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west hartford s premier ballet Company Saturday June 23 2 pm Saturday June 23 7 pm Sunday June 24 3 pm The Maxwell M and Ruth R Belding Theater The Bushnell Performing Arts Center 166 Capitol Avenue Hartford CT 06106 Artistic Direction Stephanie Dattellas Choreography Stephanie Dattellas Additional Choregraphy Rachna Ramya Agrawal Julie Lai Music Carl Davis Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra Starring Aldeir Monteiro Jo ann Burke Gennaro Della Ragione Mauricio Vera Jo ann Burke and Aldeir Monteiro Photo by Thomas Giroir Shah Mosque image Zz3701 Dreamstime com Playbill design by Laurel Graphics THE USE OF VIDEO AND AUDIO EQUIPMENT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED Please silence audio devices BALLET THEATRE COMPANY 20 Jefferson Avenue West Hartford CT 06110 860 570 0440 dance dancebtc org www dancebtc org Ballet Theatre Company is a 501 c 3 not for profit organization 1

funders and sponsors Aladdin is sponsored in part by ing The Ellen Jeanne The Robert Margaret PAT R I C EL L I GOLDFARB Family Foundation Memorial Charitable Trust The George A and Grace L Long Foundation art of such a wonderful community ors a safe and happy Thanksgiving or State Farm is there Laurel Graphic Design I A T S E LOCAL 84 HARTFORD CT The Union Behind Entertainment Imperial Decorating and Upholstering 2

Hello Friends Welcome back to The Bushnell s Belding Theater I am thrilled to finally share our production of Aladdin with you We had originally planned to premiere Aladdin in May of 2020 but like many other performing companies at that time we were forced to put it on hold Admittedly the time spent away allowed me to dig deeper in my choreographic vision When I decided to include Aladdin in our 23rd season I never imagined the production would evolve into what you will see on stage today As I revisited choreography from 2020 I began to read more and more about One Thousand and One Nights a collection of Middle Eastern and South Asian folk tales that were originally published together during the Islamic Golden Age The stories from historical tales to tragic romances to comedies were collected over many centuries by a wide range of scholars and authors I even found that one of the first versions referencing the story of Aladdin was based in China Through my research it became clear that collaboration with local artists who represent communities being depicted in the production s storyline was crucial Had I simply presented my own interpretation of these cultural manifestations much of the richness of culture that is woven through these traditional tales would have been lost Partnering with local artists skilled Chinese dance and Kathak or Northern Indian dance has created a more engaging well rounded production that unifies and celebrates dance traditions from multiple cultures It has been an absolute honor to choreograph on this group of dancers and work alongside our choreographic partners and BTC s head costumer I am humbled to see the devotion these artists give to the vision I have created As always I am ever thrilled to share the magic of ballet with you Enjoy the show Stephanie Dattellas Artistic Director and Choreographer of Aladdin Photo by Lanny Nagler Photography 3

Synopsis A Market in Old Arabia Aladdin appears among the townspeople merchants and vendors Though often in trouble and known for getting into mischief Aladdin resolves to put his days of thievery behind him and become a more honest person A Maghrib a magician from the East has been watching the boy and steps forward to persuade him to perform a task for the mystic Aladdin seduced by the Maghrib s alluring harem sees easy riches within his grasp and agrees Journey to the Desert The Maghrib conjures up a sirocco wind that carries Aladdin out of the city and to a vast desert Momentarily disoriented by the swirling sand Aladdin perseveres in his journey and descends into the cave The Cave of Riches As his eyes grow accustomed to the dark Aladdin becomes aware of glimmers and flashes of light and upon investigation is delighted to find the cave carpeted festooned and hung with jewels Sapphires Rubies Emeralds and Diamonds The Cave s sovereign the Diamond greets Aladdin upon his arrival and explains that he must not touch anything in the cave except the lamp he seeks For three days and three nights he travels through the darkness cursing his fate until he suddenly discovers the lamp Where is Aladdin Aladdin s mother is worried sick by her son s absence Aladdin returns and begins to relate all his recent adventures She scowls disbelievingly at him wondering what good an old lamp will do for them Aladdin rubs the lamp and through a cloud of smoke the Djinn appears and explains that the lamp will bring riches and prosperity to its beholder The Bathhouse March Fanfares are heard from the marketplace as the Emperor s daughter Princess Badr al Budur Full moon of full moons is carried into the Imperial bathhouse Though it is forbidden to gaze upon the Princess Aladdin dares to peek through his fingers and falls instantly in love The Bathhouse The Princess Badr al Budur unaware that Aladdin is watching her is bathed and perfumed by her maidens Left alone the Princess is ruminating sadly on the Emperor s inability to find her a suitable consort when she spies Aladdin Aladdin s Proclamation and Capture Knowing that capture would mean his death but entranced by the Princess the boy approaches her Aladdin and his bravado fascinate the Princess but she must return to the palace Aladdin attempts to follow behind her but is seized and dragged away by the palace guards Aladdin s Judgment Aladdin is brought in chains before the Emperor the Grand Vizier and the Court for the crime of spying on the Princess Despite a plea for clemency from Badr al Budur herself the boy is quickly found guilty and sentenced to die A small voice of protest is then heard from the gallery and Aladdin s mother steps forward begging for mercy for her wayward son The court laughs at the old woman s petition but does not notice her slipping the marvelous lamp to Aladdin who summons the Djinn Aladdin s Acceptance In a blaze of light and color Aladdin is surrounded by riches and jewels from the lamp which impresses the Emperor In light of Aladdin s newly displayed wealth the Princess asks her father for permission to marry Aladdin and the Emperor gives his blessing Aladdin gladly accepts 4

Synopsis The Wedding The Princess is only too happy to be enjoined to the increasingly fascinating and surprising Aladdin A solemn wedding takes place and a ribbon dance is performed for the young couple to bring them good fortune Only the Emperor s trusted adviser the Grand Vizier who is really the wicked Maghrib does not join in the festivities Having realized that Aladdin must have escaped the cave and now is the master of the lamp he schemes how to gain control of the lamp himself Old Lamps for New After the festivities Aladdin and the Princess part ways to go to sleep Later the Princess finds an ancient tarnished lamp of her husband s which he had left behind She recalls passing by an old beggar offering new lamps for old as she returned from the Imperial bathhouse Thinking only of his pleasure at discovering that she has exchanged it for a shiny new one she gives the lamp to the beggar who throws off his disguise and reveals himself to be the wicked Maghrib Now at last he has control of the Slave of the Lamp and his first command is that the Djinn carries him and the Princess to the land of his birth Morocco Aladdin in Chains Summoned by the Maghrib the guards capture Aladdin and chain him in the dungeon The Maghrib taunts Aladdin with his captured Princess then leaves him to perish The guards thinking their chains to be inescapable leave him alone in the dungeon and venture out to enjoy a libation Aladdin deeply concerned about the fate of his beloved Princess wrestles himself free from his chains and rushes to her aid Princess Pleads The all powerful Maghrib tells the imprisoned Badr al Budur to prepare herself to accept him as her new lord and master Left alone the Princess fears she will never see Aladdin or freedom from the Maghrib s harem again Luckily Aladdin appears and together they devise a plan for the Princess to distract the Maghrib allowing Aladdin to take back the lamp The Retaliation The Maghrib returns and is surprised to find the Princess so quickly resigned to his advances When she momentarily distracts the Maghrib with an embrace Aladdin retrieves the lamp from his satchel Instantly aware that something is amiss the Maghrib is dismayed to discover that Aladdin has returned and repossessed the lamp Aladdin summons the Djinn and together with the Princess they banish the Maghrib for all eternity Pleased to have been returned to his kind hearted master the Djinn grants Aladdin s wish for he and the Princess to return to their home The Reunion Amidst great rejoicing Aladdin and the Princess Badr al Budur are reunited with their families Out of gratitude for Aladdin and the Princess the Djinn presents the couple with a Bouquet Dance to bestow good fortune Aladdin now rather wiser and more responsible vows never to let his beloved Princess out of his sight and in gratitude for his good fortune releases the Djinn from the lamp 5

