Ballets with a Twist

Twist Ingredient of the Week: Mood Lighting *** Our resident rabble-rouser, Boilermaker, has been known to take up arms at the drop of a hat. He doesn’t need sensational lights or a camera to barrel into action but he certainly won’t shy away from either!... *** Photo of Boilermaker by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistingredients

Twist Ingredient of the Week: Mood Lighting *** Crafting the right theatrical atmosphere can be a tricky business. But the true spirit of Cocktail Hour: The Show always shines through when lighting guru Dan Hansell and production maverick Gary Echelmeyer are in the house. Under their expert care, our Pink Lady sparkles to the very pink of perfection!... *** Photo of Pink Lady by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistingredients

Twist Ingredient of the Week: Beautiful Blooms *** One of the world’s most celebrated blossoms has its day in the month of May, as does one of the country’s most iconic spring cocktails and both are key Kentucky Derby ingredients. As our lady of Louisville demonstrates in her choice of headwear, Mint Juleps go hand-in-hand with the Run for the Roses... not to mention the race for romance!... *** Photo of Mint Julep by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistingredients #kentuckyderby

Twist Ingredient of the Week: Beautiful Blooms *** We're celebrating International Dance Day with a good millinery mystery. Both beguiling and bewildering, the hair blooms enhancing our Mojito costumes defy identification. Not even designer Catherine Zehr can name them!... *** Photo of Mojito by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistingredients #internationaldanceday

Twist Ingredient of the Week: Beautiful Blooms *** Flowers appear in many incarnations throughout Cocktail Hour: The Show, and thanks to costume designer Catherine Zehr, they are perennially at their peak. Bursting with sculptural orchids, velvet botanical discs, and carefully cultivated sequin florets, the headpieces for our Singapore Sling are veritable bouquets of beauty.... *** Photo of Singapore Sling by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistingredients

Twist Ingredient of the Week: Fascinating Rhythms *** A time signature is more than just the pulse of a musical piece; it can set the entire tone. This rings particularly true in composer Steve Gaboury's score for our Caipirinha, which combines overlapping rhythms and contrasting tempos to create the quintessential Carnival mood ... *** Photo of Caipirinha by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistingredients

Twist Ingredient of the Week: Dreams *** Dreams flow throughout Cocktail Hour: The Show, though for the ladies (and lord) of our White Russian, reveries tend to focus in the reverse. Historians to the core, they're perfectly content to reminisce on their former glories while getting their beauty rest. It’s not that they dislike the here and now they just prefer the there and then!... *** Photo of White Russian by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistingredients

As is our custom, we’re closing out the year with a Champagne toast. But when we asked our Blanc de Blancs beauties and beaus if they’d like to have the last word, they declined! Instead, they silently smiled and raised their glasses, bidding 2020 a crisp goodbye, and welcoming 2021 with sparkling eyes. From the tips of our toes to the tops of our hats, we’re wishing a happy New Year to one and all! Photo of Champagne by Nico Malvaldi... #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #spiritsoftheseason2020 See more

Rain, shine, snowstorm, or global health crisis, our Manhattan never misses a stroll with her canine sidekick, Bristol. As a new year looms, she raises a cherry-topped toast to her beloved hometown: What a year this has been! Bristol and I haven’t missed a walk once, but my, how things have changed... For starters, we’ve accrued quite the impressive collection of face masks (one to match every outfit, of course), and we’ve become pros at keeping our distance from curious kid...s, dogged joggers, and other promenading pooches. In spite of the sometimes challenging circumstances, though, one thing remains clear as a crystal coupe glass: Now more than ever, we love NYC! Photo of Manhattan by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #spiritsoftheseason2020

Our lovely Hot Toddy ladies are determined to enjoy the holidays, even under the sourest of circumstances. Here, two former foes a street-smart flapper and a high-society dame explain how the spirit of this particular season has brought them together: We’ll be the first to own that when we met, we were not fast friends. One of us was all sugar, the other all spice, and we were after the same man. However, having discovered through the grapevine that he’s been carrying on... with BOTH of us... Well, we’re getting even the best way we know how: by crashing his virtual New Year’s Eve party at the same time! He won’t know what hit him but everyone else certainly will! Photo of Hot Toddy by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #spiritsoftheseason2020

