WINTER 2012 - Aspen Santa Fe Ballet

ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET
NEWSnewsnewsnewsnewsnewsnewsnews
WINTER 2012
PHOTO: SHAREN BRADFORD

ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET
WINTER 2012 NEWS
04 Sponsor Profile - Aspen Sojourner
05 New Work - Jerome Robbins Foundation Grant
07 Sponsor Profile - Pearls of Nippon, Cornavin Ltd.
ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET
Bebe Schweppe, Founder
Tom Mossbrucker, Artistic Director
Jean-Philippe Malaty, Executive Director
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Judith Zee Steinberg, President
Jay R. Lerner, Vice President
Leigh Moiola, Vice President
Denise Jurgens, Treasurer
A. Charles Forte, Secretary
Rita Adler
Joyce Amico
Barbara Berger
Tony DiLucia
Nicholas DuBrul
Laurie Farber-Condon
John Galante
Betty Davis Gates
Barbara Gold
Michael Hauger
Helen Kalin Klanderud
Mona Look-Mazza
Jean-Philippe Malaty
Tom Mossbrucker
Lorin Parrish
Melinda Payson
Esther Pearlstone
Kelley Purnell
Kelli Questrom
Teena Shaw
Sandy Soares
Barbara Sorensen
Billy Stolz
Bill Thornton
Sherry Wachs
Betty Weiss
Christine Aubale Gerschel, Special Liaison
Paul Taddune, Of Counsel
TRUSTEE EMERITUS
Bebe Schweppe
10 Costume Design
11 Pointe Shoe Rite of Passage
12 School Shows - The Nutcracker
13 Special Events
14 Spotlight: Craig Black
NATIONAL COUNCIL
National Council Chair:
Esther Pearlstone
Susan Beckerman
Linda Bedell
Barbara and Bruce Berger
Ron and Masako Berman
Scott Bickford
Rita and Irwin Blitt
Mark Bradley
Geri and Steve Briggs
Virginia Browning and Joseph Illick
Kay and Matthew Bucksbaum
Bunni and Paul Copaken
Pamela Levy Crandall and Rick Crandall
Marian L. Davis
Muffy and Andy DiSabatino
Frannie Dittmer
Gayle Embrey
Zoe Eskin
Tom Fox
Mary Ann Frenzel
Jessica and John Fullerton
Mira and Donald Glen
Dolly Gray-Bussard
Mort Gurrentz
Diane and Ernest Halpryn
Alexandra and Peter Harrison
Judy and Mike Hauger
Julia Hansen
Barbara and Peter Hearst
Lita Heller
Bobbie and Tat Hillman
Angela and Henry Hite
Jessica Hite
Ruth and David Hoff
Sharon and John Hoffman
Jane Huffman
Soledad and Robert Hurst
Laura and Michael Kaplan
Reenie Kinney and Scott Hicks
Carolyn Landis
Leonard A. Lauder
Bobette and Jay R. Lerner
Melony and Adam Lewis
Toby Devan Lewis
Margot and Robert Linton
Karen and Walter Loewenstern
Diane and Charles Lott
Ruth Ann Marshall and Patricia Houtz
Barbara Martell
Mona Look-Mazza and Tony Mazza
Mary McAlpin
Linda McCausland and Peter Nicklin
Sara and Bill Morgan
Charlotte Moss and Barry Friedberg
Marcie and Robert Musser
Stephanie and Michael Naidoff
Judith and Werner Neuman
David Newberger
Janet and Tom O’Connor
Margaret and Andy Paul
Melinda and Norman Payson
Amy and John Phelan
Carolyn and Bill Powers
Christina Price and Conner Browne
Carol Prins and John Hart
Kelli and Allen Questrom
Mara and Charles Robinson
Nancy and Richard Rogers
Ed Roth
Philip Rothblum
Mary and Patrick Scanlan
Gloria Scharlin
June and Paul Schorr
Deborah and Bob Sharpe
Teena and George Shaw
Lois Siegel
Harriet Silverman
Joy and Chet Siuda
Sandy and Art Soares
Susan Sparks
PHOTO: ROSALIE O’CONNNOR
Orli and Bill Staley
Vickie and Gaines B. Stanley, Jr.