Background Amber Fort in Jaipur West India Steve Allen Dreamstime com Aldeir Monteiro Aladdin Photo Thomas Giroir Laurel Graphics 6

ACT I The Marketplace Marketplace Children Jade Bello Quinlan Greenbaum Charlotte Gruber Hunter James Ella Nunez Casandra Ruiz Quinones Ellory Maynard Byron Nicole Therault Marketplace Corps Sofia Brummitt Julia Burkacki Mason Capone Isabella O Connor Sophia Pirrotta Serafina Snow Isha Sondhi Nupur Sondhi Eva Speranza Hailey Wankier Ela Kai Whalen Elizabeth Windnagle Aladdin s Mother Rachna Ramya Agrawal Maghrib Gennaro Della Ragione Ladies of Misrule Victoria Jaenson Naomi Langill Sarah McCahill Mollie Petrizzo Emily Silva Little Thieves Claire Casey Wyatt Chenault Aria Greenbaum Alyssa Greenwood Ella Minto Riya Parekh Orion Pipech Emily Suprenant Thieves Kyla Cheng Emily Collin Leah Devor Margie Fischer Jillian Hubbard Evie Messinger Tierney Smith Sofia Wargo Aladdin Aldeir Monteiro understudy 7

Journey to the Cave Aladdin Aldeir Monteiro Sand Sofia Brummitt Julia Burkacki Mason Capone Kyla Cheng Emily Collin Jillian Hubbard Evie Messinger Isabella O Connor Sophia Pirrotta Serafina Snow Isha Sondhi Nupur Sondhi Eva Speranza Hailey Wankier Sofia Wargo Ela Kai Whalen Elizabeth Windnagle Cave of Riches Aladdin Aldeir Monteiro Emeralds Naomi Langill Mollie Petrizzo Fabricio Seraphin Rubies Sarah McCahill Gennaro Della Ragione Sapphire Lead Victoria Jaenson Diamond Lead Emily Silva Cave Jewels Olivia Ferguson Elizabeth Fournier Quinlan Greenbaum Charlotte Gruber Emmanuelle Hazelton Rayna Lucas Ellory Maynard Byron Avery McClure Hunter James Nicole Theraul Aria Greenbaum Riya Parekh Onyx Pearls Nupur Sondhi Eva Speranza Isabella O Connor Hailey Wankier Ela Kai Whalen Elizabeth Windnagle Silver Orion Pipech 8

Gold Wyatt Chenault Sapphire Corps Julia Burkacki Sofia Brummitt Mason Capone Sophia Pirrotta Nupur Sondhi Elizabeth Windnagle Serafina Snow Isha Sondhi Eva Speranza Ela Kai Whalen Diamond Corps Sofia Brummitt Julia Burkacki Mason Capone Isabella O Connor Sophia Pirrotta Penelope Wickwire Serafina Snow Nupur Sondhi Hailey Wankier Little Diamonds Claire Casey Ella Minto Aria Greenbaum Alyssa Greenwood Emerson Geller Riya Parekh Abiageal Boyle Mary Fournier Diamonds Kyla Cheng Emily Collin Margie Fischer Jillian Hubbard Evie Messinger Sofia Wargo Leah Devor Djinn Mauricio Vera Where is Aladdin Aladdin s Mother Rachna Ramya Agrawal Marketplace Corps Serafina Snow Isha Sondhi Eva Speranza Hailey Wankier Ela Kai Whalen Elizabeth Windnagle Aladdin Aldeir Monteiro Djinn Mauricio Vera 9

Bathhouse March Page to the Emperor Paige O Neill Lead Heralds of the Palace Abiageal Boyle Sophia Vincent Heralds of the Palace Rachel Booker Luba Eusko Annalise Erickson Mary Fournier Rowan Geller Mack Raissian Marketplace Corps Serafina Snow Isha Sondhi Eva Speranza Hailey Wankier Ela Kai Whalen Elizabeth Windnagle Marketplace Children Jade Bello Quinlan Greenbaum Ella Nunez Princess Maidens Sofia Brummitt Julia Burkacki Mason Capone Naomi Langill Sarah McCahill Victoria Jaenson Isabella O Connor Mollie Petrizzo Sophia Pirrotta Nupur Sondhi Emily Silva Penelope Wickwire Hailey Wankier Ela Kai Whalen Elizabeth Windnagle Princess of Agrabah Jo ann Burke Palace Men James Felton ll Fabricio Seraphin INTERMISSION 10

ACT II The Bathhouse Princess of Agrabah Jo ann Burke Princess Maidens Sofia Brummitt Julia Burkacki Mason Capone Naomi Langill Sarah McCahill Victoria Jaenson Isabella O Connor Mollie Petrizzo Sophia Pirrotta Nupur Sondhi Emily Silva Penelope Wickwire Hailey Wankier Ela Kai Whalen Elizabeth Windnagle Aladdin Aldeir Monteiro Aladdin s Proclamation Capture Lead Heralds of the Palace Abiageal Boyle Sophia Vincent Page to the Emperor Paige O Neill Maghrib Gennaro Della Ragione Aladdin Aldeir Monteiro Palace Men James Felton ll Fabricio Seraphin 11

Aladdin s Judgment Aladdin Aldeir Monteiro Palace Men James Felton ll Fabricio Seraphin Aladdin s Mother Rachna Ramya Agrawal Princess of Agrabah Jo ann Burke Emperor Ali Nitowski Onyx Hailey Wankier Pearl Isabella O Connor Sapphire Corps Sofia Brummitt Nupur Sondhi Diamond Corps Julia Burkacki Sophia Pirrotta Little Diamonds Claire Casey Ella Minto Aria Greenbaum Alyssa Greenwood Emerson Geller Riya Parekh Abiageal Boyle Mary Fournier Aladdin s Acceptance Djinn Mauricio Vera Djinn s Corps Kyla Cheng Emily Collin Leah Devor Margie Fischer Jillian Hubbard Evie Messinger Ella Nunez Tierney Smith 12 Serafina Snow Isha Sondhi Eva Speranza Sofia Wargo Ela Kai Whalen Elizabeth Windnagle Jade Bello Casandra Ruiz Quinones

Princess Maidens Victoria Jaenson Sarah McCahill Naomi Langill Mollie Petrizzo Emily Silva Palace Men James Felton ll Fabricio Seraphin Aladdin Aldeir Monteiro Princess of Agrabah Jo ann Burke Lead Heralds of the Palace Abiageal Boyle Sophia Vincent Heralds of the Palace Rachel Booker Luba Eusko Annalise Erickson Mary Fournier Rowan Geller Mack Raissian Wedding Princess Maidens Sofia Brummitt Julia Burkacki Mason Capone Naomi Langill Sarah McCahill Victoria Jaenson Isabella O Connor Mollie Petrizzo Sophia Pirrotta Nupur Sondhi Emily Silva Penelope Wickwire Hailey Wankier Ela Kai Whalen Elizabeth Windnagle Lead Heralds of the Palace Abiageal Boyle Mary Fournier Sophia Vincent Emperor Ali Nitowski Aladdin s Mother Rachna Ramya Agrawal 13

Palace Children Wyatt Chenault Elizabeth Fournier Quinlan Greenbaum Charlotte Gruber Stella Guggina Emmanuelle Hazelton Hunter James Ellory Maynard Byron Orion Pipech Nicole Therault Aria Greenbaum Djinn s Corps Kyla Cheng Emily Collin Leah Devor Margie Fischer Jillian Hubbard Evie Messinger Ella Nunez Tierney Smith Serafina Snow Isha Sondhi Eva Speranza Sofia Wargo Ela Kai Whalen Elizabeth Windnagle Jade Bello Casandra Ruiz Quinones The Kidnapping Princess of Agrabah Jo ann Burke Maghrib Gennaro Della Ragione Aladdin Aldeir Monteiro Djinn Mauricio Vera Palace Men James Felton ll Fabricio Seraphin The Retaliation Princess of Agrabah Jo ann Burke Maghrib Gennaro Della Ragione Aladdin Aldeir Monteiro Djinn Mauricio Vera 14

