Korea, where the dancers will perform at a Christmas in August celebration. - Read more about OBT's Tour to Seoul, South Korea
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OBT Women featured on Exceptional Women Northwest Internet Radio Program
Listen in as host and creator Douglas Zanger discusses everything from ballet to books with some of OBT's most exceptional women. Listen
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WATCH: Video from the Uprising performances at The Aladdin Theater, July 2010
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Time for Training: Is there an ideal age for starting ballet?
By Kristin Lewis
Dance Magazine, July 2010
Starting ballet as a young child has both physical and mental advantages. Studies suggest that young minds are more adept at learning new languages, and ballet is definitely a language. "Kids certainly retain new information better than adults," observes Damara Bennett, director of the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre... According to Bennett, the main advangage of starting early is that young bodies are ideal for cultivating long lines and strong technique. Read full article |
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OBT's Photo-Art Encounter Gives Art Students a New Way of Looking at the Body - and an Appreciation for Ballet
By Heather Wisner
May 14, 2010
It is bitterly cold outside Portland's Keller Auditorium, and not much warmer inside, one Wednesday morning in December as Oregon Ballet Theatre's dancers file onstage for company class. Read full article
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Martha Ullman West reflects on Gavin Larsen's Career
Dance Magazine, June 2010
Gavin Larsen, whose passionate commitment to Balanchine's coreography has made her a leading interpreter of his work at Oregon Ballet Theatre, gave her farewell performance on May 2, dancing his 1972 Duo Concertant. Read full article
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"OBT rings in holiday spirit with The Nutcracker "
By Julie Stegeman
Asian Reporter, December 15, 2009
Nothing evokes the feeling of the holiday season quite as well as watching a performance of The Nutcracker, one of the most famous of ballets and a yearly tradition for many families... OBT's production includes performances by three dancers of Asian heritage: Yuka Iino and Ansa Deguchi, both from Japan, and Mia Leimkuhler, an American of Japanese Ancestry. Read full article
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Meet Volunteers and Donors Dan Bergsvik and Don Hastler
Dan and Don are certified "balletomanes." They're not just avid ballet fans, they also give both time and money to OBT. If you were to stop by the OBT Studios on any given Friday, chances are you'd find them typing away in the administrative offices or helping address invitations to an opening night event. Last June in the two weeks leading up to DANCE UNITED, Dan spent many extra hours soliciting frequent flyer mile donations and coordinating travel for guest dancers from all over the country. We'll let he and Don tell you in their own words about their experience with OBT. Read full article
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"Arts Groups in Tough Times Think Locally"
By Sophia Yan
Time.com, Friday, July 24, 2009
In Washington there are bailouts to be had for banks and car companies, but what about Portland's Oregon Ballet Theatre? OBT's 20th anniversary season is around the corner, but its budget has dropped 28%. It's hard to celebrate in style when faced with a "very serious cash crunch," says executive director Jon Ulsh. And it's forcing arts groups to be ever more creative about where and how they look for support. Read full article
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"Oregon Ballet Theatre lives to dance another day"
by Barry Johnson
The Oregonian, June 18, 2009
The pas de deux that Oregon Ballet Theatre and Portland have been dancing the past 20 years will continue after all.
After a furious three-week fund-raising effort that included a spectacular gala performance last week, the ballet announced that it has surpassed its $750,000 target, the amount it needed to guarantee that it could continue beyond June 30.
By the end of the day Wednesday, the company had raised $853, 271.
"All of us at OBT are incredibly moved by how many people, not just here but all across the country, have overwhelmingly demonstrated that they care about the arts and the future of professional ballet in this city," said artistic director Christopher Stowell. Read full article
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"OBT gala leaves the audience cheering, and the $750,00 goal in sight"
by Grant Butler
The Oregonian,
June 15, 2009
If you're looking for compelling reasons why Oregon Ballet Theatre is worth saving, they were right there on stage Friday night in the very first moments of "The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude," a fast-paced work that opened the "Dance United" fundraising gala.
Amid a flurry of motion, OBT dancers Adrian Fry and Kathi Martuza catapulted themselves through William Forsythe's staggeringly difficult choreography. The blur of motion set the pace for an evening of dance that showcased not only dancers from OBT, but top artists from 13 other dance troupes from around the country, banding together to close the company's $750,000 budget gap and keep it from going out of business. Read full article
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"Dancers flock to gala to rescue OBT"
by Martha Ullman West
The Oregonian.