Judith Steinberg and Paul Hoenmans
Kathy and Dick Stephenson
Jon Stryker and Slobodan Randjelović
Michiko and Gary Tarna
Jackie and Glenn Tilton
Tamara Tormohlen and Marc Breslin
Donna Treadwell
Sherry and Eddie Wachs
Karen and Ted Wachtmeister
Frieda and Peter Wallison
Nadia Wellisz
Carrie and Joe Wells
Dorothy Wildman and Albert Sanford
Marilyn Hodges Wilmerding
Janie and Davey Wilson
Ruth Winter
Stephanie and David Wirt
Tamara and Frank Woods
Kevon Zehner and Ron Ritchhart
PHOTO: JASON DEWEY
Dear Friends,
On behalf of our dancers, staff and trustees, we wish to extend our sincere
wishes for a 2012 filled with peace, joy, prosperity, good health and dance!
To kick off the new year, we are thrilled to introduce you to a young, talented
choreographer whom we discovered while he was still a student at
Juilliard. Thanks to a prestigious grant from the Jerome Robbins Foundation,
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet is the first dance company to commission Norbert
De La Cruz III. Paired with celebrity costume designer Austin Scarlett
(from the TV show Project Runway) this new work promises to be one of
the highlights of our season. Read more about Norbert on page 5 and Austin
on page 9.
This year more than ever, our educational programs take center stage, introducing
hundreds of young people to the art of dance and cultivating
the audience of tomorrow. With support from the Melville Hankins Family
Foundation and Kelli and Allen Questrom, we were able to invite 2,000
second graders from Santa Fe and Glenwood Springs public schools to attend
a special performance of The Nutcracker (see page 11). In the next few
months another 1,200 sixth graders will fill our theater to see dance; many
of them for the very first time.
With the new year, we welcome Craig Black, our newest dancer. He is a California
native and a recent graduate of the Juilliard School in New York City.
We are looking forward to having you see his talent on stage this season.
Read more about Craig on page 14.
With the increasing cost of printing and mailing, we encourage all of you
to visit our website and sign up for our e-newsletter. You will always be the
first one to know about upcoming performances, open rehearsals, news,
special events and offers while helping us save on the cost of printing and
mailing.
We hope you enjoy reading all the news about Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. You
receive this newsletter because you are a member of our family of supporters.
As always, we are grateful for your commitment to the art of dance and
for your generous support of our many programs.
Tom Mossbrucker
Jean-Philippe Malaty
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Proud to be a sponsor of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet.
The real stories. The real people. The real Aspen.
Winner of the 2010 & 2011 Maggie for Best Visitor’s Guide
970.925.7809 | aspensojourner.com
A New Work- Norbert De La Cruz III and the Jerome Robbins Foundation
Anyone who saw Norbert De La
Cruz III in Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s recent production
of The Nutcracker knows the 23-yearold
dancer is a packet of crackling energy. As
the Jester in the first act, the Juilliard-trained
De La Cruz leapt unbelievably high and
cleanly, capered merrily, and spun through
the mouse army like a quicksilver cat. Yet in
the Land of Sweets, his quiet concentration
as he stood and watched other dancers was
impressive also; poised and relaxed, but never
slack.
Offstage, De La Cruz’s energy comes across
more quietly, but still vibrantly. As we talked
about his upcoming debut as a professional
choreographer in February, chatting postperformance
in the Lensic Performing Arts
Center in Santa Fe, he was as present and personable
as when he filled the Jester’s motley
personality onstage.
“Generally, shorter dancers can get more
height and speed,” he said, when I commented
on the jaw-dropping altitude in his leaping
splits. “That’s great, though I’m always getting
typecast in dance as something like Puck…
the small guy.”
