Ballet in Raleigh
In North Carolina, the art form of ballet has evolved significantly over the last half century, and no place more dramatically than here in Raleigh. This presentation looks at the earliest stirrings of ballet in NC, at the NC School of the Arts, and considers the many variables that affect the development of ballet companies. Now, on the 20th anniversary of the founding of Carolina Ballet, it takes a close look at the innovative ballet company itself and the choreography - largely local, with several major works designed specifically for the company - that makes it so distinctive.
Our presenter, the Co-Artistic Director of Carolina Ballet, Zalman Raffael, retired as a dancer with CB in May and was promptly hired by the founding director of the ballet, Robert Weiss. Born and raised in New York, he trained at the School of American Ballet, and he appeared with the New York City Ballet, the American Ballet Theater, and several regional companies on the Northeast Coast while young. He created his own first piece of choreography when he was 13, and he staged all or parts of several works while still a dancer for Carolina Ballet.
Time will be included for questions from the group.