Community Corner
Young Venice Dancers to Appear on Santa Monica's BroadStage May 26-27
Westside Ballet pre-professionals will share the stage with acclaimed guest artists
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A cast of over 80 student dancers—including nine children and teens who live in Venice or go to school there —are preparing to perform in Westside Ballet of Santa Monica's “Masters of Movement: Ballet through the Centuries,” returning for the ninth year at The Eli & Edythe Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center.
On Friday, May 26, the five-decades-strong nonprofit performance company will host its annual Soirée special event, including cocktails, appetizers, awards, and one-night-only guest artist performances. Andrea Laššáková and alumnus Adrian Blake Mitchell will dance Westside’s Premiere of “After the Rain” by acclaimed choreographer Christopher Wheeldon; and Maté Szentes and alumna Lyrica Woodruff will perform George Balanchine’s dazzling “Stars & Stripes”. Repertoire also includes a suite from Marius Petipa’s “Raymonda” and a newly commissioned contemporary work, “Color of Spring” by Vanessa Van Wormer. Both contemporary works feature live music.
On Saturday, May 27, the festivities continue with repertoire featuring the Westside Premiere of George Balanchine’s “Emeralds Pas de Trois”; excerpts from “Sleeping Beauty”; “Handel Dances” by resident choreographer Sophie Monat; and concluding with audience favorite “A Chorus Line.” Saturday’s pre-professional showcase includes divertissements from Marius Petipa’s “Raymonda,” as well as Ms. Wormer’s piece, again with live music.
Resident Youth Dancers from Venice
Venice resident Lilly Olvera (18), a freshman at Santa Monica College, will take on a solo role in the “Raymonda” divertissements. She will also appear in “Colors of Spring” and excerpts from “A Chorus Line”.
Twin sisters Francisca and Isabel Bugacov (16) of Venice, both sophomores at New West Charter High School in Santa Monica, will perform with elite young male dancers Sawyer Jordan and Dylan Weinstein in Westside’s Premiere of Balanchine’s Emeralds Pas de Trois from Jewels. Staged by New York City Ballet former principal Nilas Martins and set to portions of Gabriel Fauré’s Shylock, Emeralds is considered French and Romantic in tone. Francisca says she enjoys the emphasis on artistic expression at Westside Ballet: “It isn’t only about the technique; it is about the artistry and the style you pair with that technique.”
In addition, they have been cast in soloist roles in the “Raymonda” excerpts and will dance in “Color of Spring”, “Handel Dances”, and excerpts from “A Chorus Line”.
Francisca says she enjoys dancing at Westside: “It isn’t only about the technique; it is about the artistry and the style you pair with that technique.”
Another Venice resident, Archer Anderson (13) will dance in “Polka Française” and “Garland Dance”.
Archer, a seventh-grader at Paul Revere Middle School, says, “When I am dancing, it is my meditation time. It is a lot of hard work but my mind relaxes and I am focused. Having my teachers show me the precise movements to dance ballet correctly has been very helpful. Dancing the proper way has made me strong and resilient. I can tell that my dancing has improved and I am happy to be included in more performances.”
Ezra Galambos (16), a sophomore at the Venice High School World Languages Global Studies Magnet, will perform in “Raymonda”, “Color of Spring” and “A Chorus Line”.
“Ballet has taught me the value of hard work and perseverance, pushing through even when you face obstacles or injuries, as well as time management and balance,” Ezra says.
Venice resident Antonia Cytrynowicz (13), a seventh-grader at Citizens of the World, will perform in “Garland Dance”.
The company's youngest dancers introduce levity through a newly choreographed piece, “Mozartiana”. This charming work by Westside's Children's Division Associate Artistic Director Caprice Walker and staged by Ms. Bachar Mendicelli is set to the Mozart composition, “Les petits riens” (French for "The Little Nothings").
Venice residents Ella Abramson (11), a fifth-grader at Canyon Charter Elementary; Desiree Wells (10), a fourth-grader at Grant Elementary; and Heath Olvera (11), a fifth-grader at Ocean Chater School, will appear in “Mozartiana”.
Contemporary Ballet & Jazz Pieces
For the second consecutive year, Westside's advanced pre-professional dancers will perform Van Wormer's original work to live music. Ms. Van Wormer has choreographed her piece to music by Manuel de Falla, “El Paño Moruno, Canción Asturiana,” performed by two sopranos (Brenda Osorio and Angela Rhodes) with guitar by Ken Rosser.