The Reunion Palace Children Wyatt Chenault Elizabeth Fournier Quinlan Greenbaum Charlotte Gruber Stella Guggina Emmanuelle Hazelton Hunter James Ellory Maynard Byron Orion Pipech Nicole Therault Aria Greenbaum Princess Maidens Sofia Brummitt Julia Burkacki Mason Capone Naomi Langill Sarah McCahill Victoria Jaenson Isabella O Connor Mollie Petrizzo Sophia Pirrotta Nupur Sondhi Emily Silva Penelope Wickwire Hailey Wankier Ela Kai Whalen Elizabeth Windnagle Palace Men James Felton ll Fabricio Seraphin Princess of Agrabah Jo ann Burke Aladdin Aldeir Monteiro Emperor Ali Nitowski Aladdin s Mother Rachna Ramya Agrawal Djinn Mauricio Vera Djinn s Corps Kyla Cheng Emily Collin Leah Devor Margie Fischer Jillian Hubbard Evie Messinger Ella Nunez Tierney Smith Serafina Snow Isha Sondhi Eva Speranza Sofia Wargo Ela Kai Whalen Elizabeth Windnagle Jade Bello Casandra Ruiz Quinones THE END 15

aladdin partnerships Asian Performing Arts Asian Performing Arts promotes educates and retains Chinese and Asian cultural arts through providing entertainment programs in dances martial arts instrumental music songs and other educational and cultural workshops Established since 1997 members of the group have many years of experience in performing in different events and cultural activities and are specialized in conducting interactive and educational workshops I support BTC s sincere interest to learn Chinese traditional dance techniques It is important to me to create opportunities to retain and promote Chinese Culture Arts through dance to inspire and connect more people to learn about the Chinese Culture Julie Lai Artistic Director Asian Performing Arts Julie Poon Lai born in Hong Kong immigrated to and grew up in New York City where she learned and loved Chinese Dance Julie has a BA degree from SUNY at Albany She is married with 3 children and lives in Enfield Connecticut Julie taught Chinese Dance at Chinese Language School of Greater Hartford from 1992 to 2007 Julie Lai and Stephanie Sum danced together and cofound Asian Performing Arts in 1997 with the passion to retain and promote the Asian Cultural Arts through dance performances and educational events Julie Lai is the Artistic Director of Asian Performing Arts and talented in choreography costume design and accessories and props design Julie is excited to collaborate with Ballet Theater Company in the Aladdin production The Chinese Bouquet Dance Chinese bouquets are a symbol of beauty harmony and celebration of joy Dancers will present the Bouquet Dance in a joyful theme with bouquets forming patterns to represent the celebration of goodness kindness and peaceful beauty for all 16

aladdin partnerships Rachna Ramya Performer choreographer educator and published author Rachna Ramya Agrawal has studied dance with the great gurus Dr Maya Rao Guru Rajendra Gangani and Smt Sandhya Desai Rachna has performed extensively and featured on Indian national television many times She is the Artistic Director of the Sumbhaav School of Kathak Dance Rachna is the recipient of the 2020 2021 Distinguished Achievement in Dance Award awarded by the Connecticut Dance Alliance and The Vision Award 2021 awarded by Charter Oak Cultural Center She is a Member of the International Dance Council CID UNESCO www kathakusa com I am very excited to collaborate with BTC on their new ballet Aladdin This is the first time an Indian dancer has been invited to collaborate with a Ballet dance company in the state of Connecticut Ballet and Kathak share a similar approach elegance decorum of the courts and timeline of their development as classical dance forms BTC embraces much needed cultural diversity in dance by meeting with another dance tradition I am looking forward to working with choreographer Stephanie Dattellas and adding a brand new artistic experience to my 30 years of dance career in CT which myself the Indian community and the dance community will never forget Rachna Ramya Agrawal Artistic Director Sumbhaav School of Kathak Dance Kathak Expressive sharp alluring and precise Kathak lives today as an important school of classical dance Kathak originated over 2000 years ago Evolving from a blend of Middle Eastern styles and Indian temple dance Kathak combines dance drama and music to tell stories Modern Kathak emphasizes geometrical patterns and designs with special emphasis on footwork and intricate rhythmic patterns 17

btc guest artists Aldeir Monteiro Aladdin Courtesy of American Repertory Ballet Aldeir Monteiro began his training at the Centro de Arte e Dan a de Campo Grande in Brazil He continued his training at the Miami City Ballet School and joined the Miami City Ballet in 2012 Aldeir performed in the original cast of Euphotic choreographed by Liam Scarlett for the Miami City Ballet in 2013 Since joining ARB in 2016 Aldeir has performed features and principal roles in The Nutcracker Cavalier A Midsummer Night s Dream Lysander Kirk Peterson s Carmen Matador Coppelia Franz Paul Taylor s Airs Jos L mon s There is a Time Gerald Arpino s Sea Shadow and in Kirk Peterson s Glazunov Variations Jean de Brienne Mauricio Vera Djinn Mauricio Vera began his studies in 1998 at Ballet de Santiago in Chile During his five years there he had the opportunity to participate in several South American TV productions In 2006 he continued studying at the National Ballet of Cuba before moving to the U S where he trained at Steps on Broadway in NYC He later performed with Charleston Ballet Theater in South Carolina and most recently danced with State Street Ballet in Santa Barbara CA where he performed soloist roles for the past 6 years Mauricio is currently a NYC based freelance dancer Rachna Ramya Agrawal Aladdin s Mother Performer choreographer educator and published author Rachna Ramya Agrawal has studied dance with the great gurus Dr Maya Rao Guru Rajendra Gangani Smt Sandhya Desai and with Smt Sandhya Desai a Kathak virtuoso Rachna has performed extensively and has been featured on Indian national television many times She is the Artistic Director of the Sumbhaav School of Kathak Dance Rachna is the recipient of the 2020 2021 Distinguished Achievement in Dance Award awarded by the Connecticut Dance Alliance and The Vision Award 2021 awarded by Charter Oak Cultural Center Rachna received a Master s degree in dance from the prestigious Pracheen Kala Kendra in India She also trained in Choreography at the Natya Institute of Choreography in New Delhi India In addition to her degrees in dance Rachna holds an MBA from the University of Hartford a Master s degree in Hindi Literature from Delhi University and a Senior diploma in Classical Indian Vocal Music from Prayag Sangeet Samiti Rachna also has studied Tabla with Pt Subhankar Banerjee 18

btc guest artists Ali Nitowski The Emperor Ali Nitowski is excited to make his debut at BTC He recently graduated from Wagner College with a B A in Theatre Performance Past credits include Celebration Reveler A Chorus Line Larry u s Bobby and A Midsummer Night s Dream Egeus Oberon He wants to thank his family for their unending love and support and helping him achieve his dreams Fabricio Seraphin Emerald Lead and Palace Male Born in Haiti and raised in South Florida Fabricio Seraphin is a New York City based contemporary dancer model and actor He graduated with a BA in Theatre minoring in Dance and Nutrition from Millikin University Fabricio has worked as an aerialist dancer for The Rainbow Circus and has danced for Lane CoArts as well as other NYC based companies He has been in several music videos and multimedia advertisements He has worked with cruise lines in New York City and around the world and recently was working as a dancer in The Devouring at the Times Square EDITION James Felton ll Palace Male James Felton II graduated from Western Michigan University earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance and Choreography in 2021 James began his movement journey at Sandra Brewer s Dance Connection before training in ABT National Curriculum with Flint Youth Ballet under Karen Jennings direction At WMU James performed choreographies by faculty members and guest choreographers for proscenium site specific and screen dance works while earning his certification in Progressing Ballet Technique James currently works as a freelance dance instructor and guest artist in the Midwest and will be joining Ballet QuadCities as Company Artist for the 22 23 Season 19

