Birmingham Ballet Repertory Dance Company

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Birmingham Ballet launches Professional Repertory Dance Company

Birmingham, Alabama, - Birmingham Ballet presented the premiere performance of Birmingham Ballet Repertory Dance Company Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at the Birmingham Ballet studios. The Birmingham Ballet Repertory Dance Company is a professional ensemble of dancers. This new division of Birmingham Ballet was established by Director Cindy Free to present a diverse dance repertoire at the highest level and to provide a bridge for dancers from pre-professional dance to professional dance.

(ladder left) Sarah Paul, Elizabeth Gamble, Sarah Jacks (ladder right) Megan Muncher, Natalie Cambron, Kelly Walsh, Amanda Limbaugh (front of ladder) Suanne Ferguson, Alfonso Figueroa, Gauen Alexander (In front) Cindy Free

In attendance at the premiere was Alfonso Figueroa who, as the director of the original Birmingham Ballet, established the first professional ballet company in Birmingham. Ms. Free was a member of that company. The premiere performance of Birmingham Ballet Repertory Dance Company included two works choreographed by Figueroa - a pas de deux from Graduation Ball and a contemporary classical work entitled Terpsichorus.

The repertory dance company is a predictable outgrowth of the official school, Birmingham Ballet Academy, which has maintained a reputation of excellence since 1991. The semi-professional community ballet which began in 1995, outgrew its home at Samford University and moved to the BJCC Concert Hall in 2005. The academy and the performing company together established a successful training ground for aspiring talent. Original Birmingham Ballet Repertory Dance Company members Gauen Alexander, Natalie Cambron, Megan Muncher, Sarah Paul, Sarah Jacks, and Kelly Walsh have been featured in Birmingham Ballet’s semi-professional productions The Nutcracker, Hansel & Gretel, and Peter Pan. Dancers Gauen Alexander, Elizabeth Gamble, Sarah Jacks and Kelly Walsh have performed professionally with the Alabama Ballet. Alexander, Gamble and Walsh will appear with the Alabama Ballet in 2009/2010. Natalie Cambron has performed professionally with the Nashville Ballet and Montgomery Ballet.

Plans for the company include the re-staging of approximately 20 of Figueroa’s works as well as new works by Free and other tradition classical repertoire. Several preview performances are scheduled for the coming year. The first public performance is projected for June 2010.

Dancers interested in auditioning for the Birmingham Ballet Repertory Dance Company should send their resume to the attention of Director, Cindy Free. e-mail: cindy@birminghamballet.com.