Concluding the Saturday performance is Jazz Director Ms. Bachar Mendicelli’s staging of the Michael Bennett classic A Chorus Line, a sensational audience favorite. “I grew up dancing in the 1970’s and 80’s, so it was really fun bringing back some of those classical jazz steps from that era,” shares Mendicelli. “That choreography always looks best when using dancers with a solid foundation in classical ballet, which we pride ourselves on giving to our students.”
Community Engagement
Westside Ballet's 2023 Spring Soirée special event honors Ralph and Eileen Horowitz with the Bravo! Award, and Morley Builders with the Huntley Santa Monica Beach Community Arts Award.
Ralph and Eileen Horowitz have been valued patrons and promoters of the performing arts in the ballet and greater SoCal community for decades. Westside Board President and Spring Performance Producer Judith Meister says, "The Horowitz family have been champions of Westside Ballet and shared a deep friendship with our founder Yvonne Mounsey. We are thrilled to recognize their long-standing generosity and guidance."
During the first year of pandemic shut-downs, the Westside Ballet Volunteer Guild recognized the need to bring people together in-person but safely. Thanks to the huge support of local contractor Morley Builders, materials and labor were provided in early Fall 2020 to build an outdoor dance studio.“Each week, classes were held for all to see and know that the beauty of dance and the arts would not be vanquished,” shares Allegra Clegg, Westside School of Ballet owner and daughter of co-founder Yvonne Mounsey.
Under an education initiative, Westside is partnered with Santa Monica College. By being concurrently enrolled in SMC's choreography course with Vanessa van Wormer, Westside’s dancers who are high school students will receive college credits—transferable to any of California’s public four-year colleges and universities.
Westside Ballet established an Endowment Fund to expand both merit and need-based scholarships. Pre-COVID, Westside Ballet provided approximately $100,000 in scholarships annually. The Chow Family Scholarship Fund was established in 2018 and over $150,000 has been raised to date; major donors of this fund requested the funds be used to actively recruit People of Color. In Summer 2020, a scholarship was established by a new nonprofit, Dance in Color, and founded by Westside Alumnus Adrian Blake Mitchell. Several young Westside dancers have received this scholarship every year since the 2020-21 school year.
The biannual Westside Ballet productions are made possible in part by grants fromLos Angeles County, the City of Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club –– and sponsorships from local Santa Monica individuals, businesses, and organizations such as Santa Monica College Public Policy Institute, The Huntley Hotel, Urth Caffe, Morley Builders, Lyft Scooters, and more.
Past Performances
Many professional dancers have made their debuts in Westside’s stage performances. A few of them include Monique Meunier (NYCB, ABT), Anna Liceica (ABT), Martine Harley (Houston Ballet), Melissa Barak (NYCB, Los Angeles Ballet, Barak Ballet), Andrew Veyette (NYCB), Stayce Camparo (Kansas City Ballet) and Francis Veyette (Pennsylvania Ballet). Recent successes include Molly Novak (Boston Ballet); Lucia Connolly (Joffrey Ballet of Chicago); Samuel Melnikov (New York City Ballet); Sarah Hurty (Nashville Ballet); Shelby Tzung (National Ballet of Canada); Giorgia Martelloni Zabriskie (Dance Theatre of Harlem); and Severina Wong (Ballet West).
Friday, May 26, 2023, 6 pm Soirée reception and awards, followed by the 8 pm “Masters of Movement” with special performances; -and- Saturday, May 27, 2024, 1pm and 5 pm shows of the “Masters of Movement” pre-professional Spring Showcases. Both at The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Saturday Showcase tickets are $45. The Soirée Friday reception and special performance are $100-300. Tickets for this must-see dance event of the season may be purchased online at westsideballet.com/springtix or by phone (additional fees apply) at (800) 595-4849 (4TIX).
About Westside Ballet of Santa Monica
One of the nation's premier pre-professional ballet training companies, the nonprofit organization’s mission is to give promising young dancers the performance opportunities crucial to their development and make dance more accessible to local children and families. Westside Ballet of Santa Monica was created by Yvonne Mounsey (New York City Ballet) and Rosemary Valaire (Royal Ballet) in 1973. Westside Alumna Martine Harley (Houston Ballet) took over as Artistic Director in 2013. Based in Santa Monica, California, the company comprises approximately 80 dancers, ages 8 to 18.
The sister entity, Westside School of Ballet, distinguishes itself as a non-audition dance academy where all are welcome to study ballet and train to the most refined pre-professional level. Nearly all the artistic staff are graduates of the school, bringing a consistent approach to the school’s classical ballet training. Ms. Mounsey and Ms. Valaire opened the school in 1967, six years before founding the performance company, and have produced many of classical ballet's luminary performers known worldwide.
For more information, visit www.westsideballet.com
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