What’s the key to killing it on the holiday concert circuit? A committed, uncompromising companion! And maybe a bit of a gimmick, too. The dueling piano duo behind our Scotch on the Rachmaninoff celebrates another season of singular success: We considered forgoing our customary December concert series this year, but in the end, we just couldn’t stand the thought of disappointing our fans. (Also, neither of us wanted to be the first to throw in the towel.) So, we’ve been maki...ng the virtual performance rounds for weeks now, and we’re thrilled at the chance to spread our good cheer, generous spirits, and brilliant seasonal song selections to a broader audience than usual. We did end up taking a few blows from critics who feel that our ‘standard schtick’ has gotten old, but we haven’t any idea what they’re talking about. We don’t do ‘schtick.’ We are serious artists and we’ve only improved with age! Photo of Scotch on the Rachmaninoff by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #spiritsoftheseason2020

Word has it that there was a mix-up at a provincial French post office this month and the residents of our Eau de Vie enclave have been relying on the rumor mill ever since! Fortunately, a pair of benevolent spies have had their eyes on the situation, and they’re happy to report that it’s nearly sorted out: As a general rule, secrets flow like water around here, but the last few weeks have been absolute madness. Dorothée’s letter from Nicolas was switched with Marguerite’s... from André, sending Dorothée into a terrible fury, while Claire’s message to Alexandre seems to have been lost entirely. The poor dear was positively crushed! And that’s just an extract from the whole thorny saga. Though this has been a distasteful ordeal, our efforts to untangle it all have been fruitful. We do hope to have every missive in its proper place by New Year’s Eve! Photo of Eau de Vie by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #spiritsoftheseason2020

Who says summer is a breeze? The June 2018 presentation of Cocktail Hour: The Show at the White Plains Performing Arts Center may have felt like a cinch for one Ballets with a Twister, but others recall a rougher ride! Looking back, I'm realizing that the White Plains program was really tough. Staging the debut of the Soirée Suite Pink Lady, Lemon Drop, and Swimming Pool would have been challenging enough. But we also brought Margarita, which hadn't been performed in sev...eral years because it calls for a trio of advanced young ballet students, and Mint Julep, which is a little less demanding for the children involved, but is quite an undertaking for the company members. And to top it all off, there was Eau de Vie, a complicated classical ensemble piece. This show took a lot of work, but it went so well! Artistic Director Marilyn Klaus ----- White Plains is just north of NYC. As much as I enjoy traveling with the company, I really like it when we have bookings within driving distance of our home base in Manhattan because I don’t have to box up the costumes and props for long-haul shipping. It's easier to transport everything in a van, and it saves so much effort on both ends in terms of packing and unpacking. Plus, I can start cleaning the costumes the day after the show, which is exciting for me! Another bonus in this case: The theater was located in a multi-level mall. It was great. When we had a break during tech, I went shopping something I NEVER have time to do! Costume Designer Catherine Zehr ----- "The show at White Plains PAC was my very first performance with Ballets with a Twist! In addition to dancing in three very different group pieces Singapore Sling, Eau de Vie, and Holy Water I got to do the solo Pink Lady. It is a challenging piece, so I was pretty nervous, but I ended up having so much fun being out on that stage!" Soloist Haley Neisser Photo of Singapore Sling by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistory2020

How do we love thee, Delray? Let us count the ways! Repeat engagements are always a treat, and our two trips to Florida’s Crest Theatre at Old School Square were no exception. Ballets with a Twist team members report on this pair of superb performances: Our Old School Square engagements stand out in my mind for the wildlife... In 2018, we welcomed a surprise guest artist in the shape of a lizard! The little guy put a South Florida spin on Manhattan when he ran across the s...tage in front of the dancer’s prop pet puppy, Bristol. When we returned nearly two years later, we offered up a holiday edition of Cocktail Hour: The Show, complete with a lighted pink tree, stylishly wrapped gifts, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Zombie. No Christmas is complete without an undead reindeer! Artistic Director Marilyn Klaus ----- One of the coolest things about both of our Delray Beach shows was the audience. We were over a thousand miles from our hometown, yet so many of our friends from NYC, California, and other parts of Florida showed up! Bringing the Rum Runner Suite down there in 2018 felt special, too, because it was the perfect setting. And these trips were also great winter escapes for the dancers, who somehow managed to get in plenty of beach and pool time in spite of our packed schedule. Composer Steve Gaboury ----- I was thrilled to head to Florida last December! Since our performance was just before the holidays, there was a HUGE tree made completely out of lights behind the theater. It gave Old School Square a magical, festive feel, and it was the perfect backdrop for a post-show photo with all of us in our Holy Water costumes. We were shining just as bright as the tree! Morgan (Stinnett) had a group photo from the first tour the company made to Delray Beach on his phone, and one day, we stopped on the sidewalk to recreate it. I was a new Twister at the time, so it was a special experience to be included in that 'now vs. then' moment. Soloist Jennifer Hite Photo of Holy Water by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistory2020

