Concert Hour Ballet

Concert Hour Ballet was conceived by David Moroni, C.M., founding director of the Professional Division, as an opportunity to provide schools in Winnipeg, rural Manitoba and other provinces with dance. Its goal is to bring the art of dance to schools and communities who would not necessarily have an opportunity to experience the performing arts otherwise.

Concert Hour Ballet is made possible by support from Royal Bank Financial Group Foundation, Investors Group Inc., Manitoba Arts Council, Heritage Canada, Arts Stabilization Manitoba and the Peter D. Curry Memorial Grant.

If your school or community is interested in having a performance of Concert Hour Ballet in future seasons, please contact the RWB School Project Coordinator at 204.957.3490 or aacosta@rwb.org. Study guides are provided to schools that host Concert Hour Ballet.

Concert Hour Ballet 2009 Cast

Concert Hour Ballet 2009 Repetoire

LA FILLE MAL GARDÉE - PAS DE DEUX
Choreography: Alexander Gorsky
Music: Peter Hertel

One of the oldest works in modern ballet, La Fille mal gardée has been revived numerous times over its 200 year history. A popular comic ballet, it tells the story of Lise and Colas, who are in love and want to marry, despite Lise’s mother’s plans for her to marry Alain, a dim-witted, yet wealthy man.

IN THE GARDEN, BABY!
Choreography: Ryan Booth
Music: Mychael Danna

Royal Winnipeg Ballet School 2008 graduate Ryan Booth won first place for this contemporary piece at the RWB School’s 2008 First Steps choreographic competition. He describes In the Garden, Baby! as an expression of “raw, fun, loud energy”.

EXCERPTS FROM DEVERELL
Choreography: Jorden Morris
Music: James Galway

Deverell is an ancient Celtic word meaning “from the riverbank.” The inspiration for the piece came from music that choreographer Jorden Morris found while exploring his family’s roots in Ireland and Wales. Themes vary from the earthy, mystical folklore to the proud sons of kings and the beautiful strength of the Celtic women.

SWAN LAKE - CYGNETS
Choreography: Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

One of the most recognizable ballets, Swan Lake tells the story of Odette, a princess who’s turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. This excerpt is one of the most difficult examples of corps de ballet work as the four dancers, each representing a baby swan, are required to dance in perfect unison.

PAS DE QUATRE
Choreography: David Moroni
Music: Jacques Offenbach

This piece was choreographed in the classical tradition by David Moroni, the founding director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School’s Professional Division, which will be celebrating its 40th anniversary next year. A “dance for four”, its inspiration was derived from a musical score by Reinhold Glière.

DOWN AND OUT
Choreography: Gabriela Rehak
Music: Billie Holiday

Choreographed by Royal Winnipeg Ballet School artistic faculty Gabriela Rehak, Down and Out consists of three works, You Let Me Down, These N’ That and Those and Your Mother’s Son-in-Law, which together tell a story of loss, love and laughter. The inspiration for these works came from the music of Billy Holiday and the 1930’s era.

THE SEA WITHIN US
Choreography: Alex Lantz
Music: Wolfgang Mozart

Royal Winnipeg Ballet School 2009 graduate Alex Lantz won first place for this neo-classical piece at the 2009 First Steps choreographic competition. His was inspired by the concept of water and how its movement can be simple, yet complex.

SUZANNE & HALLELUJAH
Choreography: Bruce Monk
Music: Leonard Cohen

Both of these pieces are choreographed using modern, neo-classical and contemporary movement vocabulary and are inspired solely by the music of Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen.

LAURENCIA VARIATION
Original Choreography: Vakhtang Chabukiani
Original Music: Alexander Krein

A fusion of Spanish folk and classical dance, Laurencia tells the dramatic and heroic tale of a peasant uprising in a Castilian village, led by Laurencia and her fiancé Frondoso, against the Commander who wants to steal her for himself.

Photo: Bruce Monk

Watch the Concert Hour Video Here

Concert Hour Study Guide Here