October 13, 2011
Ms. Ogden dances with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet
Ms. Ogden is dancing the principal role in Balanchine’s Diamonds with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., this week. Ms. Ogden wrote a post for the Experiment Station blog run by The Phillips Collection museum. In that post, she discusses a museum visit in Paris last summer that focused on paintings by Degas. Ms. Ogden particularly likes Degas for his many paintings of ballet dancers. Here’s a snippet from that post:
“I read that Degas loved to experiment and never considered any of his work finished. He shared that mentality with the majority of dancers as well. As dancers we hope always to evolve and improve. We are constantly striving for perfection, while never really obtaining it.”
The Washington Post has a review of the Suzanne Farrell Ballet’s Diamonds, which notes Ms. Ogden’s “luminous performance”. The New York Times has a feature on Ms. Farrell, and the column includes a lovely picture of her with Ms. Ogden.
Ms. Ogden dances at Vive La Danse 25
Ms. Ogden will be one of the dancers supporting the Dancer Transition Resource Centre by dancing at their gala, Vive La Danse 25, at the Imperial Room, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, on October 26th. Ticket information is available at the link. More information at the TAPA Blog here including information about an auction at which one of the items will be dinner with Ms. Ogden and Mr. Côté.
June 8, 2011
Ms. Ogden dances in Balanchine’s Mozartiana
Ms. Ogden will be dancing in NBoC’s production of the beautiful Balanchine ballet Mozartiana this month:
June 16 at 2:00 pm and June 17 at 7:30 pm with Brett van Sickle and on June 18 at 7:30 pm and 19 at 2:00 pm with Guillaume Côté.
Although the piece is named for Mozart, the music is by Tchaikovsky. NBoC’s webpage for this work tells us:
“Mozartiana, a late work from 1981 (revised from an earlier version made in 1933) differs from his other Tchaikovsky-inspired ballets in that it is also a response to Mozart. The audience gets the best of both worlds. Its crisp, classical elegance and sprightliness suggests the Viennese master; its Russian seriousness grounds it in a voluptuous emotion.”
Mozartiana appears on a mixed bill with Other Dances and In the Upper Room. Tickets and other information are available here.
Casting announced for NBoC’s production of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Ms. Ogden will be appearing in the title role in the NBoC production of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, on the following dates:
June 9 and 11 at 2 pm and June 24 at 7:30 pm.
Ms. Ogden talks about dancing Alice on the NBoC Blog.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a co-production of NBoC and the Royal Ballet. It is a new, full-length work by choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, receiving its North American premiere. Music is by Joby Talbot. More information and tickets are available here.
April 29, 2011
Ms. Ogden and Mr. Côté speak at International Dance Day event
Today, April 29th, is International Dance Day. Ms. Ogden and Guillaume Côté will make an address on Sunday (May 1st) in Toronto at an event marking this day. The Canadian Dance Assembly website for this event has a lovely picture of Ms. Ogden and Mr. Côté in Swan Lake. The CDA has released the following statement:
“As a bilingual national service organization CDA is pleased to present the following message from Heather Ogden and Guillaume Côté, Principal Dancer and Guest Artist-in-Residence with The National Ballet of Canada. Representing both French and English speaking Canada this dynamic and critically acclaimed couple offer the following message to the dance community in honour of International Dance Day.
“When you dance with someone you share something very special, whether it’s a moment, a piece of music or a story, and it can often bring people together like it did for us. Dancing has given us a broader appreciation for all forms of art. We dance not only for ourselves but for others; hearing how we have inspired others and helped them to learn about dance is very fulfilling. In a world where things seem so rapid and fast, dance can be so beautifully simple and in the moment. It gives us a chance to be truly in the present and to capture a moment that we will have forever. Happy International Dance Day!”
Yes – Happy International Dance Day to all Heather Ogden fans!
April 27, 2011
Ms. Ogden dances at the Tour de Force II Gala
Ms. Ogden and Guillaume Côté will dance at the Tour de Force II Gala at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, on Thursday April 28th. The gala is “a celebration of the world of dance” according to the Long Beach Press-Telegram.
Ms. Ogden and Mr. Côté will dance a pas-de-deux from Kudelka’s Cinderella and an excerpt from Cranko’s Onegin. Ms. Ogden told the Press-Telegram that she is especially looking forward to the Cinderella pas-de-deux, since it is the moment when Cinderella and the Prince meet and fall in love, and the Thursday night performance will be the first time she dances it with Mr. Côté.
March 19, 2011
Ms. Ogden in the Spring Mixed Bill
March 9, 2011
Ms. Ogden dances Tatiana in Onegin
Casting has been announced for NBoC’s production of Onegin. Ms. Ogden will dance the role of Tatiana on March 19 at 2:00pm with McGee Maddox as Onegin. Choreography is by John Cranko and the score is by Tchaikovsky. Information and tickets are available here.
March 4, 2011
Evelyn Hart to mentor Ms. Ogden
The National Arts Centre has announced that legendary Canadian dancer Evelyn Hart has chosen to mentor Ms. Ogden as part of the 2011 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Mentorship Program. This program allows past winners of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards to contribute to the development of younger artists. The program is intended to contribute to the development of “talented mid-career artists.” Ms. Hart is quoted as saying:
“Having the support of a peer who had been there before was of immeasurable assistance and greatly enriched my career. I hope that through this Mentorship Program, Heather Ogden—with all her talent and accomplishments—will dare to go where only her heart and soul can lead her. I’m delighted that Heather will enrich the lives of Canadians through her unique eyes and art.”
Ms. Ogden dances in Don Quixote
Ms. Ogden will debut in the role of Kitri in NBoC’s production of Don Quixote on March 10 at 2:00 pm. This is the version of Cervantes’ tale restaged by Lindsay Fischer and Peter Ottmann, after Nicolas Beriozoff, Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky. The NBoC page, with a link to ticket information, is here.
