in the spotlight


Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance Chronicles the History of The Joffrey Ballet


offrey: Mavericks of American Dance, the first feature length documentary to chronicle the legendary Joffrey Ballet Company, takes a look at this groundbreaking cultural treasure, known as the first truly American dance company. Narrated by Tony® and Emmy® Award winner Mandy Patinkin and directed by Bob Hercules (Bill T. Jones: A Good Man), the film documents how the Joffrey revolutionized American ballet by daringly combining modern dance with traditional ballet, and set- ting it to pop and rock music scores.


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Although a live simulcast of the film was slated in theaters in the US, not one theater in Texas was scheduled to screen the docu- mentary. Lisa Slagle, Director of the Ballet Academy of Texas and former soloist and principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet in New York in the 1970’s makes a screening of the film available to ballet lovers in North Texas Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at the Irving Arts Center.


Co-founded in 1956 by visionary teacher Robert Joffrey and dancer Gerald Arpino, who would become their principal chore- ographer, The Joffrey Ballet began as a DIY dance company of six dancers touring the United States in a borrowed station wagon. What started as a childhood dream quickly grew into one of the world’s most exciting and prominent ballet companies. Together, Joffrey and Arpino transformed the face of dance by merging classical ballet technique with bold new perspectives for edgy new ballets that challenged conventions. Aggressive touring took the Company from school auditoriums across America’s Heartland, to the White House at Jacqueline Kennedy’s invitation, on to Russia for a monthlong tour during the height of the Cold War, and beyond. They also garnered extensive media attention for their daring originality, which included appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, the cover of Time magazine, and in major motion pictures such as Save the Last Dance and Robert Altman’s The Company (which is based on the Joffrey).


Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance weaves a wealth of rare archival footage and photographs along with interviews featuring former and current Joffrey star dancers, showing the full history of the Company from its founding in 1956 to the present. It describes how the Joffrey repeatedly resurrected itself after devastating financial and artistic setbacks and introduced cutting-edge chore- ographers such as Twyla Tharp, Laura Dean and Margo Sappington to larger audiences.


The film features rare excerpts from many seminal Joffrey works including Astarte, Trinity and Billboards, as well as breakthrough collaborations with choreographers Twyla Tharp (Deuce Coupe), Kurt Jooss (The Green Table) and Leonide Massine (Parade).


Featuring: Kevin McKenzie, Helgi Tomasson, Lar Lubovitch, Ashley C. Wheater, Gary Chryst, Trinette Singleton, Anna Kisselgoff, Adam Sklute, Christian Holder, Dermot Burke, Paul Sutherland, Francoise Martinet, Brunilda Ruiz, Jonathan Watts, Diane Consoer, Sasha Anawalt and Hedy Weiss.


DANCE! NORTH TEXAS a publication of the dance council of north texas vol. 15 • no. 1 www.thedancecouncil.org February 2012 page 5 Pictured: Robert Joffrey (left) and Gerald Arpino in the early 1960’s


Screening will be Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at the Irving Arts Center, Dupree Theatre, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd. Irving, TX 75062. Commentary by former Joffrey dancer and Associate Director Cameron Basden as well as a post-screening reception will be included in the $15 ticket price. Tickets go on sale Jan. 2nd through the Irving Arts Center box office: www.irvingartscenter.com or (972) 252-ARTS.


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