A centennial celebration demands a grand entrance and that’s just what Ballets with a Twist delivered at Augusta’s Imperial Theatre in 2018! Here, our composer, costume designer, and savviest canine wrangler recall highlights from our visit to the historic venue: Our engagement in Augusta kicked off the Imperial’s 100th anniversary season, and the energy in the theater was amazing especially when the Academy of Richmond County’s Purple Pride Marching Band stormed down th...e aisles playing Brandy Alexander at the top of the show! I had arrived in Georgia ahead of the company to work with the students, and I was so impressed with their dedication and enthusiasm. With a little logistical guidance from Director Justin Morris, we were able to fit them on stage with the dancers. Their purple, gold, and white uniforms looked sensational under the venue’s new lighting system, and the crowd went nuts over the performance! Composer Steve Gaboury ----- The glorious Imperial Theatre had a really nice, accommodating stage crew. I sat in the back of the house with some of them during dress rehearsal, and we had fun critiquing my costumes together. I got some wonderful feedback, which I love! I always want to know how I can improve something. During my down time, I was able to visit a famous local clothing/costume shop called Vintage Ooollee. Owner Caren Dorn Bricker gave me the royal tour of the place, and I bought a classic creamy white faux fur jacket to use in our show in the future. If you're ever in Augusta, stop by this treasure trove! Costume Designer Catherine Zehr ----- I love to dance in older theaters, where my performance is inevitably infused with a sense of history. During our show at the Imperial Theatre, however, my deep connection to the past may have invited a playful ghost to wreak havoc on a prop! In Manhattan, I dance with Bristol, an adorable bowtied dog who sits obediently upon four wheels. He and I have quite a good relationship by now, but on this particular occasion, no sooner had I taken my first three steps than one of his wheels flew off! I had to get through the entire dance with a lopsided dog. Nothing like this had EVER happened before, and Bristol has been around for quite a while. To me, the clear explanation was the mischievous spirit of a performer past! Soloist Claire Mazza Photo of Manhattan by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistory2020

For Ballets with a Twist, nothing says holiday season like a sweet melody... and a seriously funky beat! Scroll on for the festive tale of our guest appearance in Everett Bradley’s 2017 edition of Holidelic at Manhattan’s Highline Ballroom: In 2014, Everett Bradley who has sung for Ballets with a Twist saw the company present Brandy Alexander backed by a full marching band during Cyndi Lauper's Home for the Holidays benefit. Some time later, he approached me about join...ing in on his own outrageous seasonal spectacular, Holidelic. When we finally made it happen in 2017, he was so committed to working with us that he came all the way up to NYC from DC, where he was performing at the time, to rehearse with the dancers. We’d love to do it again. Composer Steve Gaboury ----- If ever there was a triple-threat, Everett Bradley is it. That man can MOVE. He’s been on Broadway numerous times, and he seems to have as much dance in his soul as he does music. When it comes to ballet, he knows his stuff, and he requested that I choreograph something along the lines of the famous pas de quatre from ‘Swan Lake.’ I ended up remixing a movement phrase I had been creating on the company for another piece, and it worked beautifully. The icing on the cake was that Everett’s huge, white, Christmas light-laced wig coordinated perfectly with the dancers’ romantic tutus and faux-fur stoles! Artistic Director Marilyn Klaus ----- It was such a blast to share the Highline Ballroom stage with Everett Bradley and his band. Everett made quite the addition as the fifth 'little' swan in our Holidelic riff on ‘Danse des Petits Cygnes.’ He was a quick study and stole the show in platform go-go boots no less! as we performed to the tune of ‘Sugar Rump Fairies,’ his cheeky spin on the Tchaikovsky ‘Nutcracker’ classic. ‘There’s nothing sweeter...!!!’ Soloist Amy Gilson Photo by Vane Teran #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistory2020