The aladdin costumes behind the seams With over 184 costumes to create costume designer Pat Nurnberger started by researching historic Arabian and Turkish costumes to establish authenticity in her designs Following her meeting with Artistic Director Stephanie Dattellas she separated all costumes into color stories to determine a cohesive collection For the Diamond tutu Nurnberger found inspiration from the design of an Islamic window pattern HEADPIECES BTC is thrilled to welcome Headpiece Designer Heidi Usami to its team of talented artists Since joining the team Heidi has been busy at work creating one of a kind crowns for the lead characters in Aladdin All of her unique hand made crowns feature intricate bead and jewel work inspired by the character they will adorn these sparkling headpieces are the perfect complement to BTC s brand new costume collection For more information on the splendid costumes and headpieces visit www dancebtc org 20

Professional costumers Heidi Usami Headpiece Designer Heidi is delighted to make her debut with the Ballet Theatre Company as Headpiece Designer She began her artistic instruction under Sibley Morosco at the Main Street Ballet Company where she has danced and worked for the past 13 years Her headpieces premiered in MSB s production of The Nutcracker in 2019 and some of her favorite designs include headpieces for the Sugar Plum Fairy Tea and the fairies from Cinderella Heidi is currently a high school junior specializing in writing and 3D Studio Arts Andrea Rossol Usami Professional Seamstress With degrees in Art History from Columbia and Yale Universities Andrea has worked in costume design and construction for the past thirteen years Currently Head Costumer for the Main Street Ballet Company she specializes in ballet opera and theater costuming Amanda Smith Professional Seamstress Amanda graduated with a BFA in costume design and technology Since then she kept the dream alive by working with the University of Hartford costume department Previously with Goodspeed Opera House Westport Playhouse and Maltz Jupiter Theatre she s had the joy of building beautiful costumes for Thoroughly Modern Millie The Nutcracker Will Rogers Follies and many more Amanda is delighted to be part of the magic making at Ballet Theatre Company Marti Simmons Professional Seamstress A full time First Hand Stitcher at the University of Hartford Hartt School Marti holds a BFA in Costume Design and Costume Construction from the University of Hartford At Hartt Marti builds costumes for a wide range of productions including straight plays musical theater dance and opera Outside of the Hartt school Marti is a freelancer for local small shops that build costumes for Regional theater productions such as Goodspeed and Long Wharf as well as Broadway productions including Hamilton and Moulin Rouge This is Marti s first production with Ballet Theater Company Darby Newsome Professional Seamstress Darby Newsome is a Connecticut based Costume Designer and Technician and graduate of The University of Connecticut Costume Design credits include Thoroughly Modern Millie Kingswood Oxford Gianni Schicchi Exc The Santa Fe Opera Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail Exc The Santa Fe Opera The Grapes of Wrath Connecticut Repertory Theater and She Kills Monsters Connecticut Repertory Theater 21

Thank you to everyone who donated to the campaign You made it possible for beautiful costumes to come to life for everyone to enjoy Jonathan Adler Alan Alberto Karen Anderson Ritu Atam Lori and Roger Aubrey Karen Bachman Jessica Bell Jenifer Bennett Black Steven and Deborah Berk Eldar Bragg Eric Brummitt Michelle Prizio Ronald Cabello Shari Cantor Jessica and Jeff Capone Barbara Carpenter Bob and Pamela Travis Carr Maggie and Kevin Casey Yui Cheng Monika Chopra Jessica Clement Joanne Collin Stephanie Dattellas Diane Davidson Jeannette Demichelis Brianna Dunlap Kimberly Eckart Michael and Lynda Emard Natasha Erickson Tracy Flater Amy Flores Claire Fournier NancyAnn French Eric Galm Jason and Kelley Geller Andrea Genereux Kama Giedra John Gilchrist Ludmila Gooper Laura Gordon Andrew Gray Lisa and Tim Greene Brooke and Todd Greenwood Jennifer Grew Nancy Grover Brook Hazelton Annie Hildreth Lauren Hopkins Bonnie Hoskins Laurel Hoskins Penny Hutchison Diana James Juliette Janchuk Rene Joanis Burke Vipul Kashyap Kathleen Keller Barbara Kiefer Megan Klamert Mildred Kraus Quentin Lehn Meghan and Ariel Martinez Manila Mathur Holly Maynard Heather McSherry George Mesleh Meena Mesleh Miles Mesleh Marc Mesleh Joanne Mesleh Amy and Dave Messinger Ginger Mold Michael Negr n Laura Nichols Gary Nurnberger Brian O Leary Wendy Olson Peter Olson 22 Marta Papoosha Neha and Ankur Parekh Marie Paul Nancy and Bernie Pelletier Jason Philbin Michele Prizio Wendy Rabbani Vera Racine Kerri Raissian Jane Rim Jong sup Rim Matthew Roberts Sally Rogers Darlene Salonia Beverly J Schilke Donna Schwartz Rachna Sharma Emily and Alex Silva Ken Laura and Tierney Smith Steven Smith Sheila Sokolski Sharon Speranza Kenneth Stapleton Anne Marie Therault Erin Vincent Adam Wankier Scott and Nara Wargo Francine Waterman Monica Whalen Heather White Godfrey Wes and Christina Whiteside Tracy Wickwire Maeve Wood Darlene Zoller

aladdin production team Artistic Director Stephanie Dattellas Executive Director Tracy Dorman Choreography Stephanie Dattellas Additional Choreography Rachna Ramya Agrawal Julie Lai of Asian Performing Arts Ballet Mistress Emily Silva Production Manager Deirdre Benson Assistant Production Manager Megan O Brien Lighting Design Samuel Biondolillo Electrics and Projections Supervisor David Orlando Stage Manager Joshua Stenger Costume Design Pat Ubaldi Nurnberger Professional Seamstresses Tracy Dorman Darby Newsome Marti Simmons Amanda Smith Andrea Usami Headpiece Design Heidi Usami Set Design Rob Fournier Denman James Dave Hubbard Development Director Brianna Dunlap Box Office Manager Kyleigh Olivier Outreach Administrator Kyleigh Olivier Social Media Manager Mollie Petrizzo Graphic Designer Laurel Hoskins Graphics Intern Sofia Brummitt Cast Coordinator Peggy Hubbard Boutique Coordinator Monica Whalen Photography Tracy Dorman Thomas Giroir Ela Whalen Videographer Peter Cofrancesco Head Lead Chaperone Kelley Geller Lead Chaperones Brooke Greenwood Karla Kress Boyle Wendy Olson Kerri Raissian Additional thanks goes to the many parents and volunteers for their tireless support of Ballet Theatre Company s production of Aladdin Thank you to our foundation supporters our business sponsors and to our patrons 23

