The Montana Ballet Company
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Dancers from the 2009 Nutcracker
Montana Ballet Company's mission is to strive to produce and present top quality dance performances, to offer outstanding arts education and outreach opportunities to under served populations and to provide dedicated dancers throughout Montana with pre-professional training and performance opportunities which  foster relationships and collaborations with other fine artists.

Montana Ballet Company's Co Artistic Directors
Amy Stoddart and Elizabeth DeFanti

Montana Ballet Company is generously sponsored by
The National Endowment for the Arts
The Montana Arts Council
Montana Cultural Trust
And many local businesses and foundations.

INTERESTED IN DANCE?  FOLLOW THESE LINKS TO THE LOCAL STUDIOS!

http://www.dancebozeman.com
http://www.dancewithdella.com
http://www.havefundancing.com
http://www.mainstreetdancetheatre.com
http://www.tanyasdanceco.com

MBC office hours: Monday 10am-5pm, Tuesday 10am-5pm, Wednesday 9am-1pm, Thursday and Friday 10-12pm
  
Montana Ballet Announces Ground-Breaking Collaboration

February 5, 2010 Contact: Katie O'Neill, Managing Director, Montana Ballet Company 406-582-8702  mbcmanager.ballet@gmail.com
 
Summary: Montana Ballet Company (MBC) will collaborate with legendary music producer   Patrick Leonard and local student Emmy winning filmmaker Jennifer Grace on ‘The First Day.’ It is an original contemporary multimedia ballet that will have its world premiere at Bozeman’s Emerson Cultural Center’s Crawford Theater on May 14th 2010.
 
Bozeman non-profit MBC is collaborating with multiple Grammy nominated music producer   Patrick Leonard and student Emmy winning filmmaker Jennifer Grace on ‘The First Day’ a contemporary multimedia ballet. Leonard has produced countless multi-platinum records and received several Grammy nominations. He is famous for long time collaborations with Elton John, Pink Floyd, Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, and Madonna. Leonard met Jennifer Grace, a Montana State University graduate student, at the Jim Henson Company in the summer of 2009. Grace was working at the Henson Company as part of the Emmy Foundation mentorship program. Leonard, a member of the board of directors for the Martha Graham Company, had been developing an original story written by his daughter Jessica into a contemporary ballet. Jessica Leonard is a Suma Cum Laude graduate in English Literature from UC Boulder and was also the muse for the song ‘Dear Jessie’ written by Madonna over 20 years ago. Patrick asked Jen to produce the work and Jen suggested they enlist the help of Montana Ballet Company and co-artistic director  Amy Stoddart.  Ms. Stoddart he holds a BA in ballet from Mercyhurst College, and an MFA in dance performance and choreography from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Amy served as an Associate Professor of dance specializing in ballet technique and dance history at the University of Oregon from 1998 – 2008.   Leonard says, “I’m thrilled to be working with so many gifted and dedicated people. The opportunity to create a new piece of work in such a vibrant and exciting place is a gift any composer would love.”


“The First Day” is the story of a woman confined in a solitary prison cell for an unidentified crime in an unknown place and time. She learns the date of her execution but she has been cut off from the world for so long that she no longer knows the present date. Over the course of the single day in which the story occurs the woman undergoes a transformation that leads her from despair to fear to acceptance to a renewed and tragic appreciation of life. Leonard's genius musical composition, evocative sound design reminiscent of Pink Floyd performances, and an emotive live vocalist will create an astounding soundscape. Dancer Caitlin Ross’s dramatic artistry, Amy Stoddart’s exquisite choreography, and the insistent multimedia projections by Jennifer Grace will take audience members on a highly charged and emotional journey.

Also part of the creative team is Patrick Leonard’s cousin Charles Leonard who will create a Graham-inspired set and original illustrations. The lighting design will be created by Tom Watson, a professor in the MSU School of Film and Photography.

Following the dance performance, Bozeman audiences will be dazzled by Patrick Leonard on the ivory keys. Patrick will be doing some solo improvisations, some familiar songs, as well as some pieces of his own. His playing ranges in style from Jazz to contemporary classical to pop. In 2008 he became the first American to play at Kensington Palace when he was invited to accompany Greek singing legend Anna Vissi for a charity event held by Princess Michael of Kent.

 After the concert HATCHfest will co-produce a panel and reception with the creative team. All proceeds will go towards the production of an original three-act ballet that builds upon ‘The First Day’s’ theme of social justice and self-awareness.

The collaborative project is so compelling that PBS producer and Montana State University's Creative Research Lab Director Terry Beaubois is bringing MSU and Montana PBS together to cooperate in the creation of a "behind-the-scenes" film.  It will capture the multidisciplinary collaboration that goes into developing a World class multimedia Ballet in Bozeman, MT.  This movie will take the magic far beyond one day on the stage and it has the potential to reach thousands of TV viewers.


All seating is reserved. Ticket prices and outlet will be announced in April. Ten need-based scholarships for the performance and
 the reception will be given away by MBC.


Montana Ballet Company ~ (406) 582-8702 

45 Rawhide Ridge Rd. Bozeman, MT 59719

www.montanaballet.com



Please visit the 'The First Day' biographies and media page to read more about the collaboration.