June 15, 2009
Fifty dancers, count them, from 13 companies, 14 including Oregon Ballet Theatre's, came together in common cause at the Keller Auditorium Friday night to save OBT from financial disaster.
They gave the packed, cheering audience a program of solos, duets and ensemble dances revealing that theatrical dance may be economically beleaguered, but artistically it has never been healthier in Portland -- and the rest of the continent. Read full article
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OBT 3 PART SERIES on Small Plate Radio
Wednesdays at 1pm / June 10, 17 & 24
Catch Christopher Stowell, Linda Besant, Steven Houser and Kathi Martuza streaming live on the internet – or download them later from iTunes as a podcast! CLICK HERE
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"Oregon Ballet Theatre Needs $750,000"
by Barry Johnson
The Oregonian, May 25, 2009
Oregon Ballet Theatre has become the first of Portland's major arts groups pushed to the wall by the global recession. Read full article
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"Oregon Ballet Theatre OBSERVED"
by Andy Batt
Portland Monthly, April 2009
Oregon Ballet Theatre turns twenty this year. I've been working with them since 2003, creating much of the photography for their posters, ads, brochures, and programs. Three years ago, OBT offered me a backstage pass and the opportunity to photograph during performances. Read full article
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Nolan's Wish Story
Make A Wish Oregon, February 2009
Nolan is a 16-year-old from Vancouver, WA, who loves the 60's era. A huge fan of the Beatles, Nolan wanted to have his very own replica of the costume worn by John Lennon from the cover of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's album. OBT's talented wardrobe manager, Kathy Scoggins, fulfilled his wish. Read full article
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"Plie, tendu: A look at ballet lessons at OBT"
by Alexandra Manzano
The Oregonian, March 15, 2009
Silent concentration and children don't always seem to coincide, but on any given afternoon inside Oregon Ballet Theatre there are dozens of little faces intently staring in the mirror. Kids as young as 4 rattle off French terms and definitions and train their muscles for slight but precise movements. Read full article
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"A Different Kind of TLC: A Look Behind the Scenes of Human Art in Portland"
by Ute Mitchell / Photos by Joni Schrantz
Goodness Magazine, February 2009
If you've ever been to a ballet performance, admiring the grace and ease with which the dancers seem to fly across the stage, you have likely asked yourself how they do it. Does it hurt? The answer is, it does. And that's why nothing is quite as important to ballet dancers than the care they receive from their physical therapists. Read full article
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"For OBT's Christopher Stowell, Art Rules the Loft"
by Helyn Trickey / Photos by Torsten Kjellstrand
Home + Gardens Northwest, December 2008
Late-afternoon light spills through Christopher Stowell's north-facing window, glances off gilded picture frames and book spines, illumines a trio of delicate red glass light fixtures before pooling in the middle of his condo in the Pearl's Irving Street Lofts. But Stowell doesn't notice. At the moment he's sitting cross-legged on the floor sifting through pieces of art he's collected but has yet to frame. Read full article
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"Free as a Bird: Swan Lake dancers are no featherweights"
by Rebecca Ragain
Just Out, October 2008
Even if you don't know much about ballet, chances are you've heard of Swan Lake. Read full article
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"Deep Into the Rabbit Hole With Alicia J. Rose"
by Jared Smith
Rangefinder Magazine, October 2008
OBT's Who's Your Dancer? campaign (2005 - 2008) is featured in an article about Portland photographer Alicia J. Rose (See pages 4-5). Read full article.
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"The Purist" by Camela Raymond
Portland Monthly, June 2008
When fellow teens were going through their punk phase, Oregon Ballet Theatre artistic director Christopher Stowell was practicing pliés. And when his OBT predecessor was staging edgy ballets set to pop music, Stowell was deepening his commitment to classicism. Now completing his fifth year at OBT's helm, Stowell has remade the company in his own image. Read full article.
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"A Change in Direction" by Martha Ullman West
Pointe Magazine, October 2007
Oregon Ballet Theatre Artistic Director Christopher Stowell is making his mark with a new repertoire.
On a rainy spring evening in the studios of Portland's Oregon Ballet Theatre, in front of an audience of company supporters and members of the press, Chairman of the Board John Bernard shot dancer Alison Roper and everyone applauded. Read full article.
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