Tag "ballet master"

  • Interview with James Jordan Part 2

    12-02-2014 Audio Interview

    In the second half our interview James Jordan describes the way the “flow” returned. How again – unexpectedly – he was called by Todd Bolender to return to the Kansas City Ballet Company as its ballet master and how he worked to grow into that role which he held for 23 years. This year James will be Honorary Chair of the Company’s Black Tie Gala, staging the last performance of Bolender’s Nutcracker and receiving its Pirouette Award and the thanks of a grateful company for his extraordinary 30 years of service. He explains that, fearing that the ballets of Anthony Tudor would be lost, he spent his own money to follow Donald Mahler, Senior Repetiteur of Tudor’s Ballets, so he could learn and document the ballet’s as Mahler staged them around the country. In this interview he also explains how he became ballet master for the Sarasota Ballet Company and describes its next ballet; Sir Frederick Ashton’s La Fille Mal Gardee, and talks in detail about the process of putting a ballet together with its score.

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  • Interview with James Jordan Part 1 re-run

    11-18-2014 Interview

    Re-run of Part one. James Jordan had no particular interest in dance until, at 17, having decided to check out a dance class being given in his small town, he took his first dance lesson. From then on a series of unplanned, unexpected and serendipitous events lead him inextricably to the life he was clearly meant to live; as a dancer and a ballet master. He was recruited by Todd Bolender to be part of the fledgling Kansas City Ballet Company where he was a member for 7 years. In the first half of our interview listen to this charming man describe how he followed the “flow” and what happened when the “flowing” stopped. Also hear him describe what a ballet master does and preview Sarasota’s upcoming ballet.

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  • Interview with James Jordan Part 1

    12-18-2014 Interview

    Although James Jordan had no particular interest in dance, when he heard about a dance class given in his small town he decided to check it out and at 17 (very old to begin ballet) James took his first dance lesson. From then on a series of unplanned, unexpected and serendipitous events lead him inextricably to the life he was clearly meant to live. Listen to this charming, self-deprecating man talk about what a ballet master does, describe the meandering way he wound up with as ballet master at Sarasota Ballet, and what Sarasota Ballet has in store.

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