That doesn’t seem to bother the Philippinesborn
artist, who was raised in Los Angeles. He’s obviously ready to take
advantage of his abilities, and doesn’t complain about the things he cannot
change. Besides his incredible athleticism and artistic talent, his skills
include a strong bent for creative choreography. De La Cruz was recently
recognized by generous support from the New Essential Works (NEW)
Program of the Jerome Robbins Foundation. The NEW grant has made
his first work for a major company possible. The program was established
in part to provide opportunities for up-and-coming choreographers to
work with established companies, giving both parties the chance to
showcase new work to larger audiences.
When speaking about the NEW grant, ASFB artistic director Tom Mossbrucker
said, “The Jerome Robbins Foundation came to us several years
ago. Their director, Damian Woetzel called us about this new grant possibility.
The grant is by invitation only and he felt we were the type of company
he wanted to fund for their NEW (New Essential Works) program.
When Damien called us, at the time we didn’t have any choreographers
to fit the criteria. We wanted to find someone with talent who we could
nurture. Finding Norbert was especially thrilling for us because we knew
we had finally found the perfect fit.”
“At Juilliard, I liked movement,” De La Cruz remembered. “I liked improvisation.
Juilliard opened up some different styles I never knew. I was
doing choreography as well as dancing.” De La Cruz choreographed
a 12-minute presentation piece for six dancers for the Juilliard Senior
Showcase, which was attended by ASFB directors Tom Mossbrucker and
Jean-Philippe Malaty. They not only came: they returned for another performance.
“As a company, we try to look forward,” Mossbrucker said. “When I danced
with the Joffrey Ballet that was the case too- to seek out new choreographers.
When we saw Norbert’s work in the Juilliard Senior Showcase we
thought it was interesting, unique work.
Choreographer Norbert De La Cruz III in the studio
By Craig Smith
“When the part of the Jester for The Nutcracker opened up, we thought
Norbert would be great. Bringing him to perform in The Nutcracker was
a huge advantage. We could see him work, and talk to him about the
piece and he could meet the dancers ahead of time” said Mossbrucker.
Under the grant terms, beginning January 9th, De La Cruz has five weeks
to create, set, rehearse, and finalize the piece. Foundation staff or representatives
will come to rehearsals, the dress rehearsal, or a preview performance,
to evaluate the choreographer, the piece, and the process.
The official world premiere of the yet untitled piece will take place in St.
Louis, when Aspen Santa Fe Ballet will be presented by the renowned
Dance St. Louis on April 13 and 14. In addition to the NEW grant, the St.
Louis premiere has been generously funded by Dan Luedke in honor of
his wife, Dr. Susan Luedke. Aspen and Santa Fe audiences will see the
piece in preview on programs February 17 and 18, and March 16 and 17,
respectively.
“Since dance is a fast-paced world these days, you don’t want to waste
money or people or time,” De La Cruz said frankly. “If it’s successful, if they
like it, maybe it will tour, I’m very much praying for that.”
Jerome Robbins established the eponymous Foundation in 1958. Over
the years, it has funded both performing arts – especially dance and
theater – and projects associated with AIDS research and assistance. According
to Damien Woetzel, the program director, “the NEW Program was
established two years ago. It was founded in direct response to the economic
crisis in the belief that under the circumstances, a couple of negative
things were possibly going to occur in dance. One is basically the
inability for people to take a chance on new choreography, which would
lead to diminished creativity, and be hard on the field as a whole and on
the choreographers. Choreographers were not going to be able to show
new aspects of their work, or they would have less chance of having their
works mounted.”
(cont’d on page 6)
PHOTO: KATIE DEHLER
5

The second potential problem didn’t necessarily come out of economics
alone, though budget constraints allied with artistic considerations
always have an economic impact. This aspect is; what does dance lose
in terms of future repertoire possibilities, if a new work is mounted once
and then vanishes?
“The experience is, of watching choreographers from mainstream to ballet
to modern; you name it and work up a commissioned work only to
have it disappear,” Woetzel said. “You get it in other fields, too. Music, theater…”
Still, he acknowledged, “a commissioned work is a gamble. Looking
at the batting average, you see there’s a percentage game at work.