BALLET THEATRE COMPANY The mission of Ballet Theatre Company BTC is to enrich Greater Hartford by offering professional caliber dance productions dance education for ages 3 to adult in its training school The School of Ballet Theatre Company and dance related experiences and workshops free of charge to children who otherwise would not have the opportunity through its Community Youth Outreach Program BTC was founded in West Hartford in 1999 During its first three years the performance company presented an annual spring repertory performance at the Gilman Theater Greater Hartford Jewish Community Center In December 2002 BTC accepted an invitation to stage its first production of The Nutcracker at the University of Saint Joseph s Hoffman Auditorium in the Carol Autorino Center for the Arts and Humanities This production has become an annual tradition for BTC the Hoffman Auditorium and the Greater Hartford community for 20 years BTC s annual Spring Repertory performance held at the Hoffman Auditorium since 2002 has become a showcase for new works by regional and guest choreographers as well as a select repertoire of classical ballets In 2018 BTC introduced its first full length spring ballet Cinderella The staging of storybook ballets has since become another annual tradition with subsequent seasons featuring Sleeping Beauty and Aladdin This season BTC made its company debut at The Bushnell for The Nutcracker an historic achievement for the organization BTC is thrilled to continue this partnership to debut Aladdin at The Bushnell s Maxwell M and Ruth R Belding Theater Ruth Whitney in BTC s 2019 The Nutcracker Photo by Thomas Giroir 24

btc artistic team Stephanie Dattellas Artistic Director Stephanie Dattellas is an accomplished professional dancer choreographer director and teacher Her training began with Ballet and Dance of Upstate NY Inc under the direction of Kathleen Rathbun and continued professionally performing with companies such as Suzanne Farrell Ballet Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Buglisi Dance Theatre Dattellas has indepth experience developing young dancers technique strength and artistry and passionately believes that finding personal individuality is equally as important as developing technique Dattellas joined Ballet Theatre Company as Artistic Director and General Manager in June 2017 and since has choreographed and premiered Cinderella Spring 2018 the first full length ballet presented by BTC The Nutcracker December 2018 and Sleeping Beauty Spring 2019 Additionally Dattellas introduced several new performances into the company s season Dancing For A Cause a benefit performance in collaboration with fellow dance companies in Greater Hartford to raise funds for fellow non profit organizations in the community Cover to Cover a season opener performance to introduce works are involved in the upcoming season and Up Close Fall Spring which both premiered digitally this past season Prior to Ballet Theatre Company Dattellas was the Ballet Mistress and Company Manager of the Syracuse City Ballet Emily Silva Ballet Mistress Emily Aubrey Silva grew up in Sandown NH and completed her early pre professional training at Boston Ballet School After graduating high school she was selected to attend Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre s Graduate Program where she taught on the Children s Division faculty during her studies Emily graduated summa cum laude from the University of Hartford s Hartt School with her BFA in Dance Performance and Ballet Pedagogy in May 2018 and performed as a soloist with Ballet Hartford following graduation In September of 2018 Silva joined BTC faculty and served as Assistant Ballet Mistress from 2018 2020 as well as Community Youth Outreach Coordinator for the 2019 2020 season in addition to performing in all of BTC s mainstage performances Silva joined BTC as a Season Dancer in 2019 and stepped into the role of Ballet Mistress in the 2020 2021 season Since transitioning to the role of Ballet Mistress she has worked closely with fellow staff members to creatively tackle the challenges presented by the ongoing pandemic and continue to provide high quality arts experiences to the community 25

btc artistic team Paul Mejia Artistic Advisor Paul Mejia was born in Lima Peru but was raised in New York He joined the School of American Ballet in 1958 and choreographed his first ballets by the age of fourteen Mr Mejia joined the New York City Ballet in 1964 and danced principal roles in many of George Balanchine s ballets In 1972 he joined Maurice Bejart s Ballet of the Twentieth Century where he danced and choreographed throughout Europe and in 1977 he staged a season of ballet in Guatemala where he created four new ballets including Romeo and Juliet the first of his highly acclaimed Shakespearean ballet series Mr Mejia joined the Chicago City Ballet as co artistic director with Maria Tallchief and during the next seven years he created fifteen new ballets including his full length version of Cinderella which toured nationally and internationally to great acclaim His ballet Eight by Adler music by Richard Adler was later filmed for PBS and won an Award for Suzanne Farrell From 1987 to 1998 he was the artistic director of the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet during which time he added thirty two of his own works to the company s repertoire including sixteen world premieres Dedicated to the artistic vision and philosophy of George Balanchine Mr Mejia has choreographed dramatic story ballets as well as works in the neoclassical style and has choreographed several works for operas including the Chicago Lyric Opera He has been a guest teacher and lecturer in various schools and universities throughout the US In 1984 he was selected by Esquire Magazine as one of the Outstanding Americans Under 40 In 1998 Mr Mejia became the artistic advisor of the Metropolitan Classical Ballet then Ballet Arlington He has added many of his own works to the company s repertoire including three world premieres and has staged several George Balanchine ballets In 2001 he assumed the position of executive director for the Company and in 2002 was named co artistic director with Alexander Vetrov He and his wife Maria Terezia Balogh and their children Roman Isabella and Lazslo reside in West Hartford CT Maria Terezia Balogh Artistic Advisor As a professional ballerina for twenty two years Maria Terezia Balogh was a principal dancer with the Lyric Opera Ballet later known as Chicago City Ballet and the Fort Worth Ballet During that time she was an instructor in the official schools of both companies After she retired as a dancer she married and had three children but continued her career as a ballet instructor Presently she is the Founding Director of Dance for All Saints Episcopal School in Fort Worth where she instructs student levels early childhood 12 Ms Balogh s greatest reward is to instill in her students a love of classical ballet they can enjoy throughout their lives 26

BTC administrative team Tracy Dorman Executive Director Tracy Dorman has been with Ballet Theatre Company since its inception in 1999 and was appointed Executive Director in February 2005 She is a founding member a member of the Board of Directors and plays a major role in the Company s artistic and organizational development She brings extensive experience as a dancer choreographer administrator and dance educator to the company and has earned numerous awards for scenic and costume design photography and arts advocacy Dorman received her dance training from Florence Greenland Madame Margarita Froman Marguerite deAnguera Wang Shao Pen David Howard and others She performed with the Connecticut Valley Regional Ballet The Hartford Civic Ballet Canton Show Shop Experimental Theatre of Hartford Connecticut Opera Ballet Springfield Children s Music Theatre and numerous other regional theater groups She served as President of the Connecticut Valley Regional Ballet Company and is Past President of both the Dance Services Network and the Mark Twain Masquers Dorman has choreographed much of Ballet Theatre Company s classical repertoire and has designed many of the company s costumes Dorman worked with Hartford Ballet s Costume shop staff to create costumes for The American Nutcracker designed by internationally acclaimed designer Sandra Woodall As a photographer her work recently appeared in Popular Photography and Imaging Magazine where she was named runner up for a Ford Motor Company advertisement She is a 2014 honoree of the CT Dance Alliance Award for distinguished achievement in dance and in 2005 the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism awarded her the Distinguished Advocacy Award for her longtime volunteerism to the arts Brianna Dunlap Development Director Brianna Dunlap joined Ballet Theatre Company in 2021 Brianna is a results oriented leader who specializes in growing and maintaining organizational development programs She loves connecting people to what they are passionate about so she is focused on building and stewarding strong relationships with our BTC supporters Brianna earned her Master s degree in Public History at Central Connecticut State University 2016 She is the author of Connecticut Valley Tobacco a History Press book on the history culture and people of cigar tobacco agriculture 27

BTC administrative team Kyleigh Olivier Outreach Administrator Kyleigh Olivier began dancing at the age of three in Massachusetts and trained in a variety of styles She recently graduated from The Hartt School in May of 2021 with a BFA in Dance with a concentration in Ballet Pedagogy along with a Business Management minor In her time at The Hartt School Olivier discovered her passion for teaching dance and community outreach as she worked with diverse groups of students in her internships and served as Dance Director of the Prism Project leading movement activities for children with exceptionalities As BTC s Community Youth Outreach Administrator Olivier is excited to continue to spread the joy of the Arts to children of all ages abilities and backgrounds throughout the Greater Hartford area Maya Cuevas as Interim School Administrator Maya Cuevas was born and raised in New York A 2020 Summa Cum Laude graduate of The Hartt School of Music Dance and Theater Maya has a background of Singing Acting and Dancing specializing in Music Theater During her time at The Hartt School she also worked with companies such as Playhouse on Park The Mac Haydn Theater Little Theater on The Square and Goodspeed Opera House Maya has always had a love and passion for working with children in the arts and is proud to continue doing so Mollie Petrizzo Social Media Manager Mollie Petrizzo was raised in West Hartford Connecticut where she began her dance training at the age of 3 Throughout her young dance career she danced with Ballet Theatre Company then at 17 decided to train at Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts After high school Petrizzo was accepted into the Ailey Fordham BFA program at Fordham University in New York City and graduated in the spring of 2021 She is currently dancing with Dimensional Dance company and teaching at Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts in Hartford Connecticut She is thrilled to be joining BTC in the additional role as Social Media Coordinator for its 2021 2022 company season 28