A cocktail conference, an architectural adventure, an evening under the star(light)s... Just your standard Ballets with a Twist tour itinerary! As company members recount, our 2017 trek to Crystal Lake, IL, for an engagement at Raue Center for the Arts was quite an active affair: The Raue Center was really lovely, and our performance went well, but the highlight of this tour for me was the opportunity to rehearse Cuba Libre which is normally a duet as an ensemble piece.... Since it was Nutcracker season, there were no rental studios available in the area. We lucked out with the manager of our hotel, however, who graciously allowed us to use a large conference room. Though it was carpeted and there were no mirrors, we got so much accomplished. When it came time for us to take the stage at New York’s Beacon Theatre a few weeks later, we were ready. Artistic Director Marilyn Klaus ----- The Raue trip was really significant for me because Marilyn shuttled the company down to Chicago for a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's Oak Park Home and Studio following our performance. Before going to fashion design school, I majored in Art History in college, and I took classes in architecture while I was there. Of course, studying buildings in books and seeing them in person are very different experiences. I love the theaters and our shows, but some of our side excursions are just as exciting! Costume Designer Catherine Zehr ----- I remember our trip to the Raue Center both because it was my second show with the company and because the theater was so charming! There were star-like lights in the ceiling above the seats and Spanish-style details throughout the building. When performing in a unique space, you feed off the energy that it gives you. It helps make that specific performance truly one of a kind! Soloist Meg Hoshor Photo of Caipirinha by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistory2020

Sometimes, the middle of nowhere is the best place to be! Florence, OR, may lie off the beaten path, but it is one of the most beautiful places Ballets with a Twist has been and the 2017 Seacoast Entertainment Association presentation of Cocktail Hour: The Show at the Florence Events Center sparked some of our most marvelous memories: Our Florence trip was fantastic on many counts, but the grooviest part of it all was the pre-show talk I was asked to deliver to ticket-hold...ers. It was an informal, unscripted rundown on each of the dances we had programmed for the evening, and everyone in the room seemed interested. But the real reward came once the performance got underway: More so than any audience we’ve had, these people GOT IT, laughing at all the inside jokes revealed during the talk and clapping enthusiastically throughout. The Seacoast community is very tight knit, and by the time we left, we felt that we’d been welcomed in. Artistic Director Marilyn Klaus ----- Another wonderful trip to Oregon! We landed in Portland, then rented passenger vans to transport the company and crew to Florence, a few hours south. Marilyn asked the drivers to follow the coastline, and I must say that the scenery was spectacular. We stopped for lunch along the water and got to smell the sea air. Later, as I was walking from the hotel to the venue, I noticed a road marking that read, ‘Leaving Tsunami Zone.’ I thought, ‘Our hotel is in a tsunami zone?!? I will be sleeping at the theater, thank you!’ Costume Designer Catherine Zehr ----- Not only was this my first performance with Ballets with a Twist, it was also my very first time visiting Oregon! This tour was, by far, my favorite with the company, and I absolutely fell in love with Florence. The people there were incredibly receptive and welcoming. On our day off, we took a few dance photos at the beach during the most gorgeous sunset, with the lighthouse next to us. It was so picturesque. I became intrigued with lighthouses after that, and when I got home, I told my wife that we would plan an overnight anniversary date inside one! I haven't been able to make that happen just yet, but I'm working on it. Soloist/Unrivaled Romantic Nickemil Concepcion Photo of Martini by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistory2020

The founders of the Colorado Chautauqua likely raised a glass or two amidst the majestic mountain scenery upon the landmark’s opening in 1898. Little did they know that a dance company from NYC would be raising a toast of a different type on the site 99 years later! The pioneering artists of Ballets with a Twist compare notes on the 2017 presentation of Cocktail Hour: The Show at the Chautauqua Auditorium: Our trip to Boulder felt a bit like a family reunion. Soloist Seth Iv...es is from Denver, so his relatives and friends came, and several other company members also invited people they knew in the area. I was particularly delighted to have two of our former dancers in the audience, and my dad’s fabulous wife. When we were in talks about a booking at this historic venue, we were told that there were no bathrooms in the theater itself, that changing space was limited, and that lighting would be minimal all red flags for a ballet performance. But I really wanted to go... and it turned out to be a fabulous show! Artistic Director Marilyn Klaus ----- The Chautauqua Auditorium had a ‘natural air conditioning’ feature, meaning that the walls opened up to the outside. Though this would have been nice under normal summer circumstances, the weather turned unexpectedly cold the day after we arrived in Boulder. It was freezing in the evenings. The audience didn’t seem to mind, however, because we got a lot of laughs and cheers. The low temps also made for great hiking conditions, and nearly everyone in the company hit the trails the day after the show. I will never forget those gorgeous mountain vistas. Composer Steve Gaboury ----- "I'm from Colorado, but I never imagined I would dance at the Chautauqua. Though our show was in late June, it was chilly, to say the least, and particularly so backstage. All day, we huddled in groups around small space heaters, even coordinating costume changes with systematic stops in front of them just to stay nimble for rehearsals. Fortunately, we managed to adjust to this added measure for our performance, and by the time we hit the stage, we knew we were ready to show the Chautauqua what we're made of." Soloist Seth Ives Photo of Mojito by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistory2020