Some things come and go, and that’s the way it is. But we think some
deserve a second chance. So something is pioneered, and they can get a
second act. Over the past three years, NEW has given grants for 23 choreographers,
including Norbert, and a few others for this season and next
which are confirmed but not produced yet.”
When we spoke, De La Cruz was still in the early stages of thinking about
his commission. Asked what he might do, he answered simply, “It’s hard
PHOTO: KATIE DEHLER
to answer. The dancers are very strong, so I’m going to take advantage of
that technique. I can’t use them all because they have a heavy repertoire.
I want to use six or seven, I hope. It’s supposed to be a 23-minute piece,
which is a bit long. But if we give attention to subtlety and use our time
efficiently, 23 minutes should be fine.”
“I don’t know Norbert; I’ve never met him; but I’ve watched his work on
video and that introduced him to me,” Woetzel said. “The thought that
he could do a piece for ASFB was a great idea to me right off the bat. I’ve
enjoyed watching his dancing and it will be interesting to see him start
other things.”
“The program is meant to encourage development. Norbert is in a great
position. He’s not a beginner by any means. He’s on his way. We always
look for skill at all levels. What would this person want to do, what would
be their next logical step? He’s not a major choreographer yet; he’s not
worked with a professional company, and never used a big ensemble.
This is his opportunity.”
The costumer for De La Cruz’s work will be Austin Scarlett, Mossbrucker
6
said. “He was a finalist on the first season of Project Runway. We worked
with him once before when he did the costumes for one of Helen Pickett’s
ballets.” Music, of course, will come from De La Cruz, who has decided
he wants “nice, beautiful classical music” – specific pieces yet to be
determined, but most probably Baroque. “I will put it together and do
some switching around, so it’s not (just) a random mix.
“I’m using ballet vocabulary, but alienating it, skewing it, finding contrast
between human pedestrian movements and an exaggerated balletic,
classical vocabulary. It’s like when it’s time to perform and present and
to go over the top, and when it is time to be human and settle into your
skin and move simply.”
“I usually set some phrases in advance so we can have a side plan, a “plan
B”, if we need it. But what I like to do is play games, movement games.
Keep the dancers moving. To set movement, you have to have natural
movement impetus. You can’t stage someone to do something. For them
to do something, they must be reacting” – to music, a lighting change, or
another dancer.
De La Cruz III and ASFB dancers
Asked about communicating emotion and feeling
through movement, De La Cruz paused a
moment, his dark eyes reflective. “I’ve yet to
learn about that. But if a dancer feels emotion,
there doesn’t have to be the same motion every
single time the emotion is expressed.” And yet,
he’s convinced, “a piece needs an arc, or a circle.
The character has changed from beginning to
end, and that needs to be seen.”
“Still, it’s overwhelming. I try not to let it consume
me – but then the heart rate goes up. I’m
a very young dancer; the ASFB dancers are older
than me. But I don’t want to get pressured and I
don’t want them to feel pressured.
There seems small chance of De La Cruz letting
himself squash under pressure of any kind. Like
so many young performers these days in many
genres, he has evaluated his future opportunities
and challenges astutely. He’s preparing himself
to function well in many areas.
“I think young artists need to expand. I could
have just done ballet, or modern dance... maybe
commercial dance. They make so much money.
But I’m taking photography, and learning Photoshop,
and computer skills. You have to be involved
in other things, other forms of creation
today. Not just dance, or just music. You need to
be independent.”
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet will perform at the Aspen District Theatre on
February 17-18 at 7:30pm.
To purchase tickets in Aspen, call 970-920-5770
or go online: www.aspenshowtix.com
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet will perform at The Lensic, Santa Fe’s
Performing Arts Center on March 16-17 at 7:30pm.
