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'The Barre Never Closes': Washington's Venerable School of Ballet |
| Section: THE ARTS / DANCE |
| Author: Stephen Henkin |
| Publication:
The World & I Online |
| Issue Date: 6/1/1995 |
| Size: 2,089 Words, 12,940 Characters |
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Like an intricate ballet requiring a complexity of step and style, so goes the demanding, daily schedule at the Washington School of Ballet (WSB), which unlike most schools also accommodates a professional ballet company, the highly acclaimed Washington Ballet. Located on a bustling thoroughfare in the northwest section of Washington, D.C., the school has achieved international status for its excellent classical training, sending its graduates on to major companies throughout the world.
The Washington School of Ballet is the second oldest of its kind in America, having been established just over fifty years ago, in 1944, by Lisa Gardiner, a former member of the Anna Pavlova Company, and her pupil Mary Day, who went on to found the ballet company in 1976.
The greatest strength of the school, in fact, lies in the farsightedness of cofounder Mary Day, who is known as Washington's "Grand Dame of Ballet."
"My vision was to establish an organization here in the city that would live and be respected throughout the world for the quality it presented. I think we are well on our way to seeing that vision realized," says Day, who takes great pride in the success of her students. WSB graduates include Amanda McKerrow and Marianna Tcherkassky of the American Ballet Theatre; Kev...
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...t would also mean increased interaction with the students, because now rehearsals have to end when the students arrive in the afternoon.
Regardless of how many studios the Washington School of Ballet adds on, one is left with the impression that the barre will always be open there.The Young Dancers of the Washington Ballet will perform at the Alden Theatre in MacLean, Virginia, May 24--25.
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Publication Details
(The World & I Online) |
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The World & I Online is a
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Liberal Arts, Fine & Applied Arts, General Science, and Spanish.
Originally published monthly in print as The World & I, our site
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