BTC production team Deirdre Benson Production Manager Deirdre Benson is a Boston based stage manager production manager and sound designer Over the past few years she has worked with The Blue Man Group Commonwealth Shakespeare Company and the Boston Circus Guild Most recently Deirdre was the Producing Associate for the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival Megan O Brien Assistant Production Manager Megan O Brien is excited to be joining BTC as the assistant production manager for the company s 2021 2022 season Originally from South Windsor Connecticut she earned her BA in Theatre at Eastern Connecticut State University and her MFA in Lighting Design at Wayne State University Before going back to school O Brien worked with BTC for three years as the master electrician and spotlight operator for The Nutcracker and is thrilled to be working with the company again Laurel Hoskins Graphic Designer Laurel s relationship with Ballet Theatre Company began 22 years ago when her 5 year old daughter Lianna took ballet lessons at the Masonic Hall on Main Street the rented studio where the fledgling BTC ran classes and performances Soon after BTC hired her to promote their growing business and productions Since then the partnership has flourished and enriched her professional and personal life with many opportunities and friendships Her formative years were spent in Mexico Brazil Peru California and Connecticut Formal schooling included Bucknell University and University of Connecticut earning a BA in English Literature with minors in Botany and Astronomy Hoskins has worked in graphic design and marketing for FPS Marketing in Milford CT is a director for Indian Law Resources and has been self employed as a freelance graphic designer for Laurel Graphic Design for 25 years 29

BTC production team Tracy Dorman Costume Designer Tracy also serves as Executive Director of BTC See bio on page 27 Pat Nurnberger Costume Designer Pat Ubaldi Nurnberger obtained her Master s Degree in Costuming from UCONN She graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design and began her career as a fashion designer in New York While still in New York she began designing for her daughter s ballet school and quickly fell in love with this art form She ultimately decided to leave the apparel business and devote herself to the theater While at UCONN she worked on as many projects as possible most notably Tito s Dream a theatrical presentation of Carlos Garcia s eponymous poem Larger works included designs for Big Love and Midsummer Night s Dream as well as assisting on two operas In the past years she has designed a ballet version of L Enfant et Les Sortileges as well as several versions of The Nutcracker Giselle Sleeping Beauty Coppelia and others Musicals include Anything Goes Always Patsy Cline and Spring Awakening Bus Stop You re a Good Man Charlie Brown Hair Beauty and the Beast and The Fantasticks Opera designs for HMS Pinafore The Marriage of Figaro Cendrillon Sour Angelica Princess Ida and The Mikado have followed Peter Cofrancesco Resident Videographer Peter Cofrancesco Creation Dream Video is a full time freelance videographer specializing in filming live events and providing legal video services 30

btc company dancers Jo ann Burke While under the employ of Syracuse City Ballet s resident company during the 2019 2020 season Jo ann Burke danced throughout the central New York Community She was featured in the soloist roles of Lucy in Dracula and as the Snow Queen Arabian Princess and Spanish Pas De Deux in The Nutcracker as well as appearing in local school shows instructional videos and digital seasons Prior to joining Syracuse City Ballet Burke danced as a member of Milwaukee Ballet s second company MBII for the 2018 2019 season where she understudied roles for the main company appeared in Milwaukee Ballet performances as well as with MBII and represented Milwaukee Ballet in the community During her training Burke was afforded the opportunity to premiere new ballets While attending the School of the Pennsylvania Ballet she was invited by Mr Angel Corella to dance along with the corps de ballet in Pennsylvania Ballet s premiere of Don Quixote and its world premiere of Le Corsaire While with the Kansas City Ballet School s Training Program she was invited to perform with the Kansas City Ballet in two of Mr Devon Carney s world premiere ballets Romeo and Juliet and Peter Pan Burke has performed with professional companies in several full length story ballets including Don Quixote Le Corsaire Cinderella The Nutcracker Romeo and Juliet Peter Pan and Dracula Victoria Jaenson Originally from Kampala Uganda Victoria Jaenson began her formal dance training at the age of seven in Vermont She later studied at the Rock School in Philadelphia eventually joining the faculty In 2017 Jaenson began studying at The Hartt School In the fall of 2018 she joined Charlotte Ballet II There she had the opportunity to perform Alonzo King s Map Medhi Walerski s Petit C r monie Jean Pierre Bonnefoux s Nutcracker and Peter Pan Christian Spuck s Leonce and Lena and Matthew Hart s Sleeping Beauty This past summer Jaenson performed with Des Moines Metro Opera as a dancer for the operas Plat e and Queen of Spades 31

btc company dancers Naomi Langill Originally from Sacramento California Naomi Langill trained with Capitol Ballet Company under the direction of Stuart Carroll and Sharon Newton She has danced with Ballet Frontier of Texas and guested with Capitol Ballet Company Langill has been honored to have performed many different ballets and original pieces Some of her favorite roles have been Titania in A Midsummer Night s Dream Clara and the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker as well as the title role in Sylvia Naomi enjoys sharing the love of dance through every new role and is excited to be joining Ballet Theatre Company for their inaugural season Sarah McCahill Sarah McCahill started dancing at the age of four at Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts She has also trained with School of American Ballet and Miami City Ballet School From the age of 12 17 she competed in YAGP winning first place in the junior division and placing in the top 10 every year after in the NYC finals After completing high school McCahill moved to South Florida to start an apprenticeship under Edward Vilella in Miami City Ballet She was shortly thereafter promoted to the corps de ballet and stayed with the company for five seasons later dancing under Lourdes Lopez doing mostly Balanchine and pieces from world renowned choreographers like Justin Peck Twyla Tharp Liam Scarlett to name a few In 2017 McCahill joined Dimensions Dance Theater of Miami a newer contemporary dance company led by the retired principal MCB couple Jennifer Kroennenberg and Carlos Guerra She stayed for a season dancing with them then came back to CT to begin diving into teaching at Woodbury Ballet and various other studios in the area while working full time This will be her first season at Ballet Theatre Company 32

btc company dancers Mollie Petrizzo Mollie Petrizzo was raised in West Hartford Connecticut where she began her dance training at the age of 3 Throughout her young dance career she danced with Ballet Theatre Company then at 17 decided to train at Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts After high school Petrizzo was accepted into the Ailey Fordham BFA program at Fordham University in New York City and graduated in the spring of 2021 She is currently dancing with Dimensional Dance company and teaching at Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts in Hartford Connecticut She is thrilled to be joining BTC for its 2021 2022 company season Gennaro Della Ragione Gennaro is a professional dancer from Naples Italy His teachers included Carmela Pirozzi Margherita Veneruso and Ferdinando Arenella in Italy He studied in Germany at the official school of the Semperoper Theater Della Ragione was chosen as a solo dancer for the show Una Voce for Padre Pio a prime time show on Italian TV In the US he has been Principal dancer for Sonia Plumb Dance Company as well as Dimensional Dance He also performed as a principal dancer in La Bayadere with Centro Danza and Sheherazade at the Teatro Mediterraneo in Naples Della Ragione also apprenticed with Mystic Ballet company directed by Goran Subotic Emily Silva Emily Aubrey Silva is one of BTC s company dancers as well as its Ballet Mistress She completed her early pre professional training at Boston Ballet School After graduating high school Silva trained in Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School s Graduate Program where she performed with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Company and taught on the Children s Division faculty She went on to attend the University of Hartford s Hartt School and graduated summa cum laude with a BFA in Dance Performance and Ballet Pedagogy While pursuing her BFA Silva performed works by George Balanchine Antony Tudor Martha Graham Arthur Saint Leon Claudia Schreier and Manuel Vignoulle She is a former soloist with Ballet Hartford and has performed with Ballet Theatre Company since 2017 33

junior corps de ballet Ballet Theatre Company BTC offers students a unique opportunity for young aspiring dancers to perform in professional ballet productions as part of BTC s Corps de Ballet The mission of BTC s Corps de Ballet is to provide serious dancers the opportunity to train at a high caliber experience professional dance at a young age and if interested to prepare for a future in dance Sofia Brummitt Julia Burkacki Mason Capone Isabella O Connor Sophia Pirrotta Serafina Snow Isha Sondhi Nupur Sondhi Eva Speranza Hailey Wankier Ela Whalen Penny Wickwire Elizabeth Windnagle Apprentices Kyla Cheng Jillian Hubbard Evie Messinger Sofia Wargo Portraits by Thomas Giroir 34