To purchase tickets in Santa Fe, call 505-988-1234
or go online: www.ticketssantafe.org
For tickets to the premiere in St. Louis, please call 866-516-4949

ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET
ASPEN
ASFB NEWS WINTER 2012
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
February 17 - 18, 7:30pm
ENCORE! Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
March 24, 7:30pm
All shows take place at the Aspen District Theatre
Aspen Show Tickets 970-920-5770 or toll free 866-449-0464
PHOTO: ROSALIE O’CONNNOR
SANTA FE
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
March 16 - 17, 7:30pm
ENCORE! Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
April 17, 7:30pm
All shows take place at The Lensic, Santa Fe’s Performing Arts Center
Tickets Santa Fe at The Lensic 505-988-1234
w w w . a s p e n s a n t a f e b a l l e t . c o m
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet On Tour
February 17-18, Aspen, CO
March 16-17, Santa Fe, NM
March 20, Durango, CO
March 24, Aspen, CO
March 31, Kansas City, MO
April 7, Park City, UT
April 13-14, St. Louis, MO
April 17, Santa Fe, NM
OFFICIAL AIRLINE OF ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET
PHOTO: ROSALIE O’CONNNOR
PHOTO: SHAREN BRADFORD
For such a small, intimate
dance company, Aspen Santa Fe
Ballet has a colossal extended
family. Talented artists from
choreographers to dancers to
designers come into town for a
short time, work their collaborative
magic with the company, and
then part ways…but only until
next time. Sometimes it’s hard to
tell what ASFB does better: make
great friends or great art. Luckily
for all involved, the two are not
mutually exclusive. Once again,
ASFB has arranged a repeat collaboration
with a renowned costume
and fashion designer who
first dazzled us with costumes
he designed for the company
two years ago—Austin Scarlett,
best known as the flamboyant
first-season Project Runway finalist
and now a diverse designer
blending boundaries between
the fashion, theatre and dance
worlds. Having old friends revisit
is a perfect occasion for catching
up, and we were delighted for a
chance to hear about everything Austin has been up to lately.
Austin is everywhere at the moment: in Aspen to work on the new Norbert
De La Crux III commission (made possible by a grant from the Jerome
Robbins Foundation) and currently appearing on Project Runway All
Stars on Lifetime. ASFB Executive Director Jean-Philippe Malaty explains
that Austin’s great understanding of drama and making a statement on
stage makes him a good match for an innovative young choreographer.
“Austin is forward-thinking and understands movement very well, “ Jean-
Philippe says. “And we really enjoyed working with him the last time.”
The sentiment is echoed by Austin, who says he was delighted to be
coming back to be a part of the ASFB family again. “In the creative world,
there are people you respect and want to work with because you admire
their work, but they may not necessarily be pleasant to be around,”
Austin muses. “Then there is Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, headed by two such
completely sweet, generous individuals that it resonates throughout the
whole company. Working with ASFB is the best of both worlds—they are
a beautiful group of talented people.”
While Austin is known as the evening gown maestro in Project Runway
circles, a master of sophisticated couture creations, the talented designer
is not content to rest on his high-fashion laurels. Instead, he finds theatrical
design—and especially dance—uniquely exciting and challenging.
“I’m not satisfied doing just one thing,” he says. “As much as I love the
couture side of design, I really love the creativity of theatre.”
Where else would a fashion designer have the opportunity to create a
Jean Cocteau-inspired unicorn costume for a dancer, complete with
a sculpted headpiece and flowing mane, as he did last summer for the
Greenwich Music Festival? Or sheer body stockings with a rubberized
treatment to be worn by human “sculptures” in the Metropolitan Museum
of Art’s American Sculpture Court?
“That was really a challenge,” Austin explains about the Museum’s first
Project Runway mentor Joanna Coles looks over one of Austin Scarlett’s ideas
Family Ties
By Gretchen Hayduk Wroblewski
commission of a performance to be staged amongst the artwork, “because
Shen Wei (the Chinese choreographer best-known for choreographing
the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics) wanted the
dancers to look completely nude, yet the concept of the piece required
the audience to walk among the dancers, so they had to be well covered.”
Austin mentions several times that he loves collaborating in general, but
especially with dance companies. “Dancers have such beautiful, graceful
bodies that it’s a delight to watch how they move. And dancers communicate
well about what their technical needs are. I like that challenge—to
push yourself both technically and creatively—it can be very fulfilling.”
