New Indy ballet co. names names

The city’s latest aspiring ballet company, Indianapolis City Ballet, is making good on its promise to bring international stars to town for a gala event at the Murat Theatre, Sept. 12. IBJ’s Kathleen McLaughlin takes over the blog today for this report.

The just-announced lineup for the Indianapolis City Ballet’s September gala includes principal and award-winning dancers from Stuttgart, New York and St. Petersburg. (Check out the lineup below.)

In case you haven’t been following the story, local arts patrons Jane Fortune and Robert Hesse are trying to put together a company to replace the defunct Ballet Internationale. Whether they actually proceed will depend much on how much money they raise through the event.

As we reported back in April, Indianapolis City Ballet hired John Meehan, most recently artistic director at the Hong Kong Ballet, to recruit dancers for the big night. (Just to be clear, the dancers are guest artists, performing for a one-time event.)

What do you think? Are you impressed with the roster? Will you turn out for the performance?

Guest artists for “Evening with the Stars”*:

Alicia Amatraian – principal dancer of the Stuttgart Ballet. According to a City Ballet press release, Amatraian is now considered one of “the most exciting and important dancers in Europe.”

Joaquin De Luz – principal dancer with the New York City Ballet. De Luz, a Spaniard, won the prestigious Prix Benois de la Danse in Moscow in early June.

David Hallberg – principal dancer, American Ballet Theatre. Again according to the press release, Hallberg is “considered to be one of the biggest new American stars in ballet.”

Julie Kent – principal dancer. Kent was one of last of the ballerinas chosen by Mikhail Baryshnikov for American Ballet Theatre and an international star for many years. She has appeared in two films, “Dancers,” and “Center Stage.”

Sarah Lane – a soloist with American Ballet Theatre.

Anastasia Matvienko – principal dancer with the Mikhailovsky Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Denis Matvienko – Anastasia’s husband, also a principal dancer with the Mikhailovsky Ballet.

Tiler Peck – soloist with New York City Ballet.

Miguel Quinones – performing with the Parsons Dance Company since 2005. Known for “amazing” leaps.

Jason Reilly – principal dancer with the Stuttgart Ballet. Canadian, Reilly will begin dancing with the National Ballet of Canada in the fall.

Gennadi Saveliev – soloist with American Ballet Theatre, previously danced with the Bolshoi Ballet and is the recipient of a silver medal from the New York International Ballet Competition.

*Descriptions are provided by Indianapolis City Ballet.

Meehan says the one-time event will emphasize neo-classical and contemporary ballet. Tickets are going for $65, $45, and $25.

For photos and bios of the dancers, click here.

Your thoughts?