ABOUT SEASON 23 Ballet is Back Ballet returns to Greater Hartford stages bigger and better than ever As we head into the holiday season optimism is in the air We see it all around us the thrills and traditions that we love and have missed BTC productions continue to feature accomplished local dancers national ballet stars and school age ballet students from the Greater Hartford area With each unique show BTC provides joy and inspiration to everyone from ballet enthusiasts to children who want to experience the magic of dance We know that audiences are ready to experience the feel of live shows again says Ballet Theatre Company Artistic Director Stephanie Dattellas about preparing for the company s 23rd season and as we look at the season ahead we are ready to dazzle with our fall and winter ballets BTC is a women led organization and it s rapidly growing As the leadership looks to the future of the Company and of ballet in Connecticut we are expanding performance possibilities and making ballet more equitable for its dancers To walk the talk BTC launched a paid Company Dancers is Residence for the first time in its history for our 2021 2022 performance year In the past BTC paid dancers per performance but now they are paid to train rehearse and perform as an official Company In a field where working for free is often expected BTC is ensuring that its ballet dancers are valued At the end of August BTC held an audition to hire its new dancers When she looks back at the day Dattellas remembers the feel of a vision coming to life After a riveting audition we offered contracts to a diverse and talented group of professional dancers I truly cannot tell you how wonderful it felt to see BTC s dreams come to fruition right in front of my eyes Just in time for the 20th Anniversary production of The Nutcracker we can announce that The Nutcracker this December and Aladdin in April 2022 will be performed at The Bushnell Center for Performing Arts This is the first time that BTC will present on this prestigious stage made more glorious because The Nutcracker will be Ballet Theatre Company s dancers first main stage show in over a year of not performing in public theaters We are proud to offer the ballet to Greater Hartford and beyond With the return of ballet to the main stage dancers and audiences will reconnect in a way that online performances can never provide I m thrilled to stage news works and re visit classics like The Nutcracker at The Bushnell says Dattellas And we are eager to make ballet more approachable and fair for dancers and audiences in Greater Hartford Ballet is back We are glad to see you here

ballet theatre company performances and events Season 23 purchase tickets at dancebtc org or scan the code below 36

THE SCHOOL OF BALLET THEATRE COMPANY The School of Ballet Theatre Company SBTC is the official school of Ballet Theatre Company BTC offering classes for students ages three to adult from beginner to advanced levels Its carefully constructed curriculum emphasizes strong technique proper alignment musicality and expression Through a faculty of distinguished EDUCATION professionals its ballet instructors incorporate the best of the French Italian and Russian training methods in a nurturing and supportive classroom environment that fosters the development of young artists Whether SBTC s students dance for fun and exercise or because they dream of becoming a professional dancer SBTC s curriculum prepares students physically and mentally to embrace their next adventure cultivating discipline friendships that will last a lifetime and an appreciation for the art form In addition the students share a facility with the professional company enriching each student s experience by allowing them to observe those dancers in classes rehearsals and performances Students are also offered opportunities to perform with the professional company in productions such as Stephanie Dattellas The Nutcracker Photo by Walt Jedziniak 20 Jefferson Ave West Hartford CT 06110 860 570 0440 Email school dancebtc org www dancebtc org

COMMUNITY YOUTH OUTREACH PROGRAM CYOP OUTREACH Ballet Theatre Company s BTC Community Youth Outreach Program CYOP provides children with the opportunity to participate in studio dance education classes and experience live professional dance performances free of charge Over the past 22 years BTC s CYOP has reached over 10 000 children and grown to encompass four substantial programs and many wonderful partnering organizations At BTC we believe that all children deserve the opportunity to experience the positive impact of the arts Through our programming we strive to reach as many under resourced children as possible through dance classes opportunities to attend professional caliber live performances and much more We believe that these opportunities are crucial in developing well rounded human beings who become critical thinkers develop curious minds and lead more productive lives The goal of BTC s CYOP is to inspire nurture and encourage children by providing them opportunities to forge a life long personal connection to the arts Over the past 7 years BTC has partnered with Hartford Performs to bring artistic experiences into Hartford Public Schools In affiliation with BTC s semi annual main stage productions BTC produces a 1 hour abbreviated performance specifically for school children Although COVID 19 has created some barriers BTC is happy to continue to offer this opportunity through live stream performances for this year s The Nutcracker production directly to local classrooms BEHIND the CURTAIN Make a donation at www dancebtc org 38

This season BTC reserved 150 tickets for The Nutcracker for partnering child advocacy organizations to come see the magical performance free of charge through A Children s Ballet This outreach program has shared the joy of the performing arts with youth throughout Greater Hartford since 2002 The spring performance of A Children s Ballet will feature Aladdin Organizations also had the opportunity to reserve free tickets for A Children s Ballet and brought the joy of the magical holiday performance to children and families through a Free Streaming Ticket This ticket offered a streaming experience of the 2021 performance of The Nutcracker at the Bushnell s stunning Maxwell M and Ruth R Belding Theater free of charge Reach out to outreach dancebtc org if you are interested in participating in the upcoming A Children s Ballet program 39

cyop raising the barre Raising the Barre RTB is BTC s longest running CYOP program RTB provides children in underresourced communities with studio education dance classes and workshops free of charge RTB not only introduces children to European arts and culture but it also inspires and encourages them to dream set and achieve lofty goals Through this program children build socialization and relationship skills explore self expression and grow in individuality self esteem and confidence They gain physical fitness in strength coordination mobility flexibility and cognitive ability Participating children get to experience a variety of dance techniques including jazz ballet and hip hop The program culminates in a performance that will allow participants to showcase their talents and progress with family and friends BTC partners with the Hillcrest Area Neighborhood Outreach Center HANOC and the Boys and Girls Club BGC that serve children anywhere from ages 5 16 The majority of these children normally would not be able to participate in such activities due to socioeconomic background financial status and other limitations After the challenging last year and a half BTC is excited to bring back this program again in Season 23 Make a donation at www dancebtc org 40

Lead Sponsor of the Raising the Barre Community Youth Outreach Program Raising the Barre is also supported by The Ellen Jeanne Goldfarb Memorial Charitable Trust Long Family Foundation The Ahearn Family Foundation 41

cyop everybody dance now Ballet Theatre Company BTC is thrilled to continue its partnership with the Miracle League of CT and offer Everybody Dance Now EDN an adaptive dance program for its 4th year After a successful fall session BTC and the Miracle League are excited to jump into the upcoming spring session and share the joy of movement with all dancing bodies At BTC we believe that all children deserve the opportunity to experience the positive impact of the arts In 2018 some of the Miracle League of CT parents inquired about beginning an adaptive dance program BTC was more than happy to partner with the Miracle League and develop this idea EDN is an adaptive dance program that provides dancers of all abilities and ages the opportunity to express themselves through movement despite their physical and emotional limitations EDN is designed to develop self esteem and self expression improve mobility and fitness build cognitive abilities and give participants the experience of performing live Through EDN over 100 children with all types of exceptionalities have been able to express themselves through dance since its start up in 2018 Whether it meant moving the classes out onto the Miracle League baseball field or masking up not even COVID 19 has stood in the way of continuing this wonderful program Make a donation at www dancebtc org 42

cyop behind the curtain BEHIND the CURTAIN Behind the Curtain is affiliated with BTC s large stage productions such as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty along with the annual production of The Nutcracker This season BTC has offered a livestream or in person presentation hosted by its professional dancers and artists to educate students about the many aspects of dance productions These interactive presentations aim to invoke an early appreciation for the performing arts and offer knowledge that will propel students to be active and attentive audience members when attending performances In addition the Behind the Curtain program offers entertaining workbooks so that students can further explore the presented ballet and performing arts world while also practicing essential academic skills In opening students eyes to the many wonders of a ballet production Behind the Curtain aims to share the joys of live performances with young audiences and inspire a lifelong connection to the arts whether that be as a performer costumer member of the crew or audience member BTC is always looking to partner with more schools for this program Please reach out to outreach dancebtc org if you know of any school or classroom that may be interested Make a donation at www dancebtc org 43