The collaboration process sometimes begins long before a dancer’s
foot ever touches the floor. Meetings between the choreographer and
designer about the vision for the piece help the designer come up with
initial sketches of ideas for the costumes. “It’s about getting inside the
choreographer’s mind,” Austin says. “Sometimes he knows what he wants
but doesn’t exactly spell it out. Then it’s up to you to interpret it for yourself
in order to hopefully realize his vision.”
While every dance piece is different, Austin agrees with the general consensus
that costumes should highlight the dancer’s bodies and movement.
He says that as the costume designer you have to be aware of that
focus on the dancer and never let the costumes themselves be the center
of attention. That said, a simple design can still be incredibly beautiful,
especially on a dancer’s body. “Even within keeping the design simple,
there are so many subtle little nuances you can do to make it special,”
he notes, “like exaggerating the luminosity of the fabric to capture the
gracefulness of movement and showcase the dancers’ bodies.”
Austin believes that by working in the field of costume design with a
fashion designer’s perspective, he may have a better handle on the current
direction of fashion and therefore be able to offer a fresher approach
(cont’d on page 10)
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to costuming. The costumes he is currently working on for the new ASFB
commission, for example, will be very body conscious, “more urban, with
a street wear feel.” At this point, the new ballet has not yet been rehearsed
with the dancers, but Austin has already held preliminary conceptual
meetings with the choreographer, made some sketches, and is working
on initial prototypes. The preliminary concept revolves around corsetinspired
high-waisted pants for the men and bustier tops for the women.
Of course, in the process of “making it work,” everything may change before
audiences see the first performance in February.
“I feel so fortunate to be able to work in both fashion and the performing
arts,” Austin says. His interest in dance traces back to a broad exposure of
the art form at an early age by a mother who briefly studied with the San
Francisco Ballet. “It’s exciting to be involved with a production—getting
to hang out with the dancers and be a part of the performance—I get to
see first-hand how passionate they are about their art. They are so selfless,
so disciplined. I have a tremendous sense of respect for them.”
Perhaps the secret behind ASFB’s close ties with its repertoire of guest
artists lies in the shared sensibilities it has with these collaborators. Austin’s
reverence for the artistic process and his appreciation at being able
to work in a field that he loves sound like sentiments the company itself
might express. “When life gives you blessings and opportunities, it’s
all the more important to do the best you can do,” he says, “and to push
yourself toward excellence at all times.”
Project Runway All Stars is airing now on Lifetime, Thursdays at 7pm MST
10
You are invited to a
WINTER DINNER
at the home of
Artist Jody Guralnick & Artist/Architect Michael Lipkin
411 South Seventh Street, Aspen, CO
Thursday, February 23 rd
5:30pm
This evening will feature a gourmet dinner
created by Bruce Berger and Michael
Lipkin with a performance by the children
of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Folklórico and
live mariachi music by Sol de mi Tierra.
$1,000 per person $850 tax deductible
Proceeds from this evening will benefit
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Folklórico
To RSVP or to make a donation in lieu of attendance,
contact Zander Higbie, 970-925-7175, ext. 105
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s Mexican folk dance outreach
program, Folklórico, was established to provide the Roaring
Fork Valley’s Latino children a free, after-school arts program.
Folklórico uses folk dance as a tool to inspire self-esteem
and personal excellence. Directed by Francisco Nevarez-
Burgueño, this program now positively impacts the lives of
children, grades 1-12, in Basalt and Carbondale public schools.
Over 2,000 public school children attended special performances
of The Nutcracker in Santa Fe, Aspen, and Omaha. For many,
this was their first time experiencing a live dance performance. These
free performances were generously underwritten by Kelli and Allen
Questrom and The Melville Hankins Family Foundation, with additional
support from The Lensic and Santa Fe Public Schools’ PASS program in
Santa Fe. Before the end of the academic year, ASFB will offer four more
free performances in our home towns, reaching an additional 2,200 Santa
Fe and Aspen elementary and middle school students.
