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New L.A. Dance Director Brings Swiss Ballet Company Debut Downtown
Exploding into the 2012 season of "Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center," the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève brings its European perspective to the Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion this weekend for three North American premiere performances.
Though part of a centuries-old Swiss opera establishment, this ballet company presents contemporary work and new work based on classical repertory to our youngish city. The program surrounds the choreography of a relative newcomer to the ballet creator circle, Benjamin Millepied. The recipient of worldwide attention for his work in the recent Hollywood psycho-drama, "Black Swan," a former principal dancer with the New York City Ballet and the recently appointed director of the L.A. Dance Project, the French-born 34-year-old artist has re-imagined early 20th century Michel Fokine romantic ballets "Les Sylphides" and "Le Spectre de la Rose" for these engagements.
The company of 22 dancers making their West Coast debut in Southern California has been described in the Boston Globe as "one of the most original and inventive troupes in Europe with a repertoire that pushes the boundaries of contemporary ballet."
With that and the youth, virtuosity and excitement about the choreographer, these performances are not to be missed!
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