Holiday shopping might be a virtual experience this year, but we know right where we’re headed! Saks Fifth Avenue and Ballets with a Twist have partnered on several spectacular occasions. Here, the team recollects our 2016 and 2019 collaborations with the iconic luxury retailer: Of all the relationships we've built over the years, our partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue has been one of the most meaningful to me. As a child growing up in LA, I remember visiting the Beverly Hil...ls location with my parents, and being in awe of the elegant space. I felt the same way about the flagship when I moved to NYC in my twenties. Bringing my company to perform at two of the stores the art deco-inspired Chicago site and the contemporary lower Manhattan outpost was an indescribable experience. Both events took a lot of planning, but they were worth every minute. Artistic Director Marilyn Klaus ----- It was a treat to see our colorful Caipirinha costumes in the modern, bright white environment of the Saks at Brookfield Place during the holidays a few years ago. A couple of the ladies' outfits even ended up on mannequins! The last time I had something on display at Saks was right after I graduated from FIT. I was designing cover-ups for a swimwear brand, and they appeared in both the store catalogue and the Fifth Avenue flagship. It was exciting! Costume Designer Catherine Zehr ----- "I used to live in Chicago, and I really loved being back there and being at Saks with no customers around! Other than the small private event crowd, we had the whole place to ourselves. We had so much fun dancing in the aisles, going up and down the escalators, feeling glamorous in our Champagne dresses... The whole thing was filmed, including our stroll on the sidewalk in front of the store. It was quite cold, but so awesome!" Soloist Haley Neisser Photo of Saks Champagne by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistory2020

A photo may be worth a thousand words, but a wonderful photographer is priceless... Read on for Ballets with a Twist’s remembrances of a fine fall day, a spirited premiere, and an incomparable camerawoman at Westchester Community College, in 2016: My memory of Westchester Community College is bittersweet. It marked the debut of Rumrunner a trio of dances including Mojito, Cuba Libre, and Caipirinha which was a milestone. Cuba Libre had been programmed a few times on its ...own, but Caipirinha had been staged only once, and Mojito was entirely new. Presented together, the three pieces closed out the evening with a fabulous energy. But this also turned out to be the last of our performances photographed by Darial Sneed, with whom we had fallen in love when she first shot one of our shows five years before. She passed away in 2018, and we had the chance to meet her beautiful family at the memorial. We are forever grateful to have known her! Artistic Director Marilyn Klaus ----- This gig felt like a whirlwind to me, probably because we were so close to home that we did all the loading in and loading out within 48 hours. It was a good show, though, because we had a lot of local support in the audience. Dancer Kimberly Giannelli lives in Westchester, so a bunch of her friends and family showed up, and our NYC fan base was out in full force. We were also able to have Marilyn’s nephew and his girlfriend film the performance. They did such a great job! Composer Steve Gaboury ----- "Our Westchester show was in early November, and it was beautiful outside. Several of us had been stuck in the city for a while, so during a break after rehearsal, we went for a walk around the campus, which was filled with incredible trees in blazing red, orange, and yellow. It was so calm and relaxing to wander through such a gorgeous place before we performed." Soloist Morgan Stinnett Photo of Cuba Libre by Darial Sneed #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistory2020