“From the moment the lights go down and the little twinkle lights fly around
the theater to the closing dances of the sugar plum fairy, the children are utterly
enthralled by the magic of this performance. The response from teachers
has been overwhelming. After this year’s performance I received hundreds
of letters and pictures from students and teachers thanking the Aspen
Santa Fe Ballet for bringing ‘The Nutcracker‘ to them. “
Amy Suma
Santa Fe Public Schools Arts Education Coordinator
“It was delightful to watch the children stare at the dancers on stage without
moving a muscle and then later try spinning on their toes as they walked
back to the bus. It was truly one of the best gifts they could have had this
Christmas.”
Penny McDill
Principal, Glenwood Springs Elementary
ASFB NEWS WINTER 2012

If The Shoe Fits
By Stewart Oksenhorn
article originally published in The Aspen Times
Upon entering Assemblé Dancewear
in Castle Rock, proprietor Noel Amend
noted that my 12-year-old ballerina, Olivia, had
arrived with her hair in a meticulous bun.
“Bun?” I wondered. “I thought you were fitting her
for shoes.”
Amend laughed. “You’re buying a system,” he
said. “I need to see the whole dancer.”
That whole system is familiar to scores of girls in
the School of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet who graduate
to dancing en pointe — and thus require a trip
to Castle Rock (or, if they prefer an even longer
drive, to Colorado Springs, where Assemblé has
its 4,000-square-foot showroom) to have Amend
fit them for toe shoes. Sure, there may be pointe
shoes closer than a four-plus-hour drive (six-plus
when it’s during the first snowstorm in a month
— thank you, weather gods), but the Aspen Santa
Fe Ballet school strongly recommends Assemblé.
Plus, the long trip heightens the sense of importance.
Hannah Small, Olivia Oksenhorn and Daryl Grob put their pointe shoes on for class.
Even if Assemblé were as close as the Aspen
Business Center, though, the experience would
have the feel of a rite of passage. Amend is a
240-pound, 58-year-old Denver Nuggets fanatic in a baseball cap whose
friendliness is balanced by a complete air of competence. (It doesn’t hurt
that his reputation precedes him.) He did his first shoe-fitting in 1978.
“July, 1978,” he specifies. Then he gets into “the system” — a nearly twohour
session that is a combination ballet class, medical exam and advanced
lecture on neuromusculature with some personal-improvement
life coaching thrown in. Surrounded by walls of dance shoes, we get an
education in spacers, shanks, sickling and shoes, both Russian and Japanese.
“So why is a guy who looks like he should be driving a truck fitting pointe
shoes?” Amend asks (saving me the trouble). His wife, Ginger, who runs
the Colorado Springs shop, was a dancer who was put en pointe too
young and got deformed feet.
“She didn’t have a guy like me fitting her. She got her shoes through the
mail,” Amend said, which made me shiver.
The Oksenhorns got another shiver when Amend, assessing Olivia’s feet,
stance and movement, mentioned that we might be headed back to
Aspen without pointe shoes. I was nearly crushed, but Olivia took it in
stride. Later she informed me that every girl is told the same thing. She
got her shoes — Grishkos, made of paste, burlap and satin — and floated
out the door.
Next came the hard part — waiting three days till her next ballet class.
Olivia could hardly wait 10 minutes, begging us to let her put her shoes
on in the car (strictly against Amend’s orders; shoes must be put on only
when sitting on the floor). The next day, my wife signed Olivia up for a
class early in the week so her toe-dancing career could begin two days
ahead of schedule.
I get the feeling the trip through Denver and down Interstate 25 is going
to become familiar — and that I’ll get to know even more about Noel
Amend.
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Board member Jay Lerner and his wife Bobette graciously
opened their Omaha home for a holiday party celebrating the ballet’s
second year of Nutcracker performances.
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6
3
7
Board Member Billy Stolz and the Caribou Club graciously hosted
a special holiday National Council party the week before Christmas.
Following a three week run of The Nutcracker in Santa Fe, Omaha and
Aspen, it was wonderful to reconnect with our Board, National Council
members, and patrons before the busy holiday season began.
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10
5
1. National Council members Tat and Bobbie
Hillman.
