"From Russia With Love" is the first of a three-part series, "Roots of American Classical Ballet," that will be presented from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on three consecutive Thursdays, starting April 5.
The series, free and open to the public, will be held in the great room of the Arizona Senior Academy Building at Academy Village, 13715 E. Langtry Lane.
Earlier in the week, on Monday, the ballet film "The Red Shoes," will be shown in the Arizona Senior Academy Building at 7 p.m.
"The Red Shoes" is a classic movie based, in part, on impresario Sergei Diaghilev who is featured in this lecture. Admission to the movie is $1, and visitors are welcome.
The series will be presented by Suzanne Erlon, who has a nearly 50-year career as a ballet dancer, teacher, choreographer and company director. She has studied with some of the world's leading ballet instructors including George Balanchine, Willam Christensen, Anthony Tudor and Toni Lauder.
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After a 20-year career as a dancer (mostly with New York City Ballet and Ballet West), Erlon founded two ballet academies and a ballet company, Metropolitan Ballet Theatre. She has choreographed more than 50 ballets, including "The Nutcracker," "Coppelia" and "Cinderella." Her husband and co-presenter, Jed Kee, is a professor at George Washington University. After marrying Erlon, he became interested in the history of ballet and traveled with Erlon and the NYC Ballet to Russia, Ukraine and Monaco.
Erlon and Kee will discuss the influences of the Russian dancers, choreographers and teachers from Diaghilev's Ballet Russes that toured the United States in the early 20th century. They will show excerpts of works, originally commissioned by Diaghilev, by the music revolutionaries Serge Prokofiev and Igor Stravinsky, including a NYC Ballet production of "The Prodigal Son," choreographed by Balanchine, and a Ballet West production of "The Firebird" (featuring Erlon).
Diaghilev introduced the West to Russian artists of many disciplines and collaborated with them on music, sets and costumes for monumental productions.
Erlon and Kee will also talk about the Italian influence on American and Russian ballet, particularly that of Enrico Cecchetti and the legendary Russian-born dancer Anna Pavlova, who inspired many American ballet hopefuls when she toured the U.S.
Erlon will conclude with a discussion of the influence of the American Christensen brothers (Lew, Harold and Willam), who founded several ballet companies, including Ballet West. Willam choreographed the very first American "Nutcracker."
Session two will be devoted to the legendary George Balanchine (April 12); and session three on the art of choreography (April 19).
People who attend the lectures are invited to come early and enjoy the lunch buffet at the Village cafe; prices range from $4.50 to $9.25. The cafe is open from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
IF YOU GO
• What: Roots of American Classical Ballet, Part 1: "From Russia With Love"
• When: 2:30 p.m. April 5
• Where: Arizona Senior Academy Building, 13715 E. Langtry Lane
• Admission: Free; donations accepted
• Reservations: Recommended; email info@arizonasenioracademy.org or call 647-0980
