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As all ballet dancers know, daily life starts with class. World Ballet Day pulls back the curtain on the private world of classical ballet as five companies—Australian Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Royal Ballet, National Ballet of Canada and San Francisco Ballet—participate in a live streaming event that allows behind-the-scenes access. In successive segments, each lasting four hours beginning with the Australian Ballet, the companies show rehearsals, class and more. If you miss it, the broadcast will be repeated on YouTube, where the live stream will be also be available, as well as on each group's website.
Here is the schedule…
The Australian Ballet: Sept 30 10pm EST
Bolshoi Ballet: Oct 1 at 2am EST
Royal Ballet: Oct 1 at 6am EST
The National Ballet of Canada: Oct 1 at 10am EST
San Francisco Ballet: Oct 1 2pm EST
And some highlights…
•Australian Ballet presents company class taught by former principal Steven Heathcote, followed by rehearsals of the following: Graeme Murphy's Swan Lake, Stanton Welch's La Bayadère, Peter Wright's The Nutcracker and Tim Harbour's Ostinato, which will be seen at the upcoming Fall for Dance Festival.
•Bolshoi Ballet presents rehearsals of Jean-Christophe Maillot’s The Taming of the Shrew, as well as Yuri Grigorovich's A Legend of Love. Dismal rep, but those dancers…
•The Royal Ballet's many highlights include Carlos Acosta coaching principal Vadim Muntagirov as Basilio in Don Quixote; principals Marianela Nuñez and Federico Bonelli rehearsing Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon; artist in residence Liam Scarlett rehearsing The Age of Anxiety with dancers Laura Morera and Steven McRae; and a full-company rehearsal of Christopher Wheeldon’s Aeternum and Frederick Ashton’s Scènes de Ballet. Wayne McGregor is also interviewed about his forthcoming Wolf Works, based on the writings and life of Virginia Woolf; the ballet will feature the beloved Alessandra Ferri. George Lamb hosts.
•National Ballet of Canada's live stream begins with company class and continues with rehearsals of Manon (coached by Anthony Dowell!) and John Neumeier's Nijinsky (it's probably fine to dash out for a snack).
•San Francisco Ballet offers rehearsals of Yuri Possokhov's RAkU and William Forsythe's The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, along with a treat: a joint interview between corps de ballet member and choreographer Myles Thatcher with Alexei Ratmansky. Myles, a recipient of the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, is lucky: Ratmansky is his mentor.
And if all of this out-of-town action leaves you pining for some New York City talent, check out these exclusive interviews with homegrown stars: Sara Mearns, Isabella Boylston and Robert Fairchild.