Every adventure is grist to the mill and sometimes, the grist mill IS the adventure! In the late 1930s, a band of enterprising artists converted Pennsylvania’s New Hope Mills into Bucks County Playhouse. Decades later, in 2016, Ballets with a Twist transformed the theater into a dance cocktail cabaret for a weekend run to remember: Our Playhouse engagement was marvelous for many reasons, not the least of which was the charm of the historic venue. But at the top of my highl...ights list is Gary Echelmeyer. Our usual production manager wasn’t available at the time, so I began to interview potential substitutes. But when I got on the phone with Gary, he started to interview ME! He had extensive experience with the ballet, and he sounded like the real deal. Boy, did he deliver. We’ve only done one show without him since then (and we’ll never do so again). Artistic Director Marilyn Klaus ----- "Because I had just redesigned the Sputnik costume and was still decorating it when the company left for Pennsylvania, I drove myself down a couple of days later. The hotel everyone was staying at was fully booked by the time I got there, so I found a small room in a cute old inn within walking distance of the Playhouse. The weather was beautiful, and I enjoyed strolling around. The venue was especially great because it had a restaurant that served drinks and hors d'oeuvres on a terrace overlooking the Delaware River before, during, and after our shows. It added a festive element to our Cocktail Hour!" Costume Designer Catherine Zehr ----- "Ballets with a Twist has always been focused on artistic cooperation and collaboration, both internal and external. This has allowed the company and each of its members to grow, prosper, and explore different avenues of freedom at every venue we visit. Our trip to Bucks County Playhouse was no exception especially since we had four performances to keep us busy! It was a great opportunity to try out new things while also just enjoying the quality of the show. The music? Impeccable. The costumes? Unbelievable. The group? Wonderful." Soloist Seth Ives Photo of Eau de Vie by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistory2020

Some folks fly south for the winter, but Ballets with a Twist has been known to buck a trend or two. In January 2016, the company trekked midwestward for a week-long residency at Ohio Northern University’s Freed Center for the Performing Arts. Wintry though it was, this trip left us with the warmest of memories! A big part of this engagement was our work with ONU’s wonderful theater students. Our residency included an audition, a week of ballet technique classes, an opportun...ity to both rehearse and perform some of our repertory, and the icing on the cake a French twist seminar led by one of our company members. Everyone in the program was so enthusiastic and eager to learn, and they all did a fabulous job dancing Champagne. There isn’t normally any singing in that piece, but a few of the men had such beautiful voices that I worked in little solos for them! Altogether, it was a very rewarding experience. Artistic Director Marilyn Klaus ----- ONU’s mascot is a Polar Bear and it was definitely chilly enough for us to have met one while we were there. But the cold didn’t keep us down. We all had a good time. In the evenings, the dancers took full advantage of the pub at our hotel, Seth Ives getting behind the bar to mix Manhattans and Amy Gilson playing the piano. And from the auditorium to the dance studios, the facilities at the school were excellent. The theater department stages a lot of Broadway productions, so it has major scenic and costume shops. Many of the students had their eyes on NYC, and some of them have already made it out here! Composer Steve Gaboury ----- "My favorite moment in Ada was when Claire Mazza flew in to join us following a show in Oregon. She had come straight to tech rehearsal from the airport, so she was exhausted. Since she finished before everyone else, she headed to our hotel, which was within sight of the theater. Claire does not have the best sense of direction, plus she had not familiarized herself with the ONU campus. When the rest of us returned to the hotel, she informed us that she had only just made it there because she had gotten lost in the dark, walking the wrong way for at least 20 minutes!" Soloist Morgan Stinnett Photo of Grappa by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistory2020

To put on the perfect holiday performance, all we need’s a little snow... and maybe some well-timed chimes, too! Settle in for a few festive (and funny) stories from Ballets with a Twist’s 2015 Chenango Arts Council performance at the Martin W. Kappel Theater, in Norwich, NY: Travelling to Norwich from Manhattan was like visiting a distant land. We drove and drove, and for quite a while nothing but hills and trees surrounded us. Then we suddenly dropped into a valley, and we... were in this quaint town. The population is small, but it seemed that everyone from miles around came to see our show. We had to hold the curtain for a long time because the ticket line was out the door. But the best part of the evening was the debut of Cuba Libre. Our engagement was at the end of the year, so instead of Christmas in July, we made it summer in December! Artistic Director/Climatological Alchemist Marilyn Klaus ----- Two things about our Norwich trip stand out in my mind: Champagne and snow. Since Champagne was our program opener and there was a piano in the house, I pulled out the procession music I had written for the piece years before. Having the dancers weave elegantly in front of the red curtain in their cream evening gowns created the perfect holiday atmosphere. About 90 minutes later, we almost killed the mood with the snow machine we'd brought for the wedding scene at the end of White Russian. It was so loud that my audio assistant, Collin Klippel, and I had to add church bell sound effects to drown it out. The audience didn’t seem to notice, but we could barely keep from laughing! Composer Steve Gaboury ----- "I still vividly remember performing Singapore Sling at the Martin W. Kappel Theater. The stage is like a quaint music box, and the setting inspired me to further characterize the stylized and precise choreography of the piece. Additionally, the intimate atmosphere made me feel more connected to my fellow dancers on stage. In Singapore, we are all dressed identically in fan-like black tutus with red accents, and we wear black bob wigs, so it is crucial that we move perfectly together. We look like we are part of the most stylish club, honestly!" Soloist Claire Mazza Photo of Singapore Sling by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistory2020