Board of directors Board of Directors Eric Brummitt Chair Barbara Laurain Vice Chair Michele Andrade Secretary Directors Jessica Capone Tracy Dorman Kim Eckart Eric Galm Dan Hitchell Alexa Berk King Lauren Milardo Emeritus Board Douglas Eicher Kama Giedra Lisa Greene Emily Silva Photo Thomas Giroir Make a donation at www dancebtc org 44

When you become or renew as a BTC s Encore Society member you join BTC s community of supporters who prioritize the performing arts in the Greater Hartford area With a contribution of 100 or more you will become a member of BTC s exclusive Encore Society for the entirety of BTC s 2021 2022 season Benefits include complimentary tickets and pre sale ticket opportunities to season performances and many other exclusive perks Learn more and join the Encore Society at www dancebtc org encore society Joseph Beltre and Lea Janell Mitchell in Dattellas Divide Eric Vagabond Photography 45

DIRECTOR CIRCLE Ron and Nancy Compton Anonymous Anonymous 2 Alexa Berk King Eric Brummitt and Michelle Prizio Jessica and Jeff J Capone Diane Davidson Tracy Dorman Douglas Eicher and Bonnie Mills Kama Giedra Lisa and Tim Greene Brook Hazelton Dan and Beth Hitchell Laurel Hoskins and Stephen Pevar Jo ann Burke BTC Company Dancer Photo Thomas Giroir 46

PRINCIPAL CIRCLE The Clement Greenbaum Family Carl and Chris Dattellas Kimberly Eckart Michael and Lynda Emard David Flynn Claire and Robert Fournier Lauren Milardo Gary and Pat Nurnberger Wendy Olson Nancy and Bernie Pelletier Peter and Joyce Prizio Freddy and Bronwyn Rolon Louisa Walsh Naomi Langill BTC Company Dancer Photo Thomas Giroir 47

SOLOIST CIRCLE Lori and Roger Aubrey Jr Shari Cantor Amy Flores Joseph and Sandra Fries Jason and Kelley Geller Jay and Casey Gruber William Heerdt Kathleen A Kennedy Virginia and William Major Ivan and Marianne Mueller Attorney Michael Peck Wes and Christina Whiteside A gift in honor and memory of Anthony Diglio Mollie Petrizzo BTC Company Dancer Photo Thomas Giroir 48

CORPS DE BALLET CIRCLE Gloria Addonizio Ellen Anderson Jim and Ellen Aspell Jessica Bell and Karl Lutz John Betz Barbara Carpenter Bob Carr and Pamela Travis Maggie and Kevin Casey Joanne C Collin Caroline Dealy and Robert Kosher Barbara Dorian Brianna Dunlap Tracy Flater Andrew Gray Nathan Greenbaum Brooke and Todd Greenwood Jennifer Grew Nancy Grover Paul Guggina Lisa and Larry Hopkins Bonnie Hoskins Margaret Hoskins Ron Jackman and Rita E Trumbull Diana James Rene Joanis Burke Kathleen Keller Megan Klamert Barbara Laurain Quentin Lehn Meghan and Ariel Martinez Jennifer McGrath Garrett and Kerry McVaney Amy and Dave Messinger Neha and Ankur Parekh Ted and Pam Parrot Sandra Pereira Friso Postma Vera Racine Lawrence and Naomi Rothfield Maura Rucker Beverly J Schilke Donna Schwartz Jae Siebold Judith and Allen Siebold Emily and Alex Silva Tiffany Smetak Ken Laura and Tierney Smith Olga Strongin Eusko Steve and Ann Marie Therault LeAnn Wankier Scott and Nara Wargo Francine Waterman Webb Family John Wizeman Nancy E Zaeh Eckart Victoria Jaenson BTC Company Dancer Photo Thomas Giroir 49

Summer Intensives For ages 3 Pre Professional June 6 through August 26 2022 photo Walt Jedziniak Learn more and register at www dancebtc org 20 Jefferson Avenue West Hartford CT 06110 860 570 0440 www dancebtc org Ballet Theatre Company is a 501 c 3 not for profit organization 50

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Soir e Ballet Theatre Company Invites You to Attend Ballet JUNE 25 2022 6 00 PM TO 9 00 PM FEATURING EXCERPTS FROM DON QUIXOTE SEASONAL DINNER AND SILENT AUCTION THE TOWN HALL BALLROOM 50 SOUTH MAIN STREET WEST HARTFORD CT purchase tickets at www dancebtc org or scan the code 52

From the campus Library to the Presidents College Duncaster is where I learn Guest Performances On Campus Library Resident Run Clubs At Duncaster there are so many ways to continue to feed your mind Attend lectures and discussion groups complete your reading list in our library or learn new skills through our lifelong learning program Here you can enrich your mind to stay at your best And with a full continuum of care services right on campus choosing our Life Plan community means you ll live at Duncaster with the peace of mind that comes from knowing you ve made a smart decision Keep knowing keep growing call 860 380 5006 to schedule a tour 40 Loeffler Road Bloomfield CT 06002 860 726 2000 Duncaster org 53

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The Buchalter and Breslow Family pro u dly su pp o rt s Ballet Theatre Company The Party Scene in BTC s The Nutcracker 2019 Photo by Thomas Giroir 56

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Our World Revolves Around Your Dog 37 Darcy St West Hartford CT 860 882 1711 www planetbark com LAUREL GRAPHIC DESIGN congratulates BALLET THEATRE COMPANY on their spectacular productions 59

Family Friends Community Happy Thanksgiving We re all in this together neighbors State Farm has a long tradition of being there That s one reason why I m proud to support Ballet Theatre Company Here to help life go right I m thankful to be part of such a wonderful community I wish all my neighbors a safe and happy Thanksgiving Sharon Kim Agent Like a good neighbor State Farm is there Sharon 2475 AlbanyKim Avenue Agent Suite 204 West Hartford CT 06117 2475 Albany Avenue Suite 204 Bus 860 233 8511 sharon kim mgor statefarm com West Hartford CT 06117 860 233 8511 sharon kim mgor statefarm com 1801075 Sharon Kim Agent 2475 Albany Avenue West Hartford CT 06117 Bus 860 233 8511 sharon kim mgor statefarm com State Farm Bloomington IL State Farm Bloomington IL 2006044 60

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I A T S E LOCAL 84 HARTFORD CT 860 233 8821 The Union Behind Entertainment 63

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Congratulations BALLET THEATRE COMPANY ON ANOTHER GREAT SEASON For print and digital subscriptions please call 203 333 6688 For advertising information please email advertise hearstmediact com 68

We are proud to be ballet theatre company Ballet Theatre Company s season 23 sponsor choreography by stephanie dattellas April 23 and April 24 2022 the belding theater at the bushnell BTC Company Dancer Sarah McCahill Photo by Thomas Giroir We are excited to work on your next project 236 Park Road West Hartford CT 06119 860 521 9279 Fax 860 521 1079 www cricketpress net Ballet Theatre Company is a 501 c 3 not for profit organization www dancebtc org