2. Executive Director Jean-Philippe Malaty
and National Council member Gary Tarna.
3. Board members Mike Hauger and Betty
Gates.
4. National Council members Linda Bedell
and Bunni and Paul Copaken.
5. Board members Mona Look-Mazza and
Helen Klanderud.
6. Dancer Samantha Klanac Campanile and
Les Dames Director Christine Gerschel.
7. National Council president Esther Pearlstone
(center) with Sandra Burnham Wells
and Alexandra Becker.
8. National Council member Toby Lewis
and her daughter in law Melonie Lewis.
9. Dancers Katherine Bolaños, Katie Dehler,
Craig Black and National Council member
Bobette Lerner.
10. Dancers and staff with Jay and Bobette
Lerner (center).
8
ASFB NEWS WINTER 2012

Spotlight: Craig Black
A self-professed city boy at heart, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s
newest dancer, Craig Black, said many of his friends wondered how he
would transition to life in a small town, but Craig is enchanted with his
new home in Aspen and has thoroughly enjoyed exploring sister city
Santa Fe. Craig joins the Company as a recent graduate from The Julliard
School where he was awarded the 2010 Princess Grace Award in Dance
and the 2011 Lorna Strassler Award for Student Excellence. He danced
throughout his middle and high school years at his home in the Bay Area,
and has attended summer dance programs at Jacob’s Pillow and Nederlands
Dans Theater Summer Intensive.
Q: Once you started dance classes at age ten, you never really
stopped, but what made you take that first class?
CB: It’s actually a pretty funny story. I was over at a friend’s house, and his
older sister, who took ballet lessons at the local dance center, was practicing
for an upcoming performance. I started making fun of her, you know
imitating her to get a laugh from my friend, and she stopped and said,
“You’re actually pretty good at that. You should try out for The Nutcracker
next year. We always need boys.” I laughed it off, but the next summer
came around and I was looking for something to do because my dad said
I couldn’t just stay in the house playing video games, so I figured maybe
I’d take some dance lessons. And that’s how it started.
Q: What profession would you like to pursue if you weren’t a
dancer?
CB: Some sort of a chef. Really, a baker—I love baking. I’d love to own my
own bakery.
Q: So have you done some baking for ASFB?
CB: Yeah, when I first got here, I called my mom to get one of her cookie
recipes and made a few batches and brought them in. I guess they were
pretty good—they keep telling me I need to bring in more cookies!
Q: What is your favorite place in the world?
CB: After being in school there, I’d have to say New York is one of my favorite
places. There’s just something about New York that isn’t like any
place else. I really miss it. And if I had to pick a second choice, it would
be Paris.
Q: If you were given a month of free time and an unlimited budget,
what “cause” would you like to spend it on?
CB: This is a good question. It will probably sound cliché, but I would have
to say some sort of arts program for underprivileged children. I’ve done
some teaching, student teaching with programs that offer dance classes
for kids who are interested in dance but can’t afford lessons. It gives
them a chance to do something physical and relate to other people in
the process. It lets them express themselves in a way they wouldn’t otherwise
have the opportunity to. I really like the approach of the people I’ve
taught with—to try to be open and let the kids do whatever they want
to in the studio. These are kids who might come in thinking that it’s too
hard or that you have to have a perfect body, but then they realize that
it makes them feel better and that they’re having a good time. It allows
them to become comfortable with themselves in a way that also lets everyone
else in the class open up.
Q; How would you like to see yourself fifty years from now?
CB: Always involved with the arts and especially dancing. Maybe some
sort of director or teacher…in New York or back home in San Francisco,
or maybe in some European city. And I’d have a family by then. I guess
that’s basically it!
Q: What is your favorite sight in the world?
CB: This is hard! I would probably have to say the Golden Gate Bridge.
Even though I’m actually from San Jose, San Francisco is very close by
and I spent a lot of time going there when I was growing up, so the sight
of the bridge really reminds me I’m home. And of course, the New York
cityscape, driving in from JFK or La Guardia, is always nice.
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PHOTO: KATIE DEHLER
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ASFB NEWS WINTER 2012

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