We’ll take our Champagne on the rocks, if you please or better yet, on the slopes! It wasn’t quite ski season when Ballets with a Twist appeared at Vermont’s Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center in 2015, so our cadre of dancing cocktails brought their own brand of cool to the stylish town of Stowe...: Though Stowe is known as ‘The Ski Capital of the East,’ there’s also a big interest in and curiosity about the arts in the area, so our visit drew a bunch of press. We had an... interview on VPR and some neat print previews, but my favorite part of it all was a pair of back-to-back TV appearances. The first featured soloist Dorrie Garland dancing courageously in pointe shoes on a small, circular, CARPETED stage during an evening news broadcast. At 5am the next morning, Steve (Gaboury) shuttled a few dancers and I in full makeup to the venue for a series of live morning segments hosted by the phenomenal Alaina Pinto. It was exhausting, but so groovy! Artistic Director Marilyn Klaus ----- Northern Vermont is breathtaking. It was nice to be there in the fall, when the leaves were changing and before the winter crowds showed up. Though it was kind of a climb to the venue from our hotel, some of the dancers chose to walk back and forth so they could take in the scenery. The theater itself was beautiful and unique, and the director, Lance Olson, had artistic blood in his veins. There were a few new faces in the company at the time, and this trip was a terrific welcome for them! Composer Steve Gaboury ----- "I'd joined the company only a couple of weeks before the trip to Spruce Peak, so our (long) drives to and from Stowe were a good way for me to get to know everyone except for Dorrie Garland! I'd grown up taking open classes alongside her in NYC, and was excited to perform with her. I don't remember much about the venue itself because there were cast adjustments just before we left. I was probably focused on not messing up! Afterwards, we celebrated at a local bar over some rounds of pool. As others have said, we always manage to have fun, on and off the stage!" Soloist Amy Gilson Photo of Champagne by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistory2020

Fashion! Twist to the left... Of all the honors Ballets with a Twist has received, being welcomed to The Museum at FIT for a presentation on dance costume design as part of the institution’s 2015 Fashion Culture Series was amongst the highest. Warm reminiscences below: "This was a big event for me on a personal level. I have a degree in Fashion Design from FIT, and have always loved the institution and the many friends I met there. That experience set me on a new path in life.... When the company was invited to give a presentation on our costumes and the inspirations behind them, I was a bit apprehensive. I love designing, but putting my process into words was something I hadn't really done. What impacted me most about the evening was the fact that the theater was the exact same space in which I had my initial interview for the Fashion Design program over 35 years earlier. Before Marilyn (Klaus) and I started speaking, I looked around at the sold-out seating and thought, 'Well, I guess I made it!'" Costume Designer Catherine Zehr ----- Ballets with a Twist has participated in many unique events, but so far, nothing has quite matched our engagement at MFIT. For as long as we’d worked together, Catherine Zehr and I had never had an opportunity to ‘interview’ each other before. The experience was as enlightening for us as it was for the audience! It was rough on the dancers, who had to go back and forth between performing repertory excerpts and modeling the costumes, but they did a fabulous job. And from start to finish, the museum staff was stupendous. Artistic Director Marilyn Klaus ----- "The show at MFIT was essentially a tribute to our designer, Catherine Zehr. It was cool to hear how she developed her skills in fashion and then chose costuming as her area of expertise, with us dancers as her models or muses. We are so lucky to see her original ideas come to life with every piece Marilyn choreographs. Catherine puts so much time and thought into every detail, and the results are gorgeous! Her costumes truly elevate each dance." Soloist/Dance Muse Dorrie Garland Photo of White Russian by Nico Malvaldi #btwist #cocktailhourtheshow #twistory2020